Forbes List of Top 10 Billionaires In 2004

The Top Ten In 2004

William Gates III
1
49 , self made Track This Person

Source: MicrosoftNet Worth: $46.5 bil Country of citizenship: United StatesResidence: Medina, WA, United States Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 3 children Harvard University, Drop Out
Gates was given honorary knighthood in March, but don't call him Sir William: the title is only good for citizens of the Commonwealth. He is staying plenty busy pressing Microsoft beyond PCs into television set-top boxes, games, cell phones. "Software is where the action is," Gates proclaimed to company researchers last August. Competition from rival open source operating system, Linux, is stalling Microsoft's growth in the server market, but desktop dominance remains intact: Windows installed in 94% of PCs being sold. Next version, Longhorn, should be ready in 2006. Microsoft, meanwhile, is pursuing online music, photos and search software. Gates is methodically diversifying his wealth: He sells 20 million shares each quarter, reinvests through Cascade Investment in nontech companies, including big stakes in Cox Communications, Canadian National Railway, Republic Services. World's biggest philanthropist also devoting $27 billion to good deeds. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation fights infectious diseases (hepatitis B, AIDS), funds vaccine development, helps high schools.


Warren Buffett
2
74 , self made Track This Person

Source: Berkshire HathawayNet Worth: $44 bil Country of citizenship: United StatesResidence: Omaha, NE, United States Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: widowed , 3 children University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceColumbia University, Master of Science
Newspaper delivery boy filed first 1040 at age 13; claimed $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Applied value-investing principles to build Berkshire Hathaway to $133 billion (market cap) holding company: insurance, energy, carpets, jewelry, furniture, paint (Benjamin Moore), apparel (Fruit of the Loom). Also big stakes in American Express, Coca-Cola, Gillette (now set to merge with Procter & Gamble). Admits Berkshire's $30 billion-plus cash hoard is underutilized: "It's a painful condition to be in, but not as painful as doing something stupid—[Vice Chairman] Charlie [Munger] and I detest taking even small risks." Recent bets include Pier One Imports, Comcast, food distributor McLane. Bought mobile-home maker Clayton Homes after reading autobiography by company founder. "If we fail, we will have no excuses." Since taking control of Berkshire has delivered compound annual return of 24%. Outspoken opponent of Bush tax cuts, courted as adviser to pols Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Kerry. Critic of lax corporate governance, became target of failed campaign to vote him off Coca-Cola board. Fanatical supporters still far outnumber critics: Berkshire's folksy annual meeting crowds routinely top 15,000.


Lakshmi Mittal
3
54 , inherited and growing Track This Person

Source: steelNet Worth: $25 bil Country of citizenship: IndiaResidence: London, United Kingdom Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 2 children St Xavier's College Calcutta, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Coming-out year for the steel titan, who now oversees the world's largest steel company, Mittal Steel. In December he merged his Ispat International with Ohio-based International Steel Group. Owns 88% of the $31.5 billion (sales) company. Recently shelled out $100 million for a new 12-bedroom mansion in London's posh Kensington neighborhood. Also reportedly dropped $60 million to host his daughter's five-day-long wedding celebration in Versailles last summer.


Carlos Slim Helu
4
65 , inherited and growing Track This Person

Source: telecomNet Worth: $23.8 bil Country of citizenship: MexicoResidence: Mexico City, Mexico Industry: CommunicationsMarital Status: widowed , 6 children
Just call him Midas. Latin America's richest man upped his wealth this year by an incredible $10 billion, thanks to a growing and diverse empire that includes holdings in retail, banking and insurance, and auto parts manufacturing. Shares of his flagship wireless telecom outfit, América Movil, soared 76% during the year. And his fixed-line operator, Telefonos de Mexico, or Telmex, is reportedly gearing up to double its customer base this year, primarily in Mexico, by signing up 600,000 broadband Internet subscribers. As one of its largest shareholders, Slim was purportedly contemplating taking MCI private—until Verizon bid to acquire the beaten-down phone company in February. Said to have one of Latin America's largest collections of Rodin sculptures; is also the founder of Foundation of the Historic Center of Mexico City, dedicated to restoring colonial buildings in Mexico City's historic city center.


Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud
5
48 , self made Track This Person

Source: investmentsNet Worth: $23.7 bil Country of citizenship: Saudi ArabiaResidence: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 2 children Menlo College, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceSyracuse University, Master of Science
This savvy global investor and nephew of the Saudi king continues to thrive on deal-making—in addition to a dash of pro-American political crusading. His fortune, anchored by a $10 billion stake in Citigroup, was lifted in part by a 116% rise in the Saudi stock market in 2004. Last year he unloaded his half of New York's Plaza Hotel and plowed the profits into buying stakes in London's Savoy Hotel and Monaco's Monte Carlo Grand. In January he helped bail out an ailing Disneyland-Paris with a $30 million cash injection. A vocal supporter of women's rights, he hired the first female airplane pilot in Saudi Arabia, a country where women still can't legally drive. Clearly pleased with his stock picking prowess, he took out ads on CNN touting his holdings. "We're telling the market all these companies are number one in their field," crows Alwaleed.


Ingvar Kamprad
6
78 , self made Track This Person

Source: IkeaNet Worth: $23 bil Country of citizenship: SwedenResidence: Lausanne, Switzerland Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 4 children
Founder and owner of $16.4 billion (sales) IKEA, the preferred furniture company for the hip and cost-conscious. Cultlike following: store openings draw huge, occasionaly unruly crowds, sometimes resulting in stampedes or in one case two deaths. Stories of Kamprad parsimony abound: He reportedly flies economy, stays in cheap hotels and so on. But he doesn't deprive himself entirely: owns a posh villa in Sweden, a 17-hectare winery in Provence and lives in wealthy-friendly Switzerland rather than Sweden.


Paul Allen
7
52 , self made Track This Person

Source: Microsoft, investmentsNet Worth: $21 bil - Country of citizenship: United StatesResidence: Seattle, WA, United States Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: single Washington State University, Drop Out
Microsoft cofounder still a believer in "wired world," though these days jettisoning investments like TechTV in favor of biotech. Stock in cable company Charter Communications languishing, thanks to an assist from the indictment of 4 executives on charges of inflating company's results. Other misfortune with investment in troubled telecom provider RCN; last year he sold his stake at a big loss. Still managing to have a good time elsewhere. Owns pro football's Seattle Seahawks, basketball's Portland Trail Blazers. Financial backer of SpaceShipOne, first to launch private flight into suborbital space. Added Science Fiction Museum to his Experience Music Project in Seattle; includes captain's chair from the original Star Trek. Other captain's chair sits high atop the Octopus, 413-foot yacht armed with 2 helicopters and a 60-foot submarine. His Paul G. Allen Family Foundation has donated heavily to education, art and science causes. Joined buddy Bill Gates in 1975, left the company in 1983 to fight Hodgkin's disease. Has been slowly selling off Microsoft stake ever since.


Karl Albrecht
8
85 , self made

Source: supermarketsNet Worth: $18.5 bil Country of citizenship: GermanyResidence: Muehlheim an der Ruhr, Germany Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 children

Richest man in Germany. With younger brother, Theo, turned mother's corner grocery store into discount supermarket giant Aldi. Now has 7,000 stores and estimated $50 billion in sales. Karl used to manage more profitable southern half of Aldi's German business, but has since retired. Fiercely private, he apparently loves golf and raises orchids.


Lawrence Ellison
9
60 , self made Track This Person

Source: OracleNet Worth: $18.4 bil Country of citizenship: United StatesResidence: Silicon Valley, CA, United States Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 2 children University of Illinois, Drop Out
Chicago native cofounded database software firm Oracle in 1977 and took it public in 1986, one day before Microsoft; nipping at rival's heels ever since. Touts Darwinian view of software industry, decreeing that all but the largest players are doomed. Just as competitive on the high seas: Ellison’s a tenacious competitor in the America's Cup and his BMW Oracle Racing team looks to be in fighting trim leading up to the 2007 race. A visionary very attached to his own vision of things, he gave exclusive access to a biographer in exchange for being allowed to pepper the book with footnotes giving his own version of events. Latest footnote: adding PeopleSoft to Oracle's arsenal.


S Robson Walton
10
61 , inherited Track This Person

Source: Wal-MartNet Worth: $18.3 bil Country of citizenship: United StatesResidence: Bentonville, AR, United States Industry: RetailingMarital Status: divorced , 3 children University of Arkansas, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceColumbia University, Doctor of Jurisprudence
Eldest son of Sam Walton (d. 1992), legendary merchant who opened first discount store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Took Wal-Mart public in 1970; explosive growth. Wal-Mart is now the world's largest retailer, with more than 5,000 stores. Serves as Wal-Mart chairman. Retail giant is now selling softer side after barrage of criticism over poor worker benefits and strong-arming suppliers. Family donates via Walton Family Foundation.

http://www.forbes.com/2005/03/09/bill05land.html

Should You Refinance Your House Mortgage

Calculate The Benefit of Refinancing Before Commiting

Refinancing is the process of adding a new first mortgage to replace an existing first mortgage and/or any other liens you may have. Refinancing can accomplish one or both of the following:

No Cash-Out
· Reduce your monthly mortgage payment .
· Reduce the remaining term of your loan and thus probably save tens of thousands of dollars in interest over the long-run .

Cash-Out
· Withdrawal cash ("tap equity") for such expenses as home improvement, college tuition, or bill consolidation or, for such purchases as a 2nd home, invesment property, car, or major vacation.

NO CASH-OUT REFINANCE

Refinancing can be an expensive transaction, so our advice is to first determine if the savings outweigh the expense of the transaction. As a rough gauge of the expense, pull out your HUD-1 Settlement Statement. This is the paper you received at settlement when you last purchased or refinanced that showed every closing cost. The expenses involved with your proposed new loan will be roughly the same, except

· There will be no transfer tax -- the ownership is not being transferred now.
· Title insurance will probably be a couple of hundred dollars less.
· There will probably be no property test expenses (e.g. home inspection, radon, water, or septic).

The rule of thumb regarding the cost vs. benefit of refinancing is that you need a 2% "spread" between your existing interest rate and today's current rates.

For instance, let's say that today's rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage is 7.000% with 3 points. Thus you will need your current interest rate to be 9.000% or greater to make the transaction worthwhile.

But, like all rules-of-thumb, sometimes they're right and sometimes they're wrong. We've run the cost vs. benefit analysis for clients when there was only a 1.25% spread in the interest rates to make the transaction worthwhile. You can run the cost vs. benefit analysis for yourself by clicking the link below.

Click here to go to the

Cost vs. Benefit Analysis questionnaire.

CASH-OUT REFINANCE

If you wish to withdrawal cash, we suggest that you first determine the amount of that expense or purchase. For example: If you want to finance some home improvements, determine what you want done, price the job(s), and ask the time frame to complete the work. If you want to consolidate your bills, determine which bills you wish to pay-off, then add up the recent balances.
Now that you've determined the purpose and amount, the next step would to make sure you qualify for the proposed new loan.

Click here to go to the Refinance Prequalification Questionnaire.

Refinancing can help you save money depending on the situation.

By Professional Mortgage Consultants

http://www.pmc-pa.com/refinancing.html

A Ten Steps Strategy To Consistently Eating Clean

Eating Clean To Stay In Top Shape

Over my past ten years of bodybuilding I have always enjoyed working out. I could never understand people when they said they didn't enjoy training. I love the psyching up pre-workout to reach new heights in strength and intensity, followed by the satisfaction of achieving training goals. However, I can understand it when people say that they don't enjoy eating healthy all the time.

In today's quick fix society everybody wants things done fast and people don't like wasting their limited time. This combined with the overwhelming amount of fast-food restaurants is causing a massive dent in the general public's level of health. People grab a fast bite to eat on the way home from work to save time purchasing and cooking a healthy alternative. Luckily, we as health enthusiasts are more informed with regards to the consequences of following such an unhealthy lifestyle. But, this does not mean we are totally immune to the urges of eating junk food. This article is not just based at bodybuilder pre-contest, as the off-season diet can be just as challenging.

Eating a good quality, high protein meals and resisting junk food when you are 'bulking up' can be incredibly hard. However, it is necessary if you want to look like a bodybuilder year round rather than just when competing. With this in mind I have written a ten-step guide to eating clean consistently in order to get the most out of your bodybuilding endeavors.

Eating For Performance Over Pleasure.

Taking your physique to the next level means eating for optimal performance, recovery and growth. I always notice a huge difference to my training capabilities and ability to increase strength if I have been eating a good, clean bodybuilding diet. After supplying my body with the fuel it needs to run at it's optimum level I feel fully charged, focused and bursting with energy to make that workout really count.

However, I have also felt the reverse (especially while at college) feeling lethargic and no strength as a result of following a poor diet. This experience motivates me to stay on track with my diet plan as I hate not performing my best in the gym. Especially when it has been a result of eating for pleasure i.e. useless junk food. Sure, it is ok to have one cheat meal a week, the problems occur when this becomes a frequent habit. Eating shit all day and then going to the gym only results in a shit workout!

Develop An Effective Eating Plan And Know What You Need To Eat Every Day.

After you have established what your training and physique goals are, whether it be increase muscle size or lose body fat, it is then important to develop a nutritional plan that is going to make your goals a reality. There are many great articles on bodybuilding.com as to what you should eat in terms of the amount of protein, carbs and quality fats and also the total amount of calories you should be taking in depending on your needs (building or cutting up).

When you've determined your nutritional needs its then important to create an effective eating plan based around your lifestyle and how you intend on fitting your healthy eating around your work or college schedule. Plan it out of paper with the various meal timings and what you intend to eat throughout the day. Carry this plan around with you so you can constantly refer to it to keeping yourself on track. After a while the meal timing will become second nature. Also, it is important to plan for any obstacles that might occur and mess up your plan. Always having a protein bar, meal replacements or even fruit available will help you compensate for any shortcomings that might challenge your eating plan.

Recording Your Diet Daily And Calculating Your Nutrient Intakes.

Every day record your diet and the timing of your meals. At the end of the day calculate you nutrient intake for the day. This will allow you to know if you are accomplishing you targeted meal plans or not. It can also be invaluable in analyzing your current progression. If you're not getting progressively stronger or bigger changing your routine shouldn't be the first steps taken, rather you should look at your food intake and see if there are areas in which you can improve. Often, what people plan on eating daily and what they actually do consume can be completely different. Even though this practice of calculating your daily intake can be time consuming it is well worth when you start progressing towards your goals.

Keep A Daily Diet Checklist.

I have found keeping a daily diet checklist invaluable. In this checklist I write down my nutritional requirements such as; eating at least 300g of protein a day, drinking at least 1 gallon of water a day, taking in two tablespoons of flax seed oil per day, perfectly following the post-workout supplement and meal plans every training day, not eating any cheat food all day, consistently recording my diet every day.

I have devised a chart which I use it allows my to tick or cross a box related to one of these tasks above. I strive to get a complete day worth of ticks meaning that I have achieved my diet goals. However, I'm also honest and will cross them when I have not lived up to my plans. This daily reminder keeps me on track and motivated to eat like a bodybuilder consistently.

Constantly Looking For New Exciting Meal Plans For Diversity.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring. Many people like to just keep it simple and stay to just chicken breasts and rice. That's fine if you can do that, but another alternative is too seek out tasty and healthy bodybuilding meals. You can be inventive. Use spices when you cook to give your food a added kick, use a wide variety of vegetables and create different salads. In a great book called 'Sliced' author Negrita Jayde has pages packed with enticing meals.

With a bit of imagination, trial and error you can develop a whole range of great tasting meals which not only help you achieve you goals but also assists in preventing the temptation for junk food. I have different meal plans for every day of the week, so that I'm not eating the same dish more than twice a week. This really helps in preventing boredom and keeping me consistent.

Never Go Longer Than 3 Hours Without A Healthy Meal.

It is important to keep your body in an anabolic state and if you're not feeding your body regularly it will go into a catabolic state and begin eating muscle for fuel. This is the last thing that any bodybuilder wants so always have food at hand. I try to eat at least every 2 hours. This doesn't always have to be solid food, but could be a meal replacement or a protein drink with some fruit. As long as you're giving your body fuel to work with you'll be fine. Also, by eating frequently you help prevent cravings for junk food, as when you get too hungry you can end-up desiring fast food to satisfy your hunger.

Devising Alternatives To 'Cheat' Meals

When it comes to your cheat meal, or even cheat day it can be very easy after a long week of healthy eating to go overboard and eat everything you desire and consume loads of useless calories. A good way to avoid this type of excessive bingeing is to devise some good alternatives to cheat meals. For example, a Pizza Hut pizza with loads of toppings can quickly add up to well over 1000 - 1500 calories and about 100grams of fat.

Now that's a lot for the body to deal with and although it might taste good at the time you generally feel sluggish and lethargic afterwards, especially as most people will eat this meal at night and let it sit on their stomachs as they sleep. A good alternative is to make your own pizza. In the supermarkets you can buy the base, then add fat free pasta sauce to it along with chicken, fat free ham and fat free cheese. It can end up tasting pretty good with less then half the calories and fat than the fast food choice.

When it comes to good old' cheeseburgers and fries, again, rather than just heading for the golden arches get some lean beef patties from the supermarket, some whole wheat buns, fat free cheese and steak fries (which have much less fat in them compared to the shoestring variety). You'll still feel like you're having a cheat meal just without the same uncomfortable feelings of being bloated after. You can experiment with your different preferences of cheat meals to create a better choice than the quick-fix fast food offering.

Keep Your Physique And Diet Goals Visible.

Always have your goals in sight. Put them on the fridge, on your desk at work or in your car. Just so that you are constantly reminded what you really want to achieve. This will help keep yourself focused and help curtail any urges that might creep in to spoil your healthy eating day. Whenever you feel weak mentally and just want to pig-out on junk food visualize how you want to look and you'll soon come back in line with your diet plans. The thought of having a great physique that you're proud of sure outweighs the short-lived enjoyment of junk food.

Get A Strong Support Team Who Keeps An Eye On You.

Although bodybuilding is a individual sport we all need a good strong support team who will help us through the mentally and physically tough times. By including your family and friends with your journey they will soon become apart of it. They will be there to stop you when you feel like eating un-planned junk meals, and if they're really great they might even make some nutritious bodybuilding meals for you! Moms in particular can be good at that. So make you quest for physique improvement a team situation and you'll feel much better for it.

Become A Mentor To Someone Else Wanting To Clean Up Their Diet.

Another great way to keep yourself on track is to become a mentor to someone else close to you who wants help improving his or her body. Firstly, they will turn to you as they will view you as a trusted source of information and advice on how to achieve their goals. Then furthermore you will become a role model to them. They see you being strict with your diet and training and achieving great results and they want to do the same. In this situation, being a role model makes you more accountable for your actions as you want to set an example to them that through hard work and discipline they can attain their physique dreams. It is always harder to let someone else down who is counting on you for guidance and motivation, than it is just to let yourself down. Furthermore, you'll feel great by actually making a difference in someone else's quality of life.

I hope that these 10 strategies will help you with maintaining your healthy bodybuilding diet.

By Ryan Mackie

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ryanm14.htm

Are You A High Risk Investor Or A Low Risk Investor?

Evaluate Your Risk Profile Using The Risk Quiz From rbcdain.com

It's an investing rule of thumb: the greater return you seek, the greater your exposure to risk. Most of us know that a junk bond is more volatile than a savings bond. And we understand the difference between aggressive and conservative funds.
But in investing, risk comes in many shapes and sizes. Here are a few less obvious risks that some investors overlook.

The risk of not investing

The risk of playing it too safe

The risk of not planning ahead

The risk of extremes

The risk of solid investments

No guts, no glory, the adage goes. But before you throw caution to the wind, it makes sense to take a measured look at how much risk you can comfortably stomach. Evaluate your risk profile to understand what kind of investor you are.

Start by taking our Risk Profile Quiz.

By RBC Dain Rauscher Inc., Member NYSE/SIPC

Good Saving Habits Can Help You To Be Rich

Various Ways To Save

Pay yourself first.

If you wait to see what's left over, you are less likely to save. Determine in advance how much money you plan to keep on deposit each month. If you receive a raise, increase the amount of money deposited into your savings account.

Take advantage of bank technology.

Consider automatic payroll deductions or automatic transfer from checking to savings. Arrange to have a specific amount transferred to your savings account every pay period.

Pay your bills on time-and pay more than the minimum amount.

Although 97 percent of Americans pay their bills on time, some consumers find themselves paying late fees. Alleviate the hassle by scheduling time once a month to pay bills, and put them in the mail with enough time to get to the creditor.

Determine needs versus wants.

Do you need to eat out every day for lunch? Do you need that gourmet cup of coffee in the morning? By bringing your lunch to work a couple days a week, you can save hundreds of dollars a year.Shop around. There are thousands of options for financial services products. Be selective, and get the best prices, services, convenient locations and lowest fees for credit cards, bank accounts, mortgages and CDs.

Consider investments.

For long-term goals, such as saving for a home or retirement, look into bonds, mutual funds, real estate and stocks. Consult your local bank. Ask which package of bank products and services would best suit your needs. Your banker is the best source of information about accounts and interest rates available at your bank.

Consult your local bank.

Ask which package of bank products and services would best suit your needs. Your banker is the best source of information about accounts and interest rates available at your bank.

By The ABA Education Foundation

http://www.aba.com/Consumer+Connection/CNC_contips_savetips.htm

The Rewards Of Exercise

The Health Benefits Of Doing Exercise

Since the beginning of man's existence our bodies were made to move, to walk, run, reach, grab, lift, push, pull, climb, and carry - to use our bodies actively.

Movement and physical effort build our bones and muscles and keep us feeling our best. Researchers say, by building new muscle, you develop the balance, endurance and strength you need to keep active into old age.


The following are just a few of the rewards that exercising regularly can offer.


List Of Benefits:

•More energy and stronger heart:

•Increasing your heart rate improves your body's ability to deliver oxygen to cells increasing your energy level day to day and cuts risks of heart disease.

•Stronger immune system:

•A regular exercise program when nutritionally supplemented cuts your risk of colds, flus, and other common illnesses by boosting your body's ability to protect and heal itself.

•Reduced stress:

•More than a hundred studies have shown that regular periods of rhythmic exercise decreases the effects of stress, relieves anxiety, and calms your mind.

•Greater strength:

•Any kind of physical activity can maintain muscle mass, increased weight bearing exercise - weightlifting, calisthenics, martial arts, etc. will increase muscle mass and help preserve bone mass.

•Weight control:

•The more calories you burn with exercise, the fewer you store as fat. Exercise combined with more frequent, smaller meals will also increase your metabolism causing you to burn more calories.

•A sharper mind:

•A life of physical activity preserves the quality of blood supply to your brain also boosting brain chemicals involved in learning and memory.

•A longer life:

•Every hour you're active, the experts say, adds an hour and a half to your life.
•Better overall health:

•Committing to a regular exercise routine will help maintain a strong cardiovascular system, a stronger heart, healthier blood pressure and a more defensive immune system.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beth15.htm

The Pros And Cons Of Buying Property

Advice From Suze Orman About Real Estate

Home values have shot up more than 50 percent in many areas since 2000. If you were lucky enough to own a home already, you're now happily sitting on some nice equity. But many of you who currently rent are probably feeling a ton of pressure to jump into home-owning ASAP. Do that, and you could be in for a fall. Because even if a home of your own is the single best investment you may ever make, you need to handle your funds intelligently. Doing so requires understanding today's tricky marketplace.

If you buy a house and don't intend to move for ten or 20 years, I'm confident you'll make a nice profit. But what if you dive into the market with the goal of selling or refinancing in just a few years? My friends, you may be in for a big shocker. Real estate has done so well for so long that it's natural for it to take a breather. I'm not saying the market is going to tank, but it may not grow at the 15 percent annual clip everyone seems to expect. Be careful if you're considering condos or townhouses. Their appreciation rates are often not as strong as single-family homes. And don't rely on an interest-only loan or a no-down-payment loan. It's best to put down at least 10 percent so you have a cushion. If you can't refinance your interest-only loan in a few years because you haven't built up equity, you'll get hit with some painful payment hikes. And if you rely on a no-down-payment loan and values take a temporary dip and you need or want to move, you could be forced to sell at a loss. If an interest-only loan is the only way you think you can afford a home, then the hard truth is that you're not ready to buy. And be realistic: Envision your home appreciating at an average annual rate of 4 percent, not 20. If you can live with that modest gain, go for it. When you do invest wisely, you're in for the following long-term benefits:


1.The interest you pay on your mortgage is tax deductible. If you are in the 28 percent tax bracket, every dollar you pay in interest is reduced to just 72 cents after the tax break.

2.When you sell your home, the first $250,000 of your gain is absolutely tax-free. If you're married and file a joint return, the gift is $500,000. You can use this break for any primary residence you have owned and lived in for at least two of the past five years. Any gain above these limits is taxed at the superlow capital gains rate, which is just 15 percent for most people.

3.When your heirs take possession of the house, the IRS will allow them to claim as their acquisition cost the value of the home on the day you die. That can help to greatly reduce their tax bill when they decide to sell.

4.If you manage to get your mortgage paid off before you retire, you'll eliminate your single biggest monthly living expense.

By Suze Orman

Protect Yourself and Your Family All Year Round

Ten Tips From Skin Cancer Foundation

1. Seek the shade, especially during the sun's peak hours (10:00am-4:00pm)
2.Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
3.Cover up with clothing, especially a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
4.Avoid tanning parlors and artificial tanning devices.
5.Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements.
6.Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens can be used on babies over the age of six months.
7.Teach children good sun-protective practices.
8.Examine your skin from head to toe once every month.
9.Have a professional examination annually.
10.Avoid tanning and especially -- do not burn! One blistering sunburn doubles your risk of melanoma.

Do You Know…?

•Year-round sun protection is important
•The sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation can penetrate many types of clothes?
•It can also go through automobile and residential windows?
•It can damage your eyes, contributing to cataracts, macular degeneration, and eyelid cancers?
•When you're on snow or ice, your face and eyes are at almost twice the risk of UV damage because of reflected glare?

Recently, to combat these hidden dangers, The Skin Cancer Foundation expanded its Seal of Recommendation program. For more than two decades, the Foundation has granted the Seal to products containing SPF 15+ sunscreen that meet the highest standards for safety and effectiveness. Now, in recognition of the need for extra forms of sun protection, several other types of products have been awarded the Seal as well, including . . .
•a UV- protective automobile window film
•a UV-protective residential window film
•a UV-blocking face mask
•a laundry product that can be added to detergent to increase UV protection in clothing
•sunglasses that protect against UV and high-energy visible light
More than 200 products in the United States and some 20 abroad currently have qualified for the Seal. For a list of these products, call 1-800-SKIN-490, or send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:

The Skin Cancer Foundation245 Fifth AvenueSuite 1403New York, NY 10016

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/index.php

Thinking Of Investing In Bonds. Know The Basics Before Investing

Know The Basics Of Bonds

A bond is a debt security, similar to an I.O.U. When you purchase a bond, you are lending money to a government, municipality, corporation, federal agency or other entity known as the issuer. In return for the loan, the issuer promises to pay you a specified rate of interest during the life of the bond and to repay the face value of the bond (the principal) when it “matures,” or comes due.

Among the types of bonds you can choose from are: U.S. government securities, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, mortgage and asset—backed securities, federal agency securities and foreign government bonds.



Why Invest in Bonds?

Many personal financial advisors recommend that investors maintain a diversified investment portfolio consisting of bonds, stocks and cash in varying percentages, depending upon individual circumstances and objectives. Because bonds typically have a predictable stream of payments and repayment of principal, many people invest in them to preserve and increase their capital or to receive dependable interest income. Whatever the purpose—saving for your children’s college education or a new home, increasing retirement income or any of a number of other financial goals—investing in bonds can help you achieve your objectives.

Strategies

How do you make bonds work for your investment goals? Strategies for bond investing range from a buy-and-hold approach to complex tactical trades involving views on inflation and interest rates. As with any kind of investment, the right strategy for you will depend on your goals, your time frame and your appetite for risk.

Bonds can help you meet a variety of financial goals such as: preserving principal, earning income, managing tax liabilities, balancing the risks of stock investments and growing your assets. Because most bonds have a specific maturity date, they can be a good way to make sure that the money will be there at a future date when you need it.

By having a basic understanding of bonds, you will have a better idea of to make use of bonds as part of your investment portfolio to achieve the investment objectives that you want.

By Sean Toh

Too Afraid To Invest? Asset allocation Is The Key To Fight Your Fear

WHAT IS ASSET ALLOCATION?

Asset allocation is based on the proven theory that the type or class of security you own is much more important than the particular security itself. Asset allocation is a way to control risk in your portfolio.

The risk is controlled because the six or seven asset classes in the well-balanced portfolio will react differently to changes in market conditions such as inflation, rising or falling interest rates, market sectors coming into or falling out of favor, a recession, etc.

Asset allocation should not be confused with simple diversification. Suppose you diversify by owning 100 or even 1,000 different stocks. You really haven’t done anything to control risk in your portfolio if those 1,000 stocks all come from only one or two different asset classes—say, blue chip stocks (which usually fall into the category known as large-capitalization, or large-cap, stocks) and mid-cap stocks. Those classes will often react to market conditions in a similar way—they will generally all either go up or down after a given market event. This is known as "correlation."

Similarly, many investors make the mistake of building a portfolio of various top-performing growth funds, perhaps thinking that even if one goes down, one or two others will continue to perform well. The problem here is that growth funds are highly correlated—they tend to move in the same direction in response to a given market force. Thus, whether you own two or 20 growth funds, they will tend to react in the same way.

Not only does it lower risk, but asset allocation maximizes returns over a period of time. This is because the proper blend of six or seven asset classes will allow you to benefit from the returns in all of those classes.

WHAT ARE THE ASSET CLASSES?

The securities that exist in today’s financial markets can be divided into four main classes: stocks, bonds, cash, and foreign holdings, with the first two representing the major part of most portfolios. These categories can be further subdivided by "style." Let's take a look at these classes in the context of mutual fund investments:

Equity Funds: The style of an equity fund is a combination of both (1) the fund's particular investment methodology (growth-oriented, value-oriented or a blend of the two) and (2) the size of the companies in which it invests (large, medium and small). Combining these two variables – investment methodology and company size — offers a broad view of a fund's holdings and risk level. Thus, for equity funds, there are nine possible style combinations, ranging from large capitalization/value for the safest funds to small capitalization/growth for the riskiest.

Fixed Income Funds: The style of a domestic or international fixed-income fund is to focus on the two pillars of fixed-income performance — interest-rate sensitivity (based on maturity) and credit quality. Thus, fixed-income funds are split into three maturity groups (short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term) and three credit-quality groups (high, medium and low). These groupings display a portfolio's effective maturity and credit quality to provide an overall representation of the fund's risk, given the length and quality of bonds

By Sean Toh

Two Exercises To Build Your Abs

Seated Knee Up








Start

When you've fried your abs and feel the need for a couple more sets, finish up with this six-pack-building crunch.










Execution

After leaning your torso forward while bringing knees toward the chest, exhale toward the top of the movement. Crunch your abs at the top, then slowly return to the start position


Crunch

Use this basic move to tighten your midsection



Start

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and hands behind your head.

Execution

Curl up, bringing you torso toward your knees, concentrating on crunching your abs muscles as you come up. Try to get your shoulder blades off the floor. Don't pull on your head or press your chin into your chest.

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/exercises/

Use Rule 72 To Calculate The Time Your Investment Has Doubled

The Power Of Rule 72 & Compound Interest

The "Rule of 72" is a simple, quick and easy way to calculate the length of time in which money doubles at a certain interest rate. To find the length of time in which money doubles at 6%, divide 72 by 6 and you get 12 years. At 12% money doubles in 6 years. The following interest rate calculations (doubling) illustrates the impact of doubling at these different rates.

Below is an example of how you apply the rule of 72.

Compound Interest Example

Take the example as reference, using $10,000 as the initial investment principal. You will be able to see the return based on different interest rates after being compounded.

When you consider that mathematical factor and then make the necessary adjustments to the investable amount and the rate of growth adjusted for taxes on the investment you'll be well on your way to understanding the investment process; and be far better able to select the "correct" investment tax structure for your assets. i.e retirement plans, tax deferred investment accounts, charitable trusts and the like.

Here is an interesting website where you can learn the basic of investing.

http://www.wdfi.org/ymm/kids/investing/rule_of_72.asp

Michael Chiklis Trained Hard To Prepare Role In Fantastic Four

Movie Star : Michael Chiklis trained hard to make sure he can meets the demand of the role in Fantastic Four



























"Muscle & Fitness", July 2005

Financing For Your Free Holiday

Decide Which Options Is Best For Your Holiday?

Going for a holiday is great for everyone after a period of stresses from works or other areas of your lives that might contributed. However, it's not cheap trying to pay for a holiday for a whole family of four members for those who are not earning a good pay check.

Before you decide to go for a holiday, you probably will have started planning and saving for the money to spend on this holiday. Is this the best option for doing it?

No, maybe you will work extra hard for additional income to finance this holiday leaving you with no time to spend time with the family if this extra job is not at home. You will be physically tired from the multiple jobs that you hold just for this holiday. No choice but to get the money for holiday? Don't forget you are taxed on your earned income and you are physically drained.

No, let's go to the casino to gamble to get more money for the holiday provided you can beat the odds of winning the casino. This might be the worse option among all because you are sure to lose.

How about this plan that you can use. I believe most family save a part of the income for emergencies. Now the challenge is how this fund is being used for the family. Is it just sitting there in your bank earning that miserable interest rate that can't even beat the inflation rate? Or do you force it to work harder for you? If you have a investment that give a good return annually to finance your holiday, wouldn't it be better off than those options discussed above? The time horizon for this investment is very short - one year, you have to decide or maybe discuss with your financial planner which investment instruments to chose to meet your investment objective considering your risk profile towards investing.

I have written this article to stretch your mindset to how you can make your saving work harder for you so that maybe you can have a source of money to pay for your holiday without you physically paying. I have many ways of financing my holiday depending on the period and point of investment.

I could plan my investment strategy in such a way that my fixed deposit account matures to give me my holiday money if principal sum of money is so big to give me a sum of money based on 3.5 percent interest rate when it matures.

Another alternative, I could have borrowed money from my line of credit account to finance my investment in my stocks purchase when I am confident to reap a profit due to the rising sentiments of the market if I have anticipated earlier by already holding on to the stock at a very low price with good safety margin to give me a good return when I sell the stocks when price rises. The profit will the difference of the stock price changes and the interest to the bank for using the line of credit.

There are many possible ways to it. Do you just let your money sit there and do nothing or do you let it works for you? One thing is for sure, you have to be able to save before you can have a fund to do investment. If you do not have a plan, you are planning to fail. Start now, don't wait. Time is money!

By Sean Toh

NTUC INCOME's Portal For Those Who Needs To Know About Insurance

Having problem with which insurance plan to buy?

A new portal for those who know nothing about insurance. In this new portal, interested user just needs to login through using e-mail address to get access to this new portal from NTUC INCOME.




The common insurance plans covered are:
- Accident
- Medical
- Travel
- Motor
- Life Insurance
and many others ...

Consumer can learn up to 10 key points about each common type of insurance within 30 minutes. On completing each topic, consumer can opt to take a simple test. If he/she passes the test, he/she is eligible for an attractive discount when he/she buy the plan directly from NTUC Income (subject to conditions).

Sound too good to be true. Get discount from learning. Learn to educate yourself about the various products available before you see your Insurance Agent or Financial Planner so that you understand what they plan for you.

By Sean Toh

Robert T. Kiyosaki - Why The Rich Get Richer

Why The Rich Get Richer?

Ever wonder why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? According to Robert T. Kiyosaki, the financial statement of the rich looks like this as shown.

In this financial statement, we have two rectangular boxes. The upper one is the Income and Expense statement and the lower box is the Asset and Liability Statement.

The two lines with arrows, one red and one blue indicate the sources of how the money flow in and out of the rich people. Let's take the red arrow for example, the red arrow arrow indicates the money from business. The profit from the business will come into the financial statement as income. The rich people will use this source of money to buy an asset, in this case stocks of a blue chip company. This asset that is bought will in turn generate another source of money that contribute to his Income side of the financial statement through dividends from the stocks or sale of stocks after the price of the stocks has gone up.

How the rich get richer is that they are always generating money into them because they understand their financial statement so well. Instead of buying liabilities to make themselves poor. They think of ways to generate money into their financial statement to make them rich.

As long as there is more arrows with different colours representing different sources of money flowing as shown in the financial statement above, you can be sure you are going to get richer.

"Rich Dad Poor Dad" By Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter, C.P.A

http://www.richdad.com/

How Important Is Sex In A Marriage?

The Sex Factor?

Plenty of married couples seem to struggle to keep passion alive in their relationship. And it's no wonder: There's no shortage of factors that wreak havoc on sex lives ‑- from busy schedules to kids to changing, aging bodies. Without physical intimacy, what's left to hold a marriage together? Plenty, one would think: shared history, family, friendship. So just how important is sex and passion to a marriage?

By Love Council from iVillage

http://love.ivillage.com/lnssex/sexconcerns/0,,8k0pmmjk,00.html

The Goodness Of Tomatoes

Get Red And Raw

Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C and beta-caratenes, which can be converted to vitamin A for good eyesight and a healthy immune system.

There are also rich in lycopene-a disease-fighting phytochemical found in red-coloured fruits which has been shown in epidemiological studies to reduce the risk of prostate, lung and stomach cancer.

Other "power" fruits that are excellent sources of lycopene are papaya and watermelon. A 100g portion of tomato contains three and seven times the lycopene content respectively. Tomatoes are commonly eaten raw, but it is also good to cook them as the act of mashing, stirring or heating unleashes more lycopene.

"The Sunday Time, Hot", January 1, 2006 By Teo Pau Lin

Benjamin Graham - The Margin Of Safety

The Concept Of Margin Of Safety

Benjamin Graham tells us that investment policy can be reduced to three simple words: "Margin of Safety" - the price at which a share investment can be bought with minimal downside risk.The important point here is that the margin of safety price is not the same as the price that an investor calculates a share to be intrinsically worth.





The intrinsic value of a share

An investor may calculate the intrinsic value of a share by differing methods and will eventually come up with a price that he or she believes represents good buying value. Graham had his methods of calculating intrinsic value, Warren Buffett has his, other successful investors have theirs.

Graham acknowledges, however, that calculations may be wrong, or that external events may take place to affect the value of the share. These cannot be predicted. For these reasons, the investor must have a margin of safety, an inbuilt factor that allows for these possibilities.

"How To Think Like Benjamin Graham & Invest Like Warren Buffett" By Lawrence A. Cunningham

Winning Investment Habits Of Warren Buffetts & George Soros

5 Winning Investment Habits

1.The master investor believes his first priority is always presevation of capital, which is the cornerstone of his investment strategy. The losing investor only investment aim is " to make a lot of money." As a result, often fails to keep it.

2.As a result of habit #1, the master investor is risk-averse whereas the losing investor thinks that big profits can only be made by taking big risks.

3.The master investor has developed his own investment philosophy, which is an expression of his personality, abilities, knowledge, tastes and objectives. As a result, no two highly successful investors have the same investment philosophy. For the losing investor has no investment philosophy or uses someone else's.

4.The master investor has developed and tested his own personal system for selecting, buying and selling investments. The losing investor has no system or has adopted someone else's without testing and adapting it to his own personality. When such a system doesn't work for him, he adopts another one which doesn't work for him either.

5.The master investor believes that diversification is for the birds. However, the losing investor lacks the confidence to take a huge position on any one investemt.

"The Winning Investment Habits of Warren Buffett & George Soros" By Mark Tier