Ridiculous Ways to Lower Gas Prices

By Drieick

15,000,000 for lower gas prices

I don't have anything against petitions (it's constitutional), but I think stupid petitions like this one should be illegal. Let me explain:

Ways to lower gas prices:

1. Invade Iran and Saudi Arabia and take their oil 2. Have the government cover a majority of the prices 3. Use the Federal Reserve system to artificially change the prices

Let me explain why this group is completely stupid. In the first place, invading Iran and Saudi Arabia obviously won't work (unless we take all of our military strength). Second, how will the government cover most of the prices? Well, through taxes,which just means you'll still be paying for it. Tax money is the people's money. I know! Why don't we just tax the hard working CEOs, doctors, and hard working families that make twice as much as I do! They may have a whole corporation and God knows how many jobs on their shoulders, but they can spare a few thousand dollars! We the people deserve that money, anyway! Who cares about lawyers and surgeons, anyway?

Neither of those will work. The second will lower gas prices, but you'll be paying the taxes; you'll just be paying two bills, which doesn't make any sense. In fact, it'll actually raise the prices, simply because filing an entire country's taxes probably costs more than oil. Why pay for oil and the expenses it takes to tax?

The last one will definitely not work. To tell that market to shut its mouth is probably the most destructive thing to do. This means that when the market says prices should go up, they go down; when the market says the prices go down, they go up. It's all mathematical: lowering prices now will cause the companies that provide those services to operate under the breaking point (when the profits equal the expenses), and that'll just eat at their savings, and then they'll be forced to either: file bankruptcy or raise prices.

Price: $500 = Artificial price (lowered price): $400 = Profits down by 100x = Sells increase = Profits go down (more sales than predicted) = Supply goes down = Company's savings down = Prices go up = Sells go down = Demand goes down = Prices go up (not by much, since supply & demand helps is rather stabilized)

x = number of sales

Pretty much what's going on in this country right now. In fact, step #3 could be considered an expense: their profits are to 500x, but instead it 400x (500x ~ 100x). Let's not forget the stock market.

Last change: increase drilling. It is true that North America has lots of oil, and that the US government is stopping people from drilling (all to "help" the environment). Of course, I don't know anything about that, so if you have any info, please share.

About the Author:

Drieick is the writer of this article, and has read up on all of the worst propositions for reducing gas prices. For more info on all of the dumbest government propositions, check out his blog at Blog Pantsu.

What is a reverse mortgage?? Do I want it?

By Doc Schmyz

If you have already heard the term reverse mortgage, it still sounds like a strange thing. If this is the first time you are hearing the term, it will probably sound like some kind of shady deal. Reverse mortgages are becoming more and more popular these days, but are they scams or are they legitimate?Is it really possible to sell your house back to the bank and still retain the deed to it? Will the bank really pay YOU the mortgage payments? Let's review what a reverse mortgage is so these questions can be answered.

The name is somewhat misleading. A reverse mortgage is a loan that is structured like a mortgage, with YOU as the lender and the BANK as the buyer. In the U.S., homeowners wanting to initiate a reverse mortgage must be at least 62 years old, and own all or most of their home. These backwards mortgages are usually performed through a bank or broker. The homeowner essentially sells his or her house to the bank, in return for receiving periodic mortgage payments. Sometimes the payments can be structured as a lump sum, line of credit, or a combination of the three methods.

So what are the benefits to a reverse mortgage? It provides a constant and dependable stream of retirement income. Most retirement plans such as 401(K) or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) generally increase in value, but are still tied to stock market. The amount of money they provide during retirement can vary. A reverse mortgage can supplement a senior citizen's income. The amount depends on the homeowner's age, equity of the house, interest rate on the loan, closing fees, and a few other factors.

One very common myth about the reverse mortgage is that the bank eventually takes ownership of your house. This is not true! The deed remains in your name throughout the entire term of the process. However, interest is added to the pricipal of the loan for the life of the loan.

The homeowner can remain living in the house during the entire term of the reverse mortgage. The loan becomes due only when the homeowner moves out, such as moving into a nursing home, or becomes deceased. At those times, the survivors can repay the loan themselves if they want to keep the house. They can also sell the home and repay the loan plus the interest in full. The money paid to the homeowner as mortgage payments must be repaid to the lender when the loan becomes due.

These mortgages can provide much needed financial support during retirement. It is a time when medical costs are likely to increase, as well as unexpected costs can creep up. Use a reverse mortgage to help yourself to gain the financial security in retirement that you worked so hard to achieve.

About the Author:

Doc Schmyz has done real estate deals all over the US and Canada. His free website shares Real estate investing information for all over the US. Find Real estate investing information by state

Plan Retirement with a Budget

By Basdeo Paul

Nobody wants to work in their seventies and yet most people only have ten to twenty thousand in their retirement fund at 50. How long could you live off of 20 thousand dollars? One year? Maybe two with social security but that is just no way to retire. You must save money now in order to enjoy your golden years.

When do you plan on retiring? Most people want to retire by 65. That means that your retirement fund will need to last you 20 to 25 years. That is a long period of time to save for so it takes real work to calculate how much you will need and how to get that much money.

In order to save efficiently you really need a goal in mind when you start. For a worry free retirement many people need to have about half a million dollars in the bank. Instead of randomly picking a large number like this you can be more accurate by creating a budget for your retirement years. Figure up how much you need for rent, bills and other expenses for each year. Then multiply that by 20 or 25 to come up with your savings goal.

After creating a savings goal you might feel it is hopeless. You can never save that much money. Well, with a good budget now you will be surprised how much money you really have. You can do simple things like cutting out coffee shop visits and trips to the drive thru. The average person can save several thousand a year by eliminating those two things alone. You can also become a bargain shopper and clip coupons to save extra money. By creating a strict budget for yourself now you will be able to enjoy life after work.

Once you know how much you need and how much you can afford to save you can try to make the two numbers add up by finding some safe investments for your money. A mutual fund or a high interest savings account will help your money multiply on its own. All of this budgeting and calculating can get pretty confusing. If you need help with this or other financial issues you can use an online financial calculator. There are many to choose from that are easy to use at www.personalfinanceissues.com .

With a bit of thought anyone can save for retirement. You just have to prioritize your life and your spending and you will find plenty of room in your budget to stash some money away for your future. Budget now and enjoy the future.

About the Author:

Basdeo Paul is a skilled webmaster and owner of the website http://personalfinanceissues.com . He offers a list of 35 online financial calculators which helps to control and resolve the financial issues like credit card payoff, savings, mortgage, etc.

Credit Card Debt Relief - Advice You Need

By Jessica Bradbury

I would not be exaggerating when I say most Americans depend on credit cards. These we use in buying our food and clothes, paying for our restaurant bills and our children's tuition, booking our flights and hotels - the list goes on and on. This statistics - the average American family owes more than $10,000 in credit card debts - just goes to show how much we depend on these.

A study that shows that the average American family owes more than $10,000 in credit card debts proves how much we depend on these.

The reality that we live in a modern world and really heavily on credit cards shows that these have become prized possessions. The convenience and the luxury of using credit cards have made people rely on these heavily. The terms of payment crafted by banks likewise contributed in the popularity of credit cards.

Aware of this trend, banks and credit card companies give their clients the option of settling their accounts in the most realistic method possible. Granted that judicious usage and religious payments are made, the issue of credit card debts could be easily remedied by calling upon the benefits of credit card debt settlement negotiations.

It also makes some card holders complacent in meeting their obligations. Most pay only this required amount, even if you purchase hundreds of dollars worth or products each month. As you practice this each month, your balance would balloon and so would their minimum payments.

In extreme cases, you have to take another loan just to manage your finances effectively. You can also choose to get a credit card debt settlement, an agreement where the card holders and your banks meet halfway in a compromise payment.

With this, you need to go to your banks and tell them upfront that you cannot anymore afford to pay for your debts. Banks would have to settle for the amount, lesser than you balance, because they don't want you away from your obligations. These banks hate to take you to court either.

Your bankers will decide on the amount and interest rates you're going to pay. All you have to do is keep your end of the bargain.

About the Author:

Jessica Bradbury has a Hub page for more on Advice on Credit Card Debt Relief