How to Find a Reputable Gold Dealer

    Finance Tips

Gold buyers edmond ok

The gold industry is booming, and with it there are a lot more people wondering how to buy and sell gold in the most effective way. In 2013, consumer demand for gold in America skyrocketed by 13%, which represents a huge change in the industry’s consumers because there are so many new people involved. Gold buying can be very profitable, but not everyone is suited for such a job because it is also difficult. Understanding how to buy gold requires a high level of technical skill and a true devotion to and passion for this precious metal. There are over 30,000 people currently employed by the gold industry, and many of them share a love for beautiful gold.

One of the reasons there has been such an influx of people interested in gold buying is because gold worth has surged 70% in the past two years. This represents a flourishing market that can be a great business venture for someone who really understands the delicate aspects of the trade. When buying gold, it takes a lot of care and attention to detail, and you shouldn’t buy or sell from anyone because unfortunately the potential for high profits tends to attract some shady people. Most people are reputable gold dealers though, and they are the best ones to work with when buying gold.

If you want to learn some insider tips and tricks on how to get the best deal on your gold sales, keep reading for what to do when you are trying to buy or sell gold. Here are the best ways to locate respectable, trustworthy gold dealers who are sure to provide a positive experience.

  • Find someone who is experienced
    You want to try to work with someone who has a lot of experience because this means they will fully understand the value of different pieces. This also means that they can spot fakes, which could be unfortunate if you find out your gold piece isn’t real, but overall it puts you in a better position to get the best and most honest deal. This also doesn’t mean that you can’t work with new gold salesmen, but make sure they really get the business.
  • Ask about their knowledge of gold sales
    You should ask them a few questions about gold, and if they are truly passionate about this beautiful metal, then they will be able to go on and on telling you all the details of the business. This is important because you really want someone who fully understands and really cares about their trade, and you will be able to tell if they display enthusiasm when discussing the subject.
  • Go to their office in-person to see how it feels
    If you go to an office location that is super shady and makes you feel unsafe, then this should be a red flag that the business might not be reputable. Look for someone who works in a well kept office that seems to be safe.
  • Ask about their verification process for buying gold
    When buying gold, it’s important that the person you are working with have a solid understanding of how to tell real gold from things like gold-plated items or simply faux gold. If they person seems like they don’t have a true knowledge of how to spot impostor pieces, then you should go to someone else who is more familiar with the ways to verify gold purity.

New Jersey Real Estate Partners Plan to Open Third Restaurant

    Finance Tips

American real estate partners’ buildings earn leed

When it comes to commercial real estate, the reasons for hiring real estate partners are often clear: these professionals not only know how to invest in a REIT and other useful information about this type of investment, but are experienced in every aspect of managing commercial property, from choosing an establishment to managing cash inflows and outflows. This experience is often so effective that real estate partners can have a significant impact on their local communities. In the case of one group in New Jersey, this effect has taken the shape of several restaurants that have become key to the area’s culinary scene.

The Restaurant Development Group (RDG), based in Jersey City, has used their trained eye for real estate to launch a number of diverse and unique eateries in their community. Comprised of real estate partners Andy Siegel, Michael Garcia and Geza Gulas, the group currently runs a Southern barbecue-style bar called Lucky 7 Tavern, as well as a Mediterranean restaurant called Satis Bistro. The group is also planning to open a third business, called Raval Tapas Bar and Cocktail Lounge, in early February.

However, the group’s success isn’t only measured in the number of restaurants they have been able to open: in 2012, Satis Bistro won the Critic’s Choice award for “”Best New Restaurant in New Jersey” from the New Jersey Monthly. The restaurant also earned praise from both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. And while Raval’s has yet to open, the RDG has successfully drummed up interest in the new business after offering samples of the restaurant’s Spanish-style fare at a Jersey City event in early December.

Despite their success, RDG says they have no plans to halt their progress. Currently, the group is considering expanding their existing locations in Central New Jersey and Washington, D.C. If you are wondering “should I invest in property,” take their story as inspiration: contact real estate partners in your area today. More like this.

Three Modern Payment Processing Solutions Your Small Business Could Benefit From

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Accept credit cards

For most small business owners, customer payments usually come in only three forms: they accept credit cards and debit cards, checks, and cash. In some instances, checks may not even be allowed if they cannot be examined for fraud, especially in the case of businesses that travel. Cash isn’t an option for businesses that sell their wares online. And above all, more and more customers are using their bank accounts and credit cards to pay for their goods and services, rather than going through the inconvenience of carrying cash or writing out checks.

The good news is that payment solutions are expanding as technology improves to give business owners and their customers more choices when they check out. If you think your business could use a bit of improve in the arena of customer payments — and could stand to make more by offering more flexible payment options — then here are three payment processing solutions you may want to try out:

Mobile Payment Processing

Mobile payment processing utilizes a tablet or smartphone equipped with a card tapping or swiping device attached to it. These mobile devices can be used anywhere with a WiFi, 3G, or 4G internet connection in order to take credit card payments. These devices are encrypted, secure, and 100% PCI compliant to ensure that customer data is not stolen. This option is perfect for businesses on the go and restaurants that want to allow customers to pay at their tables.

Mobile Phone Payments

Mobile phone payments are a growing segment of the payment processing industry, and they are offering more convenience than ever to customers. All they have to do is tap their mobile phones on a device that takes their payments, and they can make payments without their credit cards present. This method can even send receipts right to their phones in some cases without the need to print. This option is especially good for businesses that want to help customers make secure payments without the need to encrypt their credit card data.

Online Credit Card Payment Processing

Finally, so many businesses these days have embraced eCommerce that it’s become a multi-billion dollar industry in North America alone. Businesses that offer their products online have the ability, if they want to, to ship worldwide — so why not collect payments from all over the globe, as well? In addition to online credit card payment processing, many payment solutions companies can also help businesses accept a full list of international currencies, so they truly have global reach online.

Have more questions about your mobile or online credit card payment processing services? Be sure to contact a payment solutions provider to find out how you can provide these new options for your customers. You can also leave a comment below for more information.

How Can Businesses Let Their Customers Use Visa and MasterCard Mobile Payments?

    Finance Tips

Accept international currencies

If you own a small business, by now you’ve likely heard about mobile payment devices. There are two ways that anything mobile can help your business. The first method allows you to accept credit cards and debit cards on a mobile device in your store or outside of it — anywhere with a WiFi connection. The other lets customers pay using mobile payment apps on their smartphones.

Upgrading to these types of technology can be confusing, and many business owners may not know whether or not they need these devices. Here’s a brief rundown of how mobile payments technology is changing the world of retail:

Mobile Payments Using Your Tablet or Smartphone

Many merchants today use mobile payments as a way to increase the convenience for their customers when they check out. Retail establishments often use mobile payments solutions to open up additional check out lines during busy seasons or to take with them on the go if their business travels. Restaurants are also using this technology as a convenient payment option right at the table for their patrons.

By carrying a tablet with you, you eliminate the need for a bulky terminal, and you can accept your customers’ Visa, Discover, or MasterCard mobile payments from anywhere. These additional mobile payment terminals can also be useful during busy seasons, For businesses on the go, taking card payments from customers gives them options beyond however much cash they have in their wallets.

Mobile Payments on a Customer’s Smartphone

A growing sector of the mobile payments industry is the type of mobile payment customers make using their smartphones. For example, Visa and MasterCard mobile payments allow users to store their credit card information on their phones, but without actually leaving the credit card number vulnerable. This encrypted information is stored in an app, and the phone is “tapped” against a device that takes the payment information. Visa and MasterCard mobile payments and other types of mobile payment app are considered a secure option when compared with swiping a card with a magnetic stripe, as that information is not encrypted and is subject to theft from hackers.

Have more questions about how mobile payments can help your business or which type of mobile payment solution is right for you? Be sure to leave a comment below with general questions, and ask a payment solutions provider for more information.

Four Reasons Why People Sell Their Annuities

    Finance Tips

Structured settlement cash out

In the world of financial planning and retirement, the biggest question isn’t just “What are annuities?” The main question is, “Why are people buying annuities, and then looking for structured settlement cash outs?” The simple answer here is that annuities aren’t always the greatest investment, and many people only find out about the downfalls of their annuity after buying it. For starters…

  1. First of all, inflation is naturally going to occur no matter how much you invest or how strong the economy is; settlement annuity payments rarely — if ever — take inflation into account when calculating the monthly payments you’ll receive. In other words, although you’ll get the same amount of money each year during retirement, you won’t be able to do as much with it.

  2. It’s possible to buy an annuity that gives increased payments over time — these are called percentage increasing annuities, and although they seem to solve the problem of inflation, the remaining problem is that you’ll end up getting much smaller payments at the outset (and if you happen to die soon after you start receiving payments, you’re out of luck).

  3. In fact, as grotesque as it might sound, the issue of how soon you (and/or possibly your partner) die after you start receiving settlement annuity payments can be a major problem, too. Level annuities promise to give you payments each month until you die, but if you happen to pass away just a year or two after you start receiving your money, then the rest of your investment will go to the annuity/pension company. Fixed annuities give you a bit more control over your money by promising a specified amount each month until your money runs out, but if you happen to out-live your money, then you’re left to your own devices as far as finances go.

  4. Taxes are another problem: although your lump sum investment won’t be taxed while it sits in your account, once you begin receiving payments, those payments will be taxed just like a regular paycheck would be. Unlike a regular paycheck, the most common annuities aren’t adjusted for inflation (and consequently for tax increases), meaning that it’s incredibly difficult to plan for how much money will be taken out of your regular payments.

So what do you think? Are these downfalls still pretty minor, compared to the benefits of annuities? Or are they enough to convince you that annuities are the worst? More on this topic.

Home Equity Loans 101

    Finance Tips

In some financial hardships, you result to your assets. Some situations demand that you consider refinancing as a way to get you back on your feet when in a bad financial status. The loans, especially from a middle market private equity firm, provide property owners access to quick money when the need arises.

Can you use home equity to buy another property? Can you use your home equity to buy another house? As an investor, you can use the home equity loan as a down payment for a second home. The first home becomes collateral. It is vital to note the following when drawing equity from your home; there are ways you can increase the equity of your home.

To get a high value to draw equity from house ownership, pay your mortgage earlier than anticipated. Take advantage of the fluctuations in the home market. There is increased home equity to draw from your home when the market value of your house is high.

When shopping for home equity loans, obtain quotes from several lenders to compare the interest rates. Consider the loan application fee; in most cases, the fee paid as the application is non-refundable when you fail to qualify for the loan after a low credit score.

Online banking savings rate

Let’s get this out of the way first: In a perfect world, everyone would have enough money to pay for the things they need and want, and no one would have to spend hours just to find a bank or mortgage company that provides loans with reasonable interest rates, or the best mortgage rates that won’t cause too much stress. Nobody particularly wants to be in a financial situation where they need to take out a loan or a mortgage on their home, but these things happen all the time — and financial agreements like home equity loans actually help countless people get back on their feet and become financially stable.

So what exactly is a home equity loan?

The “equity” of your house is the amount of money left when you subtract how much you owe on your mortgage from the price at which you could sell your house. This is the amount of money, in a home equity loan, that you could receive in the form of a loan or a line of credit.

The most common way to go about a home equity loan is to do some research, and maybe even seek help from a financial consultant, before you make any big decisions. You can get home equity loans from pretty much any financial institution that offers traditional professional loans and/or home mortgages — e.g., banks, credit unions, specialized mortgage companies, private lenders, etc.


The average amount of money that people are able to take out in these loans is around 85% of their home’s total equity, and like any other type of loan or mortgage, interest rates always apply and always depend on each homeowner’s particular situation. Again, just like other types of loans, home equity loans usually involve the lender paying out a lump sum of cash to the homeowner, as per the loan agreement, and the homeowner will have to pay that amount back in monthly installments.

When it comes down to the basic facts, home equity loans are actually pretty simple to understand, especially if you have a knack for understanding finances and loan agreements.

Now the conversation is turning over to you — is there any important info about these loans that we left out? Make sure to share your insights in the comments section! Read this for more.

Why Online Pharmacies Are So Dangerous

    Finance Tips

Pos pharmacy billing

Have you ever heard about something called an “online pharmacy”? It’s a pretty straightforward concept — it’s a business run entirely online, and it allows people to buy prescription drugs online and have the drugs sent right to their doorstep. If it sounds a little sketchy to you, your head is in the right place. Because as simple as these pharmacies seem, they actually present quite a few dangers to the health and wellbeing of their customers.

Because the FDA has such a hard time regulating these online pharmacies, it’s pretty to find that they sell unapproved drugs that aren’t legally supposed to be sold in the U.S., and they also tend to send out medications with the incorrect ingredients or with the wrong amount of the active ingredient. Even if these incorrect prescriptions are sent out by mistake (which is pretty unlikely), customers still have no way of knowing that they’re taking the wrong medication — until something serious happens, of course.

Unfortunately, either people aren’t aware that online pharmacies are so dangerous, or they’re simply willing to take the risks (either for financial reasons or for convenience). In fact, the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest has recently estimated that about $75 billion worth of counterfeit drugs — like the ones provided by online pharmacies — are sold every year. Scare tactics clearly don’t work well, and it seems like no amount of government laws and regulations can ameliorate the situation either.

So what can you do to make the prescription drug industry safer?

If you’re a consumer, the easiest thing to do is to stay away from these pharmacies and to encourage others to do the same.

If you run a pharmacy yourself, think about making some technology upgrades and product changes so that your customers will actually enjoy filling their prescriptions at your store. Something as simple as replacing an old cash register with a new retail pharmacy POS system can make a huge difference: transactions will be faster, creating customer loyalty programs will be easier, and pharmacy POS systems that automatically track sales trends will help you figure out which products your customers really want.

It may be difficult, if not impossible, to track down every online pharmacy and shut it down. But by working together, it may be possible to push these sketchy companies right out of business. Helpful links. Reference links.

One of the Biggest Problems in Modern POS Systems

    Finance Tips

Retail pharmacy point of sale

If you own a small business and have to manage a POS system on your own, being able to detect and solve problems (or find someone who can solve them) is extremely important; it doesn’t matter if you own a restaurant and use a general POS software, or if you own a small local drugstore and rely on a specialized retail pharmacy POS system — being sure that your system is safe and secure is essential for a successful business.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of the most common problems that business owners have with a POS system…

Security Breaches

With so many national chain stores experiencing security breaches in their POS systems, the silver lining is that more business owners are becoming aware that their own systems could use some updated security protection. If you start seeing weird files appearing or (ironically) you see an influx of warning messages pop up that suggest you should update the security system on your devices, those are two solid signs that dangerous malware (i.e., a computer virus) has gotten into your system.

Most newer POS systems come with round-the-clock support, and many companies offer to send out updated security features as they’re developed. It’s no secret that security companies are usually only able to create security programs against viruses after hackers have already sent out the malware, so if you have a secure system but still suspect that it’s been infected, that’s fairly normal.

The most important thing you can do is simply be aware of malware signs, and if you suspect that something is wrong, never hesitate to call an expert for help. Read more like this.

The Advantages of Enrolling in a Debt Relief Program

    Finance Tips

Debt relief new york

The holiday shopping season is almost in full swing, and soon, Americans will be spending their hard-earned dollars on finding the perfect holiday presents for their loved ones. The National Retail Federations holiday spending forecast for November and December is bright, as consumers continue to gain confidence in the post-recession economy. Consumer spending is slated to increase at least 4%, with the average shopping spending $804, up from $767 from last year.

However, the holiday season can be a difficult time for those who are struggling with debt. Even those who are not in debt can quickly rack up thousands in credit card debt by not adhering to a spending plan or budget. As such, it’s important to help with debt and debt advice in order to have a happy holiday season that won’t stretch your finances beyond their means.

Debt relief programs offer a number of flexible debt relief options and solutions for those who in need of regaining of control of their finances. Don’t prejudge your financial situation. Debt counselling matches the right debt relief services with your financial needs and goals.

In addition to relief options, debt relief programs off expert financial planning advice, allowing you to make better, more informed financial decisions in addition to planning for your future. Visit here for more.

What Services Can Payment Processing Companies Offer Your Business?

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Prepaid debit and credit cards

Although it still happens, it’s usually rare for businesses to only accept cash. Doing so not only limits the amount that customers can spend in their store (dependent upon what they have in their wallets, but it also creates a major inconvenience for shoppers who predominantly use credit and debit cards. However, thanks to all of the benefits that credit card payment processing includes, customers can have more options for payment when retail establishments, restaurants, and other businesses have the right technology in place.

Just what types of services does payment processing include? Here are a few common ways that businesses can accept credit cards and debit cards thanks to advances in technology.

  • Mobile Payment Processing: No longer do businesses need bulky cash registers at their counters. They now have the opportunity to accept credit cards on mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. This is especially useful for businesses that want to open up more checkout lines anywhere in the store or for restaurants that would like to offer their customers the chance to pay at a table.

  • Mobile Phone Payments: This option is a growing industry in the payment processing world. Mobile phone technology allows customers to pay at retail businesses using contactless devices to transfer funds. A good example of this is Apple Pay for iPhones; however, there are other retailers and companies developing their own versions of these apps.

  • Online Payment Processing: Finally, eCommerce, or online retail, is expected to reach over $1 trillion in revenue by 2015. Businesses that have expanded online need to have their payment processing include the ability to accept as many international currencies as possible all while providing low transaction fees. Online payment processing companies can also provide fraud protection and other risk management for these businesses.

Have questions about payment processing? Be sure to speak with a company that offers these services. You can also leave a comment below if you’d like to know more about these cutting edge payment solutions.