Creating your spending log

A spending log isn’t that big chunk of wood you threaten to beat your partner with every time they splash out on something totally unnecessary (that’s the “spending stick”…). A spending log is a record of how much you spend, when, and on what. Your log can be as simple as jotting down a few figures in your diary or as complicated as a spreadsheet with rows and columns for every item you purchase and the precise time of day. For most of us, something in between will suit.

Creating your spending log
Either in your favorite spreadsheet program or on paper, draw up a grid with these categories as column headings:

• Bills (this covers rent, electric, gas, water, car payments etc)
• Groceries (anything you buy to eat/drink at home)
• Household (toiletries, cleaning stuff, domestic appliances)
• Travel (bus, train or plane fare, petrol)
• Entertainment (CDs, books, magazines, meals out, days out)
• Misc (anything else, eg. buying gifts)

You might want to include more detailed categories, such as “Lunch” if you tend to buy lunch out, “Charity” if you give regularly to charities, “Loan repayments”, “Studying”, and so on.

In the first column, write “Date” then put each day on a separate row:
Mon, Sept 1st
Tues, Sept 2nd, etc.

It’s up to you whether you fill your log in on paper or on the computer. The advantage of using a spreadsheet program is that you can automatically total your spending for the day/week/month, or your monthly spending across different categories. But you might find you’re better at regularly filling in a paper log as you can easily carry it with you.

Waiotapu Thermal Reserve

Waiotapu Thermal Reserve, Rotorua, New Zealand

Giving My Debit Card a Rest and save money

With a debit card being my main mode for any purchase (including $1 purchases, which seems silly since it’s only $1) I have gotten used to not carrying around cash for smaller purchases. However, part of my challenge has involved a weekly $20 cash budget. I chose cash because I know I am likely to spend more money if I continue to use my debit card. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of debit cards, especially the SmarterBank® Visa® Debit Card* where a percentage of my total purchase goes towards my student loan, but sometimes with the readily available funds in my checking account, it’s too easy to place one more thing in that shopping cart. A $5 purchase has the ability to turn into a $20 purchase and that $20 may lead to a $30 purchase. I’ve been there, mostly because I know I have the money on my debit card, so why not? At that point, you have to start asking yourself: are all these extra things necessary or should I just buy what I originally came for?

Without realizing it, the $20 is helping keep a limit on what I buy. For example, say it’s getting toward the end of a week and I’ve decided to go to Dunkin Donuts for an iced coffee instead of making hot coffee at home. A medium iced coffee is under $3 and luckily I have $3 remaining in my wallet. Keeping with my rule—which is not paying for anything with a debit card if it costs less than $10—I use this $3 in cash to pay for my iced coffee. However, there is no extra money for a bagel and cream cheese, meaning I don’t buy them. That keeps my wallet fuller (and possibly waistline trimmer). Plus, the loose change given back after my iced coffee purchase goes into the Student Loan Repayment Fund Jar.

If this scenario were to take place a few months back, I would have no cash and end up buying that bagel and cream cheese along with my coffee using my debit card. Writing this all down now, it seems more complicated than it is, but it’s little things like this that keep the Jar growing and will help me pay down my loan debt faster.

Chiropractic Treatment of Ruptured Discs

A ruptured disc, also known as a slipped disc or a herniated disc, can be extremely painful. Discs are circles of cartilage and other soft tissues that act as cushions and shock absorbers between vertebrae. In the center of each disc is a nucleus made up of gelatinous material. When cracks and fissures develop in the outer layers of the disc due to age, disease, or injury, the material from the center of the disc can protrude and press on spinal nerves, causing pain and discomfort. This tearing and leaking is what is called a ruptured disc.

There are a number of conservative treatments available to help treat ruptured discs and painful conditions that may result from disc herniation, such as sciatica. One of the more popular non-surgical options for resolving ruptured discs is chiropractic medicine.

What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that aims to treat and prevent mechanical disorders within the musculoskeletal system. This is mainly accomplished by manipulating the patient’s spine, joints, and soft tissues in a process known as “chiropractic adjustment.” Chiropractic also often involves counseling on lifestyle, health, and exercise.

Although it has been practiced since the 1890s, chiropractic has often been regarded as somewhat controversial. Some medical professionals believe that chiropractic is not based on solid, evidence-based science, and some doctors are skeptical of the techniques used by chiropractors to achieve results.

How Chiropractors Treat Ruptured Discs
When a patient complains of back pain, a chiropractor will begin the diagnostic process by collecting a full medical history, and performing an examination to test reflexes, posture, and other orthopedic and neurological factors. X-rays or MRIs of the injured area may also be taken. All of this information is analyzed to determine if the patient has a ruptured disc.

A common misconception of chiropractic care is that the chiropractor will attempt to forcibly “pop” a slipped or ruptured disc back into its proper position. This is not the case. The chiropractor will use a traditional adjustment is some cases, but with most disc conditions, a series of careful low-force techniques is used. The treatment program is administered over a period of time, with the patient’s reactions to the treatment often used to monitor the plan’s success and tailor future procedures accordingly.
It is important to keep in mind that chiropractic treatment may not be right for everyone. In certain cases, as when the ruptured disc has caused or is present concurrent with nerve damage, chiropractic care is contraindicated and should not be performed. Be sure to check with your doctor before beginning to work with a chiropractor. Also keep in mind that chiropractic treatments will not “fix” or “cure” a ruptured disc, so temporary relief is often the only outcome.

If you suffer from ruptured discs and conservative treatments like chiropractic care do not work to relieve your back or neck pain, contact Laser Spine Institute. Our revolutionary endoscopic procedures may be able to help you rediscover your life without back or neck pain.

What to Do if Rejected for a Loan

If at first you don't succeed, don't try, try again until you've determined why you were rejected and have taken steps to address it. Credit scores are the primary determinant of who gets approved for loans, and if you didn't check your credit score before you applied the first time, it behooves you to do so before applying again. Many loan applications automatically trigger a credit check, each of which can knock a few more points off your credit score, making what might have been a bad situation even worse.

If your credit score is accurate and you've taken all possible steps to improve it, you're ready to do what we recommend for all car buyers: Shop around for a good interest rate before returning to a dealership. Credit unions are a great option; while they're perceived as exclusive, their interest rates are typically lower than many banks and they're more likely to examine a subprime applicant's circumstances and make exceptions if problematic credit history results from one-time medical expenses, unemployment or divorce.

Don't overlook the bank where you have a savings or checking account. Your financial history won't be a mystery to any potential lender, but an existing relationship can work in your favor, as it's easier for a bank to sell services to its customers than it is to find new customers.

Finally, don't rule out financing a car at the dealership. Only a dealer can offer new-car finance rates from the automaker; those rates are sometimes the lowest available. Also, if you've taken our advice but had little success with other loan sources, a dealership might be more willing to make financing accommodations if you're buying one of its cars, especially a used one. If the dealership that denied you the first time was smaller, a larger one might have more tolerance for risk or have good relationships with more lenders.

What Helps and Hurts a Credit Score

Here is what each component says about you:

Payment History details your track record of paying back your debts on time. This component encompasses your payments on credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans (such as automobile or student loans), finance company accounts and mortgages. Public records and reports detailing such items as bankruptcies, foreclosures, suits, liens, judgments and wage attachments also are considered. A history of prompt payments of at least the minimum amount due helps your score. Late or missed payments hurt your score.

Amounts Owed or Credit Utilization reveals how deeply in debt you are and contributes to determining if you can handle what you owe. If you have high outstanding balances or are nearly "maxed out" on your credit cards, your score will be negatively affected. A good rule of thumb is not to exceed 30% of the credit limit on a credit card. Paying down an installment loan is looked upon with favor. For example, if you borrowed $20,000 to buy a car and have paid back $5,000 of it on time, even though you still owe a considerable amount on the original loan, your payment pattern to date demonstrates responsible debt management, which favorably affects your credit score.

Length of Credit History refers to how long you have had and used credit. The longer your history of responsible credit management, the better your score will be because lenders have a better opportunity to see your repayment pattern. If you have paid on time, every time, then you will look particularly good in this area.

Type of Credit concerns the "mix" of credit you access, including credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts and mortgage loans. You do not have to have each type of account. Instead, this factor considers the various types of credit you have and whether you use that credit appropriately. For example, using a credit card to purchase a boat could hurt your score.

New Credit or Inquiries suggest that you have or are about to take on more debt. Opening many credit accounts in a short amount of time can be riskier, especially for people who do not have a long-established credit history. Each time you apply for a new line of credit, that application counts as an inquiry or a "hard" hit. When you rate shop for a mortgage or a car loan, there may be multiple inquiries. However, because you are looking for only one loan, inquiries of this sort in any 14-day period count as a single hard hit. By contrast, applying for numerous credit cards in a short period of time will count as multiple hard hits and potentially lower your score. "Soft" hits—including your personal request for your credit report, requests from lenders to make you "pre-approved" credit offers and those coming from employers -will not affect your score.

Neuro-Structural Integration Technique (NST) for BACK PAIN

If you've never heard of neuro-structural integration technique (NST), then you may be missing out on a simple but effective treatment for your back pain. NST is a gentle and non-invasive technique that stimulates your body's reflexes. Simple movements are done across your muscles, nerves, and connective tissue. These help your neuromuscular system to reset all related tension levels and promote natural healing. It is different from massage and other manipulations that try to “force” a change – it simply resets your body to heal itself. It gives profound and lasting results that you may feel as soon as the second or third session.

NST is safe for everyone. Highly trained athletes, newborns, pregnant women, elderly, and sick individuals who suffer from back pain can find relief using this technology. Get a more in-depth explanation of NST through this article by Michael Nixon Levy, who developed this amazing technique.

What is Spinal Decompression Therapy (SDT)? Does it Work?

ancient spine decompressionSpinal decompression therapy (SDT) is an alternative to surgery for those who suffer from chronic spine issues.  If you are struggling with chronic spinal pain, it is important to consider ALL your treatment options before turning to surgery.  Living in pain can greatly cause your life to turn upside down and disable you from doing all the things you used to love and be able to do.  Spinal decompression therapy (SDT) treatment, it will improve your mobility and the overall function of your spine.  This is done by using a “spinal decompression table” that mechanically moves the back in a very strategic fashion.  The back typically experiences an increase in function of movement in just one or two sessions. Many people are finding that with spinal decompression therapy (SDT) their pain is alleviated in a non-surgical approach that often requires a very low amount of pain medications once they have completed with their treatment plan.

Natural Pain Relief: Popular Herbal Options

Here are some common herbal remedies used for natural pain relief:

• Capsaicin. Derived from hot chile peppers, topical capsaicin may be useful for some people in relieving pain. "Capsaicin works by depleting substance P, a compound that conveys the pain sensation from the peripheral to the central nervous system. It takes a couple of days for this to occur," says David Kiefer, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

• Ginger. Though more studies are needed, says Dr. Kiefer, ginger extract may help with joint and muscle pain because it contains phytochemicals, which help stop inflammation. Few side effects have been linked to ginger when taken in small doses.

• Feverfew. Feverfew has been used for centuries to treat headaches, stomachaches, and toothaches. Nowadays it's also used for migraines and rheumatoid arthritis. More studies are required to confirm whether feverfew is actually effective, but the herb may be worth trying since it hasn't been associated with serious side effects. Mild side effects include canker sores and irritation of the tongue and lips. Pregnant women should avoid this remedy.

• Turmeric. This spice has been used to relieve arthritis pain and heartburn, and to reduce inflammation. It's unclear how turmeric works against pain or inflammation, but its activity may be due to a chemical called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is usually safe to use, but high doses or long-term use may cause indigestion. Also, people with gallbladder disease should avoid using turmeric.

• Devil's Claw. There is some scientific evidence that this South African herb may be effective in managing arthritis and lower back pain, but more research is needed. Side effects are very rare if taken at a therapeutic dose for the short term, but it’s not advised for pregnant women and those with gallstones or stomach or intestinal ulcers.

The Dangers of Drugs for Back Pain Treatment

Back Pain Medications
Conventional health care practitioners are quick to prescribe medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, and even opioids for chronic pain. But even if these medications can provide immediate back pain relief, their effect is only temporary – the pain will come back sooner or later and in some cases will cause hyperalgesia, or increased sensitivity to pain!

What’s more, medications touted to provide back pain relief are saddled with severe side effects. For example, NSAIDs, one of the most commonly prescribed drugs on the market, not only put you at a two- to four-fold higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems, but may also cause:

Severe gastrointestinal problems, like digestive tract bleeding
Increased blood pressure
Kidney problems
Be mindful that these life-threatening side effects of painkillers are not restricted to prescription NSAIDs like Celebrex, but may also come from over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, Advil, and Motrin.

Opioid painkillers like OxyContin, which are also commonly prescribed for back pain relief, also have a highly addictive nature. In fact, opioids are among the most commonly abused prescription drugs today, and are a leading contributor to the increasing rates of fatal prescription drug overdoses. This is why back pain is now one of the primary reasons why so many American adults get addicted to painkillers.

The bottom line is that painkillers always come with risks. Unfortunately, if you consult your conventional physician about your chronic back pain, he will often prescribe a long-term treatment plan that may include anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and possibly other types of pain medication or even anti-seizure drugs – a poisonous chemical cocktail that will put your health at severe risk!

What are the surgical options for patients with spinal stenosis?

Possible surgical treatment options for lumbar spinal stenosis include a laminectomy, a laminectomy and fusion, or an X STOP interspinous process device. Your spinal surgeon will determine which procedure is most appropriate for you. Generally, the more severe the stenosis the more likely you will require a spinal fusion.
Cervical stenosis is generally treated by a fusion procedure. This can be performed either through the front of the neck (anterior approach) or the back of the neck (posterior approach). Ninety percent of patients with cervical stenosis can be treated via the anterior approach. This procedure is called an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Margin lending

Margin lending is when you invest in shares using a loan secured against the shares you purchase. Many Australian financial organisations and stockbroking houses offer margin lending facilities.

Margin lending, in the form of a margin loan, can be used for any type of investment product recognised as suitable security for a margin loan by the bank or financial organisation providing the cash. Typically, a margin lending product enables you to borrow money to invest in a parcel of shares, or in fixed interest securities or even to invest in units in managed funds.

A margin loan works in the following way:

1.     You buy assets with borrowed money and those assets are used as security for the loan.

2.     In most cases, your borrowing limit will be no more than 70% of the market value of the shareholding that was purchased with the borrowed money. The remaining 30% of the market value of the shares is to insulate the bank or broker lending the money from any dramatic drop in the share price.

3.     If the company you’re planning to invest in is considered a high-risk company, or in a high risk sector, then your lender may only lend you 50 per cent of the value of the shares in that company.

4.     If the value of the shares that are subject to a margin loan fall below the amount that you borrowed, then you will be asked to pay cash immediately to your lender to cover the gap in value. This payment request is called a margin call.

5.     A margin call can be quite devastating if you don’t have the cash and you’re forced to sell some, or all, of the shares in a falling market. The lender may accept other shares as further security for the margin loan.

6.     When a share price drops dramatically, as many shares did during the 2008 and 2009 Global Financial Crisis, you will notice a cascading effect with share prices, as share prices fall further due to the forced sale of shareholdings to meet margin calls.

Note: You can also invest in shares using borrowed money by borrowing against your home or accessing the equity in an investment property. By taking out a mortgage against your home or investment property, the shares that you choose to purchase will not be subject to margin calls although your home will be at risk if you’re unable to repay your loan. By accessing equity in a property, you can usually negotiate a lower rate of interest on your loan compared to the much higher rates charged on margin loans.

Complete a corporate debt-swap: tips for borrowing money

The debt-swap above works well when you can sell investments with little or no tax to pay. If you have significant accrued gains, another idea could work without causing a tax hit on the sale of those investments.

Here’s an example: James has $100,000 of non-deductible debt (his home mortgage in this case). He also has a portfolio of investments worth $200,000 with an accrued capital gain of $100,000 (if he were to sell this portfolio it would trigger a tax hit of $23,000 at a marginal tax rate of 46 per cent). James transfers his $200,000 portfolio to his holding company on a tax-deferred basis (using section 85 of the Income Tax Act) and in exchange takes back shares in the holding company worth $100,000 plus a promissory note for $100,000 (there’s a reason for it being $100,000; speak to a tax pro).

James then borrows $100,000 from his bank and uses the cash to subscribe for more shares in his holding company. This use of the borrowed money allows him to deduct the interest on those funds. The company then takes the $100,000 of cash it receives on that subscription of shares and uses the funds to pay off the $100,000 note owing to James. There’s no tax to pay on this repayment of the note. James then takes the $100,000 of cash and pays off his non-deductible debt. In the end, James still has $100,000 of debt, but he’s able to deduct his interest. Now, as a practical matter James may not go to these lengths solely to create an interest deduction, but there may be other good reasons to put investments into a holding company. Speak to a tax pro for more.

Shrink debt or buy shares?

2012Posted by Tom Hartmann in Investment, Managing debt | 0 comments
The government share offer of state-owned assets is bound to drum up more interest in investing. Is investing right for you, right now? Since we now have a window of opportunity to calmly think in general about whether to invest, let’s seize the moment.
Before any talk of share price, dividends, or a business and the industry it’s in, the question of whether you ought to invest right now begins with your own financial situation. Taking a clear look at your circumstances is the best way to make an informed decision.
Simply put, it may all come down to how much debt you are carrying – especially dumb debt. Take a moment to list all the debts you may have (credit cards, hire purchase, personal loans, car loans) and the interest you are paying on each. Sorted’s debt calculator can certainly help. If you have a mortgage, take a moment to plug in the details in our mortgage manager.
Now any investment you make should be measured by what’s in it for you. After all, you need to gauge what you get in return for putting your money into something that will certainly bring some risks with it (as all investments do). With shares, returns come in the form of dividends that a company pays. There is also the possibility that those shares may grow in value over time.
There are, of course, many things you could spend your money on. But the question is, which would be better for your finances – paying down the debt that you have or investing in shares? Even before knowing the details of an investment, we can already say that to be worth it, the returns from the investment would have to be greater than the amount of interest you are paying on your borrowings. That’s a big ask.
Both the debt calculator and mortgage manager show how much interest you could save if you put your money toward paying down your debts instead. Can you be confident that your investment in shares would earn more than that? If not, paying off debt first will provide a far better result to your net worth.
Another thing to consider is that if you are a member of a KiwiSaver scheme, remember that you are already an investor. The fund you are in will typically have some mix of shares, bonds, property and cash already, so you may even find that you are already invested in a certain company without realising. Contact your KiwiSaver provider to learn more about the investment choices they’re making on your behalf.
If you are thinking about borrowing money in order to buy shares – what’s known as ‘gearing’ – be aware that it can be risky business. The vision of high returns can be fantastic, but the losses can be huge in bad times. Risks become magnified. And if you are borrowing against your house to invest, you could lose your home if the investment goes bad and you can’t keep up your loan repayments.
Here at Sorted we're fans of emergency funds – setting aside at least three months’ expenses in order to cover the unexpected, such as sudden home or car repairs, or a temporary job loss. Before starting to invest, and if you haven’t already, you should definitely consider building your emergency fund. Since money tied up in investments can be difficult or costly to free up in case of emergency, it’s wise to have an emergency fund at the ready instead.
In the end, if you find that you indeed have money saved that would be better invested than simply sitting in a low- or no-interest savings account, sounds like you’re ready to consider shares in your mix of investments. It may be time to study a given industry and choose which business you’d like to own – even if it’s just part of one (a share).

How does leverage work?

• 
  Borrowing to invest is also called getting leverage, or leveraging. You can leverage by:
• Going to a bank and taking out a loan. You may use the equity in your home to back up or secure the loan. If you do this, what will happen if your investment loses money? You may have to sell your home to pay back the loan.
• Borrowing money through a brokerage firm. This is called buying on margin. If you do this, what will happen if things don’t work out? You will have to put more of your own money into your account to cover your losses. Make sure you have a back-up plan for how you would handle this problem.
• Short selling. Here you borrow shares of a stock from your brokerage firm, and sell them at their current price. If the share price falls, you buy back the shares on the open market at the lower price. Then you give back the borrowed shares.
• What will you do if the shares go up, not down, in value? You will lose money. You will have to pay more to buy the shares back and return them to your brokerage firm.

Is borrowing to invest right for me?

Ask yourself these five questions:

• Do I understand how borrowing to invest works?
• Am I comfortable with the risk in the investments I want to make?
• How much interest will I pay each month? How does that compare with what I hope to make from my investment?
• If interest rates rise, will my costs increase? Will rising prices reduce what I make on the money I borrow?
• What if I lose some, or even all of the money I make with the borrowed money? Can I afford those losses? Will I be able to pay back what I borrowed from my savings?

Tip: Before you even consider borrowing to invest, make sure you understand the basics of borrowing. For example, there are real dangers to using your home to borrow.

How self-funding instalments work

Investors purchase the SFI in two instalments. The first is paid upfront and is typically around 50 per cent of the cost of the underlying security. It also includes a premium for the protection referred to above.  Investors also commonly pay the first year of interest upfront, although some products offer interest loans with monthly repayments.

Paying the second instalment is optional. You pay it if you want to own the underlying shares or units outright. Alternatively you can sell the SFI on ASX at any time.

For high-dividend shares such as Telstra and the top four banks, the second instalment will reduce over time, resulting in a smaller optional second payment.  For shares that reinvest profits and pay smaller dividends to investors, such as BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, the second instalment may remain the same or increase slightly as interest is capitalised to the loan.

Ongoing interest is charged once a year and is automatically added to the loan. Dividends or distributions paid by the underlying securities are used to reduce the loan. Interest deductions and franking credits can be used to reduce the tax payable by an individual or SMSF.

Any capital gain from shares that have increased in value above the loan amount can be retained, depending on personal circumstances.

What are the Benefits vs Risks of borrowing to invest?

What are the benefits of borrowing to invest?

You may ask why you would want to hold a negatively geared asset if it is making a loss. There are two main reasons:

You may be entitled to offset any loss you make on one investment, against other income, resulting in tax savings.
Over time, the capital growth of the assets means that you can sell the asset for a capital gain that more than covers the losses over the time held.
Other benefits of borrowing to invest can include:

If the investment is positively geared you have access to a passive income stream that can provide you with greater lifestyle choices
By borrowing to invest the capital growth potential of your assets is greater because of the greater capital base to begin with.
 What are the risks of borrowing to invest?

While the benefits of gearing into an investment are attractive, there are risks which you need to consider:

Borrowing to invest can increase losses if the value of the investment drops significantly.
You could be subject to a margin call if you have borrowed through a margin loan (explained in more detail on the margin loan page).
By borrowing to invest in one asset such as an investment property, you may be reducing your exposure to a diversified investment portfolio.
You may have limited access to your funds, if your investment is large and illiquid such as property.
As long as you are aware of the risks you can be prepared to manage them or wear the consequences. If you are unsure then talk to others or get some advice.

Capital protection is no guarantee

Capital protection does not mean you can't lose money. If markets decline such that you need to exercise the put option, you will lose the money paid for borrowing costs and the put option premium. This limits the downside to a known amount but does not eliminate loss altogether. If you want to eliminate losses due to sharemarket falls altogether, then stay with term deposits.

Near or at-the-money put options for high-dividend shares over the medium term being considered in this article, particularly given current market volatility, are generally expensive. The additional costs can erode the potential gains that were the initial purpose of the strategy.

Protection strategies became topical after some investors experienced difficult margin calls during the GFC. This may be an overreaction. The yield strategy outlined in this article is based on a modestly geared, reasonably diversified portfolio of blue chips with a record of earnings and dividends. Even precipitous falls similar to those in 2009 are unlikely to result in a margin call for this style of share portfolio.

More importantly, all investment strategies, whether term deposits or shares, should not be "set and forget". Certain strategies require more monitoring and adjusting. In a gearing strategy, a margin call is an "automatic adjustment" of last resort. Investors should consider setting portfolio review points.

As gearing drifts from the 50 per cent target up to 60 per cent, for example, a review is triggered, potentially resulting in a decision to reduce the loan by selling shares. A fall to 40 per cent gearing would trigger a similar review.

Competition for term deposits has created some very attractive safe havens for investors' cash. Financial markets have moved on, interest rates are down, and dividend yields may again be attractive.

What Is Margin Lending?

Margin lending involves borrowing money against shares you own - in order to purchase more shares. In effect it enables you to build a portfolio where, depending on your specifications and the financial institution, your borrowing level can range between 30 - 80 per cent of the portfolio's value.

Once the investor specifies how much of the portfolio they want to leverage, a loan level is set to buy shares up to that leverage level, and interest is payable on that sum. Financial institutions set minimum loan levels for margin lending.

Teach Children to save for money goals

 Once they realize that there’s more to money than just spending on whatever their latest impulse is, they’ll want to buy something larger than the amount they have on hand. That’s when you teach them about savings goals.

“You want to buy an Xbox 360? Well, let’s find out how much that costs. Now that’s how much you’ll need to save. If you take $40 from your monthly budget, you could have that in 5 months. If you take $60 from your monthly budget, you could have it in a little over 3 months. But either way, that will mean cutting back on McDonald’s and buying little toys every weekend.”

You might also create a chart on the computer, that shows their goal, and little savings milestones along the way. That way they can get excited about watching their savings grow.

What are the nonsurgical treatments available for herniated discs?

Your doctor may prescribe nonsurgical treatments including a short period of rest followed by anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy and/or epidural steroid injections. The goal of nonsurgical treatment is to reduce the irritation of the nerve root from the disc herniation and to allow your body to slowly resorb the disc fragment.
Narcotic medications are not used for the treatment of disc herniations, as they do not reduce the inflammation of the nerve root. However, they may be used on a very short-term basis to help with the pain that is associated with disc herniations. Muscle relaxants and over-the-counter, nonsteroid anti-inflammatories (NSAID's) may also be used.

Lenticular cloud over Litla Dimun Island

Menorca, Spain

The romantic cities

Don’t get me wrong, Australia has its fair share of gorgeous cities, from glamorousSydney to gentrified Adelaide to outdoor-loving Perth. But the thought of spending the morning in a Spanish class in inner city Barcelona before heading to the coast for a sunny afternoon on its Mediterranean beach sounds like a really exotic change to home.

Spain is a country blessed with gorgeous cities. My other top picks are:

Seville

Known the world over for its orange-lined streets, visit this city to experience some laid-back living.

Madrid

This is a bustling artistic and commercial centre with scorching summer temperatures.

San Sebastian

Heading northwards, this coastal city is the place to enjoy delicious snacks called pintxo.

Spain is a dream destination because it has so many different features to please any visitor. Its character as a nation and the character of its peoplemake it perfectly suited to those wishing to learn and perfect their Spanish. 

Deep Down Under - Claustral Canyon, Australia

Veteran guide John Robens (at far left) leads a soggy team through a moss-covered passage in Claustral Canyon, a few hours' hike from their exit point. Canyoneering is all about the serendipity of discovery, he says. "You walk for miles and suddenly you find yourself in this magical spot."

What Are the Long-Term Outcomes of Surgical Treatment for Spinal Stenosis?

Removal of the obstruction that has caused the symptoms usually gives patients some relief; most patients have less leg pain and are able to walk better following surgery. However, if nerves were badly damaged before surgery, there may be some remaining pain or numbness or no improvement. Also, the degenerative process will likely continue, and pain or limitation of activity may reappear after surgery. NIAMS-supported researchers have published results from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT), the largest trial to date comparing surgical and non-surgical interventions for the treatment of low back and associated leg pain caused by spinal stenosis. The study found that for patients with spinal stenosis, surgical treatment was more effective than non-surgical treatment in relieving symptoms and improving function. However, the functional status of patients who received non-surgical therapies also improved somewhat during the study.

HOW IS SPINAL STENOSIS TREATED?

Although there is no cure for spinal stenosis, regular exercise, medication and in some cases surgery can provide relief.

Exercise. Regular exercise can help you build and maintain strength in the muscles of your arms and upper legs (the hip adductors and abductors, quadriceps and hamstrings). This will improve your balance, ability to walk, bend and move about, as well as control pain. A physical therapist can show you which exercises are right for you.

Medications. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (commonly called NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox), may also relieve pain. In addition, a rheumatologist may prescribe other medications to help with pain and/or muscle spasm.

Cortisone injections. Injections directly into the area around the spinal cord (known as epidural injections) may provide a great deal of temporary, sometimes permanent, relief. These injections are usually given on an outpatient basis in a hospital or clinic setting.

Surgery. Some patients with severe or worsening symptoms (but who are otherwise healthy) may be candidates for a "decompression laminectomy." This surgery removes the bony spurs and buildup of bone in the spinal canal, freeing space for the nerves and spinal cord. Afterwards, doctors often perform a spinal fusion to connect two or more vertebrae and better support for the spine.

Several recent studies have found that surgery produces better results than non-surgical treatment in the short term. However, results vary and, like all surgeries, this one also carries risks. These risks include blood clots in the brain and/or the legs; tears in the tissue around the spinal cord; infection; and injury to the nerve root. While surgery may bring some relief, it will not cure spinal stenosis or osteoarthritis and symptoms may recur.

Surgical Treatment for Spinal Stenosis

The goal of spinal stenosis surgery is to permanently decompress the spinal canal.

Types of spine surgery:

• Laminectomy: The most common type of surgery for this condition, laminectomy involves the removal of the lamina, a portion of the vertebra, to make room for the nerves. Some ligaments and bone spurs may also be removed. The surgery requires making an incision into the back and may include spinal fusion.
• Foraminotomy: The foramen is the area in the vertebrae where the nerve roots exit. The procedure involves expanding this area to provide more space for the nerve roots.
• Spinal fusion: This procedure is recommended in severe cases and involves joining the bones together with screws or bone grafts to provide spinal stability. It may be combined with laminectomy surgery. The surgery lasts several hours and can be done using one of two methods:

1. Bone is removed from elsewhere in the body or obtained from a bone bank. This bone is used to create a bridge between vertebrae and stimulates the growth of new bone.
2. Metal implants, such as rods, hooks, wires, or screws, are secured to the vertebrae to hold them together until new bone grows between them.

Interspinous Process Distractors for lumbar spinal surgery

The first of the kind was the X-STOP, which is a device inserted between the spinous processes – the small boney protrusions that stick out along the back of one's spine – to keep them opened up. It effectively opens the spinal canal as if one were in a seated position rather than a standing position, which relieves pressure on the spinal canal. One benefit is that this lumbar stenosis surgery is fairly minimal for the insertion of the device. Another benefit is that it can be done under local anesthetic.

However, use of the X-STOP device is relatively new compared to a lumbar laminectomy. The X-STOP clinical studies that have been done are relatively small and tend to show varying results as to success rates in terms of pain relief.

Skógafoss Waterfall

Skógafoss Waterfall, Iceland

Do the Effects of Cold Weather Really Cause Neck, Back and Joint Pain?

back painYou might have heard people saying that their joint and back pain is so much worse in the winter months.  You probably thought they might have been embellishing or being a little over dramatic.  The winter, does in fact, make your joint pain worse and can be quite debilitating for some.  In fact, some can actually predict the cold weather approaching by how much pain they are in.  This is actually a symptom, with an actual name, it is called Cold Allodynia.  People with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis, just to name a few, are all subject to being in more pain during the winter months.

Let’s not go too much into it, but the main point is that the cold weather can actually shrink the tissues causing them to pull on the nerve endings, thus causing joint pain.  When it is cold your nerve endings are extremely sensitive and the muscles surrounding your nerves tense up.  When the barometric pressure drops, there is less atmospheric pressure to hold the tissues back and it causes more inflamed tissue to swell.  If you climbed to the top of Mount Fuji, the barometric pressure would drop and you would most certainly get joint pain in the neck or back.  This is called the pressure factor.

How does the Laminotomy procedure differ from a Laminectomy?

At Laser Spine Institute, we use an endoscopic approach to open up the spinal canal for laminotomies, which does not require general anesthesia. A laminotomy is a surgical procedure that relieves pressure on the spinal canal for the exiting spinal cord and nerve root. This increases the amount of available space for the neural tissue and thus releases the nerve(s). The term laminotomy comes from the Latin lamina (bony plate that covers the posterior arch of the vertebra) and -otomy (act of cutting, incision). A different surgical procedure called a laminectomy is used in traditional open back surgeries, which Laser Spine Institute does not perform. This procedure involves removing the lamina to increase the amount of available space for the neural tissue. The term laminectomy refers to the Latin lamina (thin place, sheet, or layer), and -ectomy (removal).

Here are some home back pain remedies

Most back pain goes away within some days, but again arises because you have not treated the pain from its root. To ease discomfort, home remedies also work effectively.

-> Exercise: Walking, stretching, swimming, and other gentle exercises can help you recover the pain easily. You must consult with a quality therapist to make sure you are not overdoing any of these exercises.

-> Drinking plenty of water: You may be surprised to know that just drinking several glasses of water in a day may work wonders to ease all of your soreness, including back pain.

-> Heat and ice: Applying cold packs to numb the pain and reduce swelling is the cost-effective way of getting relief from severe pain such as neck pain, lower back pain, sciatica pain. Use them for at least 20 minutes, many times in a day, and constantly for 2-3 days. After that, warm baths or using a heating pad can ease the discomfort of pain.

-> Follow online pain relief program: You may also get relief from online exercise programs, DVD’s, E: book, email coaching, free 12 months subscription to the monthly newsletter, free health related articles, recipes and lower back relief tips. Take advice from professional and maintain a program of exercise. This can clear up your pain and keep it away from returning in the future.

Certain nutrients are essential for maintaining a healthy back

Certain nutrients are essential for maintaining a healthy back...
Protein is necessary for firm supporting tissue, however animal sources will contain uric acid and are best avoided until your back is healed.
Spirulina and chlorella are excellent natural sources of protein, as are soy products.
Magnesium is essential for the proper contraction of muscles in the body and a deficiency of this can cause muscles to become tense, which could lead to back problems. Magnesium Complex is a good supplement.

What causes lower back pain in pregnancy?

Back pain is very common in pregnancy as pregnancy hormones relax your joints, ligaments and muscles, allowing them to stretch and move out of place. Your increasing weight will add to the problem, because it's natural to want to push your bump forwards. This puts greater strain on your back. 

Low back pain is the most common, but you may also have discomfort in your upper back, shoulders, between your breasts and in your ribcage. Some women suffer from sciatica, a sharp shooting pain down one or both legs. (Read more about causes of back pain in pregnancy here.) 

Walking, prolonged sitting or standing in one position may make your back pain worse. Pain in the coccyx (tailbone), a result of tiny fractures caused by a fall or a previous difficult birth, can also flare up in pregnancy - the only treatment is rest. Of course, you might have had back, neck or pelvic problems before you became pregnant. Pregnancy will tend to make these worse. You might be reminded of old injuries such as a previously fractured ankle or slipped disc, again because the hormones affect the joints, muscles and ligaments. 

HOME REMEDIES BACK PAIN

Home Remedies Back Pain #1: Ask someone massage the affected area with herbal oils using knuckles and  increasing pressure slowly. After a few minutes you will feel less discomfort. This gets rid of tension and relaxes the muscles in that area.
  
Home Remedies Back Pain #2: Every time you lift something, remember to bend your knees first, this will prevent your lower back from getting tense causing damage to your spine and back muscles.
Home Remedies Back Pain #3: Never twist while lifting this can have bad effect on your vertebrates.

Home Remedies Back Pain #4: Avoid lifting heavy objects in the last couple of weeks of your pregnancy. 

Home Remedies Back Pain #5: Do not sit in couches, always sit in firm chairs supporting the lumbar area with a pillow. This will help you keep your waist and lower back in the proper position.

Home Remedies Back Pain #6: Apply St. john’s wort directly to the back area.CAUTION: Do not suntan, this oil makes your skin very sensitive to the sun. 

Back Pain and Stress

The causes of back pain are varied, but stress often plays a part. Our bodies are bombarded with stress every day, whether chemical stress in the form of ingested or inhaled chemicals and toxins, emotional/mental stress in the form of worry, fear, anger and other thoughts or emotions, or physical stress in the form of overtaxing of certain muscle groups.

A typical “day at the office” includes plenty of all three types of stress: you may sit at your desk, hunched over your keyboard in an unhealthy posture for hours, anxious about meeting a deadline and skipping a healthy lunch in favor of a quick snack of preservative-laden junk food. All of these stressors take their toll on the body, and soon you find you have pain in your back and possibly elsewhere.

Finding ways to reduce or eliminate stress can go a long way to preventing back pain and problems. But in the meantime, learn about a safe, natural alternative to help address your back pain at its source.

What's the best position for sleeping?

The best way to sleep is on your side with your knees bent. You may put a pillow under your head to support your neck. You may also put a pillow between your knees.

If you sleep on your back, put pillows under your knees and a small pillow under your lower back. Don't sleep on your stomach unless you put a pillow under your hips.

Use a firm mattress. If your mattress is too soft, use a board of 1/2-inch plywood under the mattress to add support.

Eucommia for Your Aching Back and Joints

Traditional Chinese medical practitioners use eucommia bark for back and joint pain, especially in the hips and knees, and also to strengthen bones, tendons and ligaments. Eucommia helps heal tissue that is slow to mend after an injury or that has been weakened through stress. Western studies with rats confirm that both the leaves and the bark of eucommia contain a compound that encourages the development of collagen, an important part of connective tissues such as skin, tendons and ligaments. Although it can be used alone, eucommia bark is most often used in combination with other supportive herbs. The only practical way to take eucommia is as a supplement from a licensed provider. Patients taking blood pressure medications should consult with their health-care provider before taking eucommia or formulas that contain it.

TRY NATURAL PAINKILLERS to RELIEVE BACK PAIN

Unlike medications, natural painkillers won't upset the stomach. Fielder recommends devil's claw, which research shows is comparable to Vioxx for pain relief, and turmeric, known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Willow bark -- the active ingredient of which is similar to that in aspirin -- is more gentle on the stomach and is just as effective in pain management as NSAID rofecoxib.

Bromelain (derived from pineapples) and the ayurvedic herb boswellia provide anti-inflammatory benefits and pain relief.

SITTING PRETTY TO PREVENT BACK PAIN

Once all of that spring cleaning is done, have a seat – you deserve it! But if you plan on sitting for an extended amount of time, get up once an hour to stand and stretch out your back and other muscles. Place your hands on your lower back and gently arch backward, straighten up and gently turn side to side. Also, be sure to choose a supportive chair that is aligned for your height (your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees at 90 degrees). Otherwise, you may be adding extra stress – and pain – to your lower back. 

Teach CHILDREN how money can make money

 This is the lesson on investing, and it’s a lesson many of us can learn. It’s one thing to save, where you get perhaps 5% interest. But if your kids are going for short-term goals, they probably won’t see much compound interest happening. You’ll need them to make a longer-term goal, such as a trip once they graduate, if you have a teen-ager, or a down payment on a car, or even something a little smaller. Whatever the goal, teach them about how they can put their money in certain investments, and how those investments will grow over time.

That growth is their money earning money for them. It’s free money, almost, but the cost is not spending on other stuff in the meantime, and getting into the habit of investing the money. And it’ll help them get to their goals faster.

Tips for grandparents – ways to contribute to your grandchildren’s financial well-being

Tips for grandparents – ways to contribute to your grandchildren’s financial well-being:

• Introduce the concept of money to your grandchildren as soon as they are able to count. 
• Teach them the difference between needs, wants, and wishes.  Teach them to respect the value of money. 
• When giving them, consider giving money in amounts that can be put towards savings (e.g., five $1 bills, spend $3, save $2). 
• Consider opening a savings bank account or a money market mutual fund account in both your name and your grandchild’s. 
• Take advantage of money “teachable moments” when you spend time with your grandchild. 
• Set an example by being thoughtful in your own saving and spending habits – you are their role models. 
• The Youth & Money Survey found that 72 percent of students turn to relatives besides their parents for financial information – grandparents are included in this group!

Help your child learn to make choices

Giving your child a reasonable allowance is a good way to help him or her learn to make choices.

Larry Beltramo, a Certified Financial Planner, says he and his wife give their 8-year-old daughter three dollars a week, purposely not enough to let her buy everything she wants.

"She has to think a bit before she spends it. She has to tell herself, 'If I don't buy this candy now, then next week I'll have enough to buy that hair barrette that I like.'"

This may also help children as they get older and encounter peers who seem to have limitless funds. If your children are used to living on a budget, they may be less influenced by someone whose lifestyle is so different.

Encourage your children to allocate their pocket money

Encourage your children to allocate their pocket money.

On Roosterbank we encourage children to split their pocket money between their Wallet (think of it as a current account) and Safe (long terms savings account). We also offer them the chance to save for a treat in the Shop or make a donation.

Getting your children to think about what they do with their pocket money is a really important lesson in budgeting and will help them understand that you need to cover short-term, as well as long-term goals by putting some spending money aside. By stipulating this as one of the conditions when you give them the pocket money, you can reinforce the habit from the outset.

Do you have enough too much?

• Count the number of clothes you have and divide that by 7. That is how many pieces of clothing you have to wear each day to use everything you have over the course of a week.
• Count how many utensils you own (forks, knives, spoons, whisks, peelers, all of them) and divide that by 7.
• Count how many apps, songs, games and videos you have on your computer and divide that by 7.
• Count how many TV channels, radio stations, CDs, DVDs, and games and divide that by 7.

It is very likely that you could live and thrive with less than 50% of what you own right now. And if you need less than half of the stuff, you probably need less than half of the space, and less than half of the money it takes to maintain the stuff and the space. (insert light bulb moment here!)

Rent your stuff for money : Earn Money at Home

Take in a lodger
While most of us pay a fortune for our homes, it’s possible to make your home make money for you.

According to Santander, you could make as much as £289 a month from renting out a spare room. Under the government’s ‘rent a room’ scheme, you don’t need to pay tax on the first £4,250 you receive either, which means you could charge up to £354.16 a month without being lumbered with a tax bill.

Rent out a parking space
If you live close to a city centre, train station or football stadium and don’t use your parking space or garage, you’re sitting on a proverbial goldmine. Renting an empty parking place to a commuter or football fan could see you rake in the pounds.

Parkatmyhouse.com is a website where you can advertise your space free of charge and let frustrated drivers get in touch. A parking space in the West End of London, for example, can fetch £500 a month, while in a leafy suburb of Leeds a space could net you £100.

Rent your home to film makers
Hollywood can come to your home too, provided you have the right location. If you live in an interesting property, you could bag upwards of £1,000 a day renting your home to film and TV companies. Ideal locations must have large rooms, good parking facilities and understanding neighbours. Ordinary homes are wanted too.

Teach YOUR KIDS good shopping habits

When shopping, teach your child to be a selective consumer. Discuss price versus product. For example, when you are at the supermarket, pick up a couple of boxes of cereal and say, “this one costs $2.50, and this $4.50. Which should I buy?” In age-appropriate language, discuss why you would – or wouldn’t – choose the less expensive box. 

At the checkout counter, hand your child the bills and allow him to pay for what you’ve chosen together. That action will help him understand that things don’t magically appear, but are bought. If you use a credit card for purchases, make sure you explain that there will be a bill at the end of the month that must be paid by a specific date.

Facts and myths about your credit score

Here are the myths versus the reality about what will and won’t harm your credit rating:

Myth: Being turned down for credit will harm your rating.

Reality: Being turned down for credit is not held on a credit report so has no effect on how you’re rated. What does have an impact is if you’re unsuccessful and then repeatedly apply elsewhere without finding out what the problem is.

Every search on your file that lenders make when they assess you leaves a footprint. Too many in too short a time can look like you’re in financial trouble, which makes you look like a risk.

Myth: Regularly paying off utility bills will improve your score.

Reality: You should, of course, always pay your utility bills. But not all utility companies share their information with credit reference agencies, so don’t assume that lenders will know that you’ve
had a faultless history with your energy company.

Myth: Working in a salaried job will improve your score.

Reality: The fact that you have a job that pays a regular salary is not on your credit report. However, it will form part of a credit application and being employed and paid monthly is a sign of stability, which lenders like. They will also ask about your income to ensure that you can afford any new borrowing.

Myth: Being arrested or having a criminal record will harm your rating.

Reality: This sort of information is not on your credit file.

Myth: Being on the electoral roll won’t improve how you’re rated for credit.

Reality: This is one of the easiest ways to improve how you’re rated. It lets lenders corroborate your address and identity and is a sign
of stability.

Myth: Having several cards will harm how you’re rated.

Reality: It comes down to how you use them. If you’re struggling to juggle payments, lenders will see this. But if you’re using less than 50% of your available balance, can afford payments and are making them on time, these are signs of someone who can sensibly manage their credit.

It’s often better to have several cards with a lower balance on each than the same total amount all on one card. For example, if you had five cards with £1,000 credit available on each and each card was £100 in debit, but you transferred all the balances to one and cut up the others, it would probably have a negative impact. That said, some lenders may perceive a risk if your available balance is far, far more than you could ever afford to repay.

Myth: Missing a credit card or mortgage payment won’t harm your score.

Reality: Missing repayments is one of the most harmful things on your credit report. Lenders want to know you are reliable and not always making repayments says the opposite. Missing one or two may not make too much difference, but if it looks like regular behaviour, lenders will shy away.

And remember that missed payments stay on your account for six years – so you could be storing up real ­problems for the future.

Myth: Paying off a credit card on time has no impact on your rating.

Reality: A strong history of regular payments and settling of accounts is exactly what lenders want to see.

Myth: Having a credit card will harm your rating.

Reality: If you don’t use credit, lenders find it hard to assess whether you would be a good person to lend to. Remember, they are looking for evidence that you are a safe bet.