The Fear Factor chart better known as the Volatility Index, shows how volatile the market is. The higher the index, the more volatile, the more it indicates that investor are feeling fearful. The lower the index, the less volatile and investors are feeling safe.

While there is reason to invest in stock that are low in price, this does not mean investing blindly. You have to know the underlying company’s financial state. Is the fear well founded or irrational. People flee a stock for a reason. However, for good companies during times of uncertainty, when prices have dropped, it may make sense to invest.

Warren Buffett says "Be fearful when others are greedy; be greedy when others are fearful." This doesn’t mean be lazy!

Like I said in the early part of the post, this index is an Indicator.

You can see the chart at Yahoo Finance

I did an interesting exercise a few months ago. The exercise helped me relook at goals versus desires. I know that there are ton’s of articles and books and numerous things people talk about Goals. How you must have them, looking at them etc.

For this past year, although I wrote down some goals at the beginning of 2009, I didn’t pay much attention to them. In my last article, I share with you my insights to goals for me. This year, I really didn’t pay attention at all to what I wrote down The result at years end is that my income dropped off quite a bit. And I really need to focus in 2010 or else the income will drop further.

The reason for the drop is I’m trying to redesign myself with regards to work and income. Anyhoooow, with the exercise I did several months ago and now that I know I need to focus, I brought out the good ole “Goal Card”. The one the successful people always tell you to carry and look at every day several times a day.

I’ve done that in the past but it never worked. However, this time my card is called Goad & Desire card. It has a twist. As a result of the exercise and new understanding, I decided to write down on the Goals column, things that within my control and Desires column, stuff that I can’t.

Well the experts always say, you can control it if you work hard enough or dream about it enough aka TheSecret. (Ooh I’ll be stepping on some toes here). I believe to earn $X amount by when is out of your control. Being a sales person, with enough data, you “can” gauge the ratio of sales activity (within your control) eg calls you need to make, to result in sales. While the ratio thing does work, you still can’t control who will buy and how much. Or if you get hit by a truck and be out of action.

So, the things I can really control, my Goals everyday, will be having a positive attitude, to have faith, to be focused, to be transparent and to take bold action. The Desires (things that I can’t control but look forward to accomplishing) will be perhaps a holiday overseas, a certain level of income, a new car etc.

I invite you to consider this. I’d certainly like to hear from you if you have done something similar.

So we bought tickets for the dinner, which by my standards are for the well heeled to say the least. It was a new experience for us. The event was attended by some VIPs (perhaps 10 to 20 percent of the crowd). How I knew? There was only a few of them bidding during the auction.

What I did not expect during the dinner was raffle ticket sales as well as an auction, since we already paid a handsome chunk of change to eat. I have a sneaky suspicion the event was organized by pro’s for this kind of thing. I had to say there was no hardcore pressure of any kind for us to buy anything and no, our table did not once participate in the auction.

Anyway, what I learned during the event.

Tip 1. If you want to support any cause, calculate what you can and cannot afford and stick with it. While you may feel bad if you cannot contribute, I reckon it is better than to pay the price financially and emotionally later on.

Tip 2. While you might feel you have to buy something, in this case raffle tickets, you can always spread the price out among friends instead of bearing the whole bill. This is what we did and somewhat got us off the hook for not buying any at all

Tip 3. If all else fails and you find it hard to say no, run to the gents or the ladies. No, we did not do this but now that I thought of it, I reckon I share it here.

Tip 4. If you feel pressure is over the edge, look at Tip 3 and maybe next time, you might want to reconsider supporting the cause. If you know the person well enough, then some feedback is for them will do them good too. No point raising funds now and losing the important people, the backers right.

Tips 5. Just send them a check. Then you don’t need most of the tips above.

Hope these tips on how to survive a fund raising event help you manage your funds better.

pic credit

If you haven’t noticed it yet, your job, company or industry can disappear or be radically transformed over night. I’ve also experience the disadvantage of being in a agent-principal relationship to start look at alternatives.

While I still hold out that the Almighty promised that He will take care of our needs, it doesn’t mean I don’t make provisions. Joseph in the bible had a dream that 7 years of prosperity will be followed by 7 years of famine. He prepared for it and Egypt became the riches nation at that time because of what Joseph did.

My Plan B looks like this

• I have an emergency fund that covers 6 months of living expenses
• Our only loan is our house loan
• I have developed a broad network of people I could rely on for referrals/job leads if my job ever disappeared
• I have spread our business not to depend on a single provider
• I’ve been learning about the internet and making a few bucks online

Some suggestions to think strategically. Ask yourself if:-

• your experience and expertise be transferred to other industries?
• Is there any certifications you can acquire to strengthen your position
• How much money do you have set aside?
• Who should you go meet now to build you need new connections
• Have you thought of what you would like to do even if you did not lose your job.

The present time is challenging but also a time to reinvent yourself. Grab this opportunity.

In less than a minutes, it turns out to be no investment idea at all. Apparently, people will call anything an investment to get you to join them. An anything that even has a hint of possibly potential income is touted as an investment. I highlight the phrase possibly potential inceome. Truth is, what the nice lady tried to sell me was nothing more than multi level marketing. They ask people to “invest” i.e. become a member, buy their products and get others to join. I don’t have anything against MLMs. But to frame the idea that what you are purchasing is actually an investment is hogwash.

I guess, to build a business, you invest your time, effort and money to get it going and calling it an investment is not wrong. Still, you have to recognize a spade to tell if it is a spade, or you might “buy” into something thinking is it an investment.

I did not stick around to hear more because I’ve been involved in MLM before and it takes a lot more hard work than what you think or are told to believe. And time was running out for my next appointment.

Lesson here. All sorts of people can call all sort of things investment. You have to decide what an investment is to you or else get suckered into someone else’s “investment plan”

This is via greencar website.

It’s been a misconception for years that engine oil should be changed every 3000 miles, even though most auto manufacturers now recommend oil changes at 5,000, 7,000, or even 10,000 mile intervals under normal driving conditions.

Manufacturer of upmarket cars now equip their top models with sensors that tell you when to change oil! But most of use who don’t have the money or choose not to spend their money on top end cars can easily extend the oil change without damaging the engine.

Plus, engine oil today are not what they use to be. Nowadays, engine oil comes with all sorts of additive to clean, to stabilize the oil. Engines that are also manufactured to closer tolerance and with electronic fuel injection, engine oil contamination is reduced thus prolonging the engine oil.

Let’s do some maths. Assuming you normally change oil in the past at 3,000 miles and it cost say $50, and now you do it at 5,000 miles. Over the say 150,000 miles, you’ll save $1,000 not to mention the good you do to the environment. Last but not least, less dirty hands.

Enough has been said of lottery winners who blow all the instant money within a short time. If that is still not enough, check out the life of Howard Hughes. He inherited Hughes Tool company from his father at age 18. There was a movie out not too long back about his life. By the way, the Hughes Tool company own several patents that is crucial for drilling oil!

Wealth is built daily. One step at a time. So is poverty. The road to bankruptcy is wide and there are many on that road.