Commonly referred to as the first of the three major “Check Systems” in the U.S., Chex Systems is an association of financial institutions that network together in order to develop a database that maintains the records of mutually unwanted customers. To make sure that only financially responsible individuals open up checking accounts at member institutions, these banks report on customers who demonstrate poor financial management skills. When a customer’s checking account is closed due to demonstrated mismanagement, then he or she is reported to Chex Systems. Once done, the customer will have a very difficult time opening up an account at any other financial institution partnered with Chex Systems for the next five years.
Since the vast majority of financial institutions (banks) reject potential customers who are on file at Chex Systems, being reported to them can put an individual at an extreme disadvantage. But what, exactly, does it take to get a checking account closed and reported to Chex Systems in the first place? The answer the bank usually gives out is simply "closed for cause." Yet there are many ways that a customer can end up having his or her account terminated. These range from acts as serious as fraud to the simple irresponsibility that leads to excessive overdrafts. It is important to remember, however, that policy can vary greatly between financial institutions. Depending upon which bank is in question, instances in which accounts are "closed for cause" can involve customers:
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March 18th, 2010 | Posted in personal-finance | No Comments
One of the best marketing tools available to your internet business is good sales ad copy. This can pull in sales faster than just about anything.
If you’re not a writer or cringe at the thought of writing your own sales copy, you can always hire a professional, however if you’re on a budget and have an adventurous spirit, writing your own ads can be a worthwhile option.
So how do you write sales copy that pulls sales? Let’s take a look.
Get their attention. You have about six seconds to grab the attention of your reader so you have to act fast. Verbalize your benefits at the onset. Use words and phrases that are enticing and compelling. Use color, large fonts and exclamation points. Get the readers attention in the heading and keep it focused in the body of the ad.
Benefits and Solutions. How is your product or service going to benefit the reader? How will it solve their problem? Does it offer a solution and how fast? List all the benefits. How will it make their life or business better? Tell them why they can’t live without it. If someone’s going to buy something they have to know what’s in it for them.
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March 18th, 2010 | Posted in copywriting | No Comments
You want colored contact lenses but you aren’t sure which color would be best for you? Here are some tips that should help you select your best color.
First of all there are two major types of colored contacts - enhancement color lenses and opaque lenses. Enhancement lenses are suitable for people with light eyes only, and are designed to make your own color brighter or give it a slightly different hue. For example: a person with naturally green eyes can wear blue enhancement color lenses and get most beautiful aqua effect.
Opaque lenses are designed for a more dramatic change. Whether you have light or dark eyes, opaque lenses are not transparent, so they completely replace the natural color of your eyes with the color of the lens.What type and color of colored lenses to select depends on the effect you want to achieve.
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March 17th, 2010 | Posted in beauty | No Comments
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact, highly desirable for newspapers. The average reading level of newspaper readers is the sixth grade. Over the years it became imperative that newspaper writing be simple, consistent, and use basic punctuation, even when that violated some elementary rules. The end result has been that borderline idiots may now understand today’s papers.
I feel that these manuals should not be taken as carved in stone for fiction writers. Imagine, if you will, someone dictating to Picasso, Dali, or the French impressionists which colors of paint they may use, which strokes, which perspective, etc. Unthinkable, yet there are many people who insist that fiction writers must abide by the (sometimes) arbitrary grammar and style rules in the popular style manuals.
There are certain rudimentary dictates we must all follow, otherwise our writing would be chaotic. However, fiction writers should, more than any other writers, be allowed enough freedom of expression to create a style that is special to them. In other words, a style that is peculiar (in the correct meaning of that word.) In the editing process of my book, TALES FROM THE WRECKTORY, I had an incident with the editor (He won, I lost.) over the use of the word, “tenebraephobic.” (Tenebrae is the service used during Christian Holy Week, and the Latin word, “tenebrae” means shadows, hence darkness.) I wanted to use it to convey a particular kind of fear of the dark. Now, there is more than one word for this condition: nyctophobia and lygophobia, to name two. The individual I was writing about was afraid to be alone in an old, multistory, rambling house in the dead of night. I ask you, which word conveys the impression I wanted to create: one of the two clinical names I mention, or the one which speaks of fear of shadows?
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March 17th, 2010 | Posted in writing | No Comments
To continue the educational series on your health and fitness lifestyle, this article is based on accredited college nutrition programs and literature based on proven science. My hope is to empower you to take responsibility for your nutrition plan. One does not have to become a fanatic and eat perfectly to be healthy!
How we think and feel about food is profoundly influenced by how food is used in our families as children. If food is used as entertainment a reward a bribe a punishment or stress relief, from sadness, anger, or other negative emotions, problems may ensue.
Often, people will eat when they are not hungry, only bored, sad, angry, upset, or lonely. When eating for these reasons, they usually eat foods high in fat, sugar, or both. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a meal, just be sure to get sufficient healthy food and limit your quantities of junk food.
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March 17th, 2010 | Posted in weight-loss | No Comments