Forex trading is one of the more unknown forms of training, with more and more people deciding to try their luck every single day. Even if you have never heard of forex trading before, it might be something you want to try your luck at. But before you get into forex, there might be a few things you want to know. You might want to know what the big fuss is all about. In short, forex or foreign exchange is about the buying and selling of various currencies. This is done with the other people who are into this forex trading market. This is done widely, all over the world – which is apparent when you come to know of the fact that forex trading is a 1.9 million dollar a day business. Most of the forex trading is done online, and has gained a foothold as one of the most lucrative trading avenues ever.

As something that might be clear by now, the currency that is the most traded is the US Dollar. However, coming in a close second is the Japanese Yen. However, all the forex trade in the world is not limited to these two currencies only, as the Euro, the Canadian Dollar, the British Dollar and the Swiss Franc are very commonly traded as well. But, when you start your journey on the forex market, you are advised to start off by trading the US dollar. One of the best things about the forex trading market that is very strongly decentralized. There is no central regulatory agency or exchange looking over the transactions that takes place throughout the day. You can start off trading in Melbourne and end the day in Los Angeles if you so desires. Each country is responsible for regulating the forex trade in its own country, and from the looks of the trade that happens mostly, they seem to be doing a very good job.

The forex rates can vary very widely, and fluctuations happen through the course of each day. There are a lot of factors that influence the rate of forex for a given currency, which include, but are not limited to inflation and the general confidence in the currency by people all over the world. However, the thing that sets the forex market apart is the fact that changes are very short term and you have to jump on an opportunity if you want to make the most of it. This also means that if the value of a currency drops, it’s not something that might last for a long time.

 

As with other forms of trading, there are no guarantees when it comes to forex trading either. It is a wise choice to learn all you can about forex trading before you decide to take a plunge. It is a fact that a person who is well prepared with his basics is likelier to make much more profits than someone who dives in without bothering to know anything.

Credit Card Services are an amazing tool for both business owners and the general populace. But despite the benefits, you can be paying more than needed because you don’t understand the murky world of credit card services and their payment structures. If your business already accepts credit cards, or you’re in the process of setting it up to accept credit card payments, here’s what you need to know about how it is structured so you can make sure you’re not being overcharged for these services.

Logistical structure

A credit card transaction goes through a lot of hands between the client and the business owner.Here are all the parties involved in the process of credit card payments:

• First off, the payment gateway; more pertinent when transactions are carried out on the web, they are set up by the merchant account provideras the first step in completing a credit card transaction, e.g. the shopping cart.The merchant account provider is the company that takes care of the process as a whole, an overseer of sort, e.g. CreditCardProcessing.com.
• Next there’s the acquiring bank, the party that actually processes the payment, collecting the information from the merchant account and receiving authorization from the associations.
• Credit card associations are basically the governing bodies, e.g. MasterCard. They set the rules that all credit card providers must follow.
• Lastly, the issuing bank – your ordinary banking institution that provides your consumers with a credit card, e.g.Bank of America.

Type of Fees

Two varieties of fees are charged when conducting business via credit card.

• Pre-markup: This fee is issued by the credit card associations themselves, and is uniform for all providers who use that particular credit card association. It is essentially non-negotiable.
• Markup: This is, simply put, the merchant account provider’s fee.This part is negotiable, and should be as low as possible so that you can get the best deal.

Fee charging structure

The structure for charging fees is also segregated into two popular models.

• The interchange plus model: A straightforward structure that tells you, in a detailed list, all the wholesale and markup fees that are charged per month. It makes for a lengthy statement, but very simply informs you how much you owe in both markups and base fees every month.
• Tiered pricing: This one comes with three sub-categories – qualified, mid-qualified and non-qualified. If, in carrying out the transaction, you follow the provider’s instructions to the T, thenthe transaction is qualified. The instructions include basic directives like swiping in person, and settling in batch on the same day among others. If you fail to follow all directives, your transactions drops down to either mid or non-qualified based on how many criteria are not met. Qualified transactions are the cheapest, followed by mid-qualified and non-qualified, respectively. Make sure you understand what the requirements for qualified rates are if you’re on a tiered plan so that you can make as many qualified transactions as possible.

Remember, the markup is crucial, and should be the criteria by which you compare merchant account providers, along with other fees like minimum fees which should be set as low as possible, and those charged for internet gateway or credit card terminal, which should ideally be free. Other things to watch out for are annual fees, cancellation fees, and statement fees, online or offline – all of which ideally shouldn’t be charged at all.

So there you go! You can now gauge whether you’re paying extra to process credit card transactions. If you’re not, that’s good news. But if you are, you better start looking for a more reliable and transparent credit card processor before you end up unnecessarily spending a fortune.

We all hate to admit it, but dust accumulates everywhere no matter what we do to keep on top of it. One glimpse up and you’ll usually find your ceiling corners filled with dust, cob webs hanging from the corners of your living room, or worse! Out of reach above the stairs!

Well, if you think you’ve got problems, imagine having unique, historical, modified or grand properties to clean! That involves a bit more forethought on the cleaning front! Are you intrigued as to how people clean those high Cathedral-like ceilings, which can soar higher than 20 feet? Cleaning these unreachable ceilings can make the everyday chore become a rather a mammoth task!

St Paul’s is an example of a Cathedral that has been recently restored and cleaned. Located in central London, the Church of England Cathedral’s restoration, inside and out cost a total of £40 million and has taken nearly half as long as it did to design and build it! The Cathedral’s programme of repair and cleaning took 15 years and is one of the largest restoration projects ever undertaken in the UK.  The Cathedral has been around since 604AD. The results speak for themselves.  Inside the light floods in from the sky, falling on freshly cleaned marble carvings and sculptures. Every year almost two million people visit the cathedral for a number of activities, from regular church services, to concerts, to educational events, to performing arts and even just for sightseeing – if you’ve not been, I’d suggest you visit . . . it’s truly a magnificent piece of English history.

 

I, myself, would love to own a Victorian style house with high vaulted ceilings, but I’m not sure how practical the upkeep would be? These atriums and grand rooms are supposed to wow homebuyers, but they’re often less thrilled when they realize that routine maintenance and painting in these areas can require scaffolding!
So how do you clean this type of property?  You can buy a piece of equipment called a telescoping cleaning pole which comes with a duster or cloth at the end of the pole. You can usually get them from home ware and DIY stores, or even online, and they range from a length of 5 to 15 feet. If your ceiling is taller than this then you may need to look into getting a professional to clean your ceiling as they can get tools to reach as high as 30 feet.  Even office cleaning in Cambridge can end up costing a fortune with the wealth of old buildings they have there! Remember, if you have ceiling fans, you’ll need a forked dusting tool, as these will clean both sides of a ceiling-fan blade in one easy swipe.

And what about changing light bulbs in hard to reach places? Nowadays you can buy a pole-mounted bulb changer, which can only be described as a giant hand! These long poles have a suction cup or spring steel fingers which allow you to reach up and change the light bulb. Sounds complicated, but it’s actually a very easy way to change your light bulb!  Bear in mind that this doesn’t work for all light fixings though, like chandeliers.

I’m afraid there’s no good news, or any way to cheat when it comes to painting your ceiling.  It’s just hard work!  Always dust off the high areas before you start painting, because you’re likely to knock dust loose as you work and that could ruin the overall effect. The best way to paint tall ceilings and walls without the need for scaffolding is to get some help and set up an extension ladder or a hybrid ladder (one that’s designed to articulate over a staircase and into the hard to reach corners). The technique that is most effective is using a paintbrush to cut in the corners and around the edge so you can then use a large roller to fill in the middle. However I must warn you, using this extension pole and roller is a real upper body workout!

Moving house from one state to another or even a couple of blocks away can be a difficult ordeal especially if you have been living in a big house filled with ancient stuff. Most people tend to ignore the the difficulties associated with moving/relocation until they actually have to move. As a consequence, most people are not really prepared to work out a schedule to move. You have no reason to worry though with scores of professional moving services in Washington to help you out. These service providers take care of everything from packing to loading to unloading your belongings at the required destination.

That being said, you need to exercise some degree of caution when selecting DC Movers. Here are some important pointers to keep in perspective when choosing a moving service in DC.

 

• Most moving companies are accessible online. Although there are plenty of genuine service providers, you need to be aware that there are plenty of scams out there and you could end up getting ripped off if you don’t play your cards right. Call the number listed on the website to find out exactly how reliable they are. Better, if they have an office in your neighborhood, pay them a visit.
• A lot of movers take on contractors and sublet their work to third parties. They may not be experienced movers and may not have the required expertise in implementing a move. As a result, you may end up with delays, damages to your belongings, and eventually your move may turn out to be your biggest nightmare. To avoid this situation, you need to ensure that the moving service employs professionally trained personnel who work full time.
• The DC movers you hire should be able to give you an authentic feel. For example, if you are visiting the office of the service provider in Washington, check out their trucks. They should bear the company logo and name. If they don’t, it would probably be a good idea to seek out other options.
• Any moving company should be able to provide you with an estimate for their services to you. Though it’s common today to book the service over the phone or online, you need to make sure that you receive a hard copy of their terms and conditions in advance.
• The moving company you hire in DC should have the proper license and insurance. For a company to be a legitimate service provider, it needs to have the liability and cargo insurance filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Choose a vendor that has been in the business for a substantial period of time. These companies have their reputation to take care of and will generally ensure you get the service you are looking for at an affordable price.

Perfect planning is the road to your peace of mind. So based on the above pointers plan ahead and select your DC Movers carefully so that your move is completely hassle free and you can have peace of mind.

• Most moving companies are accessible online. Although there are plenty of genuine service providers, you need to be aware that there are plenty of scams out there and you could end up getting ripped off if you don’t play your cards right. Call the number listed on the website to find out exactly how reliable they are. Better, if they have an office in your neighborhood, pay them a visit.
• A lot of movers take on contractors and sublet their work to third parties. They may not be experienced movers and may not have the required expertise in implementing a move. As a result, you may end up with delays, damages to your belongings, and eventually your move may turn out to be your biggest nightmare. To avoid this situation, you need to ensure that the moving service employs professionally trained personnel who work full time.
• The DC movers you hire should be able to give you an authentic feel. For example, if you are visiting the office of the service provider in Washington, check out their trucks. They should bear the company logo and name. If they don’t, it would probably be a good idea to seek out other options.
• Any moving company should be able to provide you with an estimate for their services to you. Though it’s common today to book the service over the phone or online, you need to make sure that you receive a hard copy of their terms and conditions in advance.
• The moving company you hire in DC should have the proper license and insurance. For a company to be a legitimate service provider, it needs to have the liability and cargo insurance filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Choose a vendor that has been in the business for a substantial period of time. These companies have their reputation to take care of and will generally ensure you get the service you are looking for at an affordable price.

To suggest that taxi driving was anything other than a largely safe and hugely rewarding profession would be both unfair and untrue. However, as is the case in all industry areas there are of course unique safety guidelines to follow as a taxi driver in order to ensure risks are averted, dangers avoided and that the general course of business moves smoothly. Driving Camberley taxis is never going to be quite the same ‘vigorous’ affair as transporting people around Central Los Angeles, but it’s nonetheless important to look after your own interests.

Most such tips are of course common sense, but it’s nonetheless important to revisit them from time to time just to ensure that some of the more obvious examples aren’t being overlooked or taken for granted.

Awareness, Alertness

The most important skill to master as a taxi driver is that of essentially having eyes in the back of your head. It’s crucial to have a full understanding of what’s going on all around you at all times of the day and night. But while a good set of internal mirrors will certainly help, there’s nothing more important for alertness and awareness than good rest, regular sleep patterns and a generally healthy way of living. The worse shape you’re in, the worse equipped you’ll be to operate your taxi safely and keep tabs on your own wellbeing.

Care with Cash

In terms of looking after your financial interests, there’s a reason you’ll rarely see a taxi driver on duty with all manner of fine jewellery and fancy designer gear on. The more you flash your cash, the higher the chance there is of somebody untoward seeing it and deciding they’d like to take a sample of it for themselves. It’s a little akin to walking down any city street counting a wad of notes in your hands – far from a common sense idea and one that could see you ending up in trouble.

Go With Your Gut

Every now and again, you’ll come across a passenger or group thereof which for one reason or another just seem to come across as risky or dodgy. They may be drunk, they may be acting strangely or they may just give you that sinking feeling in your gut. No matter which of these it may be, it’s always better to go with your gut than to take a chance that’s not worth taking. Underestimating people in general or ignoring your gut instinct can land you in trouble for no good reason.

Be Social

There’s a good chance a fair few of the people you pick up really won’t want to have a chat with you, but it’s always better for them to be interpreted as the mean-spirited party, rather than you yourself. The more pleasant you are at all times, the less likely you are to rub anyone up the wrong way and end up getting on their bad side. In the same vein however, it’s also important to display a strong level of confidence and make it clear that it’s your taxi, your rules and your way of doing business.

Establish Fares in Advance

Even if the passengers don’t ask you how much the journey is likely to cost, it’s a good idea to tell them prior to setting off and making sure they accept it. The reason being that’s it’s all too easy for those wishing to do so to get to the other end, react with outrage and insist they’re being overcharged. By this point there’s of course very little you can do about it if they decide to kick off, so be sure to establish things in advance.

Beware Vague Instructions

One of the most immediate and obvious tell-tale signs of a passenger you really don’t want to be taking anywhere is a passenger that doesn’t seem to have a destination in mind. Some will say they’re just out for a drive, others will say head toward a specific area with no set drop-off and others will keep changing their minds along the way. When this is the case, you could be looking at someone trying to find a quiet area to take off with your cash, so don’t fall for it.

Learn Your City

Last but not least, the better you know the streets of the town or city you’re in, the better equipped you’ll be to deal with anything that comes your way. You’ll know where to go in an emergency, where to avoid if possible, how not to get stuck in traffic and generally how to do your job the very best you can.

Ask any experienced Oxford driving instructor and they’ll surely tell you that the infamous practical driving test has the unique ability to transform grown men and women alike into quivering nervous wrecks. Despite the fact that you’re talking about an experience that lasts just 40 minutes and really doesn’t contain anything challenging, the very thought of a driving test really can be stomach-turning to say the least.

Of course, the good news is that for those approaching their tests is that they aren’t alone in their troubles – it’s almost unheard of for anyone to approach a driving test with a hop, skip and happy jump. In addition, there are ways and means to ensure that your test goes as well as it possibly can the very first time, which for the most part comes down to little more than keeping your nerves under control.

More often than not it’s nervousness and nothing else that leads to careless and silly mistakes, so here’s a quick look at a few industry insights for keeping control and hopefully coming out smiling:

Make Sure You’re Ready

You may have heard that your friends took about 20 to 25 hours of lessons prior to taking their tests – this does not however mean that you’ll follow suit. You might be ready after 15 hours or it might take you over 50 hours, there’s really no set rule and you need to make sure you do what’s right for you. More often than not, it’ll be your instructor that lets you know when you’re clearly ready, so you’ll have all the advice you need.

Focus on Manoeuvres

Each year, thousands of learner drivers fail their tests having managed to drive 100% flawlessly across the route only to then make a mistake during one of the test’s key manoeuvres. As such, the moment you find yourself in a position where you’re wholly happy and confident to drive normally in all standard driving conditions, it’s a good idea to practice your manoeuvres until you can practically do them with your eyes closed.

Practice When Possible

If you can (legally!) score access to a car and a responsible driver outside your lessons, it’s a good idea to practice as often as possible and in as many different areas as possible. The reason being that not only may your test take place somewhere unfamiliar, but you need to get used to the idea of not having your instructor offer you any advice. You won’t be told that you need to shift a little to the left, you won’t be reminded to indicate and you won’t be told when to stop reversing – getting used to driving totally under your own control can work wonders during your test.

Ask For Mock Tests

Ask your driving instructor to perform a series of mock tests in the days and weeks running up to the big day in order to give you a good idea of what to expect. Perhaps even more crucially, you’ll gain valuable insights into what areas of the test you’re already totally proficient in along with which areas you need to focus on more carefully.

First Time Lucky

It’s often said that great drivers pass their tests on the second or third attempts, while lucky drivers pick up their licenses first time. To be honest however none of this is really true as there’s no set rule with regard to how many tests anyone will, should or might need in order to pass. Some tests go incredibly smoothly, others are hampered by bad weather and then there are those that simply fall apart for the silliest reasons – you cannot know what you’ll be in for therefore to set yourself a goal in terms of test numbers really isn’t a good idea.

Time Your Test Well

You’ll of course get at least some say in when your test takes place, so be sure to choose a time that suits you as well as possible. Some revel in the idea of getting stuck in with the rush hour traffic, others prefer quiet Sunday evenings and then there are those that simply cannot focus if it’s any later than 1pm. It’s a case of thinking when and where you’re at your best in accordance with the road conditions at the time.

Eat, Sleep and Live Well

Last but not least, don’t go falling into the trap of trying to calm your nerves ahead of the test by eating junk food, drinking too much alcohol or generally living an unhealthy lifestyle in the days or weeks before the event itself. You’ll need lots of sleep, plenty of relaxation, a healthy diet and a generally positive attitude to come out with the result you’re hoping for.

And then of course, the celebration can really get started!