Winds Of Change: The Shift Toward American Home Business

The last decade has seen more Americans than ever leave their nine to five jobs in search of a better life. A life with less work? No, not at all. But a life that they are in control of. A chance for unlimited advancement, unprecedented freedom, and the chance to make more money than they ever thought possible. It has been said that no one ever got rich working for someone else. While this isn’t entirely true, it’s true enough to apply to your own life. Unless you have the chance to become a movie star or a super athlete in the pro ranks, or the very unlikely prospect of becoming CEO of a major corporation, chances are self employment is the only pathway to financial freedom. And more and more people are starting to realize this. They are starting to realize that the only way to make their dreams come true is to stop saying. . .”One day. . .” and start saying, “Now.”

People are starting to turn around and take notice of the opportunities that exist in home business, too, especially with the advent of the internet. No longer are home businesses just a way to make a little extra money to supplement your full time job, or the job of your spouse. With the right marketing and the right idea, home businesses can be your income. The chance exists to make more money with your own business than would ever be possible working for someone else, riding out the time clock every day and praying for that lousy bonus at the end of the year. With a traditional start up business, the amount of money required is often a stumbling block. After all, it can take hundreds of thousands of dollars just to buy into an established franchise. This means business loans and government credits hanging over your head while you try to make a success of yourself. All of this while you work to support yourself and your family. With the new wave of home businesses, the capital needed to start can be minimized. There are people that have started successful home business with under a hundred bucks in seed money. On the internet, everyone is equal.

In 2006, almost ten million people had left their jobs and were working for themselves out of the comfort of their own home. Do any of these people possess qualities that you yourself do not have? Perhaps, but most of them are just like you. They took a chance, they worked extraordinarily hard, and they made a success of themselves. Every year, the internet produces more and more made-from-scratch millionaires. You could be the next one if only you have the desire and willingness to succeed.

If you’re looking to become part of the revolution, find something you are passionate abut and research the market to see if there is a chance you could turn it in to a profitable business. If the chance exists, go ahead and take the plunge. Of course, there are other considerations you’ll need to be aware of, but with enough thought and imagination, you can overcome almost any obstacle that stands in your way. Don’t let others discourage you. Only you can know if your idea is worth pursuing. Take the chance and see what happens. Even if you fail, at least you can say you gave it your best shot.

The BLUE CASH for Business from American Express - A Card For The Business Owners

Founded in 1850, the American Express is a financial organization that is highly respected. Now, it has around 78200 employees. American Express cards are renowned for their remarkable benefits and excellent customer service. They promise the customers immediate purchasing power.

One such card, the BLUE CASH for Business from American Express is a cash back version of the BLUE Card, which was introduced in 1999. The BLUE CASH card is basically a business credit card, which is specifically made for the small business owners interested in a cash back rewards program and having an average credit.

What Does The Card Offer?

The BLUE CASH Card from American Express is equipped with a 0% introductory Annual Purchase Rate (APR) available for the first six months on your purchases and 7.99% rate on the balance transfers, also applicable for the first 6 months only. After the end of the introductory period, the purchase APR remains within a reasonable range. The card has no annual fee.

The card creates enough scope for the cardholders to earn rebates through a reward program. The rebates are offered for the expenses you make within the "OPEN Savings" network, which include general purchases, Hertz, Staples, AT&T, FedEx and others. Here, the cardholders can earn up to 5% cash back on purchases.

As a cardholder, you can earn up to 2.5% cash back on purchases even outside the network of the "OPEN Savings". The high-rebate percentage scheme will be valid until the annual spending on your card reaches the $15000 limit. After you reach the limit, the purchases made within the OPEN Savings network will fetch you 2% cash back and the other purchases will get you 1% cash back.

Package Of Benefits

The other benefits offered by the BLUE CASH for Business from American Express includes unlimited extra fee-free cards, business advice from experts, travel and emergency insurance, extended warranties on certain purchases, travel accident insurance, car rental insurance, emergency card replacement, various Internet account related services, purchase protection and more.

The OPEN Savings Network

The BLUE CASH for Business from American Express provides you access to the OPEN Savings Network, which is a small business network. This offers you the resources and associations to help you in the smooth functioning of your business. Other than the unlimited fee-free additional cards and savings, the network permits you to manage your account online with the Small Business Dashboard. You can also track charges with the Expense Management Reports.

You can avail expert opinion and advice for help on business matters; you may as well discuss business issues with other business owners online.

The Platinum Business From American Express For Business Purpose

The American Express has credit cards that offer financial services and great travel rewards and other beneficial services.

The Platinum Business from American Express is perfect for the business owner. The card has a 0% introductory annual percentage rate (APR) on the balance transfers and purchases. This helps in holding a balance for a couple of months without incurring additional debts.

Benefits Of The Card

The credit card is good for you if you plan to carry a revolving balance and wish to manage all your business expenditure on only one credit card. If you qualify, you will gain a low interest rate (at the end of the introductory phase) and you will also be allowed a low-cost option for the over time payment of your business expenses.

The Membership Reward Options’ Program

As a cardholder, you will get access to the Membership Reward Options’ Program without having to pay any annual fee. The program permits you to redeem points for enjoying the different services and benefits. It also comes without any yearly limit and there is no expiry-limit applicable. This makes the program flexible. The program also offers security features, travel accident insurance and exclusive discounts (available at select stores and service centers including AT&T, FedEx, Hertz, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. and some similar stores).

Other Benefits

If you want to be blessed with a low APR and want to benefit from a good rebate deal, then make use of the Platinum Business Cash Rebate Card of the OPEN small business program. The OPEN network also offers you online account management tools for the supervision of your account. Moreover, with direct access to credit professionals, you will get ready help in making smart business decisions.

You get excellent introductory phase (for six months) offers of 0% on purchases and 7.99% on balance transfers as part of the card benefits. Nonetheless, the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of the Platinum Business from American Express is its cash back reward.

As such purchases with the card, assures you 2.5% cash back. Purchases made within the OPEN small business network, however, have a maximum rebate of 5%. When you are done with spending $15000 on the card, the percentage rates will reduce to 1% in cases of general purchases, whereas for purchases made within the OPEN network, the percentage rates will decrease to 2%.

More Perks

The Platinum Business from American Express provides the cardholder many Internet account related services, extended warranty for purchases, lost luggage insurance, auto rental insurance, purchase protection, purchase protection, emergency card replacement, a maximum of $100000 travel accident insurance and many other services and benefits.

Can American Businesses Survive In The Global Economy?

The American economy can go either way according to most newspapers and television commentaries. The experts say that we have a 50% chance of going into a recession while some say we have almost no chance. Trying to decipher their confusing messages can be difficult. That leaves most American businesses unsure of what the future holds for them. Are they still going to be able to compete or are they going to suffer a slow and painful decline downwards. The best way to answer that question and determine how to improve the business environment is to look at the American businesses strengths and weaknesses.

Success and failure is all about strengths and weaknesses. When we rationally see the strengths and compare them against the strengths or weaknesses of other countries we can better determine our chances of success. It is almost the same as when you bet on two boxers one of which has endurance and the other one quickness. The one you feel will win depends in part on how you see the situation. If you feel the quickness will take out the opponent in the first few rounds then he is the better bet but if you feel that the two boxers are going the distance then endurance counts.

Looking at the American business world and comparing it to the challengers you can also see better who is going to win in the end. We know that the world is a high-tech place where efficiency and cost matter. The one who produces the cheapest products is likely to win as long as their products have reasonable quality and don’t break down often. With Chinese cheap products and America’s high quality both countries will need to come closer to the middle.

Strengths of American Businesses:

High Technology: Powerful and growing businesses require email, Internet, cell phones, computers, robots and more. The technological advances of the U.S. are difficult to surpass and few countries even come close. American businesses can grow simply because they can manage different international locations as though they were a block away. Few foreign countries can do this. In addition, America also has the ability to develop and implement modern technology like robotic arms and complex systems that increase productivity.

Power Supply: China is attempting to get its hands on as much natural resources and energy as possible. The U.S. is also doing this but is much further in the game. While the U.S. is moving towards alternative energy supply and thinking beyond fossil fuels China is still trying to accumulate basic energy. American businesses have no problem with black outs, rolling power outages or a lack of energy. This is a benefit because their environment becomes predictable.

Strong Law Enforcement: It may seem silly and out of place but a strong law enforcement system helps to keep the business environment fair and equitable. When businesses can be cheated when making partnerships, employees embezzle and politicians bribed there is lots of risks built into the environment. Businesses want to know there is a deterrent and opportunity to regain what is lost through unfair practices. You will find that China as well as most nations outside of Europe or the U.S. has difficulty curbing crime.

Sound Fiscal Policy & Self Adjusting Markets: American policy makers have been generally concerned with how well the economy is doing. The democratic system allows the population to remove senators, presidents and congressmen out of office when they are not producing results. Therefore, a single politician can complete little damage in a single term. When small mistakes happen the markets can adjust themselves by offering something new that makes money. For example, if people demand companies to reduce pollution then these consumers will gravitate towards clean businesses while leaving the rest of the businesses behind.

Weaknesses of the American Business:

Poor Public Education: The American education system is declining and children are falling behind much of the world in terms of science, languages, math, and more. The advancement of these core subjects are important for the improvement of society as the new high-tech world will need scientists and technology workers like never before. However, as we keep allowing skilled workers to immigrate our school systems are falling behind only because there is little direction and lots of politics.

High Labor Costs: Workers are cheaper then they are in other countries. The problem in the U.S. is that companies aren’t getting what they are paying for. The average high school graduate is barely able to grasp the concepts of a manufacturing business let alone work within it while the government raises the minimum wage. A Chinese worker is able to press a button like the American worker but for about 1/10th the cost. Only productivity will make the American worker worth his/her wages.

Taxes: American businesses pay a lot of money in taxes while companies from other countries may pay a lot less. The taxes in American businesses are simply extra overhead that must be pulled from the cost of the product. In a tight economy where people don’t want to pay extra the cheaper products (with less tax burden) will win out. Have you ever wondered what happened to the television and radio producers in the U.S.?

International Policy: America has come to mean, “bully” to many people overseas. To thwart America’s power is a sign of resolve and fashion. As our politicians continue to play favorites with countries that violate international law, demand compliance with American desires and try and finagle other countries its reputation declines. A bad reputation means that both international businesses and whole countries may not only distrust us but prefer to do business with someone else.

Casting The Role Of An American President'all Business Is Show Business!

So, I'm channel surfing in my New York City hotel room, organizing the junk I lugged from a conference to my hotel room floor, junk I'm about to pay an exorbitant surcharge to lug over the border and then throw out once I get home. No point in channel surfing,'cause there's only one thing on, presidential hopefuls strutting their stuff.

Even with the volume turned off it didn't take me long to size 'em up.

Disclaimer. I have no business writing an article about American politics. I know nothing about politics and I'm Canadian to boot.

But I do know that all business is show business and politics is no exception.

After glancing at the chorus line of official Democratic contenders, I picked a couple to whom I'd give a call-back (or as they say on American Idol, send "To Hollywood" for the next round). Who? An uptight looking woman and a magnetic "what's his ethnicity?" guy with an intriguing name. The rest of 'em? A bunch of boring looking old white guys in suits.

A month later, I see an headline in The Huffington Post from The New York Times, "Young Americans Love Obama, Clinton". The article says that young Americans are really familiar with only two of the candidates. Duh. I doubt it's just young Americans.

In his best-selling book, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell writes of a study in which students were shown 3 ten second video-clips of a teacher and asked to rank that teacher's effectiveness. Those results were compared with the opinions of students who'd been in that teacher's class for a whole semester. The results were virtually the same, despite the fact that the clips were shown with the volume turned off. No surprise there.

I didn't need 3 ten second clips. Woman, African American, old white guys in suits.

But let's dig a bit deeper and check their back stories.

The woman's a no-brainer. She's a sharp tongued Yale Law School graduate who used to be Mrs. President. Forget that she's got the charisma of a carp, the former first lady's got an interesting story and best of all, she's a woman, and we've never had a woman president, so she stands out. She's the long-suffering "he done her wrong" wife of an affable but naughty donut eating President who "did not have sex with that woman".

OK, so we never really liked Hill, but we did always suspect that she was the brains of the operation. We weren't sure about her "stand by your man" attitude, but we understood why she did it--the woman had bigger plans. A stain on some other woman's dress wasn't going to derail her.

Who can resist renewing the melodrama for four more years? Think of the ratings!

Will Bill schlep around the country to stand behind her podium? Was there a deal? She looks the other way, he gets her into the White House"? What will he be doing behind the curtains? Don't touch that dial!

And we won't just be getting the first "First Man" in U.S. history, we'll be getting two Presidents for the price of one. The Mr and Mrs. President Show. But the real reason this woman has a shot? She'll get the curiosity vote. We all wanna see how she's going to wear her hair.

The other contender, is a Hawaiian born product of a "black as pitch" Kenyan father and a "white as milk" mother from Kansas (his words, not mine). Throw in a stint in Indonesia and things are starting to look interesting. He says his name means "Blessed by G-d" in Swahili and you gotta admit, the guy does have an angelic look about him.

The other choices? Like I said, a bunch of old white guys in suits. (OK, so one has a Mexican mother and a couple aren't grey haired yet, but they might as well be.)

I didn't notice 'em.

You can't get elected if people don't know you exist. It's no coincidence that actors do well in politics. The Republicans have figured this out. Sonny Bono, Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ronald Reagan got the lead. (Don't think Law and Order guy will.)

Actors get that "all biz is showbiz". You gotta confidence. You gotta have a story. And know how to tell it. You gotta have a look. A name. You gotta give us something to remember you by.

Most important? You gotta be able to connect with your audience.

A brief look at recent history proves my point. No one would ever accuse George W. of being the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's sharper than the cardboard cutouts they threw into the ring to run against him, smart enough to know that we won't vote for guys we don't relate to even if they are smarter, more articulate and have a better plan.

So whatever you're running for, whatever role you're after, V.P of Finance, Girlfriend, PTA President or American President-- remember, all biz is showbiz!

And that, my friends, is the inconvenient truth.

detailed Information About Business Gold Delta Skymiles from American Express

The American Express has come up with the Business Gold Delta Skymiles from American Express aimed at the small business sector. The card promises the much needed financial help in the form of a credit line of up to $50000. The card is very apt for the business owners who can take advantage of savings on flying miles as the card enables the customers to accumulate considerable airline miles for the Delta and Song airlines.

The Basic Features Of The Card

The annual fee applicable is $85, which is waived off for the first year. An applicant, having a charge card account with the American Express, however, will enjoy a special benefit and will be charged a mere $30 towards fee for the Business Gold Delta Skymiles Card.

The card has a regular APR of 17.99 percent, which is above the average. You should have no problems if you clear your payments regularly. Defaulters, i.e., people who carry balances, will find the card not very beneficial and they will accrue huge credit card debts.

The Card Benefits

The Business Gold Delta Skymiles from American Express awards the users with points. If you spend one dollar on general purchases, then you can earn one point. According to the double points program, you can take back 2 points for every dollar spent at super markets gas stations, drug stores and United States postal services. You can also earn double points if you use the card to make purchases with Delta and Song airlines or for wireless phone bills.

The good news is that the miles earned have no expiration period but you should keep your account active for a three-year time period.

You will receive 15000 start-up miles for making the first purchase with the card. You will be awarded with additional 5000 bonus miles for making purchases worth $15000 and $25000 annually. You will also be eligible for 1000 bonus miles for each additional card application submitted with the basic card application (for up to five additional cards).

Equipped with this card you can save money for the discounts at the FedEx, AT&T, Hertz and many more.

The Extra Benefits

The Business Gold Delta Skymiles from American Express offers a myriad of other benefits and perquisites. You can receive purchase protection related services, travel accident insurance and discounts from those merchants and retailers who are a member of the American Express network. You can also benefit from the various account related services, purchase protection, emergency check in service and other similar services.

Cashing in With American Express Blue Cash for Business

When you compare American Express Blue Cash for Business against other cash rebate business credit cards, you quickly come to understand why this is the case.

Cash Rebates

Unlike most other cash rebate business credit cards, the American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card allows you to start accumulating cash back rewards from the first time you use your card.

The cash back structure of the American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card is highly competitive and works on a sliding scale: 0.5% for the first $7,500, 2.5% from 7,500.01 to $15,000 and 1% from $15,000 upwards. When you purchase from an OPEN partner, the percentages double automatically.

The cash back rewards you can earn on your American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card are not capped and you are not penalized if – like most small business owners – you decide to settle your monthly balance in full.

Any additional American Express Blue Cash for Business credit cards you may choose to issue to your staff also earn cash rebate rewards.

Discounts

Over and above doubling the rebates you earn on your American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card, you receive discounts of between 3% and 25% from OPEN partners on business purchases such as travel, dining, business supplies, business services and business building tools.

Terms

The American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card is a very economical cash rewards business credit card when compared to its direct competition. In most of the reviews the four salient features that differentiate the American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card are:

$0 annual fee

0% APR on purchases for the first six months

Low on-going 11.24% APR on purchases

7.99% APR on balance transfers for the life of the amount transferred.

Business Support

Finally, many of the reviews report a willingness on the part of American Express to go the extra mile for small businesses. As a holder of the American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card, you gain access to:

24/7 customer support services

Chat facilities and forums where you can speak to other small business owners and experts, Articles and reports purposely compiled for the small business sector.

American Express also offers online reporting and management tools, to help you automate some of your tedious administrative tasks.

To conclude

The holistic, partnering approach adopted by American Express in designing products such as the American Express Blue Cash for Business credit card, indicates that they are serious about the small business market and committed to adding real value to their small business customers. Judging by the responses on the internet, it is clear that this particular approach has hit the mark.

American Blind And Wallpaper – In Business To Dress Your Windows

The American Blind and Wallpaper Company has the largest selection of blinds and wallpaper that you will find at any site on the Internet. If you are looking for blinds and wallpaper, this is the company to deal with. The wide selection of different types of blinds that you can order will have you browsing the online catalog for days before you make your final decision. Not only does American Blind and Wallpaper have the largest selection, but it has cheap prices and delayed payments so you can save money this way as well. You will find all the top manufacturers of blinds at American Blind and Wallpaper and every possible type of window blind you can imagine.

The American Blind and Wallpaper Factory has a decorator shop where you can get expert advice on decorating every room of your home. Commercial buildings, as well, rely on the advice of the decorators at American Blinds and Wallpaper. If you live in Michigan, you can schedule a free shop at home appointment. This means that a representative of American Wallpaper and Blinds will come to your home or office. When you make your purchase from American Blinds and Wallpaper, you get a lifetime warranty on any repairs needed along with the low prices.

It is easy to see why American homes and businesses like to purchase blinds and wallpaper from the American Blind and Wallpaper Company. This company is determined to put the customer first and see that your needs are met. The friendly staff will go out of their way to make sure that you are completely satisfied with the wallpaper and blinds that you buy. It doesn’t matter where you live because American Blinds and Wallpaper will ship the blinds or wallpaper that you order online to any part of the country. In addition to the low prices, you won’t have to pay shipping charges on your purchase.

If you have questions about blinds and wallpaper that you can’t find the answer to on the site for American Blind and Wallpaper, there is a toll free number that you can use to contact customer service. You can also order sample swatches of blinds and wallpaper from the American Blinds and Wallpaper catalog. This is the perfect way for you to shop at home if you live outside of Michigan. American Wallpaper and Blinds will provide 10 free samples of blinds for only $5 and you can get samples of brand names such as Hunter Douglas and Levelor.

For everything you need in blinds, wallpaper and area rugs, American Blind and Wallpaper is your one-stop shopping source. No other retailer of blinds has the selection of brand names, types of blinds and the range of colors that you will find at American Blinds and Wallpaper. Once you browse the catalog, you will be hooked on the selection and the prices. You will become a customer of American Blind and Wallpaper and will most definitely recommend this company to your friends.

Business JetBlue from American Express - Ideal For JetBlue Flyers

Business JetBlue Credit card is the outcome of the joint efforts of American Express and JetBlue airlines. If you are one of those who frequently avail the services of the JetBlue Airways, then you have an ideal credit card in Business JetBlue from American Express.

You can extract the maximum benefits out of Business JetBlue Card from American Express only if you have enough credit to make monthly payments on time. So, those of you who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to evade finance charges), can well benefit from the remarkable reward program of Business JetBlue Credit Card from American Express.

Highlights Of The Reward Program

To get detailed information about the reward program of Business JetBlue from American Express go through the following:

§ The rewards program awards you a dollar for each dollar you spend on the card. You will receive additional 2 points (award dollars) for each dollar you spend on JetBlue flights, car rentals, wireless phone charges, gas, office supplies and equipment. Also, earn double award dollars for what you spend at movie theaters, concerts, golf courses, restaurants and other places of entertainment.

§ A 5% discount will be given to you on any JetBlue flight in addition to other rewards program points and savings.

§ Your first purchase will reap 5000 bonus award points. (Your statement credit should be at least $50).

Here it would be necessary to highlight that 200 award-dollars amount to one TrueBlue point and 100 TrueBlue points earn you a one round-trip flight in JetBlue.

Other Features

Take a look at some of the other features of Business JetBlue from American Express, which might concern you:

§ The Business JetBlue card has annual fee of $40, a quite reasonable fee as compared to other airline reward cards.

§ Though the average interest rates are high, you will be able to save money on free reward flights if you are able to pay your monthly balance in full.

§ Your rewards will not expire as long as you earn points or there is some redemption activity in your account within a 1-year period. The TrueBlue awards expire after 1 year of issuance.

§ Through the OPEN Savings program, you can also avail automatic discounts at leading merchants.

Special Benefits From The Card

Business JetBlue from American Express allows a lot of additional benefits you would love to have such as – special Internet account related services, entrance to the OPEN Savings Network, Automatic bill payment and account alerts, extended warranty for purchases, Auto rental insurance, Purchase protection, insurance for Travel accident, Emergency card replacement, various travel and emergency assistance services.

Business Jetblue From American Express – Ideal For Jetblue Flyers

Business JetBlue Credit card is the outcome of the joint efforts of American Express and JetBlue airlines. If you are one of those who frequently avail the services of the JetBlue Airways, then you have an ideal credit card in Business JetBlue from American Express.

You can extract the maximum benefits out of Business JetBlue Card from American Express only if you have enough credit to make monthly payments on time. So, those of you who can afford to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to evade finance charges), can well benefit from the remarkable reward program of Business JetBlue Credit Card from American Express.

Highlights Of The Reward Program

To get detailed information about the reward program of Business JetBlue from American Express go through the following:

 The rewards program awards you a dollar for each dollar you spend on the card. You will receive additional 2 points (award dollars) for each dollar you spend on JetBlue flights, car rentals, wireless phone charges, gas, office supplies and equipment. Also, earn double award dollars for what you spend at movie theaters, concerts, golf courses, restaurants and other places of entertainment.

 A 5% discount will be given to you on any JetBlue flight in addition to other rewards program points and savings.

 Your first purchase will reap 5000 bonus award points. (Your statement credit should be at least $50).

Here it would be necessary to highlight that 200 award-dollars amount to one TrueBlue point and 100 TrueBlue points earn you a one round-trip flight in JetBlue.

Other Features

Take a look at some of the other features of Business JetBlue from American Express, which might concern you:

 The Business JetBlue card has annual fee of $40, a quite reasonable fee as compared to other airline reward cards.

 Though the average interest rates are high, you will be able to save money on free reward flights if you are able to pay your monthly balance in full.

 Your rewards will not expire as long as you earn points or there is some redemption activity in your account within a 1-year period. The TrueBlue awards expire after 1 year of issuance.

 Through the OPEN Savings program, you can also avail automatic discounts at leading merchants.

Special Benefits From The Card

Business JetBlue from American Express allows a lot of additional benefits you would love to have such as – special Internet account related services, entrance to the OPEN Savings Network, Automatic bill payment and account alerts, extended warranty for purchases, Auto rental insurance, Purchase protection, insurance for Travel accident, Emergency card replacement, various travel and emergency assistance services.

Business Green Rewards from American Express For Quick Rewards

Business Green Rewards Card introduced by American Express favors business owners with good credit. Those of you, who can pay in full each month, be ready to redeem the extensive rewards program without any limits.

The Business Green Rewards from American Express offers you a great rewards program. The most important thing you need to understand is that Business Green Rewards card is a charge card, that implies all charges made on this card must be paid in full as the monthly bill arrives.

For late payments, you will be subjected to a fee equivalent to the greater of $30 or 2.99% of your overdue balance. Nevertheless, this may be a perfect option for those of you who want to get rid of accumulating credit card debt.

Rewards Program

Whenever you make a purchase with your Business Green Rewards card, you earn a point for every dollar spent on the card. You get an automatic enrollment in the Membership Rewards program without any additional fee and redeem points for merchandise, travel and other rewards for your business and yourself as part of the program. The card gifts you 5,000 bonus points as soon as you make your first purchase with the card.

Business Green Rewards from American Express redemption program is quite broad, so you can redeem points in denominations as small as 400. You can use your points when you feel like and they will not expire.

Some Basic Features

Have a look at the basic features of Business Green Rewards Credit Card:

§ The Credit Card has a low 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers.

§ As a primary cardholder, you will have to pay an annual fee of $95, which will be waived for the first year in case the card-application is submitted online.

Unique Features

The unique features of Business Green Rewards from American Express are as listed below:

§ OPEN Program – gives you access to the OPEN small business network. This OPEN network basically provides businesses with discounts on essential services such as car rentals, telephone, shipping, and printing. With OPEN Savings SM you get discounts at FedEx, Delta®, Courtyard by Marriott®, and more by using your Business Card.

(You will need no coupons or codes and your savings will come along with other discounts your business may already receive. You would have no pre-set spending limit on cards. It also offers you fee-free additional cards, offers online management tools and credit-savvy agents).

§ Additional Cards – there is no limit to the number of cardholders you can make. Provide the Business Green Rewards Card to your employees and reward them with the various benefits of Card membership. In return, you will be rewarded with a convenient way to manage their expenses.

§ Expense Management Reports – check your spending from Business Card by spending category, time-period, or individual cardmember, data will be available at no extra charges.

§ Network News – through this you can send your queries via e-mail and receive a monthly e-mail newsletter automatically, which informs you of business tools and resources, promotions and benefits, and timely business articles and advice.

Accessories

Some additional benefits you achieve from the Business Green Rewards from American Express include up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance, auto rental insurance and purchase protection. Apart from these you have various Internet account related facilities, Lost and damaged luggage insurance, emergency card replacement and other travel and emergency assistance services.

American Teens Still Mean Business

For the fourth consecutive year, "Businessperson" has been cited as the most popular career choice for American teens.

That's one of the key findings of an annual survey of teenagers on topics such as career expectations and their opinions about the world of business. The study, the 2006 Junior Achievement Worldwide Interprise Poll on Kids and Careers, also revealed that for the first time in the seven-year history of the survey, salary expectations for young women are on a par with those of young men.

Since first being measured in the 2003 poll, male salary expectations for most jobs have tended to exceed earnings anticipated by female teens. However, in this year's version, the highest earnings expectations for frequently cited careers, such as business, law, entertainment or medicine, are split fairly evenly between genders.

Over the past four years, the top- 10 career selections have remained fairly constant. "Businessperson" has been the most popular career choice overall for the last four years the poll has been conducted; this year it was selected by 8.7 percent.

"Teacher" was the second-highest selection, chosen by 7 percent, moving past "Doctor," a consistent first or second choice in previous years, which came in third with 6.2 percent, tied with "computer field."

Another difference in this year's responses is that female teens appear to be drawn to careers that require more education, and this year they are more confident than males that they can obtain their ideal careers.

The survey showed that just over three-quarters of young women polled-78.2 percent- said they were "definitely" or "pretty sure" they would obtain their ideal job, compared to just over 65 percent of male teens.

Job shadowing is one way teens form their career expectations. Once again this year, JA Worldwide is sponsoring its yearlong Job Shadow initiative, where students venture into the workplace for a day, hosted by adult mentors who teach them about the "world of work."

JA Worldwide is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and entrepreneurship. Today, it reaches approximately four million students in the United States, plus more than three million students worldwide.

Trying out for American Idol

As everyone knows American Idol is a television program that has singers competing with each other to win the coveted title of American Idol. The show was conceptualized on the lines of Pop Idol from U.K. Even now American Idol is produce by U.K. producers Ken Warwick and Simon Fuller who also produced Pop Idol. The first ever episode of American Idol debuted on June 11, 2002 with its first season attracting a lot of enthusiasm around the country and record television viewers. The show aims to discover the best young singing talent in the country through a nationwide search for the singers. The search is usually performed in six to seven cities every season. The candidates are filtered into few hundreds from thousands. The contestants are further filtered in Hollywood round and ultimately 24 contestants go to the semifinals of which 12 are males and 12 females. The contestants are further reduced to 12 in the final round. From there on a singer is eliminated from bottom three contestants each week until the last episode when only two singers remain from which the winner and the runner up are selected.

Many youngsters dream about getting a break in American Idol and also try hard to get there. Some fail and some come out with flying colors. But we should realize there can be only winner at the end the day and everyone performing in the program cannot be an American Idol. Apart from the singing talent one also need to have the personality to win the competition. In addition to having a beautiful voice you need to have the rhythm and command over different tunes. Knowing how to dance along with singing is also a huge advantage over others who can't dance.

If you are planning to audition for American Idol do not forget to read and if possible memorize the information provided on fox television's idol website. There are lot of frequently asked questions and answers on this website. You can clear many misconceptions you have by reading the information provided. The eligibility criterion to get into the competition is that you should be a citizen or permanent resident of the country and you should be between the ages of 16 and 29.

Some of the previous winners of the American Idol gives an advise to the aspiring contestants to really put everything you can into the song you are singing. You should feel the lyrics when you are singing a song and the expressions should show on your face. Also they advise rehearse the songs you choose over and over again until you perfect it and sing the same song in front of the judges with full confidence and capture their attention and imagination and leave them wanting to hear more form you. Remember focus you attention on getting though the current round and each time you make it into next round you have an extra chance to show your talent and you are that much closer to the crown.

Also remember you may be asked about your role models. Try to come up with two or three names. And how you describe them? You should fine tune your verbiage and if possible try to come up with some interesting words to describe those personalities but only if you are comfortable, do no use it if you feel that you will end up getting embarrassed. Also be prepared to tell about yourself concisely. Part of the job is to dress well, get fashionable if possible but never under dressed. Also be honest, respectful and truthful to the judges. It is also seen that the judges often like contestants who dedicate songs to their friends or family members. Also taking few voice-training classes greatly increases the chances of making it into American Idol. If one follows the tips discussed above there should be no stopping you in landing on the sets of American Idol and who knows you might be the next American Idol.