Learn How to Perform an Unusual New Abdominal Exercise ©Rick DeToma

I was stretching after my workout at a local gym other day and saw this person doing a new abdominal exercise. I just had to tell you about it. This exercise is a bit complex so I'll do my best to provide details so you'll understand what I was witnessing.

Here's a humorous look at a new abdominal exercise:

First select a stability ball that is too small for your height. Next, lay back on ball like you would to perform a traditional crunch except, instead of having your lower back supported by ball, slide your hips down so your butt is just a few inches off floor. This is starting position.

But where do you start?

Here are top 5 things you need to know before approaching a mortgage lender.

1. Understand Your Options All mortgages are not created equal. There are several different types, which vary based on interest rates and payment terms.

For example:

• With a fixed-rate mortgage, your monthly payments remain same during entire length of mortgage. There will be no variations in monthly payments, regardless of changes in interest rates and inflation.

• With an adjustable-rate mortgage, you will often receive a lower initial interest rate, but your monthly payment amount can rise and fall as interest rates fluctuate (within certain caps or limits).

• With a balloon or reset mortgage, you once again may be offered a low interest rate, but it will hold for a limited time. After that, balance of mortgage will be due, or you will need to refinance.

2. Become a Rate Watcher The state of economy influences interest rates, which ebb and flow on a regular basis.

Your daily newspaper tracks these rates, so stay current by watching whether rates are rising, falling or remaining stable.

It behooves you to become as educated as possible about how these rates will affect your mortgage—and to see if you want to postpone applying for one until rates drop.

3. Get Pre-Approved Consider getting pre-approved for a mortgage, says Frank Nothaft, PhD, vice president and chief economist for Freddie Mac, stockholder-owned corporation established by United States Congress in 1970 to create a continuous flow of funds to mortgage lenders in support of homeownership and rental housing.