Who taught Elvis how to dance, received the Congressional Medal of Honor, got Nixon impeached, became the world ping-pong champion, built a national shrimping empire, and fathered Haley Joel Osment?

One man: Forrest Gump.

If I could choose one mentor in business, or in life in general, it would be Gump. I don’t care that he’s not real. The wisdom that he conveys is real, and I think we could all learn something from it.

Let’s listen to what he has to say, and I’ll translate his Gumpisms into advice that, if followed, will make you a much more successful moneymaker:

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Recently I had a discussion with a friend who was looking to refinance her second mortgage in order to get a lower interest rate and pay her home loans off faster. It’s something she had been putting off for quite some time due to lack of time and a busy work schedule. However now that she’s in the right frame of mind to take steps toward refinancing her second mortgage, it’s extremely important that she does her research in order to receive the mortgage that’s right for her. The truth is, one thing that can hold us back from growing our wealth is an abundance of debt – and mortgages, or specifically second mortgages are a big part of this. While the amount of second mortgage debt matters, it’s often the interest rates and terms related to that second mortgage that can make the big difference in our financial health.

Of course, many people don’t like to think too much about their debt, but the truth is that refinancing a second mortgage can save many people a lot of money and help them to pay it off sooner. So here are some guidelines to follow when looking to refinance a second mortgage:

1. The first thing to do before visiting any lenders it to shore up your bargaining position. Take a look at your credit report, and ensure to have any errors reported and corrected. Also, try to temporarily cut back on your spending in order to pad your savings account in order to pay for the closing costs associated with refinancing your second mortgage.

2. Start shopping. Don’t just go with your regular lender, but shop around and get at rates from five different lenders. Then, either pick the offer with the lowest interest and best terms, or use their offer as leverage in order to refinance your second mortgage with your preferred lender.

3. Ask questions before signing, not after. After finding the lender you prefer, make sure to ask all of your questions before signing anything. This includes information about what should happen if you miss or are late on a payment. This is also a good time to negotiate lower or waived closing costs associated with your second mortgage.

Having been an online content producer for some time now, I’ve found myself lucky to stumble across what I consider some of the better sites for online writers. In most instances, before you begin work with an online content site, it’s a good idea to conduct your due diligence. Read some reviews by those who have used the site, look for reports of problems with payments or service, and consider testing the site with an article or two before committing any real work to it. Here are a few of the sites that I’ve had contact with and some of what I’ve learned and liked about each site.

1. Associated Content – If you are a talented SEO (Search Engine Optimized) content producer, Associated Content can bring in some decent paydays. While their upfront payments aren’t exactly enticing, often ranging in the $2-$5 range, if you know how to produce good SEO material, you can make additional income based upon page views. This means that while a three-dollar article might not seem worth the effort at first, if the topic and keyword density are good, you could supplement that amount each month, making much more money in page views than the article ever paid upfront.

2. Helium – I was a web content virgin when I started working with Helium.com. A friend recommended it as a good site to make a little cash and get some writing experience. From page view residuals, to contests and writing articles for publishers, Helium offers a variety of ways to make money. While you can pick up some decent money by writing articles for publishers, be aware that you are in direct competition with those who are writing to the same topic, so your work will need to be on topic and well written. The downside to this is that if your article is not selected to be purchased by the publisher, there is little reward, as your article will then be banished to the page view vault were it will sit, possibly making you a dollar or two throughout the course of the year if you are lucky. Your material will also be ranked by peers on the site, something that must be done by Helium members to maintain their ability to receive page view payments. Overall, Helium is a great site, but it can be a lot of work with little return if you aren’t chosen by the publishing gods.

3. Textbroker – Textbroker.com was a lucky find I stumbled upon one day while reading an article about how to make money on the Internet. There is an application process by which your writing will be ranked to determine your skill level, as well as what type of articles you will be eligible to write (thereby determining how much you will be paid per word). The great thing about Textbroker is that you can write to a wide number of topics at various skill levels. While working, if you encounter a publisher who really likes your writing style, they can choose to send you orders directly.

4. ContentCurrent – With ContentCurrent.com, you have the ability to select either article writing jobs, forum posting jobs or both, which can offer some nice variety in your work. There is an application process for both types of work (article and forum posts) to ensure your work is of acceptable quality.

5. Bukisa – While you likely won’t get rich on Bukisa.com, it is good for a couple extra bucks a month if you’re willing to take the time to post your articles there. While it doesn’t seem to carry the readership of some of the larger sites like Associated Content or Helium, it is a viable option for writers looking to get established on the web and dip their toe in the online content production waters. There are no upfront payments for content, just page view residuals.

6. WriterAccess – With WriterAccess.com, you can create a profile including writing samples, a resume, and other pertinent information regarding your writing background. The site will ask for information regarding your writing experience as well as a writing sample in the application process. If you are accepted as a writer, WriterAccess offers the ability to apply for projects on their job board. While there are often a limited number of jobs to choose from, there can be some good money to be made if you are selected for a particular job.

Kris is a freelance worker who writes about managing personal finances for an Australian comparison website offering the best credit cards including a range of products with the cheapest credit card balance transfer available down under. Read more of his writing on their blog, The Credit Letter, or subscribe to their RSS feed.

The Internet is filled with money making opportunities, and most are mediocre at best, if not down right fraudulent. I would like to tell you about one of the better opportunities I have come across, and it’s absolutely free so you really have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. This opportunity is offered by Kevin Potts, founder of the website CambridgeBusinessAcademy.com.

Before establishing this website, Mr. Potts worked in the corporate world, was involved with venture capitalists and was even a full time religious minister for 8 years. While growing his congregation from 200 to 600 he decided to return to commerce but combine what he has learned from his service to the community to providing help for entrepreneurs who seek to have a home based business.

As the following testimonial shows, Potts main influence was Tim Lowe, who is one of Europe’s top entrepreneur coaches, and taught him everything he needed to know about building a home based business with great success:

Currently, the CambridgeBusinessAcademy.com website has an honest promotion where Potts is giving away for absolutely $0 his comprehensive home business opportunity called The Money Mentor High Level Coaching System. The first coaching package is called Starting Point, and is a 10-video DVD series outlining the methods of setting up a home based business. The second is known as Life Changers and is an 8-video DVD series containing interviews with experts who have been tremendously influential in making Kevin Potts a successful home business entrepreneur. The third series is a called the Blue Print, which is a 60+ page report containing additional tips for success and the fourth series is known as Meet The Gurus, which is a 13-video series where experts specific to the home based marketing field provide their strategies.

It is important to note here that no information is kept hidden from people who sign up and there is no sales pitch, which is a rarity with top performing businesses. On the site, Potts states that this free offer could end without notice so take a look at the introductory video on http://www.cambridgebusinessacademy.com/ and proceed from there.

The process of landing a job usually requires a resume, but with so many people of all backgrounds looking for a job, you need a resume that truly stands out from the rest. Writing and re-writing your own cover letter to be tailored for each job is a must, but whether it is for executive resumes or jobs for felons, having a great resume usually requires an outside advice.

To that end, it is essential to get your resume looked at by a professional resume writer, and if necessary, revised by them. For instance, consider the services offered by the website TopSecretResumes.com.

This site offers free tips on resume writing and interview preparation as well as paid resume writing services. Their team of expert resume writers has played an important role in helping thousands of clients get jobs in their respective fields or make a career change. These writers know what text and formatting is more likely to work in getting the attention of recruiters, within a mere seconds of reading a resume. The approach taken by the writers is highly professional, from the time of conducting an in-depth interview with the resume seeker to the final submission. Notably, the company offers a satisfaction guarantee policy by agreeing to provide revisions for 14-day after the final submission.

In order to further learn how you could improve your resume, so you can land that coveted job, visit the aforementioned website.  You can get an idea as to the quality of work provided, by heading over to the before-and-after section, where you can see the improvements made in various types of resumes. Keep in mind that the website currently offers a free complimentary executive resume analysis and a quote on what improvements your resume needs.

Since the recession is not truly over, many people are forced to rely on loans of any type to pay bills. However, finding a company or financial institution that would be willing to offer loans and credit cards that are payable at convenient terms, can be frustrating and time consuming. Moreover, the terms and conditions for car loans, home loans, credit cards, etc’ are often filled with jargon and legalese, making them hard to understand.

An example of a site targeted for this problem is http://www.compare2save.com.au/. The site provides a list of trusted, regulated financial service providers, that can be easily compared. The financial services being compared are divided into such categories as: personal, car, home, savings, and bank accounts. Essentially, instead of going through the confusing maze of finding a reliable financial services provider that offers agreeable conditions, Compare2Save has picked the reputable companies that have a track record for working with consumers to get the loan they can afford.

Keep in mind that an online loan application is an accepted, economical and trustworthy approach, especially if you maintain your dealings with established companies and compare the various offers being presented to you. Additional benefit for consumers can also be gained from reading the site’s news and information sections, to make an informed decision before choosing the optimal loan or credit card.

The loan search process on the site is notably quick. For instance, a credit card seeker just has to pick the credit card type and then look at a chart of available cards before making a selection. This comparison chart will provide such information as: the lender, introductory and ongoing interest rates, balance transfer, interest free period, etc’. The most affordable loans will be at the top of the list and, from that point on, you can continue to the actual financial service provider site to complete your application. Overall, the information on the site is laid out in a simple and easy to understand manner, which is a welcome approach, considering that many loans today are known for being mired with small print.

Check out the Compare 2 Save website to get an idea of what to look for in a financial help resource and how you can fully benefit from utilizing it.