Recently we were in the market to buy a home using the VA loan. We wanted to share some of the things we took away from our second experience buying a home.

Finding a Realtor: This will be usually be the first step in your process. We  recommend that you find a realtor that has been working in your target area for at least 10+ years. Your realtor should know neighborhoods that fit your price range, how much house fits your budget, traffic patterns during peak hours, what is a good deal (for you) and what’s not. You should get a good feeling that he/she is looking out for your best interest and not just trying to sell you the most expensive house for their commission check. If you don’t get a good gut feeling, and build a good rapport with your realtor, you could feel the pain later on. Usually referrals from friends are the best way to find quality realtors.

Mortgage Broker: Do not just go with the first mortgage broker your realtor recommends. Understand that they have strategic alliances with each other and send referrals. This is not a bad thing but you must do your shopping around. We picked an additional mortgage broker to compete with the other and was seeing who was going to give us the best deal. What went from $0 to $500 of credit towards closing in the initial offer, which turned into $4000 dollars credit to closing after the bidding war was over. So make sure you ask each one what their fees are, do they have any hidden fees, and what’s the best they can do for you? Tell them you are shopping around so that they make the best offer possible to earn your business.

VA Loan- The VA is not going to give you the money for a house, they are simply going to back your loan with their word. This gives the lender a nice warm and fuzzy that they are covered in the event you default. To get your VA loan you must obtain a certificate of eligibility. You’re not required to put any money down, but you need to know that you will pay a VA funding fee to acquire your loan. The VA charges 2.15% to first time users and 3.3% the second time on the purchase price of the house. This will be incurred in closing cost. If you don’t have the money to pay it you can roll it into your loan.

Something important for you to realize is that your realtor, appraiser, loan officer, inspectors, etc. all work for you. You’re paying them so if you’re not happy with their fee’s find another one.

The VA loan is a great benefit to you and you should use it. Getting a $400,000 house with no money down is great leverage! Happy hunting.

For information on using your VA loan http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/

We consider ourselves Robert Kiyosaki students and have read many of his books. Well today we’re going give you an insight to the book titled “Cashflow Quadrant”. This book created a paradigm shift in what was embedded in our heads since birth.

The basis of the “Cashflow Quadrant” is that there are four types of people.

E- Employees

S- Self-employed or Specialist

B- Business Owner (with a system)

I- Investor

LEFT SIDE OF CASHFLOW QUADRANT:

Employees- Since birth many of us were taught to become good followers. It ingrained in our heads to go to school, get good grades, so that we can get a good job. But getting job for most people often means living Just Over Broke.

Self employed or Specialist- means that have special skill such as a Doctor, Lawyer, or you own your job. Although all are very good ways to make money, if you don’t work it, you don’t get paid.

*Being on the left side of the cashflow quadrant means that you will trade hours for wages on a 1-1 ratio, and you are getting killed in taxes! Before your hard earned money even gets into your hands the government takes their large portion first.

RIGHT $IDE OF THE CA$HFLOW QUADRANT:

Business Owner (with a system)- This is where you own a business with a system that will continue to bring in money whether your present or not. A system that is working for you and bringing in residual.

Investor- Simply investing your money to create a larger return in the future.

* Being on the right side of the cashflow quadrant means you are paying the least in taxes. You get multiple deductions and your assets or systems continue to make you money while you’re asleep.

So you see that key to creating wealth is moving from the left side to the right side. But that is much easier said than done. Most people have ongoing lives, bills, families to support and overall life happening. So how does one begin to move from the left side to the right without not going hungry or broke?

Well, I can tell you it first starts with an investment in your mind. You must invest in your financial education. Find what you like and then take actions to slowly cross over.

Another way to cross over is do what Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump say they would do if they had to start over from scratch…Network Marketing. Network Marketing allows the everyday person to start a legitimate business at low cost and low risk; you can work it part-time while keeping your job; you’ll get the same tax deductions as the big businesses, and create a system that brings in residual cash flow while you sleep.

Folks, if this has opened your eyes to something new we highly recommend reading this book, and start make the conversion from the left side of the cashflow quadrant to the right side.

Want to purchase Cashlow Quadrant? Click on the link.

The talk around the military right now is the budget cuts and how it may affect you. A lot of service members and retirees have worries right now as there are many things on the chopping block. Tuition assistance, military retirees health care benefits, retirement, and even some careers as downsizing in some services will not allow some to re-enlist.

The current people in charge are calling for “tough cuts and shared responsibility”. One of those people who they say have “shared responsibilities” is YOU; the US service member. The game is changing folks, and if you’re not aware what’s going on you are going to lose.

If you’re getting closer to retirement you’re probably happy right? I mean you and your family have sacrificed 20+ years and the agreement with uncle sam was you’ll get your free medical and dental benefits. Well, the proposals on the table will now add new enrollment fees for military retirees in the Tricare for life program. It will also implement additional increases in your pharmacy co-pays. Meaning, no longer free.

See, now this is where I have a problem with those “shared responsibilities.” So what “they”  are saying is that for those service members who fought in the WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, OEF, and OIF I-??, who spent 20+ years breaking down their bodies training and fighting to protect this country didn’t pay enough for their benefits?

So charging a beach head that became killing fields, marching in below freezing temperatures, patrolling through the disease infected jungles, gearing up in 115 degree weather fighting block by block, and humping the mountains of Afghanistan was not enough?

Oh and by the way, during all that make sure you didn’t get killed or maimed by the enemy sniper waiting for you, the punji sticks covered in feces, the suicide bomber, or the low metallic pressure plated IED that your metal detector didn’t always pick up.

Now we all knew that this is what we asked for when we signed up right? But we did it to protect the freedoms of this country, and mainly for each other. We did it because someone had to. We did it because most people won’t sign up for the rigorous lifestyle, the uncomforts of the military, or the organization that gets the lowest bidder on equipment and food. We did it because our nation called on us.

Well, if your congressmen does not hear your voice then the duties and sacrifice during those 20 years just wasn’t enough. The contract you signed with uncle sam saying you’ll get X,Y,Z is on the table to be null and void in the new military budget cuts proposal.

As military members we don’t ask for much. Just give us our chow, libo, and pay and keep your word like we did. That’s all we really want and we’ll be happy.

My fellow service members, if you are not actively preparing to adapt to the military budget cuts then you are wrong. Whether you have 10 or 1 years you must think about your future. Things are changing and they will affect you. What you thought was guaranteed may no longer be and you must adapt to the changes if they are going to happen. That’s why I advocate having a plan “B” in place and in progress while your still in the service.

If any of you reading this is interested in connecting with me to find what you can be doing to prepare for retirement then contact me. I believe in being in control of my future and not blindly depending on any form of government, civilian financial investment guru, or promise that cannot be delivered. It’s your future, think about.

Were you victim to the housing bubble burst that the Federal Reserve created? Were you forced to foreclose even after getting PCS orders? If so and JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial formerly GMAC- owned your mortgage, then they may owe you $116,785 plus any lost equity and interest.

On Thursday there was a $25 billion foreclosure settlement announced by the justice department for those who lost their homes to illegal foreclosures since 2006. Wait, there’s more…the settlement also has provisions that protect military homeowners from future foreclosure or financial loss related to military orders. If JP Morgan Chase held your mortgage then you will receive your home free and clear, or get the cash value of the home when it sold. BAMCIS!

If your mortgage was owned by Citigroup, Wells Fargo or Ally from Jan 1, 2008 until now, and you are paying more than six percent after you requested a lower rate guess what? You’re getting a refund with interest and any amount charged over the six percent plus three times the amount refunded, or $500, whichever is larger.

With this settlement also came changes to the civil service members relief act. If one of those banks owned your mortgage and you’re not eligible for the HAP, they now have to negotiate loan modifications. If you are upside down on your house and can’t sell, yet you have those marching orders in hand they must negotiate. Want to short sale? Yup you guessed it, negotiate!

This is great news for those military homeowners who have been affected by the housing bubble. We don’t control getting orders and when. We do what we’re told, when we’re told, and do it better than expected. For these ‘banksters’ to violate the civil service members relief act and force thousands of dedicated military members to foreclose is unacceptable. Now they are going to pay…literally.

So here’s how you find out if you’re eligible. Call the Justice Department at 800-896-7743, or stop at your legal office on base. We hope this brings relief to some of you. Being in a crappy situation like that takes years off your life and the stress of the military is enough already.

If any of you found this helpful please hit the share button below. Spread the word to as many of your friends as possible. You just might make their day

Preparing for military retirement is a stressful event because of the nature of what’s about to happen in your life. However, the earlier you prepare for retirement, the less stress you’ll encounter. This post will give you a breakdown in the military SMEAC form.

Situation- You will soon exit the service and your creditors don’t care and your monthly expenses will not change much.

Mission- Take the necessary steps well in advanced prior to military retirement to reduce unneeded stress.

Execution-  Recalculate your budget. Use the retirement calculator to project your final retirement pay and add that to any other stream of income. Determine what your new net income is and figure out what kind of pay you’ll need from a new job to meet your quality of life.

Attend workshops for your résumé writing skills, attend multiple career fairs, and attend networking events to meet people. I can’t express how important this is! You must build relationships because you never know who you’ll connect with that knows the right people. When people like and trust you, they are that much willing to give you a job even if it’s from a referral. There’s a saying that says “if you’re not networking, you’re not working”.

Have at least six months of reserve cash on the sidelines. This is crucial when preparing for military retirement. It’s not often that a service member collects their DD214 and walks into another job. Finding work is a long process in this economy so you’ll want to have six months of your expenses covered just in case.

Admin & Logistics- Have all necessary retirement documents, medical record copies, etc. ready. As a veteran you’ll rate many benefits so have all your paperwork ready and organized to make applying easier.

Command & Signal- The bottom line: You are in control of what happens when you retire from the military. Everything you do now or fail not to do will have an effect on your future circumstance, and retirement.

One of the things we do is network marketing. Providing a product that people want and need, and getting compensated for it. The beauty of it is, the income becomes residual. A residual income will keep paying you long after you’ve done the work for it.

Network Marketing is not something that requires much of your time, or energy. You work it when you want, and as much as you want. But the key is to at least work it. When you consistently do network marketing over a few years your income will start to grow exponentially! And what starts out as a side project, small income thing, grows a lot larger than you ever expected.

So the earlier you start, the better off you’ll be when it’s time to retire. Whether you’re 10 yrs, 5 yrs or 1 yr away from retirement, getting started is what counts.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail”

Spending Valentines Day away from your spouse while he is deployed can be a sad day. But with a little creativity, and the help of an experienced couple writing a blog post, you should be just fine.

Valentines day holds a special place in our hearts, especially because it commemorates our 15th year anniversary of marriage. I know right? lol, and each year it only gets better like a fine wine

During our time in the Marine Corps we’ve missed a total of seven Valentines Days. So we hope to give you some ideas on how to make your Valentines Day special while deployed.

Things To Do For Him:

1. Reason’s why you love him- Write down one reason why you love him and have him read a new one each day for the rest of the deployment, or one reason for each year you’ve been married. You can get really creative on how he’ll read them, and what you want to put the reasons in. Here is an example. 15 reasons attached to 15 pieces of his favorite candy (non melting) for each 15 years of marriage.
2. Photo CD- Burn a CD of your favorite memories together that you have on camera. You can add some video and text to add your special message in between pictures. Edit it with a simple program such windows movie maker with some music of your choice, graphics, and viola!
3. Memory Box- Include 5-10 items that will serve as a reminder of your guys’ time, moments, or trinkets.  Include it with a special message and spray the box with his favorite perfume of yours.

Things To Do For Her:

1. Send her on a mini-deployment(away from the kids)- Guys this might take some leg work and coordinating from a forward deployed base but you can make it work. Send her away to the spa, the nail shop, hair shop, mall, movies, coffee shops, or all of the above, whatever floats her boat! The key is, ensure you do all the leg work for her from where you are. This way all she has to do is show up and enjoy whatever you have planned for her. Because of where you’re at and the thought you put into this will make her feel like the special person she is.
2. Write her an old school letter- Women appreciate the simple things guys do. Instead of sending an email, or a skyping, or calling from the sat phone, sit down and put all your thoughts down on why you love her and why she’s so special to you.  It really is that simple guys.
3. Public Display of Affection (PDA)- I know this is the hardest thing for some guys right? But sending her those flowers to work instead of home, blasting your love for her over facebook, twitter, or a youtube video is money! She’ll feel like the most wanted girl in the world because of the thought you put into it, the PDA, and the crap you’re going to get from the guys for her.

We hope this brought some fresh ideas or at least got the creativeness flowing. There are lots of ways you can spin these with a little bit of thought and effort. Either way, your Valentines Day during a deployment doesn’t have to be such a sad one. Count your blessings, say your prayers for his safe return, and keep on pressing.

Post Deployment reintegration is something that the new military family or civilian may not be familiar with. Most only see the ‘Hollywood’ style return with cheers, smiles, and hugs as the military member gets off the plane. But what is it like after that’s done and it’s time to go home?

We’ve been through six total deployments. Post deployment reintegration seems different each time. This post will be first person point of view so we’ll share our personal experiences of post deployment reintegration. We hope it brings a new perspective into your life and it somehow helps you understand what the other person might be going through.

Anthony:

For me it’s always really weird when I first get home. Although I am the head of the household I sure don’t feel like it right away. I know Lorraine has run the house her way and has a system in place. It’s not my system so when I see things that I don’t agree with I feel I shouldn’t say anything. It makes me feel like I’m stepping on her toes. Besides, she has been mommy and daddy for the last seven months and they’ve done it without me this far. Right?

As for the kids this is a tough one. We have four beautiful unique kids and all have different personalities. I always felt guilt leaving them and missing so much of their accomplishments during the deployment. Although they know that ‘it’s what daddy does’ and it’s their norm, it hurts me knowing that it’s not ordinary, it’s just that they (all Mil kids) are extra-ordinary.  I found the best thing with them is to just stop, look, and listen to everything they want to share with you, because it’s so much! I wanted to give each one of them what they deserve from me but the truth of the matter is I will never get those special moments of their lives back. And that’s what kills inside.

Lorraine:

Whenever Anthony finally gets home it’s always weird for me because I have to get used to having him around again, waking up next to a man instead of my two boys..lol! I automatically feel the security and love of having him home. Each day I slowly let go of  the reigns and let him pick up where he left off as the head of the house, which is sometimes hard to do because I was doing it on my own for so long. At times we’ll argue because we’re trying to get used to each others old personality again. However, the reality is we’re actually different from who we were before the deployment. We’ve both had different experiences during the deployment that has built new character and has shaped who we are. This is one thing I think is key to understand about post deployment reintegration.

Another thing I notice is as soon as he’s home I know that I don’t have to be the only disciplinarian and expect him to start helping me with the kids, but then he doesn’t and I realize he is still adjusting.

When he was gone we ate out a lot more because it was so much easier for me to go to a drive thru than to cook dinner; especially after the kid’s extra curricular activities. Now that he’s home it’s home-cooked dinner everyday and not much eating out. 

I notice that the kids won’t ask him for anything either. I have to remind them that it’s ok to ask dad for help. They’re just not used to asking him because of this cycle we go through. Post deployment reintegration takes time and it’s never the easiest thing. But realizing the blessing of being together again overcomes all and we get through it.

Most people think that gold is better than silver. Well today I’m going to offer a little insight for you. Gold is used as a storage of wealth. So when it’s mined and brought to market, it’s mostly stored in a vault to whoever the purchaser is. Gold is known as the money of kings. So if you’re rich and can buy tons of gold, have at it.

Silver on the other hand is known as the money of gentleman. Silver has multiple uses. Not only is it used as money but, there are uses for silver in three primary areas: industrial use, jewelry and silverware, and photography. These alone make up 95% of the annual silver use. Here are a few examples of where silver gets used up.

1. Electronics i.e. ipods, ipads, iphones, cell phones, computers, laptops, etc, etc, you get the point.

2. Superconductivity and water purification

3. Batteries

4. Solar energy                                                                                                                                      

5. Mirrors and coating

6. Medical applications and equipment

7. Clothing

With all the advances in technology and with 21 emerging markets (meaning countries who are coming online with the western lifestyle with respect to gadgets & gizmos) that means more and more silver will be in demand. However, the supply for silver will not keep up with demand and has not been. So what does all this mean? Economics 101 says that when there is more demand than there is supply the price of that good will go up. And when it does, you want to be the one holding it.

Now that you are armed with some relevant knowledge, do you still think gold is better than silver? Just because you see the nominal price of gold more than silver means nothing. In actuality, silver has outperformed gold 235% since 2001. Now if you can afford to just go out and buy 100 oz of gold have at it. But, 100 oz of silver is much more doable for the most people.

Being a part of Numis Network has allowed me and my business partners to collect silver each and every month and at the same time make a residual cash flow from it. It’s a win-win situation being a part of this company. Trading in some devaluing dollars each month for a silver asset and making extra income just makes sense. When the price goes to the moon you don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines while some of your friends are laughing all the way to the bank. Contact us today so we can show you how to start making money and collecting assets.

Watch this short video to learn why silver will be better to own than gold.

A lot of people wonder what it really takes to become successful at whatever it is they’re trying to do. People take on goals, projects, diets etc and majority of them fall short. That leaves them feeling like a failure and very discouraged. What they don’t realize is that, psychologically they have created a negative anchor to their goal and if they ever attempt it again their minds tell them every excuse on why not to do it, or why they shouldn’t. Am I making sense? You’re still with me right? Good!

Every Wednesday I meet with some very successful people and we have discussions  on goals. Today I’m going to give you a mix of what I learned from them and from a really good book I read called “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy. You see, the key is to set yourself up for success. When trying to achieve something you first have to clearly define it. You can’t say “I want to a be a millionaire” and not clearly understand why. Once you clearly define it you create this “WHY”. This ‘why’ is your pain or pleasure. Meaning, you want this because not having it is causing you some type of pain in your life, or having it brings more pleasure. One or the other is what drives people.

Next, it’s important that you understand what it will take to achieve it.  In “The Compound Effect” Darren talks about taking small consistent steps towards your goal. Here is a great example he uses: If a plane leaving from LA to NY changed just one degree off of its course during the entire flight, it would be 150 miles off course. Think about that relative to your goal. Take the small actions daily and over time you will achieve it. When you fully accept that it’s the little actions you must do consistently, your goals will get easier and easier to achieve. Always remember that the process is more important than the goal itself.

Last thing I want to share with you is if you do fall short of your success, stay positive! The reason people beat themselves up so bad when they fall short is because they focus on just the goal, not the process. One way to stay positive is focus on how much you’ve accomplished in your process, and how much closer you are to your goal. Then, go back, reevaluate where you went wrong, and start from there. Keep repeating the process until you check that goal off your list.

We hope you go forth and carry out whatever it is your little heart desires. If you ever have any success stories by implementing this, email us and let us know. We love to hear success stories from people we’ve helped.

Here is a link to where you can get Darren Hardy’s book. http://thecompoundeffect.com/

Most Americans appreciate the troops and support us. They know that we sacrifice a lot, but do they really know what we sacrifice? Read the heartbreaking experiences these Marines have gone through. This post is not intended for anyone to feel sorry for us, because this is what we choose to do. It’s intended for the American civilian to get a first hand account of military life. I’m dedicating this post to the children, spouses, extended family members, and Marines/Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen who give up so much everyday.

1. Ssgt Duffield USMC- “Babies beginning to crawl, first steps, first words, birthday.”

2. 1stSgt Newcomb USMC- “Tried to adopt a child, bought a bigger house attended and completed all required classes, background check completed, life turned upside down only to receive orders with less than 4 months to report. The worst part is we did not get to help a child who just wants a family.”

3. GySgt Bigley USMC- “Missed my daughter’s sports, education bring up, birthdays and family get-togethers.”

4. MSgt Boeskool USMC- “Missed birthdays, brothers wedding, kids sporting events, but most importantly was not by my mom when she passed away.”

5. SSgt Sitek USMC - “Missed missed countless months of my daughter’s life, both grandmothers funerals, and more family holidays and gatherings than I can count.”

6. 1Sgt Deleon USMC- “Missed class ceremonies, can’t meet my son for lunch, missed his first year of life, missed the half the second year of his life, didn’t see him for 13 months of his life. Missed all of his baseball games. Only been home for three christmas’ in 15 years. He is only seven and he ask me everyday to quit my job so I can spend time with him. Heart breaking.” 

7. GySgt Schmidt USMC- “I have not raised my family close to our extended family. My wife rarely saw her parents, watching them grow old from afar, and eventually, passing away. Also, my children barely know their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, seeing them MAYBE once every 2 years. My kids have many gaps in their education too, moving around so much. 17 schools total for my 22-year-old by the time she graduated high school.”

8. MSgt Galarraga USMC- “Pending holidays at home with the family , birthdays , anniversaries , and losing my brothers and sisters in combat , there is just too much to name.”

9. SSgt B. Ybarra USMC- “Very heartbreaking that my children have been raised more by my parents than by me. Deployed six months after giving birth to my first son. Missed lots of holidays, birthday’s, and school events for all three of my little boys from two other deployments. Was gone a whole year without them to Iwakuni, Japan. I’d have to wake up early or stay up late to skype with them.The thing bout them is when I would talk to them. They would tell me ‘mommy we are so proud that you’re a Marine. Did you shoot the bad guys today?’ I have three awesome boys ♥ very blessed.”

10. SSgt M. Ybarra USMC- “Missed Birthdays, Deaths, holidays. Being away from my daughter and family for 7-12 months at time. Missed her first day of school. Been to 2 schools since shes started kindergarten. Moving every few years to a new house/ location. A total of  six times in ten yrs. Her father is a Marine as well. We swap her between deployments. Between the two of us this last time we did three back to back deployments. He deployed for seven mos, returned, I left three mos later for seven mos. I returned and he left four days later…My daughter says she wants her family together in the same house.”

11. GySgt Dominguez USMC- “I’ve missed a total of five years of my children’s and spouse’s life between all my commitments. On many occasions myself and my family had constant worry of me being killed and not ever coming home to hug and kiss each other. Every patrol death was always around the corner. Seven month deployments take a toll on the mind and emotions of us all.”

SEMPER FI