Six steps to help you save money

You have a nice salary, but you still feel short of money. At the end of each month, you often ask yourselves, "Where has all my money gone"? To help you better manage your salary, here comes some money saving tips. Following them your daily expense will be cut off easily, but still keep the quality of your life.

First, you need to set ambitious goals to encourage you to save money. For example, you plan to have a formal dress in one year, to own a car in two years' time or to buy an apartment in five years.

Second, form money saving habits while stay away from those that waste money. Learn to keep a diary of how much you spend and what it's for. Think twice before using money on expensive skin care products. The best ways to keep your skin in good condition is sufficient sleep.

Third, economize your daily expense. Change electric wares into energy efficient ones and leave no more than one light open when you leave home. Buy vegetables from a market not a supermarket where vegetables are less expensive and more fresh. When going to a supermarket, take a notebook with you. Write down what you wanna buy to avoid buying unnecessary stuffs. For things like shampoo, soap or washing powder, buy the family pack.

For girls, who always spend money on clothes, there are some rules helping cut off the expense. Keep an eye on discounts information, you're likely to buy good summer dress in winter in a reasonable price. Shopping malls issue membership cards periodically. Go and get one if it's free, it may give you special discounts.

Fifth, economize your social life. Package the leftovers for next day when you have dinner in a restaurant. When it's your turn to offer a meal, invite your friends to your home, cook the dinner yourself. If you are to attend a wedding ceremony and an expensive present is needed, ask several friends to go together to share a present. When separate from your boyfriend, send the gifts he sent you to your friends instead of throwing them away

While reducing expenditures, you need broaden your way earning money. Find yourself a part-time job if you are energetic enough, which gives you more working experience. Give birth to your money. If you are not good at making investments, talk to a financial consultant and entrust your savings with him.

Use credit cards for more gifts and discounts(1)

Recently more and more people are buying with bank cards and credit cards, not just for the convenience, but also for the gifts and discounts. So in this season of sales, many banks are offering special deals for bank card and credit card users. Read on to find great deals for shopping with cards!

Buying gifts

Huaxia Bank

Until March 8th, 2007, If Huaxia bank card holders (including Liren, Zhizun Gold and all co-branded cards) use their card over 20 times, and spend an accumulated RMB10,000, their names will be entered in a draw for a free Sony digital camera worth RMB 4,999.

Industrial Bank

Until March 31st, 2007, if customers use their Industrial Bank credit cards over three times and spend over RMB99 each time, they will receive a free China Mobile rechargeable card worth RMB50 for regular card holders and RMB150 for Gold card holders.

China CITIC Bank

Until February 28th, 2007, China CITIC credit card holders can buy home appliances at certain stores (including Anzhen Gome, Sijiqing, Suning and Pengrun) on installment plans. They are also entitled to a free pig-shaped hand-warmer for every RMB1,500 purchase.

Guangdong Development Bank

Customers who use their bank cards six times for purchases of RMB199 or over will receive a free pig cushion worth RMB40. Customers who make over 6 purchases of over RMB599 or make two purchases worth RMB2,007 with their cards will receive a free Aigo Flashdisk worth RMB150. Customers that use their cards for six purchases of over RMB999 or their bank cards three times for purchases above RMB2,007 will receive an I-Fish digital pet worth RMB380.

Bank of Communications

Cooperating with the New World Department Store, the Bank of Communications has issued a kind of special card by which card users can exchange points on the card for shopping vouchers at the New World Department Store.

China Merchants Bank

From now to February 28th, 2007, China Merchants Bank will give presents to customers according to the times they use their cards. The more frequently customers use their cards, the higher their chances of winning a prize. The top 100,000 card users who withdraw over RMB100 will get a pair of 'Piggy Family' toys. The top 400,000 users that spend over RMB20 each time will receive a free pig toy.

China Everbright Bank

In the next four weeks, if you use one credit card at least once a week and the total is more than RMB 4,000, customers will receive a set of dishes and a fishing chair for free. If the total is more than RMB2,000, customers will receive a free home cleaner.

How To Exchange RMB In China

　　A foreigner can bring cash and change it at the Bank of China for RMB. Foreign money can be exchanged in China through traveler‘s cheques, currency conversion at banks and hotels. Credit cards can also be used. What follows is a more detailed explanation. Enjoy your trip!

　　
　　Traveler‘s Cheques
　　
　　Traveler‘s cheques provide a fairly secure way of carrying money. The Bank of China can cash travelers‘ cheques sold by international commercial banks and travelers‘ cheque companies in the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Britain, France, Switzerland, Germany and other countries and regions. Also the Bank of China sells travelers‘ cheques for such banks as American Express, Citibank, Tongjilong Travelers‘ Cheque Co., the Sumitomo Bank of Japan, the Swiss Banking Corporation and others.
　　
　　Currency Conversion
　　
　　Money exchange facilities for both currency and travelers‘ cheques are available at major airports, hotels, and department stores. Please note that hotels may only exchange money for their guests. The US dollar, British pound, French franc, German mark, Japanese yen, Australian dollar, Austrian schilling, Belgian franc, Canadian dollar, HK dollar, Swiss franc, Danish Krone, Singapore dollar, Malaysian ringgit, Italian lira, Macao dollar, Finnish markka, and Taiwan dollar are all exchangeable. Exchange rates fluctuate in line with international financial market conditions and are published daily by the State Exchange Control Administration.
　　
　　Keep your currency exchange receipts, because you will need to show them when you change RMB back to your own currency at the end of your visit to China. Currency rather than credit cards is essential in remote areas, and you should ensure that you carry sufficient RMB and travelers‘ cheques to cover your requirements.
　　
　　Credit Cards
　　
　　At present, the following credit cards are accepted in China: Master Card, Federal Card, Visa, American Express, JCB and Diners Card. Holders can draw cash from the Bank of China and pay for purchases at exchange centers of the Bank of China, appointed shops, hotels and restaurants. However, this applies only in major cities. Credit cards are not always accepted for the purchase of rail and air tickets. ATMs that accept foreign cards are few and far between. Do not rely on them as a way of obtaining cash in Mainland China.
　　
　　
　　Consult with your bank before departing to make sure that your brand of cheque or credit card will be accepted.
　　
　　Currency Regulations
　　
　　There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency and foreign exchange bills that can be brought into China by tourists, but the amount must be declared to the customs.
　　
　　About RMB
　　
　　Chinese currency is called Renminbi (people‘s money), often abbreviated as RMB. Issued by the People‘s Bank of China it is the sole legal tender for both the Chinese nationals and foreign tourists. The unit of Renminbi is yuan and the smaller, jiao and fen. The conversion among the three is: 1 yuan = 10 jiao =100 fen. Chinese people normally refer to Yuan as Kuai, Jiao as Mao. RMB is issued both in notes and coins. The denominations of paper notes include 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 yuan; 5, 2 and 1 jiao; and 5, 2 and 1 fen. The denominations of coins are 1 yuan; 5, 2 and 1 jiao; and 5, 2 and 1 fen.

Saving Money on Traveling

　　When you are planning for an independent travel, you might need to work out a budget. The ideal vacation will give the most fun for the least spending. The following tips might help you save money in travels:

　　
　　1. In general, the expenses on transportation command a big part of the budget. Travel by train if you have enough time. You can save a lot in this way. An example is, from Chongqing Municipality to Beijing, a round-trip flight costs about 2,800 yuan (US$337), while a round-trip train ticket costs only 800 yuan. The difference reaches 2,000 yuan.
　　
　　2. It is also important to select the most economic vehicles after you have arrived at the travel site. Choose from city buses, taxis or shuttle buses for special routes to scenic spots. A good suggestion is to buy a map and design the most suitable transport route in advance.
　　
　　3. Hotel expenses can also cost a lot if you do not have good choices. It is important to bargain for the rate at each hotel. A good way is to book your room through a travel agent or an Internet travel service provider before you start traveling.

The English text advertising network: Infolinks vs Kontera

First statement: I have personal experience of the absolute, it is a classic case of foreign competition.

Do know that in English, foreign text of the ad network is only the beginning of a boss kontera, my site is done as early as Kontera, results also feel like, anyway, not as good as google, but at least be regarded as a supplement to the google. Then things changed, a new text of the advertising company infolinks joined the ranks of the competition. infolinks is the last year the company opened the beginning not many people's attention, but then people keep on dp said infolinks income kontera several times or even 10 times. Beginning not to believe that a small company, how do large companies than too Moreover kontera to me during this period to upgrade to the next level (operator senior member bar), so they do not intend to change to infolinks. 

One day, suddenly idle, bored, or else try infolinks, the test results found infolinks really good, much better than kontera times, the beginning has not dared to put in great efforts, and later kontera prices getting lower and lower, a hard-hearted, All put infolinks, this time infolinks indeed a good performance, the same flow of income can be much higher. 

After a period of time, kontera client manager not beat it, first asked me why I withdraw, I said that in testing, but also did not say the other. Then, after a period of time, kontera directly out of a Henzhao, 20% earn more programs, that is, 20% more than the infolinks even called me to infolinks income distributed to him, then give me back get a CPM program. Contents of the plan does not say, anyway, and its revenue was up. The code again infolinks removed and replaced kontera's. Like the original traffic, until now, is a multiple of earnings. And today received a message infolinks client manager, asked me why I removed, if there is any need, he can help. I can not answer, or say that can only be tested, Ha ha! So, as long as you do so to a certain extent the English site, when the value it appears, sometimes does not require you to think about how to make money, will naturally make you earn money. For the novice do Wangzhuan, please do not rush to think about how to make money, please do say the site! 

English stations have a certain flow, you can add infolinks try, infolinks does not require a minimum flow rate, while the relatively high flow requirements kontera right point, without a certain flow rate is not into it.

GM decides to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy as bondholder deadline passes(1)

General Motors Corp. president and Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson have scheduled a news conference in New York on Monday, when the Detroit automaker is expected to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to media reports Sunday.

GM's board of directors met for a second day Saturday to make the final decision. The outcome of the meeting could not immediately be determined. GM and the Treasury Department, which has been guiding the Detroit automaker toward a rescue plan that will give taxpayers nearly a three-fourths stake in the company, went into secrecy mode.

A Dodge Nitro vehicle is seen in front of the General Motors Corp world headquarters in downtown in Detroit, May 28, 2009. General Motors Corp persuaded its major bondholders to accept a sweetened ownership plan on Thursday, a deal that could result in a smoother ride for the carmaker through bankruptcy. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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GM's bondholders had a 5 pm Saturday deadline to accept an offer to swap their 27 billion U.S. dollars in debt for at least a 10 percent stake in a new GM. If the Treasury doesn't get the amount of support it wants, bondholders could wind up with far less in bankruptcy court.

The Treasury Department had no immediate comment on the deadline passing, and GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said the automaker did not plan to make any statements Saturday.

In a typical Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, the company files a plan of reorganization that must be voted on by creditors. In each class of creditors, the plan would have to be approved by holders of two-thirds of the claims and a majority of the number of individual creditors who vote.

The auto maker, living on U.S. government loans, faces a Monday deadline imposed by the Obama administration to present a viable restructuring plan and access fresh federal aid. Bondholders disagreed on threatened efforts for a quick bankruptcy process that would allow GM to emerge with a sustainable balance sheet, removing much of the debt burden that has fueled losses alongside the slide in global auto sales.

U.S. President Barack Obama said a liquidation and bankruptcy would have been the only option in the absence of a U.S. majority stake in troubled General Motors Corp. and that he expected the government to own less than 72 percent.

"My preference would have been to stay out of it completely," Obama said in an interview with NBC News recorded on Friday at the White House and aired on Saturday. "But the alternative was to see a liquidation, bankruptcy in which an enormous institution with huge importance to our economy simply gets broken up in to pieces."

GM took a huge restructuring step Friday when the United Auto Workers union agreed to a cost-cutting deal, and early Saturday, Germany's finance minister said a plan was approved for Canadian auto parts maker Magna International Inc. to move ahead with a rescue of GM's Opel unit.

But there was still much to do to beat the government's Monday deadline to qualify for more aid. The company already has received about 20 billion dollars in government loans and could get 30 billion dollars more to make it through what is expected to be a 60- to 90-day reorganization in bankruptcy court.

The Treasury on Thursday offered bondholders 10 percent of a newly formed GM's stock, plus warrants to buy 15 percent more to erase the debt. Last week, GM withdrew an offer of 10 percent equity after only 15 percent of the thousands of bondholders signed up.

It was unclear how many bondholders took the latest offer, although a group representing large creditors who hold 20 percent of debt agreed to it. If the 15 percent who took the first offer are added in, that would make 35 percent.

Elliott Management Corp., a 13-billion-dollar hedge fund and major GM bondholder, also said it had decided to accept the new deal. But Spokesman Scott Tagliarino wouldn't say how much GM bond debt Elliott represents.

Getting as many bondholders as possible to sign on to the offer in advance of a bankruptcy filing could help the automaker get through the court process more quickly, said Robert Gordon, head of the corporate restructuring and bankruptcy group at Clark Hill PLC in Detroit.

"The more consensus you have, the more likely it is you'll be able to move through the bankruptcy process in an expeditious fashion with less resistance," Gordon said.

EU adopts legislation to lure skilled workers, punish employers of illegal workers

BRUSSELS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) member states adopted two pieces of legislation on Monday to facilitate entry and residence in the EU of highly skilled third country nationals and to punish employers who give jobs to illegal immigrants.

The first directive establishes more attractive conditions for third country workers to take up highly qualified employment in EU member states, by creating a fast-track procedure for issuing a special residence and work permit called the "EU Blue Card."

A girl holding balloons walks past a board advertising the 2009 European Elections, placed outside the European Parliament during the European Institution's "Open doors day" in Brussels May 9, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
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The Blue Card will facilitate access to the labor market to their holders and will entitle them to a series of socio-economic rights and favorable conditions for family reunification and movement across the EU.

The directive determines the common criteria to be set by the EU member states for applicants of the Blue Card without prejudice to more advantageous conditions provided for by national laws.

After 18 months of legal residence in the first member state as an EU Blue Card holder, the person concerned and his family members may move, under certain conditions, to a member state other than the first member state for the purpose of highly qualified employment.

The second legislation prohibits the employment of illegally staying third country nationals, by laying down minimum common standards on sanctions and measures against employers who infringe that prohibition.

Under the directive, employers in the EU are obliged to make sure that a third country national holds a valid residence permit before taking up employment, to keep for at least the duration of the employment a copy or record of the residence permit for inspection by the competent authorities of the member states, to notify the competent authorities of the start of employment of third country nationals within a period laid down by each member state.

Penalties for infringements of the prohibition will include financial sanctions, which will increase in amount according to the number of illegally employed foreigners, and payments of the costs of return in those cases where return procedures are carried out. Other sanctions may also be applicable to employers of illegal workers, such as exclusion from entitlement to public funding or from participation in public tenders.