Tag Archives: entrepreneur

ISSUE 31: HH MAGAZINE GET INSPIRED.

4 Jan

ISSUE 31: HH MAGAZINE.

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In the Red Corner – Gold Bullion vs. Certified Coins

1 Jan

In the Red Corner – Gold Bullion vs. Certified Coins.

BY Mike Getlin | September 29 2011 1:18 PM

We gold bulls have been licking our wounds over the last few weeks. This summer’s intense upward price movement set the stage for major volatility on the precious metals markets, and long term gold investors are stuck riding out the storm, at least for the moment. Yesterday however, something was brought to my attention by someone out on our trading floor. One of his clients who bought a diversified investment grade coin position early in the month was actually dead even on his overall position. While gold had tumbled by over $300 per ounce, his coins had stayed right where they were showing him no loss whatsoever. Needless to say, this needs a bit of explaining.

Let’s take a look at gold’s correction versus the price movement in a variety of $20 Liberty certified coins. Gold closed at $1895 on September 6th. Over the course of the next 20 calendar days, it shed $297 to close at $1598 on September 26th. That is an overall correction of 18.58% in 14 trading days. The certified $20 Liberty coins fared much better. See the chart below for the comparison.

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The major difference between raw gold bullion and certified coins is the premium (which is often significant) that the coins carry over the spot price of gold. For example, the $20 Liberty in Mint State 66 condition is a coin that sells for well above $15,000. Most investors look at that and wonder why in the world anyone would buy a one ounce coin for over 15 grand! Yet this month, the one who did would be laughing all the way to the bank while the rest of us dream longingly of weeks gone by and $1900 per ounce.

Now this is not to say we should all rush out and dump all our bullion in favor of certified coins. That said, there is clearly an advantage to be gained by owning some of these products that help insulate investors from these volatile markets. The real question is what causes certified coin premiums to change, and what place do these products have in a healthy and diversified gold portfolio.

The debate over whether to buy bullion or certified coins (also referred to as numismatics) has been raging for decades and will probably continue to produce spirited cocktail hour conversation for a long time to come. Some people swear by investment grade numismatics, while others think only a fool would buy anything other than bullion. So who’s right? Both of course. As with most arguments like this, there is a lot of truth to both sides, and each strategy has significant advantages and disadvantages.

On the bullion side, the main argument against certified coins is that they are too expensive. Why pay $3000 per ounce or more for a gold coin when you could buy a Gold Eagle or a bar for $1800? The premium, as well as the dealer’s bid/ask spread is much higher on certified coins as they are more difficult to source and procure. The other argument against them is they tend to move more slowly than bullion coins. For investors who need instant liquidity, or are trying to pop in and out of the markets with some frequency, certified coins present some major drawbacks.

In contrast, numismatists (people who study coins) never forget one simple fact: value comes from scarcity. If you purchase a gold bar this year and sell it in 2015, there will have been millions upon millions more produced and sold between now and then. If you purchase a certified $20 Liberty, you can sleep well at night knowing that never again will a single $20 Liberty coin be produced. It’s hardly even a question of supply and demand, because there really is no supply. Thus when you look at the $20 Liberty MS66 in the graph above, you see it actually increase in value during gold’s worst month in 20 + years. The premiums on certified coins can move quite independently from the gold market and often times increase when gold goes down. This provides strong buoyancy during gold market corrections; something a lot of gold buyers would have loved over the last few weeks.

All in all, there is no real “right” answer as to whether investors are better off with bullion or certified coins. As such, we’re strong believers in owning both. Ideally, a healthy gold portfolio would have both bullion and certified coins. The bullion will move more quickly, provide more gold per dollar invested, and can be bought and sold at lower margins. The certified coins may have higher long term profit potential, benefit from strong demand and scarcity, and can provide stability in a gold market that is likely to become increasingly volatile in the coming years. As with most arguments, the best answer probably borrows a bit from both sides. As with most investments, the best strategy is probably a diversified one.

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Is Silver your Financial Safe Haven?

26 Dec

Is Silver your Financial Safe Haven?

 

Dollar Decline Chart

 

At first look, most of us would say that the price of gold increased from $20 to $1600/ounce. However this is not accurate. Gold actually still buys the same amount of goods and services that it did in 1933. Gold has basically stayed constant. The dollar’s value fell by a factor of 50- so that it takes 50 times more paper dollars to buy the same amount of goods and services than it did in 1933 (See the price of gas since 2002 alone). Looking forward, we must consider whether the dollar will buy more or less in 10, 20, or even 30 years. The gold you have today will allow you to buy the same amount of goods and services that your money will buy today, 10, 20, or 30 years from now. Viewed from this angle, gold and silver are a way of preserving your wealth. They are a type of wealth insurance.

Many Europeans have long-held 10-20% of their net worth in precious metals for this very purpose. They have a history rich in tragedy: hyperinflation, government changes, borders that have moved and two world wars. Gold’s durability has served them quite well through all sorts of political unrest. In fact, it is perhaps the only constant in a world subject to change.

 

As gold and precious metals are priced and traded in US dollars, they surge in value when the US dollar declines. As the fed prints trillions in new money, the dollar and basically all other currencies will fall precipitously relative to gold. In an environment where the dollar is already weak and many currencies are weaker, investors that wish to keep and grow their wealth (duh, who doesn’t?) must understand the impact of declining currencies on their portfolios.

 

The US and Canadian dollars have lost approximately 84 percent of their purchasing power since 1970!  Most other currencies across the globe have fared no better. Not coincidentally, 1971 was the year the link to the gold standard was cut via President Nixon et al. Only gold, and its two precious metals brethren -silver and platinum- are able to hold their respective values in periods of severe inflation and deflation.

Both Gold and silver benefit from negative economic policies, political tensions, and monetary conditions contribute to a rise of their prices. For this reason gold has always been referred to as the “crisis commodity” and why investors are buying all the gold they can afford.  And the same may be said for silver.

The below trends weaken stocks and other paper investments and cause the price of gold and silver to rise:

War

Inflation

High Oil Prices

Weakness in the U.S. dollar

Budget Deficits

Stock & Bond Market Turmoil

Bank Failures

Loan Defaults

This being said is it any wonder people are buying gold as fast as they can?  Every time it drops a 100 dollars people buy asap.  Are you following that trend?  If so you are smart.

However the trend in silver is the same and gains can be realized faster.

For the sake of discussion lets assume gold is 1600 dollars an ounce and silver is 30 dollars an ounce.  Gold is seen as the big boy in the group but silver affords the real opportunity to max out your portfolio.  For every 1 ounce of gold you can  buy53+ ounces of silver.  Now you might say the dollar value is the same but silver is slept on my friends.  It is used in almost every electronic in your house.  Also in my opinion silver is the sleeper buy.  it will rise faster when the ‘isht’ really hits the fan.  But lets talk turkey- I can’t afford to buy gold at these prices, who can?  However we can all afford to buy silver.  it is even sold in half ounces and quarter ounces.with these small denominations possible for purchase I would argue that we all have a chance to build wealth and create our own hedges against inflation.  after all do you work 35-40 hours a week to just hand it all over to the government, the corner store, cable and the rest of the creature comfort providers?  I’d bet not  So lets work the legal methodologies provided us by the system.

#thriveorsurvive.

“Gold is the wealth of kings……
Silver is the wealth of gentlemen……
Barter is the wealth of peasants……
Debt is the wealth slaves!!!!!”

-Norm Franz.

Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Who is subsidizing whom?

11 Dec

Who is subsidizing whom?.

Not to say I agree or disagree but lets look at someone else’s perception.

Can’t hurt right?

Who is subsidizing whom?

March 15, 2012 | Posted by Ken Cohen

In its lead editorial yesterday, The Wall Street Journal took a hard look into the Obama administration’s campaign to end so-called “subsidies for Big Oil.” The paper’s conclusion turns the administration’s claims on its head: “The truth is that this industry is subsidizing the government.”

This is the flip side of the coin that few realize – the oil and natural gas industry is an enormous source of revenue for the U.S. government. In fact, the industry pays the federal government approximately $86 million a day – or about $31 billion a year – in rents, royalties, bonuses and corporate taxes. That doesn’t even include the payments made at the local and state levels.

At times, the industry is actually sending more to local, state and federal governments in taxes and fees than what it earns in the United States. According to the Journal:

“Not paying their ‘fair share’? Here’s a staggering fact: The Tax Foundation estimates that, between 1981 and 2008, oil and gas companies sent more dollars to Washington and the state capitols than they earned in profits for shareholders.”

And, keep in mind, the taxes the oil and gas industry pays are only part of a much larger contribution to the U.S. economy. Our industry and the activities that support it accounted for more than $1 trillion of the U.S. economy in 2009, or about 7.7 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, according to a recent study. The industry contributes an estimated $470 billion a year in spending, wages and dividends alone.

So what about those “subsidies” that oil and gas companies supposedly get?

“These aren’t direct cash handouts like those that go to the green lobby,” the Journal says. “They’re deductions from taxes that cover the cost of doing business and earning income to tax in the first place. Most of them are available to other manufacturers.”

I’ve talked at length on this issue, but it bears repeating – attempts to misrepresent the industry’s tax contributions are nothing more than an attempt to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. The fact is that taxpayers would benefit far more from the revenues associated with increased access to U.S. energy supplies than they would from punitive tax measures aimed at oil companies. Policies that support greater energy development could generate $800 billion in government revenue by 2030 through lease sales, royalties, production fees and taxes, according to a recent study.

So when taxpayers see these claims about “subsidizing” oil companies, I think it’s valid to ask: “Who is subsidizing whom?”

 

#thriveorsurvive.

Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.

 

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In Case You Missed Me in Moov magazine

11 Dec

Click Here

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HOW TO GET FREE SILVER

4 Dec

HOW-TO-GET-FREE-SILVER

Now this rocks!  A quick post with an included link to get free silver.

I personally invest in silver and always wanted tangible wealth.  As a kid I collected coins- nothing valuable just a notion.  When I moved out and got married I realized I wanted a safe haven for my income.  Robert Kiyosaki spoke on wealth and the lost value of a dollar and it resonated with me.

Since the 60’s folks the dollars’ purchasing power has been decimated.  I wont point fingers or place blame.  I just want to be wealthy and comfortable as I’m sure you my readers do too.   And while the dollar plummets silver is on the rise.

So how do you get your free silver?

Easy.You can enter here.

Name. Email. That’s it.  It has a spot for your phone number but it’s not mandatory.  The winner does get called though.

-Do you have to buy anything? NO.

-Any costs? – nope.
The most you may be asked is for a testimonial.

If you like the page and feel it is a high converter, and decide you want one- lets talk. Email me @ tony@changeinadvance.com

Where do you enter again?  You can enter here.

#thriveorsurvive

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10 Quotes To Change Your Life- Zig Ziglar

30 Nov

Gone but never to be forgotten, Zig Ziglar passed on November 28th, 2012.

An entrepreneurial phenomenon who went on to become a motivational speaker and trainer, Zig set ablaze the minds and hearts of myriad people.

Below is a short collection of some of the favorites we’ve seen out there.

 

10) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”

9) “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

8 ) “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”

7) “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”

6) “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”

5) “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

4) “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

3) “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

2) “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

1) “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”

 

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HOW TO GET FREE SILVER

23 Nov

HOW-TO-GET-FREE-SILVER

Now this rocks!  A quick post with an included link to get free silver.

I personally invest in silver and always wanted tangible wealth.  As a kid I collected coins- nothing valuable just a notion.  When I moved out and got married I realized I wanted a safe haven for my income.  Robert Kiyosaki spoke on wealth and the lost value of a dollar and it resonated with me.

Since the 60’s folks the dollars’ purchasing power has been decimated.  I wont point fingers or place blame.  I just want to be wealthy and comfortable as I’m sure you my readers do too.   And while the dollar plummets silver is on the rise.

So how do you get your free silver?

Easy.You can enter here.

Name. Email. That’s it.  It has a spot for your phone number but it’s not mandatory.  The winner does get called though.

-Do you have to buy anything? NO.

-Any costs? – nope.
The most you may be asked is for a testimonial.

If you like the page and feel it is a high converter, and decide you want one- lets talk. Email me @ tony@changeinadvance.com

Where do you enter again?  You can enter here.

#thriveorsurvive

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MAKE THE POOR RICH?

19 Nov

For today’s article I found myself motivated by an excerpt from the net:

In the words of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio

“The way to turn our economy around is not by making rich people poorer; it’s by making poor people richer.”
(Read more: http://bit.ly/RP1V65)

Now this I found very intriguing.  In this time of peoples unrepressed loathing of the 1% and the Occupy Wall Street movement there seems to be an every growing desire to rob the rich.  Now I know many people are going to ream me for this but I just can’t get with taking from those who built their fortunes.

The rich pay a vast majority of the taxes. 

The rich give the most to charities and non-profits globally (see buffet and gates).

If we are to simply take what they make, what incentive is there to keep making money and giving it as well?

In my humble opinion it is high time we find a way to incentivize people’s efforts to be rich.  Not everyone will make it, not everyone wants to- but wouldn’t the world be better if we all strived for greater gains?  Imagine if Michael Jordan only wanted single digit stats?  If Ali didn’t want to be the greatest? And what if Steve Jobs didn’t insist on perfection?  I think we would have lost as well.  Add Leonardo da Vinci to that mix to my friends and imagine what profound loss we as a species would have.  And it is in this vain that I exhort you to do as Rubio suggests.

Every economy in the world benefits when there are more wealthy folks or even those with healthy bank balances.  So let’s see how you would get there.

*Mind your Business.  Yup- not what your mom said, what Tony says.  Simply put make your own money.  Don’t be a wage slave forever.  If you don’t agree why not simply start a part time business from home?  Extra money in your spare time or a business that sets you free from having a boss is ideal.  The average millionaire was middle to lower class.  It doesn’t always take vast sums of cash to make more cash.  Bloomberg wasn’t born a billionaire but will die one.  He set lofty goals for himself and let his ambition move him beyond simple things.  Id dare say all his dreams have been actualized.  Doesn’t that sound great?  What separates us from him? Nothing. 

*SAVE, SAVE, SAVE.

Can’t find the time to build an empire?  Just not sure that’s what you want?  That’s not a problem.  Its fine actually.  Simply save and live below your means.  Start out trying to put aside 5% every month.  After the bite of this begins to fade up shift to 7%.  After that 10%.  Your goal should be to stash 20% of your take home every month from now to eternity.  Even after you reach your targeted amounts and goals- save more.  In retirement as well, save more.  The greater your capital cushion the easier you will weather the financial storms and the less stress you will feel.  When you hit a financial curve you will pause and then continue your forward motion.  Imagine not worrying about money, because you have an excess.

Your economic future is in your hands.  Therefore why would you not craft the most amazing, dynamic, wealthy personal economy you can?

#thriveorsurvive.

In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
Confucius

Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.

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5 Little-Known iPhone and iPad Apps for Startups

13 Nov

5 Little-Known iPhone and iPad Apps for Startups

Being a small business owner can be trying.  Times are tight, the economy is dreary, and you have to make every dollar stretch.  To add to the general mayhem you have all the day to day tasks of accounting, management, sales tracking and administrative needs on your shoulders.  Find this daunting?  Well I’ve got 5 iOS apps to make you more efficient.

Invoice2Go: This app lets you create invoices and estimates on your iPad and even your iPhone. You can make one complete list of all billable items and store them cohesively. Perhaps you might prefer the Receipts2go plugin to bill for items that are specific only to certain jobs or accounts. To top it all off your completed invoices can be printed right from the app or emailed if you are so inclined.

You can get three free invoices and after that its about 25.00 bucks a year for a 100 invoices.  By the way, you can even see your financials at a glance with this app.

 

Docusign Ink: No more printing and scanning with this app. Sign all sorts of documents electronically and save time you can use your phone or devices camera to take a picture of relevant documents or upload from a cloud drive- cool right?  Docusign Ink even converts documents easily so you drag and drop your signature. Simply save and send to complete the process.

Client forgot to sign? No problem, simply have them sign vial email. The catch is simple: unlimited documents can be signed for free.  However there is a limit of five additional signatories. After that they will ask you to purchase a plan starting at 15.00 bucks a month.

FYI- Doucsign Ink is also available on Android.

 Bento 4 for iPad: A recently redesigned personal database app that helps you present and organize data. What makes Bento 4 stand out from the crowd is that it allows you to combine tables and text fields with images by simply drag and dropping utilizing one of the 40 free templates.  Highly useful in multistep projects or sales meetings, Bento is quite versatile. With a price tag of 9.99 your wallet doesn’t get beat up either.

Concur: An organizational tool/app for frequent travelers. Manage your itinerary, book hotel rooms, check airline reservations. Concur is also great for tracking your expenses on the go.  Input information by hand, or use e-receipts. You can also scan receipts. Trips over? Concur will combine all the info into one cohesive expense report.  While the app is free on iPad and iPhone you will need to link it to a desktop Concur account.  This however is 8.00 bucks per person, per month.  A little more than some want to spend but a great report, and it’s a tax deduction I’d bet (See your CPA for that info though).  Concur is also available on Android for my so inclined cohorts.

Delivery Status Touch: Move a lot of merchandise? Delivery Status Touch can help keep track of them. 4.99, gets you an app that works directly with all of the major delivery companies/services and automatically gets information from Amazon, Apple and Google Checkout. As soon as a package is added it will appear on the the home screen. After that point you can track the progress of each and every package you have; coming or going.

 

 

#thriveorsurvive

Thoughts? Concerns?
Questions? Think I’m wrong?
Let’s chat.
Need ideas?
Want to learn how to invite?
Let’s chat.
Want a mentor or maybe the guy who will bounce ideas back and forth with you?
Let’s chat-
Tony@Changeinadvance.com
@changeinadvance
http://www.changeinadvance.com
Or simply reply to this article.

 

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