Financialfootprint Launches Financial Education Services for Young Adults

East Stroudsburg, PA 27, 2010 Clients connect online with their very own expert in personal finance via audio, video or text chat and over-the-phone.

financialfootprint, LLC announced today the public launch of their online-based service for personal finance education. Designed specifically for young adults, financialfootprint provides education and guidance about personal finance issues ranging from student loan options to credit card basics. Using real-time online interaction, young adults are paired with a personal finance expert of their choice to answer financial questions and guide them towards financial solutions. financialfootprint is now available for individual use through their website and through relationships financialfootprint establishes with academic partners.

With more young adults facing the realities of a difficult economy, financialfootprint believes the need for quality financial education is higher than ever.

“There is a real desire for financial education among young adults," says co-founder Dave Kittredge. A parent of two college-aged children and former senior executive at Lincoln Financial Group, Kittredge co-founded financialfootprint with David Ng in 2009 to provide a much-needed service to a group often overlooked by the financial industry.

Kittredge comments, "Our research showed that of the 320 young adults surveyed, nearly 75% stated that they would pay for professional support to help them plan for their financial future. There are not many places they can go to receive support to help them plan for their financial future. We think a service like ours gives college students and young working adults the knowledge base and confidence to make sound financial decisions on their own.

According to Western Union’s 2010 Money Mindset Index Survey, more than one third of young adults say that their financial situation has worsened in the last six months. The 2010 Harris Interactive Survey states that 43% of young adults strongly agreed that they could benefit from advice and answers to everyday financial questions from a professional.

To address these growing concerns and increase financial literacy among their students, Bentley University (Waltham, MA) and Misericordia University (Dallas, PA) are the first colleges to take advantage of financialfootprint’s services. Their partnerships expand student financial education beyond the traditional classroom and seminar setting, integrating personalized help with current technology to provide students with multiple avenues for learning. Students can meet with financialfootprint’s Personal Finance Guides via phone or video chat to discuss their finances, but they can also use any of financialfootprint’s learning tools, from budgeting apps to stop-motion videos. financialfootprint is working with universities to tailor this service to the needs of their students via: freshman first year programs, support for seniors, offerings for student athletes and young alumni engagement.

“With financialfootprint, we continuously strive to build an education and guidance model that’s affordable, personalized and, most importantly, honest in its intent and approach,said co-founder Dave Ng. Ng, himself a young adult, entered the financial services world after college and quickly realized the difficulty in seeking financial help without being pitched a financial product. For Ng, an important aspect of financialfootprint’s business model is the fact that the company will not sell or promote any specific financial product.

“When it comes to financial help and management, nothing beats talking to an expert,said Ng, “By removing the aspects of product sales and commissions from a traditional financial advisory model, we are creating a new type of education service that we think will provide tremendous value to young adults.

financialfootprint offers personal financial solutions and education tailored for young adults via a one-on-one guidance service. Using video chat, online chat, phone, and other media, a professionally trained Personal Finance Guide meets with clients on an individual basis, working around their schedules to offer quality and personalized financial guidance. More information is available at http://www.financialfootprint.com, or please contact David Ng at 570.422.7979 or David(dot)Ng(at)financialfootprint(dot)com.

Free Personal Finance Program

Los Angeles, CA 14, 2008 dash Media Networks announced today its website The Money Books.com (http://www.themoneybooks.com) will offer a free downloadable personal finance program for a limited time. Users will need to join The Money Books mailing list to get access to the program. Links To Your Financial Future provides valuable internet links to a variety of important financial topics in the categories of Investment and Planning, Credit and Retirement.

According to a dash Media Networks spokesman, "This type of personal finance program is particularly important this time of year when everyone is concerned about the IRS and their taxes. The Money Books.com site is all about helping people increase their personal wealth and financial well being and this program provides an avenue for greater financial knowledge."

For dash Media Networks, the move is part of an effort to increase its interaction with the users of The Money Books.com. By encouraging users to sign up for its mailing list the site can service the needs of the community more efficiently as well as provide important information to the most motivated users. Mailing list subscribers will receive targeted content in a variety of areas such as mortgage finance, insurance, and entrepreneurial wealth building.

About dash Media Networks:
dash Media Networks is a collection of broad and niche oriented e-commerce and social networking outlets focused on products and communities in the range of technology, consumer electronics and other high growth potential sectors.

Ipiya, Inc.&194;’s FinanceVisor Web Site Helps Online Investors Identify and Analyze Real-Time Trading Opportunities

3, 2009 FinanceVisor&194;’s real-time stock screener helps investors to identify trading opportunities throughout the market day. FinanceVisor can be found on the Internet at http://www.financevisor.com.

&194;“There are a lot of financial websites out there on the Internet, but none offers the tools and information necessary to efficiently identify and analyze stock trends,&194;” said Rubik Lee, Ipiya, Inc.&194;‘s Chief Executive Officer. &194;“We&194;’ve designed FinanceVisor to help investors with their stock selection process. Our site is useful for absolute beginners or a seasoned investors, everyone will find something useful there.&194;”

Technology

Ipiya chose to develop the FinanceVisor web site using Microsoft&194;’s .Net Framework because &194;“it is easy to integrate our existing technology&194;” said Frank Zhou, Ipiya, Inc.&194;’s Chief Technology Officer. &194;“The combination of using Intel Xeon processors and Microsoft&194;’s Server software will help us scale to our growing subscriber base.&194;”

Key Site Features

Real-time stock screens - FinanceVisor&194;’s powerful screening software tracks thousands of stocks in real-time to uncover intraday opportunities. Over 100 pre-defined stock screens are available, covering a broad range of trades. Users can personalize stock screens using the Company&194;’s easy to use screener.

Advance Tools &194;– FinanceVisor has a complete set of advance tools to help investors analyze and manage their portfolios such as the streaming watch list, interactive charts, comparison charts, price alert, news alerts, and trade manager.

In-depth Research &194;– FinanceVisor has company profiles, key statistics, competitor comparisons, analyst opinions, analyst estimates, major company stock holders, insider transactions, insider roster, company&194;’s income statement, company&194;’s balance sheet, and company&194;’s cash flow all at the user&194;’s finger tips for in-depth research requirements.

Member&194;’s Recommendations - A quick glance on the web site&194;’s member&194;’s recommendation page allows users to see the latest stock recommendations from subscribing members. Learn how other members are picking their stocks with complete statistics to show how they are performing.

Investment Community - Upon becoming a member, users can refer friends to join his or her personal network and share stock recommendations, investment tips, and expand social peripherals. Users can communicate with one another using the web site&194;’s email system, instant messenger, and chat rooms.

About Ipiya, Inc.

Ipiya, Inc. is a privately held California corporation incorporated in June of 2000. Ipiya, Inc. provides real time financial software solutions, and owns and operates the FinanceVisor web site, a financial advisory web site and investment community.

Bay Area Start-up Launches Website to Help Couples Create Wedding Budget and Savings Plan for their Dream Wedding

San Francisco, CA 07, 2011 Today, myTafi.com announced the release of Wedding Wallet, the first financial planning tool targeted specifically for couples to help with their wedding planning.

With the average cost of an American wedding at about $30,000 (source: Bridal Association of America), the cost of a wedding is the biggest one time expenditure most people make in their lives. In a survey conducted by myTafi.com, 75% of respondents felt a compelling need for financial planning to save for their wedding. This reflected both an increased awareness for financial planning during an economic downturn and a heightened awareness around the rising cost of weddings.

There are many resources available that help couples organize their dream wedding, myTafi’s Wedding Wallet will provide wedding budgeting and financial planning help so a dream wedding does not turn into a financial nightmare.

Wedding Wallet assesses the couple’s current and future financial health by automatically pulling the data from their financial institutions and analyzes the affordability of their wedding expenses. It guides couples to create a wedding budget and takes them through the financial planning process. This process helps them adjust their household budget and other financial goals so they can save enough for their wedding. Wedding Wallet also identifies financing options that are within the couplesmeans. It lets couples see the overall impact of the wedding on their financial future and provides them the guidance to make a post marriage plan that can bring their financial goals on track.

ABOUT myTafi.com

myTafi.com is a bay area start-up. Its mission is to use innovative technological solutions to help individuals make financial decisions which lead to prosperous lives. Until mytafi.com, personal financial management applications focused only on the bank accounts. While this makes for good bookkeeping and expense tracking, it reveals very little about overall financial health. That's why myTAFI focused on flow of money, analyzing from a personal profit and loss standpoint leading to customized financial advice that accommodates priorities, tax implications and anticipated changes in life such as loss of income, having a baby and purchasing a home.

For more information: http://www.mytafi.com/weddingwallet.htm
Contact: info(at)mytafi(dot)com
Phone: 415-215-5300

College Students Educate Teens about Their Personal Finances

ANN ARBOR, MI 24, 2009 Who said investing was just for adults Certainly not a group of University of Michigan students who have committed the last two months of their time to redesigning TeenAnalyst.com, a website for young investors and entrepreneurs.

The website was originally founded by Chris Stallman, now a junior majoring in business at the University of Michigan, almost five years ago. After a few years with the same layout and articles, the website was growing increasingly stagnant. It was in February when Stallman enlisted the help of a number of his fellow business student friends to "revive" the website. The new members helped out by using their business education to write about topics ranging from running a small business to evaluating which stocks to buy.

"Looking around, it&39;s scary to see friends of mine with $5,000 in credit card debts and student loans in excess of $75,000. We&39;re using TeenAnalyst as our medium to reach out to students while they&39;re still young enough to establish good personal finance habits," says Stallman.

The newly-relaunched website now boasts an array of features for its readers, including:

More than 130 articles - The website features articles on such topics as investing, paying for college, starting a small business, finding a job, and managing your credit.

The Young30 Stock Index - This unique feature is a model stock index consisting of 30 stocks of companies young investors would know about, such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Walgreens.

An Investing Glossary - The glossary features over 150 investing terms that young investors should know.

The website doesn&39;t have millions of dollars and glamorous offices. In fact, Chris Stallman runs the website out of his University of Michigan dorm and his home in Momence, Illinois. Even so, the website already boasts a readership of over 10,000. "This is just the beginning;" adds Stallman, "hopefully in 2010, you&39;ll see the first in a series of TeenAnalyst books."

Rentalo.com Guarantees Worry Free Lodging

Miami, FL January 23, 2009

While just about everyone now knows that renting an apartment or villa for a vacation--or even a business trip--is a better deal than renting a hotel room, some travelers are still leery about committing themselves to the unknown. What if something goes wrong with the booking, they think. To allow travelers to book an apartment or villa with full confidence, Rentalo.com now says, "We&39;ve got you covered."

Rentalo.com, the leading online vacation rental directory, has banished any fears with their new "Worry Free" Lodging Guarantee. While vacation rental owners and managers are usually honest and friendly people to do business with, surprises can occur and things may not go as planned. With Rentalo&39;s new "Worry Free" Lodging Guarantee, however, travelers no longer have to worry. The free guarantee provides up to $5,000 of payment protection.

In order to be eligible, travelers must register their reservation before paying the booking fee for the vacation rental by either credit card or PayPal. If the vacation rental property doesn&39;t exist, or if the renter is wrongfully denied access to the property, Rentalo will refund the reservation payment up to $5,000.

"Rentalo is among the few vacation rental directories and hotel reservation sites offering such a guarantee," says president Alfredo Purri&241;os. Its inventory of some 200,000 properties in the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Canada and around the world includes hotels, inns, lodges and bed and breakfasts in addition to vacation rental villas, condos and apartments.

To book a money-saving vacation rental and learn all about the "Worry Free" Lodging Guarantee, log onto http://rentalo.com

Over Eighty Percent of Banks in the United Kingdom Plan to Improve Pricing Practices in the Next Year

London, United Kingdom and San Bruno, CA, USA 31, 2007 Nomis Solutions, the leader in Profit-based Pricing for banking and finance, announced today the results of BenchMark Consulting International&39;s study of the pricing practices of the United Kingdom&39;s personal lending market. The survey, sponsored by Nomis Solutions and available immediately at http://www.nomissolutions.com, illustrates the paradigm shift taking place in the pricing groups of the leading financial services organizations. Results indicate that more than half of the participants are engaged in evaluating and adopting price optimisation technology.

This is the fourth in a series of BenchMark Pricing Practices surveys that are designed to reveal the current pricing practices of leading institutions in various lines of business, such as mortgages, motor finance, and personal lending. The latest survey focused on the personal lending market in the United Kingdom. Consistent with the other studies, the majority of U.K. institutions believe there is significant room for improvement within their current pricing practices and are taking steps to improve them over the next year. Specific results include:

86% of respondents plan to improve pricing in the next year,

71% are focused on increasing margins,

43% indicated that increasing margins was their greatest challenge, and

51% are evaluating price optimisation technology.

BenchMark surveyed banks that manage and control approximately 75% of the total loans in the United Kingdom, and approximately 60% of personal loans. Interviewees included direct principals involved in pricing and those who had management responsibility for setting prices for their respected institutions&39; personal lending products. A product manager at one leading bank exclaimed, "Using pricing optimisation technology is about as exciting as pricing gets and we&39;re thrilled to be working on this innovative new approach that is more customer-centric than our existing approach."

Peter Jobst, Managing Director, BenchMark Consulting International Europe stated, "We were very pleased with the results of this survey because it validates that the U.K. market recognises the integral role of price optimisation in achieving their objectives and is as engaged as the U.S. and Canadian market in adopting this type of technology. We weren&39;t surprised to see that many banks are struggling to grow profits organically and that they are investing in pricing optimisation solutions to help achieve their goals."

Powered by price optimisation technology, Profit-based Pricing is an innovative approach that enables executives to strategically use pricing to increase profits and market share. The award-winning Nomis Price OptimiserTM is a business solution that combines pricing analytics, optimisation, and execution into a comprehensive pricing strategy and process. The Nomis Price Optimiser has been successfully implemented by leading banks and finance companies and is generating significant financial improvements. For example, in one instance, Nomis Price Optimiser provided a 15% increase in profits and 13% increase in market share. In another case it delivered a 22% increase in market share, and 4% increase in profits.

"The study of U.K. pricing practices validates the continued interest in and market adoption of Profit-based Pricing approaches," said Lawrence Whittle, Managing Director and Vice President of International at Nomis Solutions. "Our first Profit-based Pricing customer was U.K.-based and was able to significantly improve its profits. Today, all of our customers are focused on managing profit and volume increases with an optimized pricing strategy. It has been very exciting to work with U.K. bank executives that embrace innovation and desire to continually improve processes and their business results."

For those interested in learning more about Profit-based Pricing, Nomis Solutions recently announced they will be hosting the 2nd Annual Profit-Based Pricing Forum, taking place September 26-27 at the Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa in Camberley, Surrey, U.K. The exclusive invitation-only event will assemble the top pricing, product management, and profitability executives from the world&39;s leading banks and finance companies. For more information, visit http://www.nomissolutions.com/pbpforum/index.html

About BenchMark Consulting International
BenchMark Consulting International has specialized in improving the financial services industry since 1988. The company is a management consulting firm that improves the profitability of its financial services clients through the delivery of management decision making information and change management services to realize the benefits of business process changes. BenchMark Consulting International&39;s expertise is in the designing, managing and measuring of operational processes.

The firm has worked with 39 of the top 50 (in asset size) commercial banks, all 14 automobile captive finance corporations, several of the largest consumer finance corporations and many regional banks throughout the United States. Internationally, BenchMark Consulting International has worked with the five largest Canadian commercial banks, more than 40 European organizations in 16 different countries, in addition to financial institutions in Latin America, Asia and Australia.

The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. BenchMark has dual headquarters in Atlanta, GA and Munich, Germany. For more information please go to http://www.benchmarkinternational.com.

About Nomis Solutions
Nomis Solutions is the recognized leader in Profit-based Pricing for banking and finance. Powered by price optimisation technology, Profit-based Pricing is an innovative approach that enables executives to strategically use pricing to increase profits and market share. The award-winning Nomis Price Optimiser is a suite of business solutions that combine pricing analytics, optimisation, and execution into a comprehensive pricing strategy and process.

The suite includes specific solutions for Motor finance, mortgage, home equity lending, personal lending, and deposits. Each solution delivers benefits within 12 weeks, increases profits by 10-20%, and provides valuable insights about customers and portfolio performance within a strong compliance framework. Select customers include AmeriCredit, Ford Motor Credit, GE Consumer Finance, HBoS, and WaMu. Headquartered in San Bruno, USA Nomis Solutions with the European head office in London, United Kingdom. Visit http://www.nomissolutions.com or contact us at info@nomissolutions.com or +44 1530 812428.

Nomis Solutions and Nomis Price Optimiser Suite are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nomis Solutions, in the United States and in other countries. Other product and company names herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Affinity4 Customers Give More by Rounding Up

Norfolk, VA December 24, 2007

In 2005, the public gave $260.3 billion dollars to charitable organizations. That is 2.7% over the amount given in 2004 (charitynavigator.org). With the increased awareness of what charities do for the public, everyone wants to do their part. The Internet is also making it easier for people to express their support, such as One.org (supports the fight on poverty), DoGreatStuff.org (supports Volunteerism), and Red.org (supports The Global Fund).

Now Affinity4 has another great way for charitable customers to show their support. Starting in January 2007, all Affinity4 long distance customers can now opt-in on their monthly bill to give more to their favorite charities each month. How will this work Simply by placing a check mark in a box, customers can round up their bill to the next highest dollar amount and those funds will be sent as a one-time donation to the designated favorite charity! This option will be available on every monthly bill. What a great and easy way for charitable people to make a donation to support nonprofit organizations around the world!

Affinity4 specializes in fundraising support for nonprofit organizations. As one of the largest affinity-based marketing companies focusing on nonprofits, Affinity4 has given over $75 million dollars to charities and nonprofits worldwide.

Affinity4 customers can donate to their favorite nonprofit through Affinity4&39;s unique 10% GiveBack Program tied to purchases of Affinity4&39;s products. Low cost long-distance, Internet access, DIRECTV&174;, Sprint&174; Wireless, Motorist Assistance Program, and Travel are just a few of the many services the company offers. In addition, Affinity4 also offers a Credit card, Merchant discount card, Health&Dental discount card, Pharmacy discount card, and Home, Auto and Life Insurance.

"We provide donations when customers redirect their purchasing power and generate funds without having to dig deeper and they often save money with our attractive prices," says Steve Halliday, president and CEO of Affinity4. "When an organization partners with Affinity4, it can increase its charitable funding, without cost, while Affinity4 does all the work."

Members can log onto http://www.affinity4.com or call 1-800-705-6491 to sign up and start making a difference for their favorite nonprofit.

Nonprofit organizations can contact Melissa Mbride at 1-800-311-2541 for more information on partnering with Affinity4.

Drescher Insurance Offers Home Security Tips for People with CT Home Insurance

Cheshire, Connecticut August 27, 2011

The experts at Drescher Insurance have helped numerous clients with CT home insurance recover from a frightening break-in. After years of experience, the team has compiled a checklist of things that local homeowners can do to protect themselves and their homes from burglary. In light of a recent home invasion in the prominent North Branford area, even individuals who live in neighborhoods that are considered to be safe may consider taking these simple steps to boost their security and achieve peace of mind if they go out of town.

People may think that an automated security system is the best way for individuals with Connecticut insurance to protect their home, but they should be sure to conceal all of the wiring so that burglars cannot cut them and disable the alarm. Although first instinct leads many people to make copies of their family membershouse keys if they lose theirs, always replace all of the locks and give out new keys. This will help ensure that even if a criminal intentionally stole a set of keys, they cannot gain access to a house. Unlike spring-latch locks, deadbolts can’t be “trickedby burglars who slide a credit card or other slim object between the door and its frame. Therefore, deadbolts should be installed in all entryways. Automatic lights make for a great security system since they draw attention to movement outside of a house. Frosted garage windows may be beneficial for homeowners who travel frequently since they can prevent burglars from checking whether or not there are cars in the garage.

While all of these tips can help individuals protect themselves from potentially violent criminals, policies like renters insurance, CT home coverage and auto plans are all meant to guard people’s most valuable possessions. A local agent like one at Connecticut-based Drescher Insurance can guide individuals on what types of coverage they need to keep their residence safe, whether a home or apartment.

About Drescher Insurance:

Drescher Insurance is a full service, independent insurance agency located in the heart of Cheshire. The agency represents a carefully selected group of financially sound, reputable insurance carriers, and its team of professional, experienced agents will place your policy with the carrier offering the best coverage at the best rate. As your local insurance agent, Drescher Insurance gets to know each client personally, and helps you make the right choice when it comes to protecting your family, home, or business.

Holidays Now Easier: New Way to Send Postcard is Born

4 July 2011

A new business, sendmypostcards.com, is launching on 1st July 2011 to target the growing online card market in UK&I.

The service enables a user to quickly create and edit a personalised postcard using their computer and then sendmypostcards.com prints and sends the postcard on their behalf. The Dublin and London based team is aiming to create 10+ new smart-economy jobs within 18 months of launch.

Images can be added from facebook, flickr, the 15,000 global image gallery or their own camera/phone/computer to create a memorable postcard.

An estimated 135 million plus postcards are sent and received per year in UK&I - summer holidays are a peak period.

Why use sendmypostcards.com
Ever been on holidays and intended to send a postcard home, but found it a hassle finding some stamps, the right card and postbox

Not everyone is handy with a camera. That’s why sendmypostcards.com are lucky enough to work with talented photographers.

Cards can be personalised with a person’s own image (or one from our gallery), a selection of handwriting and unique messages for front of card.

The service costs .79 for the printing and postage of a single postcard anywhere in the world yielding a consumer saving versus the high street. Cards can be created quickly and easily while on the go.

The site also includes a simple “copy cardfeature, which enables quick replication of the same postcard suitable for sending to many recipients or also for occasions requiring announcements or thanks.

Form your own opinion by availing of a free trial here:
http://www.sendmypostcards.com
http://www.facebook.com/sendmypostcards
Click “sign upon top right of homepage, enter an email and password for free credit

Who are the team
A team of UK&I entrepreneurs from various backgrounds - Caroline (print&design), Steven (marketing), Alan (finance)&Michael (technology)

Key service aspects
Sendmypostcards.com dates: the service launches this week

Key target audience: UK&Ireland travelling consumers

Quality: Product focus on postcard excellence, 330g high quality product with glossy image front and high print quality. Our print partners, Kilmartins are an established print company with approximately 145 years experience.

Convenience: The consumer does not have to find a shop or stamp or post box. Sendmypostcards.com does all the work. Our service is a one-stop-shop for consumerspostcard needs.

Global range and high image quality: achieved through partnerships with global photography talent.

Personalisation: the consumer can design their own card: chose image, message on front and back with selected font type. The user’s tailor made postcard is printed and posted for less than the price of sending a generic high street one with stamps.

The team is currently developing an easy to use version of the site for smart phones to be released later in the year.

Background
Sendmypostcards.com aims to use technology to re-invigorate a traditional product -Revamping the postcard!!

Guttenberg’s press kicked off the paper wave of sharing information rapidly through print media and the internet has accelerated our communication and sharing potential.

The way society communicates has evolved significantly from king’s couriers and telegraphs to instant messaging and iPad Skype sessions. However what remains common is that a picture combined with a message evokes more emotion and pleasure for the recipient.

So, sendmypostcards.com making sharing easier this summer! And say “Wish you were herenot “wsh u wr ere

Quote from key contact
“Sendmypostcards.com, bringing the postcard bang into the 21st century. I love sending postcards but hate the holiday hassle finding the right card, stamps&postbox. With beautiful images&only .79 delivered anywhere, share some happiness today.
Caroline Consumer Quality Director

The company (source of the news)
sendmypostcards Ltd, Registered September 2010
Key Contact: Caroline Mac Aodha, Director
Address: IDA Industrial Estate, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17, Ireland
Tel: 00353 87 674 7214
Email: team(at)sendmypostcards(dot)com

Sources:
UK Greetings Card Association
http://www.royalmail.com
http://www.anpost.ie

MetroFlats.com Rings in the Holiday Season with New Gift Cards

Cedar Grove, NJ September 29, 2010

MetroFlats.com, the premier online vacation rental marketplace nationwide, has now made the perfect gift available for the holiday season: the gift of travel. Visitors to the website can now purchase gift cards for as little as $20 for the upcoming holiday season. The co-founders, CEO Avisha Khubani and VP of Product Development Shamoon Siddiqui announced the launch of gift cards at the Hoboken Tech Meetup, held at Steven’s Institute of Technology on Monday Night, September 27th 2010. To kick off the launch, the founders gave away their first $500 gift card to member of the audience.

“People are always looking for unique gifts. What do you give someone who already has all the great stuff they wantasks MetroFlats.com, Avisha Khubani. “How about a gift that’s guaranteed to be unique A trip is one of the few gifts that will always be new and different to all your friends. It’s the one gift that you can give for every occasion that never gets old.

The MetroFlats.com gift cards allows the gift giver to send a gift card with a fixed amount of MetroFlats.com credit. The receiver can then use this credit towards their next vacation rental stay. Luckily, MetroFlats.com has left a lot of options open. Gift card receivers can use any portion of their card at any time. This means one can use $40 for one stay, $90 for another stay and $120 for another stay. It depends on you. In addition, the gift giver can choose any whole dollar amount they like.

MetroFlats.com has taken a simple idea to another level. The idea of vacation rentals is not new. Property owners with a second home, or vacation home, want to rent out their property when they themselves are not using it. Vacationers want an inexpensive alternative to overpriced hotels when they are travelling. MetroFlats.com brings these two together in the simplest and most user-friendly way possible by providing a marketplace where vacationers can connect to hosts in a few easy clicks. “We have listings in New York, Miami, San Diego and all the major cities in the US,explains co-founder Shamoon Siddiqui.

In tough economic times, people are shortening vacations, putting them off or cancelling them altogether. As a friend, you may want to help out friends and family but don’t know how to do it in the most sensitive way. No one wants to hand another person cash or a check so they can go on vacation. A vacation gift card is the answer. With MetroFlats.com gift cards you can give someone the vacation they deserve but can’t manage on their own.

Advantages of a MetroFlats.com Holiday Gift Card:

Give an original gift

Gift Card is delivered to your friendse-mail

Easy-to-use step-by-step setup process if you don’t already have an account with MetroFlats.com

No wrong sizes, colors or styles -- one trip fits all

A gift that won’t create clutter

A gift that will always be appreciated

For additional information on gift cards at MetroFlats.com, go to http://www.MetroFlats.com/gift

About MetroFlats.com: Launched in July 2010, MetroFlats.com is vacation rental marketplace that brings together hosts and guests to connect safely. Guests can choose from a wide variety of different houses, homes and condos across the United States to fit their vacation needs.

Kiplinger.com Launches Small Business Center : Advice, Recommended Readings, and Everything Required for Small Business Success

WASHINGTON 24, 2008 The new section is an extension of Kiplinger.com&39;s award-winning Business Resource Center and features the information and tools that small business owners need to compete in today&39;s competitive marketplace.

A Small Business Resource Library to assist with Business Costs, Growing Your Business, Employee Health Care, and Human Resources. New videos each week that explore different topics in-depth. Audio Conferences on topics near and dear to small businesses, with experts fielding questions. Recommended Readings, Recent Forecasts, and Advice from Knight Kiplinger and the Kiplinger Letter Editors. "Starting a small business is no easy task," said Doug Harbrecht, Kiplinger.com Director of New Media. "By offering expert advice and extensive findings from people who have started a small business - and succeeded - Kiplinger.com can help make the road to success smoother."

About Kiplinger

Kiplinger.com (http://www.kiplinger.com) offers the same great advice that appears in Kiplinger&39;s Personal Finance magazine, plus additional features that include interactive tools and calculators, daily personal finance features, stock and mutual fund quotes, Web-only columns offering timely insights into today&39;s trends, personal finance tutorials, and up-to-the-minute business news from the new Kiplinger Business Resource Center. Founded in 1920 by W.M. Kiplinger, the Kiplinger organization developed one of the nation&39;s first successful newsletters in modern times. In 1947, the company launched the nation&39;s first personal finance magazine, Kiplinger&39;s Personal Finance. Recently, the Kiplinger organization was named one of the "World&39;s Most Ethical Companies" by Ethisphere Magazine, was nominated as a 2007 finalist in the MINs Best of the Web awards for the redesign/relaunch of Kiplinger.com, and won a 2008 EPpy award for "Best Business Web site with fewer than 1 million unique monthly users."

Lonely Planet Images Partners With Sendmypostcards.Com to Make Sharing Easier

29 July 2011

The sendmypostcards.com service enables a user to quickly create and edit a personalised postcard using their computer and then sendmypostcards.com prints and sends the postcard on their behalf.

Images can be added from the global image gallery, facebook, flickr or their own camera/phone/computer to create a memorable postcard.

An estimated 135 million plus postcards are sent and received per year in UK&I - summer holidays are a peak period.

Lonely Planet Images is a digital image library with a unique and comprehensive collection of over 300,000 downloadable travel photographs taken by some of the best travel photographers in the business. The selected image collection for sendmypostcards.com captures the diversity of the world's countries: from the major tourist attractions to everyday scenes, from popular destinations to little known places off the beaten track.

Why use sendmypostcards.com

Have you ever been on holidays and intended to send postcard home, but found it a hassle finding some stamps, the right card and postbox

Cards can be personalised with your chosen LPI image (or alternatively upload your own), a selection of handwriting and unique messages for front of card.

The service costs .79 for the printing and postage of a single postcard yielding a consumer saving versus the high street. Cards can be created quickly and easily while on the go.

Form your own opinion by availing of a free trial here:
http://www.sendmypostcards.com
Click “sign upon top right of homepage, enter an email and password for free credit

Celebrate our launch on facebook by clicking “likeand entering our competition for a dream holiday
http://www.facebook.com/sendmypostcards

About sendmypostcards.com
Key target audience: Launched in early July 2011 to aid UK&Ireland travelling consumers

Quality: Product focus on postcard excellence, 330g high quality product with glossy image front and high print quality. Our print partners, Kilmartins are an established print company with approximately 145 years experience.

Convenience: The user does not have to find a shop or stamp or post box. Sendmypostcards.com does all the work, speedy delivery service through franking arrangement with An Post. We are a one-stop-shop for consumerspostcards needs.

Global range and high image quality: achieved through partnershipswith Lonely Planet images.

Personalisation: people can design their own card: chose image, message on front and back with selected font type. The user’s tailor made postcard is printed and posted for less than the price of sending a generic high street one with stamps.

The team is currently developing an easy to use version of the site for smart phones to be released later in the year.

About Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the leading global travel information company. It is renowned for its first-hand approach, up-to-date maps and commitment to providing the best information for travellers. Lonely Planet covers the must-see spots, but also encourages travellers to get off the beaten track and understand more of the nature, culture and environment in each destination. Lonely Planet currently has more than 360 writers, researchers and photographers and produces around 500 trustworthy and inspiring books, innovative downloadable digital guides, an award-winning website, wireless applications and cutting-edge television programmes. Lonely Planet was founded after Tony and Maureen Wheeler left London and hit the road in search of adventure in 1972. They travelled overland across Asia and landed in Australia where, due to incessant questions from would-be travellers, they compiled their journey notes and stapled together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Lonelyplanet.com

Quote from key contact
“With this partnership, we are delighted to be making our images readily available to postcard lovers all around the world.
Callum McLennan Lonely Planet Images

The company (source of the news)
sendmypostcards Ltd, Registered September 2010
Key Contact: Caroline Mac Aodha, Director
Address: IDA Industrial Estate, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17, Ireland
Tel: 00353 87 674 7214
Email: team(at)sendmypostcards(dot)com

The Mutunga Partnership Helping the Poorest in Kenya Help Themselves

Melbourne, Australia 17, 2010 The Mutunga Partnership together with its partner ‘Africashare Partnership has begun its micro-finance initiative in Kenya, by providing training and mentoring to 10 groups of borrowers in two communities in the Mavoko/ Kitengela and Tala and Kangundo districts. Loans of between $100 and $200 will be provided to selected borrowers to invest in their micro-businesses.

Micro-finance is a means of tackling poverty at its root, offering a hand-up, not a hand-out. A micro-loan of just $100 can permanently lift a borrower and her/his dependants out of poverty and, in time, provide employment for 3-4 other persons.

Micro-finance encourages savings, as the loans are savings-linked. The experience in this sector has consistently shown that on-time repayments average 98% - a record that Western banks would &39;die for&39;. In well-designed programmes, default is extremely rare, as the group acts as collateral, based on a culture of mutual obligation.

Furthermore, repaid loans are recycled amongst the borrowers, enhancing capital. Over a 5 year period, an initial injection of $12,000 grows a consolidated fund of over $50,000!

The poor in Kenya are enterprising, creating enterprise where others would not even see any possibilities, and women are in the front line.

The Partnership has a plan to establish micro-finance initiatives in twenty communities in Kenya this year, catering for 1600 borrowers. The average borrower may support up to 8 other family and extended family members. This means that we shall lift almost 13,000 people out of poverty this year at a cost of about $35 per person!

In succeeding years we plan to extend this initiative throughout Kenya, the rest of Africa and the Caribbean and Guyana. Micro-finance is efficient, cost-effective, and our model directly targets the beneficiaries. 100% of our donations go directly to providing loans for our borrowers, and to the proportional cost of delivering the services and strengthening the capacity of our partner, the &39;Africashare Partnership.&39;

Of the 1 billion people globally living on less than $1 a day, about 18% have had access to micro-finance initiatives! This is a critical task. It is a good news development story. This approach helps the poor in their own endeavour to help themselves. And it gives the rich the chance to work with the poor as equal partners in an enterprise to rid the world of the scourge of chronic poverty. It&39;s an opportunity!

We are anxious to receive your support and involvement. Our work is detailed in our website http://www.mutunga.com. Please pay us a visit today and join us by supporting this initiative.

Step-By-Step How to Build Your Business Credit Profile

Foothill Ranch, CA 13, 2010 BusinessFinance.com, has published their free book "Business Credit Profile - How To Build Yours Fast". This e-book serves as a manual for those interested in starting a business without using their personal credit to obtain business financing.

A workbook, "Business Credit Profile - How To Build Yours Fast", shows the readers the steps necessary to separate their business credit from their personal credit. By following the steps laid out in this workbook, businesses will build good business credit scores. Having good business credit scores will increase the amount of business credit that the business can qualify for with lenders.

BusinessFinance.com (http://www.businessfinance.com) offers many more valuable e-books such as, "How To Prepare & Present A Successful Business Funding Request", "Start A Business - Where To Begin and How To Grow", and "The Art & Science of Obtaining Venture or Angel Investor Capital". These workbooks are available online and for free download.

To further assist start-up and growing companies, BusinessFinance.com features the Business Finance Coach. The Business Finance Coach is a unique, comprehensive online tool that assists business owners to set their business up the way lenders want it, to establish excellent business credit scores with the three business credit reporting agencies and to steadily grow their available business lines of credit.

BusinessFinance.com (http://www.businessfinance.com) is a business capital search engine, which has a searchable database of the lending and investing criteria of 4,383 sources of business capital. Business owners can search it for free and match their capital needs to the approval criteria of funding sources.

Michael Talley, Financial Advisor, Now Offers Totally Free Online Financial Plan

Destin, FL 3, 2008 Florida-based financial advisor , Michael Talley, is offering a free, comprehensive financial plan on his full service Web site at http://www.talleyho.net . Designed to give users a comprehensive personal finance and investing strategy for all stages of life. Best of all, the financial plan is completely free and carries no obligation. It does carry the expertise of a professional financial advisor. Now there is even less reason to procrastinate and put off planning.

"Since we launched it barely three months ago, many from our local area have used our Web site to put together a financial plan," Talley said. "We are the only financial advisor firm I know of offering free, online financial plans."

Simply enter the following required personal finance and investing information into the secure online form:

Savings, stock, and mutual fund balances.

Life, disability & long-term care insurance coverage.

Retirement plan (457, 401K, IRA) balances and additions.

Pension Plan Benefits.

Income sources and current living expenses.

Income Tax information.

Value of your home, vehicles, rental real estate and/or others assets.

Data entry takes about 20 min. The information is relayed via the highest encryption available and in about 1 min, the information is off to Michael Talley to create a full, comprehensive financial plan.

The free financial plan joins an impressive range of personal finance and investing tools available at financial advisor Talley&39;s Web site. A comprehensive learning centre contains articles to help people develop their financial IQ, calculators are ready for every event and can guide people through a range of personal finance and investing options and a monthly newsletter contains articles on topics of timely interest. In the market watch section, the site gives users powerful tracking tools whether following a single stock or analyzing an entire trading portfolio.

But the core of Michael Talley&39;s vocation as a financial advisor is helping people meet their goals for life. Offering free financial plans is a prime way Talley makes people aware of their financial situation. Once they have a plan, people can move forward with confidence, searching for the personal finance and investment devices that will help them achieve their goals.

Log on to Michael Talley&39;s Web site today at http://www.talleyho.net . Take 20 min to fill out the form and unleash the power of a financial plan developed by a real financial advisor. Uncover gaps in a retirement plan or get started investigating personal finance and investing options today.

Contact:
Michael Talley
850-837-3350
MTALLEYHO @ EMBARQMAIL.COM

Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Talley Financial Group are not affiliated.

Asset Finance Broker First Independent Finance Sources Funds for Optician

26, 2010 David Bonellie is a well-known Ayrshire optician with high street consultancy practices in Irvine, Stewarton and Largs.

Always determined to offer his clients the best of care, David recently decided to acquire new state-of-the art cameras to help ensure patientseyes can be regularly monitored without any inconvenience or discomfort.

Digital imaging can capture and record photographs of the interior of the eye without the need to insert drops beforehand.

The procedure is quick, easy, comfortable and accurate. This in turn leads to optical and other health disorders being diagnosed sooner than might otherwise have been the case.

GPs and hospital ophthalmologists find the photographs sent by the optician to be extremely useful, as they provide a huge clinical advantage when consulting with patients.

The investment involved in purchasing cameras for all three Bonellie branches was considerable, and that’s where the help of another Ayrshire company came in useful.

David had known Allan Ross and his Stewarton-based company First Independent Finance Limited for several years, but it was only when he read an article about them in local newspaper the Kilmarnock Standard that it occurred to him that First Independent might be able to source the funds to acquire the cameras.

“And they did just that,said David. “Not only were they the most competitively priced in the market, but they had the whole deal sewn up in 24 hours.

David Bonellie concludes: “I’ll definitely be approaching First Independent Finance when I need any more new equipment, or to finance my next car.

“In the meantime I’m delighted to see how our business levels have increased, and the new cameras have gone down really well with our clients.

Allan Ross set up First Independent Finance Limited in 1999 with capital of just &163;10,000 in a spare bedroom of his house in Stewarton, Ayrshire.

Today his company employs 32 people from office premises in the town’s Dunlop Street, boasts an annual turnover of &163;60 million, and has become the largest general asset finance broker in the whole of the UK.

Allan explains: “We help businesses to find the best source of finance for large items of capital expenditure, whether it be a commercial vehicle, a computer system, printing equipment or a combine harvester.

When First Independent Finance was set up, it concentrated on providing finance for farmers, as Allan and his co-director Robin Duncan had previously worked as regional managers in the agricultural finance divisions of major banks.

Since then, the company has diversified. Now it no longer offers finance just to farmers, but also to any type of business needing help with capital expenditure. Allan and his team can also organise car finance and personal loans.

Allan says that First Independent Finance offers a one-stop approach to finance dealing by working with more than 20 leading finance houses, and because of the company’s increasing size, it can often come up with some of the best deals available.

It is this one-stop approach, combined with speed of response, quality local service, customer focus and attractive pricing that has led to First Independent Finance’s geographical coverage spreading throughout the UK from Inverness in the north down to Wales and Kent in the south.

Contact:

Allan Ross

Managing director

First Independent Finance Ltd

22 Dunlop Street

Stewarton

Ayrshire

KA3 5AT

Tel: 01560 482911

Fax: 01560 482941

Website: http://www.f-i-f.co.uk

Issued by:

Murdoch MacDonald

Fame Publicity Services

10 Miller Road

AYR, Ayrshire

KA7 2AY

Telephone: 01292 281498

Mobile: 07833 667322

Website: http://www.famepublicity.co.uk

Personal Finance Expert Dr. Richard M. Krawczyk Agrees to Become Regular Personal Finance Contributor for KAHL Radio

Los Angeles, CA 2, 2010 Personal finance expert Richard M. Krawczyk, Ph.D. (a/k/a Dr. Richard - America&39;s Financial Fitness Trainer&194;™), has agreed to become the regular personal finance contributor to KAHL Radio, based in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Richard will give San Antonio residents local prospective to national stories concerning financial issues.

"Regardless of what is happening in the news, I&39;ll explain personal finance in a fun, light-hearted, easy-to-understand way in order to make dealing with your finances fun," stated Dr. Richard, author of the 1 bestselling book "Financial Aerobics &194;– How to Get Your Finances into Shape" and publisher of The FinancialFitnessTips.com Report. "I&39;m looking forward to showing San Antonio residents how to get their finances into shape."

Personal Finance Expert Richard M. Krawczyk, Ph.D. will be featured on The George McKenzie Show every other Tuesday from 10:45am to 11:00am beginning on May 17, 2010.

Would you like Dr. Richard to become the personal finance contributor for your media outlet at no cost

Personal Finance Expert Dr. Richard is available to become a personal finance contributor for media outlets nationwide. In addition to offering a local prospective to national issues, Dr. Richard can offer your audience advice on all areas of personal finance including: stock market, investing, consumer credit, budgeting, consumer debt, insurance and retirement planning.

As long as his website is mentioned by your host, Dr. Richard is willing to become your regular personal finance contributor at no cost to your media outlet.

Dr. Richard M. Krawczyk is also available for comment. Krawczyk is a respected Los Angeles writer, public speaker, and consultant with experience in personal finance and consumer credit. Dr. Richard runs the Los Angeles-based consulting firm Dr. Richard Enterprise. To review some of Dr. Richard&39;s media hits, you can visit his website http://www.FinancialFitnessTips.com/media. To arrange an interview with Dr. Richard, contact: Deanna Kurman, VP Business Development, Dr. Richard Enterprises., 310-348-1100 ext 13, dkurman@FinancialFitnessTips.com.

Dr. Richard is a celebrity personal finance expert and has been seen in publications such as In Touch Weekly Magazine and E! Online (part of E! Entertainment). He is the former television host of Consumer Credit in the &39;80s.

The FinancialFitnessTips.com Report was launched in November 2003. It is one of the few daily electronic newsletters the offers news, tips and product reviews in personal finance.

Carlson Leisure Travel Services Scores Extraordinary ROI and Highest Customer Satisfaction as Re-certification to the COPC-2000&194;&174; Standard is Completed

Amherst, NY May 3, 2004 -

&194;– Carlson Leisure Travel Services is among the top services providers for credit card companies, financial institutions, and fulfillment loyalty programs. Driven by the demand for highest quality customer service, Carlson Leisure Travel Services clearly demonstrated &194;“World Class&194;” distinction while implementing the re-certification process across multiple contact centers. The re-certification audit was completed in less than one week with Carlson Leisure Travel Services meeting 100% compliance requirements immediately.

Carlson Leisure Travel Services continues to make history as the first &194;– and to date, only &194;– travel fulfillment provider worldwide to achieve re-certification, and again, among mid- to large-size companies, achieving re-certification in the shortest time period. &194;“The re-certification process clearly demonstrates our continued commitment to Contact Center Excellence, ensuring our clients the highest quality customer service,&194;” stated Eric Burdon, Executive Vice President of Minneapolis-based Carlson Leisure Travel Services, which operates customer contact centers in Boise, Idaho and St. Louis, Missouri.

Recognizing the critical importance of exceptional and consistent customer experience, the COPC certification process aligns perfectly with the &194;“Best-in-Class&194;” vision of Carlson Leisure Travel Services. Understanding the operational impact of quantified measures has driven both customer satisfaction and increased revenue. In fact, over 80% of recent, dramatic cost savings have been directly attributed to the COPC-2000&194;&174; Standard implementation.

&194;“COPC has been instrumental in our efforts to improve our business &194;– and the results speak for themselves. They have helped us combine the best of the COPC-2000&194;&174; Standard framework, Six Sigma and COPC Registered Coordinator training, enabling us to successfully grow our revenue, dramatically reduce operating costs, while delivering the highest level of quality and customer service,&194;” declared Mark Steinweg, General Manager. &194;“These efforts not only help to provide peace-of-mind to our clients and their customers, but it also strengthens our reputation as a great and secure place to work.&194;”

Since its inception in 1996, Carlson Leisure Travel Services has evolved into the prominent service provider in the field of leisure travel award redemption programs and continues to enhance its valued level of customer service.

About COPC

Headquartered in Amherst, New York, Customer Operations Performance Center, Inc. (COPC) is the leading authority on customer contact center operations. COPC is authorized to issue certification to the COPC-2000&194;&174; Standard, a comprehensive operations performance standard that specifies minimum operational requirements in critical functional areas. COPC services clients on a worldwide basis, and has representatives in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The COPC Standard was developed in 1995 by individuals from Microsoft, Motorola, Dell, American Express, L.L. Bean, Intel, and other customer-focused companies who were concerned with the level of service quality provided by Customer Service Providers (CSPs). Several hundred locations in 30 countries are using the Standard to improve performance, reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction. Users include firms in e-commerce, computer hardware and software, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications and consumer products. For additional information about COPC, visit http://www.copc.com, email info@copc.com or call us at 512-250-3412.

About Carlson Leisure Travel Services

Carlson Leisure Travel Services, a division of Carlson Travel Group, Inc. (wholly-owned by Carlson Companies), provides corporate clients with employee leisure booking tools, including TripForce.com, in addition to providing financial institutions and credit card reward programs with travel award redemptions. Through its customer contact centers, Carlson Leisure Travel Services currently assists more than 6.5 million active members of client credit card loyalty programs.

Carlson Travel Group, Inc, is a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies. Among the names in the Carlson family of brands and services are: Carlson Marketing Group&194;&174;, Carlson Wagonlit Travel&194;&174;, Carlson Destination Marketing Services, Regent&194;&174; International Hotels, Radisson&194;&174; Hotels&Resorts, Park Plaza&194;&174;, Country Inns&Suites By Carlson&194;&174;, Park Inn&194;&174; hotels, Results Travel, Cruise Holidays, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises&194;&174;, and T.G.I. Friday&194;’s&194;&174; and Pick Up Stix&194;&174; restaurants.

The Easy Credit Card Service OnlyCredit.us off to a Flying Start and Expanding Offering

May 16, 2005

Today, http://www.OnlyCredit.us has announced that their offering has expanded to professional reviews on over 120 credit cards updated daily and is provided free of charge to the online community.

The service will be adding new cards to their selection actively and will aim to be the most comprehensive site on the market. After it&39;s publication two weeks ago, the site (http://www.onlycredit.us) has attracted more visitors than expected and the website is looking forward to satisfy the needs of all the visitors.

http://www.onlycredit.us offers visitors a unique service, customized card finder. This service helps to find out which credit cards you&39;ll qualify for. Simply complete the online questionnaire and receive your free report! The online report will display the credit cards you will most likely qualify for. You will also be provided with direct links to the applications to apply online.

• Credit card directory includes reviews on all of the cards. Posted ratings will help you in your selection but they should not be the only factor in helping you decide which credit card is right for you. Reviews are believed to be accurate during time of evaluation.
• Information collected through online forms provided by http://www.OnlyCredit.us, such as (but not limited to) personal names, mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, IP addresses, will not be distributed or sold to any third party and will be held to strict confidentiality. Any information submitted during time of registration is also held to strict confidentiality.
• Personal information, such as e-mail addresses and user names are used mainly to recognize individual members and/or online viewers. In the event OnlyCredit.us needs to contact an individual, OnlyCredit.us may use submitted personal information to offer technical assistance, service updates, or membership information.
• Any service subscribed to via a designated form residing on the servers, can be unsubscribed to, at the users requests.
• Cookies are used within the Membership Area and are strictly designed to recognize the user and do not disclose any personal information. The use of cookies is required to access certain areas within http://www.OnlyCredit.us

General comments posted via the Cardholder Review Form are posted online and made available to the general public. Through the Partnership Network, CardOffers.com provides the technology and support to http://www.OnlyCredit.us, offering constantly updated and relevant content.

http://www.OnlyCredit.us is a partner site of http://www.TravelEasy123.com - Travelling made easy. Through this co-operation the sites can offer customers a full range of financing options and receiving bonuses via reward card programmes.

http://www.onlycredit.us
http://www.traveleasy123.com

Citi Expands Branch Network in China, Opens in Chongqing

Chongqing, December 10, 2009 - Citibank (China) Co., Ltd. (“Citi China today officially opened its Chongqing branch, its ninth in China. The branch offers banking and wealth management services to both corporate and individual customers in and around Chongqing. A ceremony was held to mark the occasion, attended by Mr. William R. Rhodes, Senior Vice Chairman, Citigroup, and Senior Vice Chairman, Citibank, Mr. Andrew Au, Chairman of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd., Mr. Huang Xiaoguang, President of Citibank (China) Co. Ltd., Mr. Anand Selva, Executive Vice President of Citibank (China) Co. Ltd., as well as local government officials of Chongqing.

Mr. William Rhodes said, “Citi has an unmatched international presence in financial services, and China remains one of our priority markets. We are committed to continuing to invest in China over time, and we are delighted to be opening a branch in the city of Chongqing.

Mr. Andrew Au said, “Citi is proud to be extending our network to Chongqing with a world-class branch. Looking ahead to 2010, Citi will continue to build out our business in China across a wide array of areas as we continue to play an active role in the ongoing growth and development of China’s financial services sector.

The Chongqing branch offers a wide range of RMB and Foreign Currency products and services to multinational and local companies, Chinese residents and foreign nationals.

Corporate banking services include cash management, trade finance and services, loans and syndication, FX transactions, project finance and structured finance and other financial products.

The consumer outlet in Chongqing has been designed to cater to the changing needs and lifestyles of Citibank customers. Key attributes include:

• Wi-Fi enabled the outlet is fully Wi-Fi enabled, allowing customers to go online while inside the outlet using their mobile devices (laptop, cell phone, PDA, etc).
• Internet kiosks dedicated and state-of-the-art complimentary kiosks are available for customers to browse the Internet.
• Touch screens a number of interactive touch screens are available that enable customers to easily view at their own leisure Citibank’s latest product and service offerings, latest news relating to Citibank, and a range of other information at the touch of a finger.
• Live interactive video phones customers seeking additional expert opinion in relation to a particular financial need have the ability to consult with Citibank China specialists at another location on a real time basis using video phones.
• Wallboard screens and Tablet PCs wall board screens ensure an uncluttered working environment and a more interactive customer service experience allowing customers to see everything their personal banker sees. In addition, wireless tablet computers provide added convenience, mobility and flexibility during customer interactions.
• Interactive multimedia High resolution LCD TV integrated media contents of CBN news, latest Citibank product & service posters and text lively updated via centralized media content management system.
• Soft phones the sub-branch uses wireless phones for all staff while providing complimentary use of mobile phones for its customers.
• Mobile Payment Citi China is the first bank in Chong Qing to offer the 3rd generation mobile payment services via its Renminbi debit card. In practice, this will allow cardholders to use their mobile phone to conduct a range of transactions in connection with their debit card including checking the debit card’s balance via the phone, and making payments for various products, as well as mobile phone top-up. It is offered in cooperation with CUP Chong Qing.

Mr. Anand Selva, Executive Vice President, Citibank (China) Co. Ltd., said, “The Chongqing outlet will house the largest retail banking team in China, and its high-technology capabilities will provide Citibank customers with a superior banking experience. Its opening reflects our intent to be the most innovative, customer-focused international bank in China.

The new outlet is a full service one, providing foreign currency and RMB products and services. Like all other Citibank retail outlets in China, the new outlet offers both Citibank and Citigold services. Customers using the Citibank service, which requires a minimum balance of RMB80,000, will be provided with a choice of a comprehensive range of services to manage their wealth. Services provided include savings, deposits and investment products (including Premium Accounts, Structured Investment Accounts and QDII products); as well as ATM/debit cards. Customers can also conduct their banking at their convenience through the multiple electronic channels such as online banking, mobile banking, 24x7 phone banking and fax banking.

The outlet also features a Citigold Service Center, designed to provide leading wealth management services. The Citigold offering, which requires a minimum balance of RMB500,000, is distinguished by factors that include:

• Dedicated relationship managers supported by a team of product specialists
• Personalized banking products and services
• Access to award winning global research, market outlook, latest financial developments and dedicated information channels
• Unique proprietary tools such as Citigold Financial Needs Analysis
• Membership rewards and privileges
• Citigold customers also benefit from Citi’s global presence with worldwide Citigold VIP recognition, courtesy access to world wide Citigold centers, overseas account opening referral, overseas emergency cash up to USD10,000, overseas Citigold preferential FX rate and fee charge, worldwide toll-free home connection service hotline and Citigold International SOS Healthcare Services, etc.

The new sub-branch will also be Citibank’s second retail outlet in China to be submitted for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

The Chongqing branch houses thirteen corporate bankers and thirty-six retail banking professionals. The Chongqing Branch is located at 1F, 2F and 18F of International Trade Center, No. 185 Zhong Hua Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, P.R.C.

“Our team in Chongqing is committed to delivering the very best in banking and wealth management services to local companies and retail customers as Chongqing continues to rise as a key center of commerce and industry in China," said Ms. Mao Feng, Chongqing Branch Manager.

Citi China Celebrates Best Bank Awards

February 2, 2010, Shanghai Citigroup (“Citi has recently been the recipient of two major “Best Bankawards in China, having been named "Best Bank in China" by The Asset magazine, and "Foreign Bank of the Year" by WiseMoney Magazine, one of the most influential magazines in China focusing on finance and wealth management. Citi was also named one of China’s most popular foreign banks, in an online poll and judging process conducted by Hexun.com, the largest and most influential financial website in China.

Andrew Au, Citi China CEO and Chairman of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd. said, "We are thrilled to have received these awards, which reflect the significant progress our
company continues to make in China, as we grow our business and serve a diverse and expanding client base.

In 2009, Citi continued to pursue organic growth across the entire spectrum of consumer and institutional banking services. Citi is playing a major role in helping Chinese companies pursue their strategic goals and raise capital to support these needs. Among many other transactions, Citi was joint bookrunner for the US$2.7billion initial public offering (“IPO for Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd., the biggest overseas IPO in Asia and the second largest IPO in the world at the time the deal was done. In 2009, Citi’s scope of business in China continued to expand, having been granted approval to trade short and medium term notes issued by local companies; to act as an interbank bond market maker; and to launch RMB cross-border trade settlement services.

Commenting on the decision to grant Citi China its award, the editors of The Asset noted, “Citi exhibited another strong performance in China on the back of its strong
platform that spans corporate and commercial banking, investment banking and consumer banking operations. It is a leading provider of financial services to major
domestic corporate clients, including state-owned enterprises and privately-owned companies. In investment banking, Citi completed a series of significant deals, including the US$133 million initial public offering of Real Gold Mining in February 2009, which reopened the IPO market in Hong Kong. The bank was the exclusive financial adviser to China National Petroleum Corporation, which together with KazMunaiGas, acquired Mangistau/Munaigas, the largest privately-owned oil and gas company in Kazakhstan, for US$3.3 billion. Citi Global Transaction Services is a leading transaction services provider in China, achieved through a strategy of sustained investment in product innovation and technology. This year, the bank is supporting more small and medium enterprises by providing them with finance against their receivables through CitiConnect.

Citi has a proven record of innovation in China, and in 2009 was the first bank in China to open a high-tech and environmental-friendly consumer outlet, which is helping to redefine the retail banking experience in China. Citi was also the first foreign bank to launch mobile banking, allowing customers to access online banking services using their mobile phone. Citi was the first international bank in China to introduce the lending company model to provide financial services to smaller towns and counties in China.

Citi is a leader in wealth management in China, and offers the widest range of Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor ("QDII") products. In 2009 Citi was the first bank in China to launch foreign currency fixed income products and first to launch subordinated bonds and floating rate bonds.

Citi continues to introduce state-of-the-art technology to China through its centers of excellence, Citicorp Software and Technology Services and Citi Data Processing
Services. Citi maintains investments in two Chinese banks, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Guangdong Development Bank.

“We have a clear strategy for long-term success in China, and we remain committed to continuing to provide superior financial services and products that are in the best interests of our customers,Mr. Au said.

Citi Hires Zubaid Ahmad as Vice Chairman, Head of Sovereign Wealth Fund Coverage

27 May 2010, Shanghai Citi today announced that Zubaid Ahmad will join as Vice Chairman of Citi's Institutional Clients Group and will be a member of its Senior Strategic Advisory Group. He will lead Citi’s global sovereign wealth fund coverage initiatives, helping ensure the effective delivery of Citi’s broad product capabilities to this important client group. In his new role, he will work closely with Citi’s Public Sector Group, and will also help provide senior coverage support on cross-border initiatives.

Mr. Ahmad brings 25 years of global financial services industry experience to Citi, during which time he has worked on a large number of transactions in both the US and emerging markets, maintaining extensive relationships with corporate, private equity and sovereign wealth fund clients. He joins Citi from Standard Chartered and, prior to that, held senior positions at JPMorgan, including Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Americas Investment Banking and Vice Chairman of the Financial Sponsor Group. He received his MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration and his BSBA from Georgetown University.

“Zubaid is a seasoned corporate and investment banking professional, and commands a tremendous depth of knowledge and impressive stable of client relationships. We are extremely pleased that he is joining us to help lead our team in delivering the uniquely powerful combination of Citi’s global reach and product depth to our sovereign wealth fund clients said John Havens, Chief Executive Officer of Citi’s Institutional Clients Group.

Mr. Ahmad added: “I am delighted to be joining Citi at this time to undertake this important effort. Citi has a truly unmatched global platform which is uniquely positioned to serve its clientsneeds. I look forward to working closely with my new partners to further enhance Citi’s already strong relationships with sovereign wealth fund clients globally.

Citibank deepens presence in Chengdu

Chengdu, July 13, 2011 - Citibank (China) Co., Ltd. (“Citibank today opened its first sub-branch in Chengdu. The new sub-branch is a smart banking one, designed to provide a unique and superior banking experience to Citibank customers. An opening ceremony was held, attended by Andrew Au, Chief Executive Officer, Citi China and Simon Chow, Country Business Manager, Citibank China.

Andrew Au said, “Citi is committed to continued investment in China, and Chengdu is an important part of our plans. We have had a branch in Chengdu since 2005, and I am pleased we are extending our business in one of the key commercial centers of Western China through this new consumer outlet.

Simon Chow said, “We are delighted to be introducing this state-of-the-art smart banking outlet to Chengdu, a first for the city. The smart banking concept embodies Citibank’s commitment to innovation in the pursuit of improving the customer service experience. We look forward to our customers enjoying all that smart banking has to offer as we provide them with the best available wealth management and banking services.

Smart Banking Features

Citibank’s Chengdu Fund International Plaza outlet contains a range of customized service offerings:

The strong>Citi Explore which comprises of a number of interactive touch screens that enable customers to easily obtain information about Citibank as well as Citibank’s latest product and service offerings at their fingertips. The “Citi Explorealso includes hand-held devices containing electronic brochures with detailed introduction to Citibank products and services, market outlook and commentaries, audio and video clips. These devices negate the need for print materials in the spirit of Citibank’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

The strong>Citi Connectenables customers to browse the web and get access to Citibank China’s next-generation online banking services, which include enhanced online security features, more convenient online payments and transfers; “Global View of Accountsallowing customers to access Citibank accounts in multiple countries, a comprehensive set of alerts / SMS-based banking services, all delivered with user-friendly interface and modern look-and-feel.

Citi Assistrefers to interactive video conferencing services that provide customers with the opportunity to obtain additional expert opinion and consultation from Citibank specialists at another location on a real time basis via video phones.

Wireless strong>Soft Phonesare used by all staff while providing complimentary use of mobile phones for customers.

strong>Internet kioskis a complimentary feature with state-of-the-art computers to access external websites for the convenience of our customers.

Products and Services

Like all other Citibank outlets in China, the new outlet in Chengdu offers both Citibank and Citigold services. Customers using the Citibank service, which requires a minimum balance of RMB80,000, will be provided with a choice of a comprehensive range of services to manage their wealth. Products offered include savings, deposits, investments (including Premium Accounts, Structured Investment Accounts and QDII products) and insurance; as well as ATM / debit cards. Customers can also conduct their banking at their convenience through the multiple electronic channels such as online banking, mobile banking, 24x7 phone banking and fax banking.

The outlet also features a Citigold Service Center, designed to provide leading wealth management services. The Citigold offering, which requires a minimum balance of RMB500,000, is distinguished by factors that include:

Dedicated relationship managers supported by a team of product specialists

Personalized banking products and services

Access to award winning global research, market outlook, latest financial developments and dedicated information channels

Unique proprietary tools such as Citigold Financial Needs Analysis

Membership rewards and privileges

Citigold customers also benefit from Citi’s global presence with worldwide Citigold VIP recognition, courtesy access to world wide Citigold centers, overseas account opening referral, overseas emergency cash up to USD10,000, overseas Citigold preferential FX rate and fee charge, worldwide toll-free home connection service hotline and Citigold International SOS Healthcare Services, etc.

The Chengdu Fund International outlet houses 24 retail banking professionals. It is located at 1F, Unit 4~5, No 6, Hangkong Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu.