Why Companies Should Consider Leasing Computers And Technology

Many companies are not aware of the significant benefits related to acquisition financing in computers and technology segments . The proper term for this type of financing is ' Technology lifecycle management '. Most business owners simply consider the following question : ' Should I buy or lease my firms new computers and software and related products and services ? '

Two old adages related to leasing still ring true when it comes to the technological aspect . That is that one should finance something and depreciates, and one should buy something that appreciates in value . Most business owners, and consumers as well know very well that computers depreciate in value . Systems we paid thousands of dollars for years ago are now hundreds of dollars . Walk into any ' big box ' retailer and see the dramatic moves in technology .

Business owners who finance technology demonstrate a higher level of cost effectiveness . The company wants to reap the benefits of the technology over the useful life of the asset , and , importantly, more evenly match the cash outflows with the benefits . Leasing and financing your technology allows you to stay ahead of the technology curve ; that is to say you are always using the latest technology as it relates to your firms needs .

Businesses that lease and finance their technology needs are often working better within their capital budgets . Simply speaking they can buy more and buy smarter .

Many companies that are larger in size have balance sheet issues and ROA ( ' return on assets ' ) issues that are compelling . They must stay within bank credit covenants and are measure often on their ability to generate income on the total level of assets being deployed in the company . Lease financing allows those firms to address both of those issues . Companies can choose to employ an ' operating lease ' structure for their technology financing . This is more prevalent in larger firms, but works almost equally as well in small organizations . Operating leases are ' off balance sheet ' . The firm adopts the stance of using technology, not owning technology . The lessor/lender owns the equipment, and has a stake in the residual value of the technology . The main benefit for the company is that the debt associated with the technology acquisition is not directly held on the balance sheet . This optimizes debt levels and profitability ratios .

At the end of those operating leases, which are usually 36 months long, the customer has the option of:

1. Returning the equipment
2. Buying the equipment ( not likely though )
3. Negotiating an extension of the financing for continued use of the computers, technology, etc .

Companies that have recently acquired computers and technology can in fact negotiate a' sale leaseback ' on those same assets. This financing strategy brings cash back into the company , as the firm has employed a leasing and financing strategy building on our above noted them - using technology, not owning technology .

In summary , the key benefits of computer and technology lease financing are :

* The company can stay ahead of the technology curve
* Computer leasing and financing has significant balance sheet and income statement benefits
* The firm has flexibility with respect to buying new product, returning existing technology, and generating cash flow for purchases already made

Many of the benefits we have discussed relate to leasing in general . However, technology and lease financing are very perfectly suited to the business financing strategy of leasing .

Should you Buy Bluegreen Points from the Resort or from the Resale Market?

This article compares the premier benefits obtained by buying at full price from Bluegreen Resorts with the value of buying a resale contract on the secondary market.

It is very important to understand that any premier or VIP benefits can be changed or canceled entirely at any time, as these benefits are not tied in any way to the real estate ownership (which is why the developer can restrict these benefits from being transferred when the ownership is bought or sold on the secondary market!). In fact, shortly before this article was written, Bluegreen had just changed the benefits again- by reducing the privileges given to Bronze level owners (presumably to try and "encourage" more owners to purchase even more points and "upgrade" to higher levels).

Bluegreen pricing is currently about .85 to .25 per annual point.. Resale prices can commonly be found in the $ .25 to $ .40 per annual point range!

The Premier or Elite Levels of Bluegreen are classified as:

Bronze level VIP privileges are received by owning 15,0000 to 19,999 annual points.(Approximate cost of ,000 to ,000 if you buy resale and ,000 to ,000 if you buy from Bluegreen)

Silver level VIP privileges are received by owning 20,000 to 34,999 annual points. (Approximate cost of ,000 to ,000 if you buy resale and ,000 to ,000 if you buy from Bluegreen)

Gold level VIP privileges are received by owning 35,000 to 59,999 annual points. (Approximate cost of ,750 to ,000 if you buy resale and ,000 to 5,000 if you buy from Bluegreen)

Platinum level VIP privileges are received by owning 60,000 annual points or more. (Approximate cost starting at ,000 if you buy resale and 0,000 if you buy from Bluegreen)

Some of the benefits and privileges premier level owners receive are:

Villa upgrades: Premier owners are eligible to get a free one category villa upgrade based on availability. When you can request the upgrade and how many upgrades you can receive differ by level.

Bronze = 1 day prior to the reservation and a maximum of 3 upgrades per year. Silver = 2 days prior and 5 per year Gold = 3 days prior and 7 per year Platinum = 4 days prior and 10 per year

Presidential Villa Upgrades are only available to Gold and Platinum level owners and are subject to the same maximum count per year.

Gold - 4 days prior Platinum - 7 days prior

Question for potential buyers: Is having a chance (based on availability just before check-in) at upgrading to one unit size bigger than what you reserved worth paying more 500% more for ownership?

The Obvious Answer: No! However, chances are you will already have reserved the unit type you need for your stay since nobody reserves a villa too small to accommodate their family. While an upgrade to a larger unit is certainly a nice perk, it is not necessary and certainly not worth thousands of dollars!

Another possible benefit is the waiver of cancellation or modification fees when you change a reservation.

Bronze class owners do not receive this benefit. Silver level owners are allowed up to 3 modifications or cancellations per year. Gold level owners are allowed up to 5 modifications or cancellations per year. Platinum level owners are allowed an unlimited number of modifications or cancellations per year.

Basically, unless you own 20,000 points or more- you still have to pay cancellation fees! This restriction puts this benefit out of reach for most owners. Platinum class owners who routinely rent their points may find this to be very beneficial, but they will have to consider the vast increase in purchase cost as well as the risk that the benefit could potentially be changed at any time. For almost every knowledgeable buyer- the decision is simply that buying resale is the best choice!

Another benefit is that Gold and Platinum level owners can receive extended stays and reservations at no cost based on availability.

Gold members can have one free white and Blue Season reservation per year. Platinum owners can have three free white and blue season reservations per year.

At first glance, this seems like a fantastic benefit! Who wouldn't like to get vacations for free!

But when you really think it over- it's not as fantastic as it sounds. Another great point for resale buyers is that unless you own 35,000 points or more- you don't even get the chance! And when you compare the cost difference- this benefit is at best a bad joke! Owners are often paying between ,000 to 0,000 over resale pricing for the privilege of getting a few free nights? At a rental rate of 0. per night, it will take you more than fourteen years before you break even! If the rack rate is only 0/night- it then takes more than 35 years! Chances are that extra money in your pocket can purchase all the extra nights you will need.

As always, timeshare ownership at resort prices is far more sizzle than steak! Take your time, research the product and the benefits- and I'm confident you'll agree that purchasing a Bluegreen timeshare ownership on the resale market is the only smart decision!

Copyright (c) 2010 Richard Marquette

Why You Should Think About a Finance Lease When You Buy Your Next Car

Choosing the best option to finance your business vehicles can often seem quite arduous There are several options to choose from and this can be quite confusing. Which option is the best for you? Are there any concealed clauses that could give you a nasty surprise down the track? For example, a condition of some of the options is that you maintain a shared ownership of your new fleet vehicles until you have paid off the loan completely.
If you want to stay away from such unfavourable conditions and just have a straightforward financing option without the hassles, you may want to think about choosing a standard Car Finance Lease.
How Does a Finance Lease Work?
Fundamentally, a finance lease is simply a rental agreement between you and the provider of the lease. The lease provider will remain the vehicle owner while the lease is in force. However, unlike a conventional lease agreement, the lease payments will be put towards the agreed value of the car. This means that you become the owner of the vehicle in full once the lease is paid off. The benefit for you is that because the lease provider is the owner of the vehicle and not you, the company that provides the lease is responsible for ensuring the vehicle is in good working condition. If happens to your vehicle or it cannot be used properly, then the lease company should usually transfer your lease to a similar but working vehicle. Please ensure you check the terms and conditions of your lease to confirm this is true.

Am I Eligible For a Finance Lease?
To be eligible for a finance lease, the main condition is that you use the vehicle in the main for business. Each lease provider will have different business usage requirements but as a rule of thumb, make sure the time you use your vehicle for business is a minimum of 50 to 60%. Most businesses are usually eligible for a finance lease.
Options for Finance Leases
If you decide to go ahead with a finance lease, then take the following into consideration:
- Over what length of time would you like the lease to be?
- What lump sum amount would you like to pay upon expiry of the lease Make sure you confirm this so you don't get a nasty surprise.
Some lease providers may also allow you to take out an extended lease. With this option, you can trade in your old vehicle for a new one as new vehicles become available. You will continue to pay the lease for a longer term but you now have a new car.
Also, provided that you meet business usage requirements, there are often some tax deductions that you can take advantage of.
Take your time and do your research carefully and find the most appropriate lease. Every finance lease provider will offer you a different combination of interest rates and financing terms. So compare the various options to make sure you get the lease that best meets your business needs. Get in touch with different lease providers and speak to them - make sure you let them know that you want a business lease quote and not a personal lease quote.
Things to compare include: interest rates, estimated payment amounts, the length of the lease and the final balloon payment. If you take the time to examine the different options and make suitable comparisons, you will be in a far better position to choose the most appropriate lease option for your business.

Should You Join Body by vi? The REAL Body By Vi review

I did a generic company review a while back when Body by vi had introduced the actual 90 Day Challenge and the Meal Replacement Shake. I've done hotel meetings before, and let me tell you. I really don't like hype. In fact, that was one of the biggest reasons why this company had initially turned me off. I closed my eyes and ears without taking an in-depth look. I had skimmed over the company history, the products, and the compensation plan only to land some Real Estate in Google for certain keywords.

For those of you that know me, I am a very analytical person. I love detail and planning. So when Visalus had come across my desk for the second time, I decided to due my due diligence. Have you ever been apart of a Network Marketing company that offers you a Car Allowance once you hit the top of the pay plan when you could buy about 10 of the cars anyways. That's no fun. Why should you have to hit the top position of a company just to get a car allowance when you should be able to easily afford it on your own? Body by vi does things differently; they give you a freaking BMW just for hitting a simple position which is relatively easy for anyone. Initially, Body by vi was only giving out Black BMW's, but the BMW company just couldn't keep up! That's why they had to start including Silver and Vi-Green as well. That's pretty phenomenal. If you are a leader, think about this. How beneficial would it be if half of your team driving BMW's around paid for by the company? I think someone would notice.

It was at this point that I realized that this was not just hype, but the average person is actually having tangible results. This isn't just with cars either. Why? Because the product freaking WORKS! People are dropping pounds left and right like a bad habit. Imagine if you had a team of people who all lost weight, were driving around BMW's, and sharing a 90 day commitment to self-development both physically and mentally. You just can't ignore it.

If you read my recent review of Body by vi, then you know they have strong leadership with Ryan Blair, Blake Mallen, Nick Sarnicola, and others. Visalus is here to stay and if you are a business savvy person, you will appreciate that they are backed by the company "Blythe" - which is a very solid and credible resource. Body by vi is the real deal. Attorney generals aren't going to hang out anywhere around this opportunity due to how many customers (not distributor-customers) they have. The product really sells itself with the results that it brings about and how good the shakes taste. It's not called "the shake mix, that taste like cake mix" for nothing. The "refer 3, get yours free" program for customers is also a great incentive to keep more customers around. Who doesn't want to get their product for free?

Now for the last and final reason why I joined!

I met a local guy by the name of Paul Rogers. He was a fireman in St. Louis for 17 years, did Real Estate Investing on his day off, and had the privilege of being mentored by Robert Kiyosaki for a couple of years. Paul was also a guest speaker with Robert Kiyosaki on the Oprah show. Aside from being able to team up with Paul Rogers, there was already an established community that you don't get with start-up companies. Honestly, it doesn't matter what company, product, or compensation plan you have, the only variable that changes is YOU. Having the best company is just like having the sharpest axe to cut down a big tree with, but it still depends on YOU. If you are looking to join Visalus, make sure that you are with a team that is making things happen. You would be surprised what a team can do for your organization, especially if you are NEW to this industry.