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Sports cars are fantastic are they not? But the conception of sports cars for the public has not been around since the start of the modern car industry. In fact, the concept of modern sports cars is pretty new. It was the Italian manufacturer, Enzo Ferrari, who thought of the idea and produced the first super car for the public in 1929.

Enzo Ferrari was the pioneer of the modern sports car sector, but it soon caught on as wealthy men all around the world wanted to own a special, fast car, to set himself above the general public, who still cannot afford new modern sports cars.

Ferrari’s modern sports cars are well known all over the world. People are spellbound by the designs of Ferrari’s super cars and racing cars. Ferrari has been in Formula One racing since it started and they are the most popular racing team of all time. The Ferrari team has included such celebrated names as Michael Schumacher and Alberto Ascai, who quickly became popular heroes.

The flagship of the Ferrari super cars is the F430, which is a two-seater coupe. It is constantly being enhanced and re-engineered. In fact, it has lately undergone a major revamp and now it is the most sought after modern sports car of the year. It is not only exceptionally beautiful, but it has great performance statistics too. The price tag is very reasonable for a car of this quality. However, at $160,000 plus, most people could not afford a new set of tyres for it.

The latest Ferrari is the Superamerica hardtop convertible, which sells for $300,000. It became immediately sought after when it appeared in Ferrari showrooms across America. It has a fearsomely powerful V12 engine, which produces unbelievable performance. The engine is based on their Formula One racing cars and comes with gear changing paddles on the steering wheel.

The roof of the Superamerica is striking and pragmatic. It is made from electro chromic glass and carbon fibre and can be taken off to convert the Superamerica from a smart coupe into a chic open top super car in a matter of minutes. The drop-top Superamerica is one of the most beautiful modern sports cars in the world.

Ferrari bought another leading racing car manufacturer, Maserati, in 1997. Since then Maserati’s output from their production lines and the popularity of its cars has soared. The public just cannot get enough of Maserati’s modern super cars like the Quattroporte at $95,000 and the Spyder GT convertible, which costs a very reasonable $83,000.

There are other producers of modern sports cars such as Dodge with it’s Viper, Chevrolet with its Corvette, Lamborghini and the Murcielago and Porche with its Boxter and $440,000 Carrera.

If you cannot afford any of these modern sports cars, you could purchase a kit car. With a kit car you can remove the shell of a relatively cheap car, like a Boxter, and substitute it with an exact reproduction body of say a Lamborghini Murcielago in fibre glass.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on quite a few topics, but is at present concerned with the Lambo Kit Car. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Lambo Kit Car.

The secret to getting a great deal when buying a used tractor is to be armed with information. Start by knowing how to quickly determine the age, condition and average selling price for any brand and model of used tractor. Then know what problem areas to take a close look at. The final step is to know the seven negotiating statements that will drastically lower the asking price of any tractor — including the one sound that you can utter that will knock 10% off the price of any tractor.

Let’s start at the beginning. The first step to getting a great deal on a used tractor is to do a little research and be an informed buyer. Let’s start at the beginning. When you’re looking to buy a used tractor don’t worry that it may be older than you are. Buying a used tractor is not like buying a used car. Tractors are made to last forever and you can still get parts for almost any tractor regardless of how old it is. Also, unlike your car, tractors are relatively easy to fix. Keep these facts in mind when you’re looking for a used tractor.

When buying a used tractor, one of the most important things to look for is a hydraulic system or three-point hitch as it is commonly called. The power-take-off or PTO is part of this system. Ford introduced the three-point hitch on their 9N tractor back in 1939. Farmall and John Deere waited a little later before they came out with a three-point hitch, but still most tractors you look at will have the three-point hitch, but be sure to check.

The three-point hitch and PTO system is very important because without it you will be limited in what you can do with your tractor.  So my advice is to only look at tractors with a three-point hitch. The next step is to determine the age of the tractor you’re considering. The best way to determine the age is to find the serial number and look it up on the Internet. Cars change designs every year, but tractors only make changes every decade or two, so you can’t tell much about how old a tractor is by just looking at it.

The Internet has a wealth of information about tractors. A good website where you can use the serial number and find the date a tractor was manufactured is Yesterday’s Tractors at YesterdaysTractors.com.  When you get to this site, click on “Tractor Registry” in the left Nav. panel to find information on any tractor. You can also use this site to see how much a particular type tractor has sold for recently.

The condition of a used is more important than the age. To determine the condition of a used tractor check to see if it has a tachometer that includes an hour meter. A lot of older tractors won’t have an hour meter. You can tell a lot about the condition of a used tractor by how much the petals are worn, how much play is in the steering and checking to see if there are any oil leaks. All of these factors will help you estimate the condition of a tractor.

Don’t be fooled by a new paint job. It could be covering up things. Also look at the tires. Just because the tires have good tread, it doesn’t mean that they’re in good condition. Check for dry rot and cracks. A good set of tires could cost you from $500 to well over $1,000.

Of course, check to see how the tractor starts and how it runs. If someone is trying to sell a tractor and they can’t make it start easily, there could be problem. You may want to have a mechanic look at the tractor with you. If the tractor is hard to start in warm weather, it will be even harder to start in colder weather. After you start the tractor, check to see if there is excessive smoke from the exhaust.

After you have checked all of the above points, you will probably know more about the tractor than the owner knows.

The next step is to check prices:

Two good places to check prices (other than Yesterday’s Tractors) are TractorHouse dot com and eBay. On eBay be sure to check completed auctions to see what tractors like the one you’re looking for really sold for. You can use this information in your negotiating.

One final point: How much equipment (if any) comes with a used tractor can be a big factor in determining the value of the tractor. Also, factor in how you will get the tractor home. If you can get a trailer in the deal, that’s that’s always a big plus.

When you’re armed with all of the above information, your final step is to “Negotiate like a Pro.” Here’s how to do it.

Seven negotiating techniques for people who don’t like to negotiate:

1.    Offer way less than you expect to have to pay.  Some people say, “I don’t want to negotiate and play games with you. I will give you $5,000 for the tractor and that’s it.”  These people almost always end up negotiating and paying a lot more.

2.    Always gasp and act shocked and surprised at the other side’s first price. Without saying a word, this lets the owner know that you think their price is totally unreasonable.

3.    Never, ever say yes to the first price they quote you –  even if the price is less than you expected to have to pay. If you say yes too quickly the other side will know that they priced the tractor too low. Then they may say something like, “Well let me clear this with my partner.”  Then he will come back and say that his partner would not agree with the offer.

4.    “You’ve got to do better than that.”  Always use this expression sometime during the negotiations.  This will almost always get you a lower price.

5.    Use the “good cop/bad cop” technique.  For example, say, “I would love to buy your tractor at that price, but my wife would kill me.  She’s dead set on me not paying more than $3,500 for a used tractor.”

6.    Arm yourself with information.  The more you’re prepared with facts and information, the better deal you can negotiate.  For example, say, “I have checked eBay and other Internet sources, and tractors like this one never sell for more than $35,000.”

7.    Never agree to split the difference.  The other side is almost always willing to split the difference, so offer less than half of the difference. You’ll usually get it.

Use these techniques and you will come out with the best deal possible on a used tractor. Don’t forget that there are a lot of good used tractors out there, so always be willing to walk away from any negotiation. 

About the Author

Jerry Minchey is an engineer, author and researcher. He cuts through the hype and gets down to the bare facts to reveal secrets that are easy to understand using non-technical terms. He has written several books and produced DVD’s as a results of his research.

See the latest used tractor information (updated hourly) at Used Tractor Reviews. At this site you can find the best prices for all types of used tractors. At the John Deere Reviews site you will find information about all models of used John Deere Tractors including information about where to get the lowest prices and best deals on John Deere tractors.

Myth 1: Marketing is a cost, not an investment

When you spend time and money randomly on marketing, then it probably is an expense because you’re not generating a return on the resources invested in it. Many people make the mistake of emulating the marketing tactics of large companies (such as image advertising) that just don’t produce good returns for small businesses. The fact of the matter is that small businesses have to produce BETTER marketing than large businesses because they can’t afford to make mistakes by dropping hundreds or even thousands of pounds/dollars onto campaigns that don’t work. What often happens is that business owners spend lots of money on ineffective campaigns, then erroneously conclude that marketing is an expense, or not worth doing at all.

However, the secret to marketing success is to create a marketing system. A system of activities, strategies, tactics and automation that reliably and predictably create measurable results and positive ROI. I call this the “marketing slot machine”. It’s a slot machine that for every £1/$1 you put in, you get £1.50, or £2 or £5 or more back out. Once you’ve created this system (which requires a small amount of experimentation and testing), you should be able to turn it on and off at will, and invest as much as you can to gain maximum returns.

Myth 2: Marketing is expensive

Marketing is only expensive (and therefore an expense rather than an investment) when it is either unaccountable or ineffective. There are myriad ways to market you business inexpensively that are highly effective, once you know how. The key is to understand the elements or variables that go into each activity or campaign, and how they affect the ultimate outcome. This is where most people go wrong, and that’s why their marketing fails to produce the results that they’d hoped for. Often the message is weak or confusing, it’s being sent to the wrong people, or they fail to follow up. Get the formula right, and marketing can be very inexpensive – I spend less than £100 per month on marketing and I’m getting great results.

Myth 3: Marketing means I have to be pushy and salesy

Good marketing, done the right way is neither pushy nor salesy. It’s a complete myth that pushy, “gift of the gab” people make the best sales people. Why? Because they spend most of the time talking about themselves or their products and then manipulating people into buying from them. Whilst this used to work, and still does occasionally, it often results in buyers remorse and a general sense of uneasiness on the part of the buyer. Much of the time it creates resistance and a feeling of wanting to run for the hills – have you ever felt like that?

Ironically, the best marketers and salespeople are those who listen. They listen to what potential clients are saying and see if there’s a match between what they offer and what the buyer needs. They build relationships and educate their prospects about how they can help them. The art is to get in front of people who have demonstrated a need or want for what you offer, and who will gladly learn more about what you do and how you can help them.

Myth 4: Marketing produces instant results

Some people believe that if they keep running their adverts/campaigns that they’ll “increase their profile”, and somehow, magically one day, a stampede of clients will come rushing to their door. I don’t subscribe to that theory, because I believe that all marketing should produce a measurable result that can be observed in a fairly short time frame. If you’re marketing efforts are not producing obvious, tangible results then you need to look at the elements that aren’t working.

Having said that, marketing is not something you can usually achieve overnight success in. It’s somewhat like rolling a snowball down a hill – there’s a cumulative effect and momentum increases over time. To create the cumulative effect and momentum requires sustained and consistent effort. Marketing isn’t something you do occasionally, and then put on the back burner. It’s something that you need to do constantly, bit by bit, in the same way that a sportsperson needs to train every day to be good enough for the Olympics.

Myth 5: Once my diary is full, I can stop marketing

It’s human nature that once you’ve got some well-paying work you feel rather pleased with yourself, and focus most of your time on servicing your new clients. However, if you have a sales cycle that’s usually more than a couple of weeks long, then you’re going to come a cropper once the project finishes. Because if you don’t continue to do your marketing whilst you’re working on the project, then at the end of the project you may find that your sales pipeline is empty and you have to start up your marketing all over again. It may then be a number of weeks before people start to progress down your sales pipeline towards actually doing business with you. This is what is commonly referred to as the “feast and famine” syndrome.

If you prefer to avoid these peaks and troughs of income producing activity, then you need to think about how you can do a little bit of marketing on a consistent basis. Even better – create a marketing system that easily and reliably entices prospects into your sales pipeline without huge amounts of effort from you.

Myth 6: My business is small, so I don’t need a marketing plan

I tried some marketing plan software once. It asked me a lot of questions about market share, mission statements plus product, price, promotion and place. Great fun, if your mind likes to chew on such imponderables. As a graduate of a business studies degree I knew exactly what it was referring to, but had no idea how that was useful to a small business. And guess what – that’s because it isn’t!

No wonder then, that most small businesses don’t have written marketing plans, when traditional style marketing plans seem convoluted and esoteric. However, this doesn’t mean that a marketing plan in your head is any better. The question is whether this results in any organised activity.

And to me, that’s the essence of a marketing plan – a blueprint for organising your marketing activities. It doesn’t have to be high-falutin’ or fancy, or be filled with marketing-jargon, but what it does need to do is focus resources on specific action steps that need to be taken to achieve specific goals. There’s a world of difference between carrying ideas around in your head, and writing them down into an organised plan of action.

If you don’t have a written marketing plan, then I urge you to consider this: research suggests that businesses that create a written marketing plan increase their revenue by about 30% after having created one.

Myth 7: External marketing help is expensive

If you enlist the help of what I refer to as “traditional” marketing consultants, then it probably is expensive. You’re probably looking at thousands down in one shot, rather than hundreds and probably no guarantees of success. It’s quite possibly a stark choice between taking the family on holiday, or paying for your PR or marketing consultant.

If giving up your family holiday doesn’t appeal, then you may choose to go down the route of taking training courses, reading books, attending seminars, enrolling on e-courses and all manner of other self-study options. The problem with all of this, is that there is rarely any hands-on, customised support for you and your business. And, there’s no accountability – or as I like to say – a friendly kick in the pants to keep you on track. It may also take you quite literally years of trial and error to find out what works for your business. And that’s assuming that you even implement what you’ve learnt, which, sadly, most people don’t.

However, a new alternative has emerged in recent years – marketing mentoring or coaching. Rather than paying thousands to have a marketing consultant do it all for you, or struggling up the learning curve by yourself, you now have the option to work with a coach or mentor who can advise you, guide you and show you how to do your marketing for yourself. Plus they’ll make sure you stay on track. If attracting more clients is important to you, and you haven’t yet created your own “marketing slot machine” then I highly recommend you find a marketing coach who will help you create a marketing system that works for you.

Copyright 2005 Attractioneering

Jane Hendry helps professionals, consultants and coaches to create marketing systems that easily and consistently attract their ideal clients. To get your free Attraction Marketing Starter Kit please visit [http://getclients.co/]

There are numerous occasions throughout ones political career, which presents the opportunity to impress a cynical public, to reach deep inside the public’s repository of ill will specially reserved for a profession few understand or can relate to. Consequently, once afforded the opportunity to exhibit any form of inspiration, there remains a responsibility to do so. To that end, it appears the public and party faithful alike are often left wholly disappointed.

For reasons that emerge shallow, with little regard to substance, politicians at times defy logic, and the obvious, by acting in a manner contrary to reason or sound judgment. The reward for the many who care deeply about the integrity of our representatives and party, and by extension the citizens of the respected country, is not the hope that our leaders simply act (that in fact is our minimum expectation), rather the true reward, albeit fleeting, is that our leaders act in a manner consistent with our high expectations. The ultimate reward therefore, is a leader who acts well beyond expectations, well beyond simple integrity and well beyond false courage.

Some years ago I was introduced to a book that presented extraordinary examples of political and moral courage, and which has guided my belief in politics and democracy over the course of my involvement at a party level. I often leaf through the well-worn pages when exposed to week or undeserving political leadership. Not surprisingly the events in America (and at times in Canada) over the past year have caused a review of the entire book, front to back. I wish, during such turbulent times, I could send a copy to each of our political leaders including party members, as a reminder to all why we commit to a specific political philosophy and why, once elected to govern, we must consistently gauge our moral compass and progress against these principles.

To enhance my argument I would present to each of our leaders, respectfully, the notion that “we-the- people” expect exceptional moral and political courage from each of them. We should reinforce the notion that a political organizations strength remains within its volunteers, structure and governance through to the elected members, not the reverse. I would introduce ‘our’ expectations of courage as presented in the little book I so long ago read, which expresses so exquisitely the meaning of political courage described by a senator in his 1866 eulogy, delivered upon the death of a colleague;

“When, Mr. President, a man becomes a member of this body he cannot even dream of the ordeal to which he cannot fail to be exposed;

of how much courage he must possess to resist the temptations which daily beset him;

of that sensitive shrinking from undeserved censure which he must learn to control;

of the ever-recurring contest between a natural desire for public approbation and a sense of public duty;

of the load of injustice he must be content to bear, even from those who should be his friends;

the imputations of his motives;

the sneers and sarcasms of ignorance and malice;

all the manifold injuries which partisan or private malignity, disappointed of its objects, may shower upon his unprotected head.

All this Mr. President, if he would retain his integrity, he must learn to bear unmoved, and walk steadily onward in the path of duty, sustained only by the reflection that time may do him justice, or if not, that after all his individual hopes and aspirations, and even his name among men, should be of little account to him when weighed in the balance against the welfare of a people of whose destiny he is a constituted guardian and defender.”

Every political party at some point faces a crossroad, the successful of them recognize when they are there. If political history has taught us anything, it surely is that the ones who take the ostrich-approach eventually fail to exist. Therefore, as a messenger of the obvious, I encourage at this very moment we dig deep within our structure and remind ourselves what it is we truly stand for as a party and citizens, and what we expect from those who represent us. We cannot, for one minute longer, sit as political pacifists on an unavoidable train wreck.

We have the tools and the talent, and, at this place, and at this time, we must only support candidates with the deep moral and political courage. History will judge the coming year to be sure. However, the outcome we choose will set us on a course of discovery and reinvention as a nation or potential irrelevance in the eyes of our naysayers. Many, including historians will, when all is said and done, point to this time as the defining legacy of all political parties’ and politicians alike. They will talk with fondness and not a little bewilderment of our choices, or they will speak in enviable tones of our good judgment and courage. We are the deciders of that story and we must all recognize and accept that;

“Not only do the problems of courage and conscience concern every officeholder in our land, however humble or mighty, and to whomever he may be responsible – voters, a legislature, a political machine or a party organization. They concern as well every voter in our land – and they concern those who do not vote, those who take no interest in Government, those who have disdain for the politician and his profession. They concern everyone who has ever complained about corruption in high places, and everyone who has ever insisted that his representative abide by his wishes. For, in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, “holds office”; every one of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand or deserve. “

These words, written a half century ago, are as powerful and relevant today as any time in political history. “We get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.”

For many of us, this statement resonates to our core and reveals a painful and overlooked truth. From my humble perspective within this still-relevant movement, it is no longer acceptable to wish for our savior to appear gift-wrapped and riding in on a white horse. We must raise our expectations significantly and demand ‘powerful’ leadership from each of our representatives. No sub-par performances, no status quo, no deals to ensure political longevity or importance.

Onlookers may lament (and rightfully so at times) that a good deal of our leaders suffer from what one astute politician described as, “the lag between our way of thought and our way of life” which he compared to the subject of this anonymous poem:

There was a dachshund once, so long

He hadn’t any notion

How long it took to notify

His tail of his emotion;

And so it happened, while his eyes

Were filled with woe and sadness,

His little tail went wagging on

Because of previous gladness.

To create a new culture takes courage to be sure, and during this new course we will lose those who cannot or will not participate, for them we express our best wishes with the knowledge and hope their void will be filled by constituents from the new vision. It is worth reminding both old and new however, that; “the courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must – in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures – and that is the basis of all human morality. To be courageous, as this little book points out, “requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, and no special combination of time, place or circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all. Politics merely furnishes on arena which imposes special tests of courage”.

If we focus on the upcoming Presidential election in the US this would be an apt time to restore the courage and vision demonstrated by past leaders – the shoulders of whom we continually stand – to create a new and relevant vision.

If we agree that politics does in fact; “furnish an arena which imposes special tests of courage” then I offer a long-held personal belief that “to empower people you must include them, to invigorate a political organization, you must continue to renew its reason and purpose and to ignite the passions of a country you must provide inspired government”

Oh, by the way! The little book, which I so heavily quote in this article is entitled “Profiles in Courage” and was authored so brilliantly by a US Senator who later became the 35th President of the United States.

From my humble perspective on Politics-Business-Life, I remain.

Dale Galbraith

Please follow my blog One Critical Element which contains relevant articles and commentaries on business, politics and the relationships and realities that often dictate our successes and direction!

Cars – they are your passion, necessity, luxury, earning member. They have speed, they have music, they have curves, they have comfort, they have security, they have safety – they have something for everyone. Secured car loans can realize your car plans especially if your budget is stringent. Secured car loans options are stretched far and wide along the loan market. Buying a used car or a new car can be a pleasant ride with secured car loans.

According to National Statistics’ annual research, more people in Britain have more than two cars rather than no car at all. With such a transformation in the present condition the need for cars has become a precondition. To find a secured car loans is as easy as it is tricky. With such a huge pile of secured car loans alternative, you might want to pick the one that shines the brightest. But all that glitters is not gold. It is very true with secured car loans. They may look all attractive and advertised with 0% APR the bottom line is, it still may not prove to be your secured car loan type.

Secured car loan would mean you need to pledge your home or your property as an assurance. Having prepared yourself for that, you are all set to hear the good news. Secured car loans are in fact very easily available to homeowners. Secured car loans are a great opportunity to finance a car on your own terms. Am I getting too loud with my claims of the goodwill of secured car loans? You need to hear this. Secured car loans are flexible enough to mould in the financial requirement of any kind of loan borrower. With secured car loans you can get into your car and make your first payment after thirty days.

Getting a good secured car loan can save your money to a great extent. Sort out the car you would like to buy and how much it would cost you. This will enable you to figure out how much you need for your secured car loan. After you have set your budget you can go on to see the top secured car loan site. You can ask for a free quote and compare secured car loan rates online.

Secured car loans are a better option than car dealership. Car dealership may seem convenient round the clock service. They will be charging you more for your car finance. It is important to learn about your credit score before you go ahead with your secured car loans. Your credit report or your credit history would have important information about your payment history, mortgages, loans, inquiries from business when you have requested for loan, public records and collection information. Bad credit score would not prevent you from getting secured car loan, though it would increase the interest rate. Some loan lenders specially deal with cases of secured car loan with bad credit. Screen them and work out with them in case you have bad credit.

Car loans are considered precarious as loan types for car loans are for a possession that loses its value easily. Research, browse, study – you would certainly find a secured car loan deal. They are so many options. Read the fine print. Many of the additional costs are hidden in the fine print. Don’t accept secured car loans on impulse. Otherwise ask questions. Clear your doubts especially about monthly management fees, ongoing bank fees, redemption penalties, is the loan daily reducible, extra payments of any amount to be made, and at any time.

Secured car loans are short term loans ranging from 36 to 72 months. According to Automobile finance Study, 82% of the new vehicle loans are over four years while 31% of them are over five years. When you agree to more than 72 car payments, it means that you are overburdening your monthly budget. Car is a possession which depreciates rapidly so in case you intend to sell it, it is not a good idea to sell a car which already has a loan on it. Secured car loans are to be paid back even though you are driving the car you bought through them.

Secured car loans are celebrated for many reasons. Secured car loans mean better car and lesser payments. You are pledging your home or valuable asset and in return on it you get benefits in the likes of lower interest rate, flexible loan terms, varied repayment options so on and so forth. Secured car loan can also be bought with car insurance to protect against misfortune like illness or job loss. I know this car is special and you have been waiting for it for so long. But let us be a little practical and take an objective view while taking car loan. We can write our car legend when we own one. Till then let us write the specification of taking a secured car loan.

After having herself gone through the ordeal of loan borrowing, Natasha Anderson understands the need for good quality loan advice. Her articles endeavor to provide you the wise counsel in the most elementary way for the benefit of the readers. She hopes that this will help them to locate the loan that beseems their expectations. She works for the UK secured loan web site uk finance world.

To find a Secured or unsecured loan that best suits your needs visit http://www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

The people recognize themselves in their commodities; they find their soul in their automobile, hi-fi set, split-level home, kitchen equipment.

Herbert Marcuse

When Solomon said there was a time and a place for everything he had not encountered the problem of parking his automobile.

Bob Edwards

Not having to own a car has made me realize what a waste of time the automobile is.

Diane Johnson

Car designers are just going to have to come up with an automobile that outlasts the payments.

Erma Bombeck

The automobile gives rise to intense passions in both sexes. Just a few decades ago car dealerships were places where women dared not go leaving the complex negotiations for a new car to their husbands, brothers and uncles. “Upside down on my car” was a phrase entrenched in the American lexicon long before the current economic meltdown turned “upside down on my house” into the catch phrase for the decade. Automobiles are expensive, yet they are the biggest waste of money imaginable and owning a vehicle defies every law of basic financial common sense there is. There are 5 common money mistakes most people make when purchasing a car.

1) Putting money down on a new car

2) Leasing a car

3) Trading in a car

4) Buying a new car every 3-5 years

5) Rolling old car debt into a new car purchase

Putting Money Down on a New Car

The author of a well-read and well-circulated financial blog, the Simple Dollar, wrote that you should put money down on a car in order to avoid GAP insurance. What is GAP insurance? GAP insurance stands for Guaranteed Auto Protection and is a supplemental form of auto insurance that covers the GAP between the residual value on the car if it is totaled out and the loan amount on the car. GAP insurance is an additional expense especially if you purchase a car that does not hold its value over the long run (as most don’t) but is it worth giving up $3000-5000 cash to avoid the premium? Of course not. And here’s why. Cars are depreciating assets. As a rule of thumb they lose 10-25% of their value each year for the first 3 years.

Putting any money down on a car, therefore, is a lot like taking a roll of Benjamins into your bathroom, lifting the lid and flushing 30 to 50 of those bills down the toilet. Any money that a new car purchaser puts down will not translate into equity in that car, but will disappear into thin air the moment the new owner drives that car off the lot. GAP insurance on the other hand is a relatively small expense a consumer may or may not choose to assume. Should the consumer choose to get GAP insurance, it is based on the value of the new car and the expected depreciation. For the top-ranked cars in terms of the least depreciation, GAP insurance will cost the least. For the cars that depreciate the most, GAP insurance will cost the most.

Kelly Blue book posts an annual list of cars that depreciate the least. Doesn’t car insurance offer full coverage for a car? No it doesn’t. Insurance companies are smart, they won’t pay more than a vehicle is worth. Consumers do that. Car insurance will only cover the residual value of a car in the event of an accident, not the full loan amount owed on a car. Pay $20,000 for a new car and wreck it in the first year, your auto insurance will cover only the residual value of that car. If that residual value is $15,000 and you owe say $18,000 you are on the hook for the $3,000. Here are the basic things you can do to avoid this depreciation calamity and hang onto your money:

1) Only buy new cars that retain their value and negotiate the best deal you can

2) Only buy used cars (someone else has paid for the depreciation)

3) Save like a fiend so that you can “self insure”, ie., cover the GAP in the event of an accident

4) If you don’t do 1,2 or 3 buy GAP insurance because it is minuscule compared to the out of pocket costs of a down payment

5) Don’t let your kids drive your car

Leasing a Car

The reason a car lease’s monthly payment is so much less than the principal and interest payments on a car note is that the lessee is not amortizing the value of the car with the payment. The lessee is amortizing only the depreciation costs and paying interest to do so! As an example if the 3-year depreciation expense on a car $20,000 car is $10,000, the monthly payment on the lease is based on that 10K along with the interest rate. Sounds like a good deal, I suppose, until you figure in that the car dealer will get back a used car at the end of the lease that he intends to sell for the full value of its make and model. What this means is pristine physical condition and low mileage. If the car returns in anything other than perfect condition, the lessee will have to pay in the form of stiff mileage and wear and tear penalties. Lease a car back to back and you loose big time because you are always bearing the cost of someone else’s depreciation.

Trading a Car

Basically my philosophy is that you buy the most reliable and high value car that you can, negotiate the best price that you can, pay it off and drive that vehicle for at least 10 years. Even if your vehicle is in pristine condition at the end of 5 years and you just have to have a new one, the dealer will give you at best 50 to 75% of the residual value of your car. The car dealer will make money twice: once on the new car you just bought and again on your trade in when they re-sell it for maximum retail value. It is great to give money away, but give it away to a charity and take the tax deduction. Your car dealer does not need your charity. Here are basic things you can do when you have a car to trade in:

1) Sell the car on Craig’s list or advertise it in the newspaper getting the best deal you can for your car. Then you are free to use the money anyway you choose.

2) Sell the car back to a same brand dealer. I’ve done it. It works.

Buying a new car every 3-5 years

Buying a new car every 3-5 years means that you are always locked into a principal and interest payment on something that is always losing value. The only way to “win” with a car is during the years in which you are essentially driving that car for free. At the very least, you can spend your time paying yourself the principal and interest payments, it is a form of forced savings in which you can set yourself up to pay cash for your next car, or use the money to take that vacation you have always wanted to.

Rolling Old Car Debt into a New Car Purchase

I know people who are so far upside down on a car that they have to look up to see down. It is sad, really. A car dealer will give you the rope to hang yourself. I have only met one salesman who was willing to talk me out of rolling one car into another. I was so desperate to get rid of the car I had at the time. It was an SUV that had the nasty habit of stalling in the cold at altitude. If I had been driving it in Phoenix I would never have had a problem, but I insisted on driving it to the Ski areas in Colorado. Silly me. But I was desperate enough to roll the 22K owed on that vehicle into another car loan on a new vehicle. The truth of the matter is that most cars on the market will never out last that kind of debt, and rolling old car debt into a new car purchase will result in a cycle of indebtedness to a car that can be virtually impossible to break

I hope by now I have shattered any illusions that a car is an asset. The traditional rules of money down and extended payments that apply to acquiring genuine assets, such as investment property and businesses simply don’t apply to a car. View a car for what it is, an essential transportation expense that will get you safely from point A to point B. As the quotes that head this article illustrate, cars incite passions that warp reality and good judgment understanding the 6 common money mistakes people make with cars will save you headache, heartache and money.

Ouida Vincent is a physician, active real estate investor and entrepreneur who has made more than her fair share of mistakes on the road to wealth. Ouida has made many of the mistakes she writes about and has come out on the other side. To find more interesting articles, business tips and key success philosophies go to http://www.ouidavincentsblog.blogspot.com

Wall fish tanks give a dramatic and elegant look to any room. They can be mounted on a dividing wall so that they can be viewed from two rooms. Although they are more expensive than stand mounted fish tanks and harder to install you will be pleased you have made the effort and investment when you see how good they look and how much they are admired by your visitors. They can, however, be a harder to maintain than a regular fish tank as they are installed in a limited space which makes it slightly harder to access them for cleaning and other maintenance. Some now come with cabinets above or below the tank which can help make access easier.

Some of the newer wall fish tanks come as kits with all the accessories and mounting fixtures needed so that the filters, pump etc. are easily concealed. These are easy to install so you may not need a professional to do it for you. If you are unsure of your skills in this area, however, it is well worth paying someone to do the installation for you so that all you need to do then is to fill your fish tank and stock it.

One of the things you need to do before you hang a fish tank is to find out if there are any electrical wires or pipes in the wall where you intend to place it. You also need to find a load bearing wall and locate the wall studs. Fish tanks can be very heavy when filled with water so you need to be sure that the wall and studs can bear the weight. You also need to decide whether you are going to hang the fish tank or build it into the wall.

The next thing to do is to measure the area where you are going to place the fish tank and make sure you allow some space for accessories such as lights, pumps and filters. The pump can be placed some distance away from the fish tank, such as in another room, and water brought to the tank through pipes. Although this is extra work on installation it does have the advantage that you can pump a large amount of water through the tank, which allows you to keep more fish, and also keeps the noise of the pump away from the room. One of the problems with wall tanks is that they tend to be narrow so they have a smaller surface area than rectangular fish tanks. This means that unless you oxygenate the water very well you will not be able to keep so many fish in the tank.

If you’re going to use a professional carpenter or builder to install your fish tank talk to him before you buy the tank and make sure that he knows exactly what you need to be done. once your tank is installed it will need to be treated just like any other fish tank by cycling the tank before you add the fish. We recommend a fishless cycling method that is easy to do and does not cause distress to the fish. Once you have cycled tank you can start to add your fish and plants if you are using them.

A very dramatic effect can be achieved by making a saltwater tank with colorful saltwater fish and corals, but this is, perhaps a project for more experienced fish keeper. A wall fish tank, as we have said, makes an excellent focal point in your room and is sure to be admired by all your visitors.

For more information and some good deals on fish tanks visit Fish Tank Aquariums [http://www.bestfishtankaquariums.com/wall-fish-tanks/] or Wall Fish Tanks [http://www.bestfishtankaquariums.com/2009/04/11/installing-a-wall-fish-tank/]

So you’ve got your Neon or LED under car kit, and can’t wait to have it installed and running… am I right? No problemo, we’ll have you up and running in no time!

Just in case you’re wondering about how to install other neon or led lights sold at “out-lets” other then the All-Neon-Car-Lights.com website, I can assure you that most of the instructions that come with each of the various kits are easy to follow. They have been designed with the do-it-yourselfer in mind. (Or at least they “should” be). However, if you are in need of any special advise about a particular car lighting product, please continue reading, or you can contact us via the email link provided below and we will do our best to help you with your enquiry.

For some people, a car is a means of transport and nothing more. As long as their vehicle gets them from point A to point B and back again, has nice comfortable seats, a good sound system and a coffee mug holder, it serves all of its purposes well. And of course there are other drivers for which a car is much, much more — It can be an extension of their personality or an object of their fixation. In this huge world of automotive accessories, there is no product that screams louder than the underbody light kit for this type of individual. If you consider cruising in your car is among your favorite hobbies and you relish the stares of pedestrians and fellow-motorists, then a under car light kit may be for you.

These lights, which mount to the body around the perimeter of the vehicle’s undercarriage, come in kits that contain the elements you’ll need for installation. The “how to install under car lights” instructions that you’ll be directed to shortly, are fairly straight forward, but since it requires drilling into the body of the vehicle and substantial electrical work (depending on the kit you buy), it’s best left to the more experienced do-it-yourselfers. If this project seems a little too hard for you, rest assured that there is a growing number of custom shops that perform this type of installation. If you do decide to take on the installation yourself, which anyone can do with the correct instructions, be sure to purchase a kit that is compatible with your vehicle, and read and follow the instructions that come with the kit carefully.

Ever wondered how long car lighting kits have been around? Well Hot Rods were the first cars to have undercar lighting installed on them, (although, the lights were nothing like they are today) back before import and export was a big industry world wide. And today, thanks to the World Wide Web and the fact that import and export is now more commonly practiced throughout the world, they have become more popular then ever before.

So this is the reason why we set out to write up these “How to install under car lights” instructions, as they are *required* by people like yourself.

Our team of dedicated Market & Product Researchers and including myself, have spent an enormous amount of time & money installing under car kits from a variety of manufacturers, and as a result after all this testing, we can now provide you with generic instructions on how to install under car lights on your vehicle. We also found after this extensive testing was carried out, that Plasmaglow had the best, “all round” car lighting products available on the market today, outlasting and out-performing the competition in every aspect, hence the reason why we recommend their products on the all-neon-car-lights.com website.

As a related note, please keep in mind that the main issues we face with having neon or LED car lights on our vehicles these days is the fact that they are often frowned upon by the authorities. So to avoid any uninvited fines, its best to install neon lights under a car so as they can be activated through a separate switch rather than having them come on when the headlights are turned on. To do this, you can run a power wire directly from the car battery to the kits operating switch, thus by-passing the vehicles headlight wires.

The “How to install under car lights” instructions below have been designed & written with ALL “under car kits” in mind. These instructions will benefit those who have LED under car kits to install, and/or Neon under car kits.

Enjoy your new undercar lights, and drive safely.

Kind regards

Antonio Gabellone

Please choose the instructions below that suit your needs:

For LED under car lights installation instructions – visit:

http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com/how-to-install-led-under-car-lights.html

For Neon under car lights installation instructions – visit:

http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com/how-to-install-neon-under-car-lights.html

Antonio Gabellone is a enthusiast for all things related to neon/led car lights. His website, http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com, is a great resource of articles aimed at car lighting products with “life-time Warranties”.

Copyright All-Neon-Car-Lights.com 2005. Permission is granted to reprint this article provided you supply a live link to the authors website.

Gourmet cooking schools are the high class educational centers focusing on imparting in-depth knowledge of not just history of the cooking techniques, but gives cultural and regional preferences and specialty learning info to all students besides ensuring that there is adequate personal interaction between teachers and taught. The highly qualified chefs and master-chefs, with a dedication to creating fine dining experiences the basis of all knowledge imparted to students enrolled herein, besides focusing on teaching in a customized format not available.

Most of these gourmet cooking schools are located in the metro cities in a nation and the top chefs, everyone knows, come from France! Earlier, cookery students keen to avail this highly specialized knowledge and base for continental cuisine styles and forms had to enroll in top cooking schools in France in order to understand and imbibe the finer nuances of French gourmand cooking; however, with technology and developments such as the internet and cooking shows on Television, this gap has bridged. Besides, many of the French chefs have opened training institutes in the heart of the United States along with setting up schools in other parts of the western world for those who love this artful cuisine.

Of course, the course fees don’t come cheap, but the top gourmet cooking schools do ensure quality training and comprehensive knowledge about all aspects about buying food, preparing and presenting it for varied occasions and people.

Knowledge you will gain at best gourmet cooking schools:

Some gourmet cooking schools focus on teaching regional cuisine, others on country cooking and still others on confectionery items; you need to decide your interest and aims before enrolling for a training here.

1. Among the 3 important things taught at gourmet cooking schools are in-depth knowledge of various kinds of foodstuff, the chemical composition of foods and their break-down in the cooking process besides choosing and planning healthy, balanced meals. Various techniques of chopping, dicing and cutting food are also taught here besides related methods of preparing food.

2. Different ways of preparing meats, veggies, seasonal fruits and fresh dairy produce besides methods of sauce and dessert making are taught too as are the uses of different types of cookware and cuisine techniques from provincial France, including the traditional methods.

3. Those signing up for the top gourmet cooking schools with the aim of becoming a professional cook need to also understand beyond the fundamentals of great cooking style, the need for kitchen safety and the skills for business development, management and customer service, useful for those planning to start their own restaurant.

In order to have a bright future as a professional chef or even a continental cuisine expert, this is the place to be!

Abhishek is a cooking enthusiast! Visit his website http://www.cooking-guru.com and download his FREE Cooking Report “Master Chef Secrets” and learn some amazing Cooking tips and tricks for FREE! Learn how to create the perfect meal on a shoe-string budget. And yes, you get to keep all the accolades! But hurry, only limited Free copies available! http://www.cooking-guru.com

Keywords and Writing

1. Unlike other web content, a blog is more social, personal and informal. Use a casual tone while writing. You can earn money by blogging with the help of AdSense and affiliate marketing.

2. Don’t write blogs on just about anything. Choose your niche carefully; preferably something that really interests you.

3. Before writing, do some research and find the right keywords to use in the blog. This can be done by thinking of words people are most likely to use while looking for your blog and by using some keyword research tool.

4. Choose keywords that are less competitive and target the long tail keywords.

5. Create attractive blogs by customizing the look of the blog while feeling templates.

6. Make sure that the content of the blog is of great quality; it is the quality of the blog content that makes a successful blog.

7. Don’t just write content; do some research to find the right content for the blog.

8. Write your blog in such a way that it will become the main source of information you are writing about.

9. Don’t place all your blog posts on a single post; just a few.

10. Make sure you spell check your post and proofread it before submission.

11. Titles play an important part in the blog post so create catchy titles while using keywords over there.

12. If you have long posts, use sub headings – use keywords in subheadings.

13. Wherever possible, add some italic and bulleted text containing your keywords.

14. Stem your keywords. Use singular, plural, past forms, etc.

15. Make use of synonyms and don’t spam your blog with one and the same keyword.

16. Your URL also has to be keyword rich.

17. The more posts you have on the blog, the higher is the chance of getting found on search engines through targeted traffic.

18. When writing blogs, make it a point to add sources and references for matter.

19. Blogs become user friendly and easy to navigate by building an index on the blog.

20. Link to other similar blog posts on the internet.

21. Use and add tags carefully in the blog post.

22. Moderate all the comments you get.

23. Promote the writing of comments, and answer all comments you receive instantaneously.

24. It is better to have a long blog divided into divisions.

25. Include an ‘about us’ page on the blog for newcomers to learn more about you and what your blog boasts of.

26. Write for the readers not for the search engines i.e. Do not do keyword stuffing.

27. Interlink the blogs within the contents.

28. Make your top posts prominent.

29. Write blogs with a positive note, and not how negative something may be.

30. Give a first hand narration of what you know or have experienced.

31. Instead of repeating points, find and add new angles to a discussion.

32. Be the first person to write on the topic you have chosen.

33. Never duplicate content; you can be jailed for this.

34. Write about one subject per post.

35. It is better to write on evergreen topics which will remain fresh and in demand even after a few years’ time.

36. When writing for a blog, write on topics that people will want to read and share.

37. Make it a point to add keywords to the start, middle and end of each page.

38. Make sure you cover topics and FAQs thoroughly in your niche.

Designing and Maintaining

39. The blog design is important; so make it easily readable with the right background colors and placement of text.

40. Color for the blog should be chosen carefully.

41. Avoid using fancy and small fonts on the blog as they are difficult to read.

42. All white spaces or spacing between elements of the blog have to be removed.

43. Place some emphasis on the blog design not for SEO purposes but to attract the attention of visitors and have them returning for more.

44. This does not mean you need an elaborate blog design; something simple is sufficient.

45. Blogs have to be updated regularly, with a minimum of 5 blogs per week, if not 7. This content helps generate traffic and thus income for you.

46. Your blog should be easy to subscribe perhaps through RSS, mobile subscription and emails. People should also be able to digg your posts.

47. Your blog should make it easy for people to contact you when required.

48. Blogs should run with a good link building campaign.

49. Work to get as many links to other blogs from your blog. People tend to find out who links to them and in exchange, will also link back to your blog.

50. With all this linking, it is important that you check your statistics and analytics on a regular basis and make the required changes in your blog.

51. All the categories of your blog should be well organized.

52. Don’t place too many ads on the blog.

53. Use the help of research, surveys and polls to make your blog more interesting. It also improves the quality of your blog.

54. All important contents of the blog should be placed ‘above the fold’.

55. Make it a point to add images to the blog, and to optimize them.

56. Ad visuals in the form of blockquotes, videos, charts, graphs and photos are important for a blog.

57. Work at integrating these ad visuals into the blog and not at bombarding visitors with the ads.

58. Speed in downloading is important in blogs, so maintain a low page size.

59. Choose and create a decent logo for your blog, and display it with your posts.

60. This logo should link to the home page.

61. The functionality of the blog is enhanced with plugins. In the process, it also saves time.

62. When archiving a blog, you have to archive it according to topic and not go by date.

Promotion

63. Make sure you optimize and distribute a press release announcing the start of your blog.

64. Use the help of blog directories to promote your blog.

65. Forums and other similar blogs can be used to promote your blog by participating, and by commenting in them.

66. Online communities are effective in promoting a blog.

67. Participating in social networking sites like Facebook, orkut and MySpace are effective in promoting your blog.

68. Simultaneously, your blog URL has to be included in social media profiles.

69. Work at researching and commenting on various industries related to your blog.

70. Article marketing is a great tool for promotion of the blog.

71. Use pingomatic.com to send out notices and pings.

72. Online blog communities are great for blog promotion. You could also create your own community to promote the blog.

73. Dig and stumble upon are feasible options for promoting the blog.

74. Let others know about the updates on your blog by using Twitter and Jaiku micro-blogging.

75. Make your own videos and post them on YouTube, podcast and Vlog directories.

76. Every time you post a new blog, remember to post and thus make a network

77. You can attract new visitors to your site by participating and getting involved in a community.

78. Inform others about your blog; and don’t feel shy to say you have a blog.

79. Include you blog URL in all your email signatures.

80. Never attempt Black Hat SEO techniques as these are unethical SEO techniques.

81. Like all businesses, you have to work at first building your visitor base to your blog, and then at earning money online.

82. Keywords have to be used in linking texts.

83. This keyword linking text can also be used to get and exchange links from relevant sites with high PR.

84. Your signature should have a link to your blog so that the posts you make to forums, outgoing mails, etc work at promoting your blog.

85. Look at other blogs for ideas- http://www.bloglines.com and http://www.technorati.com are great sites to visit to get ideas from other blogs.

86. Meet and interview famous and interesting bloggers.

87. Though SEO may be time consuming, it gives long lasting effects and is better than the quick social bookmarking where results are not long lasting.

88. Blogs have to be submitted to major search engines.

89. Blogs have to be submitted to blogging directories using keywords for links.

90. Work at becoming an expert in your trade and also a specialist in your topic.

91. Make an account in stumble upon where you have to stumble good stuff and make new accomplices.

92. Work at growing, and sustaining your audience.

93. Be careful of ongoing discussions on your blog.

94. Make it a point to keep track of visitors, with the help of some analytic software.

Final Words

95. Don’t concentrate on short term benefits of your blog- work at increasing your readership base.

96. Be as helpful as possible, whenever possible.

97. Keep some time solely for your blog.

98. Be patient as blogging is more like running a marathon, and not a 100m sprint.

99. Learn and make improvements from previous mistakes.

100. Though the going may be tough, perseverance succeeds.

For further information, please visit SEO Consultant Specialist’s Blog

Abdul Hayi Mansoor
SEO Specialist and Article Marketer