Just what is an annuity?

An annuity is a type of insurance product bought from an annuity provider in exchange for your pension fund. An annuity will pay you a guaranteed income for the rest of your life, no matter how long you live for in retirement. It is taxable like regular income but in most cases the provider will allow you up to 25% of your pension fund tax free at the start of the plan. Annuities are attractive because they provide a guaranteed income for life.

How much income will I receive?

The amount of income you get will depend on a number of factors including…

-How old you are when you buy the annuity
-Your state of health
-Where you live
-The size of your pension pot.
-Which annuity you buy

Typically a 65 year old with a £100,000 pension pot, buying a level annuity will get around £6,000 per year. If you have any health conditions or you drink or smoke this could increase by as much as 40%.

Who should I buy my annuity from?

There are a number of insurance companies that offer annuities however to get the best deal you should first consult with an annuities specialist or financial adviser. A comprehensive annuity quote should be done on an individual basis with the person providing the quote asking a series of questions about an individual’s financial circumstances as well as their state of health. Once they have this information they can then compare providers for the best deal. You should not accept the first offer from your current provider, as this is unlikely to be the best rate.

How long does it take?

An annuity broker can usually provide a quote within a few days of taking your details. However in order to complete the transaction you will have to return paperwork and may also have to provide medical documents if applicable. If you are switching providers then you will have to wait for your current provider to transfer your pension fund to your new provider, a process that takes around two weeks.

Should I delay an annuity when rates are low?

This is one question many retirees ask themselves. There is no easy answer but one thing to be aware of is that for every month you delay buying an annuity you are not getting an income from your pension fund.

As the economic climate grows cloudier and the housing market remains unpredictable, first-time buyers may find themselves facing a greater and more dangerous challenge than in previous times. The risks are prominent and buyers could find that they do not have a lot to fall back on. However thorough preparations and careful forecasting could help to avoid stumbling blocks along the way.

This guide identifies ways that you can ready yourself financially for the big step before you even start looking for your perfect home.

1. Plan ahead

The first slip-up that many people make is simply not planning far enough ahead. This is not to suggest that you should start thinking about mortgages from your early teens. But many buyers may face issues with mortgage approvals due to poor credit scores because of youthful mishaps that occurred purely because they were not aware of the effect that they would have.

Your credit score and borrowing history will be extensively scrutinised by mortgage lenders and the best deals tend to go to those with the best credit ratings. Therefore a degree of credit savviness from the moment you start borrowing could serve you well. Avoiding borrowing at all will not benefit you as lenders like to see that you are a responsible borrower with a good credit history. Therefore ensuring that you pay off your debts on time and avoid late fees and charges could help you.

It is also important to check your credit report regularly to ensure that you know how you are doing. This also helps you remain aware of anything that is incorrect or fraudulent and challenge it accordingly.

2. Do your preparation

Mortgage lenders like buyers who are responsible and prepared. Therefore ensure that you are well-organised for any meetings with lenders. Keep hold of important financial documents such as recent payslips and bank statements so that they can build a good picture of your income. Also make sure that you are on the electoral register as this will show stability of your address.

Try to show that you are in a secure financial situation. A stable job and income combined with a good-looking credit history could help to boost your chances.

3. Stabilise your savings

In current times, saving for your mortgage is more important than ever as because of the housing market’s weakness, lenders are looking for larger deposits than ever. In simple terms, the bigger deposit that you can raise, the better the deals available to you may be.

Typically lenders have asked for at least 10% of the property price as a deposit but currently the best deals tend to go to those who can offer deposits of around 15% to 20%.

Consider the best savings options in order to look after your mortgage fund. Fixed rate bonds can work well if you are looking to maximise returns on your savings as they tend to offer the highest interest rates and you are usually unable to dip into your savings for the duration that they are locked away. Tax-free cash ISAs could be another option for your perusal.

A standing order transfer of a set amount of money into your savings account each month over a substantial amount of time could show lenders that you are able to meet monthly payments.

4. Reduce your debts

In addition to a good savings pot and income, lenders will look at your outgoings in order to build up a clear picture of your finances. By paying off existing debts, you will also free up additional contributions to your mortgage savings fund.

Decrease your outgoings where possible and examine your standing orders; if there is anything there that you are paying for but no longer using, consider cancelling it.

5. Think about what you can afford

We’d all like a four-storey house with a heated pool and white picket fences. However it is important to do your research and gauge a realistic idea of what you can afford so that you can plan your monthly budget.

The first question that many lenders will ask is ‘what is your price ceiling?’ – the maximum that you can afford to spend. It is important that you are clear on this as it could be a key aspect to the lenders.

You can use mortgage payment calculators to help determine an idea of what your monthly repayments. It is also advisable to speak to a mortgage advisor in the early stages as they can offer you relevant guidance on the options that may be available to you.

6. Don’t forget the extras

Many people fall into the trap of thinking that buying a house is as simple as just considering the price of the house itself. However the process tends to incur a number of additional costs such as conveyancers and solicitors’ fees, stamp duty tax and potential renovation costs. Also consider the price of insuring your house as this is fundamental.

Building a clear picture of all possible payments can help you to build an accurate budget and ensure that you are fully prepared.

7. Speak to the professionals

Before you start hunting for your perfect home, it is important to ensure that you are financially prepared for the journey ahead. In addition to discussing your mortgage options with you, mortgage advisors can also equip you with financial advice throughout the process.

This post was written by John Hughes who is the resident blogger at www.independentfinancialadvisor.co.uk, a UK based site that provides access to financial advisors as well as to debt advice charities for those struggling with their debts.

It is only if you become a chronic debtor that you need to get worried. To ensure that you do not fall into the debt trap, you need to take note of the ideas below.

Do not compete:

Most people get into debt (and stay in debt) because they are busy competing with their neighbors. This is sad because it is an unnecessary and unhelpful form of competition.

The truth is that you need find a way to stay out of this abnormal competition.

If your neighbor buys a bigger car, do not buy the same model. Continue to enjoy your small and reliable car and you will continue to stay out of debt.

Pay your debts:

Contrary to what some people may think, there is nothing wrong with borrowing money. There are times you may need to borrow money to meet some pressing obligations.

When you borrow money, pay off the loans at the right time. Do not let the interest pile up and do not try to default. The bank or finance house lent you the money on trust.

Show that you are trustworthy and repay the loan on time.

Keep your credit cards at home:

The guy who moves around with his credit cards is the guy who is likely to get into debt. You need to understand that most people who have fallen into the debt trap are people who have a habit of misusing their credit cards.

Credit cards are wonderful things to have. You can save yourself a lot of inconvenience if you have a credit card or two but these cards should be used in a sensible manner.

Abusing credit cards will only take you deeper into the pit of debt. Understand this and use your plastic only when you have to use it.

Avoid impulse buying:

Okay, you need to admit that you really love shopping. Well, most people do but this is not a valid reason to get into debt. The solution is actually very simple.

You are working and you are earning good money so you need to do some shopping sometimes. The smart approach is to have a shopping list. Plan your shopping and do not buy anything which is not on your list.

Avoid impulse buying and you will stay out of debt.

Save money:

This is one thing a lot of people find very difficult so you are not an exception. But the truth is that if you save money you will probably live a debt free life.

Do not believe you will spend and spend to your heart’s content and then save what is left after you finish spending. There will be nothing left to save if you try this impractical approach.

On the other hand, set aside part of your monthly earning and save this amount for the rainy day. It may be difficult at first but it will get easier with time.

Plan your money:

A plan for spending your money is called a budget. Nobody in his or her right mind can afford to live without a budget and that includes you.

So plan your spending and make a good job of it. If possible, break your earnings into monthly, weekly and daily sums.

Do not leave the house with more money than you need for the day and always return the balance at the end of the day to the place where you keep your monthly running fund.

Don’t abuse payday loans:

Like every other loan, the payday loan needs to be used carefully. The problem with this loan is that the interest can be quite steep. This is why you should take this loan only in an emergency. And while you are at it, the loan needs to be paid off as soon as it is due.

If you abuse this loan, the interest on the loan can make the original amount to double or even triple in a matter of months. Clearly this is something you can do without so do not abuse payday loans for own good.

Finally, pay cash as much as possible. Leasing, hire purchase, credit card transactions and all forms of deferred payment attract interest charges. You need to avoid all these things as much as possible.

Pay cash when you can and you will become a much happier person. This is Your Shortcut to Becoming Debt Free.

Tanya Calaban, Author

Go Now To Get 24 Hour Debt Relief Using Debt Consolidation Loans Today.

Some people can barely afford to pay back their monthly credit card bills, as a result of inflation and prices of goods rising, families have less disposable income as comedies and essentials become more and more expensive.

If you have a large credit debt bill it’s not the end of the world, millions of people have got debt and thankfully there are many solutions to this problem. If you have more than one credit card consider moving as much debate as possible onto one card with the lowest long term interest rates. By doing this you will ensure you are paying the lowest interest rates for most of your debt, this way you will be paying back less every month.

Interest rates and cash back offers

If you cannot consider this option then you may want to look into applying for another credit card with a low interest rate and a big enough credit limit to cover the amount of your debt. When looking for new cards look at ones that offer a 0% transfer balance rating to avoid any extra charges. One of the great things about new credit cards is that some offer cash back offers, these cards are great because you can earn money towards paying back the debt you have.

Alternatives

If you have a poor credit rating you might not be able to transfer any credit card debt easily. While getting another credit card will not negatively affect your credit rating, unless you default on it, the chances of getting one will depend entirely on your previous credit history. In most cases when dealing with large debt applicants credit history is usually poor.

If your aim is to bring all the debt into one place to reduce your monthly repayments then considering the option of a debt consolidation loan is advisable. When looking for these types of services it’s important that you look for a reputable company who can provide you with a number of financial services, these companies usually have the lowest interest rates and the most flexible repayment methods.

The idea of a debt consolidation loan can be worrying but the loans themselves have far lower interest rates than credit cards and are usually more helpful when it comes to clearing large debts. Unlike a credit card company or a bank providers of debt of debt consolidation loans are less likely to reject your application based on any factors other than your ability to pay the loan back or secure it against collateral.

The risks

Collateral, in the case of loans typically means property owned by the loan applicant – this is why they are sometimes referred to as homeowner loans. It’s important to know that if you default on this type of loan you will inevitably have your home taken and sold to pay off the outstanding debt, so before signing on the dotted line ensure you agree to realistic and manageable monthly repayments.
Often people worry about the large amount of debt they have, all they need to do is remember that no debt is that large that there is not a solution and worst case scenarios such as insolvency agreements can be avoided by taking steps like the ones above. The first step to becoming debt free is to find a solution that suits your circumstances best.

Typically, a person who has substantial savings or income is considered financially free. The money gives them the sense of living life on one’s own terms without constant stressors and financial pressures.

Total financial freedom can involve a combination of circumstances from high net worth to a person with a residual income. When you have enough money invested to maintain a certain lifestyle with little or no work, you can be considered financially free as a result of your net worth. When you have a residual income, an income that includes royalties, you too can be considered free because the money continues to flow without continued effort.

But how do you attain this freedom if you weren’t born wealthy or aren’t an acclaimed author or musician? With a little work and some planning, financial freedom can be attained by everyone.

The first step is to eliminate your debt to pave the way toward your future. When you reduce your debt, you are able to turn your previous payments into savings, investments and a retirement plan, which can create a long-term financial freedom.

It’s important to make a plan to decrease your debt load by reducing your expenses. Perhaps you can refinance your home at a lower rate or renegotiate the terms on your loans and bills. This would lower your payments and free up cash to help pay down other financial obligations. If you have equity in your home, another option is to consolidate your debt by rolling it into a Debt Consolidation Home Equity Loan or Line of Credit. While you essentially carry the same debt load, your interest rate and payments may be lower. When you pay down your credit cards you can get started on moving forward and saving for the future.

Not only is it important to eliminate the debt you already have, but it’s vital to find a way to downsize your expenses and live within your means so you can live comfortably long-term. Essentially, you need to spend much less than you earn.

A few simple daily cutbacks can make a big difference in your monthly expenses. Bring your lunch to work, for example, wash your own car, mow your own lawn and add up the savings over the course of a month. The savings, as much as $200 dollars, can be used to pay off debt or even save for the future. Only then will you secure your financial freedom for the future.

Determine Your Demographic

Who will you be designing your T-shirts for? Knowing your market can help you create a successful business. For instance, you wouldn’t want to design surf-inspired T-shirts and try to sell them to senior citizens in Maine. Keep your target audience in mind when coming up with unique T-shirt designs. As with any business, knowing your demographic is the key to success.

Create Accounts

Designers tend to make the most money selling on eBay and Etsy. Sign onto these sites and create user accounts if you haven’t done so previously. eBay and Etsy will both charge you a listing fee for each item you choose to sell. You’re listing fees will be taken from the sales commission of any item that is sold. You can save money selling on eBay by selling items in lots or posting one listing for multiple items. eBay has fabulous tutorials to assist beginning sellers!

Design Your Shirts

Sites like CafePress, Spreadshirt, and Zazzle allow users to create their own unique T-shirts and sell them for a fair price. You can also open a store on these sites. If your shirt designs consist of only vector images, these sites can be a great way to kick-start your T-shirt design business. All three sites offer T-shirts in a wide range of styles and colors!

Alternately, you can purchase your own equipment. The initial outlay may be expensive, but you’ll have the freedom to create a wider range of T-shirt designs. To cut down on costs, look for plain T-shirts that you can order in bulk. Trendy fashions of today are made using organic and environmentally friendly fabrics! To maximize your earnings, consider purchasing organic tees for your designs.

Create a Website

If you design your own shirts, you’ll need a place to sell them. You can design your own website easily and for little cost, if any. If you go this route, link your site to Amazon.com, eBay and Google shopping to maximize your revenue. Wait to have a website professionally designed until you’ve made a significant profit.

Market Your Designs

Think of creative ways to get your designs into the public eye. Give friends and family free T-shirts to wear when they go to work or school. Offer free T-shirts to sports teams or band members in exchange for an agreement that they will wear them to their next event. Post fliers for your business in coffee shops, pet stores or any other establishment that matches the theme of your designs. Take photos of friends wearing your designs and post them to your Facebook account. There are dozens of ways to market your T-shirts that will cost you nothing!

People have made a considerable amount of money selling their T-shirts online. The key to a successful business lies in creativity. Try to find a niche that hasn’t been flooded. If you can come up with a unique design, and market it to the correct demographic, there’s no reason you that can’t be turning a fantastic profit in a very short time.

Samantha Baker is a small business owner who suggests printed T shirts as a low cost way to advertise.

What’s the Best Way to Eat an Elephant?

When asked what is the best way to eat an elephant – the answer is, “one bite at a time!” The same concept holds true when attempting to save a large amount of money. It is the small, yet consistent steps that can eventually add up to big dollars.

While there are a number of great ways to save money, it can get rather confusing if you attempt to use too many concepts all at once. Therefore, if you narrow your quest down to just five of the best money saving skills you can employ, your chances of success will increase a great deal.

Even Small Change Can Really Add Up

Even though it may not seem like much, make it a habit to save all of the loose change that you acquire throughout each day. For example, every time you purchase something and receive back an array of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, put all of the change in a specific place at the end of the day.

Then, at the end of every month, count the change and deposit it into a bank savings account. While the small amount of daily change is not likely to be earth-shattering, you may discover that you have saved in excess of $100 at the end of each month.

In taking part in this exercise, even if you are able to save an average of only $20 per week, at the end of the year, you will find that you have easily saved over $1,000 – and that’s no small change!

Pay Yourself First

There are times when we all feel that the bill collectors are winning the battle for our paychecks. However, a concept that has helped people save a great deal of money – year in and year out – is that of paying yourself first.

Many people have the benefit of being eligible for an employer sponsored retirement plan. Here, you are able to allocate a certain amount of funds each pay period into your account before you receive your “net” take home pay. The beauty of this type of plan is that it allows you to allocate funds for your future before paying any of your other creditors with the remainder of your income.

For those who are not able to participate in an employer’s retirement plan, it is easy to set up your own account at a bank or other financial institution whereby you can have a certain amount deposited into a savings vehicle on a regular basis.

Do Not Go Into Excessive Debt

In addition to proactively setting funds aside, it is also essential to watch your spending on a regular basis as this, too, can have a substantial effect on your long term financial situation. One of the best ways to save money in this manner is to avoid going into excessive debt.

When you finance items on credit, you are typically charged interest for those purchases. And, if you are unable to pay off your bill each month, the amount of interest and other fees can rack up quickly until over time, you have essentially paid double or more than the original price of the item. Therefore the key here is, if you can’t pay for an item outright, you may want to reconsider making the purchase at all.

Stick to a Shopping List

Even when it comes to shopping for everyday items such as food and household essentials, it is best to stick with a shopping list. In doing so, you can avoid making extra purchases on impulse – usually for items that you don’t need in the first place.

Prior to leaving your home, sit down and make a detailed list of the items that you will be shopping for. In addition, you can save even more money on these items if you use coupons or wait until the particular products are on sale.

Create and Use a Household Budget

If you really want to get a grasp on both income and expenses – create a household budget and then stick to it! In doing so, you will get a precise idea of exactly how much money you have coming in and going out each and every month.

Remember when creating your budget that you should allocate a category for savings. This way, just as with any of your other expenses, you will be able to easily put a certain amount in savings that will really begin to add up over time.

George Gallagher is a finance and education blogger. He has recently been helping graduates find peace of mind with his company’s direct student loan consolidation initiative.

1. Hook up with affiliate marketers.

Affiliate marketing is one the most sure ways that someone can earn consistent money online, especially if you’re an aggressive marketing blogger with a good network of merchants and affiliates who want you to push their links. You can often make incremental money off each link you host that directs traffic to a merchant’s product or service and there’s virtually no limit on the number you can do.

2. Create a blog with a good traffic and sell ad space.

A valuable blog, which is determined by Alexa ratings and other rubrics by which Internet agencies ascribe value to your site, can bring tons of cash. Especially if you website is well optimized with SEO practices and you can create a wellspring of traffic. A blog with heavy traffic can essentially go to web advertisers and say ‘show me the money.’ Since the Internet is the new television, many companies and marketing agencies are quick to display banner ads, popup ads, and search bar ads on valuable niche blogs.

3. E-commerce.

More people are selling things online than ever. If you can find a niche market and advertise well, you can essentially create your own company, use your garage as a warehouse and ship products anywhere in the world while collecting money on the Internet. Obviously, you need to sell a good product or service. But if you’ve got that covered, a solidly designed online cart or store can take care of the analytics for you while you rake in the money.

These aren’t the only ways to make money online. But they are certainly a few of the most common. They also require very little startup capital. In fact, creating a valuable blog is virtually free with modern CMS programs like WordPress. Perhaps your best option is to fashion a business plan using all three of these options, maximizing your chance of getting rich online by the age of 40.  

1. Your Niche Must Be Popular

People look for niches that are already popular with customers. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s no need that your niche should be popular, stylish or smart with the potential to move your business upmarket. Even things that you might think are everyday and ordinary, if leveraged properly, provide the opportunity for a successful niche.

2. Your Niche Has To Be Targeted

People want variety. Even customers of a target niche need advice, products and services that fit in with their other situations. Making your niche too targeted is not necessarily a win-win idea. Allowing for a little flexibility to expand into related or associated niches will help you garner a larger audience.

3. You Must Choose A Niche

Every business opportunity creates its own demand pockets. You can successfully differentiate your business across a wide market without particularly choosing a niche. As long as you don’t clutter your business with multiple and different markets, you can make do well without choosing a target niche.

4. It’s All Too Crowded – No More Profitable Niche Markets

With changing technology and incoming and outgoing trends, everything is in constant motion. There’s no such thing as an over-saturation in any niche market. As markets evolve, new niches present themselves, and players expand, drop out and diversify. Competition is not set in stone, as you can see, so saturation is a myth.

5. There Are Only So Many Profitable Niches

Don’t become a frog in the well. As things evolve and grow, new niches wait to be discovered. Sometimes micro-niches grow around established markets, leading to sudden and new demand in areas you never thought of. Keep searching for newer keywords and brainstorm to identify newer niches into which you can expand and offer greater value.

6. You Must Blog In A Niche You Know Well

You can learn as you go. You don’t have to know everything right at the outset. Think of it as entering university and learning more about your subjects each day. You become more of an authority as time passes. Ask any established niche blogger and they’ll tell you that they learn something out of every post, because of the research.

7. Niche Marketing Concerns Are For Affiliate Marketers

Niche marketing came before affiliate marketing even began. In fact, if you’re a niche marketer, you don’t even have to think about affiliate marketing, unless you’re interested in taking it up. There are so many ways to monetize your niche blog – you can retail, sell information, provide a service and so on.

8. You Need To Be An SME To Build Credibility

In order to build trust and credibility in you as a blogger, what you primarily need is passion for your market. Your intent, honesty, straightforwardness and positive approach will ensure the right impression on customers. If you’re looking at a niche where you can consider yourself as an SME given what you know, your choices will be limited.

9. Your Niche Must Be Small

It’s not easy to find a niche that’s both small and profitable, not unless you throw yourself into research for days. If you’re thinking that a small niche will have lesser competition online, you may be right, but don’t be guided only by that fact. Larger markets are advantageous as well even with the competition, because of the demand and the profitability. Plus, you don’t have to do as much research.

10. It’s The Market That Counts, Not Your Passion For It

Without passion it will be hard to sustain your enthusiasm for the daily task of blogging. Your passion counts. At the least, your niche should be an area for which you feel something. So it’s best to also check with your personal interests when you’re freezing your niche.

11. You Can Only Start With A New Market

All markets are in a state of constant movement, with changing customer numbers, needs and wants. So it’s wrong to think that you’ll find niche marketing opportunities only in markets that are new. Every day a niche market loses players and markets decline and marketers that hold on win. You don’t need to play only in a new market.

12. Your Niche Shouldn’t Be Too Narrow

There’s no reason you cannot succeed in a narrow, highly targeted niche, as long as there’s demand in that market. If you start off in a narrow niche thinking that if it fails all is lost, there’s news for you. Even within a narrow niche, micro-niches form and there’s demand for products and services for special needs groups.

This article is contributed by Invesp.com. Invesp specializes in landing page optimization, website usability and testing services and helps online businesses in increasing ROI of their marketing campaigns.

Repossession does not happen overnight. There are regulations that must be followed by your lender before things reach repossession stage. However, it is important to remember that if you have missed mortgage payments and you fail to take action or choose to ignore the warning signs then losing your home could become a likely possibility.

If you fall behind with your repayments, there are measures that can be taken to help avoid the repossession nightmare.

Contact your lender immediately.

Many people who are behind with mortgage payments do not contact their lender as they are worried it will make the situation worse however this should always be your first step.

‘Pre-action protocols’ are conditions agreed to by mortgage lenders. In this situation, these are set to ensure that the lender must act ‘fairly and reasonably’ towards borrowers in the resolution of any mortgage-related matters.

They must act in a manner that is not beguiling, giving you a fair chance to hold onto your asset. These regulations also state that lenders must consider ‘reasonable requests’ for changes to the date/method of payment from the borrower, following the outlined notice periods at each stage.

It is important to make your lender aware of your situation. You must demonstrate that you are willing to make repayments which are affordable in your current circumstances and you will pay these as often as you can. You could also ask the lender to extend your mortgage term as this will lessen the monthly repayments. Any adaptations to the standard payment procedure which are agreed should be documented in writing.

These protocols are important as if the case goes to court as you must both prove that you have followed them and acted in a reasonable manner.

2. Acknowledge all correspondence.

If you miss your mortgage repayments, you will receive a letter from your lender called ‘a notice of default’. It is important that you read this thoroughly as it provides you will an outline of exactly how much is owed and the action which your lender is going to take.

If you do not respond to this letter or fail to take action to arrange an agreement, your lender can start to take legal action at this stage.Therefore it is important speak to your lender as soon as you receive this notice as an agreement could still be reached.

3. Rent out.

How often do you use your guest room? Renting out a room could boost your monthly incomings and help you to make payments. Many people look for short-term lets nowadays so this could be an option to help you through the difficult times.

Also think about renting the house in order to meet the repayments. Could you go and stay with family and rent out your house for a short period in order to generate cash flow and meet repayments? It is important to check the terms of your mortgage agreement as your lender may not agree to this.

4. Try to avoid borrowing any more money.

Try not to pay off debt with more debt. Borrowing money from a source in order to meet your repayments will be a temporary fix but not a solution to the overall problem. Remember that you will have to pay that money back as well. Instead it is better to look at different methods to manage the overall problem long-term.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Worrying about repossession can be a very daunting time but you should not suffer alone. There are a number of ways of which you can seek help from trained professionals every step of the way.

The first port of call is to acknowledge the problem and make your mortgage lender aware of the situation.

This post was written by John Hughes who is the resident blogger at Best Bonds, a site that provides access to market leading fixed rate bonds and savings bonds.