We would like to bring you a fresh look at marketing and business form several different perspectives. Take look at the best and the worst of marketing.

The best paying marketing jobs, and the worst! The best marketing campaigns and the worst!

And the best marketing undergraduate colleges. We think you will find this feature very informative.

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Here are some interesting facts regarding the outlook for US business for 2012.

The economy may be a track to recovery , however, it is a fragile state and the problem will not just go away in short order.

The political gridlock in Washington is only compounding the problem. It may well be that until the housing market contributes to the recovery , we will be stuck in the sand .

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Financial advisors often recommend that everyone should have at least three to six months’ worth of savings in the bank in the event that a job loss were to take place or some other major unexpected event that could lead to loss of income. For some people this is possible but for others it is not so easy to do. In fact for many families it is a downright impossible standard to realize.

If your income does not offer a lot of flexibility to save three to six months’ worth of your salary then you should aim to have at least few hundred bucks in the bank to start. Having $1000 in the bank can provide a financial cushion that can soften a number of financial blows and woes that you could face. It can cover many minor emergencies that you might have to use your credit card for otherwise, it can help to provide an overdraft for your bank account and it means that you will not have to use payday loan companies when you are short a few bucks.

Saving $1000 in your account is doable, even for those living paycheck to paycheck if the discipline and the commitment are there. If you are earning enough to have a large emergency fund then that is wonderful, the more the better, but for everyone else starting with just $1000 can provide you with enough of a financial pad to give you a running start.

By trimming the money you spend you may be able to save $1000 faster than you might think. Starting to save is often the most difficult step. Once you start to see the money accumulating in your account it will get easier to save more and more because you will see what you are accomplishing and you will come to realize that you are building a future with more financial freedom. The more you save the more power you give yourself and this should make you feel very good! By altering the way you view money and spending you can improve the quality of your life.

Building an emergency fund with $1000 in your bank account is something that practically everyone can manage to scrape together with some honest to goodness effort and enough determination. Once you have done it you will realize how much it can impact your life and indeed change it for the better.

Steps to Help You with that $1000 Cushion

There are different ways that you can build a cushion of $1000. Here are three steps that can make it so much easier to do:

• Instead of saving $1000 and placing it directly into your savings account and then only having enough in your checking account to pay your bills begin by keeping an extra $100 in your checking account at all times. In other words, after all of your bills are paid that $100 should still remain in your account. If you can stop yourself from withdrawing this amount and spending it then you will always have extra in your account for the checks you write. It would help to apply for overdraft protection at your bank as well. This minimizes the damage if you do happen to write a check that exceeds you balance.
• Take $1000 all at once or save it over time and place it into your savings account. It may not seem like much money but it will be most useful for everything from getting your car fixed to replacing a broken appliance to paying for an unexpected expense. Even if the cost of the emergency is greater than $1000 the money will still go a long way in helping you pay for it.
• Now comes the really hard part- leaving your money alone! Keep your money in your account at all times unless a real emergency comes along. Needing a new outfit for a social occasion is not an emergency nor is wanting to go to the beach for a weekend getaway! When you have money in your account that can help you with emergency situations then you will not look for fast fixes to obtain cash, such as your credit cards or loans from payday lending companies.

You look out the window and sigh. It is pouring rain, the wind has come up and you have to go out because you need to do some shopping. You wish it could wait until tomorrow or the next day but you thought that yesterday and now you cannot put it off any longer. You groan at the thought of the traffic that you will have to face getting to the mall and you know that finding a decent parking space will be difficult because the mall does not have sufficient parking as it is. You put on your rain jacket, grab your car keys and purse and out you go, to brave a couple hours of shopping in miserable weather.

Sound hauntingly familiar?

You do not have to deal with this annoying and stressful scenario in the future because there is another option- you can shop from your computer. You can make a cup of coffee or tea, turn on your computer and then visit websites that offer merchandise that you are looking for. Shopping online is an alternative to shopping at the mall (or at a variety of malls) because it is less time consuming, can be worked  around your hectic schedule and in many cases it is more cost effective than going to retail stores.

More people are coming to see the many advantages inherent in surfing the web for their shopping needs. Plenty of individuals are going online to shop for items on a large scale and a smaller scale. They are shopping for houses, cars, trips and new furniture online. They are also looking for Christmas, birthday and graduation gifts online as well as clothing and household merchandise. The benefits to shopping online are many. Let us look at them now.

Utmost Convenience: When you go to a retail store you must shop within fixed hours because the store opens at a certain time and closes at a certain time. When you shop via the web you can do so any time you wish, day or night (or holidays). Online stores never close! The convenience of shopping in a virtual sense is particularly beneficial for mothers with babies and young children, people who are confined to their homes and have limited mobility and those who do not have a reliable or steady form of transportation. Online shopping is also extremely convenient on those days when the weather is inclement, such as during rainstorms or snowstorms.

Many Choices: If you have ever gone into a brick and mortar store to find the shelf empty where the item you wanted is supposed to be then you know how frustrating and disappointing this can be. Stores have limited shelf shape and once items on sale have sold out in most cases they do not order anymore in. As well fewer and fewer stores are offering rain-checks on their sale merchandise. When you shop online these problems are eliminated because the choices are great! You can visit website after website to look for specials.

No Pressure: Some salespeople can be annoying because they may pressure you to buy items. Some people really know how to put on the pressure and can make you feel downright uncomfortable. This does not happen when you shop via the web. You can shop at your leisure, at your own pace and you will not be hassled in any way by anyone!

Informed Buying: When you shop online you can read consumer reviews at various websites before you purchase something. A great number of online stores and merchandise is reviewed by other consumers which will give you more insight into whether a purchase is smart and cost effective or not. You lso have teh security of paying for your items through secured systems that accept credit cards payments.

Bankruptcy is an option for getting out of debt offered to citizens of the United States who are faced with a serious financial crisis. Although both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy can be extremely beneficial, there are some negative aspects of this solution as well. Unfortunately, due to the high amount of fraud over the years that consisted of people filing and being approved for bankruptcy that should not have qualified, this government program for eliminating debt has been plagued by exaggerated horror stories.

We want to address a few downsides associated with filing for personal and business financial protection, followed by focusing on the top reasons why it makes perfect sense. One concern, when filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the negative record of having gone through this process would remain on your credit report for seven years and when filing for Chapter 13, it would take ten years for it to be removed from the report. From a seller’s perspective, this reduces your creditworthiness and puts you in a high risk category.

Another downside to bankruptcy is the financial investment. For instance, you would be required to pay a filing fee, any cost connected with credit counseling, which is now mandatory under the new “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005″, and any attorney fees if legal assistance for any part of the bankruptcy filing was needed. Depending on the type of bankruptcy and severity of debt, the total would run anywhere from $350 to $800. Although a few other things would be considered negative, these two are the main issues.

Filing for bankruptcy also offers a number of benefits, which is the reason people go through this process in the first place. If you are in a situation whereby you cannot meet your financial obligations, regardless of the reason why, based on a specific formula used for qualification, a credit counselor or bankruptcy attorney could tell you if you are a good candidate under the new 2005 bankruptcy laws. If you were, bankruptcy protection would provide the opportunity for a fresh start.

Additionally, even though the bankruptcy would stay on your credit report for up to ten years, often when creditors see that a person has had debt discharged through a bankruptcy, they are actually more willing to extend credit than prior to filing. The reason is that creditors know legally, the individual would not be able to file for bankruptcy again for a long time. Therefore, you could expect to receive several credit offers, especially from credit card companies. This would help in rebuilding credit but more than ever before, it would be critical that you be careful to avoid ending up in another financial mess.

Then as mentioned, another positive aspect of filing for personal and business bankruptcy protection is getting out of debt. Even if you were required to pay some creditors, the level of stress relief is tremendous. When people are constantly stressed with debt, marriages suffer, job quality and production is affected, health problems can arise, and everything in life becomes more serious and hopeless. Being able to get out from under this debt is not a miracle cure but it certainly changes the dynamics of everyday life for the better.

Prior to 2005, filing for bankruptcy was a much easier process. In fact, for people with less complicated cases, “bankruptcy kits” could be downloaded from online and handled by the person without assistance of an attorney. Unfortunately, because criteria for qualification and control over cases being pushed through was so lax, fraud became a serious problem. Fraud grew to such great proportions that the United States Government realized something drastic had to occur to stop or at least reduce the problem.

In 2005, the “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005″ was passed by Congress, being one of the largest laws enacted specific to finance. The rules established within this Act are somewhat complex and for people to qualify for bankruptcy, whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, going through the process now requires the services of an attorney who specializes in this area. To be successful with the bankruptcy filing but also to avoid common but also costly mistakes, it is essential to work with the right attorney but most people have no clue what to look for or the questions to ask.

We wanted to provide a few helpful tips for hiring a bankruptcy attorney to ensure the person is right for the person and the type of filing. Most attorneys that advertise bankruptcy assistance do in fact have the required skill, knowledge, and training to be beneficial to the client but unfortunately, some attorneys have seen the vast number of consumers now filing as an opportunity to charge outrageous fees or advertise they have the appropriate expertise but without ever having filed a case.

Therefore, someone needing this type of legal assistance should never assume anything but take time to research various attorneys before signing a legal contract. With the following tips, the pain of bankruptcy could be lessened.

•    Experience – Any attorney being considered to assist with a bankruptcy case should have at minimum five years experience practicing law in this venue. Although the new laws are now understood, bankruptcy laws are still modified and changed so the attorney should be up-to-date on all current laws to include exemptions, the court system, and trustees.

•    Credentials – In addition to having the necessary experience, a good bankruptcy attorney should be able to present credentials of good standing. Typically, credentials are seen on the walls in an attorney’s office to include a license from passing the state bar, a certificate from the American Bankruptcy Institution and/or a certificate showing the attorney to be a member of NACBA, or National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. Of the various credentials, the license and certificate from NACBA are the most important, providing peace of mind to the person filing that the attorney is current on all laws pertaining to bankruptcy.

•    Law Firm – Although a good bankruptcy attorney may work as a standalone lawyer, most are associated with law firms. When associated with a law firm, it is common practice for a paralegal and/or junior attorney to do a significant portion of the work of paying clients. Therefore, when researching possibilities for bankruptcy attorneys that work in a law firm, not only should the attorney be considered, but the firm as a whole.

•    Current Case Load – The best bankruptcy attorneys typically have the heaviest case loads but even so, it would be important to understand ahead of time just how heavy of a load a specific attorney is carrying. Of course, if an attorney has a huge number of current clients, more than likely a new bankruptcy case is not going to take priority or there would be risk of the case not getting the attention it deserves.

•    Convenience – Finally, even the busiest and most sought after bankruptcy attorney should be available to the client. Yes, there will be many times when the attorney is in court, travel, or in consultation with another client but the attorney should make time to address all client’s needs and questions or at least have a qualified representative talk to the client on his behalf.

A new year has begun and with it you can adjust your financial state of mind and can start doing the things you need to do to save more money this year (or to start saving money in general). In the past you may have tried to save money and made a valiant effort but may have failed.

Using a flip-flop approach and saving money vaguely will not work in the long run. You need to take a dedicated approach and then just dive right in. So let’s do that now!

1- Be Committed to the Process

If you are not in savings mode in your mind then it will not translate to saving money in your day-to-day life. You have got to get into the right state of mind. Acknowledge to yourself that saving money is good for you in so many ways. It offers a safety net in the event that you lose your job or cannot work for a period of time; it provides you with money if unexpected expenses were to surface and it helps you to save for things you want in the future.

2- Everyone Can Save

No matter whether you earn $20,000 a year or $200,000 you can save money. The person earning the former may not be able to save as much monthly on account of household expenses but they can still save.

It may involve making some compromises in your life such as packing a lunch for work, not going out as much and taking the bus to work instead of driving your car but it can be done. A good book to read to help you get on the right path is David Chilton’s The Wealthy Barber.

3- Know How Much Money You Have to Work With

To be able to save effectively this year you need to keep good financial records. Yes, there is no getting around it- you have to change the way you organize and spend your money. You need a budget. The word budget seems to rhyme with boring for many people but really it is one of the most effective financial tools you will ever use.

Buy a ledger if you are a financial person to start your budget in. If you are a regular person like me who has no education in financial matters but has learned as you have lived then buy a blank book that you can use to record the money you are earning (on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis), the bills you have to pay and the money you are spending. Once you have everything written down in front of you then you will be able to see where you can make alterations that will give you room to save money.

4- Think of Your Savings as a Bill You Have to Pay

When your phone bill is due you pay it, right? The same is true with your rent or mortgage, right? And your power bill? Well you have to view your savings in the same manner. Think of them as a fixed expense that must be paid. If you don’t look at saving money in this way then it simply won’t get saved because other expenses and bills will always be more important and will take precedence. Make it matter!

5- Save Your Change

Saving change sometimes seems easier than saving bills because it is smaller and you pay less attention to it. Use this to your advantage. Find a jar or container and start saving your change in it. If you find coins on the street then put them into the jar. Empty your pockets and your wallet at the end of the day and put the change in the jar. After six months has passed (or you can wait until the end of the year if you prefer) count the change in the jar. Buy coin wrappers and take the money down to the bank and put it into your savings account. Decorate the container or jar to give it an appealing look to it so you will want to constantly put change into it!

Women entrepreneurs are often faced with the challenging task of applying for a small business loan to fund their new venture or idea. Small business loans for women are available through traditional lenders, such as banks or credit unions. Small business loans are also available through the Small Business Administration. Preparation and a sound business plan will help insure a more successful application process.

In past decades when a woman tried to start a business with a business loan, there were often problems obtaining financing no matter how great the business plan or her credit was. Typically, lenders only look at one thing, the numbers and assets owned by the borrower.Also typically men have more legal ownership of assets. This is why small business loans for women are becoming increasingly popular.

These loans that are specifically aimed at female borrowers are focused on the overall business plan, the borrower’s characters, and their credit history. For example, the borrower must have a strong business plan and good credit rating as with a traditional business loan. But instead of paperwork on asset assessment the paperwork may be geared more toward character assessment or business experience.

There are also specialized loans for women who want to start a home business. These loans are geared toward women who probably have children and want to be at home, but still need an income. Since these loans are usually much smaller, the requirements are less stringent. But it is still important to have a strong business plan and good credit. Women can bring many specialized skills to a business, and lenders are beginning to realize that.

Further Reading : 5 Reasons to Manage Your Cash Flow with a Business Credit Card

There are many resources when you need foreclosure help. Whether you want to stop foreclosure on your home yourself, or seek outside foreclosure help, there is help to be found.

To help prevent foreclosure on your own, firstly do not ignore the problem. The farther behind in your payments you get, the harder it will be to stop a foreclosure. As soon as you know there will be a problem making your mortgage payment, contact the lender. They don’t want to take your house, they want you to keep it and remain current on your payments. Ask what they can do to help. Lenders have a lot of resources to help you through a difficult time.

You need to know your rights in a foreclosure situation. Read all your mortgage documents to find out what you can do and what to expect from your lender. Contact your State Government Housing Office to get informed on the foreclosure laws in your state and see if government foreclosure help is available. You can also received free or very low cost housing counseling from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Call them absolutely free and see what they can offer you. Use the resources you have until you can get into a better financial situation. A mortgage program may still be available for you.

Don’t let anyone tell you that the American dream is over. People across the United States still dream of owning their own home. The housing market is following the rest of the economy for row, but still, home sales occur everyday and families and individuals still need home mortgages, but where do you find the best home mortgage rates?

The mortgage business has adapted to economic changes and will continue to do so. Mortgage companies have also changed the way they serve their customers. Comparing mortgage rates and finding the best home mortgage rates can be done from your home computer. Mortgage insurance may be necessarily for some borrowers.

Now make no mistake you still needed to have good credit to secure a home mortgage, or at least be able to explain why your credit score is less than perfect. Many people search for the best home mortgage rates the opposite way that they should.

You should begin your search for a home mortgages by first collecting all the personal information you can in preparation for the loan process. Any online mortgage lender you choose is going to require documentation and that process is getting more involved each day.

Collect your W2 forms , Pay check stubs and pull a credit report for yourself to check for derogatory information. It is a good idea to have all of your financial documentation in order and any documentation for credit issues handy that will be needed by your loan officer. You can save yourself a lot of time on the loan process.

No matter the industry or size of your business, successfully managing cash flow is of utmost importance. While some companies have a strong grasp of how to best manage their money, others struggle from month to month. Regardless of which group you fit into, you should consider managing your cash flow with the help of a business credit card.

See What You Are Spending

If you don’t know exactly how much money your business is spending how can you expect to properly manage your cash flow? When you make every purchase with a business credit card it is easy to see exactly what you have spent at the end of each month. In turn, you can make decisions and changes that will have a positive outcome on the finances of your business.

Export Data

It is one thing to have data at your fingertips. It is another thing entirely to use this information to your advantage. Did you know that data from your business credit card can be exported into accounting tools such as Quicken, inDinero.com, and Xero.com? This can go a long way in helping you better manage your money, down to every last penny.

Earn Rewards for Your Purchases

There is nothing more enjoyable than earning reward points for every dollar you spend. If you are going to spend the money you might as well get something in return. As you compare your many options, consider the pros and cons of the reward program.
Imagine how many points you could earn on a monthly basis if you consistently spend with the help of your business credit card. Not only will you be earning points, but you can then use them to save money in the future. For example, most reward programs allow you to use points for hotel rooms and plane tickets among other travel arrangements.

Access to Cheap Money

Are you thinking about applying for a business loan? If so, you are probably aware of the high interest rate that you are going to be dealing with until the money is paid back. However, with a business credit card you have access to a “cheap credit line.” In addition to saving money on interest, it is much easier to get your hands on funds made available by your business credit card. There is no application process or long waiting period. When you need the money you can get the money.

Cards for Multiple Employees

As a business owner, you may be the only person with a company credit card. That being said, this could change at some point in the future. You may want to give a business credit card to your financial manager or head salesman. This may not sound like a big deal, but it can help you better manage your company’s money while keeping organized. When other key employees have a business credit card, the owner is not forced to make and authorize every purchase.

Note: make sure you trust every employee who receives a business credit card.

Author Andy helps to rate credit cards on CreditCardCompare.com.au, an online credit card comparison website based in Australia that lets consumers and businesses compare the market with ease.