What Are Safe Plastic Numbers To Use?

What Are Safe Plastic Numbers To Use?

After writing about what the plastic recycling numbers listed on the bottom of plastic containers mean, I have been swamped with questions about which ones are considered safe plastic numbers and which ones are not, especially in the area of food and drink.

Please bear in mind that a lot of research is still ongoing, and new information is coming to light all the time. One example is BPA (Bisphenol A), where a barrage of recent studies have shown the harmful effects of that plastic on the endocrine, neurological, and sexual reproductive systems, as well as on fetal and infant brain development and behavior. It’s therefore impossible to say with absolute certainty whether any particular industrial material, including plastic, is absolutely safe under all circumstances.

Here’s what we do know: some plastics are definitely dangerous or risky, sometimes when heated and sometimes when used under any circumstances. Others are safe if used properly, based on current knowledge and research (or at least based on what I know.)

Here are a few questions I’ve gotten recently, with some answers that hopefully help to demystify the issue of safe plastic numbers:

1) What are considered to be safe plastic recycling numbers?

The absolute safest plastic numbers, especially for storing food, are:

• #2, HDPE, a usually opaque plastic used for milk jugs, detergent bottles, juice bottles, toiletries and the like.
• #4, LDPE, used for things like plastic bags, food storage, bread bags, some food wraps, squeezable bottles.
• #5, polypropylene, used for a wide variety of applications such as yogurt cups, medicine bottles, ketchup and syrup bottles, and straws.

2) What about #1 (PET) plastic?

Current knowledge is that this plastic is generally safe, and is used for things like plastic water bottles. However, in another example of how research is still emerging, an article published in the November 2009 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives provided evidence that PET #1 plastic may leach endocrine disruptors, depending on how it’s used and at what temperature. More research is definitely needed here!

The other concern about #1 plastic is that things like water bottles are intended for one-time use, whereas many people refill them and use them continuously. That increases the chance of the plastic harboring bacteria you might ingest, since it’s difficult to wash and doesn’t resist high temperatures.

3) What plastic numbers contain BPA?

The primary culprit for BPA is plastic recycling number 7. BUT NOT ALL PLASTIC #7 IS BPA! Plastic #7 is a “catch all” category that includes many kinds of plastic that don’t fit the classifications of the other numbers. For example, bioplastics made from sugarcane and corn also carry #7, and these are kinds of plastics we definitely want to encourage people to use.

So the key here is to do your research, and not panic if you see #7 plastic. Many manufacturers of items like athletic water bottles that were previously making them out of BPA are quickly transitioning to other materials in light of the emerging evidence of health concerns.

4) Is it safe to heat up foods touching plastic in the microwave oven?

Personally, I would never do this for ANY plastic, no matter what the number and no matter what the manufacturer says about safety. One problem here is plastic #3, or PVC, which is used in some plastic cling wrapping for food. There are phthalates in PVC, material-softening chemicals that leach from PVC and could interfere with the endocrine system. So I would minimize touching food with this kind of plastic, and definitely not microwave food with it.

As for the other plastics, the risk is yours to take. For my part, I only use glassware or non-plastic plates for heating food, with a paper towel or wax paper to cover it.

5) Is it safe for kids to chew on straws and sippy cups made out of #5 plastic?

I listed #5 as one of the safe plastic numbers, but when it comes to kids do you really want to chance it? The bottom line is that we BELIEVE this plastic is totally safe and therefore theoretically should be OK to chew on. But new information is always coming to light about plastics, and it’s impossible to know with absolute certainty. If it were my children, I would discourage them from chewing on these objects by removing them as soon as the kids are done using them, as well as frequently replace them.

6) Are styrofoam cups safe?

Styrofoam or polystyrene is plastic #6. The general consensus of the medical literature appears to support the view that this type of plastic is safe. There are some nagging concerns, however, such as the Japanese study by Sakamoto Hiromi, about whether and how much polystyrene can leach into food and hot drinks. Given the doubts, my personal view is not to use it for things like hot coffee, using safer mugs instead.

7) Should I use a food container/sippy cup/whatever that doesn’t have a plastic recycling number on it?

I don’t know why some plastics don’t come with a recycling number. In one case I was able to find it by looking it up online, but in other cases I’ve been out of luck. If you don’t know what kind of plastic it is, you can’t know whether it could potentially be harmful or not. To be on the safe side, I would stop using anything without a plastic number on it in favor of an equivalent product that does.

10 ways to empower your communication

"A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10 ways to empower your communication

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.

5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.

6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.

8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.

9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.

And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.

How Can I Get Out Of Debt?

 People can find themselves in debt difficulty for a number of different reasons, but what options are available to resolve a financial issue?

When taking out credit, we generally look at our current financial position and base our repayments on what we can afford according to our current income. We do not tend to look at what could be around the corner.
This more often than not creates immediate risk to us and our families.
Recently a large business in Lincolnshire had to close their doors leaving over 700 people without a job. Suddenly, these people found themselves in a position with no income.
Some of these people will have borrowings with no savings to fall back on; they will now find themselves in a situation where they simply do not have the money to keep up with their financial commitments until they are able to find a new job.
This is just one of the reasons someone kind find themselves in financial difficulty.
Being in a position to some people is unknown territory and they are just not sure where to turn and ask for help.
There are solutions put in place for anyone who finds themselves in position where they no longer repay their debt at the amount set by their agreement.
Your financial position will generally determine which option is suitable when considering ways to resolve a debt problem.
Options available may also depend on whether your borrowing is secured or unsecured.
Generally for personal unsecured debt, options such as a Debt Management Plan may be suitable. Alternatively, if you have a fair amount of income (although it may not be enough to meet current monthly agreed payments) an Individual Voluntary arrangement could be an option.
The most important thing to remember if you ever find yourself in financial difficulty is to make sure your creditors know exactly what is going on.
Some creditors have a bad reputation for being unsympathetic to those who have found themselves in debt difficult. Because of this, some people are afraid to talk to them. Their situation is bad enough without a creditor giving them a hard time over the phone.
The Office of Fair Trading have guidelines that all creditors should abide by, so it is worth reading up on your rights so that if a creditor does work outside of the guidelines, you will recognise this and this will help you inform your creditors you know what rights you have and how you are protected.
If you find it too difficult to talk to your creditors, you can authorise a third party to deal with your debt on your behalf. As long as you have authorised them, your creditors must respect your wishes.
There are a number of financial companies that help people with debt problems. These companies can explain options that available and encourage you not to over commit yourself into anything that may cause more stress.
It is also important to be wary of banks offering refinance. Refinance could be a good option, however, consider the interest you will be paying back on top of what you borrow.
Don’t be tempted by quick fixes, such as borrowing more money, if you know in a few months time you will find yourself back in the same situation.
Regardless of your financial situation, whether you are dealing with personal debt or business debt, there is always a solution. Do not be afraid to seek help and face your debt on. Do not put letters unopened in the bin or in a drawer hidden away.
As long as your creditors are aware of the situation, they can consider whatever proposals are put before them when coming to an agreement on the best way to repay the debt.

Should you Buy, Sell, or Stay way in this Market

After a turbulent week that pulled almost every financial assets down to earth, investors wonder whether now is the time to buy, sell, or hold on to financial asets. Some  have been calling in popular financial experts for advise and comfort.

"Should I sell my stocks in my 401K account?" asked recently a financial investor, calling in a financial  expert on a popular TV show.

"How old are you?" asked back the financial expert.

"Forty five years old"
"You don't have to worry. You don't need the money for another 15 to 20 years. Markets will come back. They always come back."

Investors and financial professionals love clichés about the performance of certain asset classes over the long-term. They do offer comfort of the mind, especially when markets move against investor bets, but they can be very costly for investors who stick with them.

Here we unveil and defy three of those Clichés:

Clichés 1: “Gold always goes up. You cannot lose money in gold.” Really? What if you purchased gold around 1982, when the metal was around $800 an ounce and sold it around $260 in the early 1990s? You collected no interest or dividend over ten years, and lost close to 70 percent of your principal! Obviously gold doesn’t always go up. But what if you kept your position until now? You certainly doubled your money, but that took 20 years—a 3.6 percent annual return, hardly beating the return of a money market account.

Cliché 2: “In the long-term, stocks always outperform every other asset category.” This is a well-searched proposition in the finance discipline, and in many cases it is true (provided that dividends are re-invested), but it isn’t always true. The performance of Japanese stocks over the last twenty years is a case in point. The Japanese Nikkei Index is down 70 percent. Yes, 70 percent over twenty years!

Clichés 3: “Real estate always goes up.” This is also a well-researched proposition, and it is generally true, but not always true. US investors who purchased real estate in the early 1980s and sold in the late 1980s fared well, but those who purchased real estate in the late 1980s and sold in the middle of the 1990s did lose money. And, of course, there is the case of the Japanese real estate, where investors lost 40 percent of their money over the last twenty years.

The bottom line: Certain assets outperform other assets most of the time, but all the time; and this can be dangerous to investors financial health, as the they can suffer significant losses.

Libyan rebels say they are attacking Tripoli

TRIPOLI, Libya   Libyan rebels said they launched their first attack on Tripoli in coordination with NATO late Saturday, and Associated Press reporters heard unusually heavy gunfire and explosions in the capital. The fighting erupted just hours after opposition fighters captured the key city of Zawiya nearby.

Gunbattles and mortar rounds were heard clearly at the hotel where foreign correspondents stay in Tripoli. NATO aircraft made heavy bombing runs after nightfall, with loud explosions booming across the city.

"We planned this operation with NATO, our Arab associates and our rebel fighters in Tripoli with commanders in Benghazi," Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, the head of the rebel leadership council, told the Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera. Benghazi, hundreds of miles east of Tripoli, is the rebels' de facto capital.

Abdel-Jalil they said chose to start the attack on Tripoli on the 20th day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which fell on Saturday. The date marks the ancient Islamic Battle of Badr, when Muslims conquered the holy city of Mecca in A.D. 624.

A couple hours after the rebels said they had attacked Tripoli, state television ran what appeared to be a live audio message by Gadhafi. He did not appear on television but sounded like he was calling the message in on a poor phone line which crackled at times. He announced the time and date twice to prove that he was speaking live.

Gadhafi condemned the rebels as traitors and "vermin" who are tearing Libya apart and said they were being chased from city to city — a mirror image of reality.

"Libyans wanted to enjoy a peaceful Ramadan," he said. "Instead they have been made into refugees. What are we? Palestinians?"

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim appeared on Libyan television to deny there was an uprising in Tripoli. But he acknowledged that there was some kind of unusual activity.

"Sure there were some armed militants who escaped into some neighborhoods and there were some scuffles, but we dealt with it within a half hour and it is now calm," he said.

The claims from both sides could not immediately be independently verified.

If the rebel did indeed attack Tripoli, it would be the first time in the 6-month-old uprising. The rebels made early gains in the revolt, capturing most of the east of the country and rising up in a few other major cities such as Zawiya and Misrata. But Gadhafi's forces fought back and until a week ago, the civil war had been mired in a stalemate.

Last weekend, rebels from the western mountains near the border with Tunisia made a dramatic advance into Zawiya, just 30 miles west of Tripoli, and captured parts of the city.

Gadhafi appeared increasingly isolated as the fighters advanced closer to Tripoli, a metropolis of 2 million people, from the west, south and east and gained control of major supply roads into the capital.

After hard-fought battles for a week in Zawiya, the rebels finally wrested the city's oil refinery, central square and hospital from Gadhafi's forces and drove them out in a major victory on Saturday that clearly swung momentum in their favor.

Hours later, the attack on Tripoli was claimed.

Col. Fadlallah Haroun, a military commander in Benghazi, said the battles marked the beginning of Operation Mermaid — a nickname for Tripoli. He also said the assault was coordinated with NATO. Haroun told the AP that weapons were assembled and sent by tugboats to Tripoli on Friday night.

"The fighters in Tripoli are rising up in two places at the moment — some are in the Tajoura neighborhood and the other is near the Matiga (international) airport," he told the Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera. Tajoura has been known since the beginning of the uprising in February as the Tripoli neighborhood most strongly opposed to Gadhafi's regime.

Earlier Saturday, the government organized a trip for reporters to the airport to show them it was still in government hands.

A representative for Tripoli on the rebel leadership council told the AP that rebels were surrounding almost every neighborhood in the capital, and there was especially heavy fighting in Fashloum, Tajoura and Souq al-Jomaa.

Those three neighborhoods have been bubbling with discontent ever since the beginning of the Libya uprising. They paid the highest price in deaths when protesters took the streets in anti-Gadhafi protests, only to be met with live ammunition by government militiamen.

"We don't have exact numbers yet, but we are hearing that many fighters have fallen — very likely over 100," said Mohammed al-Harizi.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman visited Benghazi on Saturday.

"Gadhafi's days are numbered," he said. "The best case scenario is for Gadhafi to step down now ... that's the best protection for civilians."

In Benghazi, there were thousands celebrating in the main city square, shooting fireworks and guns into the air, and waving the rebel tricolor flag.

The taking of Zawiya, a city of 200,000, cleared the last major hurdle to a rebel march on Tripoli from the west. Rebels said Gadhafi's troops put up little resistance before fleeing their posts in Zawiya's hospital and multistory buildings around the main square — another sign suggesting that the Libyan dictator's 42-year-old regime is crumbling.

Trucks and cars packed with rebels as well as civilians drove around Zawiya's central square, honking horns, flashing V-for-victory signs and yelling "Allahu akbar" or "God is great!" An ambulance crew posed for photos on the sidewalk while a rebel called through a loudspeaker on his truck, "Zawiya is liberated!"

Still, regime troops kept firing rockets and mortars at the city from positions in the east even after rebels said they drove them out, and thunderous booms echoed across the city. The central hospital was hit by mortar rounds early Saturday, several hours after it was taken by rebels. The attack badly damaged the operating rooms, punching a hole into one of the outer walls. Metal slats from the ceiling were strewn across the floor, and soot-covered the operating tables.

Rebels also claimed that they captured the city of Zlitan, 90 miles (140 kilometers) southeast of Tripoli, after more than two months of fighting.

"Zlitan is now completely liberated after a severe fight, and for the first time I can say we have control over it," Bani told reporters Saturday.

In Zawiya, fighters were bogged down around the central square for much of the week, held back by mortar, rocket and anti-aircraft fire from Gadhafi's troops. However, on Friday afternoon, rebel reinforcements arrived and pushed toward the square and the hospital, driving out regime forces before nightfall, said 21-year-old rebel fighter Mohammed Abu Daya.

The rebels said Saturday that they were now driving Gadhafi's forces even farther east, toward the village of Jedaim on the outskirts of Zawiya.

Gadhafi's forces fired rockets and mortars at the city, killing a doctor his wife and their 9-month-old baby when a mortar hit their home, medics said.

Zawiya's main square was covered with traces of the recent fighting. Nearly every window in the surrounding hotel, banks and government office buildings was shattered, and bullet and shrapnel holes marred every wall. Shelling had collapsed two floors of one of the five buildings near the square that had been used as Gadhafi sniper positions.

The dead bodies of two government fighters lay in the square's central plaza, covered by blankets. Rebels held their breath as they passed the bodies, which some said had been there for days.

Zawiya native Faiz Ibrahim, 42, took great pleasure in walking safely through his hometown's central square. Ibrahim, trained as an engineer, had taken up arms to defend the city early in the uprising, but went underground when Gadhafi's forces retook the town. He came out of hiding as soon as rebels from the south entered the city.

"We praise God that we can come here now that we have liberated the square," he said, his Kalashnikov rifle over his shoulder. "We have to see all the destruction that it took to get them out."

___

Associated Press writers Rami al-Shaheibi in Benghazi and Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Cairo contributed to this report

Seller Financing: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Do you want to sell your house but have figured out that buyers are as scarce as snowflakes in the Arizona desert? If you've owned your home for a long while and have equity in it, your best bet might be to offer seller financing.

Seller financing essentially means that you will act as the bank when the bank won't. It's an idea whose time has come because of tighter lending qualifications. According to the National Association of Realtors, there's already been an uptick in the number of homeowners who carry loans for their buyers.

But a couple of measures kicking around in Washington may unintentionally throw a wet blanket over seller financing -- effectively ending a practice that could actually revive the comatose housing market.
First is the SAFE Act (Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing). Intended to regulate mortgage loan originators, the SAFE Act is silent about whether Mom and Pop sellers are subject to the new rules. HUD guidelines suggest that as long as you are not being compensated as a loan originator -- paid points and fees and the like -- and the house you are selling is your own, you probably aren't covered by the SAFE Act's provisions. Probably.

And then there's the Dodd-Frank Act, which is working its way through the regulatory process right now. Buried deep in its 179 pages are restrictions that could also cause problems for sellers who want to offer a financing package to whomever buys their house. Dodd-Frank regulations exclude individuals who sell up to three homes in a 12-month period, but leaves a lot of unanswered questions. For example, the new regulations don't exempt the home's builder, so what about folks who had custom homes built for themselves? What if you want to finance the sale of your second home, or an income-earning property you own? All unaddressed -- and therefore unanswered -- questions.

The result of these measures, if only because of the chilling fear they instill, could be crippling. Ken Trepeta of NAR says both measures create a "significant gray area," and that's not a good thing.

Consumers "Kicked to the Curb"

Will people continue to provide financing once these regulations kick in? For now, Vince Scott, CEO of Intero Real Estate Services, thinks owner financing is a great idea.

He says that he's had to go into "creative financing mode" several times for his business as a "fix-and-flipper." Six months ago, he and his partners paid $350,000 for a 2,800 square foot foreclosure in Reno, Nev. They put about $70,000 into repairs and renovations and relisted the property at $549,000. When offers were not forthcoming, they moved to Plan B: providing the financing to the buyer. The house sold quickly.

Scott requires at least 30 percent down on short-term loans of interest-only payments at between 7 percent and 9 percent. "If we can get enough down and the buyer is otherwise credit-worthy but just needs time to get past a short sale -- three years -- this is a good business decision."

In all the cases where Scott has provided seller-financing, the buyer was either turned down by a lender or knew they would be so they didn't bother applying. So far, Scott has not had to repossess a house.

He notes that the foreclosure process in Nevada is faster and simpler than in other states, so if it became necessary to invoke it, he'd get the house back fairly quickly. That said, people being foreclosed on sometimes trash the property and it can take months to physically evict someone, so lending a buyer money is not without risk.

Still, Scott says, it's the right thing to do both from a business standpoint and a moral one.

"Consumers have been kicked to the curb," he says.

And owner financing is an alternative whose time has perhaps come.

"There are plenty of people who have cash on hand, good jobs and pay their bills on time, but got upside down in their homes and let them go," Scott said. "Banks won't lend to them even though they are good credit risks."

Nowadays, Scott says, it's just as much about "neighbor, helping neighbor ... good old-fashioned American Spirit."

That may be, but there is also financial risk involved when individual home owners offer to play banker. Just how safe is it for a home seller to carry the financing for someone who likely couldn't get a loan from a bank, especially if that buyer has a tarnished credit rating because they walked away from another property?

Making a Financial Comeback After a Setback

So you first messed up your finances in your 20s, then made matters worse in your 30s. But now you're ready to act your age, get serious about the business of fixing your credit and start writing your financial comeback story, right?

Whether you went on a few too many credit card-fueled shopping sprees, missed a series of payments that damaged your credit report or lost your job for a prolonged period of time, there are still ways to bounce back and take control of your financial future.

It's all about getting back to financial basics and creating a realistic plan that will help you achieve your financial goals.Here are some things you can do right away to make a financial comeback after a setback:

Check your credit report.

Order your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, and verify that all the information listed on there is accurate. Don't fall into the trap that so many people do and live in fear about your credit report. Unfortunately, according to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, about two-thirds of adults in the U.S. haven't seen their credit reports in the past year.

You won't know what's in your files with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion until you check those reports. So just go ahead and do it. If you find errors in your credit reports, dispute credit mistakes right away.

Track your spending.

If maintaining a budget hasn't been your forte, now is a great time to start tracking your income and expenses. Don't look at budgeting as a necessary evil. Instead, focus on the benefits it offers: knowledge of where your money is going, better cash flow management and peace of mind as you stop living paycheck to paycheck.

Start living on a cash basis.

One of the most powerful ways to get a handle on your finances – and stop living beyond your means – is to start living on a cash basis. Simply put, this means that if you can't pay cash for something, you don't buy it. Living on cash helps to break the cycle of dependency on credit cards. It also makes you far more conscientious about your spending habits, since it's a lot tougher to part with cash than it is to simply whip out a credit card to pay for something.

Create your "rainy day" fund.

If you've struggled with finances in the past and never seemed to be able to get ahead, one reason may be that you lack a "rainy day" fund. This is a small savings account, usually between $500 and $1,500, that can help you deal with the unexpected things that pop up in life – like the flat tire on your car or the leaky toilet that requires you a visit from a plumber.

Without a rainy day fund, you're forced to constantly use credit to pay for short-term or one-time emergencies. A better strategy is to set up a rainy day fund, and make small, regular contributions to it in order to properly prepare for those inevitable setbacks that happen to all of us.

Work on building an emergency fund.

In addition to creating your "rainy day" fund, you should also work on amassing a more sizable emergency fund. This savings account should be between $3,000 and $10,000 in size – or even larger.

Unlike a rainy day fund, which helps you recover from a one-time event, the purpose of an emergency fund is to tide you over during a long-term personal or financial crisis, such as when you get a pink slip or go through a divorce.

Therefore, an adequate emergency fund will have enough money in it to cover all your monthly bills for a period of at least three but preferably six months. To accumulate this fund takes time. So set a goal of saving either a percentage of your paycheck or a base amount that's non-negotiable – and insist on making this savings a priority so you're not spending everything that you earn. Your hard work will pay off if you ever find yourself in need of cash to cover an unplanned, long-term setback in your life.

Get financial help.

If you want some professional advice on how to manage your current assets and finances, set up a meeting with a financial planner or a financial advisor. Experts from the Financial Planning Association and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors are good starting points. Professionals from these reputable groups can take an objective look at your financial situation, help you set some goals and create a plan that will help you achieve your financial goals after your setbacks.

If budgeting blunders, credit issues and debt problems are plaguing you, turn to a trustworthy non-profit credit-counseling agency, such as the National Foundation for Debt Management.

Whatever setbacks or embarrassing money issues you've experienced in the past, those personal or economic challenges don't have to be the final chapter in your life story. By getting back to financial basics, you can write a happy ending for yourself and make a financial comeback of which you can be proud.

Tips for Buying Collectibles on eBay.

Tips for Buying Collectibles on eBay.

Buying collectibles is one of the most enjoyable things to do on eBay, simply because you can find so many things that you just can't get anywhere else. Here are a few tips to help you on your way.

Find your Category.

You'll probably find that all the items you're after are listed in a single category. Add this category to your browser's Favorites, and keep coming back.

Look for Mistakes.

If you collect something, the chances are you know a lot about it. This can be your opportunity to make a mint from a seller's mistake. They might not realise that they have a rare version of an item, or they might have left off the key information that makes it valuable. If you're willing to email the seller and ask them a few questions about the item to confirm that it is what you think it is, then you should be able to buy items like these. You can then resell them at a big profit, if that's what you want to do.

Don't Always Believe Descriptions.

If you find something you haven't heard of, and the description calls it 'rare', don't assume that it actually is. Far too many sellers just put 'rare' into all of their descriptions - the chances are that the item is common and has just been described wrongly. Don't bid unless you know what you're buying.

Stalk Other Users.

When you collect something, you'll probably notice that there are four or five sellers who seem to come up with consistently good items - and the same buyers buying them. Add their user pages to your Favorites, and check back often to see what they've got - or what they're bidding on - that you might be interested in.

Don't Get Too Attached to an Auction.

There are millions of items being listed every day on eBay - whatever you want, it'll come around again, and if you don't get it there are plenty more things to buy. This is similar to the golden rule of negotiating: always be prepared to walk away. If you can't walk away, then expect to pay over the odds. There are few things so rare that another seller won't have one to sell. Go and bid in a lower-priced auction, instead of getting into a bidding war in one that is already expensive.

Beware of the Postage.

If you collect lots of small things with a relatively low value, you might end up paying as much for postage as you do for each item. You should take these costs into consideration when you make your bid. Another good strategy is to always buy a few things at once from the same buyer, as they will almost always offer you a discount on the postage.

When you're bidding, you might notice that some auctions go more slowly than others, going days at a time without any new bids. The next email tells you how to take advantage of these 'slow' auctions.

Watch Out for eBay Automobile and Computer Scams.

Watch Out for eBay Automobile and Computer Scams.

There aren't that many scammers on eBay - but the ones there are tend to be greedy. This means that they will always try to pull their scams on high-value items like cars and computers, so that they can make a lot of money quickly. Since buyers generally buy these items very rarely, they may not know about the various scams out there.

Automobile Scams.

With cars, you will generally find that scammers try to get you to send them money in advance, for whatever reason. For some reason, some people aren't all that reluctant to pay 50% or 25% of the money before delivery using a relatively insecure payment method, especially on a car. They reason that the seller will obviously deliver it, as they'll want the other half of the money.

But there never was a car! Pictures of cars aren't hard to find, and the experienced scammers will have a whole library of pictures of different cars. The seller just got your $5,000 for nothing, and you can leave them all the negative feedback you like. They'll just go and open another eBay account and find their next sucker.

While it's not an outright scam, what you might find is that the car does turn up, but simply doesn't live up to the description - it has been oversold, in the tradition of used car dealers through the ages. If this happens to you then you should open an eBay dispute and say your item was not as described - you might get a partial refund.

Computer Scams.

If you bid in a computer auction but don't win, the seller might email you to ask whether you would like to buy a computer the same as the one they just sold through their own website.

This is a bad idea! You have no guarantee that the item will ever arrive, and you haven't just given them your money - you've given them your credit card details too.

There are sellers with nothing but positive feedback who use this scam often - and since you won't be able to leave them any feedback on the transaction, their reputation will stay that way. If you complain to eBay that you bought an item outside the site and got scammed, they will tell you to get lost and not do it again.

How to Beat the Scams.

There are lots of ways to beat the scams. First, whenever you buy anything expensive, be sure to check your seller's reputation thoroughly. Make sure they have sold items of a similar high value before, and haven't just sold a string of $10 items to get their feedback rating artificially high. If you want to be even more cautious, insist that the money is placed in an escrow service (eBay recommend escrow.com - don't use any other service unless you're sure of it).

To be honest, it's generally quite a bad idea to use eBay to buy things like cars and computers to begin with - you can get them anywhere, and the discounts aren't that big any more. It's better to use eBay for those rare, special things that you can't find anywhere else. The next email will give you some tips for buying collectibles.

When Things Go Wrong: How to Resolve eBay Disputes.

When Things Go Wrong: How to Resolve eBay Disputes.

eBay has quite an intricate and long-winded dispute resolution procedure. In this email, I'll try to break each step down for you, so you can see what's involved and how long it takes.

As an example, let's go through what you would do if you paid for an item but didn't receive it from the seller.

Before you open a dispute: Give the seller a chance to send the item before you get ahead of yourself and open a dispute. If you're concerned about how long the item is taking to arrive, the first thing you should do is send a polite email to the seller saying that you haven't received it and asking whether they have posted it. You should also check your own email address in eBay's options, to make sure that the seller can reply to you. As a last resort before opening a dispute, you should try to call the seller on the number eBay has for them. You might have to pay long-distance charges for the call, but that's better than dragging the auction through mediation for months.

Step 1 - You open an Item Not Received dispute: You can do this here: http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?InrCreateDispute.

All you need to do is enter the item number and say that you did not receive the item.

Step 2 - eBay contacts the seller: eBay sends the seller an email that tells them that you've said you didn't receive the item. Then can then choose to tell you one of three things: that your payment hasn't cleared yet, that the item is in the post, or that they'll give you your money back. The seller can also tell eBay that they would like to send you a message.

Step 3 - You talk to the seller: You try to work out what's happened directly with the seller, sending messages back and forward. Hopefully they'll agree to give you a refund for the sake of their feedback, or your item will turn up in the post during this time.

Step 4 - Closing the dispute: After 30 days (or 10 days if the seller didn't respond), you have two options to close the dispute: either you were satisfied or you weren't. If you weren't satisfied, then you can claim under eBay's purchase protection program for up to $200.

Independent Dispute Mediation.

If you don't want to go through eBay's own process, and especially if the auction was for a high-value item, then you can use a third-party mediator. eBay recommend SquareTrade, at www.squaretrade.com, who provide mediation to many websites where there are buyers and sellers. They will contact the seller on your behalf and then mediate as you negotiate what to do from there.

Sellers who are committed to going through SquareTrade's mediation for any disputes can sign up to display the 'SquareTrade seal' on their auctions. This gives their buyers $250 fraud protection, and shows that their identity has been independently verified so they are who they say they are.

When your sellers aren't in such good standing, though, you need to be careful to avoid being a victim of fraud. There are a few scams that you especially need to look out for - we'll cover them in the next email.

Tips and Tricks for Using eBay Search.

Tips and Tricks for Using eBay Search.

If you know what you're doing, you can quickly find what you're looking for on eBay. Here are a few golden rules.

Be specific: If you're searching for the first edition of the original Harry Potter book, you'll get further searching for 'harry potter rowling philosopher's stone first edition' than you will searching for 'harry potter'. You'll get fewer results, but the ones you do get will be far more relevant.

Spell wrongly: It's a sad fact that many of the sellers on eBay just can't spell. Whatever you're looking for, try thinking of a few common misspellings - the chances are that fewer people will find these items, and so they will be cheaper.

Get a thesaurus: You should try to search for all the different words that someone might use to describe your item, for example searching for both 'TV' and 'television', or for 'phone', 'mobile' and 'cellphone'. Where you can, though, leave off the type of item altogether and search by things like brand and model.

Use the categories: Whenever you search, you'll notice a list of categories at the side of your search results. If you just searched for the name of a CD because you want to buy that CD, you should click the 'CDs' category to just look at results in that category. Why bother looking through a load of results that you don't care about?

Don't be afraid to browse: Once you've found the category that items you like seem to be in, why not click 'Browse' and take a look through the whole category? You might be surprised by what you find.

Few people realise just how powerful eBay's search engine is - a few symbols here and there and it'll work wonders for you.

Wildcard searches: You can put an asterisk (*) into a search phrase when you want to say 'anything can go here'. For example, if you wanted to search for a 1950s car, you could search for 'car 195*'. 195* will show results from any year in the 1950s.

In this order: If you put words in quotes ("") then the only results shown will be ones that have all of the words between the quote marks. For example, searching for "Lord of the Rings" won't give you any results that say, for example "Lord Robert Rings".

Exclude words: Put a minus, and then put any words in brackets that you don't want to appear in your search results. For example: "Pulp Fiction" -(poster,photo) will find items related to Pulp Fiction but not posters or photos.

Either/or: If you want to search for lots of words at once, just put them in brackets: the TV example from earlier could become '(TV,television)', which would find items with either word.

So once you've found your bargain item, bid for it and won it, what if it all goes wrong? Don't worry - eBay has a thorough dispute resolution procedure, and we'll cover it in some depth in the next article, so you'll be prepared if the worst happens.

Introducing the New eBay "Buyer's Credit" Program.

Introducing the New eBay "Buyer's Credit" Program.

In an effort to compete with more 'traditional' shops, eBay has started to offer finance agreements though PayPal for expensive items. This means that, if the seller decides to offer it, you can now spread the cost of an item into affordable monthly payments.

This is good for buyers, good for sellers, and good for eBay. Buyers can get the kind of credit agreements they're used to in shops. Sellers can make their items more attractive to buyers who might not have all the money then and there, but eBay still pays the sellers upfront - they don't have to wait to be paid each month or anything like that. Buyers make their monthly payments to PayPal's credit provider instead.

The APR of the Buyer's Credit program is currently 12.9%. You can pay back $999 or more over 12 months, or $1,999 or more over 24 months. There are also interest-free options for purchases of $199 or more over 3, 6 or 12 months.

The reason why some of these credit offers sound better than others is that it is up to the seller to decide how good the credit offer should be and pay extra to PayPal to offer it. To give their buyer the best promotion, for example, of no interest for twelve months, the seller must pay 3.75% of the item's cost to PayPal.

Basically, this means that sellers pay less when the buyers pay interest, and sellers pay the cost of the interest on the interest-free offers. PayPal makes its interest either way, buyers are happy to get credit, and sellers are happy to sell more.

Can I Get This Credit?

On items over $199, Buyer's Credit is now being automatically offered to buyers in the USA only. Just click the link when you buy something for more than $199 and you will be taken through the application process, which includes a 30-second check on your credit history. Then you just go through the buying process as normal, and you get your item before you've paid a penny.

Why are eBay Offering This?

eBay say they want to "level the playing field", to allow eBay businesses to compete with the big chain stores, and they also want to promote PayPal as a payment method. Relatively few buyers can afford the more expensive items on eBay all at once, and so the introduction of Buyer's Credit seems likely to significantly increase prices and sales at the higher end of the market.

It is worth noting that you can use Buyer's Credit anywhere PayPal is accepted, not just on eBay. PayPal say it's "like a credit card - minus the card!" You don't get a card number - you can pay with credit with just your email address and password.

The only thing left to do now, then, is find the best deal for that really special item - the expensive thing you've been wanting for ages but could never afford. But how can you be sure you're getting the best price? Try our tips and tricks for eBay searching, in the next email.

How to Get eBay Coupons.

How to Get eBay Coupons.

You have to be very lucky to be one of the chosen few who receive an eBay coupon by email. These coupons are just like cash that you can use towards anything you buy on eBay - the only conditions being that you pay using PayPal, and that you are using eBay in the USA, Canada or the UK.

There are two ways to get eBay coupons.

Wait for that Email.

Of course, if you just wait, you'll be waiting for a long time. You have to do something to make yourself look like the kind of person eBay would want to tempt back with a coupon. If you open an account, buy a few medium-value things and then suddenly stop, the chances are you'll find yourself with some kind of special offer - but still, not always.

Go Searching.

The better way, of course, is to go and find the coupons that are out there on the web. This is quite hit-and-miss, as eBay don't always have an offer on, but when there's a valid code you can guarantee that it'll be everywhere within a few hours. Just type 'ebay coupon codes' into your favourite search engine, but be prepared to pick through some rubbish. You might find you have better luck if you use a more obscure search engine, where people haven't taken the trouble to game the results.

If going through search engines is too much for you, then just keep an eye out at any community forums you frequent, where someone might just post one. You probably have the best chances if you make a few friends on eBay's own forums at http://hub.ebay.com/community. It can be fun and educational to chat to the regulars there too, so you really have nothing to lose.

How do You Redeem Coupons?

A coupon is basically a code, with some being quite long. All you need to do is pay with PayPal as usual for the item you want to use the coupon towards. After you choose PayPal as your payment method, you will notice a heading that says 'Coupons, Gift Certificates and eBay Anything Points'. Type the coupon code in here: they can be long, so you should use copy-and-paste to make sure you get it right. Just click 'Redeem', and it's good to go.

Don't worry about causing problems for sellers by doing this, by the way - they have no way of even telling that you used a coupon, as eBay just pay them for the item as usual. Coupons are good for sellers as they attract more buyers to eBay, meaning that they get more bids on their auctions. After all, why would they object to getting more money without you actually having to pay it?

Since you're interested in making your eBay shopping more affordable, you might be interested to know that you can now buy eBay items on credit. Our next email will tell you all the details of eBay's new 'Buyer's Credit' program.

Using PayPal on eBay.

Using PayPal on eBay.

PayPal and eBay were made for each other - and now that eBay own PayPal, using them together is getting even easier.

What is PayPal?

People with PayPal accounts can send money to each other securely online. You can deposit money in a PayPal account from a bank account or a credit card, and withdraw money to your bank account. It is the most common way of paying on eBay, as well as being in widespread use on the rest of the Internet.

Opening a PayPal Account.

It's very easy to get a PayPal account. Just go to www.paypal.com and click the 'Sign Up' link. As a buyer, you should get a Personal account - you can always upgrade later if you decide to start selling. Then all you need to do is enter your address, phone number and email address, and create a password, and two secret questions. You'll be emailed a confirmation, and then you're done!

If you want to deposit money into the account now, then you need to register a credit or debit card or your bank details, and if you want to withdraw money then you need to register your bank details. There's no need to do anything like that just yet, though.

Paying with PayPal.

Paying with PayPal is very simple. When you win an auction and click 'Pay Now', you'll be given a list of payment methods the seller accepts. You should always check what the seller accepts before you bid, as there are still some sellers who won't take PayPal. If the seller does accept PayPal, it will already be chosen for you on the payment page.

Now you just need to press 'Next', type in your PayPal username and password and confirm the amount you want to pay. The first time you pay with PayPal you will need to enter the details of your card or bank account, but after that it will remember for you.

Becoming Verified.

You might have noticed that there is a limit to how much money you can send or withdraw using PayPal before you need to be verified. Verification has two steps. First, PayPal deposit some very small amounts of money in your bank account and you need to tell them how much they deposited. Second, they need to phone you to confirm your address and phone number. Once you've done that, all the limits on your account will be lifted. Log in at paypal.com and click on 'Get Verified' for more information.

While you've been paying for your items, what you might not have realised is that eBay occasionally offers money off coupons. But where do you get them?watch out for next article 

SafeHarbor; eBay's Own Scotland Yard.

SafeHarbor; eBay's Own Scotland Yard.

SafeHarbor are the eBay police department. If you break the rules, commit fraud or try to buy something you're not supposed to, they'll be after you.

When You Don't Pay.

This is the most common rule buyers break - it's all too easy to just change your mind and try to get out of the auction. eBay regards every auction as a contract, and will punish you if you don't go through with your end of the deal. If you decide not to pay then expect to get a few nasty warning emails from eBay threatening you with banning if you do it again. Not to mention, of course, that you'll get a big negative 'DID NOT PAY' feedback comment from the seller.

So There Are Things You Can't Buy on eBay?

Yes, there are: more things than you'd expect. It makes sense that you can't buy firearms, for example, but you also can't buy fireworks - eBay are worried about the risks of sending them in the post. Laws in many countries mean that you can't buy alcohol or tobacco. You can't buy illegal or prescription drugs, stocks and shares, or lottery tickets. No underwear, either. You can't buy any little pet puppies or kittens, as animals are banned. If items infringe on copyright, like pirate CDs or software, then they're not allowed either.

eBay's policy is controversial, not least because it is somewhat random in its enforcement - and there have been accusations that they're more responsive to the copyright concerns of big businesses than to auctions for items that might actually be dangerous. If they do decide to go after you or the seller, though, they will cancel the auction and may also suspend your accounts.

Fraud.

eBay runs remarkably well considering how unregulated it is, but there are still fraudsters. If you are a victim of fraud - for example, you pay for an item that never turns up - then SafeHarbor will investigate for you. eBay's standard purchase protection will give you up to $200 back if your claim is successful. Be aware, though, that this can take a few months.

In addition, if you paid by PayPal, then they can usually reverse the transaction relatively easily and get you more (if not all) of your money back. This is another reason why many buyers prefer to use PayPal. Some sellers are a little scared of the effectiveness of the refund system, as they can send out items in good faith only to find that their buyer was fraudulent and the transaction has been reversed. If you're worried about fraud, as a buyer, you should always use PayPal.

What's that? You don't know how to use PayPal? Well, luckily for you, the next article is all about using PayPal to improve your eBay life.

The eBay Buyer's FAQ.

The eBay Buyer's FAQ.

So you have a question? Has something gone very wrong and you don't know what to do? Well, fair enough. Here are the questions that I hear all the time from buyers.

Does eBay have a Customer Service Department I Can Phone?

eBay are notoriously hard to contact, should you ever need to - it sometimes seems like they expect the site to run itself. You can email them, as long as you don't have your heart set on a coherent response: go to http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/index.html. You might have better luck in a 'live help' webchat here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/n-livehelp.html.

Only eBay Power Sellers (sellers with a very high feedback rating) get to phone customer service. If you really want to try your luck, type 'ebay [your country] phone number' into a search engine and you'll probably find something. Unfortunately, the chances are you'll have gone to all that trouble for the privilege of leaving an answerphone message.

It might seem cruel, but imagine the number of people who would call eBay every day with the silliest questions if they gave out their phone number everywhere. Its Wild West nature is, in a way, part of its charm.

eBay Sent Me an Email Saying They're Going to Close My Account. What Should I Do?

This email asks for your password, right? It's a scam, an attempt to frighten you, make you give up your details and then steal your account. eBay will never ask for your password or any other account details by email. eBay say that you should only ever enter your password on pages that whose addresses start with http://signin.ebay.com/. They even offer a special 'Account Guard' as part of their toolbar, which lets you check that you're not giving your password to a dodgy fake site. You can read more here: http://pages.ebay.com/toolbar/accountguard_1.html.

It Seems Too Good to be True. How Does eBay Make Money?

For you, the buyer, eBay is free. Sellers, though, pay all sorts of fees: a listing fee for each item they list, a final value fee (a percentage of what the item sold for). They can they pay optional fees for extra services, including Buy it Now, extra pictures, reserve prices, highlighting the auction, putting it in bold, listing it first in search results or even putting it on the front page. You can see a full list of fees at http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fees.html.

It's obviously worth it to the sellers, though, or they wouldn't carry on using eBay. The system is quite efficient, and basically forces both eBay and the sellers to keep their profit margins as low as possible - otherwise prices will simply go too high and the buyers will stop buying.

How Safe is eBay?

Well, as it happens, that's the subject of our next email! All of eBay's safety services for buyers and sellers are in one place, called 'SafeHarbor'. SafeHarbor handles fraud prevention and investigation, helps with dispute resolution and keeps rule-breakers in check. Read all about it next time, and be safe.

You Won that eBay Auction! Now What Do You Do?

You Won that eBay Auction! Now What Do You Do?

It's a heady feeling when you win your first eBay auction: a mixture of happiness and perhaps just a little fear. After all, there seems to be so much to do before you can actually get your item. What do you do next?

The simple answer is: you send payment to the seller, as quickly as possible. The quicker you pay, the more your seller will like you, and the sooner your item will arrive. But how you go about it? That all depends on how you plan to pay.

PayPal.

PayPal is one of the most popular options for paying on eBay, to the point where eBay decided to buy the company. It allows instant electronic payment across the Internet. Money goes instantly from your credit or debit card to the seller's PayPal account, where they can either use it for Internet purchases or transfer it out to their bank.

eBay offer incentives for using PayPal, and almost all sellers now accept it. Its instant nature makes sellers very happy, and means that they can have your item packed and sent and leave you some positive feedback within a few hours of the auction ending. When paying by PayPal, you will be covered by PayPal's own insurances and guarantees, as well as any that your card might have.

Cheques and Money Orders.

This is payment the old-fashioned way, and will lead to a long wait to your item. You need to post the cheque or money order, then the seller has to take it to the bank and get it cleared, and only then do they send the item. The only reason to use this method is if either you or the seller distrusts electronic payment methods. If you're willing to go to the trouble with these sellers, though, you might get an item very cheaply, as most buyers just can't be bothered.

When you pay by cheque or money order, make sure to print the eBay order confirmation page (it will be emailed to you) and put it in the envelope with your payment. Underline or circle key information like your mailing address and the item number. Finally, remember to be patient: keep in contact with the seller, as it really can take a month or two before everything falls into place and your item turns up.

Money Transfers and Bank Deposits.

Some sellers may ask you to pay them using a wire service like Western Union, or simply give you a bank account number and ask you to pay money into it. Unless you really trust the seller, this is generally a bad idea - these methods are hard to trace and you're unlikely to get any money back if anything goes wrong. Paying in cash, it hardly needs to be said, is an even worse idea.

It's all a lot to take in, isn't it? I'm sure by now you've got a few questions, which is why the next email will be a little eBay buyer's FAQ. Let's hope we can solve any problems you might have.

When and How to Withdraw Your eBay Bid (and Why You Might Not Want To).

When and How to Withdraw Your eBay Bid (and Why You Might Not Want To).

eBay are a little strict about letting you withdraw your bid. They call it a 'bid retraction', and have a stringent set of conditions that you must meet before you are allowed to do it. Here are eBay's three acceptable reasons for withdrawing a bid.

You made a typographical error: This means that you accidentally typed the wrong amount into the bid box, bidding a far higher price than you meant to. This can be scary: imagine bidding $100 and accidentally adding an extra '0'! You are entirely allowed to withdraw your bid in this situation, and bid again if you want to.

The item's description changed: If you bid on something and then the seller updates the description, you have the right to withdraw your bid. It wouldn't be fair, after all, to force you to take something that you now realise you don't want.

The seller is uncontactable: If emails to the seller bounce and they don't answer their phone, then the auction obviously can't continue, and you can cancel it.

So How Do I Retract My Bid?

eBay hide away the bid retraction form a bit, because they don't like people using it. You can find it by going here: http://cgi1.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?RetractBidShow.

Now all you need is the item number from your auction: this can be found on the item description page's top right corner. If you can't see it on the page, look in your browser's title bar, and in any emails eBay have sent you about your bid on the item. Choose one of the three allowed reasons, click 'retract bid', and you're done.

Are There Any Consequences?

Well yes, there are. The more unethical among you might have considered that you could just cancel bids anytime you feel like it by saying that you accidentally entered the wrong amount. eBay are one step ahead of you. Each time you retract a bid, it is counted on your feedback page for all to see - and anyone with a lot of retracted bids looks more than a little dodgy. eBay also say that abusing the bid retraction feature could get you banned.

So is there a way to retract your bid without facing a penalty? There is if your seller is nice, and most are. Sellers can cancel bids on their auctions at any time, and if you email them with a half-decent excuse then most will be more than happy to do this for you. After all, it's not in their interest for their item to go to someone who won't like it, as you might leave negative feedback.

Of course, retracting your bid should still be a rare thing: you won't win auctions that way! If you've followed us this far, the chances are you've won an auction by now, or you're close - but you might be a little puzzled about what to do next. Our next email will give you a few pointers.

eBay Auction Buyer's Tips and Tricks.

eBay Auction Buyer's Tips and Tricks.

eBay isn't just an auction and a marketplace: often it can feel quite a lot like a game. Like any game, you can get ahead if you think strategically, using your head to outwit the other buyers and get the best price. Here are a few things you can try.

Shop in the Summer.

This is simple, but effective. Summer is the quiet season on eBay - almost everything sells for less. While everyone else is out enjoying the sun, invest a little time to find some real bargains.

Beat Them by a Few Cents.

Outbid people by a few cents instead of a few dollars - if they don't check back before the auction ends, then you will be the winner. To avoid people using this tactic on you, though, always bid strange, hard-to-guess amounts instead of round numbers.

Play Dirty.

If you know when the auction ends, you can get in there at the very last second and outbid your rivals. The chances are that they won't have the time to sit in front of the auction waiting for it to end - as a rule, he who stays wins. If someone else does retaliate at the end of the auction, though, try not to get carried away in those last few seconds and end up paying too much!

Take Risks.

This is a strategy for the braver eBay buyer. All of the advice you will see for eBay beginners tells you to buy items that have good pictures, clear descriptions, trustworthy sellers and all the rest. If you're brave, why not take a risk and do the exact opposite?

Many buyers won't want that item from the seller with a feedback rating of 5, no picture and a one-line description. If you take a calculated risk and bid anyway, you might be able to make a tiny bid and win by default. There are people on eBay who make their living from winning auctions like these, taking good pictures of the item, writing a good description and then reselling it at a huge profit. Be careful, though: do this for long enough, and you will inevitably lose your money at some point. It's especially unwise to try it with very high-value items.

Avoid Bidding Wars.

There are few things on eBay that are so rare that you'll only see them once and never again. There are usually quite a few sellers who have an item. What's more, they will generally have more than one to sell, even if they haven't listed them all at once. Always check your seller's history to see whether they sell your item all the time - and if they do, then wait for the next one instead of bidding to the skies.

Now, there may come a time in your eBay life when you realise that you've screwed up your bid, and you wish there was an 'undo' button. Here's the good news for you: there is! The next email will be all about withdrawing your eBay bids.