It’s been around for 100 years – soccer in the United States, that is, but don’t tell die-hard football fans in Europe or the Middle East. They probably wouldn’t believe you anyway. However, if you get the chance, point them to the US Soccer Federation website instead. It’s all there, a century of history which began with a coming together of like minds at New York City’s Astor House Hotel on April 5, 1913.  

Out of that meeting was born the United States of America Foot Ball Association, and yes, football was foot ball, two separate words. The historic meeting set the foundation for US soccer’s growth and success at all levels, from youth, amateur and all the way up to professional. The organisation changed it’s name and became the US Soccer Football Association in 1945, and then changed once more to its current name in 1974.  

A couple of fascinating tidbits. US soccer was one of the world’s first organizations to be affiliated with FIFA, soccer’s world governing body. When the US hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1994, more than 3.5 million spectators flocked to stadiums in the nine cities staging matches, an attendance record which still stands today. At that same competition, the USA advance beyond the first round for the first time in 64 years with a 2-1 victory over Columbia, an occasion watched by no less than 93,869 fans at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.  

Soccer, football, call it what you will, is big business wherever in the world it takes place. And none are more enthusiastic fans than those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), many of whom follow the big European teams. Major national and international companies are always eager to jump aboard, too, offering huge sponsorship deals in the process.  

First Gulf Bank, one of the major leading banks in the UAE, has just agreed a new partnership with England’s Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) to become the club’s Official Affinity Credit Card Bank Partner. The ground-breaking deal, which is three years in length, will see the launch of the first English football club credit card in the UAE.  

The First Gulf Bank Manchester City Football Club Credit Card is designed with the fan firmly in mind and will provide its holders with a multitude of benefits including special deals on official club merchandise, personalised gifts and souvenirs via the club’s online store.  

Cardholders will also have the chance to win all expense paid trips to watch City play in Manchester and money-can’t-buy experiences including exclusive tours of the Etihad Stadium and visits to the training ground to meet the first team and watch them train.  

Created to cater for City’s ever-growing fan base in the Middle East, the card will also provide a host of local benefits and experiences to cardholders and their families within the UAE, including complimentary kids coaching sessions by official MCFC coaches, special discounts at the official Manchester City School of Football in Abu Dhabi and annual family fun days.  

Card holders can also enjoy exclusive offers on global hotel bookings, access to global airport lounges, complimentary multi-trip travel insurance and buy-one-get-one-free offers at cinemas across the UAE.  

Whether in the US or the UAE, soccer – sorry, football – has surely come a very long way since that far-off meeting in the Astor House Hotel in New York a century ago.

Good cars can come with a hefty price. Most people facing an imminent car purchase find themselves in a rather difficult situation. The necessary funds are not always available on the spot, and this leads to an unpleasant situation to fulfill your possession of your dream car.

Many people think of borrowing money or want to go for cars on finance. Are you in this situation and consider borrowing money? Here are some points to consider before making any such move towards a new car.

Car Loans – Is It a Good Idea?

With a decent credit score, there is hardly any problem with getting a loan from a bank or another type of lender. Car loans represent big commitments, though. Are you convinced you will be able to repay it? Will it not hinder your lifestyle or other important plans? The best way to assess this is to count how much you can save, without having to alter your lifestyle (at least not in absurd ways). If you already have some savings, you can use this to reduce your loan. Also, keep in mind that you are going to spend extra for the car (registration, fuel, maintenance) once you have it. To make things more clear, you can use budgeting tools or repayment calculators you will find online.

What If I Have Bad Credit?

When having bad credit, every financial move becomes a lot more troublesome. Loans are not easy to obtain – unless you know which type of loan to go for. Unsecured ones are usually short-0term loans and these may not provide as much as you need. However, these are helpful when you already have part of the sum you are going to pay for the vehicle. A great advantage of borrowing money this way is that the method is very quick and you will have your funds to use immediately, no credit check required and no questions asked.

Deciding What to Buy

Even when one thinks they already know what they want, a world of possibilities still lies ahead and they are not aware of it yet. The car market is extremely wide. It is important to know your options well before you buy. If you are totally willing to pay for a new vehicle, expect to pay much more than for a used one. Older cars are not necessarily inferior, though. If your budget is not suitable to a new car purchase, your best option is to go for a used one. Beware of mechanical issues, because those will be yours to pay for. To avoid such, it is best to stay away from private sellers.

Selling Your Old Car for Cash

If you already own a car but you are done and through with it, you may consider one excellent funding source is already there in your garage. It is your old car. Many people chose to value this asset and thus obtain significant funding for the new acquisition. Getting used car finance is now simple thanks to car dealers everywhere. The car owner can negotiate and have their car sold. The earnings depend on the vehicle’s condition. If it is fit for driving, it will be sold further. If it is too rusty and old, it goes to scrap metal. Either way, the owner gets money on it.

There are more than just a few options when it comes to finding ways to fund your next car purchase. Borrowing money is not always necessary, nor is it the best move to make. Do consider the advice above, compare thoroughly and choose wisely.

The manner in which 2018 started, many countries have had to let go of their outdated economic policies and actually sit up and take care of the manners in which they can contribute to the speed of the global economy. In this scenario, it becomes highly important that you use a definite plan to secure your business and investments, more so if you are centered around the forex and stock market. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe even when the stock market heat goes beyond tolerance.

The current year has started on a negative note for most investors and business owners of small and medium sized enterprises are worried sick as to how they can survive the failing stock market. US has opened up new jobs for its residents and this has definitely brought in a flood of investments in the economy, thereby making the prospects of the dollar bright in near future. However, you have to be your own guide and ensure that there are no misses in your back up plan in case there is a currency crash in your country. The tips enlisted below are meant for both business owners and investors in the stock market.

Forex Trading Apps: Most investors have a certain forex trading app through which they invest in the stock market. The same is not the case with entrepreneurs and business owners who focus on organizational and marketing literature. Since we have witnessed a whole   new set of happenings in the forex market, it would be wise to download a popular forex trading application like the OANDA or the NetoTrade on your mobile and stay thoroughly updated regarding the latest trends, tips and alerts about the stock market. This gives you a preview of the direction that your target market is going to take, and helps you build correct strategies snce the applications seend in alerts in the form of tips and updates on your mobile from time to time.

Meet up with forex traders more often: Generating a deep understanding of the market is important for investors and business owners alike. Team up and meet with forex traders often to understand in which direction your investments should be optimized and whether there is a neat future for the investments that you already have done. Peer reviews of strategy are always the best way to ensure success of your plans. 

Attend Workshops and Seminars: The best way to stay abreast with the latest happenings and trends in your market is by attending workshops and conferences where fresh ideas are shared through seminars, presentations and workshops. The main target of this approach is to be acquainted with the newest trends and predictions of the economy.

Create your own pinboard: Adding a bit of creativity to your research is always a positive thing. You can create a pin board all for yourself, or your employees and partners where the latest trends, your thoughts, quotes and investing principles are shared with your followers. This way you have all relevant market information in your hands whenever you need it.

Get your trading noticed through online advertising: Make sure that your business and your trading skills are noticed across online portals by sharing across social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and by interacting with like-minded thinkers. There is no doubt that the market response and predictions will get highlighted on your social pages sooner or later, helping you understand what will work and what will not.

In conclusion, it would be safe to say that having a backup plan on your mind that helps you watch the turbulence in the stock market impassively is always the idea way to do business. Therefore, whether you are investing in stocks, trading in forex, or simply securing the future of your business, following the above mentioned tips will help you face the stock market heat easily.

LED wall lights offer a versatile method of lighting a bedroom and emphasizing some of its features. They can be adapted to provide standard lighting for reading in bed or used to illuminate specific spaces and change the mood of the room.

Wall lights as a decorative item have been out of fashion for a few decades. Many people associate them with 1970s gaudy patterned wall paper around a single bare brick wall, and low, often orange or green-coloured pendant lights.

Today, LED lights have made wall lighting popular again. Their versatility in shape, size and brightness allows LEDs to be used as task or ambient lights and change the character of the bedroom according to its occupants’ mood. Importantly, they can be installed to remain safe and cool in children’s bedrooms.

Sconces

Wall sconces available at the Visible Lighting store can be used to frame the bed and give a romantic appeal to the room. A mirror or a picture with an overhanging down light from a wall sconce provides another focus to the room. Sconces with a dimmer can be installed above the bed so that the down light works both as ambient lighting and as a bedside lamp so saving space on the bedside table.

Strip Lighting

Low voltage LED strip lighting produces some spectacular effects when installed along the coving between walls and ceiling, the corners between walls or even around a window frame. Shorter strips will be able to illuminate hard to reach parts of a room. Use strip LED lights under or above coving to illuminate the wall downwards or the ceiling upwards. Change the mood of the room by switching between up lights and down lights. The beam angle can be varied between 30 and 70 degrees for the desired effect.

Use multicoloured strips LEDs to change the mood of the bedroom dramatically. The lights can be attached to a remote control that can change up to seven colours. These can be set to a specific shade or change smoothly through the colours. Wall washing lights at the high end of the market give a uniform light over a large space and enhance its texture and architectural details.

Brackets

Bracket lights stand out from the wall on a fixture. This is the type of wall light fixture where LEDs adapt to traditional lighting styles. A flexible bed head bracket light is an economic and easy to use reading light, particularly if it works with on/off touch technology rather than a mechanical switch. A flexible arm makes it easy to adjust to the needs of the user. As with all LED lights it remains cool when running. This type of light can also be enough to light up part of the bedroom when necessary. It is an ideal solution for guest bedroom lighting.

Larger, wall-mounted LED spotlights with a globe bulb can be used for both task and ambient lighting in the bedroom if a stronger light is needed.

Glass wall brackets give more light than a sconce but can be adjusted or dimmed to provide a subtle effect. Liberty-style patterned glass can give a beautiful stained glass effect, whilst frosted curved glass produces a timeless, elegant appeal.

Children’s Bedrooms

Kids use their bedroom for playing with friends, toys and doing homework as well as sleeping, so lighting has to be fun, practical and safely out of reach. A low voltage clip, wall-mounted LED spotlight over a table will give enough light for play and homework and still remain cool.

Since 2008, fluctuating real estate trends have been a thorn in the side of many Americans. Though times have been tough in recent years, it appears that the worst is behind us. In fact, signs throughout the country appear to show that the recovery process is well on its way.

 The US Housing Market

According to Forbes, the US housing market in August of 2013 was reported as 67 percent back to normal. This percentage was calculated by measuring three things:

The Amount of Construction: While construction was only reported at 40 percent of the normal level, it did dramatically increase from previous reports. In August construction was up 1 percent from July and up 19 percent from 2012.

How Many Homes Are Being Sold: The sale of existing homes was also up 13 percent from last year’s numbers. This means that home sales are 99 percent back to normal.

Foreclosure Rates:  The foreclosure and delinquency rates dropped 8.66 percent in August to the lowest level since the housing crisis began in 2008. This calculates to being around 60 percent back to normal.

 The Philadelphia Housing Market

Like the overall US picture, the real estate outlook in Philadelphia is improving. According to Philly.com, several East Coast metro areas, including Boston, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, are reporting more sales than they did a year ago.

In fact, many people in Philadelphia who are house shopping have found that the lowballing that worked in the past doesn’t get them nearly as far today; trying to negotiate with a low offer may result in people being shut out for higher offers that are already on the table. These high offers, in turn, have the potential to drive up all the home prices in the surrounding areas.

Other signs of life from the Philadelphia housing market, per the Philadelphia Business Journal, include the recently constructed Center City apartment building, which was constructed for $66 million and recently sold for $120 million, and the formation of a plan to help vacant lots and empty buildings sell faster.

Still, the housing market in Philly isn’t fully recovered. While it is better than a year ago, it’s not what economists consider normal. Per the Prudential Fox and Roach’s HomExpert Market Report, April 2013 sales for Philadelphia were 18.7 percent higher than levels in April 2012. The median prices, though up 2.5 percent from 2012, had not reached their full potential. This is particularly true since, according to ABC News, houses typically appreciate between 2 and 5 percent a year, averaging a 3.5 percent increase.

 What This Means for the Mover

For anyone moving to the Philadelphia area, the news regarding the housing market may work in their favor. As it stands now, the market still appears to at least somewhat favor the buyer. This isn’t to say that a buyer is guaranteed to get a steal of a deal, but until the housing market fully recovers, the odds are good that there will be some negotiating room and leeway on price. As time goes on this leeway may disappear and the market will turn into one that favors the seller.

Thus, anyone considering moving to Philly may want to do it soon: pack up the van, look into Philadelphia storage units, and purchase a home while the prices are still good.

Are you going to start a new business? Looking for a reliable accountant service, for your financial records? Why is accountant so important? Before we go in details about Indian accountant, let’s know what accountancy means. Accountancy is nothing but producing a relevant record of all the financial statements or records of an organization or a company. It shows ones economic resources under management control, which is in fact, represented faithfully by an accountant. All such principles of accountancy are applied to accounting, book keeping and auditing as well. As a matter of fact, accountancy – is today’s “language of business “and indeed has become a vehicle, for financial reporting of a business entity to people in different parts of the globe.

It can be seen that accounting is of two type’s, one financial accounting and the other, management accounting, where in financial accounting is for people outside business entity, like banks, creditors, economists, government agencies etc, etc. whereas, management accounting, it is for the people inside the entity of business for making management and operating decisions.  Now when it comes to business, let us know why do people need to rely on Indian accountant or outsourcing?  If you want to expand your business, then you have to go for outsourcing, and understand their frame of law also. In the world of business any kind of accounting, requires sharing of data with the accountant, as a result, you get to know how well are you doing right now and how can you make further improvements in your business accordingly. For this you need to trust the service provider. The presentation of financial accounts is very structured, and is governed under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), IASC, and ICAI etc. Firms owned and governed under such bodies follow strict ethical measures; maintain high data security, and most importantly, employees are made to sign a non- disclosure agreement in most of the firms so that they remain reliable for whatever actions they perform. So, you don’t have to worry about security issues or confidentiality.

The best part of Indian accountant is they provide services for a lower cost and are most reliable indeed. When you are investing so much in your business, things are taken care that you are assured of complete safety and privacy for whatever data you own. So it is a must to use such reliable services for the growth of your company.

Renting a car for a weekend getaway or perhaps while you wait for your car to be shipped to you can be a fun experience. Rental insurance is often not considered important, and only really thought about at all when you are asked whether you want it by the rental agent. Instead of waiting until that point to quickly think about the pros and cons, decide in advance with a little bit of research. Who knows, you may agree with the industry leaders and decide it is a superfluous expenses.

What do you already have?

Esurance maintains that those who already have normal coverage on their car can safely decline rental insurance. A big percentage of people are already covered for rental liability insurance through their existing car insurance policy. This means that adding the car rental insurance that can cost an extra fourteen dollars a day is redundant. You would be wasting your money by opting to purchase renters insurance.

Don’t just cross your fingers you are in that big percentage though. Call your agent directly and see if your coverage naturally extends to rentals or not. If you do look into your current car insurance coverage and find it to be disappointing, get a quote here. If the rental car is being used for personal reasons, the answer is almost always yes. If the car is being used for a business trip or any commercial purpose, then coverage usually does not extend.

Personal accident coverage

This may not be necessary if you have a good health insurance policy. This usually costs about five dollars a day, and can be worth it if you have a high health insurance deductible or poor coverage. Some health insurance policies however will pay for medical expenses related to injuries caused by accidents, and the same goes for some full automobile insurance policies.

Purchasing loss-damage waiver or collision damage waiver with your car rental insurance will typically waive any financial responsibility in the event that the car needs repairs or is stolen as well as covers any charges for towing or loss-of-use. This can be a helpful purchase for some, but it does cost around nineteen dollars a day.

What about coverage for personal belongings?

When it comes to wanting to protect your personal belongings that will be kept in the car, you are probably already covered there too. The options available usually only costs about four dollars a day, bit your valuables that you would put in your car are most likely covered by your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies. Yes – even if these possessions are stored outside the home such as in the trunk of car.

In many cases the coverage available at the rental counter is redundant at best. It can be a good idea however if your current car insurance only covers the bare minimum or if it has a really high deductible. This is the only case where it would really make sense though, so know where you stand before being asked by the sales person.

When the process of negotiation and settlement heats up in your personal injury case, make sure that you chalk out an effective strategy to get the best payment possible under your specific circumstances. Here are the top tips to aid you devise your strategy in this regard.

1: Think Of a Practical Settlement Amount

While preparing a settlement demand letter, it is imperative to figure out a range that you consider your claim is worth of. This means, you need to think of a minimum compensation figure that you will accept. However, make sure that you do not reveal your minimum expected amount to your adjuster. At the same time, it’s not sensible to cling to the amount that you have decided for yourself. In case your adjuster indicates the facts that you have not reflected much (yet, they do make your claim weak), then you might need to reconsider your minimum expected figure. At the same time, if you manage to discover evidences that make your claim gain a stronger foothold, then you can definitely ask for a higher compensation.

2: Do Not Grab At The Very First Offer

It is typical for almost every insurance agencies and adjusters to start negotiation by offering the smallest settlement amount. In fact, in certain cases, they can deny of any legal responsibility- altogether. It is just a tactic they employ to see whether you are aware of what your claim is worth of. Also, in many cases, victims, who are unaware of the worth of their claim, and often impatient to get money, agrees to whatever amount they are being offered. So when the first offer will be made to you, ensure that you judge if the offer they have made is reasonable enough. If it is reasonable, then you can counteroffer an amount that is slightly low than what you have asked for in your demand letter. This will make your adjuster believe that you are also being sensible and keen to compromise. A little bit of bargaining, under such circumstances is sure to result in a fair and amiable settlement.

3: Allow Your Adjuster To Validate The Low Offer

If initially, your adjuster proposes an amount so low that you cannot accept it in by any means, then ask the agency/party to specify their reasons for offering such a paltry amount. Take notes from the conversation. Afterward, prepare a small letter, addressing to each and every factor that the adjuster has talked about. You may need to lower your demand slightly on the basis of the validation of your adjuster’s reasons. But before you re-consider your amount, wait to see if your adjuster responds to your reply. If it doesn’t happen, then it’s time to have a talk with your adjuster, directly asking for a reaction. The adjuster will now be bound to make a reasonable offer, thus allowing you to bargain and settle for an agreeable amount.

4: Lay Special Emphasis On Emotional Factors

For example, if your accident has interfered with your capability to support your child, then refer that point to your adjuster. Such emotional factors can be extremely powerful while settling an accident claim with an insurance agency.

5: Know The Right Time To Hire An Attorney

A personal injury solicitor should particularly be consulted under the following circumstances:

· You will demand compensation for grave injuries: If your claim is beyond a few hundred pounds, then make sure that you hire a professional personal injury attorney to settle you claim. Insurance adjusters are least likely to offer a fair recovery amount to the claimants if they remain unrepresented.

· You are claiming for the future damages: An attorney can help you get your medical expenses covered by the adjusters. Plus, they can also assist you get a fair settlement in case you lose your ability to continue your job due to the injury.

· When there is a scope of fault: A professional solicitor can manage the loopholes and craft the argument to your favor.

There are a number of legal firms that offer their services for justified charges. You might want to contact one of them.

Nowadays, small businesses are present in new landscape of economy which forces out-of-the-box thinking and creativity in terms of financing. Small businesses are the key driver for recovery of economy in terms of hiring, but there is requirement of capital for hiring which is hard to come.

Most of the small businesses get their funding from different sources. Sources depend on the model of your business, projections and the ways of selling yourself to other financial partners. Whether you are starting your new business and seeking some initial capital or operated small business and looking for money for growth, you need to be remaining positive, flexible and vigilant in efforts. Below are some ways for funding small businesses.

Here are five ways to get started with funding your small business:

1. Do financing yourself
Most of the owners of small businesses and entrepreneurs have realised that they have to fund in their projects by own for some specific time till more opportunities for formal funding become realistic. You can accomplish this by many ways like from your savings accounts or credit cards having zero interest for leveraging other assets. If you have believe in vision of yours and you have refusal for acceptance of option failure, you must be feeling comfortable in investing your own money in business. By this, other investors become more comfortable in knowing your skin in business.

2. Family, friends
You can get funding from your family and friends which is a very effective and popular method for rounding up some capital initially for your business. Your closed ones have believed in your vision and ability for making your vision a reality. But, your personal relationships are on risk as if there is failure in business; your agreement will not be properly structured. You should borrow enough money for launching your business into operation, building website and developing additional material for pitch.

3. Loans
In Banks, you can get easy loans for starting your small businesses and they are more stringent as compared to any other methods to give loan. Some companies have specialization to help small businesses in getting easy and quick access to lenders. One of these companies is All Business Loans. Start-ups of new businesses, who seek money from banks, require good plans for business, profitable projections and their own money in game.

4. Angel Investors
There is great success in funding money in this way. It has relation with timings and right contacts. The route of family and friends has opened doors to rounds of angel investment.

5. Programs for economic development
You should check your country, state and municipal offices of economic development which are interested to help small businesses for boosting regional and local economies. According to your business type and location of starting business, these agencies will provide you financial resources like grants and small cash loans online.

The managing credit cards also provide enterprises with ways of financing small businesses in a way that the entrepreneur does not have to ways issues of debt later.

I could have spent this article banging on about how cutting back on fuel usage or shopping at places like Aldi could help to ensure you meet any savings goals, but let’s face it, with a title like weird ways to save… you’re probably expecting something a little out of the ordinary, right? Well, as the good book says “ask, and it shall be given.”

Most of us encounter few problems when trying to save for small purchases of up to a few hundred pounds, but this seriously changes when we begin talking about car or holiday prices. Still, I’m convinced that if you use a little common sense and perhaps even adopt some of the methods I’m about to list, the whole process can be made considerably simpler, and a lot more fun.

Start Collecting Piggy Banks
Everyone needs a hobby don’t they, well, why not make collecting piggy bank yours? Okay, so, you won’t get a lot of money in just one or two, but if you become a serious enthusiast and coat every wall in your home with shiny porcelain hogs, you’ll easily have enough storage space to keep your loose change organised until the end of your natural life.

I recently bought one myself and found it was capable of holding around 20 pound coins at any one time, so if you had a mere 300 in your collection to begin with, you’d be able to save around £6,000 – impressive eh? The best part about all this is that each individual porker will have to be smashed open when you want to release the funds; this will provide both yourself and the entire family with hours of fun.

Stop Losing Weight
Although we probably all agree that being healthy is of paramount importance, regular drastic fluctuations in weight will mean you have to keep buying new clothes, and when you’re trying to save as much money as possible this simply not a good move. So, whether you’re skinny and eating lots, or chunky and dieting, stop now and think about the consequences of your actions.

Always Walk Everywhere
Obviously this will save money on fuel and vehicle insurance costs, but that isn’t really why it’s on the list. Walking everywhere will mean that going to work, coming home, going to the shops and even traveling to see your friends will take a considerably longer time – when you’re on your feet, you’re savings are sweet!

Get Rid Of Your Friends
Yes, we could all do with some conversation from time to time, but do you really need so many friends? Meeting up with only one or two people a week can be costly enough, never mind five or six. So, why not think about decreasing your circle and becoming more like a social hermit? That way, you’ll have to attend far fewer birthdays and spend much less cash. Admittedly you’ll get a bit bored from time to time, but with your new piggy bank hobby to think about, I doubt you’ll even notice.

Well, that’s it from me, I hope I’ve managed to brighten up your day. If, for some odd reason, those methods seem like too much hard work, then you could always bag yourself a quick loan from a reputable lender like www.unitedfinances.com. Even so, I’m predicting the porcelain farmyard animal hobby is going to take off in the US next year big time, but then again, that might just be hogwash!