daily blog

General

Forex Easy Cash – The name itself suggests that this could be one of the programs that could allow you to make money off Forex Markets rather easily! Lot of techniques explained in this program, can be very helpful for beginners. Trust me, as a newbie to the world of Forex trading, you would be at a loss of ideas on how to step ahead. It is here that Chris Williams has decided to help out. With his experience in Forex Trading, he has designed a program that would benefit newcomers for them to make money off the Forex Markets. More than anything, a good amount of knowledge and experience in Forex Markets is guaranteed.

The Forex Easy Cash has been voted “Decent” by a lot of people who have used this product. While they vote customer service as one of the major area of opportunity, they say that using Forex Easy Cash is relatively risk-free. All instructions are well explained and the program works amazingly well.

A lot of people though have not had an impressive run with this software. On the other hand, some have appreciated the simple nature on which the program works. Mostly these are beginners who are looking out for some information and knowledge to help them trade in Forex Markets. This product has a 90-day money back guarantee. The best you could do is – Buy this product, and if you are not satisfied return it (Within 90 days of purchase of course).

Content

This course starts with an education given to the readers on the risks and the prospects of Forex Trading in detail. As a beginner to Forex Trading, you may not all these details completely as yet. Chris Williams transitions you then into the various terminologies normally used in Forex Trading. This is where you gain a lot of information, something that could be useful for you when you start using the program. Trust this program to be used pretty regularly by a person who buys it, and to use it knowledge of the terminologies is important.

Do you have any experience in the Forex Markets at all? If you do not have the experience, no problem as Chris’ book takes you through information in detail that will more than help you in understanding the dynamics of Forex Markets. Pictorial representation of the content enables easier understanding of the content. With such a feature, you would never complain of not understanding content, even if you were a beginner.

The expert advisor software is a great tool that automates the process of determining and evaluating market conditions. Please note doing these is important for a successful Forex Trade. Additionally, the software itself provides a lot of content that can only help you in your Forex Trading efforts. Installing this software is rather easy! All you have to do is download the software on to your personal computer or laptop just the one time when you have purchased the product. Easy instructions and easy-to-understand content provided in this program will never get you seeing the other way with this system in front of you.

Effectiveness

Some aspects like the usage of the program and the user interface still need to be worked on. While these remain as areas of opportunities for the product, one cannot challenge the results using this product gives to its users. With that being said, some people have had some issues getting familiar with the user interface, something that must be looked into rather soon.

With the Forex Easy Cash software, one thing is taken – You can get results if and only if, you are willing to spend some time. You should be able to devote at least 1-2 hours at the start to ensure grasp all what’s been told to you. Importantly, you should want to learn the tips of the Forex Markets. Remember, if you are new to Forex markets, there is still some way for you to go before you get 100% knowledge on the market dynamics. And while you learn, the expert advisor software makes it easy for you in taking decisions by cutting down a lot of risks that are associated with Forex trading. A combination of how much you are willing to learn and the easy execution done by the expert advisor software will be good enough for you to get earning money off the Forex markets.

It surely is not one of the most sophisticated software to use in the market. One thing is for sure though – It is highly effective when it comes to Forex Trading! With that being said, please note you may have some initial difficulty getting used to the software. Spend some time with the software, and I am sure you would get used to the software.

Rating: 8/10

Is Forex Easy Cash the best Forex manual out there? Go NOW to our review of some of the most popular forex trading strategies out there. Do they offer real value or are they just a waste of time and money?

It seems like all you hear about these days is how people are going crazy over these forex robots that have become so en vogue. But do they actually work? Think about it! In all this time that you’ve read about them in forums, chat rooms, etc….. have you ever know anybody who had success with them trading in a real (not demo) account? My guess is you haven’t.

Have you ever noticed that the ones you do hear about having success in the demo accounts, the moment they are traded on a real account with real money, the account crashes. Funny how that works, huh?

The fact is that I, not only wouldn’t trust the robot to trade for me, but I wouldn’t trust the broker I am using the forex robot on. Forex brokers (all brokers for that matter) are renowned for their questionable trading policies (e.g. hunting for stop losses), so you could imagine all the questionable tactics they could use on trading robot, which is something you have no control over.

Also, the fact that some automated system can tell you where the market is going to go is absurd. The market is too complicated for a machine to follow blindly based on the parameters of the developer. You think a forex robot has any idea what to do if the Fed comes out and lowers interest rates by half of a point instead of a quarter of a point. It would have no idea. This is something that they just cannot simulate.

John Templeton has been a successful forex trader after learning how to trade price action. Once he understood that all he needed to trade forex was on a plain chart with no indicators, his profits soared. You too could learn how to trade.

As you know, the markets aren’t good right now. People are scared. Every day we watch wild swings and it’s all we can do as investors not to dig a hole in our backyards and bury our money. But not all markets are bad. Many investors are turning to the foreign exchange commonly know as Forex for profit opportunities.

If you don’t have a lot of experience with Forex the trouble is conquering the learning curve. But there are ways to master the learning curve easily and quickly, in fact, you can do it immediately and that starts with a Forex trading robot, bot for short.

What are Forex Robots?

Put simply: a Forex bot is mathematical software that scans the foreign exchange for profit opportunities and makes trades on your behalf. A Forex bot can do the work of a hundred individual stock brokers. Brokers would have to spend hundreds of man hours scanning through mountains of financial to find quality stock picks guaranteed to earn investors a profit. A Forex trading bot runs on your machine and does the same work of a hundreds brokers and does it in a fraction of the time. You can turn it on and do other things while your robot does the picking and trading work for you.

Do Forex Robots really work?

Yes, they work. However, be careful. They are some bad Forex bots out there. I link to one of the top bots out there at the end of this article. I’ve fully tested it with success. It works. But don’t take my word for it. Try the demo version and run some hypothetical picks in demo mode. Would you have made money? Run test picks for a couple weeks and discover your success rate. Is it high? If so, you now know your Forex bot works.

Is this expensive?

No. It used to be. In fact, stock pick software used to be so costly only the biggest investment and trading firms could afford to have it. Thanks to the internet and a dedicated group of traders who are also programmers the Forex bot can be had for about the cost of dinner and drinks. It’s cheap and well worth the investment because Forex bots work so efficiently and with so much success.

Discover more about Forex Trading Bots right now. You can start earning profit immediately. http://www.pagex.com/forex-bot

It time again to revisit alternative financing strategies for business owners needing money. Whether your business needs capital to grow, meet payroll, or to just simply survive, there are numerous alternatives for your company when banks so ‘NO’.

Personal loans are no longer viable options for business owners. Banks have tightened their purse strings on personal credit just as they have with business credit. This tightening typically does not have anything to do with the state of your credit or the value of your collateral. But more reflects their past indiscretions with their depositors’ money. Further, most business owners, over the last two or three years, have already encumbered all of their personal assets, leaving nothing of value to collateralize.

The following lists many alternatives that may still be available to your business. These alternatives allow business owners to capitalize on their previous hard work; be it from building relationships with suppliers and other business partners to closing sales and building a strong customer base:

Using Your Business Relationships!

Trade Credit: It never hurts to work with your suppliers. Ask for better terms; either more discounts or longer time for payment. Here you can reduce your overall costs or allow more time to collect money from your customer before payment is due to these suppliers. Now, your suppliers may baulk at this discussion as they are probably feeling the same pinch as you are. However, impress upon them that it does their business no good (short term or long-term) if you go out of business, have to cut back your standard orders, or are forced to find other suppliers who offer better terms.

In conjunction with trade credit, do all that you can to collect your receivables from your customers, as soon as possible. If your suppliers offer you discounts for early payment, offer the same to your customers (just maybe not at the same magnitude) or offer discounts for cash. This allows you to collect payments faster as well as reduce you costs by paying less for the goods you need to run your business. Just remember, in this type of economy, cash is king.

Using The Strength of Your Customers!

Receivables and/or Purchase Orders: If your business has accounts receivables sitting on its book just waiting to be collected, you maybe able to get cash for those assets NOW. There are cash advance companies (not banks) that specialize in purchasing your receivables. Companies like Bridgeport Capital Service, RTS Financial Services, or Paragon Financial Group. These companies will purchase your invoices for up to 90% of their amount. They will then work with your customers to collect these receivables (saving you both time and money on collection). When the invoices are paid, these companies will refund to you the remaining 10% of the invoice amount. This type of funding is great for struggling companies as these cash advance businesses will focus more on your customers’ credit and business strengths than your.

Many of these same companies will also finance your purchase orders. If you place an order with your suppliers and agree to pay for their goods over time, these cash advance companies will finance these agreements. This could allow your business the opportunity to take advantage of trade discounts (percentages off the purchase amount) as your company will have immediate cash to satisfy your supplier. This is very similar to having a line of credit with your bank but as an individual credit facility for each purchase.

Credit Cards: I not saying go out and get more credit cards. If your business accepts credit cards, there are companies (again, not banks) that may advance cash to your company based on your FUTURE credit card receipts. These facilities are only paid back when your business generates credit card sales. Thus, if you have a slow month, you are not stuck with a huge monthly loan payment. As your credit card sales ebb and flow, your repayment of these advances will ebb and flow in tandem.

Using Your Character!

Need just a small amount of cash to get you by? Try social lending sites like All World Private Funding!, Zopa, Prosper, or Lending Club. These sites create peer-to-peer lending in which ordinary people, who have additional cash, can review your request and contribute to the funding of your loan. The benefits of these programs include getting the money you need, possible lower rates and better terms than most banks offer, and you get to tell your story directly to the lenders.

Similarly, there is Micro-Credit companies. The largest in the US and around the world is ACCION USA. Micro-finance companies limit their total out lay to a maximum of $25,000 per loan. However, most micro-credit funders like to build relationships first with their borrowers. Thus, they may only approve smaller amounts in the beginning and increase your loan amount as you pay back each facility. These companies will also work with startup firms or those that have been turned down by traditional banks and other financial institutions.

Never forget your friends and family. These are the people who know you best and may better understand what you are trying to do with your business. There are many cons with borrowing money from those closest to you but new companies like Virgin Money will help you manage this new relationship. Companies like Virgin will help you keep everything in a business like manner.

Now, while there is a lot of focus these days on traditional banks, most communities also have Credit Unions. Credit Unions are not-for-profit organizations. Thus, they do not have to worry about Wall Street or shareholders. While the majority of Credit Unions have yet to fully adopt commercial lending departments, they should have lending programs in place that will meet your business needs.

Some of these alternative options maybe a little more expensive, overall, then having a single credit facility with a bank. But, they are a sure fire way of leading your company through our current credit drought. The key to success is to do your homework. Find the program that best fits your needs and that will provide the greatest benefit at the lowest cost to your business. Some business owners tend to panic a bit when they begin to feel the credit pinch. It is only natural as raising money for your business is time consuming, time that can hardly be spared in these trying times. But, remember to think about the long term. Don’t just settle on the first source that gets approved, find the best fore you. Be diligent!

Joseph Lizio holds A MBA in Finance and is founder and owner of http://www.businessmoneytoday.com

Economic conditions changed dramatically due to problems encountered by the mortgage sector and global rising of fuel and food.

All of us are very cautious and are always on the look out for means to survive, here are some of them:

• Don’t Panic. How the stock markets behave defies laws of gravity. It goes up an hour and drops drastically in another. Experts advise though that withdrawing your investment money may do more harm than good. Cash out the money if you really need it short-term. Be reminded that through out history bad times come and go. After some time, the market will recover.

• Protect your Portfolio. When you put some eggs in the basket you make sure that they will not break. This is also the rule of thumb for investments. For example, financial experts advise that you check on your portfolios once a year and check how much the balances are. Make some adjustments so your assets are well distributed to different channels. The market volatility is an indicator that people should be diversified with their investments. Factors such as your age and risk tolerance should influence you long term. Remember that the current state of the economy is just temporary. Younger people can take more risks in terms of investing while the older generation must take lower investment risk to ensure better cash flow.

• Do not be Trapped by your Mortgage. The subprime mortgage disaster has affected the whole economy. Homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages should consider getting a long term fixed loan to avoid the voracious rate adjustments that may occur. Getting a refinancing is not that easy today. Lenders have taken measures to safeguard themselves and assets through higher interest rates and stricter qualification guidelines. If you have a good credit score take the opportunity to discuss with your lender better fixed rate loan packages that can be easier on your pocket and in the long term lead to owning that home.

• Pay Attention to your Job. Work hard during these hard times. Companies are on a wait and see situation where they have the tendency to lay off people when it becomes a necessity. Work hard so you will be a valuable asset of the company. Companies will see you as a good investment and will give you job security. If you are on a staff level, monitor how your boss and your department is performing. Knowing where you stand allow you to plan for the future.

• Handle your debt and save. It is essential to get rid of bills and save as much money as you can. In times of great need, you cannot easily rely on the value of your home which has dropped significantly because the economy is on shaky grounds. Determine if you really need something before spending that extra cash.

• Don’t spend on what you don’t need. Tough times should convince you to review your household budget. List down your expenses and strike out any thing which you think is not really essential. Necessity should be considered first before giving into the comforts of your lifestyle. Tighten the budget and put the extra money into your savings.

Blooming in very tough economic conditions involve making the right decisions at the right time. Spending less may mean survival until the economy recovers. For now, being ready for the worst is number one.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. If you have taken a loan out in the UK within the past 10 years it is quite possible it could be classed as an unenforceable loan agreement if any clerical errors have been made. Consumer Credit Claims can help receive financial compensation for these incorrectly drafted loans.

There are lots of sources that you can use in knowing different facts about solar energy. These facts are usually tackled in science subject. Anyway, do you know the meaning of solar energy? Well, it simply refers to as the energy from the sun. But sometimes it is also hard to determine which facts are true and which are just opinions. This article will give you some of the top interesting facts about solar energy:

• Solar energy is considered to be a renewable source; it may not be seen at night but it constantly exists.

• It will not give harm to the environment. It will not create air pollution that has carbon dioxide and some damaging dirt emissions and greenhouse gases.

• The solar energy is very useful in everything. It is capable of drying the clothes, heating water, heating swimming pools, powering minor appliances, powering fans in the attic, producing indoors and outdoors light, and even powering cars.

• The products made from the solar energy can be extremely expensive. Possibly the excessive cost could be the major downside.

• It will be economical to run the installed products. No wonder why, the energy coming from the sun is very free.

• If you made an excellent solar energy system and it generates more excellent energy compared to the one that you’re using, there will be a possibility that some company will purchase it from you.

• You can live independently with the use of solar energy. There is no reason for you to get energy sources from other sources.

• It is so easy to operate the solar energy system, because there is no need for you to connect it from power grid or gas.

• You can easily set up solar energy from remote areas.

• You can still have electricity supply if there is power blackout.

• The best way to improve the energy is to add some solar panels.

• Cars powered with solar energy have slower speed.

• It requires minor maintenance and can be used for long period of time.

These are just some of the interesting facts about solar energy that can help you in many ways. Try to consider using this to save money and help conserve the environment at the same time.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about solar energy facts, please visit Solar Energy Today for current articles and discussions.

Forex, the foreign exchange market, is the global market that trades currency and is largely influenced by the products and portfolios of a person or businesses country. Large financial institutions, businesses, and some individuals, earn millions each day by making careful decisions on what currency to buy or sell.

The foreign exchange market is similar to the stock markets that exist in many countries but instead involves one global market making it the largest market in the world. Forex speculation is necessary because the rate of currency never stays the same. The value of the United States dollar changes each minute in response to the current and foreign events. The same is true for currencies world wide making the entire market move quickly and requiring quick decisions that can make millions.

Many new foreign exchange traders have been attracted by the opportunity to make large amounts of money in a relatively short amount of time. What many do not realize, or chose to overlook, is that there is always the chance that an investor will lose a great deal of money because of bad investments. To avoid making bad choices in the foreign exchange market a great deal of Forex speculation is necessary. This speculation is used to help determine which currencies should be bought and which must be sold.

In the foreign exchange market the major currencies are the United States dollar, the British Pound, the Euro, the Japanese Yen, and the Swiss Franc. These are only a few of the currencies being traded on the global market but they are the ones most often traded. In the Forex market you decide which currency you wish to sell based on its current value and potential to make money while buying currency that you believe will later make you money. Since foreign currency trading is done 24 hours a day with time changes world wide causing overlaps that will eventually affect foreign currencies leading to Forex speculation.

While the Internet and home computer access has made it possible for anyone to enter the world of foreign exchange trading Forex speculation is not something that should be attempted by just anyone. Even with the many classes, courses, and seminars available through the Internet and in real life learning the art of Forex speculation takes time, practice, and experience. Well known foreign exchange brokers have been known to make a mistake from time to time and inexperienced individuals can find themselves in financial ruin if they are not careful.

If you are interested in Forex trading and have no experience in the foreign exchange market it is in your best interest to find an experienced Forex broker to handle your trades. Finding a broker that is experienced in Forex speculation can help make your venture a success. Keep in mind, the foreign exchange market is not a guaranteed way to make money. Research your potential broker and begin with cautious investments. Investing a great deal of money into the fast paced world of foreign currency exchange could lead to a great loss if one is not careful.

This article brought to you courtesy of http://www.privatefxclub.com. We publish the trade desk thoughts of a team of real institutional traders. Visit now for more on forex speculation. Link: Private FX Club online.

Have you ever wondered how much a part of your investments will be worth 10 years from now? How about 20 years? You can easily figure it out without using a financial calculator. Just use the Rule of 72, your financial calculator in investment.

Let’s say you invested $10,000 in a fixed annuity earning 6% a year. In 24 years, your assets will be worth about $40,000. Then how does it work?

And the Rule of 72: Divide the number 72 by the interest you earn, and it will give you the number of years it will take for your money to double. Using the above example, 72 divided by 6 equals 12 years for doubling. Pretty simple-hah! Since there are two doubling periods in 24 years, the original $10,000 would be worth $20,000 in 12 years, and $40,000 in 24 years.

Using this same Rule, an investment earning 8% would double in about 9 years, and a 12% investment would double in 6 years.

You need to remember that a 6% interest rate in a Certificate of Deposit would not work as well as a 6% annuity. A CD earning 6% would leave an investor approximately 4% after taxes. The Rule of 72 would only apply to an after-tax yield. A 6% annuity would be tax-deferred; therefore, the entire 6% would be counted.

The Rule of 72 works best with fixed investments, or those with a fairly stable return. Also, it only works if you reinvest your assets. The Rule does not apply if you withdraw any funds.

You can even use this Rule in reverse. For example, you are 38 years old, and you’d like to know how much you’d have to invest today to retire a millionaire.

Using the same Rule, assuming a retirement age of 65, and an average annual return of 8%, here is how it would work:

Step One: 72 divided by 8% would signify that your money would double every 9 years.

Step 2: At age 65, you want your assets to be worth $1,000,000, so…

Step 3: You work in reverse, going back 9 years for every doubling period.

$1,000,000 at age 65 (your goal)

$500,000 at age 56 (9 years earlier)

$250,000 at age 47,

$125,000 at age 38 (lump sum)

If you invest $125,000 at 8% until age 65 (before taxes), you would have about $1,000,000 at retirement. This amount would change, of course, if you invested more than $125,000, or if the interest were higher, or better still, you started investing a little sooner than age 38.

Depending on your goals, and your age, you could retire earlier or later than age 65. You don’t have to invest a lump sum to retire comfortably. Just have a goal, and a systematic investment plan, and your retirement needs will be accomplished.

Kaushik Adhikary operates http://www.myinsuranceinsiderinfo.com, a blog all about fresh and quality content on personal line of insurance and finance field. He loves giving away Free Stuffs and now giving away Free Memberships to his Newsletter,Special Reports,E-Course,E-Books et. all absolutely free.

For more more valuable informations, Click Here-http://www.myinsuranceinsiderinfo.com

Pivot point trading can greatly simplify Forex day trading. Pivot points provide good reference points at which to enter or exit trades as well as give an indication of the market bias.

You can either go online and download a pivot point calculator or use the free one referenced in the resource box below.

Simply get the High, Low, Close, Open figures from the daily chart by checking the previous day’s candle values and enter them into the calculator.

You can then draw horizontal lines on your chart marking the Central Pivot Point and then the other reference levels such as S1, S2, R1, R2 (S for support, R for resistance).

When pivot point trading it is also a good idea to put the mid reference points in also, M1, M2, M3, and M4 as price often will respect these levels.

The Indicators You Need For The Setup

It is good to have the 15 minute, 60 minute, and 4 hour charts displayed.

After marking the pivot point levels on your 15 minute chart, also show the following on the three time frames:

• The 200 EMA (Exponential Moving Average)
• Do Fibonacci calculations on the most significant highs and lows on the three time frames
• Mark significant previous support and resistance on the 60 minute and 4 hour charts with a horizontal line

Time Of Day

Look for this setup around two time periods:

• London Open (700 GMT)
• London Close (1500 GMT)

The Asian session does not generally cause price to make new highs or lows. Trading orders and flows build up after the open of the European session in Frankfurt and take on new momentum once London opens an hour later.

Similarly, price action often slows considerably around the time of London closing.

Look For This Setup At London Open

Check to see if price is anywhere near M4 or M3 on the upside or M1 or M2 on the downside on your 15 minute chart.

Next consult your higher time frames, the 60 minute and 4 hour to see if any of those M levels coincide with a Fibonacci retracement or extension level, or the 200 EMA, or a previous support resistance line.

If you get a combination of those factors, there is a high probability price will test the M levels and then reverse and go in the opposite direction for the day.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed but the more factors you have coinciding at a specific level around a pivot point, the more likely price will react at that point.

Check to see where a 20-30 stop will put you and whether there are other levels of support and resistance nearby to offer protection and start taking profit as price approaches the other pivot levels either on the way up or on the way down.

Remember, pivot point trading suggests that when price is around M4 or M3 you are in a sell area and when price is around M1 or M2 you are in a buy area.

Look For This Setup At London Close

Now we come to the other end of the trading day which also lends itself to pivot point trading.

Often price will have done its run for the day by the time of London close and a retracement can be expected. However, you need to consider other factors.

Again check to see if price has reached a key level by the end of London close. This level could be around a pivot point which also coincides with your other indicators:

• 200 EMA
• Fibonacci retracement extension levels
• Previous strong support or resistance

Next check your Average True Range indicator for the last 5 or 10 days and see what kind of range price has been moving in. This will vary according to the currency pair. The EUR/USD cross for example often puts in between 76 and 100 pips per day.

Now check the range of the current day’s trading. Has it equaled or exceeded the average range for the last few days?

If so, and if price is at a strategic pivot point which also matches with other indicators, you can enter a high probability trade and catch between 20 and 30 pips on the retracement.

These two pivot point trading strategies occur with surprising frequency a number of times a month.

Practice these methods, get your eyes used to looking for the combination factors surrounding pivot points, and trade with confidence.

Most definitely add pivot point trading to your list of trading strategies!

For a free pivot point calculator, Fibonacci calculator and the best free economic calendars click here:

http://www.vitalstop.com/Forex/tools.html

The powerful 200 EMA strategy – easy for newer traders:

http://www.vitalstop.com/Forex/Advisor/200EMA-forex-strategy.htm

Do you know the important lesson Mohammed Ali teaches us about Forex trading? Read it here:

http://www.vitalstop.com/Forex/Advisor/forex-online-trading-mohammed-ali.htm

Christmas is responsible for more waste and consumption than any other holiday. North American’s trash contributions to the landfill increase by 25% during this time of year – which equates to a minimum of 25 million extra tons of garbage going to the landfill. By recognizing the incredible waste that is generated the urgency to do something becomes apparent.

A truly useful or environment friendly gift that provide some convenience or financial benefits is a better ecological choice. At the same time, you can help alleviate the guilt you might feel during this period of high consumption and travel activities. Here is a brief list of frugal and environmentally sound ideas to inspire you.

For the homeowner – A thermostat control that automatically turns the heat down at night; low flow showerhead attachment; draft cozy (placed in front of doors to prevent drafts) and tubes of caulking or weather stripping. Dimmer switches, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL’s) or hot water tank and hot water pipe insulation kits are also excellent ideas. Yellow CFL’s are perfect for exterior lighting because they attract fewer insects. Consider making an eco-package combining some of these items for the homeowner.

For the gardener – A subscription to an organic gardening magazine or a membership to a seed organization is always an interesting gift idea. Bird, bat and butterfly houses, baths and feeders – or the patterns to build them – are a wonderful optional gift. Alternatively consider composting worm bin, gift certificate to a nursery or a membership with an environmental group.

Give Services – Rather than giving an item that must be wrapped, consider purchasing tickets to a performance, restaurant gift certificates or services such as lawn care, diaper, cleaning, music lessons, exercise or dance classes, tune-up or tire rotation services. Don’t forget to look at dog walking, babysitting, and massage, spas or gyms when looking at gift certificates. All of these ideas will help you support local businesses that you believe in while giving something that the recipient can truly benefit from.

Give Food – Home preserves such as dehydrated or canned foods make excellent gifts. Those that find cooking tasks cumbersome treasure frozen meals. Snack foods and deserts are appreciated by most anyone; keep in mind that purchasing Brazil or cashew nuts supports a tropical rainforests. Baskets of healthy foods are another wonderful idea to consider – especially if it contains samples from local producers.

Books – Most of us realize the benefits of literacy and supporting local businesses. You can do both by choosing to purchase books as gifts this year. However, we can also leave a legacy with a book of our own. This could be a journal, a collection of our poetry, a family tree that you’ve researched or even a family recipe book. Perhaps you might consider including quotes from family members or people you admire and possibly a few favorite family photos.

Alternative gifts – A reusable coffee filter and whole organic coffee beans makes a nice gift for coffee lovers. Consider slippers and sweaters – the recipient is less likely to turn up their thermostat. Toys and games with positive environmental or education values and those that emphasize cooperation, exploration or creative thinking. If you choose to purchase electronics, consider those powered by solar or rechargeable batteries.

The Tree: Give or purchase a living tree for yourself this year (it removes carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, ozone and nitrogen oxides). A living Xmas tree can be donated to individuals with space on their land, the city, schools or parks when the season is over. Alternatively, plant it in your own yard for privacy, summer shade or soil and water erosion control.

The Photos – For holiday photo memories, avoid disposable cameras. Instead use a digital camera and load directly to your own computer and CD burner. Alternatively, use a normal camera using 36 exposure film rolls and have the pictures put on CD’s at the development outlet. Choosing these options reduces chemicals, paper and waste, while you save some cash.

~ Dave Brummet: co-author of the books Trash Talk, Purple Snowflake Marketing and Towards Understanding; co-host of the Conscious Discussions radio show (http://www.brummet.ca)