Home     Log in    XML, RSS Subscribe Feed (RSS)     XML, RSS Comments Feed

Archive for January, 2009

« Older Entries

Achieving Success BLOG

January 31st, 2009 by Krayton M Davis | No Comments | Filed in Achieving Success

BLOG postings: (link to Achieving Success BLOG for all posts and PDF downloads)

Execute Success: The Third Ingredient to Success

Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival. Sir Winston Churchhill

continuation from BLOG posting: benchmark planning

Executing Your Plan

The execution phase brings together the planning and discipline concepts from the last postings and pieces together a strategy for time management and execution of your tasks. Our discussion continues with Section II:

Section II:
Planning and Assigning Weekly and Daily Tasks

Section II compiles your respective “. . . to do” list of tasks and appointments that you must complete to achieve your benchmarks/goals. You will refer to this section often as you plan and assign tasks for each week.

Weekly Goal Task Planning and Assignment

At this stage of the execution ingredient, you have painted a big picture showing what you want to accomplish. The big picture shows your objective and goals, lists the benchmarks that will achieve the goals, identifies the major tasks that will achieve the benchmarks and assigns a completion date for each major task. You are now ready to execute your plan.

The Weekly Goal Planning Sheet (Appendix Form-L) is a planning sheet for assigning the major tasks and character attributes changes for each week. May I suggest that you complete this sheet beginning each Sunday morning. Find a time and place where you will not be disturbed. Use this time to plan and assign the tasks, appointments and all role assignments for the entire week. These assignments will become your blueprint of activities for the coming week.

Step 1:
We begin with the Weekly Planning Sheet as illustrated. List at the top the week dates from Sunday to the following Sunday.

Step 2:
The middle portion of the planning sheet is divided into two columns. You can assign within each column one goal with two respective benchmark(s) and major tasks. You will use your goal planning kit to complete this section.

Review your Task Assignment Sheets from your goal planning kit. Select the goals that you need to work on for the week and list them with the respective benchmark(s) and major tasks on the Weekly Goal Planning Sheet as illustrated (diagrammed by the letter D and the letter E in the illustration).

Note that under the last benchmark is a Goal-Benchmark icon with the phrase “See Week:” Ignore this icon for now. We will discuss this execution concept in the next chapter.

Step 3:
The bottom portion of the Weekly Goal Planning Sheet is your character attribute assignment for the week. Here you will list the character attribute(s) that you are developing for the coming week. The steps listed in the attribute chapters will refer to this form. Simply list the attribute goal in the appropriate space.

Next week, we continue our discussion with “Role Planning”.

———-
Read more about achieving success and become something grand: subscribe to our RSS feed


Tags: , , ,

Your FICO Score Gets A Makeover

January 30th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 5 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips, Credit Reports, Home Improvement

In life, there are two things you can be certain about: death and taxes. While you only die once, you’ll be paying taxes over and over and over again. Sometimes death can seem more appealing than the two!

Your Credit Score, Courtesy of Fair Isaac

Mortgage ApplicationAnother certainty in this life, at least to for the American consumer, is their credit score – what is known as a FICO score. The Fair Isaac Corporation score is used by the three major credit reporting bureaus which are: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. That score will help lenders determine whether you will receive credit and, if so, at what terms. The higher your score, the better the chance you’ll be approved for a loan and at a favorable rate.

This week, Fair Isaac rolled out a modified version of their credit score, this one dubbed FICO 08. TransUnion is the first of the credit reporting bureaus who will use the new FICO method for calculating credit scores followed by Equifax in the second quarter. Experian is currently in litigation with Fair Isaac over another matter, so we don’t know when they’ll include with the new methodology.

More Accurate Predictor of Problem Borrowers

Supposedly, the new score will be an improvement over the way that the old one was calculated, as it will help creditors do a better job of predicting borrower defaults. In addition, it will be more forgiving of one time slip ups, but it will come down harder on repeat offenders. Scores will still range from 300 to 850 and Fair Isaac is expecting an improvement in lending decisions by as much as 15%.

Consumers may not notice much of a change for awhile, especially as many lenders use the score as only part of their methodology for determining whom they will lend to and for what terms. Some analysts believe that many mortgage lenders will not use the new calculation method until all three credit reporting bureaus are using it. Oftentimes, lenders will obtain credit scores from all three to determine one median score.

Get Your Free Credit Reports

For consumers, now is a good time to pull your credit reports to see if they are accurate and correctly reflect your personal information. Mistakes can impact your credit score, but they generally will only be fixed if you catch them. Thanks to an act of Congress, you can get free copies of all three credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com. If you want you credit score you’ll pay a nominal fee for that service, something you can do when you order your reports.

Resources

Check Your Credit

Federal Trade Commission

Financing Tips


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Winter Weather And Your Home Energy Budget

January 29th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 3 Comments | Filed in Consumer Tips

As the next round of cold weather pushes across the lower 48 states, homeowners are finding it very tempting to turn up the thermostat in order to keep their homes warm.

Energy StarAlthough being comfortable in your home is important, maintaining a budget is essential too. Come February and March, many people will be shocked to see just how high their energy costs rose, thanks to the bitter winter weather.

The federal government through the Department of Energy has issued guidelines to help consumers manage their costs. They’ve also set up a website at www.energysavers.gov which shares details on how you can curb your energy bill.

“The Energy Savers site is a great first stop for personal actions that can make an immediate difference in your energy bill,” said Doug Seiter of DOE’s Building Technologies Program. “It includes several low-cost, no-cost tips like sealing windows or using a programmable thermostat; it guides folks through a self energy audit and suggests how to work with local providers to install better insulation, new windows and Energy Star appliances; and includes links to financial assistance to complete the package.”

Suggested tips for the home:

  1. Turn down the thermostat by just one degree to reduce home heating costs by four percent, which typically saves between $30 and $60 a year, depending on the fuel being used to heat the home.
  2. Wash clothes in cold water to save your household up to $83 per year.
  3. Set the water heater to 120 degrees.
  4. Plug leaks or gaps around windows and doors with materials such as caulking, weather-stripping or foam sealants.
  5. Install proper insulation, especially in the attic and crawl spaces, to reduce household energy costs from $70 to $460 per year.
  6. Replace the four most used bulbs in your home with ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent bulbs to save about $195 over the lifetime of the bulbs.

Consumers can also find energy saving tips through their gas, electric, or oil company. In some cases customers can spread out their energy costs throughout the year to ensure that an equal bill amount is paid no matter the season.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

Adv. — Are you looking for tips on how to control your costs, perhaps how to set up a budget? SayLowerBills.com is your one stop resource center designed to help you gain control over all of your expenses. Don’t let a sour economy hold you down — take charge by learning how to save money and use your resources wisely.


Tags: , , , , ,

Is A Reverse Mortgage Right For You?

January 28th, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 5 Comments | Filed in Money Management

Senior citizens who are living on a fixed income often wonder if they’ll outlive their savings, a very real fear in these days of declining investment portfolios.  After last fall’s financial debacle,  some people who own their homes wonder if they’ll be able to stay put or be forced to sell and move into an apartment.

Senior LadyOne option available for mature American homeowners is a reverse mortgage or a home equity conversion mortgage (HECM). An HECM allows seniors to tap the equity in their homes without selling their property, a move which could keep them in their houses for the rest of their lives.

With an HECM, your heirs would handle your estate, selling off your home and keeping the proceeds after the HECM is paid off. Of course, this option reduces what your heirs receive, but it can keep seniors in their homes for the long term.

The following advice about reverse mortgages comes from the LendingTree Smart Borrower Center:

  • Reverse mortgage candidates must be at least 62 years of age, have significant equity in their property, and be looking for a reverse mortgage on their primary residence only.
  • Anyone who intends to apply for a reverse mortgage is required by law to complete a 45-minute counseling session with a HUD (Housing and Urban Development) approved counselor*.
  • The sum from a reverse mortgage can be paid to you in a couple of different ways; all at once in a single lump sum of cash; as a regular monthly loan advance or as a credit line that lets you decide how much cash to use and when to use it; or you may have the option to choose a combination of any of these payment plans.
  • The amount of cash you can get from your home’s equity is determined by a number of factors including your age, your home’s value and location, and current interest rates.
  • Reverse mortgages may have tax consequences, could affect eligibility for assistance under Federal and State programs, and may have an impact on the estate and heirs of the homeowner.

Seek legal counsel and consult your family members before opting for a reverse mortgage. Though the guidelines are stringent, you want to make sure that what you sign passes legal muster and that your family is aware of your plans.

Certainly, a reverse mortgage isn’t for everyone and it is decision that should be well thought out with all options considered.

Source: Lending Tree

Adv. — Save money on all of your consumer spending by shopping wisely. Visit SayLowerBills.com to find ways to save on health costs, home improvement, travel, entertainment, Valentine gifts, and much more.


Tags: , , , ,

« Older Entries