BigMoneyWeb

Drug Treatments & Money-Saving Alternatives for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

MJTM — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:28:50 +0000

The most common psychotherapy and prescription treatments for PTSD, plus some less costly options

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that often develops following a traumatic event involving the threat of your personal safety. It can manifest itself in anyone, at any age, but typically develops following horrific events—such as a car crash or a natural disaster—or after a traumatic injury or threat of one’s safety—take an ongoing danger such as child abuse or even war. Prescription medication is usually prescribed by a doctor to treat PTSD, and to cut costs you can fill your PTSD medications online via a Canadian pharmacy. Still, however, the estimated costs of treating PTSDover a two-year period ranges from $6,000 to $10,300. And the cost of treatment encompasses only a small fraction of the total costs. The long-term costs are far greater and impact job loss, reduced quality of life, family stress, and even depression and suicide, and can continue over a decade.

The National Institute of Mental Health links PTSD with numerous symptoms, including:

Flashbacks
Bad dreams
Frightening thoughts
Feelings of guilt
Worry/anxiety
Depression
Fear avoidance behavior
Memory problems
Loss of interest in social activities
Persistent feelings of stress and tension
Irritability
Sleeplessness or insomnia

Common drug treatments for PTSD

The National Center for Biotechnology Information recommends PTSD treatment to help sufferers regain a sense of control as well as coping mechanisms should the symptoms listed above resurface. PTSD treatment can include costly medicinal and behavioral treatments—such as psychotherapy. However, oftentimes, if medications and therapy are combined, PTSD patients learn to not only cope better with traumatic past events, but with future stressors as well.

Part of the treatment of PTSD symptoms includes a series of medications prescribed by a doctor, including:

Antipsychotics – A short-term dose of Antipsychotic medication has been shown to help relieve severe anxiety, insomnia and emotional outbursts.

Antidepressants – FDA-approved Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI), Sertraline (for example, Zoloft) and Paroxetine drugs (like Paxil) can ease both depression and anxiety-related symptoms, such as sleeplessness, mental fog and forgetfulness.

Anti-anxiety medications – Have been prescribed to improve anxiousness and stress.

Prazosin (or Minipress) – A drug used for years to treat hypertension, has been found to block the brain’s response to an adrenaline-like brain chemical called norepinephrine, which can spur insomnia and recurrent nightmares may help reduce flashback nightmares.

As mentioned, your doctor could prescribe one or a combination from the list of drug treatments above. The important thing is for you to keep a record of any side effects, mood and emotions. In many cases, it will take a number of weeks before the drugs take effect and your physician may adjust your medications until they find a combination that works adequately to treat your symptoms. Once you have found a drug treatment that works for you, I recommend looking online and purchasing your PTSD prescription medications at reduced prices from a fully-licensed Candian Pharmacy.

Common alternative therapies for PTSD

Your doctor may prescribe a series of behavioral therapies on their own, or in addition to, your medicinal PTSD treatment program, and this can put quite a financial strain on families. Both individual and group therapy (which offers a connection to others who’ve experienced similar experiences) have been used to treat children and adults who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. As with any type of therapy, you may need to try more than one group or therapist until you find the right fit for you. Don’t waste money on a therapist you don’t feel is making progress. It’s worth money in the long run to switch until you find one that meshes with your needs.

The type of therapy that may be best for you depends on a number of factors that you and your health care professional can discuss—with the main goal being to help you take back control of your life in the face of long-lasting fear. The average cost for most therapies is $100 per hour for a mental health community-based practioner compared to $200 per hour for a doctoral therapist. Multiple sessions are required, so understandably costs can add up quickly over the course of treatment.

Common non-drug-related therapies used to treat PTSD include:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – ACT teaches PTSD sufferers to cope with—rather than avoid—emotional pain. This behavioral treatment shows them that suffering doesn’t come from experience alone, but also from avoidance of emotions associated with the traumatic event.

Psychotherapy – In addition to anti-psychotic medications, your physician may recommend you see a psychotherapist in order to relieve severe anxiety and help treat your insomnia and mood swings.

Cognitive therapy – Is a recognition-based therapy, meaning the goal is to identify common cognitive patterns (or ways of thinking) as well as how they affect your perceptions, negative reactions and relationship patterns.

Exposure therapy – This is often used in combination with cognitive therapy to help PTSD patients safely face and cope with frightening situations effectively. Exposure therapy has recently incorporated “virtual reality” techniques that allow you to virtually re-enter a traumatic experience and face it in a safe environment.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – EMDR, which is typically combined with Exposure Therapy, recalls a distressing event and tracks the series of guided eye movements that help you process and cope with the associated traumatic memories.

US house prices slide in 2011; recovery in 2012?

MJTM — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:08:37 +0000

Property owners in the US may have been hit hard if they planned to sell their home in the last 12 months, yet it may be better news for people looking to get into the rental market. That’s because UK-based firm Knight Frank revealed in its Global House Price Index that the US was harder-hit than most other countries, registering an average house price drop of 3.9 per cent.

Nonetheless, it’s opened up a fantastic opportunity for people toying with getting Simple’s landlord home insurance and making the most of this chance to extend a house or apartment portfolio. Other countries were also hit particularly hard – some evidently suffering the pains of the credit crunch.

The newly-released data from Knight Frank, which has been tracking the performance of housing markets around the world for a number of years, underlined how there was very little in the way of growth; there was a relatively meagre 1.5 per cent overall rise in property prices that signalled the industry’s weakest performance since the quarter between March and June of 2009, when the recession was in full swing.

The Eurozone crisis was evidently behind a lot of the market cynicism, and this was reflected in certain markets that experienced plummeting housing prices. Ireland took a real blow and suffered an annual fall of over 14 per cent. Other markets tied to Europe also fell by large amounts, such as Cyprus (-6.6 per cent) and Spain (-5.5 per cent). Russian investors were also cynical and this led to the market falling by 10.4 per cent, while nearby Ukraine slid by 8.4 per cent.

This negative trend was certainly not felt everywhere, however. For instance, Hong Kong – which topped the table – saw a house price rise of a whopping 19.3 per cent, while Estonia – a surprising number two by most accounts – was up 14 per cent. India experienced a 13.9 per cent rise and Chinese semi-autonomous republic Taiwan saw the fruits of its industrial labours, rising 12.7 per cent; China itself jumped by 8.9 per cent.

Other notable countries of growth included Hugo Chavez’s Colombia (up 7.6 per cent), Norway (8.3 per cent) and a raft of other countries in the Far East – Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia all saw house prices climb by over four per cent. This exact figure also represented growth in Canada, the US’ northern neighbour, which was not as affected by socio-political pressures on housing costs as its friends to the south.

Grow Wealth Through Real Estate

MJTM — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:40:16 +0000

Did you find yourself with equity in your home when others around you were upside down in their mortgages? Do you have a shrewd eye for the market and know when and how much to invest? Did you carefully plan your home mortgage using tools such as online calculator mortgage to determine how much you could borrow responsibly and use the Internet to get a feel for the neighborhood you were soon to join? If so, you may want to consider investing in real estate.

A savvy investor with a good feel for the real estate market may want to pursue investing in real estate. One of the best ways to do this is through buy to let mortgages. You may find that buy to let mortgages are more generous than mortgages for primary residences. That is because qualification for these loans is largely based on how much potential rent you will be able to earn from the property. You can use an online buy to let mortgages calculator to determine how much you may qualify for. Excellent credit is also required.

Buy to let mortgages do come with expenses. For starters, you will need to put 25% down, and you will often pay a higher interest rate than primary residence mortgages because the risks are greater. You may have to pay more associated fees than you would for other types of mortgages.

However, if you are in touch with the real estate market, the earning potential is great. Not only will you earn enough income to cover the mortgage payments, plus a little extra, but if the property value increases, so too will your profits. When you sell the property, you should see a nice return on your investment.

Investing in the real estate market isn’t for everyone, and it does come with considerable risks. Still, if you are wise to the market, you may be able to turn a nice profit with the buy to let market.

Home Insurance and Red Wine Carpet Stains

Valentine — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:54:24 +0000

It’s every home owner’s worst nightmare: spilling red wine on your precious flooring. So what’s the best way to tackle the biggest floor fear of the party season?

A good home insurance policy will cover you for accidental damage – and one-off incidents like a shiraz spillage is usually included in that. Check with your home insurance provider and if your policy doesn’t cover this, think about whether it’s worth switching to a home insurance policy that does.

If your carpet’s been the victim of a red wine spill, act quickly to avoid staining. Blot it with a clean cloth to get rid of as much liquid as you can, starting at the edge of the stain and working your way in so that it doesn’t spread. Lay the cloth over the top of your carpet rather than using it to scrub it as you could work the stain into the fibres and make things worse. The old myth about throwing white wine on top of red to prevent staining does hold some truth as it can help to neutralise it and make the color easier to lift out.

Raid the cupboard for carpet shampoo or stain remover and follow the instructions carefully. If you don’t have anything to hand, you can use salt to stop the stain from taking hold while you decide what to do next – or run to the shops!

There are several products you may already have in the home that can help to remove carpet stains such as red wine. Soda water can be great at lifting the colour out so that it doesn’t stain. You could use a household detergent as long as it’s mild, especially if you have a coloured carpet as anything stronger could bleach it and show up as an uneven patch later.

Some people recommend hydrogen peroxide as a stain remover, but that can leave a lighter patch too. A more gentle alternative is to mix a tablespoon of detergent with one tablespoon of white vinegar and add two cups of lukewarm water. Apply it with a clean cloth and blot as you go.

If all else fails and you can’t get the stain out, call in the professionals. An expert cleaner should be able to use a stain remover and professional equipment to achieve a real improvement and may be able to banish the stain altogether.

Company Profile:

John Lewis Insurance offers a range of insurance services selected by the John Lewis Partnership. These include car, life, travel, wedding, event, pet, home and contents insurance products.

For more information about John Lewis Home Insurance please visit the website here – www.johnlewis-insurance.com/homepage/home-insurance.html.

John Lewis Insurance is a trading name of John Lewis plc. John Lewis plc is an appointed representative of AXA Insurance UK plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and eligibility criteria apply. A full copy of the policy wording and the insurance complaints procedure are available on request.

5 Tell-Tale Signs of a Shady Third Party Credit Repair Firm

Valentine — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:44:29 +0000

Are you trying to improve your credit score? Who isn’t these days? Whether it’s to apply for new lines of credit or refinance at a lower rate, having the highest credit score possible is more important than ever. Turning to a third party credit repair firm can have its benefits, but many of these outfits are scams that can’t make good on their claims. To protect your consumer rights, watch out for some of these tell- tale signs:

“We require payment in full, up-front” – The Credit Repair Organizations Act explicitly says that cannot require payment until they have completed the services they have promised. These for-profit companies are also required to issue a detailed written contract and give three days for cancellation. Any company who is requiring any payment before working with you is more than likely not legitimate.
“You can’t correct your credit report on your own” – If you have been denied credit because of negative information on your credit report, you have the right to a free copy. At any other time, you may pay a small fee to obtain one. Anything a credit repair operation can do, you could also do for yourself. If an organization does not tell you your legal rights and what you can do for free, avoid that company.
“You can credit a new credit identity, legally! – Some companies may suggest you apply for an IRS Employer Identification Number with a new blank credit history to use in place of your Social Security Number. This is a felony! And a word to the wise – if you’re in your mid 30’s and your credit history appears blank to a prospective lender, do you think they will believe that is accurate? You cannot simply create a new credit identity.
“Don’t contact any of the credit bureaus” – Any credit repair group advising you not to contact one of the major credit bureaus – Equifax, TransUnion and Experian – is likely not running a legal operation. You have the right to contact any and all of these agencies to dispute an issue with your report.
“We can erase bad credit and remove bankruptcies, judgments, and liens” – This is an outright lie. No one can erase negative credit information that is current and accurately reported. Only time can fix negative incidents on your credit reports – 7 years from the time it’s reported and 10 years for bankruptcy. Even if a late bill has now been paid in full, that note will remain on your record. Don’t believe an agency can remove accurate information from your credit report!

Any credit repair companies making these claims should not be trusted. Better yet, save yourself the
hassle and don’t hire a credit repair service at all – hire a non-profit credit counseling service or get
familiar with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and repair your credit personally. Check your personal credit
report once a year and stick to a solid plan of debt repayment. Don’t fall into the scam of a quick credit
report fix!

Who will win the debit vs credit war?

MJTM — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:52:05 +0000

Recent fees implemented by banks in relation to their debit cards have made credit cards look more appealing than they have in years. This is due in a large part because the same banks that have attached new fees to their debit cards are offering credit cards with better rewards and lower fees, but how will this affect banking customers?

We all need to maximize our money, from getting the best savings rates through to ensuring that we use our credit cards responsibly. Financial pressure on consumers has seen debit cards become the preferred method of payment in recent years. With debit, there has always been money to back up every swipe of the card.

Bank-Initiated Changes

Late last year, institutions like Bank of America announced that their debit cards rewards program would be discontinued and monthly debit card fees would be imposed. Although the monthly debit card fee was revoked due to vocal customer objections, it hasn’t changed the fact that banks are making credit cards more tempting, but why?

It all comes down to money. The fact is that banks receive less revenue when consumers use debit cards. Recent federal legislation has limited the so-called swipe fees that banks can charge when you use your debit card. What this means for banks is a potential loss of billions of dollars annually. This is the main reason that the Bank of America and others wanted to impose a monthly debit card usage fee. Credit card revenues, by comparison, have remained unchanged; therefore banks make more when you choose credit over debit.

The Real Costs

You also have to charge large amounts in order to get the best rewards on credit cards and all that extra interest is good for banks. Potential late-fees and other penalties are also big business, but none of these things are good for your wallet. Even if you had chosen your bank because it offered the best savings rates, you’re not doing yourself a favor by getting swept away by all those fees.

This isn’t to say that there is anything wrong with credit cards. As long as you set aside enough money to completely pay off your credit card balance each month, you don’t accumulate interest and the card serves virtually the same purpose as a debit card. There is also fraud protection on credit cards that debit cards simply don’t have.

As long as you use credit cards wisely, there’s no reason that you cannot benefit from the banks’ renewed love affair with credit, but if you find that your bank is charging more fees than you are comfortable with, it may be time to hit the road.

Look into another financial institution that can better serve your needs if you feel taken advantage of. Credit unions and regional banks may be good options. Consider what works best for you and take advantage of financial products that come with the best terms and rates.

Exploring the Benefits of a Universal Life Insurance Policy

Valentine — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:38:09 +0000

If you are looking for a permanent life insurance quotes, but you are not interested in purchasing a whole life insurance policy, you might want to take a closer look at universal life insurance policies. Universal life insurance is a popular alternative for those who are looking for a permanent life insurance option that offers more flexibility than whole life policies. In fact, here is a closer look at some of the benefits a universal life insurance policy can provide.

Benefit #1: Universal Life Insurance Can Outperform Whole Life Insurance

While both universal life insurance and whole life insurance can gain interest, universal life insurance policies can gain more because the interest rates tied to these policies tend to be better than the rates tied to whole life policies.

Benefit #2: Universal Life Insurance Offers a Flexible Death Benefit

If you wish to increase or decrease your death benefit, you can easily do so with a universal life insurance policy. This option is not available with other types of life insurance policies, which means you actually need to get a new policy if you wish to change your benefit.

Benefit #3: Universal Life Insurance Offers a Flexible Payment Schedule

While most life insurance policies require you to pay a fixed premium rate at specific times of the year, universal life insurance provides more flexibility. In fact, you get to decide how much you pay each period.

Benefit #4: Universal Life Insurance Provides Transparency

If you are the type of person who likes to see what is being done with your money, you will certainly want to purchase a universal life insurance policy. With whole life policies, you have no idea how the insurance company is using your money. With a universal life insurance policy, on the other hand, you know everything that is going on with your money. This includes a detailed breakdown of how much the insurance company is keeping and how much it is passing on to you.

Low Cost Gaming Options

Valentine — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:00:38 +0000

Many teenagers can spend hours in line waiting for the latest video game and can spend hundreds of dollars a year (if not more) on their gaming hobby. Some people carry this habit into middle age. However, as people age, they may look for less violent, more traditional games to play online. If you are looking to spend a few hours playing more traditional games but don’t want to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars per year for your gaming entertainment, there are plenty of free alternatives available.

1. Bingo. Many of us may think of smoky bingo halls when we think of bingo, but the game is now a popular free game available online. There are entire communities built around online bingo; in fact, there are even awards such as The Bingoport Players Awards’ where you can vote on the best new bingo site in 2011, among other awards.

2. Solitaire. I had a friend whose dad could play solitaire for hours, always playing the same version of solitaire manually. Now, you don’t even need a deck of cards to play solitaire; just go online and choose from anyone of the many versions of solitaire online.

3. Mahjong. The popular tile arrangement game challenges your intellectual ability and can offer hours of fun. Just like solitaire, there are plenty of versions of this game available online.

4. Sudoko. No need to have a pen and paper when playing this game online. This mind challenging game can keep you entertained for hours.

Playing traditional games online can provide hours of free entertainment. In addition to saving your wallet, there are plenty of other advantages to playing these games.

Many senior citizens need to have daily mental stimulation to keep their minds active and engaged and to ward off more serious conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Free online games can offer them a way to work out their mind muscles and have fun at the same time. In addition, some games even allow you to compete with other players and foster a sense of community.

Of course, these games aren’t just for senior citizens; people from all stages of life can benefit from the mind connections that are strengthened when playing challenging games. The logic skills that are also developed can help you in everyday life.

Finally, playing a few games online can be a great way to relax and unwind after a busy day. In addition, because they are free, you are not wasting money as you would be if you went to the bar to get a few beers.

Whether you or an older friend or relative are looking online for games, there are plenty available. Don’t dismiss games as a waste of time; there are several benefits to playing games online.

What Can CRM Software Do For a Small Business?

Valentine — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:33 +0000

Running a small business is a big responsibility; even though you may only have a few employees, it’s still vital to follow all of the correct procedures and do everything you can to grow your company as time goes by. CRM software might not be able to do all of your work for you, but it can certainly help to make a wide range of processes easier and faster – freeing you up to focus resources elsewhere.

Computerize processes

One of the main ways CRM solutions can help a small business is by computerizing processes in a simple and effective way. This is especially useful if you have previously been keeping paper records or have electronic records in several places. The idea of CRM software is to help you manage your customer information more easily, from one central location.

Maintain contacts

This means it can also help you to maintain your contact list. One of the benefits of being a small business is that you can get to know your customers on a personal level easier than you would if your company was large. A good CRM system can help you with this by storing a comprehensive contact list and vital customer information. You can then add to this as necessary to make sure you always have up to date, simple to access, secure information on your clients.

Follow actions and progression of leads

You can also use CRM systems to follow the progress of different leads. For example, if you make a new potential client at a networking event and then follow up the meeting with an email, you can log this progression using the software. Then, as the relationship progresses, you can track the process of your actions so you have a comprehensive record. This can be useful for auditing purposes as well as analyzing actions so you can do things better in the future; being able to track sales from start to finish is definitely an important part of this.

Assist with marketing activities

CRM software is also useful for your marketing activities. For instance, you can often now link it up with your online accounts (such as social networking accounts) to keep your contacts up to date. You can also use it to send mass emails to your customers, which can help to speed up the process while still making sure they are all kept up to date with what’s going on with your business. This way, it also ensures you keep a record of your marketing actions so you can tell more clearly what’s working and what’s not.

View vital sales information

Finally, CRM solutions allow you to track and view vital sales information. This is important for any business, but particularly for small businesses where every sale really does make a difference. You can use the software to set yourself goals (such as estimated completion dates) and use it to generate quotes, which can speed up processes and standardise your working practices – all of which can improve your chances of closing that all-important deal.

How to choose the right insurance for your business

MJTM — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:23:08 +0000

Whatever industry you work in, it’s essential to have the right protection in place. In some areas, insurance cover is a legal requirement of running a business – but even when it isn’t, it’s always sensible to consider insuring your premises, equipment, furniture and fittings against unforeseen circumstances. Not only will this shield you from the cost of replacing everything if you fall victim to a fire or theft, it will also reduce downtime by helping your business to get back on its feet more quickly. With this in mind, take the time to review all the Staveley Head business insurance policies available and see which ones are right for you and your operations.

Businesses that employ one or more members of staff are required by law to get employers’ liability compulsory insurance, which protects the company against claims from employees, often regarding injury, accident or sickness incurred while working for you. Additionally, if your company has any vehicles, you must have third-party motor insurance as a minimum – although it is recommended to take out comprehensive cover in case company cars are damaged or stolen. In sectors where you are in the business of providing advice, such as accountancy, legal and financial services, you will also be legally obliged to get professional indemnity insurance to protect against claims of negligence: if you are unsure of whether or not you need it, your trade association will be able to advise you.

These are just the minimum insurance requirements for a business, and most will take out a range of other policies to ensure their operations are as protected as possible. If you are in the retail industry, you may wish to consider shop insurance, and similar specialist policies exist for restaurant and café owners, pub landlords, warehouse operators, office managers and many other professions. Commercial and residential landlords can benefit from a wide range of insurance policies, including those that protect unoccupied properties and those let to tenants.

Some businesses may also protect themselves with key person insurance, which covers the loss or unavoidable absence of a critical member of staff – your chief financial officer, first instance, or even yourself. This is worth particularly worth considering in a small business that employs very few people, as any long-term absence could add up to a large hit in earnings.

If you run your business from your home, it is also worthwhile to think about whether you are covered by your existing home and contents insurance – insurers may consider your personal and business insurance needs to be separate. Your policy needs to cover the full value of all the equipment you use to run your business and, if you have clients or members of the public to your home office, you will need to get public liability insurance. If you are using your own vehicle for business purposes, you should also notify your insurance provider to find out whether you need to extend your policy.

Your insurance provider should be able to offer specialist packages for home workers – just make sure you are fully protected, as it’s both your livelihood and your home that are at risk!

Guest Post by Adam