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	<title>The Shooting Range &#187; Work and Money</title>
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		<title>Transfer Your Funds Day:  The Advantages Of Using Credit Unions</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/3649/transfer-your-funds-day-the-advantages-of-using-credit-unions.php</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:49:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Advantages of Using Credit Unions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank Transfer Day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Union]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Written By:  Kevin Breckenridge I was sitting in a continuing education course last week when I was forced to listen to a sponsorship presentation by the COO of a local credit union.  Given the fact it was late in the day and I was ready to go, I couldn’t help but wish this guy would [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Written By:  Kevin Breckenridge</p>
<p>I was sitting in a continuing education course last week when I was  forced to listen to a sponsorship presentation by the COO of a local  credit union.  Given the fact it was late in the day and I was ready to  go, I couldn’t help but wish this guy would hurry up and finish talking.   But the more he talked about the benefits of joining, the more I  became interested in finding out about all they had to offer.  By the  time he finished talking, I was convinced opening an account with this  credit union was good for my business.  In fact, I was convinced a  credit union was good for anyone whether they were in business or not.</p>
<p>A  credit union is a financial institution similar to a bank in most  respects except account holders are considered members and the credit  union is a not for profit institution.  The members actually take  ownership in the credit union. The for profit and not for profit status  makes all the difference in the cost of services each institution  offers.  Although credit unions do require you to be a member,  membership is typically fulfilled simply by opening an account.  For  occupational and community based credit unions, you may have to join an  affiliated organization for a nominal fee in order to qualify for credit  union membership if you don’t qualify under the common bond  requirements.</p>
<p>The most notable advantages of banking with a credit  union is the fact they tend to have much lower loan fees and usually  lower interest rates.  In addition, some advantages may also include:</p>
<ul>
<li>no minimum balance checking account</li>
<li>no monthly service fees<a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/22bank.480.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3690" title="22bank.480" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/22bank.480-300x206.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="206" /></a></li>
<li>low rate auto and home loans</li>
<li>debt consolidation loans</li>
<li>competitive CDs, IRAs, and full service insurance</li>
<li>easier to reach c-level employees</li>
<li>locally owned and operated</li>
</ul>
<p>Some of the disadvantages may include:</p>
<ul>
<li>less access to branch banking due to fewer number of branches</li>
<li>may not offer as many services as your local bank</li>
<li>technology may not be as advanced as larger national banks (mobile banking)</li>
<li>may require a minimum balance to open a savings account</li>
</ul>
<p>I  would highly recommend visiting your local credit union and seeing what  advantages and disadvantages they offer in comparison to your current  banking institution.  The two lists above are by no means exhaustive.   One of the joys of banking is that you can have as many accounts as you  need in as many institutions as you can afford.  So you don’t have to  close your traditional bank account to open an account with a credit  union.  You can hold both simultaneously.</p>
<p>One last point of  reference, as a not for profit corporation credit unions reinvest their  end of year profits back into their operations.  This translates into  money being reinvested back into the business of lending money.  Plainly  put, the profits are used to offer more services and loans to the  credit union’s membership.  A bank is a for profit corporation with the  goal and intent of making as much money as possible for the shareholders  at the end of the day.  Which do you think has your financial goals in  its best interest?</p>
<p><a rel="tag nofollow" href="http://thefreshxpress.com/tag/saving/"></a></p>


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		<title>It&#8217;s Never To Early To Face The Reality of Retirement Preparation</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/3613/its-never-to-early-to-face-the-reality-of-retirement-preparation.php</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Job Benefits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Savings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Taxes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wealth]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Written By: Kevin Breckenridge Let’s be honest, who thinks about their retirement daily when they are in their 20s and 30s? I’m not saying we don’t think about it, but how many of us are actively calculating and figuring, budgeting and planning out how we are going to get by financially when we retire? I [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Written By: Kevin Breckenridge</p>
<p>Let’s be honest, who thinks about their retirement daily when they are in their 20s and 30s? I’m not saying we don’t think about it, but how many of us are actively calculating and figuring, budgeting and planning out how we are going to get by financially when we retire? I can honestly say it’s more of a passive thought to me than anything else.  Although I’ve invested in various retirement vehicles, I should make a more conscious effort to secure my financial <a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SSadmin1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3615" title="SSadmin1" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SSadmin1-300x198.jpg" alt="" width="273" height="180" /></a>future during retirement and you should to.</p>
<p>Since my 25th birthday is this year, the Social Security Administration recently sent me my first official Social Security Statement in the mail. I had heard rumors about this mysterious document before and I knew it was coming but I had no idea how much I’ve actually paid into the system to date and what I could expect to receive if I were retiring today.</p>
<p>If you’ve never seen one, the statement starts off by telling you what Social Security means to you.  The purpose of the statement is to help you plan for your financial future by providing estimates of what your benefits are under current laws.  According to Michael Astrue, the SSA Commissioner, “Social Security is the largest source of income for most elderly Americans today, but Social Security was never intended to be your only source of income when you retire.” Your sources of income should include savings, investments, pensions, and retirement accounts.</p>
<p>Beginning in 2016, the government will begin paying more in benefits than they will be collecting in taxes.  Without any changes to the current laws, they estimate the system will be exhausted by 2037, the year I turn 52.  I still will not have even come close to retiring at that point and all the money I will have paid into the system up until that point will have been lost.  That goes for you and me.  At best, the government estimates they will only be able to pay about 76 cents for each dollar of scheduled benefits.  The estimates continue to get lower and lower and with millions of people now out of work, it is definitely a cause for concern.</p>
<p>According to my personal statement, I have not yet reached the required 40 credits for qualifying for Social Security benefits if I retired today so the administration could not give me an estimate of what my benefits would be.  However, I have earned enough credits to qualify for disability and enough for my family to receive the survivor bene<a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SSadmin2.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3616" title="SSadmin2" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/SSadmin2-300x235.jpg" alt="" width="284" height="223" /></a>fits.  If I became disabled right now, I would only receive monthly payments of approximately $913 a month.  In the event of my untimely death, my family may be eligible to receive about $709 a month, far from enough to maintain a lifestyle.</p>
<p>I mentioned a 40 credit requirement earlier to determine my eligibility for receiving social security benefits upon retirement. The administration doesn’t determine your eligibility to receive benefits by how much you have paid into the fund, but how many “credits” you have earned over your working lifetime. So, for example if you paid $50,000 into the fund to date but only have accumulated 20 “credits,” you technically don’t qualify to receive any Social Security benefit.  You can earn up to 4 per year and for this year you can earn one credit for each $1,120 of wages of self employment income you earn.</p>
<p>So what does this all mean? It means you should check your own Social Security statement for any inaccuracies and to get an idea of how much you might be entitled to receive during your retirement.  If neither of these two appeals to you, check your statement to get a wake up call of what retirement will be like for you and generations to follow.  In part two of this article, I will analyze real life examples of two individuals whose situations are very different.  One is on their way to adequately preparing for retirement and the other is facing a retirement financed solely by government support. The differences can be startling.</p>
<p>Are you setting yourself up for a comfortable retirement?</p>


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		<title>Ways You Can Maximize Your Benefits At Work</title>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:15:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[From the day that we step foot into our sophomore, junior and senior year of high school, most of the adults around us start telling us how important it is to get into college so that we can get that job with “good” benefits. It’s almost as if the benefits are the goal, not just [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From the day that we step foot into our sophomore, junior and senior  year of high school, most of the adults around us start telling us how  important it is to get into college so that we can get that job with  “good” benefits. It’s almost as if the benefits are the goal, not just  the good job. However, more often than not, when the goal is reached, a  lot of people make the mistake where they do not take the time to figure  out what their benefits packages have to offer until they need them.   Because I happen to work in the benefits industry, I see first hand the  impact that not knowing your benefits can have on your pockets. The  following are certain questions that need to be asked and information  that should be gathered prior to the day that you need them in order for  you to maximize the benefits you are given.</p>
<p><strong>Find Out All Benefits</strong><br />
You wouldn’t know it, but a lot of companies actually offer a slew of  goodies in addition to the traditional medical, dental, vision, life  insurances and 401K packages. There may be hidden employee discounts for  larger companies who have relationships with car rental companies,  fitness centers, hotels, airlines, cell phone services, etc.  They don’t  always advertise them, but it is written in black and white in the  folder they give you at your benefits meetings.</p>
<p><strong>Weigh All Options</strong><br />
If you don’t do anything, you must read through all of your health  benefit materials and make a sound decision regarding which plans to  take. Too often people think with their pockets and<a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/toc_benefits-and-pensions.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3288" title="toc_benefits-and-pensions" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/toc_benefits-and-pensions-300x180.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="180" /></a> choose the cheapest  plan, but when an emergency arises, they find that the cheap plan barely  covers their ailment or worse, doesn’t cover it at all.  Take the time  to make sure you read all the information before making the decision.</p>
<p><strong>Check With The Plan, Not The Doctor</strong><br />
Insurance companies have several different plans they offer, so your  doctor telling you that he participates with Cigna (or whatever company  you select) is not good enough.  You must contact the insurance company  directly, with your plan selection information on hand and ask them if  your doctor is in the network with your plan. Understand that doctors  participate in a lot of different networks – they may only take the PPO  plans with your insurance company, but you selected the HMO. They may  participate but only on their discount program.  Your doctor is not the  authority on this subject and insurance companies will laugh in your  face if you try to get a claim paid because “my doctor told me they take  the plan”.  Doctors are not employees of the company, they are  independent contractors, so the company is not going to assume  responsibility for incorrect information provided by an outside vendor.</p>
<p><strong>Max Out Your 401K</strong><br />
I cannot stress this enough. Yes it can take a small chunk of change  from your paycheck but if your employer matches you dollar for dollar on  your contributions, take advantage of it!  They may limit their  matching with you contributing somewhere between 3% and 6% of your  salary (meaning you give up 3-6% of your paycheck to the fund and they  match that amount) but you are always free to contribute more than  that.  Even if you don’t contribute additional money, you absolutely  should contribute up to the maximum they will match you. It’s an  automatic 100% return on your contribution making it just as good as  free money.</p>
<p><strong>Confirm Limitations</strong><br />
Some plans will sell you on the benefits before you get to the fine  print.  Yes, that dental plan may provide crowns at a measly $200 each,  but there may be a waiting period of up to 12 months for that benefit to  kick in. The vision plan says you can purchase eyeglasses and contact  lenses at a great price, but they don’t tell you it’s one or the other,  not both in a given time-frame.  X-rays can only be taken once every 3  years on some plans.  Does your plan cover you if you need to see a  specialist? Read the exclusions and limitations and follow them. Most  plans will use them to back up their denial of your claim.</p>
<p><strong>Select A Doctor</strong><br />
If your plan says you have to “select” doctor from the list and be  assigned (usually an HMO or Managed Care plan), you must do so as soon  as possible. What you don’t know is that doctor or dentist has a list  that they use to confirm you selected them and that list is printed once  a month and there is a cut off date of the printing of the list for the  first of the month. For example, if the cut off date is the 15<sup>th </sup>of  any given month, and you call to select your doctor on January 16<sup>th</sup>,  you will not be on the list until March 1.  This delays any kind of  treatment you need for that month and a half. Select your doctor at the  time of enrollment so that you are good to go on the day you need to  call and make an appointment.</p>
<p>Don’t make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to find out  the way your plan works or where you have to go in order to use it. This  list is not inclusive of all important information, but if you take the  time to do the research it will save you a lot of time and energy in  the end.</p>


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		<title>Severals Ways To Start Getting Serious About Saving Money</title>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 11 May 2011 12:40:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[People in America are not saving money as much as they used to several decades ago, as the shift in the country has turned to a more consume first attitude.  Saving money over the long-term is important not just for your retirement, but short term emergencies as well.  The truth is putting money away for [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/piggy-bank-save-money5x4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3154" title="piggy-bank-save-money5x4" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/piggy-bank-save-money5x4.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>People in America are not saving money as much as they used to several decades ago, as the shift in the country has turned to a more consume first attitude.  Saving money over the long-term is important not just for your retirement, but short term emergencies as well.  The truth is putting money away for savings should be one of the first things a person does when they get their paycheck rather than waiting until the bills are deducted.</p>
<p>The traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) lets you deduct your contributions from your taxes. In an even bigger windfall, although lacking the upfront deduction, the Roth IRA lets you withdraw your funds tax-free come retirement time and you can even take out your contributions with no penalty. The annual contribution limits for your IRA have grown tremendously over the past couple of years and as of 2008, you could contribute up to $5,000 (up from $4,000 in 2007) if you&#8217;re under the age of 50.</p>
<p>This must-have long-term savings goal is not an optional expense, and should come before many things, such as saving for your kid&#8217;s education. Ask your employer to directly deposit $192 each pay period into your IRA (assume biweekly) and consider using your tax refund money if you need to get a quick bump. You can make your annual contribution as early as the first of the year and as late as April 15 of the following year. You can take advantage of these factors in one of two ways, the first of which is to fund as early as possible.</p>
<p>It may put a short-term damper on your cash flow, but you can have that $5,000 working for you a whole year earlier than if you had waited until the last minute  Over 30 years, the extra year will really make a difference in terms of return on investment. If you are ultra-strapped for cash and you get paid biweekly, split up the contributions into 33 allotments rather than 26. With April 15 being the deadline, you should have an additional six or seven pay checks. With this approach, you will be contributing $151 every two weeks versus $192. A 401(k) retirement account is also an attractive must-have long-term savings goal, especially if your employer will match your contributions.</p>
<p>Another thing people fail to do is plan for emergencies, and we are all smart enough to understand why it&#8217;s important to have a cushion of cash in the bank. That is easier said than done, especially when the experts are saying you need to have cash on hand to cover three to six months of living expenses, should the worst happen. That might as well be $1,000,000 in today’s world.</p>
<p>Start out with a small amount and just commit to always having $500 to $1,000 on hand in a savings account linked to your checking account. This will be a savior when it comes to things like bouncing checks or dealing with more common emergencies like speeding tickets or insurance deductibles. Even in the event that the emergency exceeds $500, that must-have long-term savings stash will help you tremendously.  Saving money needs to become a priority because it will help you more often than not when you get in a bind.</p>


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		<title>Are Your Career and Professional Goals Out Of Reach Because Of Your Approach?</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/3090/are-your-career-and-professional-goals-out-of-reach-because-of-your-approach.php</link>
		<comments>http://www.theshootingrange.net/3090/are-your-career-and-professional-goals-out-of-reach-because-of-your-approach.php#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:01:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business Goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gambling on success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Professional Goals]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Written By: Danyelle Little Most of us have goals—they could be success, making money, personal fulfillment, etc. Whatever the case, you have an ultimate goal that you want to reach and have made strides trying to get there. Despite your plan of action, how do you really know when you are truly taking a gamble [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/business-goals5x4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3091" title="Blank freeway sign 1" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/business-goals5x4.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="401" /></a></p>
<p>Written By: Danyelle Little</p>
<p>Most of us have goals—they could be success, making money, personal fulfillment, etc. Whatever the case, you have an ultimate goal that you want to reach and have made strides trying to get there. Despite your plan of action, how do you really know when you are truly taking a gamble when it comes to your goals? And most importantly, do you know if you are winning or losing?</p>
<p>Many of us (me included) have a mission and maybe have pursued it with passion and pride. But we could also be making valuable mistakes that we don’t even know we are doing before it’s too late.</p>
<p>Let’s use myself as an example: I have a tendency to have lofty creative visions, but I don’t always get the research or do the ground work it takes to get something truly off the ground. I am can be prideful and a know-it-all, not wanting to ask for help—over time, I have found that this approach simply doesn’t work. In order for me to become the writer and blogger that I envision, I must put in time asking questions to those more knowledgeable than me—that is a key for song long I was missing.</p>
<p>When we take a gamble, it may not have any results good or bad in the beginning. But when we do this over and over without thought, the gamble can become a bust and failure could come and sweep us away.</p>
<p>It’s just like a real gambler—if you go to the casino once or twice a year and spend $100 each time, it may not put a dent in your wallet. But doing so every week would definitely cause some damage to your income. And if you are losing, it could be detrimental to your lifestyle.</p>
<p>So how do you avoid gambling (and losing)? Well for starters, always being open to learning from others goes a long way. Spend time perfecting your craft by attending workshops, classes, conferences, and other events in your field. Network like there’s no tomorrow and keep working as hard as you can—don’t give up and don’t get comfortable. Just as you start to get comfortable with your success, the competition is always nipping at your heels.</p>


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		<title>Why Business Networking Is The Key To Finding A Job.</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/3018/why-business-networking-is-the-key-to-finding-a-job.php</link>
		<comments>http://www.theshootingrange.net/3018/why-business-networking-is-the-key-to-finding-a-job.php#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:01:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[careerbuilder]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finding a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hiring manager]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job opening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[networking sessions]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[During this time when the economy is slow and unemployment rates are at an all time high, finding a job may not be the easiest thing to do.  Many experts will tell you that most of the job positions that are currently available will not be found on Monster, CareerBuilder, or in your local newspaper’s [...]


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.theshootingrange.net/2989/black-news-reporter-goes-off-when-bug-flies-in-his-mouth.php' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: News Reporter Goes Off When Bug Flies In His Mouth!'>News Reporter Goes Off When Bug Flies In His Mouth!</a> <small>There are many African American people working in prominent positions...</small></li>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Business-meeting6x4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1138" title="Business meeting6x4" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Business-meeting6x4.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="398" /></a></p>
<p>During this time when the economy is slow and unemployment rates are at an all time high, finding a job may not be the easiest thing to do.  Many experts will tell you that most of the job positions that are currently available will not be found on Monster, CareerBuilder, or in your local newspaper’s want ads. As high as 80% of positions that need to be filled are not known by the general public but are broadcast via networking and inner circles. So the key to successful job searching is not always about what you know but who you know.</p>
<p>Networking is a priceless tool that can help you in your time of need. Some people look on this art as a time waster, but it has many benefits. Mixing and mingling and meeting people in an array of genres helps not only build up your Rolodex—it also assists in connecting with people you need to know. People who may be able to help you when you need it.</p>
<p>It is during these networking sessions that you can learn about possible job openings—who is hiring even when there isn’t a an actual job opening advertisement placed. Your networking circle can clue you in on countless job opportunities, making it easier for you to land the gig of your dreams.</p>
<p>As a hiring manager, I often told many of my colleagues and friends about positions available within my company before the position was formally available. Being in my network afforded them the opportunity to get in on the ground floor running before other candidates knew about the job position—and yes, if I knew you personally and you had a stellar work ethic, I would probably select you over someone else who looked good on paper but I didn’t know so well.</p>
<p>So the next time you scoff at the chance to network at an event, you should change your tune. Even if you aren’t in the market NOW for a job, you never know what the future holds. Put on your smile, make sure you have plenty of business cards, and get out there and market yourself.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.theshootingrange.net/2989/black-news-reporter-goes-off-when-bug-flies-in-his-mouth.php' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: News Reporter Goes Off When Bug Flies In His Mouth!'>News Reporter Goes Off When Bug Flies In His Mouth!</a> <small>There are many African American people working in prominent positions...</small></li>
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		<title>You Bank Is Out To Raid Your Pockets, Don&#8217;t Be Afraid To Fire Them.</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2957/you-bank-is-out-to-raid-your-pockets-dont-be-afraid-to-fire-them.php</link>
		<comments>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2957/you-bank-is-out-to-raid-your-pockets-dont-be-afraid-to-fire-them.php#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:56:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banking industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[charge cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debit card purchases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debit card services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debit card transaction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[durbin amendment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wall street]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[A lot of people seem to love the banks they do business with because of the different things they offer, or their willingness to lend them money.  The truth is your bank doesn’t care about you, and merely looks at you by the amount of money they can generate off of you.  The Wall Street [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/PaymentCard-ChainedUp5x4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2958" title="PaymentCard-ChainedUp5x4" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/PaymentCard-ChainedUp5x4.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>A lot of people seem to love the banks they do business with because of the different things they offer, or their willingness to lend them money.  The truth is your bank doesn’t care about you, and merely looks at you by the amount of money they can generate off of you.  The Wall Street Journal is reporting that many banks are thinking about creating a limit on how much you can spend on your debit card. For example, banks like JP Morgan Chase &amp; Co are thinking about setting a $100 maximum per transaction.</p>
<p>Why the hell would they do this? Well, the new debit card rules, known as the Durbin Amendment, which will take effect in July are going to make debit-cards extremely unprofitable for the banks. The new rules basically reduce the fees associated with debit card usage, which is good for small businesses, but terrible for the banking industry. In fact, with the new rules in effect, the entire industry could lose $15.2 billion a year in revenue.</p>
<p>Banks of course don&#8217;t want to lose money! So their solution is to limit your usage of debit cards (with that proposed maximum) to force you to use credit and charge cards.  This is what has created the problems in America with the average American carrying well over $10,000 in debt, and banks getting ever the more greedy want to force people to use credit and charge cards to rack up more debt.</p>
<p>That is not the only way they are thinking of screwing over the public, some ideas they&#8217;re tossing around right now is to limit the number of debit card purchases one can make in a month, or even charge a fee to the consumer for each debit card transaction and break down debit-card services into different parts and charging merchants separately.</p>
<p>With the price of gas rising steadily imagine if you can’t use you debit card for transaction over $100, people would start carrying around cash again in large numbers.  It seems in the quest for money everything is headed backwards for the almighty dollar.</p>


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		<title>The Truth About The &#8220;Recession&#8221;, And Why The Economy Is Broken!</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2861/the-truth-about-the-recession-and-why-the-economy-is-broken.php</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:42:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bad economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[banks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cash flows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economic slowdown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Recession]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small businesses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united states economy]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[People hear on the news every day the word “recession” and what it supposedly means, and all of these talking heads on the television are not talking about the real issue.  The real problem can be seen easily if you drive around the city you live in and just observe some of the things that [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/recession5x4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2862" title="MICROSOFT" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/recession5x4.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="405" /></a></p>
<p>People hear on the news every day the word “recession” and what it supposedly means, and all of these talking heads on the television are not talking about the real issue.  The real problem can be seen easily if you drive around the city you live in and just observe some of the things that are going on, it’s not hard to see where the issues are with the current state of the economy.</p>
<p>I drove around the other day, and decided to eat at a place I frequented for years.  It has been a while since I ate there, and was looking forward to having a good lunch.  Well I pull up to the place and it was closed (permanently), I was a bit bummed, but had two other places in mind and both of those establishments were out of business as well.  I ended up going to Subway and getting a $5 footlong which is something I can get anytime in any city around the country.</p>
<p>Then the news came out yesterday that Borders Bookstore is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and will be closing both the <a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/recession-1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2863" title="recession (1)" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/recession-1-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" /></a>stores in my area.  I used to frequent Borders all the time, and spent a lot of time studying there and now the only choice will be Barnes &amp; Noble?  If you look at any city in the United States the same thing is playing out businesses are closing, and leaving only one or two players left in the market for certain industries.</p>
<p>The primary reason for this is actually relatively simple.  The United States economy operates off of cash flows, that is the only thing that really matters.  Most businesses operate off of a credit line they have from a bank where the pay their employees, and once they make some money they pay a portion of the credit line.  This allows places to stay in business and operate because they have money moving at all times which enables them to pay their bills and employees, on time and pay back the bank slowly.  This is how a vast majority of businesses in this country work, especially small businesses like that mom and pop place you like to eat at so much.</p>
<p>When the banks mistakes started to backfire on them with the housing market they panicked and did two things that are at the root of the issues being experienced now.  They stopped lending money and made it very difficult for anyone to get a loan for a house, car, or even debt consolidation because they were burned by all the bad loans they had before.  That was not the biggest issue though, because when the banks decided that start cutting off the lines of credit being used by a lot of people and businesses it signaled a death blow too many companies.</p>
<p>The worst part about is many of these credit lines were being paid on time, and had never had a late payment on them.  The banks once again panicked and did something prematurely without really needing too because banks make money by loaning it to people, and if people aren’t spending money businesses close and not one needs to borrow money.  It breaks the entire system, and consumers contribute to the issue because when they hear the word recession they stop spending money altogether.  If no one is spending money then the economy does not work because there are no cash flows, if everyone is sitting on their money it will only eliminate competition and cause prices to go up.  So the next time you hear the word “recession” take a long hard look at what’s really happening because things are not going to change until people start spending money.</p>


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		<title>Should Writers Be Honest Or Pander To Their Readership?</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2808/should-writers-be-honest-or-pander-to-their-readership.php</link>
		<comments>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2808/should-writers-be-honest-or-pander-to-their-readership.php#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:12:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Greg Dragon</dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[audience]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[commenters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guest writers]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[readership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viewership]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[One thing that is hard to do when you are the head writer for any online publication is to stay 100% honest. This is due to the fact that unlike our commenters and guest writers we are held accountable for our posts. When you start a blog you let everyone within your circle and your [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/unclesamblog6x4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2809" title="unclesamblog6x4" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/unclesamblog6x4.jpg" alt="" width="570" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>One thing that is hard to do when you are the head writer for any  online publication is to stay 100% honest. This is due to the fact that  unlike our commenters and guest writers we are held accountable for our  posts. When you start a blog you let everyone within your circle and  your circle’s circle know that you have words to share in hopes of  getting a broader viewership. When your numbers grow you lose sight of  this and you begin to write the way you <a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/baked_blogger.gif"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2810" title="baked_blogger" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/baked_blogger-300x295.gif" alt="" width="300" height="295" /></a>wish, readers be damned until  you get to the one topic that is taboo and you are forced to release the  trigger. I cannot tell you how many articles have been trashed for the  Hall due to it being way too hot a topic to put forth and we get pretty  damned hot around these parts. While we as writers censor ourselves to  avoid the obligatory “I stopped reading his stuff because he’s an  arrogant ass” feedback, we are also rewarded for being honest. Nobody  likes a blog where the main writer panders to his audience.</p>
<p>I know one blog similar to this eZine where the author started it out  honestly speaking as a single man about issues with dating and his  dealings with women. As his readership grew the comments exploded and it  became blatantly obvious that his most vocal readers were female.  Before long the tone of the posts changed and he falsely took on the  guise of a super-womanist blog hero. I’ve seen this happen several times  based on the audience changing the performer’s show. I think this is  very wrong.</p>
<p>When you realize who your audience is, it is great to offer things  that they would like generally but the tone of the writing should not be  sacrificed. Single male bloggers listen to me, your audience may seem  largely female because:</p>
<ol>
<li>Women read a lot more than men do (as well as pursue education but that’s another topic)</li>
<li>Women are a lot more vocal than men, unless you are on a video game blog or tech…</li>
<li>Women read the writings of a man to provide a window into this  strange male world of ours… It’s not like we volunteer the information  in life.</li>
</ol>
<p>I guarantee you that a Lady Dragon knows more about <a href="http://halloftheblackdragon.com/reel/1712/what-happens-at-the-strip-club.html">why her man is trying to sneak off to the strip club</a> than a woman who hasn’t found us yet. I guarantee that a woman who frequents the Hall knows more about why it is that <a href="http://halloftheblackdragon.com/reel/823/nice-girls-finish-last.html">nice girls finish last</a> than a woman who saw a sexy pic of <a href="http://halloftheblackdragon.com/ldcafe/models/model_diznee.php">Diznee</a> and wrote us off as some sort of skin mag. Why would I dilute their  experience by writing a post about how men should suck toes and buy a  woman jewelry in hopes of her allowing him to pleasure her sexually –  when I damn well don’t agree with that. It’s false so why are you doing  it fellow blogger?</p>
<p>Ladies trust, the guys who blog in that manner and make YouTUBE  videos about how they want to worship your queenly aura just because you  look a certain way is a snake in disguise. That’s the type of dude who  you may find in bed with your best friend after they thought you were at  the <a href="http://halloftheblackdragon.com/reel/2152/get-in-the-basement-steve-harvey.html">Steve Harvey book signing</a>. Stick to the real, because the real isn’t out to deceive, we’re just trying to show you our side of the story.</p>
<p>Stay honest to your readers when you blog, they follow you for a  reason and nobody wants to be patronized. Thanks for sticking with us  and if you haven’t done so already, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://halloftheblackdragon.com/reel/goto/http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hall-of-The-Black-Dragon-Online-Magazine/140432968669" target="_blank"><strong>follow the Hall on Facebook</strong></a>!  Thanks for reading.</p>


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		<title>Five Ways Your Bank Spies On You!</title>
		<link>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2782/five-ways-your-bank-spies-on-you.php</link>
		<comments>http://www.theshootingrange.net/2782/five-ways-your-bank-spies-on-you.php#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:36:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>The Marksman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[american express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit accounts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit card thieves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit scores]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FICO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fraud department]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stock]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This is a re-post of an article I found, it contains very interesting information. 1. Transaction scores Every time you swipe your credit or debit card, the transaction is scored to gauge the risk of fraud, said John Ulzheimer, the president of consumer education at SmartCredit.com and the author of &#8220;You&#8217;re Nothing But a Number.&#8221; [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/bank_of_america1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2787" title="bank_of_america" src="http://www.theshootingrange.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/bank_of_america1.jpg" alt="" width="570" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>This is a re-post of an article I found, it contains very interesting information.<br />
<strong>1. Transaction scores</strong></p>
<p>Every time you swipe your credit or debit card, the transaction is  scored to gauge the risk of fraud, said John Ulzheimer, the president of  consumer education at SmartCredit.com and the author of &#8220;<span style="text-decoration: underline;">You&#8217;re Nothing But a Number</span>.&#8221;  Where you&#8217;re shopping, how much you&#8217;re spending and how that compares  with your usual patterns are noted and analyzed. Atypical or high-risk  spending patterns can result in a call from the bank&#8217;s fraud department,  a hold on the transaction or even the temporary shutdown of your card.</p>
<p>What seems like innocent behavior to you can be highly suspicious to the  bank&#8217;s software.  If, for example, you top off your car&#8217;s gas tank and  then head over to Target to stock up, you might trigger a red flag.  That&#8217;s because credit card thieves often try using a card at a gas pump  to see if it&#8217;s active.  If it is, they may barrel over to a retailer to  use the purloined account to buy electronics and other easily fenced  items.</p>
<p>Of course, thieves change their tactics all the time, and bankers  constantly tweak their software, so it&#8217;s hard to predict what could set  off a fraud alert. To keep disruptions to a minimum, give your bank  plenty of ways to contact you. Make sure it has your current cell number  and consider signing up for e-mail or text alerts that can let you know  when a problem occurs.  Call your bank when you plan to be out of the  country and consider giving it a heads-up when you&#8217;re off to buy  electronics of high value, such as a new television or computer system.</p>
<p><strong>2. Behavior scores</strong></p>
<p>Credit scores gauge how a person handles a variety of credit accounts.  Behavior scores, by contrast, look at how a person handles an individual  financial account.  Behavior scores got a bad name a couple of years  ago when American Express told an Atlanta businessman his credit line  was being cut in part because of where he shopped.</p>
<p><strong>Mistakes that mangle your credit scores</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Other customers who have used their card at establishments where you  recently shopped have a poor repayment history with American Express,&#8221;  AmEx&#8217;s letter to Kevin Johnson said, which led to headlines like &#8220;AmEx  hates Wal-Mart shoppers.&#8221; American Express quickly dropped behavior  scores from the tools it uses to determine credit lines.</p>
<p>But behavior scores still are widely used as risk-evaluation and  marketing tools. On credit accounts, behavior scores look at where and  how you spend your money, as well as how you pay your account.  (Do you  pay in full? Minimum payment only? Sometimes carry a balance, sometimes  not? Often late, but never by more than a few days?)</p>
<p>Card issuers can use the scores to, for example, guess whether a missed  payment is an anomaly that can be ignored or the start of a default that  might trigger them to start calling you daily about when you&#8217;re going  to pay.  A sudden switch in spending &#8212; such as starting to take cash  advances or spending a lot of time in casinos &#8212; may also send up red  flags. Additionally, lenders use behavioral scoring to help target  marketing efforts such as who gets low-rate balance transfer offers.</p>
<p>Bankers can use similar scores to monitor how you handle your bank  accounts. What the scores tell them may help determine how long you have  to wait before you can access deposits (known as &#8220;deposit holds&#8221;),  whether a customer-service representative can waive a fee you don&#8217;t like  and what other products the bank may try to sell you.</p>
<p>Fair Isaac, the creator of the leading FICO credit score, works with  banks to create custom behavior scores that monitor bank balances,  withdrawal activity and the source of deposits, said Debb Gordon, a  senior principal consultant for the company.</p>
<p>A halt in direct deposits, for example, might indicate a customer has  lost his job.  If the customer has a high behavior score and a high FICO  score &#8212; which are good indicators that he or she will find another job  soon, Gordon said &#8212; the customer might be offered a payment holiday,  with the missed payments being added to the end of a loan.  If his  scores aren&#8217;t so high, suggesting a protracted job hunt, the bank could  suggest a workout plan or take other measures to reduce its risk.</p>
<p>Banks also may use depositor behavior scores to extend credit to people  who may not have a credit history, such as young people or immigrants,  Gordon said.  &#8220;The score was developed to help the underserved or  inconsistently served,&#8221; Gordon said.</p>
<p><strong>3. Income estimators</strong></p>
<p>The Credit CARD Act of 2009 requires bankers to assess applicants&#8217;  ability to pay a credit card account, and they&#8217;re allowed to use  analytical tools that guess at potential customers&#8217; income.</p>
<p>And &#8220;guess&#8221; is the operative word, because income-estimation tools are  used to extrapolate your pay from factors such as the size of your  mortgage and your available credit lines. The estimations aren&#8217;t  precise:  Experian said last year that about 85% of the incomes it  estimates around $35,000 are in reality only somewhere under $50,000 and  that 15% are actually above $50,000.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not that your income is necessarily all that secret.  Huge  employment databases exist that list people&#8217;s names, employers and  salaries.  But not everybody is in these databases, the information can  be outdated, and using an income estimator is typically cheaper, so  bankers increasingly use this tool, along with others, to evaluate you.</p>
<p><strong>4. Wealth estimators</strong></p>
<p>Another factor that determines your ability to pay is your overall  wealth &#8212; your home equity, savings and other assets. But bankers are  also interested in ferreting out this information for marketing  purposes, so they can reach out to potential customers and pitch  more-appropriate products to the customers they have.</p>
<p>Credit bureau Equifax made a big move in this arena when it bought IXI  in 2009.  About 100 banks and other financial institutions submit  information about individuals&#8217; investments and assets to IXI&#8217;s database,  which represents more than 40% of individual invested assets in the  U.S. The data are anonymous, so the individuals involved aren&#8217;t  personally identified, but it&#8217;s aggregated by ZIP code to give banks an  idea of average wealth levels. The database is also used to construct  models to estimate individual wealth.</p>
<p><strong>5. Collection services</strong></p>
<p>As you&#8217;ve learned, bankers have software that can help them assess  whether a missed payment was likely an oversight or if you&#8217;re really in  over your head. Once it&#8217;s clear you&#8217;ve stopped paying, bankers can use  other tools, including software that predicts how likely they are to be  able to collect from you and programs that monitor your financial  situation, looking for signs of improvement &#8212; such as a new employer or  debt levels that start to decline.</p>
<p>Credit bureau Experian, for example, touts its Collection Triggers  program with the tag line &#8220;When nonpaying customers resurface, be the  first to know.&#8221; The program offers daily monitoring of credit reports  for a customizable set of triggers including new contact information or  indications of increased ability to pay debts, which can help  subscribing lenders &#8220;be the first to the (debtors&#8217;) door for wallet  share&#8221; &#8212; in other words, the first to ask for repayment.</p>
<p>Now, the use of this and other monitoring tools isn&#8217;t universal, and  banks (and credit unions) often use the same tools in different ways.   But it&#8217;s a safe bet that your bank is using several tools to keep tabs  on you and to extrapolate the various risks and opportunities presented  by your behavior.  That may be good news if you carefully manage your  accounts, but woe betide you if you mess up. Remember, Big Banker is  watching.<br />
<strong></strong>http://money.msn.com/credit-rating/5-ways-your-bank-spies-on-you-weston.aspx?page=0</p>


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