Cashing in a structured settlement is a huge decision in today's economic climate. If you do decide to sell your monthly income in lieu of a lump sum payout then there are a couple of things that you may need to consider very carefully first.
Why do you want to cash it in? If you want to pay down debt or a mortgage this could save you a lot of money. If you are thinking of trading it in to buy shares or bonds then you probably need to discuss this with your bank or stockbroker. If you want to go on a long vacation right now you may need to discuss this with your family and or bank manager.
How are the family finances depending on that monthly income? If it is removed, will its absence cause other problems?
How much are you likely to lose by selling your structured settlement? Sometimes this can be exorbitant and needs to be weighed up and considered very carefully. You will have to lose some because the buyer needs to be compensated for his risks in purchasing it.
If you sell your structured settlement in order to pay off your mortgage, how much interest will you save when compared against what you will lose by selling early?
The reason you will lose money by selling early is because the stock broking firm or bank or whoever you decide to sell it to will try to get it for as low a payout as possible. Having said that, the person or organization that purchases your settlement agreement will be taking a degree of risk and will expect compensation. This is fair and reasonable. As to how much compensation he gets is up to what you or your banker or whoever you decide to be your negotiator in this transaction, can limit the cost down to. The really important thing to know and remember here is: Don't Sign Anything.
No matter what, just don't sign anything under any circumstances until you are sure and happy with your agreement. Once you sign a document without checking it thoroughly yourself or better still, have a lawyer read it over first, you may have signed something with a 'small print' clause that gives them first option to purchase or something underhand like that.
Once you sign something and you aren't happy with the negotiations, you lose your "walking Power". While ever you still own your structured settlement and all the rights to it, you are still in the best negotiating position. If you aren't happy with the deal, you are under no obligation or commitment to continue negotiating with that person or organization. You have the right to walk away and sell it to someone else.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Solar Power Hot Water
Many people aren't aware that their hot water systems are one of the biggest household electrical expenses. Some of these hot water systems work continuously to keep the water at a set temperature but in doing this they are constantly chewing into your electricity bill. Some of these older type hot water systems can nearly triple your power bill each quarter.
Then we get the next generation of hot water systems like Rheem and Solarhart and these are 'off-peak' systems that half your power bill each quarter. Until you have installed one you don't realise just what a saving these represent. It's not until you move into a leased unit where the only hot water system is an older one that you seriously start to appreciate just what a saving those off-peak systems actually were. Not only were they an immediate saving to your power bill but many electricity suppliers also discounted your bill because you had installed an off peak hot water system.
Now though you can install a solar power hot water system that costs you virtually nothing after the initial outlay for the solar panels. But these don't have to be expensive either any more because if you have a handyman ability you can now make these in your back shed for less than $200 per panel. Using this solar energy represents a huge saving to the family budget and to your community and the planet.
There's no doubt about the savings that can be otherwise used if we fully use something like the sun that is given to us freely most days of the year. Solar powered hot water systems are definitely the future and the sooner we all have them installed on our homes the more money we will all save.
Then we get the next generation of hot water systems like Rheem and Solarhart and these are 'off-peak' systems that half your power bill each quarter. Until you have installed one you don't realise just what a saving these represent. It's not until you move into a leased unit where the only hot water system is an older one that you seriously start to appreciate just what a saving those off-peak systems actually were. Not only were they an immediate saving to your power bill but many electricity suppliers also discounted your bill because you had installed an off peak hot water system.
Now though you can install a solar power hot water system that costs you virtually nothing after the initial outlay for the solar panels. But these don't have to be expensive either any more because if you have a handyman ability you can now make these in your back shed for less than $200 per panel. Using this solar energy represents a huge saving to the family budget and to your community and the planet.
There's no doubt about the savings that can be otherwise used if we fully use something like the sun that is given to us freely most days of the year. Solar powered hot water systems are definitely the future and the sooner we all have them installed on our homes the more money we will all save.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Window Air Conditioners and Trade Contractors
It is a very nice little sideline for construction contractors to see the real estate agents in ther area and advise them that they are prepared to go out to their managed properties to install window air conditioners.
I know this because when I lived in Darwin, NT I ran a home maintenance agency and I know how many calls we used to get from real estate agents, property owners, tenants and home owners to come and install an airconditioning unit into a window. Carrier were always a very popular window unit.
Window air conditioners were invented for people who are renting a property or who move residence frequently but still want a few home comforts. This is when a window air conditioner could be the answer for you.
If you are living in a house that has a double-hung window this makes it the easiest way to insert one of these air conditioners into a window space providing it is firmly attached to good support that isn't going to damage the external appearance or structure of the house. This is easily enough accomplished simply by building a resting platform on which the air conditioner can sit with the triangulated arms resting against something firm between the paintwork of the building and the preferably steel arms of the triangulated supports.
If the only window space available is a sliding window with a fly screen which is the most common form of window in houses in Australia today, you may have to do a bit more work to get it bedded in safely. You will still probably need a resting platform for the air conditioner to rest on unless you have unusually large window sills.
You will also have to replace the window glass and fly screen above the air conditioner. This makes it more expensive and unless you plan on being in the house for a couple of years probably isn't worth the expense or hassle.
If this is the case then it would probably be a good idea to speak to your land lord or property manager and ask them to insert a window air conditioner for you. As they are not too expensive an item and if you are a good tenant, then there's every chance the property owner will want to keep you and will do this for you. That simply makes the insertion of a window air conditioner more viable for everyone.
I know this because when I lived in Darwin, NT I ran a home maintenance agency and I know how many calls we used to get from real estate agents, property owners, tenants and home owners to come and install an airconditioning unit into a window. Carrier were always a very popular window unit.
Window air conditioners were invented for people who are renting a property or who move residence frequently but still want a few home comforts. This is when a window air conditioner could be the answer for you.
If you are living in a house that has a double-hung window this makes it the easiest way to insert one of these air conditioners into a window space providing it is firmly attached to good support that isn't going to damage the external appearance or structure of the house. This is easily enough accomplished simply by building a resting platform on which the air conditioner can sit with the triangulated arms resting against something firm between the paintwork of the building and the preferably steel arms of the triangulated supports.
If the only window space available is a sliding window with a fly screen which is the most common form of window in houses in Australia today, you may have to do a bit more work to get it bedded in safely. You will still probably need a resting platform for the air conditioner to rest on unless you have unusually large window sills.
You will also have to replace the window glass and fly screen above the air conditioner. This makes it more expensive and unless you plan on being in the house for a couple of years probably isn't worth the expense or hassle.
If this is the case then it would probably be a good idea to speak to your land lord or property manager and ask them to insert a window air conditioner for you. As they are not too expensive an item and if you are a good tenant, then there's every chance the property owner will want to keep you and will do this for you. That simply makes the insertion of a window air conditioner more viable for everyone.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Window Air Conditioners
Window air conditioners were invented for people who are renting a property or who move residence frequently but still want a few home comforts. This is when a window air conditioner could be the answer for you.
If you are living in a house that has a double-hung window this makes it the easiest way to insert one of these air conditioners into a window space providing it is firmly attached to good support that isn't going to damage the external appearance or structure of the house. This is easily enough accomplished simply by building a resting platform on which the air conditioner can sit with the triangulated arms resting against something firm between the paintwork of the building and the preferably steel arms of the triangulated supports.
If the only window space available is a sliding window with a fly screen which is the most common form of window in houses in Australia today, you may have to do a bit more work to get it bedded in safely. You will still probably need a resting platform for the air conditioner to rest on unless you have unusually large window sills.
You will also have to replace the window glass and fly screen above the air conditioner. This makes it more expensive and unless you plan on being in the house for a couple of years probably isn't worth the expense or hassle.
If this is the case then it would probably be a good idea to speak to your land lord or property manager and ask them to insert a window air conditioner for you. As they are not too expensive an item and if you are a good tenant, then there's every chance the property owner will want to keep you and will do this for you. That simply makes the insertion of a window air conditioner more viable for everyone.
If you are living in a house that has a double-hung window this makes it the easiest way to insert one of these air conditioners into a window space providing it is firmly attached to good support that isn't going to damage the external appearance or structure of the house. This is easily enough accomplished simply by building a resting platform on which the air conditioner can sit with the triangulated arms resting against something firm between the paintwork of the building and the preferably steel arms of the triangulated supports.
If the only window space available is a sliding window with a fly screen which is the most common form of window in houses in Australia today, you may have to do a bit more work to get it bedded in safely. You will still probably need a resting platform for the air conditioner to rest on unless you have unusually large window sills.
You will also have to replace the window glass and fly screen above the air conditioner. This makes it more expensive and unless you plan on being in the house for a couple of years probably isn't worth the expense or hassle.
If this is the case then it would probably be a good idea to speak to your land lord or property manager and ask them to insert a window air conditioner for you. As they are not too expensive an item and if you are a good tenant, then there's every chance the property owner will want to keep you and will do this for you. That simply makes the insertion of a window air conditioner more viable for everyone.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Solar Power in Australia
With all the attention currently being geared towards making the planet Earth a more energy efficient and safer environment for humans to live on, solar power seems to be enjoying the most attention in Australia. Hardly surprising really because every state of Australia is blessed with an abundance of sunshine each day. Even Melbourne, the city of four seasons in one day, does enjoy some sunshine however spasmodically.
Up until this point one of the big drawbacks to solar power has been the lack of storage capacity of the electricity. Many Australians that I speak with would prefer to see more funding put towards natural power sources like solar and wind rather than millions and millions of dollars being put towards finding a clean coal solution. Even a fraction of some of these Research and Development funds given to the coal industry would go a long way towards fixing some of the known problems like battery storage capacity for solar power.
Yes, it would be nice if both could be done at the same time and save those thousands of miner's jobs. It would also be nice to be the first country to come up with the solution to the problem of clean coal burning technology, especially as Australia has such large reserves of coal. But the question has to be asked "if the coal burning industries are such viable and important industries to this country, and they are such a revenue producing business, why aren't the coal mining companies putting more resources into the research and development of the technology?" And it's not as if they have been unaware that the problem was gaining urgency. Greenpeace alone has made sure they got the message numerous times.
Solar power augmented where and when necessary by existing coal fired power stations complying with a workable emissions trading scheme, seems to be a rather obvious choice for most Australians that I have spoken with. Now, if we could leave the politicians out of the equation, we could well end up with what could be a very viable, efficient and inexpensive energy supply.
Up until this point one of the big drawbacks to solar power has been the lack of storage capacity of the electricity. Many Australians that I speak with would prefer to see more funding put towards natural power sources like solar and wind rather than millions and millions of dollars being put towards finding a clean coal solution. Even a fraction of some of these Research and Development funds given to the coal industry would go a long way towards fixing some of the known problems like battery storage capacity for solar power.
Yes, it would be nice if both could be done at the same time and save those thousands of miner's jobs. It would also be nice to be the first country to come up with the solution to the problem of clean coal burning technology, especially as Australia has such large reserves of coal. But the question has to be asked "if the coal burning industries are such viable and important industries to this country, and they are such a revenue producing business, why aren't the coal mining companies putting more resources into the research and development of the technology?" And it's not as if they have been unaware that the problem was gaining urgency. Greenpeace alone has made sure they got the message numerous times.
Solar power augmented where and when necessary by existing coal fired power stations complying with a workable emissions trading scheme, seems to be a rather obvious choice for most Australians that I have spoken with. Now, if we could leave the politicians out of the equation, we could well end up with what could be a very viable, efficient and inexpensive energy supply.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Building Contractors and the Yellow Pages
Every country has their version of the yellow pages. In some areas, countries /states / regions the yellow pages is so thick with entries it is incredibly hard to stand out and be noticed. So how do you make your ad more noticeable than everyone else's?
As strange as it sounds, this is definitely a case of when 'less is more'. If you want to check for yourself, pick up your copy of the yellow pages now and thumb through it taking note of what catches your eye and where it's placed. This will give you a fair idea of what you need to request of your yellow pages rep when they next visit you.
Do you know when the newest version of Yellow pages in your area is due? If not, then check in the front of the phone book because it usually says in there when they get updated. If you don't have any idea of when your ad falls due again you probably won't have enough time to think carefully about what type of ad you want and what you want included or excluded from last years ad.
The yellow pages are THE one book that every building contractor should be listed in. Many towns these days have several versions of phone books and business directories available and if you can afford it, or if you have found in the past that you got a fairly good response from them then go for it too but you still need to be listed in the official yellow pages phone book as well. Don't do away with the official yellow pages because if you do you may well end up with a very small income for the year. A year with hardly any work coming in is no fun. Just ask someone who has made that mistake once and I'll guarantee you they don't do it again
As strange as it sounds, this is definitely a case of when 'less is more'. If you want to check for yourself, pick up your copy of the yellow pages now and thumb through it taking note of what catches your eye and where it's placed. This will give you a fair idea of what you need to request of your yellow pages rep when they next visit you.
Do you know when the newest version of Yellow pages in your area is due? If not, then check in the front of the phone book because it usually says in there when they get updated. If you don't have any idea of when your ad falls due again you probably won't have enough time to think carefully about what type of ad you want and what you want included or excluded from last years ad.
The yellow pages are THE one book that every building contractor should be listed in. Many towns these days have several versions of phone books and business directories available and if you can afford it, or if you have found in the past that you got a fairly good response from them then go for it too but you still need to be listed in the official yellow pages phone book as well. Don't do away with the official yellow pages because if you do you may well end up with a very small income for the year. A year with hardly any work coming in is no fun. Just ask someone who has made that mistake once and I'll guarantee you they don't do it again
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Minglesticks and solar energy ~ Our Future
These will make Terrific Promotional Items for your Business. They are the future so get yours today the same as solar energy will be a big part of our energy source in the not too distant future.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Minglesticks Make Good Company Christmas Gifts
It's around this time of year that many companies start to plan for their corporate gift giving ideas. Usually they are looking for something that both reminds the client/customer of the comany's name and services but this year due to the economic climate everywhere, it also needs to be less expensive. Finding just the right gift fitting this criteria is not so easy but now with the arrival of minglesticks they can be both a promotional and a great gift idea.
These are new on the market and they are technology's answer to the business card. Business cards often get left in the office or at home but now the minglestick is carried on a key chain or key ring so unless you lock yourself out of your home or office, you will usually have your contact details on you when asked for your phone number. But now you can link them into your company website on your favourite Social Networking site so you get increased traffic to your site.
I strongly suggest to all our contractors that they think seriously about giving minglesticks as corporate gifts because it is an extremely useful gift and it will be branded with your name on it. Just think how many other business that one of your clients does business with? Everytime they go to exchange contact details guss who's business is seen every time? As some would say, "it's a no-brainer".
These are new on the market and they are technology's answer to the business card. Business cards often get left in the office or at home but now the minglestick is carried on a key chain or key ring so unless you lock yourself out of your home or office, you will usually have your contact details on you when asked for your phone number. But now you can link them into your company website on your favourite Social Networking site so you get increased traffic to your site.
I strongly suggest to all our contractors that they think seriously about giving minglesticks as corporate gifts because it is an extremely useful gift and it will be branded with your name on it. Just think how many other business that one of your clients does business with? Everytime they go to exchange contact details guss who's business is seen every time? As some would say, "it's a no-brainer".
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