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Credit Union Auto Loans – 7 Keys to a First Time Buyer’s Approval

Credit union auto loans are great for first time buyers in need of money for an upcoming vehicle purchase. In fact, credit unions are usually the best source, because they will typically offer rates and terms to first time buyers that can’t be found with other auto lenders.

Unfortunately, not all first time buyers will qualify.

Here are 7 key factors that credit unions consider in their auto loan approval process:

1) Your Credit Rating

There are essentially four credit situations a first time buyer will be in:

Toughest – i) No credit with collections, i.e. medical, cell phone, utility, judgements, tax liens, etc.

Tough – ii) Absolutely zero credit, no good and no bad.

Easier – iii) Limited credit with short history. You might have a small credit card(s) and/or under two years history.

Easy – iv) Long history, but no prior auto loans. You may have had auto loans in the past, but they are older and no longer show on your credit file.

2) Are You A Current Member

It’s not always necessary to be a member prior to applying for a credit union auto loan, but credit unions have been known to stretch a little for their existing members.

The longer you have been a member, the more money you have in your account and your monthly activity, i.e. regular monthly deposits, all may help when making a decision on a border line application.

3) Your Total Down Payment

Many first time buyers are able to get approved for a credit union auto loan with no money down, but the other factors on this list will be looked at more closely.

It will definitely help if you are able to show your commitment to the vehicle with a large down payment. Credit unions look at large down payments as glue. The more money you have invested up front, the more “stuck like glue” you will be to the vehicle and therefore, it will be that much harder for you to walk away from the vehicle in the future.

4) Your Employment Stability

Most credit unions will want to see a minimum of 12 months on the job, with 18 months being preferred. Often times they will consider how long you have been in the same line of work, if you have had multiple jobs over that time period.

5) Your Ability To Repay The Auto Loan

This is usually figured using a Payment To Income (PTI) ratio and a Debt To Income (DTI) ratio. In order to get approved for a credit union auto loan, most first time buyers will have to have a PTI equal to or less than 15-20 percent of your gross monthly income.

Your DTI takes into account all of your monthly bills, including your new auto loan payment, and will typically need to be equal to or less than 40-45 percent of your gross monthly income.

6) The Vehicles Age and Miles

Not all, but many credit union auto loan approvals will be affected by the vehicles age and miles. Most of the time they will be flexible on the age and not quite so restrictive, but many will not finance vehicles with over 100,000 miles.

If vehicles with 100,000 miles or greater are allowed, then they will often times want to finance for shorter terms, which in turn can impact your monthly payments.

7) The Total Amount Financed

The sky is certainly not the limit when it comes credit union auto loans for first time buyers. Most credit unions will cap the total amount financed at somewhere between 8,000 and 12,000 dollars.

Prior credit history will typically be the biggest factor in determining how much a credit union will loan you and this total amount financed range is usually reserved for customers just starting out with a limited credit history.

Summary

Not all of the factors above need to be met in order to get approved for a first time buyer auto loan, but the more the better. You can lack in one or more areas, but make up for it in another.

In my opinion, all first time buyers should consider a credit union auto loan as their first source for money when buying a vehicle. They typically offer the best rates and the best terms, while at the same time allowing you to establish a solid history with a lender you may do business with for many years to come.

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Modern World Technology – Emerging Trends Are Fun And Profitable

Technology in the modern world of today is nothing less than fantastic. For men, technology brings out the little boy inside that is filled with wonder and excitement. Women have embraced the modern world of technology, faster and to a deeper level than their male counterparts.

Few men are a match for a woman texting on her droid while emailing her year-end reports to the CEO. Few segments of our lives have not been impacted by the viral spread of technology. You can’t walk into a fast food restaurant and place an order or get your change back without observing a PC type unit that handles the order, alerts inventory control, records accounts receivable and accounts payable of impending impacts on the bottom line.

It’s all about emerging technology is a modern world that spreads from sea to sea and recognizes no borders.
Young and old are adopting technology through soon to be obsolete PCs and touch screen automobiles and even refrigerators that keep track of food items for the home’s inventory and grocery ordering module. Let’s look at the rise of the Internet. From its modest beginnings at the mouth of the information technology river to the massively robust communication animal of today, information technology is as commonplace today as yesterday’s hand-held calculator.

Truly the modern world has caused even old-timers to move with the times, albeit at a very basic level. For many people throughout the universe, the Internet has become a melting pot in ways that surpass any limited thinking related to cultures and language barriers. The reality of modern world technology is the Internet is rapidly morphing language and sound and light into a type of universally understood new language.

Visit any country and you will find an Internet cafe, even if you have absolutely no grasp of the local language. Internet technology is just one facet of modern life but one would be deeply challenged to find any other single application of technology that is as widespread and universally accepted. Internet technology is about meeting people.

It’s about sharing information about news and sports and history and entertainment and all cerebral points in between. Let’s say you were in a skiing accident with two serious sprains that required you to stay inside for 30 days. As long as you had access to Internet technology you could handle all of life’s necessities with just the tips of your fingers.

For example, if you need food, you’ll be able to order it on the Internet. If you need someone to stop by to fill your prescriptions and then deliver them back to your door, you can tap out your orders directly to the Internet.

We’re talking, food, drink, meds, companionship, and even medical assistance if you need it. And how about the opposite side of the coin so to speak. Our examples have been mostly individualized toward creature comforts and favorite pastimes.

But how about your entrepreneurial pursuits? For example, wouldn’t it be possible to run a company completely by way of the Internet? Is not Internet technology flexible and adaptable enough to handle the operations of most types of businesses?

It would be unusual for anyone to answer those questions with anything but a resounding YES! Whether your business is washing and polishing cars or baking fine cakes for royalty, if your business is to be profitable for the long term, Internet technology must play a role.

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Good Dog Food That Promotes Dog’s Health and Longevity

For most dog owners the question of what is a good dog food often creeps up in one form or the other as dog owners are desirous of feeding their dogs with the best meal possible. However there is not a single answer to the question of what is a good food but rather there are certain things that define food that is considered good and healthy.

When we talk of good and healthy food we do not in any way imply that certain food or brands are the best since the food that may be good for one dog may not be well suited for another. What this clearly means is that dog owners have to strive to uncover the food that is really good for their dogs, which is the food that your dog likes and also healthy for him or her. This combination is very important because your dog may like a particular food that may not exactly be healthy for him or her, for instance if your dog is reacting to a particular type of food and yet it is evident to you that he likes the food then it is only wise on your part to discontinue the food.

Every healthy dog food should have quality protein and high moisture content which helps to prevent organ failure such as kidney failure.

It is very important that a dog’s meal be nutritionally balanced because nutrition deficiencies in dogs will show up a whole lot quicker than in humans.

Some general helpful tips in choosing healthy food ingredients:

  • Must be rich in meat content that is more than half of the ingredients must be meat or meat related.
  • A healthy food should not contain too much filler and no by products.
  • It must not contain carcinogenic preservatives.
  • Healthy food must include high quality grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, barley and not wheat or corn.
  • Food that contain artificial coloring should be avoided.

Feeding your dog on high quality food means that he eats less in comparison to when he feeds on low quality food since he will try to eat more in order to get more nutrients from the low quality food.

Feeding on high quality food not only means better insurance for the health of your dog but also his body is able to use up more of the quality nutrients in the food which means less to expel the other way as compared to feeding on low and poor quality food.

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Affordable Auto Insurance – Helpful Information on Auto Insurance

There are different rates on auto insurance affected by factors like the cost of the car, what features it has especially regarding security and the driving skill of the owner. Many customers of auto insurers fall prey to the terms and conditions policy that are included in policy which is meant to extract more cash from the client. A careful look at the quotes would give you an idea about insurers and their offers and and also help you make the best choices.

Not all auto insurance policy provides adequate cover for their customers who would only discover this after some incidents. Many insurance policies are quite alright but select the one that gives you adequate cover at the best rate and which does not have hidden charges tucked in somewhere.

A foolish idea it would be to pay so much for a policy when you have so many other ones that would offer you the same coverage at a lower rate. To help you find a good rate, always compare quotes for the coverage you need. Do not be in a hurry when making comparison on quotes comparison sites. Carefully study the quotes provided online, fill the forms and download on your PC whatever information you are sent. This will help you make good selections on companies and their insurance scheme.

Auto insurance is meant to provide you coverage in case of an accident and or loss or damage depending on your coverage plan so you should not choose a policy just because its cheap. Going for just any cheap auto insurance coverage could turn out to be expensive afterward.

The major reason for online quote is that it helps you find policies with lower premium and good coverage. Local agents would not offer you a 24 hour service but you can always rely on online service providers as they are accessible round the clock and provide prompt services. With auto insurance quotes, you are sure to find an insurer that would suit your need. When you have decided on a policy that suits you, you then can sign up. This would help you gain lower rates.

Here in the united states, Alaskan law on auto insurance and driving is the most stringent. The many pre- requisites on coverage makes getting auto insurance policy in Alaska difficult. Alaska also has one of the highest rates on policies. Customers of auto insurance in Alaska should have to make serious researches in order to find a comfortable policy.

Third party auto insurance policy only cover the damages done on the vehicle you hit and also those injured in the process and not you. This means the insurance company would pay a substantial fee for medical and damages caused. These should make you look for auto insurance policy that provide additional coverage. Of course these will surely increase your rates on.

If you are in Alaska and you want an auto insurance policy that would give you a better coverage then a comprehensive auto insurance policy will do for cover against theft, accident, arson e.t.c. So many insurance companies operate in the United states so you can make comparison on quotes comparison sites to find out the insurer and policy that is best suitable for you.

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The Impact of Technology on Business Environment and Society!

The tremendous technological growth that we have been experiencing is made possible through extensive programmes of technological research being conducted by many types of researchers working within universities, business, and non-profit research organizations. Technological developments are strong and all pervasive forces of the business environment. Technology is the scientific knowledge to practical problems.

Technology feeds on itself and it affects business in two major ways:

  1. Through its impact on society in general
  2. Through its direct influence on business operations and activities.

Technology affects society. In fact, we feel its effect on our everyday life. It affects economic growth, our standard of living and our culture. However, some of the effects of technology are highly beneficial and some detrimental. One should be careful that these effects on members of the society in turn affect business practices.

Technology affects our everyday life. We are surrounded by so much of technology, that we take it for granted and usually do not realize how much it affects us until we have to do without electricity, water, transport or telephone. Technological developments have raised the standard of living. In spite of inflationary pressure and considerably a high degree of unemployment, generally families eat better, wear a wider variety of clothing, and live in more comfortable homes.

Technology also influences basic aspects of our culture, including religion, education, mobility, health care, art, language, laws and their enforcement. For example, technological advances in health care allow physicians to treat their patients in a virtual environment through video conferencing, which again is helpful in legal environment too for the judges to proceed with investigations on hard core criminals, who need not be produced before the court for security reasons.

Every new technology is a force involved in creative destruction. Say, television hurts movies, synthetic fibres, rival for cotton fibre. The discovery of new technology even sometimes affects economic growth-TV with its high entertainment value takes away productive hours of mankind. Each new technology creates major long term consequences, that are not always foreseeable. How do you justify nations spending more money to develop missiles, nuclear weapons and bombs for the sake of security?

Developing nations have to buy technology from foreign countries, as they are not resourceful in terms of capital needed for Research and Development, expertise, patents, licenses, equipments and so on. This transfer of technology involves huge costs as a result of which a vicious circle is formed, in which weak technology creates dependence and dependence creates weakness.

The recent trend can be enumerated through this slogan, “Conserve, reduce and recycle”. The stress today is on clean production measures, advanced robotics, zero-emition vehicles, material recycling and alternative fuels and materials. This change towards love for environment by the technologists is a sure sign of positive development.

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Reducing Waste Is Good Business For Food Processors and Manufacturers

Food processing and food manufacturing facilities are a critical part of the U.S. economy so it makes sense that their commitment to reducing waste is critical to building a greener, healthier society. Unfortunately, many in the food industry remain unaware of the opportunities available to reduce waste and save money. In fact, substantially cutting waste by diverting it to productive uses is very achievable.

The impact of food waste really cannot be overstated. Consider this: landfills are the biggest source of methane emissions, and methane is one of the most dangerous and harmful gases that contribute to climate change. In fact, methane is 23 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. Unfortunately for food processors and food manufacturers, in the U.S., organic waste is the second highest component of landfills.

According to a study issued by the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, 4.1 billion pounds of food waste were sent to landfills in 2011, just 8.5 percent of the 48.1 billion pounds of food waste generated by the manufacturing, retail and wholesale sectors. The biggest culprit in industrial bakeries is the wrapping machine, which accounts for 70% of the waste from those facilities.

Sustainable waste management makes good environmental and business sense. Of course, the highest – or best – use of food products is to use them as they were intended to be used: as food. Failing that, the next highest use would be as feed for animals. After feed, compost would be the highest use. Landfill is the last option, or, in stark layman’s terms, the last resort. Using on-site organic waste processing technologies and implementing a recycling program allows companies to achieve a significant waste diversion.

The benefits to the food industry of reducing food waste are:

  • Ends wasting large quantities of recyclable raw ingredients.
  • Improves profitability
  • Reduces waste disposal fees.
  • Markets the establishment as environmentally conscious.
  • Helps close the food waste loop.
  • Reduces the need for more landfill space.

Food manufacturers and food processors that get on board save themselves money and come out as heroes to consumers. Not bad.

The high cost of commercial organics collection can be reduced through the development of localized organic waste processing capacity. Organic waste can be disposed and collected separately and sent to a compost facility for conversion to compost, or anaerobic digester for conversion to renewable energy. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from commercial waste and provide fertilizer and clean, renewable energy.

It’s possible to keep food waste out of landfills. Diverting food waste to other, more valuable uses is the answer. The industry must work continuously to decrease the amount of food waste sent to landfills, in order to reduce the expenditures of waste disposal and help meet corporate sustainability expectations. And when companies are able to find innovative ways to put their waste to work, profits go up.

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Top Michigan Auto Accident Lawsuit Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

These five mistakes are most often made by auto accident victims during a lawsuit, playing a crucial role in hurting good people with legitimate cases. This article is intended to help honest people avoid making innocent mistakes that insurance companies and defense lawyers can exploit to avoid responsibility for damages they owe.

Mistake #1: Waiting too long after your auto accident to talk to a lawyer

There is a one-year time limit to apply for benefits in Michigan for a first-party no-fault case. Michigan no-fault law covers important auto insurance benefits such as wage loss, medical bills and mileage, replacement services (chores, help with children) and attendant care (nursing services), based upon the severity of your personal injuries. In Michigan, medical bills are generally paid by the car accident victim’s auto insurance carrier. If you do not apply in time, you will not be able to receive your benefits.

In addition, when auto accident cases are referred too late, critical and debilitating injuries are frequently missed, and documentation of injuries is disregarded. Sometimes car accident victims don’t understand how serious their injuries are, and therefore, do not seek appropriate treatment. Treatment for personal injuries from auto accidents is not only necessary for proper recovery, but creates a record of the injuries, which is necessary to meet Michigan’s injury law for recovering damages in an auto accident case. Additionally, all car accident injuries (even minor ones) must be documented on your Michigan no-fault application for benefits. A person who suffers injuries in an automobile accident but who fails to give specific notice of each of those injuries to his no-fault insurance company within one year can later be barred from having the insurer pay medical bills.

Regarding a truck accident case, critical documents to prove liability can be destroyed within months. For example, if a truck was involved in your accident, a trucking company is only required to keep the bulk of their records concerning a truck accident – no matter how serious the injuries or even if someone was killed – for a very short period of time. The destruction of these and other incredibly important pieces of evidence in serious truck accident cases is not only legal, but commonplace. If a lawsuit is not filed in a timely manner, these documents that are vital to proving negligence on a truck company’s behalf will be legally destroyed, and that can devastate a truck accident case.

Mistake #2: Not considering first impressions and Internet activity during pending lawsuits

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, but auto accident victims with pending personal injury lawsuits should also remember that some opinions, whether political, religious or social, can offend or turn off jurors who do not share the same views. If there’s one universal truth about winning trials, it is this: Juries tend to help people they like, and tend to punish people they do not like. Plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits must keep this in mind.

Please consider the recording you leave on your cell phone or answering machine. An insurance adjuster will likely be calling you repeatedly, and if she finds something questionable or offensive, it can affect how that insurance adjuster handles your claim.

Of course, in the realm of innocent mistakes that car accident victims can make, your answering machine message is pretty minor in comparison to say, posting certain information on MySpace or Facebook. For example, a victim who was disabled with closed-head injuries from a truck accident posted pictures of themselves skiing or hiking on an online social networking site. These pictures are completely innocent, and were taken before the person was ever injured in the accident. But the accusation of fraud by defense lawyers can be enough for suspicious jurors who are ready to assume the worst about a person.

Here’s another example: A client neglected to change his message after his car accident, leaving his professional business voicemail greeting, even though he wasn’t working because he was disabled. The defense lawyer used the message against him in court, implying that he was still working and soliciting business. You never know who is listening.

Outside of phone messages, accident victims must always think about the overall impressions they’re leaving, because if a defendant insurance company decides to conduct video surveillance, a jury will see facets of a plaintiff’s life that might have the potential to offend people. Remember, complete strangers may one day be sitting in judgment on your jury. Why risk offending people who will be asked to return proper compensation for your accident?

Mistake #3: Applying for Social Security Disability (SSD) without consulting an attorney

People injured in Michigan car accidents and collecting no-fault insurance benefits are frequently told by their insurance companies and claims adjusters that they must apply for Social Security Disability (SSD). But it’s a big mistake for an auto accident victim to consider a Social Security Disability application or SSD claim as separate from his or her automobile accident case. It’s imperative that you contact your Michigan auto accident attorney as soon as an insurance adjuster instructs you to apply, to discuss how applying could affect your case. For example, if you’re accepted for SSD too soon, it could literally wipe out the entire economic recovery from your third-party case.

In almost all cases, especially when a no-fault insurance company asks you to apply for Social Security Disability, you are required to do so. But what happens next, such as appeals and other actions that an auto accident victim needs to apply, is very case-specific. This must be discussed with your lawyer, so he or she can point you in the right direction to minimize the impact on your existing auto accident case, and to avoid costly mistakes.
The practice of insurance companies requiring the accident victim to apply for Social Security Disability has led to abuse, of which many Michigan auto accident attorneys have become all too familiar: Some insurance company adjusters threaten auto accident victims who want to return to work to apply for SSD as a requirement to keep receiving their no-fault insurance benefits. They urge these accident victims to then re-apply and keep appealing if they are not awarded disability benefits.

The reason Michigan insurance companies are requiring you to apply is simple – it saves them money. But there is no basis under Michigan law to have a person apply for Social Security Disability benefits and then be forced to appeal after a denial, just because a no-fault insurance company adjuster is trying to cut costs.

Mistake #4: Forgetting to take pictures and video of injuries and car damage

One of the biggest problems auto accident lawyers face is that accident victims do not take photos of their injuries. Taking photos is critical. Pictures are objective, credible evidence, and they help to correlate a car accident with the occupant’s trauma; especially when the defense later contests that the collision wasn’t severe enough to cause the claimed injuries. Additionally, taking photos of injuries is compelling. It makes the injuries real, believable and vivid.

Anytime an accident victim has a surgery or a visible injury, take pictures. Or contact your Michigan no-fault lawyer so he can send a professional photographer to document the injuries.

It’s also important to remember to take pictures of car damage. Crash repair estimates are often misleading and don’t reflect the full amount of vehicle damage.

Videos are also great tools to illustrate to a jury or an insurance company adjuster just how difficult normal tasks, hobbies and activities can be for someone in the days and weeks following major trauma or surgery. If you have problems carrying out everyday activities like bathing, laundry or chores, you may be entitled to make an attendant care claim. Michigan attendant care benefits are sometimes referred to as nursing services. Be sure to discuss this with your lawyer.

Why take pictures and video? According to Michigan law, victims of automobile accidents must show impairment – not pain – by proving “serious impairment of body function.” That means that a person can be in pain every day, but if she cannot show how life is different after the accident, it’s unlikely the case will be successful. Pictures help to document impairments.

Everyone knows the adage of a picture is worth a thousand words. And when it comes to getting a jury or an insurance adjuster to understand the hardship a person has been put through because of a car accident or other personal injury, this adage is vitally true. Take photos and videos of injuries and surgeries whenever possible.

Mistake #5: Failing to communicate with your lawyer during your pending lawsuit

The best way to avoid mistakes in a lawsuit is excellent communication with your personal injury attorney. There are so many confusing laws that can trap the unsuspecting and wreak havoc on a Michigan automobile accident case, even when people are trying to be truthful, honest and do the right thing. The best advice remains the simplest: Call your accident attorney if you have a question, and certainly before doing something that can have a major impact on your personal injury case, like filing an application for social security disability, not understanding why an injured person cannot file for unemployment or posting misleading photos of yourself on the Internet.

On another note, many clients hide information, such as a prior drunk driving arrest or poor school grades, because they are embarrassed. Understand in this world of computers and social security numbers, everything can be discovered.

Again, real support in auto accident cases boils down to a plaintiff being credible and likable. Because jurors want to do the right thing, they need to believe something is true in order to be motivated to help.

If there’s any basis of truth to a question being asked, admit it. There is no reason why a client cannot disclose something, and then explain the circumstances behind it. Remember, many things can be kept out of court as irrelevant and unduly prejudicial – as long as you admit to them and testify truthfully. And if you have questions, ask. It’s far better to discuss a concern with your lawyer before filing a law suit than to it is to be exposed in front of a jury.