You MUST pay more than minimum payment each month - if you don't your debts will be around for a LONG time! It can take over 20 years to pay off a measly $1,000 credit card bill if you simply pay 2% minimum each month. At end of this, interest payments you have made will FAR exceed original debt! And that, of course, is how credit card companies afford those swanky downtown offices.

If you have dependents, you need insurance. It may seem like an extra cost right now, but believe me, it is 'Murphy's Law' - if you don't have it, you will need it imminently! Auto insurance, Mortgage Payment Protection, house insurance and life insurance are a basic set you need. This point is related to pensions, too. Start as early as you can. If you don't have a pension plan now, start it immediately. The tax advantages just can't be missed. And earlier you start, sooner compounding has a chance to work it's magic. And compounding is secret that will determine if you have a comfortable retirement, or live in a shack, eating beans. And don't try and kid yourself you won't make it to old age - bet you will, and bet you will be surprised how expensive everything is in 30 years!

Read up on money, and money topics. If you understand how cash works, chances of getting into serious debt decrease dramatically. I'm not saying you have to read Wall St Times, but an understaning of interest rates and compounding won't hurt.

That's about it for now - Get saving!

After determining that caliber of management team and venture capitalists is high, a venture lessor looks at startup’s business model and market potential. It is unrealistic to expect expert evaluation of technology, market, business model and competitive climate by equipment leasing firms. Many leasing firms rely on experienced and reputable venture capitalists who have evaluated these factors during their ‘due diligence’ process. However, lessor must still undertake significant independent evaluation. During this evaluation he considers questions such as: Does business plan make sense? Is product/ service necessary, who is targeted customer and how large is potential market? How are products and services priced and what are projected revenues? What are production costs and what are other projected expenses? Do these projections seem reasonable? How much cash is on hand and how long will it last startup according to projections? When will startup need next equity round? These, and questions like these, help lessor determine whether business plan and model are reasonable.

The most basic credit question facing leasing company considering leasing equipment to a startup is whether there is sufficient cash on hand to support startup through a significant part of lease term. If no more venture capital is raised and venture runs out of cash, lessor is not likely to collect lease payments. To mitigate this risk, most experienced venture lessors require that startup have at least nine months or more of cash on hand before proceeding. Usually, startups approved by venture lessors have raised $ 5 million or more in venture capital and have not yet exhausted a healthy portion of this amount.

Where do startups turn to get their leases funded? Part of infrastructure supporting venture startups is a handful of national leasing companies that specialize in venture lease transactions. These firms have experience in structuring, pricing and documenting transactions, performing due diligence, and working with startup companies through their ups and downs. The better venture lessors respond quickly to lease proposal requests, expedite credit review process, and work closely with startups to get documents executed and equipment ordered. Most venture lessors provide leases to startups under lines of credit so that lessee can schedule multiple takedowns during year. These lease lines typically range from as little as $200,000 to over $ 5,000,000, depending on start-up’s need, projected growth and level of venture capital support. The better venture lease providers also assist customers, directly or indirectly, in identifying other resources to support their growth. They help startup acquire equipment at better prices, arrange takeouts of existing equipment, find additional working capital funding, locate temporary CFO’s, and provide introductions to potential strategic partners--- these are all value-added services best venture lessors bring to table.

What is outlook for venture leasing? Venture leasing has really come into its own since early 1990s. With venture investors pouring tens of billion of dollars into startups annually, this market segment has evolved into an attractive one for equipment leasing industry. The most attractive industries for venture leasing include life sciences, software, telecommunications, information services, medical services and devices, and Internet. As long as factors supporting formation of startups remain favorable, outlook for venture leasing continues to look promising.