Now that we have entered the information age, our data is regularly being logged into many different websites through many different devices, all of which is putting our identity at risk. Along with that, with so many more things that can be done online, from loan and mortgage applications, purchasing of items big and small and even booking holidays: the level of risk associated with identity theft and the ease of using another persons details to make purchases makes protecting your identity all the more important. Today we are going to go through three tips to protect your online identity:

1.)  Use strong passwords

If you are logging in to various services with passwords, make those passwords as strong as possible by using capital letters, numbers and symbols to make your password less easy to guess. Identity thieves use programs that can enter a whole dictionary of words into a password box within minutes – which means that any password that is based on a standard word such as “cheese” is a weak password that practically invites people to steal your identity. If you have a poor memory, there are ways to strengthen and secure passwords without making them difficult to remember – and you can do this by pretending your password is a car number plate and adding your favourite symbol at the end, so “cheese” can become “Ch33se?”, “blue” can become “blu3!” and so on and so forth…you get the drift!

2.)  Delete your browsing history and cookies when you have finished

If you are using a smart device or a shared computer then always make sure you delete the stored information in the browsers keychain when you are done. If you are not very web savvy and that all sounds like gobbledygook to you, don’t worry! When you have your browser open, select “history” and find the “delete browsing history” option – remembering to delete cookies and other saved information. The reason for this is that your browser will remember your passwords and automatically log in the next person who visits a website which requires your login information. Once someone has logged into one of your accounts, they not only have access to your credit card details, but also your mothers maiden name, your secret password, your address, paypal details – the whole hog! Better to not give anyone such access by deleting the information stored in the browser you are using.  If you are accessing information via your phone, rather than go through the process of deleting every thing each time you have used it, you can choose to go incognito which means that none of your browsing history is stored: ever. This is easily done through the settings on your phone.

3.)  Do not respond to emails asking you for information

One easy way to steal people’s data, is to redirect them to a fake website that looks and feels like a genuine website: and then making them enter their details for your own person use. This is called “phishing” and will most often come in the form of Facebook or bank information that requires your instant response. Rather than respond to such emails by clicking on the links they provide, visit the website directly to make sure the email is genuine, and without risking a visit to a fake website that is trying to steal your details.

Brendon is an image rights writer based in Guernsey. He loves to help people protect themselves from identity theft.

If you have a business that relies on a variety of heavy-duty equipment to carry out day-to-day activities, then you will not want to have them break down. Purchasing most of the business equipment is not cheap and many businesses usually end up folding when they find themselves in this predicament. You should however, be aware that there is hope in form of equipment financing options that exist in the world today. It is necessary for you to make sure that you access an equipment finance option that is right for your needs if you are to avoid making mistakes that may cost you your livelihood.

Below are some of the factors that you should consider before selecting equipment financing option for your business:

Affordability

Each equipment finance company that you contact will give you a quote that is unique depending on the products and services you are going to get. Business equipment is never cheap but with research, you can access a company that will provide you with competitively priced financing options. Getting great value for your money in the long term should be your ultimate goal. As long as you will have access to the equipment your business needs to make money, paying it off should not be a problem if the prices are fair.

Types of Equipment Provided

The service provider you select should provide you with the type of equipment you will need. Different industries have different equipment requirements and getting a leading service provider will assure you of the best deals available. The education, medical, construction, energy, and mining industries are just an example of the sectors that require heavy equipment and having a company that provides for a wide range of these options should be your aim. This way you can purchase all the products you need from one supplier, which may end up being cheaper in the long term.

Range of Financing Options Available

It is important for you to ensure you have some wiggle room as far as the equipment finance options are concerned. Leading financing companies allow for flexibility when it comes to financial payment arrangements to ensure that majority of their clients can pay for their equipment they obtain from them. Some of these include lease purchases, fixed loans, floating term loans, lease lines of credit and so on. Having flexible financing options ensures that you will not default on payments and lose your business.

Terms of Payments

When it comes to doing business, never work with an equipment finance company that does not have transparent dealings. Ensure that you select a service provider who gives you clear terms regarding your expected payment period, interest rates, monthly payments, sell and lease conditions etc. At the end of the day, it is your business on the line, so you must practice caution.

On January 28, Bloomberg published an article focusing on the Bordeaux 2010 vintage which will soon start hitting the retail shelves and which, being recommended by winemakers, is bound to attract the attention of people who invest in wine.

The 2010 Vintage

The author of the piece, Elin McCoy, attended a wine-tasting at which110 top Bordeaux producers presented their reds and whites from the 2010 vintage. Ms McCoy noted that while the quality of the 2010 vintage was exceptional formany chateaux, the futures prices were so high that therewas likely to be stock languishing in warehouses, especially given that a lot of Bordeaux lovers filled up their cellars with the 2009 vintage.

As noted in an article by the wine magazine Decanter, entitled “Bordeaux 2010 report: Fatigue, readjustment, and a missed opportunity”, the2010 vintage has been hailed as the second-most successful vintage of all time, 2009 being the record-breaking best, 2005 in third place.

Winemakers’ Choice

Yet Ms McCoy noted that,while the winemakers she interviewed insisted that both 2009 and 2010 were great vintages, they preferred their 2010 wines. “The 2010s are more electric, more detailed, like high-pixel images,” according toAlexander Van Beek, general manager at the commune of Margaux, as quoted in the Bloomberg piece.

Decanter consultant editor Steven Spurrier also enthusedthat the 2010 vintage “is looking like THE greatest Bordeaux vintage, so far, and, contrary to expectations, not tiring to taste.”

High Prices

With all the positive reviews, 2010 is plainly a vintage to consider. Yet the high prices could potentially discourage manywilling to invest in wine. Ms McCoy quoted Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier as blaming wine investment funds for the high prices. “Wine should be drunk with a smile,” Mr Bernard points out. “If wine lovers pay too much, they don’t smile. They may buy once without a smile, but they won’t do it a second time.”

In a phone interview, Gary Boom, managing director of the UK’s Bordeaux Index,pointed outthat massive amounts of 2009 futures were sold even at high prices, “but only half of that with the 2010s” since “people had already spent their money.”

So wine investors who didn’t spend their money on the 2009 vintage and are thinking whether to invest in wine could potentially consider the 2010 vintage as an wine investment option.

Babies are expensive but quite often people don’t realise quite how expensive they are. There’s no way that you can prepare for the added expenses that your family will have to deal with other than save from the moment you find out you’re pregnant. However, when your little bundle of joy is born there are loads of ways you can save yourself money so that you’ve got a little bit left over.

When it comes to having your baby you might find yourself in hospital for a few days so there are a few things you should remember when you’re there.

• Firstly, don’t use the TV; some hospitals charge as much as £6 per day to watch the TV so why not save that money and use the time to bond with your little one and recuperate as you won’t have time for recuperation and relaxation when you get home.

• There’s quite often a selection of toiletries in the cupboard including nappies, lotion, wipes and a thermometer, you should ask to take these things home – usually you’re allowed – to save yourself having to go out and buy loads as soon as you get home.

• Maternity wards in hospitals are always being plied with free samples and coupons too but generally nurses are too busy to give them out. If you ask they’ll be more than happy to give you whatever you have; a lot of the time there will be samples of baby lotions and creams as well as coupons for nappies and milk formula – you could save yourself loads.

Breast is best and it sure is cheapest. If you can’t breast feed then you obviously have no choice but to shell out on formula but if you can you’ll definitely notice the difference in your bank balance. A lot of people think that you have to have your own breast pump to express milk in advance but this isn’t the case, you can share them so if a friend or family member has one, as if you can borrow. The only thing you can’t share are the plastic attachments but you can buy those cheaply enough from chemists and even supermarkets. Borrowing a breast pump will help save you at least £100 if not more.

You should never buy too many baby clothes in advance; if you buy a winter coat in September it definitely won’t fit them by the time the cold weather hits so that’s quite a bit of money lost. Also, stick to neutral coloured baby clothes, that way you can use them again if you ever have another.

A college degree can go a long way to helping you gain a successful career you will love.  That being said it can be difficult to know what to major in. What kind of career can you get with your degree? What kind of growth exists in your field? Doing some career research in advance can help you decide what to major in today. We have looked at jobs with a math and sociology degree, now let’s look at a degree in economics.

While it may not initially sound like it, a degree in economics is a versatile tool that can open up numerous doors for you. Economic graduates can go on to work in numerous fields including business, consulting and even government.  In fact, one recent report showed economic majors ranked 4th out of 16 academic majors in starting salaries behind computer science, mathematics and engineering. Here are some possible fields.

Business Careers

The most common field for economic majors to work in is the business and corporate world.  While an economics degree doesn’t prepare you for a specific role it does help you understand business from a bigger picture which gets your foot in the door. Economics teaches reasoning and problem solving skills which are a valuable asset and can open doors to, management, marketing, finance and consulting.  It is also a good foundation for those who want to pursue a MBA. Pay various depending on education but a degree in economics has an average starting salary of $48,000 while the median salary for senior economist is $83,000.

Government Careers

Another huge employer for economic majors is the government on the state, local and federal level.  They often hire economic majors to help forecast economic conditions and evaluate their effect on budgets, monitor and evaluate agency operations and budgets and analyze different types of data. The Department of Labor and Commerce and weirdly enough the CIA, are all amongst the largest government economic employers. The added benefit is that you work on the government pay scale, which includes numerous holidays, time off and great benefits. The average government salary in this field is $108,010.

Public Policy Careers

If you love debating public issues and dissecting approaches to problem solving in areas ranging from health to national defense then a policy analyst position may be for you. Policy analysts compare and evaluate a wide range of public policy options to aid decision makers in the government. While you may think this involves working for the government most analyst work for private firms, often called think tanks that are hired out by the government.  Many of these positions require a post graduate degree but a bachelor’s may get your foot in the door. Analysts can make anywhere from $40,000 to $65,000 depending on experience and education.

So there you go. Three thrilling fields to work in with an economics degree. Check with online bachelor’s degrees for available courses.

Jeff Jordan writes in lives in Southern California. He writes about education  and schools such as Trident University.