Penetration Pricing Penetration pricing is designed to entice discriminating customers searching for the lowest prices. It involves initially pricing items or services lower than the competition to attract a large number of customers. Buy-one get-one-free (BOGO) is a common penetration pricing strategy, as is heavily discounting an item or offering it for free when purchased with a related product. For retailers, the objective of penetration pricing is to attract customers to your business in the hope that:...

The adverse action letter will give you the specific reason or reasons your credit card application was denied. The letter will also include instructions for getting a free copy of your credit report if one was used in the decision. While you’re waiting to get your letter, here are some possible reasons your credit card application could be denied. If you’re familiar with your credit history, you may be able to guess which of these explains why you weren’t approved....

Get Your Paperwork in Order To legally sell your car and avoid last-minute scrambling, you will need to gather several pieces of documentation: Title: To sell your car and transfer ownership, you will need that pink slip of paper, at least as far as the government is concerned. DMV Sale Forms: Your specific state’s DMV website will list the requirements that apply to selling a car in that state. Order the CARFAX: You want to be able to show potential buyers a clean bill of health....

Learn how secured credit cards work and whether one is a good fit for you. What Is a Secured Credit Card? Secured credit cards require a deposit that serves as collateral for purchases you make using the card. If you default on your payments, the card issuer keeps your deposit. Otherwise, as long as you keep your account in good standing, your credit card issuer will return your deposit to you after a certain number of months or when you close your account....

Rebecca’s previous work in financial journalism includes covering personal finance and investing topics for TheStreet, real estate-related and personal finance news for Bloomberg, and Canadian markets and personal finance topics for MarketWatch. She has contributed financial content for a number of other outlets like Investopedia, Money Morning, and several real-time newswires. Rebecca has also written and edited for financial services firms like TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, PNC Bank, and Lombard Odier....

You don’t need to elaborate on the reasons you are leaving, particularly if they aren’t positive ones. It’s not a good idea to burn bridges behind you. The contacts you have now may become important again in the future. Read on for advice on writing a resignation letter when you are leaving for a new job. Also, see further below for a sample resignation letter and a sample resignation email....

Both average annual and rolling returns can represent a period of several years. Most often, these will be shown as 5-year and 10-year returns. But an annual return represents a single year or a given period of 12 months. Also, these results are annualized to show the average of returns. It includes compounding and the reinvesting of interest and dividends. For instance, let’s say an investment states that it had a one-year return of 9% last year....

Do You Need Special Insurance Coverage for Your Roof? When we talk about roof insurance, it may seem like you need some kind of special insurance, but you don’t. Roof insurance is included in your homeowner policy, but the coverage is not the same in all policies. Three Things to Check About Roof Insurance Here are the three main questions to ask to understand if your roof insurance is good or not....

Costs qualify as deductions if they’re “ordinary and necessary” in your trade or business. Learn more about which expenses qualify and how to deduct them. What Business Expenses Can I Deduct? According to the IRS, “ordinary” means that most others who work in the same business or trade also commonly pay for these things. “Necessary” means that whatever you spent money on assists you in doing business. In fact, you might not be able to do business and earn money if you didn’t make these expenditures....

Starting Wednesday, members of the warehouse club who have this card and pay for a “Plus” membership can earn up to 5% cash back on Sam’s Club purchases (in stores or online)—2% more than Club members already earn with the card. The program update also removed the 3% back on travel purchase rewards that the Mastercard formerly offered. The category was cut to better align the program with its cardholders’ actual use of the Mastercard, Sam’s Club said....

How to Use Your Business Budget Your business will reap the benefits of budgeting if you update the budget monthly, using your expenses and income from the prior month as your guide, while also keeping in mind your firm’s financial goals or targets for the year. Additionally, work with any other business stakeholders to see if they have information on upcoming issues that could impact the budgeted sales and expenses, either positively or negatively....

Your job application letter is an opportunity to highlight your most relevant qualifications and experience. An effective cover letter will enhance your application, showcase your achievements, and increase your chances of landing an interview. Review what to include in a job application letter, tips for writing a letter that will get your application notice, and examples of letters and email messages sent to apply for a job. What is an Application Letter?...

Whether it’s a massive apartment complex in a downtown hotspot or a simple duplex in the suburbs, a multifamily property requires careful consideration—not to mention serious financial preparation—before diving in. Average Costs of a Multifamily Home Like any real estate, the cost of a multifamily home depends on a number of factors, including location, condition, the age of the property, and more. Generally, a multifamily unit (one rentable section of the property) is on par with other nearby single-family homes, at least from a price-per-square-foot standpoint....

What Is Credit Insurance or Payment Protection Insurance? Credit insurance—sometimes referred to as payment protection insurance—is an insurance policy attached to a specific loan or credit card account. The protection will pay the outstanding balance or the payments for you if you are unable to do so. Knowing what credit insurance is can help you make an informed decision. Here are 5 Steps to help you understand the coverage offered by your credit card company and what it covers so you can decide if you should add credit insurance to your card or not....

I trade a wide variety of commodities because there are always plenty of trading opportunities. I also do this work for a living, and I need to stay updated on all commodities. Therefore, I have the time to follow many commodities and thus trade them. For most people, following one commodity can drastically cut down on their research time and they can also become an expert on a commodity much easier....

The Yield Curve: A Review A yield curve is simply the yield of each bond along a maturity spectrum that’s plotted on a graph. It provides a clear, visual image of long-term versus short-term bonds at various points in time. The yield curve typically slopes upward because investors want to be compensated with higher yields for assuming the added risk of investing in longer-term bonds. Keep in mind that rising bond yields reflect falling prices and vice versa....

It’s no wonder that management interviews often involve tricky questions and multiple rounds. Employers know that a good hire in this important role will help their business succeed, while a bad hire might prove to be a disaster. When you’re interviewing for a position as a manager or supervisor, it’s important to show the interviewer that you are an effective leader and problem solver. Prepare to answer questions about what makes a good manager, your own management style, solving conflicts between employees, dealing with poor employee fit/performance, and more....

Business Purposes Business purposes include driving from your place of employment to another work site, to meet with clients, or to go to a business meeting. Driving from your home to your workplace doesn’t count as a business purpose—the Internal Revenue Service says this is commuting and that’s a personal expense. But if you maintain an office in your home, traveling from your home office to meet with a client or to conduct business is tax deductible....

How to Claim a Deduction for Charitable Contributions You can claim a deduction for charitable giving on Schedule A. You’ll add up your contributions plus any other itemized deductions, then enter the total on Form 1040. You can’t itemize and claim the standard deduction at the same time. The schedule isn’t just for claiming charitable donations. It includes and calculates all itemized deductions you’re eligible for. Other possible itemized deductions include things like medical and dental expenses you paid for yourself or for your dependents over the course of the year, including insurance premiums....

Tax-Free Spin-Offs Let’s say you owned 5,000 shares of stock in Acme Power & Light Company. For some reason, this particular utility also owns a tiny chain of jewelry stores. The Power & Light CEO talks to the Board of Directors and says If the utility company decided to sell the subsidiary, it could go to someone like Warren Buffett, who would typically buy the business for cash. The problem is, the IRS will charge the utility company a capital gains tax on the sale of the business if it has appreciated in value....