Eye Vitamins for Lasting Vision
Eye care is better than eye cure. So do take good care of your eyes. Proper eye health care and a vitamin and mineral rich diet can help slow down the processes associated with aging such as macular degeneration.
Vitamins A, E, and C all appear to offer benefits for overall eye health. Such eye vitamins are a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants fight the effects of oxidation that contributes to the destruction of healthy tissues which results in macular degeneration.
Minerals help the body metabolize vitamins. Some crucial minerals for eye health are zinc and selenium. Other crucial supplements are Lutein, Bioflavonoids and carotenoid. Minerals and supplements can make a tremendous impact on eye health and prevent diseases like macular degeneration and dry eyes.
Sources of Minerals and Vitamins
Common food items like oranges, strawberries and broccoli are a rich source of Vitamin C., while carrots, sweet potatoes and liver are a great source of Vitamin A. Vitamin E rich foods include nuts such as almond and hazelnuts. Zinc can be found in red meat, oysters and wheat, while Lutein can be sourced from spinach and collard greens. Bio-flavonoids are found in food rich in Vitamin C.
Besides there are great food supplements available over the counter or online through websites such as VisiVite.com.
Eye exercises are beneficial because they reduce eyestrain, help the eyes work together and keep eye muscles strong and flexible. Eye exercises may also be helpful in some problems associated with working long hours on a computer. Other conditions that appear to benefit from eye exercises are headaches, fatigue, concentration problems, and vision-related learning disabilities.
Some Helpful Exercises -
20-20-20 rule
• After every 20 minutes of looking into the computer screen, turn away your
head and try to look at any object placed at least 20 feet away. This
changes the focal length of your eyes, a must-do for tired eyes.
• Try and blink your eyes 20 times in succession, to moisten them.
• Time permitting of course, one should walk 20 paces after every 20 minutes
of sitting in one particular posture. Helps blood circulation for the entire body.
Palming
Sit straight at your workstation and rub your palms against each other till you feel them warm. The warmth of your palms helps soothe and relax tired eyes. Then, lightly cup your eyes with your palms and relax for 60 seconds. Repeat this exercise two to three times whenever your eyes feel tired, or as often as you want.
Splash water on your face
Splash water on your face while closing your eyes. This has an overall relaxing effect and helps you feel refreshed.
Use tea bags
Place the refrigerated tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes as you relax. This not only soothes tired eyes, but also reduces puffiness.
Take every possible care, but don’t delay visiting a specialist when one or more of the following vision problems occur:
• Squinting, rubbing or excessive eye blinking
• Headaches, clumsiness, bumping into objects
• Dizziness, hand/eye coordination difficulties or lack of concentration
• Holding objects too close to view.
Of course, with the right ingredients in your diet, along with regular eye exercises, you can enjoy healthy eyes and a clear vision, lifelong.
II. The Concept of Eye Exercise
The concept of vision exercise might not occur to a lot of people, but think about this. The very concept of working out in itself is a recent idea. Your grandpa or grandma probably didn’t go to the gymnasium to "sweat it out". Even more so, they also didn’t involve aerobics or stretching routines to their day to day chores.
Nevertheless, it is important to keep not just your body fit, but to do exercises that keep your eyes healthy as well.
A few simple exercises a day go a long way to prevent you from contracting any dreaded or unwanted eye diseases and conditions.
Laziness to do these exercises will only result in many problematic eye ailments that will cause immense amounts of discomfort, unnecessary time at the eye specialist’s place, and spending tons of your precious money treating the problem that could have been prevented in the first place.
It really doesn’t have to be difficult, you know.
What you can do
Try this:
Focus on any item towards the right of what you can see in front of you.
Don’t lose sight of the object as you start revolving your head to the opposite direction as much as you can.
Do this again but in the other direction.
Now do it upwards, downwards, and even in the top-left, top-right, bottom left and bottom right direction.
That would be one full set. Try this at least 2 to 3 sets a day.
For the first few days, you might feel some aching, not unlike muscle aches after a gym workout. This is usual. Just be sure not to over-exert yourself.
Try this activity out and your eyes will remain strong and healthy. And if you follow a proper regime, you might not need any eye glasses or contact lenses.
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Monday, January 12, 2009
HEALTH - EYE CARE - 12
Do I REALLY Need an Eye Exam?
It is a real shame when a patient comes to the office for a ‘first exam’ and already has damage to their vision. Many eye problems that can lead to damage or loss of vision can be slowed down, or even prevented if caught early enough. So the real key is to inform people about when to start, and how often to repeat eye exams. Luckily, the American Academy of Ophthalmology has standards for adult eye exams.
For adults, it is recommended that patients over 40 receive eye exams every 2 years. After 50, yearly exams are necessary. While some people wonder if that frequency of exams is necessary, we know that certain disease states will progress significantly in that amount of time. In fact, once a patient is diagnosed with glaucoma, they must be examined every 3 MONTHS!!
Glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration all begin to show up when patients are in their 40’s and 50’s. This is why the yearly exams are a must. I have 2 patients in my practice that never needed glasses until they were in their 40’s. At that time, they began to need reading glasses, so they bought them at the local dollar store. Fast-forward 25 years. On a whim, these patients decided to come for an actual eye exam. They were unpleasantly surprised to find that they had lost 80-90% of their vision to glaucoma!! An entirely preventable/treatable disease, that went undetected due to lack of routine eye exams.
And for the kids….an eye exam before the age of 6 is best. School screenings are fairly good, but sometimes subtle problems that can become larger issues can be missed. And the window of opportunity to fix those problems closes around the age 0f 8 or 9. If everything is normal, then exams every 3 to 5 years is probably acceptable.
So….kids AND adults need regular eye exams!! Call your ophthalmologist today!!
II. Dry Eye – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Dry eye produces discomfort and reduces vision when the tear film becomes chronically table or unavailable thereby leading to dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea. Sometimes, a person with a dry eye will have excess tears running down the cheeks, which may seem confusing. People who have Chronic Dry Eyes are diagnosed by a doctor and usually have a decrease in the amount of tear production. Many people also find their eyes become irritated when reading or working on a computer. Stopping periodically to rest and blink keeps the eyes more comfortable In addition, because these emergency tears tend to arrive too late, the eye needs to regenerate and treatment is necessary.
Dry eyes are caused by a lack of tears. A sad movie or a wedding can make your tears flow. But tears aren't produced only on those occasions. It is usually caused by a problem with the quality of the tear film that lubricates the eyes. Tears are a combination of water, for moisture; oils, for lubrication; mucus, for even spreading; and antibodies and special proteins, for resistance to infection. People with dry eyes often feel discomfort in a variety of forms. Sometimes even if the eyes are dry they may feel as though they 'water'; this is due to poorly spreading tears.
When your eyes become irritated by dust or are bothered by wind, smoke or fumes, extra tears form to help wash away the foreign material. In response, the eye is flooded with tears to try to compensate for the underlying dryness. However, these tears are mostly water and do not have the lubricating qualities or the rich composition of normal tears. The eye depends on the flow of tears to provide constant moisture and lubrication to maintain vision and comfort. Dry eye syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture in the eye.
Causes of Dry Eyes
The common Causes of Dry Eyes :
· Side effects of using certain medications such as antihistamines and birth control pills.
· An eye injury or other problem with your eyes or eyelids (like a drooping eyelid or bulging eyes ).
· Diseases that affect the ability to make tears, such as Sjogren's syndrome , rheumatoid arthritis and collagen vascular diseases.
· Smoking or second-hand smoke exposure.
· A very dry environment - try using a humidifier.
· Cold or allergy medicines.
Symptoms of Dry Eyes
Some common Symptoms of Dry Eyes :
· Itching .
· Discomfort in the eyes.
· Stringy mucus in or around your eyes.
· Burning.
· Itchiness.
· Irritation.
· Redness.
· Sensitivity to light .
· Difficulty wearing contact lenses.
· Increased eye irritation from smoke or wind.
Treatment of Dry Eyes
Here is the list of the methods for treating Dry Eyes :
· Other medications, including topical steroids, may also be beneficial in some cases.
· Anti-inflammatory medications, such as steroids, antimetabolites and cyclosporine A, as well as tetracyclines and hormones, are used to treat more severe forms of dry eye surgical techniques used to preserve tears include punctal cautery, punctal plugs, and tarsorrhaphy
· Excessive air movement dries out your eyes avoid having excessive air movement by decreasing the speed of ceiling fans and/or oscillating fans.
· If you notice your eyes are dry mainly while you are reading or watching TV, taking frequent breaks to allow your eyes to rest and become moist and comfortable again is helpful.
It is a real shame when a patient comes to the office for a ‘first exam’ and already has damage to their vision. Many eye problems that can lead to damage or loss of vision can be slowed down, or even prevented if caught early enough. So the real key is to inform people about when to start, and how often to repeat eye exams. Luckily, the American Academy of Ophthalmology has standards for adult eye exams.
For adults, it is recommended that patients over 40 receive eye exams every 2 years. After 50, yearly exams are necessary. While some people wonder if that frequency of exams is necessary, we know that certain disease states will progress significantly in that amount of time. In fact, once a patient is diagnosed with glaucoma, they must be examined every 3 MONTHS!!
Glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration all begin to show up when patients are in their 40’s and 50’s. This is why the yearly exams are a must. I have 2 patients in my practice that never needed glasses until they were in their 40’s. At that time, they began to need reading glasses, so they bought them at the local dollar store. Fast-forward 25 years. On a whim, these patients decided to come for an actual eye exam. They were unpleasantly surprised to find that they had lost 80-90% of their vision to glaucoma!! An entirely preventable/treatable disease, that went undetected due to lack of routine eye exams.
And for the kids….an eye exam before the age of 6 is best. School screenings are fairly good, but sometimes subtle problems that can become larger issues can be missed. And the window of opportunity to fix those problems closes around the age 0f 8 or 9. If everything is normal, then exams every 3 to 5 years is probably acceptable.
So….kids AND adults need regular eye exams!! Call your ophthalmologist today!!
II. Dry Eye – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Dry eye produces discomfort and reduces vision when the tear film becomes chronically table or unavailable thereby leading to dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea. Sometimes, a person with a dry eye will have excess tears running down the cheeks, which may seem confusing. People who have Chronic Dry Eyes are diagnosed by a doctor and usually have a decrease in the amount of tear production. Many people also find their eyes become irritated when reading or working on a computer. Stopping periodically to rest and blink keeps the eyes more comfortable In addition, because these emergency tears tend to arrive too late, the eye needs to regenerate and treatment is necessary.
Dry eyes are caused by a lack of tears. A sad movie or a wedding can make your tears flow. But tears aren't produced only on those occasions. It is usually caused by a problem with the quality of the tear film that lubricates the eyes. Tears are a combination of water, for moisture; oils, for lubrication; mucus, for even spreading; and antibodies and special proteins, for resistance to infection. People with dry eyes often feel discomfort in a variety of forms. Sometimes even if the eyes are dry they may feel as though they 'water'; this is due to poorly spreading tears.
When your eyes become irritated by dust or are bothered by wind, smoke or fumes, extra tears form to help wash away the foreign material. In response, the eye is flooded with tears to try to compensate for the underlying dryness. However, these tears are mostly water and do not have the lubricating qualities or the rich composition of normal tears. The eye depends on the flow of tears to provide constant moisture and lubrication to maintain vision and comfort. Dry eye syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture in the eye.
Causes of Dry Eyes
The common Causes of Dry Eyes :
· Side effects of using certain medications such as antihistamines and birth control pills.
· An eye injury or other problem with your eyes or eyelids (like a drooping eyelid or bulging eyes ).
· Diseases that affect the ability to make tears, such as Sjogren's syndrome , rheumatoid arthritis and collagen vascular diseases.
· Smoking or second-hand smoke exposure.
· A very dry environment - try using a humidifier.
· Cold or allergy medicines.
Symptoms of Dry Eyes
Some common Symptoms of Dry Eyes :
· Itching .
· Discomfort in the eyes.
· Stringy mucus in or around your eyes.
· Burning.
· Itchiness.
· Irritation.
· Redness.
· Sensitivity to light .
· Difficulty wearing contact lenses.
· Increased eye irritation from smoke or wind.
Treatment of Dry Eyes
Here is the list of the methods for treating Dry Eyes :
· Other medications, including topical steroids, may also be beneficial in some cases.
· Anti-inflammatory medications, such as steroids, antimetabolites and cyclosporine A, as well as tetracyclines and hormones, are used to treat more severe forms of dry eye surgical techniques used to preserve tears include punctal cautery, punctal plugs, and tarsorrhaphy
· Excessive air movement dries out your eyes avoid having excessive air movement by decreasing the speed of ceiling fans and/or oscillating fans.
· If you notice your eyes are dry mainly while you are reading or watching TV, taking frequent breaks to allow your eyes to rest and become moist and comfortable again is helpful.
INVESTMENT - 11
High Return Investments - A Buy and Hold Strategy For Big Gains
Here we will outline a simple investment, that’s low risk and has the potential to make 30 – 50% annual gains and finally, it’s simple to understand, easy to do and requires only a low minimum investment to get started.
The US Dollar is suffering from sluggish economic growth and debt and is set to fall which has been the story for the last few years. This strategy is simply to buy and hold two currencies against the dollar – the Australian and Canadian Dollar.
Your not going to trade in and out all the time, this is a strategy for the patient trader and when this trade is entered it can be left for years.
Your buying and holding for the longer term. Before we look at the potential gains lets look at opening a currency account and taking advantage of leverage to improve profit potential
Opening an account
Today you can open one online and you only need a few hundred dollars. Most brokers will give you 100:1 leverage so if you deposit $1,000 you can trade $100,000 if you wish.
This is a buy and hold strategy and you wouldn’t want to over do leverage and 10:1 leverage would give you the chance to easily target 50% + per annum. If you look at the price rises in these currencies over the last 5 years you will see this is a realistic target
50% Per Annum Capital Growth Potential
So why should these currencies continue with their bull run against the dollar?
Quite simply there economies are in better shape and booming while the US economy is sluggish and may even slip into recession and furthermore the US dollar is more affected by world volatility and political factors than ever before.
Another major factor is the boom in commodity prices that has taken place in recent years as India and China push prices up with their ever rising demand and spectacular economic growth.
Canada and Australia are exporting commodity nations and the US is a net importer.
Commodity price rises obviously support exporting nations currencies but hurt importing nations like the US. The trend that has been in place for the last few years of dollar declines against the above currencies looks set to continue.
Although you have to careful with your timing, a simple buy and hold strategy will do well longer term and represents a great diversification from volatile stocks.
If you want a high return investment, that’s simple to understand easy to do and provides diversification then this one provides it.
II. Understanding Exchange Traded Funds ETFs
A few years ago there were only a handful of Exchange Traded Funds. Today there are over 500 ETFs covering many different segments of both the domestic and foreign markets. Understanding the differences in Exchange Traded Funds and Mutual Funds will help you in your long term investment strategy.
Exchange Traded Funds:
*Are listed on the various stock exchanges and trade just like a stock
*They are priced continuously throughout the trading day
*ETFs can be sold short
*You pay a commission when buying and selling just like when buying an individual stock.
ETFs offer all of the advantages of a mutual fund without some of the disadvantages:
Diversification:
A typical ETF will hold many individual stocks within its portfolio.
Professional Management:
ETFs are managed by highly professional investment specialist that make the buy and sell decisions for their individual ETF portfolios.
Economies of Scale:
ETFs take advantage of their size to minimize transaction cost associated with buying and selling individual stocks within their respective portfolios.
Advantages over Mutual Funds:
With ETFs there are no minimum holding periods and no early redemption fees.
Types of Exchange Traded Funds:
*Growth oriented (Smaller growth stocks)
*Value oriented (Large cap value stocks)
*Income oriented (Bond funds or dividend paying stocks)
*Specific country focused (China, Singapore, Germany, etc.)
*Regional focused (Latin America, Europe, Asia, etc)
*Foreign exchange (Forex related vs. the U.S. Dollar)
*Specific market segments (energy, healthcare, consumer products, etc.)
*Precious Metals (Gold, silver, etc.)
How to build an Exchange Traded Funds ETF Portfolio
*You could buy and hold a diverse number of individual ETFs. While this would give you good diversification there is a better way to invest in Exchange Traded Funds to maximize your return on investment.
*The preferred alternative is to follow a time-tested system for buying and selling a portfolio of ETFs.
Here we will outline a simple investment, that’s low risk and has the potential to make 30 – 50% annual gains and finally, it’s simple to understand, easy to do and requires only a low minimum investment to get started.
The US Dollar is suffering from sluggish economic growth and debt and is set to fall which has been the story for the last few years. This strategy is simply to buy and hold two currencies against the dollar – the Australian and Canadian Dollar.
Your not going to trade in and out all the time, this is a strategy for the patient trader and when this trade is entered it can be left for years.
Your buying and holding for the longer term. Before we look at the potential gains lets look at opening a currency account and taking advantage of leverage to improve profit potential
Opening an account
Today you can open one online and you only need a few hundred dollars. Most brokers will give you 100:1 leverage so if you deposit $1,000 you can trade $100,000 if you wish.
This is a buy and hold strategy and you wouldn’t want to over do leverage and 10:1 leverage would give you the chance to easily target 50% + per annum. If you look at the price rises in these currencies over the last 5 years you will see this is a realistic target
50% Per Annum Capital Growth Potential
So why should these currencies continue with their bull run against the dollar?
Quite simply there economies are in better shape and booming while the US economy is sluggish and may even slip into recession and furthermore the US dollar is more affected by world volatility and political factors than ever before.
Another major factor is the boom in commodity prices that has taken place in recent years as India and China push prices up with their ever rising demand and spectacular economic growth.
Canada and Australia are exporting commodity nations and the US is a net importer.
Commodity price rises obviously support exporting nations currencies but hurt importing nations like the US. The trend that has been in place for the last few years of dollar declines against the above currencies looks set to continue.
Although you have to careful with your timing, a simple buy and hold strategy will do well longer term and represents a great diversification from volatile stocks.
If you want a high return investment, that’s simple to understand easy to do and provides diversification then this one provides it.
II. Understanding Exchange Traded Funds ETFs
A few years ago there were only a handful of Exchange Traded Funds. Today there are over 500 ETFs covering many different segments of both the domestic and foreign markets. Understanding the differences in Exchange Traded Funds and Mutual Funds will help you in your long term investment strategy.
Exchange Traded Funds:
*Are listed on the various stock exchanges and trade just like a stock
*They are priced continuously throughout the trading day
*ETFs can be sold short
*You pay a commission when buying and selling just like when buying an individual stock.
ETFs offer all of the advantages of a mutual fund without some of the disadvantages:
Diversification:
A typical ETF will hold many individual stocks within its portfolio.
Professional Management:
ETFs are managed by highly professional investment specialist that make the buy and sell decisions for their individual ETF portfolios.
Economies of Scale:
ETFs take advantage of their size to minimize transaction cost associated with buying and selling individual stocks within their respective portfolios.
Advantages over Mutual Funds:
With ETFs there are no minimum holding periods and no early redemption fees.
Types of Exchange Traded Funds:
*Growth oriented (Smaller growth stocks)
*Value oriented (Large cap value stocks)
*Income oriented (Bond funds or dividend paying stocks)
*Specific country focused (China, Singapore, Germany, etc.)
*Regional focused (Latin America, Europe, Asia, etc)
*Foreign exchange (Forex related vs. the U.S. Dollar)
*Specific market segments (energy, healthcare, consumer products, etc.)
*Precious Metals (Gold, silver, etc.)
How to build an Exchange Traded Funds ETF Portfolio
*You could buy and hold a diverse number of individual ETFs. While this would give you good diversification there is a better way to invest in Exchange Traded Funds to maximize your return on investment.
*The preferred alternative is to follow a time-tested system for buying and selling a portfolio of ETFs.
INVESTMENT -10
A Beginner's Guide To Mutual Fund Investing
If you are new to investing, you may have heard of mutual funds but do not know exactly what they are or how to select the right one. A mutual fund is a collective investment security, and there are many different types. It may consist of a mix of several different types of investment vehicles, such as stocks, bonds, or derivatives, or it may consist of nothing but stocks that are part of a certain sector of the economy, or it could be just bonds.
For example, there are mutual funds that consist of nothing but technology stocks. There are also funds that are comprised of stocks that have a similar market capitalization (such as mid-cap funds, large-cap funds, or small-cap funds). And some might contain several different types of securities (such as stocks, bonds, etc.) that all fall within the same risk classification (high-risk, medium-risk, low-risk).
Just like stocks, mutual funds have a price per share, also known as the Net Asset Value (NAV). The NAV is calculated by dividing the total value of the fund divided by the number of shares outstanding. As with stocks, the price fluctuates on a daily basis and it can be sold just like any other security.
When deciding what fund to invest in, you need to consider your investment goals. Are you looking for long-term capital appreciation, or would you prefer to receive immediate income from your investment? You also need to evaluate your risk tolerance. Are you willing to take a chance on a speculative fund to potentially receive a better return, or is capital preservation a high priority?
If capital preservation is your goal, then you should consider a mutual fund that consists of low risk equities and conservative bond and money market instruments. If you want a mix of investments, then you should look for a balanced fund. If you want explosive capital appreciation, then you should consider a high-risk common stock or high-yielding bond fund.
They are different than stocks when it comes to fees and expenses. As with stocks, funds are subject to capital gains taxes. But a fund is sometimes subject to a front-end and/or back-end load. If there is a front-end load, that means that a percentage of the initial investment is automatically deducted to pay for commissions to the fund. If there is a back-end load, the investor must pay a fee when the security is sold.
Also, there is a 12b-1 fee that is often deducted to pay for advertising expenses incurred for the marketing of the fund to the public. Sometimes there is no 12b-1 fee, it depends. Investors might be unaware of the 12b-1 fee because it is sometimes deducted from the share price, so in a way, it is an invisible fee.
I hope this introduction to mutual funds will help you make some decisions regarding your investments. There are literally thousands of different funds available, and brokerage houses often have their own set of funds that they create for sale to their customers. Talk to your broker and see if he or she can help you identify the best investment vehicle for you. Just make sure you review the fee structure of the mutual fund you are interested in before you invest.
II. Some facts about Mutual Funds
Investing money in different sectors such as in real estate, personal account, in stocks or in mutual funds has become a necessity in modern days. These are ways in which money can be saved for future. Investing money in mutual funds is one such way where there is low risk involved but that depends on different schemes. A mutual fund is packaged by an Investment Company and is a collection of stocks and other investment. This is the simplest way to enter into the stock market even by an average pay check earner. The initial investment one requires to enter mutual funds is a paltry $1000 and with $250 initial investment small number of mutual funds could be purchased.
„« Before investing, potential investors should read and evaluate the individual prospective available with Mutual Funds. The prospective could be available by mail on request from the investor or the investor has the option to check the performance of Mutual Fund on-line.
„« The prospective provides information about the performance of Mutual Funds over past quarters, years and decades as well as the fees that are charged to investors. Certain Mutual funds offered by state and municipal entities are generally no-load funds. Investors do not have to deposit fee for such funds and these are also exempt from some taxes. But incase the investor withdraws or move his investment somewhere else then he has to pay some charge. There are some other charges which the investor has to pay to the company for handling Mutual funds. For investors this much knowledge is essential before he commits a single dime to a mutual fund.
„« Before investing you should check out the stocks and other investments in which the mutual fund you are interested has investments. The knowledge of broader market is essential in determining the future of that Mutual fund.
„« There is also opportunity in investing global stocks, financial, technology or energy stocks but the investor must be ensure that these are doing good in the overall stock market.
„« For investors new to the field there are brokerage houses with professional financial planners to review the investment including realty, equities, bonds and mutual funds on behalf of the investor.
Mutual funds allow the investor to check the risk level. There are many investment plans from which the investor has to choose according to his objective such as retirement plans. Some advisory services provide ratings on Mutual funds that makes easy for an investor to invest. Also articles are published in different journals such as in the Wall Street Journals which informs about current status of different investment agencies. As a rule of thumb investors should seek out mutual funds with least exposure to sub-prime mortgage woes. The investor also check whether any institutional investor has invest in that Mutual fund company as they are the one who goes with the best.
If you are new to investing, you may have heard of mutual funds but do not know exactly what they are or how to select the right one. A mutual fund is a collective investment security, and there are many different types. It may consist of a mix of several different types of investment vehicles, such as stocks, bonds, or derivatives, or it may consist of nothing but stocks that are part of a certain sector of the economy, or it could be just bonds.
For example, there are mutual funds that consist of nothing but technology stocks. There are also funds that are comprised of stocks that have a similar market capitalization (such as mid-cap funds, large-cap funds, or small-cap funds). And some might contain several different types of securities (such as stocks, bonds, etc.) that all fall within the same risk classification (high-risk, medium-risk, low-risk).
Just like stocks, mutual funds have a price per share, also known as the Net Asset Value (NAV). The NAV is calculated by dividing the total value of the fund divided by the number of shares outstanding. As with stocks, the price fluctuates on a daily basis and it can be sold just like any other security.
When deciding what fund to invest in, you need to consider your investment goals. Are you looking for long-term capital appreciation, or would you prefer to receive immediate income from your investment? You also need to evaluate your risk tolerance. Are you willing to take a chance on a speculative fund to potentially receive a better return, or is capital preservation a high priority?
If capital preservation is your goal, then you should consider a mutual fund that consists of low risk equities and conservative bond and money market instruments. If you want a mix of investments, then you should look for a balanced fund. If you want explosive capital appreciation, then you should consider a high-risk common stock or high-yielding bond fund.
They are different than stocks when it comes to fees and expenses. As with stocks, funds are subject to capital gains taxes. But a fund is sometimes subject to a front-end and/or back-end load. If there is a front-end load, that means that a percentage of the initial investment is automatically deducted to pay for commissions to the fund. If there is a back-end load, the investor must pay a fee when the security is sold.
Also, there is a 12b-1 fee that is often deducted to pay for advertising expenses incurred for the marketing of the fund to the public. Sometimes there is no 12b-1 fee, it depends. Investors might be unaware of the 12b-1 fee because it is sometimes deducted from the share price, so in a way, it is an invisible fee.
I hope this introduction to mutual funds will help you make some decisions regarding your investments. There are literally thousands of different funds available, and brokerage houses often have their own set of funds that they create for sale to their customers. Talk to your broker and see if he or she can help you identify the best investment vehicle for you. Just make sure you review the fee structure of the mutual fund you are interested in before you invest.
II. Some facts about Mutual Funds
Investing money in different sectors such as in real estate, personal account, in stocks or in mutual funds has become a necessity in modern days. These are ways in which money can be saved for future. Investing money in mutual funds is one such way where there is low risk involved but that depends on different schemes. A mutual fund is packaged by an Investment Company and is a collection of stocks and other investment. This is the simplest way to enter into the stock market even by an average pay check earner. The initial investment one requires to enter mutual funds is a paltry $1000 and with $250 initial investment small number of mutual funds could be purchased.
„« Before investing, potential investors should read and evaluate the individual prospective available with Mutual Funds. The prospective could be available by mail on request from the investor or the investor has the option to check the performance of Mutual Fund on-line.
„« The prospective provides information about the performance of Mutual Funds over past quarters, years and decades as well as the fees that are charged to investors. Certain Mutual funds offered by state and municipal entities are generally no-load funds. Investors do not have to deposit fee for such funds and these are also exempt from some taxes. But incase the investor withdraws or move his investment somewhere else then he has to pay some charge. There are some other charges which the investor has to pay to the company for handling Mutual funds. For investors this much knowledge is essential before he commits a single dime to a mutual fund.
„« Before investing you should check out the stocks and other investments in which the mutual fund you are interested has investments. The knowledge of broader market is essential in determining the future of that Mutual fund.
„« There is also opportunity in investing global stocks, financial, technology or energy stocks but the investor must be ensure that these are doing good in the overall stock market.
„« For investors new to the field there are brokerage houses with professional financial planners to review the investment including realty, equities, bonds and mutual funds on behalf of the investor.
Mutual funds allow the investor to check the risk level. There are many investment plans from which the investor has to choose according to his objective such as retirement plans. Some advisory services provide ratings on Mutual funds that makes easy for an investor to invest. Also articles are published in different journals such as in the Wall Street Journals which informs about current status of different investment agencies. As a rule of thumb investors should seek out mutual funds with least exposure to sub-prime mortgage woes. The investor also check whether any institutional investor has invest in that Mutual fund company as they are the one who goes with the best.
SMALL BUSINESS - 9
For Bigger, Faster Profits, Keep Your Business Simple and Overhead Low
Are you ready to earn BIG money? It's been proven over and over again the people who make the MOST money are those who own their own business.
The average SMALL business owner, and I mean SMALL, earns more in their own business than they ever did working for someone else.
And what about those businesses that fail? The US Small Business Administration says almost all those owners get back up and start a new business where they earn good money.
These days most people already understand owning a business can greatly improve their lifestyle. What they usually don't know is just how to design their business so it generates maximum profits.
Most would say common sense tells you the bigger the business, the BIGGER the profits. Grow your business into a multi-million dollar building, employ 200 people, spend $2 Million on advertising -- and hey, you MUST be making LOTS of money!
But that very often IS NOT the case. A large restaurant may need to do $100,000 dollars in sales each month just to break even.
What I'm getting to is THIS -- To make the most money FAST, keep your business SIMPLE. And keep your overhead LOW!
Remember the old principle that is as true today as it was when Benjamin Franklin wrote it two centuries ago: a penny saved is a penny earned. All that money you DON'T spend can be counted as PROFITS.
One of my favorite stories goes back to the very beginning of the McDonalds restaurant chain. McDonalds founder Ray Kroc visited the tiny McDonalds Brothers drive-in to find out why they were making so much money. What he found was the original McDonalds was keeping customers happy with just 9 menu items made with a dozen ingredients. Talk about simple!
Not only that, but the first McDonalds required just a few minimum-wage employees, keeping labor costs very low.
Kroc, who already owned his own coast-to-coast business, was impressed beyond belief at just how SIMPLE the first McDonalds was, and just how LOW the overhead. Kroc immediately understood that McDonalds was a huge profit maker, one that could be DUPLICATED around the country and eventually around the world.
Recently I have been telling people to get into the food service industry. No matter how deep the recession goes, people will ALWAYS need to eat. Most restaurants see their sales go UP as many other industries watch their belts tighten.
But just like Ray Kroc, I'm not a huge fan of running a BIG restaurant with a big expensive staff and huge monthly bills. There simply isn't enough room for profits. And keeping up with all the inherent complexity and headaches can drive an otherwise sane owner over the edge.
Instead, I advise starting your own restaurant delivery business. You provide the one IN-DEMAND service MOST restaurants don't. You bring restaurants' delicious food to their customers, keeping a nice profit in your own business that is super simple and has remarkably low overhead.
So what are you waiting for? Get started now. And keep your operation simple and profitable.
SMALL BUSINESS - 8
Small Business Marketing Tips: How to Get Your Customers to Buy Over and Over Again
1. Your customers will come to really know and like you. And, of course, we tend to do business with people we know and like. Putting a name and a personality to the products and services they're buying will keep them glued and loyal to you.
2. Your customers will think of you first. This is what I was getting at when I talked about "the only kind of top of mind awareness that matters." When you're staying in touch, you're at the top of their minds—not the other guy.
3. Your customers will appreciate you. As long as you're providing products, services, and information that really will enhance your customers' quality of life, solve their problems, and meet their goals, they will come to rely on you as a trusted advisor, a never-ending source of solutions! And that's a great place to be!
4. Loyalty will improve. Because of the tremendous value you're offering, people will become loyal to your brand, making it extremely difficult for your competition to make any headway with your customers.
5. Sales will increase. Because you're asking for sales consistently, you'll get more. It's that simple.
6. Referrals will increase. The more satisfied your customers are, the more likely they are to refer. What's more, you set up systems to consistently ask for referrals—which of course will lead to more of them!
7. You'll retain customers longer. Remember this profound truth: "When your customers stop buying from you, they stop being your customers." This single principle is so powerful, I actually recommend you make yourself a sign with those exact words and put it someplace you can see it every day. The better you are at keeping in touch with your customers, the longer you'll retain them.
8. You'll reduce your marketing costs. Remember what we said in our previous chapter about spending at least 50% of your marketing budget on your existing customers? Well, that still stands. As you do, you'll get better response for less money.
9. You'll increase your revenue. Because your overhead will decrease, your revenue will go up!
10. You'll increase the Lifetime Profit Value of your customers—which will make your business more and more profitable over time.
11. You'll be more attuned to what your customers need and want. This is one of the greatest benefits of staying in constant contact with your customers. When you make it a point to interact with them, they'll let you know what they need. And that will give you the information and power to make your products and services even more valuable.
12. You'll feel good about your business. Knowing that you're making a real difference in the lives of others is one of the greatest thing about being in business for yourself. What kind of an impact you're making is never more apparent than when you've built solid relationships with your customers, and they show you with their pocketbooks.
So make a point to contact your customers regularly! Make an offer! And watch your business explode.
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