Archive for December, 2008
OPEC Cuts and Oil Drops
Dec 18th
OPEC announced a historic cut to oil production today and the market sold off significantly, sending crude oil prices down over $3 a barrel to just over $40. I think the market is oversold, by a significant margin, and this is a tremendous buying opportunity for oil related investments. While the global economic recession is certain, the world’s appetite for oil will only continue to increase over the long term and could provide strong long term gains.
Technorati Tags: oil, crude oil, gas prices, shaun carter, opec
Personalized Christmas Cards
Dec 12th
If you haven’t ordered your personalized Christmas greeting cards yet, there is still time to get them out before the holidays. The Gallery Collection specializes in personalized greeting cards for business and personal use for holidays such as Christmas and special occasions like Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Thank You’s. If you order your cards by Sunday December 15th by 3pm, you can have them delivered to you by Dec. 18 – that’s just in time to put them in the mail to your friends and family.
The Gallery Collection has a large assortment of Christmas cards with all different designs ranging from trees to ornaments on the front. You may then choose your favorite greeting to be written inside the card and also four different envelope style choices. These cards make wonderful Corporate Holiday Cards to send to your clients as well as your hard working employees this holiday season. All of the Christmas cards 40% off and include an instant $75 savings as well. All orders from The Gallery Collection come with a satisfaction guarantee.
In true Holiday spirit, The Gallery Collection is offering free downloads of Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” at DailyLit.com. In addition, GalleryCollection.com will be sending out a special e-mail only invitation to customers who have not yet placed an order for their Christmas cards this year and will offer them a chance to be one of the first 100 people to order up to 250 cards absolutely free.
Oil Prices Spike 12%
Dec 11th
As I have been expecting, crude oil has begun its runup from the $40/barrel low it touched recently. With OPEC announcing what could amount to an unprecendented production cut at their upcoming meeting and the expectation that oil should remain at around $75/barrel, I think there is a lot of upside potential and am heavily invested in Canadian Royal Trusts. I am aiming for an oil price target of $60-65/barrel by March which is when my option contracts expire. A move to that price range would provide a nice profit and continue the CanRoys ability to pay out decent dividends.
Technorati Tags: crude oil, gasoline, oil prices, shaun carter, canroy, canadian royal trust, opec
Small Business Loans
Dec 10th
If you are a small business owner that’s running into problems getting financing amidst the global credit crisis, there are other options for small business loans that you may not have noticed before. OnlineCheck.com can offer your business a “fast business loan” that can get you the funding your business needs quickly and efficiently, with fewer and less stringent lending standards than can be found at most banks. You will also enjoy absolutely no closing costs or fees on your loan.
OnlineCheck.com’s fast business loans have a 90% merchant approval rate and you can have the money direct deposited directly to your business checking account within 5-7 days. Perhaps best of all, there are no collateral requirements and the interest you pay may be tax deductible!
All businesses suffer from growing pains from time to time and need a loan to cover expansion, new equipment or even to replace a broken piece of machinery. These business loans are effective at growing your businesses cash flow when you need it most and may not be able to secure financing from your local bank or credit union.
Auto Bailout Gives Judges Pay Raise
Dec 10th
I really dislike it when erroneous pieces of pork are rolled into otherwise legitemate legislation. The Auto Bailout should be just that, for the auto industry. There shouldn’t be money going to cattle ranchers, soybean farmers or makers of those little drink umbrellas and certainly not a pay raise for the nation’s U.S. District judge. But that’s exactly what’s being done, for the sake of convenience I suppose. When and if the auto bailout passes and the President signs it, these judges will get a 2.8% cost of living pay increase on Jan. 1 bringing their salary over $170,000 per year. Now why are we giving raises to those already in the top 2% of wage earners in the country, when the middle and lower income citizens have not seen a cost of living increase in years?
Technorati Tags: auto bailout, congress, president, ford, shaun carter, gm, chrysler, judges, pay raise, cost of living, pork barrel spending, legislation
Citi Lowering Limits, Increasing Fees on Credit… For Some
Dec 6th
I have been reading many articles lately regarding the shady practices of credit card companies lowering credit limits and increasing interest charges on accounts of self proclaimed “good customers.” But I am left confused as in the past week Citi has INCREASED the credit limit on my card by $300 and DECREASED my interest rate by .50%.
The card is a student Citi Dividend Platinum Select, considered to be higher risk as a student, and has been open for a few years. I pay the balance in full each month and never max it out. I have also seen rates on my other lines of credit decrease significantly this year, many to as low as 10%.
Citi has said:
“…will not voluntarily increase the rates or fees on the account until the card expires … the only reason we would consider increasing the rates or fees before the card expires would be if a cardholder pays Citi late, exceeds the credit limit, or pays with a check that bounces. We believe we are the first bank to adopt this policy.”
So, my advice for those that are seeing their rates increase, make sure you really think about your payment history, usage habits and other possible criteria for the increase. Afterall, what good does it do Citi to piss off their best customers by raising rates?
Technorati Tags: citi, credit card, interest rate, shaun carter, debt, consumer, charge card, balance transfer, subprime
