4. Don't get carried away and end up bidding more than need or want to. Some items appear very frequently on eBay and it may be worth setting yourself a limit and waiting for next one to come along.

5. If you find you are often being outbid at last moment, consider using a sniping software which you can use to automatically submit a bid in last few seconds of auctions.

6. Where possible, use Paypal to pay for items on eBay. The sellers get their payment quickly, and there is a degree of protection for buyers if things go wrong. eBay (via My eBay) provides a number of tools for monitoring progress on your transaction.

Stephen Reynolds

I would be willing to wager that most of you have either been affected by corporate restructuring or know someone who has. There are also a substantial number of people who lose jobs either because they or someone in their family becomes ill or are injured. In those situations would you be better off with $50,000 in an emergency fund to help you get back on your feet, pay doctor or home care bills, and allow you a cushion to find a good job instead of first one you could find or have $50,000 in equity in your house that you couldn’t access?

Now to finish up on wealth equation as it relates to home equity. One thing that most people don’t understand is their home equity is earning them a 0% rate of return. There are 2 components to your home value: what it cost to purchase it (basis) and appreciation. In 5 years your house will be worth same whether you have a mortgage or don’t. Any money you choose to put into house is simply a return of your investment.

If you are willing to rethink wealth equation and put your home to work for you it can be a great source for turbo charging your wealth. If you coordinate that with an integrated financial plan involving your planner, accountant and insurance agent then results can truly be outstanding!

For more info: www.rightwayunlimited.com or www.columbusmortgageloans.com

Jeff Blovits Prospera Mortgage Group Jeff@Columbusmortgageloans.com