Archive: January, 2010

Pay yourself First to Save Money

Pay yourself first to save money means think about taking care of you before something can happen.

Keep yourself health is the first step to saving money and your payment to you. There are many ways to staying healthy and taking care of you.

Stay on a good diet by staying away from fast food. Eating a lot of fast food is expensive and you don’t get the nourishment from fast food that you get from eating the right foods. Fast foods are high in calories and cholesterol, which are both bad for the heart and could cause you to have a stroke.

Get a lot of exercise to keep you healthy and save money by being in good health. Exercise will help to relieve stress, keeps your blood circulation flowing more freely, help prevents strokes and exercise will help the mind and body to relax more. Exercise for you will save money by helping to keep the doctor away.

Take care and save by taking long walks on a daily basis. Walking relieves stress, depression, anxiety; helps prevent strokes and heart disease. Walking is cheap only costing you maybe an hour a day from your busy schedule. Pay yourself for the things you’ve neglected to do for you alone by exercising.

Save money by paying yourself first when you are less stress. Stress can cause a lot of health problems causing strokes, heart diseases and mental problems as well. Stress is the most common reason for illness. Chronic depression is a large result of stress. Relieve some of the stress by exercise and eating right in paying yourself first to same money.

Communicating with others, can help pay you fist by letting you forget and relieve some stress. You be taking time out to enjoy people around you letting you do something besides thinking what wasn’t done on that day, to do list. Communication can give you a chance to know and learn what is happening out there in the world that is surrounding you. You can learn new skills on how other people pay themselves to save money, by just listening to them talk.

Paying yourself first will save you a lot of stress, keep you healthier, boost up your communication skills, and it can give you the confidence you didn’t know you had or was capable of having.

When a person pays himself or herself, first they can save money by not having to make trips to the doctor, do and buy things they don’t really need or want. So taking care of you is the first and most effective way to save money.

Martin Lukac
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/pay-yourself-first-to-save-money-107104.html

Why You Should Buy Krugerrands Now

With the world economy wobbling and rescue package after rescue package not seemingly doing any good, you should start looking for better ways for investment and asset protection beyond stocks and mutual funds. Smart investors have recently turned to gold. Investing in Gold has long been proven one of the safest and most effective ways to protect personal assets against the inflation and uncertainties. For average Americans, the easiest way to add gold to their investment portfolios and protect their hard-earned money during recessions is to buy gold coins, especially those gold coins with small markups such as South African Krugerrand. Buy Krugerrands is now considered the No.1 choice for small investors to protect their assets.

Here are 5 good reasons why you should buy Krugerrands now!

1) For centuries, gold has been Recession Proof, and this has been proven during countless crisis situations over the past centuries.

2) buying gold coins is one of the most practical ways to physically own gold. Gold Krugerrand coins are small weighing no more than 1 oz, making them easy to store and transported.

3) Gold Krugerrand coins, especially 1 oz Krugerrand coin, is the ideal coin for you to start. The South African gold Krugerrand coin was the first gold coin that contains exactly one ounce of pure gold, which makes it the best known of modern bullion coins. As a matter of fact, gold Krugerrand coin has always been one of the most available and best-priced coins of its type in the market. There are thousands of gold Krugerrands bought and sold online or at the gold dealers everyday, making Krugerrand one of the most popular Gold Coins among investors.

4) Since gold Krugerrand coins are already well known in the industry and any dealer are readily trade them, Krugerrand coins could be easily converted into cash should the need arise. This allows you to liquidate your asset very quickly when necessary.

5) Gold Krugerrands carry small premium over spot. That means Krugerrand coins cost less per ounce than the standard American Eagle Gold Bullion and thus give you more gold for your money. If you have $5,000 or less to spend, I recommend you put half in US 90% silver coin, and half to buy Krugerrands.

I recommend you checking out Gold Krugerrand for Sale. It is a specialized Gold Krugerrand for Sale site, offering a great selection of Krugerrand Gold Coins for sale. This website makes finding your dream 1 oz Krugerrand Gold Coin a million times easier. Be sure to try this website before you buy.

Wilson Snyder
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-finance-articles/why-you-should-buy-krugerrands-now-751505.html

The History of Gold Coins Issued by Usa

The first gold coins in the United States were issued back in 1795. The Unites States Mint set the value of the U.S. Dollar at 24 grains of gold. The value was based in accordance with the world price on the precious metal, which at that time was $19.39 per troy ounce.

The U.S. gold coins started to be issued in seven different mints around the country as the Western Frontier of the Unites States began its expansion. The mints were set from Philadelphia to San Francisco. The sizes of coins varied from one dollar gold piece to fifty dollar denomination. It is worth mentioning that at that time the U.S. mints issued coins that were worth their weight in gold.

In 1834 and 1837 U.S. Congress modified the gold specifications by setting the price of gold at a mark of $20.67 per ounce. When the Great Depression occurred in 1933, President Roosevelt made gold an illegal asset for the citizens of the United States. During this period, by Roosevelt’s order, all gold coins were returned to U.S. Treasury and the melted into gold bars. After that the value of the U.S. dollar coin was set to $35 per ounce. The global outcome was to decrease by 40 percent the buying power of the dollar

When millions of gold coins were melted into gold bars, they became very rare and thus highly sought by various collectors. According to money experts only about one percent of gold coins can be found today. Each gold coin that survived till nowadays is highly valued by collectors and investors.

Every gold coins minted in the United States before 1933, is valued on individual basis according to its date, rarity, appeal among various collectors and its grade.

What is Rare Coin Grading Worth?

Coins that fall under the category “rare” are graded on ANA (American Numismatic Association). The scale ranges from 1 to 70. Coins are certified authentic and then PCGS or NGC, two leaders in providing coin grading services. For example a gold coin graded 1 has a slightly visible date, very wear and its value is a little above its weight in gold or precious metals. Obviously the better the coin is preserved the more a collector or investorinvestor in willing to pay for it.

Double Eagles

1933_double_eagle_gold_coin_reverseVery often a collector starts his Gold Coin Collection of U.S. coins minted before 1933 with a $20 Double Eagle. Note that from 1849 to 1907 U.S. Mist issued the Liberty series. The Mint then changed the design of the Double Eagle into Saint-Gaudens. The latter were minted in the period between 1907 and 1933.

Starting a collection of Pre- 1933 U.S. gold coins is advantageous for several reasons:

“Pure Gold Content” – this means that each coin includes almost 1 troy ounce of gold.

“A Double Profit Opportunity” The gold market is continuously changing and $20 Double Eagle gold coins already have a history showing the continuously rising value, which goes 2 to 3 times higher in value if compared to the gold bullion alone.

The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle Coin

One of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, coin is considered to be the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. It actually was never officially issued. Still it appeared from 1907 until 1932. Although in 1933 there were 445,500 Double Eagle minted, none were released into circulation because of the changes made in currency laws during the Great Depression.

The result of the Great Depression was that president Franklin Roosevelt took America off the gold standard. The gold coins were drawn out of circulation and afterwards were not issued anymore. Besides, people had to return the ones they had

Later, in 1933, the Double Eagle coins were declared illegal. It was prohibited to own any of the gold coins, unless they had a collectible value.

The same year Gold Double Eagle coinsGold Double Eagle coins were ordered to be melted by the U.S. Mint. By 1937 billions of gold bars were made out of these unique coins.

A few coins have escaped from being melted down. In1933 two of them were given by the Mint to the U.S. National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institute. These two Gold Double Eagle coins were known as the only legal specimens to ever become part of a coin collection. Still by 1952, eight additional coins were discovered. These were confiscated by the Secret Service.

Today 19 of the some of most valuable 1933 Gold Double Eagle coins are owned by a Philadelphian jeweler, Israel Switt.

Xavier
http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/the-history-of-gold-coins-issued-by-usa-728875.html

Tips of Buying Gold 50 Pesos Mexico Coin

With the recent financial meltdowns and declining US currency, smart Americans are looking for better ways to protect their hard-earned dollars. Buying gold has long been proven the safest method for asset protection during economic crisis over the past centuries. Gold coins, especially gold coins with small markups such as Gold 50 Pesos Mexico Coin and South African gold Krugerrands, are favorites of seasoned gold bullion investors to combat inflation and offset risk.

First minted in 1921, Mexican Gold 50 Pesos are among one of the most beautiful designs of any gold coins. The coin features a winged angel with the legendary mountains in the background. The reverse side features an eagle with a snake in its beak. With sizing more than 20% larger than the popular American Gold Eagles, the coin contains 1.2057oz of pure gold, making it a great vehicle for holding gold than the popular US $20 gold coin.

So how to buy cheap Gold 50 Pesos now?

You can visit local gold dealers or coin shops searching for good deals. However, Gold Dealers tend to mark up a higher premium for selling Gold 50 Pesos to you because they have to cover their operation overhead and other expense.

The Internet has become one of the best places to find gold coins in my opinion. Online auctioning sites have been a very active market in recent years, making finding great deals of gold coins much easier. These online auction sites tend to offer wider selection of Krugerrand coins and list up-to-the-minute deals constantly, due to the nature of these sites.

Remember to do some homework on the seller before you buy Gold 50 Pesos Mexico Coin via online auction sites. Look at their feedback ratings and check comments left by previous customers. Ideally, you would want to do business with a seller with a feedback score of 100%. But you have to take everything into consideration. If a seller has a feedback score of less than 100% he still may be a reputable dealer. If you see a high percentage of negative comments stay away from that particular seller.

I recommend you checking out Mexico Coin Sale. It is a specialized Mexican Gold Coins for Sale site, offering a great selection of Mexican gold 50 pesos for sale. This website makes finding your dream gold 50 pesos a million times easier. Be sure to try this website before you buy.

Wilson Snyder
http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/tips-of-buying-gold-50-pesos-mexico-coin-751519.html

How you Can Pay yourself First

It’s the beginning of 2007, the beginning of a new year. It is also a time when you start to make resolutions or goals for a brand new year. I am sure among them you might have some that are related to wealth creation or accumulation. (If not, you better start thinking about that now).

One of the easiest and powerful way to accumulate wealth is to follow the “Pay Yourself First” rule, which was one of the teachings Rich Dad taught in Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”.

What does “Paying Yourself First” mean and how you can follow it?

Basically, it means you simply set aside a certain amount of money each month that you will not touch (pay yourself), even before you pay your bills and expenses (pay others)!

Here’s a step by step guide which you can follow:

1. From the amount of money you make each month, you decide how many percent of your monthly salary or income you want to set aside. When you get your paycheck, the very first thing you do is to put this amount aside, hence the “pay yourself first”.

The percent to set aside differs from individual to individual depending on each comfortable level and wealth target. Most people recommend 10% to 15% of the monthly income to set aside, but I suspect that you might need to go up to 20% or even 30% if you want to reach your financial success.

2. Decide what you want to do with this amount which has been set aside. Many will simply put the amount into their saving accounts. However, the idea of paying yourself first is to use it for your wealth building. You should be looking into investing them instead of just saving them. Saving alone will not help you to reach your financial success. Let the money earn you more money by investing it. Consult with your financial planner or advisor to decide the kind of investment portfolio that suits you.

I would recommend that you setup what is known as an automatic withdraw from your bank account to your investment institution for your investments. This is when money is automatically taken out of your savings or checking account each month and put into your investment. Generally, you have to select a certain day each month for when the transaction will occur, and it will happen every month on that day, just like paying your bills. In this way, it does not rely on your ability to set aside a certain amount each month. It relies on the computers who automatically invest your money for you. It is also easy once you realize how you don’t miss the money.

3. Next, you pay off your bills.

4. Live on whatever is left over from your paycheck. It does not however imply that you need to use up every single cents of what is left. If you have surplus, then good for you. If you have a substantial surplus, then go back and re-adjust your investment amount. Increase you monthly set-aside amount for investment, and let it generate more money for you.

5. And finally, NO CREDIT CARD DEBT! Don’t spend on credit. Also be very careful with home equity loans and car loans. It’s easy to get into trouble with both.

If you are disciplined, you can pay yourself first without running into a credit rut.

First, keep your personal expense low. Don’t go out and spend your money on “ego” toys like a new car, a new outfit or a long vacation. Not until the habit of paying yourself first has built up enough assests for you to afford them.

Second, when you come up short, don’t dip into your investment to pay off your creditors. Robert Kiyosaki believes that if you are under pressure from creditors, the pressure will actually inspire you to come up with new ways of making money. Look for other ways to tide over.

As you start to build assets, you will see that the income from your assets will allow you to pay for your personal expenses and expanded your means for you to live the livestyle you want.

Paying Yourself First is a simple yet powerful concept. It is so powerful that it could be apply to other area besides money. You can apply these same principle to time. Pay Yourself First if you are a busy working mother. You need time to take care of yourself so that you can take care of your family!

Bernard Ng
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/how-you-can-pay-yourself-first-97370.html

What Coins Should I Collect?

What Coins Should I Collect?

By Robert L Taylor, JD

You should collect what you like and enjoy. This is Your Dream. Design it any way you want.
Never-the-less, . . . decide on Foreign coins or US Coins; and Proof or Mint State. If US, then decide upon a Denomination: penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar, dollar or other.

Or, decide upon a particular Period in History, e.g.: Morgan Dollars (Lady Liberty, Following Civil War), Peace Dollars (Following WWI), War Time Cents (Steel and Shell Casing – WWII), War Time Nickels (Silver – WWII), Silver quarters and dimes pre 1965; Statehood Quarters; 20th Century; 19th Century.

Or decide upon an Historical Figure; Kennedy Half Dollars (Following his death), Lincoln Cents; Washington Quarters; Franklin Half Dollars; Eisenhower Dollars, Susan B Anthony Dollars, Roosevelt Dimes; Sacagawea Dollars. You can also choose Type Sets, Year Sets, Mint Sets, Proof Sets and Decades.

The Next Step is to decide upon the Quality of coin you want to collect. Your choices are: a) pocket change; b) bank rolls; c) US mint and proof rolls and sets (new and used); d) Buy from Coin Shows and Clubs; e) Buy on the Internet; f) Buy from coin dealer; g) Buy from coin magazine or ad. Each has their benefits and advantages. Pocket Change and Bank Rolls provide Circulated coins. The US Mint provides Uncirculated “Mint State” and “Proof” coins.
The Internet provides the Greatest Selection from private Web Sites, e.g.: www.ThePerfect-Coin.Com to the big Auctions like eBay, Yahoo, Heritage and TeleTrade. And With the advent of PayPal.com (free) it becomes very quick and easy to pay for purchases over the Internet and by Phone.

The one thing that is important in all of the above choices is the Grade of the Coin, which is closely related to Value (a topic for another article). But which leads to the next choice: Buy Slabbed or Raw? Raw coins are what you find in pocket change. Slabbed coins are those that are Professionally Certified and Graded by an Independent Third Party. The coin is then placed in a “slab”, made of plastic, identified, labeled and sealed. It actually takes 3 Professionals to decide upon the Grade of a Coin. If Buying Raw Coins, You need to Know How to Grade a Coin. Even then, there will be Disputes about the Grade. When Buying a Slabbed coin, You Know the Grade. The Grade Becomes Virtually Undisputable! All references to Price in any resource are Based on Grading, which follows the Guidelines set by the ANA American Numismatic Association. Currently, there are only Four Companies that are Recognized for Strictly following these Guidelines: PCGS, NGC, ICG and ANACS. It is from these Professionals that one should buy slabbed coins. Buying Slabbed Coins is the First Rule of Serious Coin Collecting.

Obviously, one will be very limited in the years, mints, and varieties available from pocket change and bank rolls – both being local in nature. Even if starting with these means of collecting, always keep an open mind about other resources. So, a little future insight helps to decide that better resources will yield better coin collections. Most collections will span a greater range of years, than either pocket change or bank rolls can possibly produce. It is therefore imperative to investigate other resources.

Your Budget will usually determine the Grade of coin that you can afford to collect. MS63-MS65 is an Ideal range for collecting, not only because of the excellent condition and detail of the coins, greater availability, lower costs, and because coins in this range tend to Appreciate faster than other Grades. There item is very simple, and it has to do with the quality of the coin or how much you want to Spend per Coin – for an average coin, for an exceptional coin, or a perfect coin. Your budget will usually determine this factor, or, how much per month you can spend (per month?) for your new Investment. Never doubt that Coin Collecting is an Investment. Although it is easy to overlook the amount of time spent on this Endeavor because two of the main ingredients are Pleasure and Enjoyment. Confucius Say:

“If you enjoy what you are doing, you will never work another day in your life.”

Think of it as a Fund. You are trading Money for . . . Money that Grows and Gives Pleasure! Properly attended, this Fund can quite possibly put someone through college.

Lastly, decide whether to collect all of the coins in your Group including varieties and errors or just the Regular Issue Coins. Errors and Varieties can become extremely expensive and difficult to find. Most people will avoid them.

This Concept of “Trading Money for Money” is critically important because most people shy away from spending a little more, just to get the best. And I am talking about the best in quality of coin, no matter what the Grade or Price. In other words, get a Coin with the Grade it is Supposed to Have. This is the Only way to be sure of the Value of the Coin. Spend your Money Wisely. Get what you pay for. Until you become a Professional at Grading, rely on the Professional Graders. Whether you choose to collect Kennedy Proof Half Dollars, or Jefferson Nickels from pocket change, thanks to the Internet, you will find a huge selection available, on many different web sites, to give your Coin Collecting efforts a boost. Internet Web Sites will Forever Change Coin Collecting! Why? Because Top Quality Coins can be easily Bought and Sold by any body – since they are Slabbed!

Always Know Your Grade!

Robert L Taylor, JD
Copyright 2006, Robert L Taylor, JD

Robert L Taylor, Jd
http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/what-coins-should-i-collect-62524.html

Buying Gold Coins, How to Invest

Buying gold coins is one of the best and safest ways to invest in gold. Gold coins are usually more expensive; when it comes to the content of gold compared to bars. This is because gold coins are more expensive to manufacture. One benefit of gold coins over gold bars is gold coins tend to build more numismatic value over time. The reason for this is most gold coins are struck with a date on it. The older the coin usually the more numismatic value it will build, once it is kept in good condition.

Another benefit of buying gold coins is its ability to preserve your wealth from inflation or any other economic downturn a nation might face. Gold coins and gold bars have intrinsic value. This means unlike a stock in a company it will not become worthless over night because of human action. Gold coins are known to preserve wealth even when the organization that struck it ceases to exist. Some examples of this are the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). Gold coins do not rust or tarnish, so once it is not damage or scratched it will retain and usually build more value over time.

One last benefit of buying gold coins is its ease to liquidate. Gold coins are one of the easiest assets to sell. Most investors that invest in gold are likely to buy coins because of its ability to accumulate numismatic value over time. Another reason why gold coins are easy to liquidate is gold coins and gold bars usually have a uniform weight and purity stated on it. If an investor is not familiar with a coin, they can look at it and know how much gold and what purity they are buying. Investing in gold coins has its benefits; some of the benefits are hard to find in other investments. This is what makes gold coins one of the best investments out there.

A good web site where you can see more information on topics like this is Buying Gold Coins which is highly recommended, You can also see the video for Buying Gold Coins. Thank you and enjoy.

Kevin Cox
http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/buying-gold-coins-how-to-invest-691635.html

Gold Coin Collecting Trends For 2009

Gold coin collectors everywhere are celebrating the soaring gold prices that have been seen in recent times. Coins and collections that were once valuable are now very valuable. For 2009, gold coin collecting will remain strong.

Proof gold coins are expected to be strong performers through 2009, as are rare date and early gold. With rare date and early gold coins, the better they look, the higher their value. Proof gold coins are rare by definition and those in F.D.C. (fleur de coin) condition are going to have the highest value.

The Saint Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin is still one of the most beautiful, popular and sought after gold coins on the market, and will remain so for a long time. Saint Gaudens proof coins, and those with no motto (without In God We Trust) on them are more rare and therefore more highly valued.

Newly minted 24-kt Jackson’s Liberty First Spouse gold coins, both proof and uncirculated are going to be strong for the coming months. Other gold coins that are remaining high in popularity are the $10 Liberty and the $5 Liberty, the $5 Liberty Half-Eagle (with or without motto), American Gold Eagle bullion coins, the Commemorative US gold coins – 1988 Olympic (uncirculated) and 1986 Statue of Liberty, British Sovereign gold coin – King Edward 1902-1910, Canadian Maple Leaf, and the Australian Lunar gold coins – 2005 1 oz Gold Rooster and 2004 1-oz. Gold Monkey.

In uncertain financial times, gold is one thing whose value continues to remain strong if not rise. Consider adding any of these coins to your collection.

One of the best gold coin investment is Saint Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coins. They represent great collectible and investment opportunity as they increase in price on average about 8% a year. Here is a little history on Saint Gaudens gold coins.

In the early 1900′s, President Theodore Roosevelt inquired of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens as to whether or not he would be interested in re-crafting the design or the nation’s coinage to look more like the coins of ancient Greece, where democracy first took root. What Saint Gaudens created was a breathtaking high relief design featuring the image of Miss Liberty on one side and a flying eagle on the other. This coin symbolized both the county’s strength while moving into the future and independence as a powerful and glorious nation.

Only a few proofs were struck, and then production began of the $20 gold coins. Because of the high relief, these coins were not the favorite of bankers (they wobbled when being stacked). Eventually the coin was altered to be flatter. Even though all of the Double Eagle gold coins are considered collectors items, those struck in high relief are more highly prized.

Interestingly, this incredible symbol of America was, for a time, produced without the motto “In God We Trust.” Roosevelt felt that it was sacrilegious to have that motto on coins that could be used for gambling. The Saint Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin is indeed a symbol of greatness. A symbol of artistry, independence, strength and even the workings of our government, this gold coin has a history that spans a century and beauty that is unmatched.

Max Lloyd
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/gold-coin-collecting-trends-for-2009-732306.html