Secured Business Loans

by Grant Cliv

Secured business loans cater to the need of both small as well as big business enterprises. Business, whatever is its type, can survive only if there is an uninterrupted cash flow

The cash, however, can not keep flowing all the time. There are times when your business is suffering losses due to internal as well external problems. It is at these times that you need secured business loans.

Secured business loans are provided against collateral. You could offer some of your company assets as collateral. This makes the job easy for the lender as he does not risk losing his money. For the borrower, secured business loans offer low interest rates, easy terms and conditions and manageable monthly instalments. These loans involve a lot of paper work.

You can take secured business loans for various needs of your business. You can

• Develop the infrastructure of your business by buying raw materials, equipments and machinery that your business might need
• Expand your business or change its direction
• Pay off old debts which your business might have incurred
• Get your business out of the current monetary problems.

Before applying for secured business loan, you should put down on paper everything that the lender might be interested in: your turnover, net profit or loss, profit you are likely to make in the future etc. A clear business plan will help the lender decide quickly whether to disburse the loan or not.

Not all things are in your hands when you are running a business enterprise, big or small. Things may get wrong and you may find yourself in a difficult spot. Secured business loans are your only solution at such junctures.

Checklist for Starting a Home-Based Business

Starting a home-based business can be a complicated undertaking. The following checklist covers the most important points that you will need to consider and will help you stay focused as you try and get your business off the ground.

1. Create a business plan. Even if you are the only one that will ever read it, it is important to plan out your business and the important milestones you hope to accomplish. See the AllBusiness.com Business Plan Center for advice on putting together this important document.

2. Establish your business entity. You will need to decide if you want to run your business as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation.

3. Get your business license or reseller certificate. Make sure you are in compliance with your state laws and get a business license or a reseller certificate if your state requires one.

4. Check with your local zoning commission. You do not want your business shut down prematurely due to zoning laws. Make sure you can legally run your business from your home before you put in too much time and effort.

5. Purchase insurance. Determine what kind of insurance you need, and purchase this before you actually open your new business.

6. Organize your office. A well-organized office space leads to a successful business. Make sure that your office is in a place in your home where you will be able to focus on running your business with minimal distractions.

7. Purchase your equipment. Make sure that you purchase any required office equipment ahead of time. You will avoid embarrassing moments if a customer wants to fax you an order and you do not have the proper equipment ready.

8. Set up your Web site. You will need to purchase a domain name and set up your Web site so that it is ready to go live when you open for business. By planning your Web site concurrently with starting your business, you will be able to include your domain name on your promotional material. Check out the Internet & E-Business Center at AllBusiness.com.

9. Make your schedule. Even if you do not want to work 9 to 5, you will need to create a schedule that follows somewhat normal business hours to ensure that your customers can reach you. They may not be aware that your business is in your basement and you have to get your kids to soccer practice.

10. Organize your inventory. If you plan on stocking merchandise in your home, you will need to make sure it is well-organized to facilitate a quick turnaround time. Make sure that they are easily accessible and free from dirt and debris. If you are a smoker, make sure you store your inventory in a smoke-free area.

11. Get your shipping supplies ready. You should not have to scour your house for a padded envelope when you get your first order. Gather all of the supplies you will need, such as envelopes, boxes, bubble wrap, shipping tape, and labels ahead of time.

12. Open your virtual doors. Now that you are completely prepared, you are ready to open your business up to the public.

source: http://allbusiness.about.com/article.asp?ID=3318&CenterID=3349&CatID=3350

Checklist for Starting a Home-Based Business

Starting a home-based business can be a complicated undertaking. The following checklist covers the most important points that you will need to consider and will help you stay focused as you try and get your business off the ground.

1. Create a business plan. Even if you are the only one that will ever read it, it is important to plan out your business and the important milestones you hope to accomplish. See the AllBusiness.com Business Plan Center for advice on putting together this important document.

2. Establish your business entity. You will need to decide if you want to run your business as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a corporation.

3. Get your business license or reseller certificate. Make sure you are in compliance with your state laws and get a business license or a reseller certificate if your state requires one.

4. Check with your local zoning commission. You do not want your business shut down prematurely due to zoning laws. Make sure you can legally run your business from your home before you put in too much time and effort.

5. Purchase insurance. Determine what kind of insurance you need, and purchase this before you actually open your new business.

6. Organize your office. A well-organized office space leads to a successful business. Make sure that your office is in a place in your home where you will be able to focus on running your business with minimal distractions.

7. Purchase your equipment. Make sure that you purchase any required office equipment ahead of time. You will avoid embarrassing moments if a customer wants to fax you an order and you do not have the proper equipment ready.

8. Set up your Web site. You will need to purchase a domain name and set up your Web site so that it is ready to go live when you open for business. By planning your Web site concurrently with starting your business, you will be able to include your domain name on your promotional material. Check out the Internet & E-Business Center at AllBusiness.com.

9. Make your schedule. Even if you do not want to work 9 to 5, you will need to create a schedule that follows somewhat normal business hours to ensure that your customers can reach you. They may not be aware that your business is in your basement and you have to get your kids to soccer practice.

10. Organize your inventory. If you plan on stocking merchandise in your home, you will need to make sure it is well-organized to facilitate a quick turnaround time. Make sure that they are easily accessible and free from dirt and debris. If you are a smoker, make sure you store your inventory in a smoke-free area.

11. Get your shipping supplies ready. You should not have to scour your house for a padded envelope when you get your first order. Gather all of the supplies you will need, such as envelopes, boxes, bubble wrap, shipping tape, and labels ahead of time.

12. Open your virtual doors. Now that you are completely prepared, you are ready to open your business up to the public.

source: http://allbusiness.about.com/article.asp?ID=3318&CenterID=3349&CatID=3350

Top List of Ways to Change Your Current Car Insurance into Cheap Auto Insurance

Is Your Car Insurance Cheap Auto Insurance?

Are you getting cheap auto insurance? This list will help you obtain cheap auto insurance-not cheap quality but cheap on your wallet! Get your car insurance policy and compare your savings with this list to see if you are getting all of the savings you are entitled to, or print it out and use it when getting a new policy or obtaining an online insurance quote.

Top List of Ways to Change Your Current Car Insurance into Cheap Auto Insurance:

# Theft Devices: Most new cars have theft devices. Some are automatic and some have to be started at the touch of a button, but all usually get discounts on car insurance. Also, some states provide extra discounts for such things as window sketching.

# Multiple Car Discount: Did you know sometimes insuring two cars can be the same price as insuring one? If not the same price, insuring another car usually does not cost as much as you may think.

And if you have 2 cars, it is very wise to check with your insurance agent, or while obtaining your online insurance quote, to make sure you can get this discount on your car insurance. Also, if you are planning to sell a second car, the cheap auto insurance trick would be to keep that car on just liability to get your multiple car discount. Sometimes people are surprised when they call their car insurance company to take a car off of their insurance, only to find that their price did not go down but possibly increased!

# Yearly Policies: Choosing a yearly policy can extend your savings on your car insurance. Purchasing a yearly policy instead of a six month policy gives you a rate that cannot be changed for one year VS. changing every six months.

# Comprehensive Storage Coverage: If you are planning to store your car for any period of time, you can save on your car insurance by only keeping comprehensive coverage during the storage time. Since the car would be stored, it is very unlikely it will get in a collision or need the liability coverage.

# Mileage: This is a great way to get cheap auto insurance: If you are really close to the "miles to work" break-off, you may want to check your mileage closely. When your car insurance company or insurance agent asks you "How many miles do you drive to work one way?" this is a crucial question that will designate you into a particular class. Each class can have significant differences in prices.

# Organization Affiliation: Many companies offer a discount on car insurance for being affiliated with certain organizations. These can range from credit unions, college sororities, or just having a certain credit card. Call your service center and ask them for a list of the organization affiliation.

# Liability/Comprehensive/Collision/Medical Payments Coverages: Of course, you can lower your basic coverages. Comprehensive and Collision are probably the first to look at lowering by increasing your deductibles on your car insurance. Most vehicles that are on bank loans can have up to a $1000 deductible. Next, lowering your liability and medical payments could help, but only if you are having a hard time paying for your premium and is not recommended for general savings.

# EFT Payments: Many car insurance companies are now charging up to $5.00 or more for mail payments, but sometimes nothing if you choose to have payments automatically deducted. And, sometimes the deductions can come from your credit card, so you don't have to worry if the money will be in your bank account when payment time comes.

# Defensive Driving Course: Some companies give considerable discounts on car insurance for attending defensive driving courses. Check with your state insurance commissioner, insurance company or when obtaining an online insurance quote to see if you could qualify and to find out where to take courses.

# Auto/Home/Renter's Companion Policies: Most insurance companies give a discount if you carry your auto and home or renter's policy with the same company. This discount can be anywhere from 5%-20%!

# Credit Rating: Another great tip to get cheap car insurance-keep your credit clean! Yes, a lot of insurance companies are checking your credit and basing your policy on what is found. Make sure you check to see if your credit is in good shape, and if it is not, you may want to seek out companies who do not do credit checks.

# Teenage Drivers: Drivers Education can give a reasonable discount on your car insurance, but also good grades! You can report them to your car insurance company every semester.

# Rental Car: If you have comprehensive and collision coverage on your current vehicle, you might not need rental coverage. You are covered as much on a rental car as you would be on your vehicle. So, if you have a fairly new car you should be OK, but if your car is only worth a few thousand, you should get additional coverage.

# High Risk: Whether you are in the process of obtaining an online insurance quote or using a local agent, if you are in a high risk category and when you try to get insurance you either get turned down or cannot afford the ridiculous high premiums, you may want to contact your state insurance commissioner. All states have insurance for high risk individuals who may not be able to obtain insurance elsewhere. The coverage may not be the greatest, but at least it will get you rolling again!

source: http://personalinsure.about.com/cs/vehicleratings/a/blautosavings.htm

Zopa.com

Zopa is a UK-based company providing an online money exchange, allowing people who have money to lend to provide it directly to people wanting to borrow it without the need to go through banks, a process sometimes referred to as peer-to-peer lending.

The name, Zopa, stands for Zone of Possible Agreement, a negotiating term identifying the bounds within which agreement can be reached between two parties. The idea for the service was identified following extensive socio-economic research which itself identified a group of individuals, coined Freeformers.

Freeformers were identified as displaying different attitudes towards many aspects of life, including their money, and Zopa has developed a credit referencing process that goes beyond credit bureau information in order to establish consumers' attitudes towards money, as well as their credit-worthiness. This extends their ability to offer credit to this freeformer group, who may have irregular incomes or short-term cash-flow requirements, but who may not be offered credit through traditional methods of credit referencing.

The service matches people that want to offer to lend money with people that need to borrow money. Matching is done on a many-to-one basis, such that no one lender is exposed to any single borrower. Bad debt risk is taken by the lender, and priced into the rate offered to borrowers, although debt recovery processes are available.

Variously likened to eBay and Betfair in the UK press, Zopa is an addition to the emerging group of peer-to-peer services enabled by the internet. Prosper is a similar service based in the U.S.

Launched in 2005, Zopa is led by a management team that comprises many of those that founded Egg in the UK.

The company is based in London and backed by Benchmark Capital and Wellington Partners.

Both borrowers and lenders are charged a 0.5% fee by Zopa on the funds for each transaction although founder members are exempt from this charge.