Investors who are seeking the secret to becoming rich are likely to be disappointed to find there is no secret; they invest their money in the same assets as everyone else. There are however, key differences:

1. DIFFERENT MINDSET
* The rich, also described as high net worth individuals, commonly defined as those with at least $US1 million in assets (not including their home) get rich slow. There is no magic formula - it's more about time, patience and sticking to a plan and letting compound growth and leverage work their magic.

* They generally invest across a range of growth assets; they diversify so as to not have all their eggs in the one basket.

* They usually have `patience' as their middle name. They are prepared to ride out the ups and downs of the market, with the knowledge that at the end of the day, it will be growth assets that provide the best returns.

* Warren Buffett, the world's most successful investor says that the market is a mechanism for transferring wealth from the impatient to the patient. Buffett and rich investors don't see a downturn in the market as a negative, but as an opportunity to buy.

2. DIFFERENT STRUCTURES
* Such as family trusts and self-managed superannuation funds - all designed to minimize tax.

* They also prefer to invest directly into shares and property, rather than through managed structures.

The definition of a Roth IRA is a tax-free savings plan, which can make those golden years called retirement more golden. These plans got their name from Senator William Roth of Delaware who created them in 1997.

The assets put into a Roth IRA fund already have their taxes paid on them, and Uncle Sam lets them grow tax-free. I don't know about you, but I think that is great, since if invested correctly those assets will be much higher. And just think all of that money will belong to you, since Uncle Sam already got his share.

Below are some (but not all) of the Roth Ira rules if your modified Adjusted gross income is less than $169,000 and you're married filing jointly or a qualifying widow or widower (for other income levels check the IRS publications online concerning Roth IRA rules):

1) Contribution limit for a Roth IRA is $5,000 for 2008, unless you are 50 years of age or older then it is $6,000. 2) You must have taxable compensation for the year you are contributing to a Roth IRA. The definition of a Roth IRA taxable compensation for this purpose is salaried, bonuses, alimony, commissions and other earned income for providing services. Passive income such as dividends, rental income and interest to not qualify as compensation. 3) You can convert a traditional Ira to Roth IRA, but you will be taxed on the amount you to convert due to the fact that the traditional Ira was not taxed when you contributed it. Since we live in this great country, we need to give Uncle Sam his share sometime along the way. 4) Unlike a traditional Ira you do not have to start withdrawing on your funds at any certain age. There are Roth Ira rules concerning distribution after the owner's death, but I won't go into those in this article.

The definition of a Roth Ira asset can include, but not limited to these items:

1) Residential Real Estate 2) Tax lien certificates 3) Commercial real estate 4) Gold bullion 5) Publicly traded stocks, mutual funds, and bonds 6) Real estate notes 7) Equipment leasing

When most people thing of a Roth Ira they think in terms of CD's, stocks or mutual funds. They don't know they can have a self-directed Roth IRA, where they can invest in a stable investment such as real estate that can provide them with both an income and an appreciable asset. They can use the potential of real estate to increase their retirement accounts, and with a Roth Ira those increases will be tax-free.

Now that you know the definition of a Roth Ira you need to move forward to do something about investing in one. If you haven't already started, now is the time to start putting your plans together for your 2008 Roth Ira contributions. Check out how you can increase your wealth potential following Roth Ira rules.

Beware : Investing Mistakes to Avoid

Along the way, you may make a few investing mistakes, however there are big mistakes that you absolutely must avoid if you are to be a successful investor. For instance, the biggest investing mistake that you could ever make is to not invest at all, or to put off investing until later. Make your money work for you - even if all you can spare is $20 a week to invest!

While not investing at all or putting off investing until later are big mistakes, investing before you are in the financial position to do so is another big mistake. Get your current financial situation in order first, and then start investing. Get your credit cleaned up, pay off high interest loans and credit cards, and put at least three months of living expenses in savings. Once this is done, you are ready to start letting your money work for you.

Don't invest to get rich quick. That is the riskiest type of investing that there is, and you will more than likely lose. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it! Instead, invest for the long term, and have the patience to weather the storms and allow your money to grow. Only invest for the short term when you know you will need the money in a short amount of time, and then stick with safe investments, such as certificates of deposit.

Don't put all of your eggs into one basket. Scatter it around various types of investments for the best returns. Also, don't move your money around too much. Let it ride. Pick your investments carefully, invest your money, and allow it to grow - don't panic if the stock drops a few dollars. If the stock is a stable stock, it will go back up.

A common mistake that a lot of people make is thinking that their investments in collectibles will really pay off. Again, if this were true, everyone would do it. Don't count on your Coke collection or your book collection to pay for your retirement years! Count on investments made with cold hard cash instead.

Buy high, sell low. It something you here all the time about making money in the stock market, but it takes a lot more than that if you what to hit it big. Understanding the stock market is not an easy thing to do, but if you study the basics, you may just make it.

What makes up the markets? When you hear someone say that the markets are up today, they are saying that on average the stocks that make up that index (market) did good. It doesn't mean that all the stock with in that market were up, just on the average of those stocks were.

The main three markets that are refer to often are the DOW (DJIA - Dow Jones Industrial Average), NASDAQ (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) and the S&P 500 (Standard and Poors). There are a few others, but I'll just mention these three.

Within the DOW there are sectors that cover different ares of the economy, financial, commodities, retail, agricultural, energy, and more than I care to list in this article. The NASDAQ is mainly made up of technology and biotech type companies. To list a few, there's Google, Apple, Sirius/XM and Akeena Solar.

The Standard and Poors 500 (S&P 500) is made up of five hundred different stocks. Each is selected for liquidity, size, and industry. The index is weighted for market capitalization. The S&P 500 is the benchmark of the overall market.

Other things that should be considered when you think of the markets is the dollar. The dollar plays a big part of what goes on in the markets. if the dollar is weakening then American stocks typically lose value and the reverse happens when the dollar gains strength. It will also play a part in the world economy which in turns effects our economy as well.

These are just a few of the basics things to know when you want to trade stocks to make money

How To Trade Commodities is the question on hundreds of minds every single day. As retirement nears for millions and the economy worsens for everyone, many are considering trading as a way to provide for themselves and their families. If pursued in a business-like manner, commodities trading can be a wonderful and very gratifying endeavor.

Unfortunately, most perceive commodities trading as something to do to make money, and subsequently don't treat their trading as the business that it is. This is a shame because how to trade commodities can be tremendously simplified if one will simply approach it correctly. Many go about it without any formalities and proper respect of a business and are very casual in their approach. Subsequently, consistent profits elude almost all of the few survivors for months or even years because of this casual approach.

Only 5-10% of new traders survive past six months, making the success rate for new traders very low. The irony of this is that the success rate in trading is very similar to that of new businesses in any industry and for the same reasons. These include not having a business plan, starting under-capitalized, being new to the industry and/or being new to starting and running a profitable business.

How To Trade Commodities can be summed up in a few short words: treat your trading as the business that it is. Traders would give themselves a tremendous advantage and considerably improved chances of success if traders would do this, and also seek training for building the skills to fulfill the various roles of a self-employed business owner. Of course there is a considerable body of knowledge to becoming a successful commodities trader, so anyone considering this occupation should allow for time to develop themselves, and their skills as a trader and as the owner of a business.

Impatience and thinking that how to trade commodities means simply funding an account and starting to throw money at the market while expecting huge profits are in for a very unpleasant awakening. The business of commodities trading is a skilled one that requires personal strength and fortitude not found in most activities. It would be very wise for you to invest in training that goes beyond simply how to follow a system. Owing a trading business entails much more than placing trades, even if you have a proven system to work with.

In comparison to all other businesses, trading has several distinct advantages. First recognize that you are starting a business if you are considering becoming a trader, and then approach your trading the same as you would in starting a business in any other industry. You are likely to get the same results as the 90% that fail if you follow the same casual approach, and this would be regrettable. You're more likely to realize all that trading has to offer if you do as the 10% do.

How To Trade Commodities can be very frustrating and stressful, or it can be simple and enjoyable if approached properly. Commodity trading will fulfill all your expectations if you simply give it the respect it deserves. If you decide to try to take shortcuts and treat it as a get-rich-quick endeavor, then you're in for a financial beating.

Stock market keeping you awake at night? You can sleep better and be more successful at stock investing when you follow my free stock advice. Here's five tips to start you off on the right track. 1) Investing in stocks is a roller coaster ride. Don't jump in unless you can sleep at night with big swings in your portfolio. We have currently seen this during the ride of Oct '07 to March '08 and once again in June thru Sept '08. The biggest advantage of online stock investing is the huge profits that are made when the market goes up. However this is also conversely true because huge losses can also be made when the market goes down.

2) Long term or short term? - You should determine what type of investor you are. This question is very important and should be asked by every serious beginner investing. Long term investors hold their stocks for 1 year or more. The advantages of long term investing is that you do not have to worry about the day to day burden of technical analysis that has to be monitored. There is no problem if the stock is held for a long period of time because long term investors believe in the fundamentals of the company. I prefer to invest short term as I have the time to watch and monitor my stocks. Look what would have happened to you if you invested in Enron or Worldcom long term. You would have lost everything. Both stocks flashed warning signs of doom and it was easy to get out before they collapsed. The only one's who lost on those were long term investors. Another advantage of short term is the ability to make a quick profit, get out when things go bad, and reinvest in better prospects. This allows investors to compound their money faster.

3) Online stock buying does not require you to have millions or hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can start with as little as $3,000 US but I would highly recommend $10,000 minimum. Commissions from buying and selling will eat up a lot if you have a small bankroll. Also you can't always be right and you need money to weather the storm. If you have a small bankroll, wait to do any online stock buying until the markets are in a rally.

4) This brings me to my next point. You must learn to minimize your losses and maximize your profits. If you lose 8% on a stock, you only need to make 9% back on the next one to break even. A 9% profit is easy to do. On the other hand, if you lose 50% on a stock, you need to make 100% on the next one to be even. Making a 100% is not easy.

5) The stock market is not a get rich quick scheme. Always remember, money takes time to grow. Those investments that give you a high rate of return in a very short period come with a high degree of risk. Always strive to achieve high returns with minimal risk. Combine that with short-term investing and compounding, can produce some nice returns over the course of five years or so. If you are like the average person you have probably been working for more than five years, and probably still don't have much to show for it. Working only allows you to obtain the money to invest. It is those investments, that over time, will make you wealthy.

As most people know, the latest trend in construction is 'GREEN' or environmentally friendly buildings. As energy prices continue to soar and global warming attracts more attention, the GREEN construction trend is likely to escalate. The goal of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the benefits of GREEN construction and illustrate how Off-Site Construction & modular buildings complement GREEN construction.

Over the last several years, various GREEN projects have been designed and constructed, therefore customers and contractors are familiar with the concept. Many users are initially interested in obtaining the US Green Building Council's LEED Certification (usgbc.org/LEED), however there are numerous other tangible benefits which can be obtained by using GREEN construction:

• Reduction in energy/utility consumption
• Superior interior environment through noise reduction and improved air quality
• Use of reclaimed/environmentally conscious materials for sustainable construction
• Reduced/easier maintenance

Reduced Energy and Utility Consumption
Energy/utility consumption can be reduced directly and indirectly through improved energy efficiency. Direct reduction techniques include:

• Rainwater harvesting for use on landscaping
• Day lighting (large windows, tubular skylights) to decrease the need for artificial lighting
• Photovoltaic panels for supplemental electricity generation
• High R value insulation at the building envelope to decrease HVAC loads
• Operable windows to allow natural ventilation on temperate days
• Cool roof systems to reduce heat transfer and reduce HVAC loads
• Door/window HVAC interlocks which shut off HVAC system when doors/windows open for extended periods of time
• Deciduous shade trees to prevent heat gain during summer months
• Dual pane windows with low E coating to reduce infrared radiation transfer and HVAC load
• Cool operating fluorescent bulbs to reduce HVAC loads

Indirect energy consumption focuses on using energy/utilities more effectively and reducing waste. Improvements in efficiency include:

• Energy management systems (motion sensors, timers, programmable thermostats, integrated home systems)
• High efficiency appliances (Energy Star rated) & HVAC systems
• Dishwashers and clothes washers which consume less water per load
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Lighter colors to reflect more light within building
• Hanging pendent light fixtures combined with high reflectance ceiling covering

Each aspect has numerous components and can be utilized in conjunction with one another. It is important to keep in mind the prerequisites must be met if LEED certification is the goal. The time required to recover the initial cost depends on size and location of the structure and individual consumption patterns, as well as materials incorporated.

Superior Interior Environment
In addition to reducing energy costs, GREEN construction should also provide a superior interior environment. Materials such as carpet, cabinetry adhesives, paint and other wall coverings with no or low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) will release less gas and improve the indoor air quality. HVAC systems with noise dampening ducting and isolation systems will reduce the interior noise. Daylighting can also improve the interior quality by boosting the occupant's mood with natural light.

Use of Sustainable Resources
The use of recycled/reused materials helps to ensure the sustainability of resources. If virgin raw materials are used for every new building project, these materials will eventually be exhausted. As raw materials become scarce, the prices will rise and/or the materials will no longer be available. This trend has already begun as some raw material such as clear heart Redwood is no longer available and must be obtained recycled from existing projects. Recycling/reusing helps ensure that materials will be available for future projects.

Reduced Building Maintenance
The final aspect of GREEN construction is reduced/easier maintenance. Reducing maintenance activities such as painting saves the materials needed but also the waste and environmental impact of the painting such as VOC gas release and water used in cleanup. New, longer lasting materials are now available which need less frequent maintenance. Such materials include cement based exterior siding which does not require painting and recycled composite decking which resembles wood. Other products facilitate repair and replacement such as carpet tiles which allow individual sections to be exchanged without having to replace the entire floor surface. Carpet tiles also reduce waste during the installation process.

Off-Site Construction is GREEN
In parallel to this greater acceptance of GREEN is the growth in the Off-Site Construction process and improved perception of modular buildings. Modular buildings and Off-Site construction are similar but Off-Site Construction commonly refers specifically to permanent buildings verses modular buildings which can be either permanent or relocatable. Green features are available in all modular buildings but are considerably more common in Off-Site Construction due to the permanent nature. In recent years, Off-Site Construction has advanced and numerous innovations are now available. Such innovations include more efficient production facilities, superior transport systems, creative architectural designs and new engineering technologies providing greater flexibility.

Off-Site Construction merges well with the concept of GREEN construction for a variety of reasons. The centralized construction location allows for much greater reuse and recycling of material as a set collection schedule and policies can be established. Material waste due to weather damage is decreased as the construction process occurs in weather protected facilities. Waste water is easier to control and collect as production facilities are paved and sloped to a collection area. Traffic and air pollution is reduced as workers drive shorter distances to the factory verses traveling to various job sites. As materials for multiple jobs can be purchased in bulk quantities and delivered to a central location, the cost of materials and number of deliveries can be minimized. Off-Site Construction uses the same materials and designs as site built construction allowing for easy incorporation of GREEN materials and designs.

Progressive builders and architects view Off-Site Construction to be an integral part of the GREEN construction movement and the interest in GREEN Off-Site Construction has grown tremendously as GREEN is integrated into more diverse buildings.

Looking for the best business credit cards? You're not alone. Millions of business owners want to carry the best cards, but don't know where to look or how to find them. Fortunately, there are a few pointers that can get you on the right track. When looking for the best credit cards for your business, keep a lookout for these three things that all great business credit cards have in common.

1. A Low APR

Don't ever sign up for a card with an interest rate of 20 percent or more, no matter how pretty the perks may be. A low interest rate can save you quite a pretty penny if you're in a pinch and you find that you can't pay your entire balance off in full one month.

Even if you never plan on carrying a balance, you need a credit card with a somewhat-decent APR. Emergencies come up and there's no way to predict the future. You may find yourself carrying a balance, even if it's only for a couple of months. That's why the best business credit cards have a low interest rate, regardless of what rewards are offered.

2. Business-Related Perks

Not all rewards cards are created equal, and the best business credit cards understand this. Sure, rewards that can be redeemed for video rentals and movie tickets are nice -- for personal credit cards.

Make sure your business credit card features rewards that benefit your business, not your personal life. Free office supplies or business travel may come in handy when you need it most.

3. Detailed Statements and Online Banking

The best business credit cards offer detailed line-item statements and online banking. Okay, technically these are two different things but they are related to one another. Not only will you be able to tell what types of purchases were made with your cards and where they were made, you'll be able to access the information online each and every day.

There's something to be said for having daily access to updated credit card activity -- especially if employees have access to your business credit cards. And online bill payment can make it easier to get those statements paid on time!

Remember, not all credit cards are created equal and business credit cards are no different. If you want to make sure you have the best business credit cards in your wallet, remember the above three tips.

There are quite a few things to remember when buying penny stocks, but I'm going to give you just 5 of them at this time. Why five? Because I don't want to over load you with too much in just one article. These five things will help you more than you know.

1.Trade Without Your Emotions - Many times people will go by their "gut" feeling when they buy shares of a company. Sure we all want to "hit it big" with that one company that will make us some great return on our investment, but just because we fell that this one company is the one, doesn't mean that it is.

2. Due Diligence - No matter what the value of a stock share is doesn't mean that we don't look at the fundamentals of the company to see if they are doing the right thing to help the company grow. Research will always be the biggest part of your investment strategy.

3. Great Stock Tips - Let me tell you this right now. There is no such thing as a great stock tip. If someone tells you that thy have one for you, you need to forget what they said and like I said in #2, do you homework.

4. Don't Buy And Hold - After you buy stock in a company doesn't mean that you just sit on it and your portfolio will grow. In the long run it will, but in the process you will lose valuable ground. Stocks go up and down on a daily and weekly basis. Stocks are effected by the markets and at times they will take a hit even if the company is doing the right thing.

5. Exit Strategy - Whenever you get into a stock you need to know what you're going to do to get out of it before you buy. How much are you willing to lose in the stock is just one of the things to think about. How far will you take the ride up before you get out of the stock is another.