Malaysia has just announced a projected contraction of the economy in the coming months. Even though I am not surprised, I still have to mentally brace myself again for more difficult times ahead. Can anyone ever be really prepared? I don’t think so!

A friend told me that those who are far sighted enough to have invested in gold, silver and other precious metals would not suffer such a big impact because the world prices for these are very stable unlike those of us who are holding on to hard currency only.

Even though I keep telling myself that I should start investing in gold and silver, at least, I always end up buying gold and silver jewelry instead. I know I should do more to protect my “wealth” and stop procrastinating!

My friend just told me that he has been trading stocks online since the beginning of April and he has already gained an extra side income of more than $3000. I know that while many people think that this market is too risky to indulge in for contra players, I think that it is a good opportunity to trade if we have spare cash in case we need to pay up.

I have been researching on e-mini trading lately. I believe there’s money to be made there but we do need a solid trading plan but first, we must have a good knowledge of how the system works. I know that once we have mastered the trade management methodology, we could apply the same on any other market, including stocks, which I have not been as successful as my friend. It’s a goal to outdo him, of course!

I was told of an e mini trading course that we could sign up for online. It’s free, by the way, though it is only available to residents in Canada and the United States. It comes with an e-mini trading course DVD, audio CD & E-mini trading lessons worth a total of US$500.

So if you want trading advice from a professional veteran trader, you must get your hands on this course package.

I was discussing with a friend about his new investment portfolio on US stocks. I think that it’s pretty risky and did not partner with him so he is doing it alone since he has sufficient capital.

Even though I am not joining him, I told him abut the free trial that is offered by Power Options on their stock investment tools that would help him in making the correct stock investment decisions.

I remember reading a very comprehensive tutorial on their website on covered calls and how to exit a covered call position. The short tutorial covers various scenarios and what we should do if our stock price falls, rise or remain the same.

I cautioned my friend that he has to educate himself well. Since he is a newbie, there is no escaping the homework that he has to do so that he would not lose his capital.

With the current gloomy economic climate, many people I know, family members, friends and associates are worried about their financial status. Although some people believe that as long as we have a job, we would be able to make it through the recession, we still need to feed the family and provide them with a secure future as best as we could, don’t we?

World Financial Group is a financial services marketing company that offers life insurance and other financial products and services. This is not a company that helps the rich to become richer but ordinary people to achieve their financial goals.

If you feel like you are stuck in your job and dare not move forward to greener pastures because of financial commitments, then you should check out the opportunities that are being offered by World Financial Group. What I like is that they provide equal opportunities to both men and women and in fact, have helped several women to grow and become industry leaders.

World Financial Group provides ready access of massive amount of resources for us, all with the aim of allowing us to life our dream by lifting our financial status and be financially independent.

Whether we are in a financial fix or not, I think we owe it to ourselves to explore the opportunities offered by WFG and their six steps to financial freedom.

In these lean economic times, i know quite a few people who just declared bankrupt. This is actually not surprising because many of us have been living on credit for a long time now. A little while back, I was suggesting that they receive Credit Counseling but they refused to admit that they are in financial trouble. Admitting to it is tough enough, learning about debt management is double the effort.

Consumer Education Services Inc. or CESI in short, is a non-profit body that tries to reeducate consumers into making wiser personal financial decisions, and provide us with tools that could determine where we stand financially and move from there.

I am not sure how effective these are but the first step into financial freedom starts from within us and once we have made the decision, CESI is there to help us.

My friend asked me if I know of a certain credit card. Frankly, I am not able to keep tab on all the credit cards that are launched almost monthly but my friend is the kind of person who would continue to apply for credit cards as long as he could benefit from all the freebies, rewards and other credit card offers. Well, I love these as well but it’s just that I lose track of them all the time!

Since the time when I did a research on student credit cards for my college-going cousin, I have stopped checking on credit card products but now that I am able to start travelling again because I have less work and more time on my hands, I have to start looking for a suitable travel rewards credit card.

I would like to apply for one that rewards me with free air miles or hotel accommodation because these are the two travel expenses that really eat into my holiday budget. So far, I have shortlisted a few travel rewards credit cards but still am not able to make up my mind. I find that the more options I am given, the more confused I become and I end up wanted to apply for every card!

If you have been reading my blog, you will know that my friends and I are currently looking for ways to invest some of our spare cash. Since I am stuck to the computer at all hours, I think I am better informed than they are on currency and stock trends.

However, I think that right now, it is safer to invest in precious metals, especially silver. I have been checking the website of Monex Precious Metals for the latest prices and precious metals like gold and silver are currently trending downwards. I am not surprised since the global economy is taking a beating.

In any case, I will keep checking and look for the right time to enter the market. As you know, when prices fall, that would be a good time to enter and hold some bargain priced precious metals.