The end of the year is rapidly coming up on us. That means that it’s once again time to make some New Year’s Resolutions so that the upcoming year can be more productive (and yet more relaxed) than the year we’re about to close. Because people all want basically the same things, many people’s New Year’s Resolutions are the same. They revolve around spending more quality time with family, taking care of personal health and resolving financial problems.

There are many different small steps that you can take in 2008 to accomplish goals in each of these areas. However, one of the most important steps is also the one that people find to be most difficult: paying off debt from credit cards. Credit card debt adds up quickly and those interest rates get us every time. Before we know it, payments to these cards are eating up a significant chunk of our income.

When you think about it, this leads to problems in all of the areas that we’re resolving to change this year. The debt clearly causes a financial burden. It also reduces the amount of time that we get to spend with loved ones because we’re out working to pay it off. And it also causes problems to our health because of the stress related to it. If you really want to make changes to your life in 2008, it’s important to pay off those cards (and any other loans that you may have, too). Take care of it this year so that next year’s resolutions can be about stuff that’s more fun!

Technorati Tags: credit cards, loans

The hours that you spend in the car probably don’t feel very productive, especially if you have a long commute. Perhaps you get your hands-free headset in place and fire off a few phone calls,but for the most part you’re concentrated on your driving. As more people recognize that working in the car causes accidents, they’re turning away from using their commutes for completing business.

But car time doesn’t have to be downtime. You can use your car itself as a vehicle for getting more work done while all you do is drive to and from the office. The way to do this is to turn your car into an advertising machine. Place magnetic car signs with a witty slogan and your website addess on the side of your car so that anyone passing you sees what you do. Add window decals and get custom license plates so that the people sitting behind you at stop lights can spend those minutes absorbing your message.

When you know that your car’s doing business for you, you’ll be able to relax a little bit more while driving. You can turn on the radio and tune out, allowing commutes to really be a transition between work and home. Just remember to wave and smile at people that you notice are noticing your car’s advertising. This shows great customer service even to people who aren’t yet customers.

Technorati Tags: magnetic car signs, window decals, custom license plates

A recent opinion article over at Forbes.com focused on the fact that consumers have to take responsibility for paying off their own home loans. The article makes the very valid point that the government probably isn’t going to be doing you any favors this year when it comes to saving money on paying off your mortgage. But that doesn’t mean that you simply have to suffer if you’re feeling in-over-your-head with debt worries. It just means that you’re going to need to do some of the work for yourself to find the best method of taking care of the problem.

The report notes that there is likely to be a flood of new mortgage applications coming in to lending offices in the next few months. It also highlights the fact that a majority of these applications are going to be from people who already hold a mortgage but are seeking better mortgage rates. This points to an important trend in the mortgage industry: the homeowner’s growing interest in getting the best refinance rates. As this trends grows, lenders will make a more concentrated effort to offer you the loans that you need. Santa might not be slipping a mortgage payment check into your stocking this year but you can still celebrate reduced monthly payments if you’re willing to find the right lender to help you out.

Technorati Tags: home loans, refinance rates, mortgage rates

The holidays can be a highly emotional time of year. As a result, there is an increased problem for people with drug addiction to cave in to their cravings during this time of year. The effect that this has can be devastating to not only the individual suffering from the addiction but also to his or her family and friends. The holidays are a time of year when everyone wants to be surrounded by the people who are important to them. However, drug addiction makes the actual experience of this less than ideal. It can be heartbreaking to see a loved one show up high to a holiday gathering. Try to remain calm and kind if this happens to you.

One of the important things to remember is that the holidays are supposed to be about love and sharing. If you have a loved one who is suffering from an addiction, this might not be the day to deal with the problem. Avoid stirring up family arguments by mentioning drug rehab or other solutions that you hope will come in the future. Instead, spread love and express caring. In the end, that is the feeling that is going to get the whole family through the holidays. There will be time for intervention when the intensity of this holiday week is complete.

Technorati Tags: drug addiction, intervention, drug rehab

Did you know that you don’t have to buy equipment for your business outright? Instead, you can use an equipment lease to get the machinery that you need for your office or home office. This offers a low-cost, low-hassle alternative to the usual search for equipment (and for the small business loans you usually need to pay for that equipment!)

Leasing of equipment is becoming increasingly common as everyone seeks out ways to reduce spending in their lives. The monthly cost of an equipment lease is usually lower than the cost of paying off a small business loan. Additionally, the total cost spent on leasing equipment is often lower than the total cost of the loan once interest has been paid out.

In addition to being more cost-efficient than loans, equipment leasing is generally easier to obtain. Most places which will lease equipment to you do not require extensive credit checks or applications. Although you’ll have to fill out simple forms, you won’t need to go through the whole credit rigmarole that you do when applying for loans at your bank.

So why haven’t you heard more about equipment leasing? Although it’s available for businesses of all kinds, it’s often not talked about among industries. Perhaps that’s because you’re on the fast track to taking advantage of something that others on your block haven’t figured out yet!

Technorati Tags: small business loan, small business loans, equipment lease