Rebecca Surran's Blog

They Walk Among Us

It's been the year of the superhero at the box office.  Those characters largely trapped in the pages of comic books have made it to the big screen and they're drawing big crowds.  The latest Batman movie, "The Dark Night," for example is shattering box office records, in total selling 300 million dollars in tickets in its first ten days in the theater.  But "The Dark Night" is just the most recent superhero flick; we've also seen Iron Man, The Hulk, Spiderman and more make it to the silver screen this year and all of them became blockbusters.  But as I listen to the buzz I think about the true superheroes.  They walk among us, those who quietly commit selfless acts, day in and day out, not for cheering fans but to do the "right thing."  No eye-popping paycheck awaits, no round of applause, no celebratory dinner, just the satisfaction that someone's life was made a tad bit better thanks to their hard work.  They perform so many tasks: they build houses for the homeless, feed the hungry, care for the sick, mentor the young and on and on.  And as we saw this week when a crazed shooter opened fire in a Tennesse church during a children's performance and members of the congregation tackled him to the ground, these men were willing to take a fatal bullet to protect the young.  They are the true superheroes.  So the next time you see a volunteer giving of him or herself with no expectation of Hollywood-style adualation maybe say a little "thank you" for all their efforts.

Keeping It In Check

I know I write about it quite often, our wreckless spending in this country.  I recently interviewed financial journalist Jordan Goodman on the topic.  Jordan says currently the average American is carrying about $9,000 dollars in credit card debt.  That is just credit card debt... no housing, education or medical... just credit card debt! That averages to 950 billion dollars in credit card debt in this country.  Jordan says many consumers are so overwhelmed they don't even know where to turn to rectify the problem.  But he has some suggestions.  Jordan says, number one, know how much you owe and your credit score.  There are no excuses on this one.  The federal government has mandated that each of the three big credit agencies provide each of us a free report once a year.  The three big are TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.  Jordan says he likes the Equifax Credit Watch.  You can find it at www.guardmycredit.com.

Jordan also suggests consolidating your debt into one payment. He says non-profit credit counseling agencies can be very helpful.  Jordan likes Debt Relief Solutions and they can be found at www.debtreliefsolutions.com or 1-800-4debthelp.

Finally, Jordan says don't apply for just any credit card; look for the best rates and the best perks for your situation. He says check out www.creditcardperks.com

And speaking of checking it out, Jordan will be on "12 On The Money" this weekend with more helpful tips on getting your finances in order.  Good Luck!

Make Money Without Working

It sounds delightful doesn't it?  Make money without working.  I would put that idea in the category of, "If it sounds to good to be true it probably is."  But financial author Jordan Goodman says, "Not necessarily."  Jordan was recently on our financial program "12 On The Money" talking about passive income investments... business ventures that continuosly generate income with minimal effort on behalf of the investor. Here are a few of his ideas.  Jordan says Point of Sale machines, otherwise known as POSs, you know the little credit card swiping machines in stores, are not always owned by either the store or the credit company.  In many cases a third party owns them.  Here's how they work.  Every time the machine is used the merchant pays you, the owner, a fee.  Jordan says they typically yield about 20% a year.  If you'd like to find out more he says go to Money Express at www.monexgroup.com.  Jordan says another way to earn passive income is through online advertising.  This works for people who have websites that see alot of traffic.  Jordan says you sign up with on-line advertising firms like Google Ad Sense or the Yahoo Affiliate Program.  They place advertisements on your site and anytime someone clicks on the ad, you, the website owner, are paid a fee.  Jordan says you don't chose which ads can run so make sure you go through a responsible company like Lemonade, Yahoo or Google to ensure everything is on the up and up.

Often passive income investments require putting down a chunk of money up front, but Jordan says after that sit back and relax!

Persuasion IQ

How adept are you at winning over a prospective client, employer or maybe even a banker or mortgage broker?  I recently interviewed Kurt Mortensen on his new book, "Persuasion IQ: The 10 Skills You Need to Get Exactly What You Want."  Kurt says regardless of your job title, mastering the art of persuasion can be powerful whether your the head of GE or the head of the PTA.  Kurt says to raise your PQ you must first and foremost adjust your mental programming.  He says beyond cultivating positive attitudes, great persuaders consciously train their minds to visualize success.  They let go of mistakes and eliminate self-defeating feelings.  He says they also have learned to look at situations from the audience's point of view.  The greatest persuaders, Kurt says, understand human nature, including subconsious triggers and knee-jerk objections.  For example, a good sales rep doesn't go into a pitch thinking about what he needs out of the sale, but instead looks at the pitch from the buyer's point of view... why does he or she need the goods or service... how can it improve their business not yours?  One other key take-away from Persuasion IQ: powerful persuaders possess seven characteristcs pivotal to influencing others: charisma, passion, empathy, vision, optimism, attitude and self-esteem.  And the beautiful thing about all of these skills is that Kurt says they can be learned.  You don't have to be a natural!