Read the news lately? No matter how old you are, start today to put as much money away as you can for that rainy day. Many investors worry about the type of investments one should make in their retirement plan. I would like to focus on saving those pennies for retirement in the first place. Your retirement plan gives you one of the last tax breaks available. No matter who gets elected into office in 2008, this, more than likely, will not change.

Paying taxes is a lot like going to the dentist. If we could put it off we would. Taxes can reduce our net earnings making it harder to save. We all think we need every penny for today’s expenses.

The government, realizing that taxes can make it harder for people to save, has created several tax-deferred, and yes, even tax-free options for you. Whether you work for a Fortune 500 company or are self-employed, take advantage of one of these options and starting saving today.

401(k) – Start with your company’s savings plan. Put the maximum into your company plan—if your company matches contributions this is the fastest way to grow your savings and fund your retirement. Your contributions are tax-deferred until you start to withdraw them after age 59 ½.

Roth IRA – Fund that Roth! There is no better deal out there to accumulate savings on a tax-free basis. With a Roth you pay taxes on contributions but withdrawals are tax-free at age 59 ½ provided you have had the account for at least 5 years. You can withdraw the principal penalty free at any time after meeting the 5 year/59 ½ rule. Make sure you check with your financial advisor to see if you qualify for a Roth, or you can contact a representative of The Entrust Group (www.theentrustgroup.com) who can give you the guidelines.

Deductible IRA – Like a 401(k) the money is tax-free when you contribute but taxed when you withdraw. These plans include Traditional IRA, SEP for self-employed and SIMPLE for small company type plans.

No matter which plan works for you, the key is smart saving and investing. With a retirement plan, you accumulate the money you need so that when you are ready, the money is there, not the other way around. If we all wait until the money is there and do nothing to put it there in the first place we will have no retirement.

Many investors are turning to real estate auctions as a way to sell their investment property in this down market. Real Estate brokers are getting into the act. In some areas of the country like Florida, auctions are the way builders are liquidating property.

Real Estate auctions were a popular technique in the 1990s when failed banks used this method as a way to unload their inventory. Just this year, the National Association of Realtors launched a presidential advisory group on auctions made up of five of its members from the association and five from the National Auctioneers Association.. The business slowed as prices rose. Now, with the volatile real estate marketplace, auctions are picking up steam in many areas of the country.

There are three types of auctions:

• Absolute auction. The seller has committed to selling the property to the highest bidder without any minimum set price. The negative to this is other investors try to bottom fish for price.

• Reserve auction. A property is listed for a specific minimum price, undisclosed at the auction. This is the most popular choice.

• Minimum bid auction. A minimum bid is set and disclosed at auction.

If you are desperate to sell your property, the absolute auction is the surest way to sell fast. It will attract the most people.

Good auction companies make sure the buyers know the rules. Certified checks, advance deposits or bank letters of credit are typically required up front to prequalify buyers. Plus, the buyer signs a legal agreement “Terms and Conditions” in advance of the auction so when they buy, the transaction goes through.

Make sure you price your property right from the start. If you ask too much, it still won’t sell. Go onto www.zillow.com to get an idea of competitive home values in your area.

To learn more about how auctions work, attend one and see for yourself. Search the net for auctioneers in your area, and do your due diligence.

Professionals constantly debate whether it is better to expand their marketing or expand their sales efforts in order to grow their business. I am constantly asked which one of these methods—marketing or sales—is more important. Like all professionals, I have debated this issue myself. Items like marketing collateral, advertising, PR, help brand my business. Having additional sales help to acquire more business helps pay the bills.

Many professionals do not understand the difference between marketing and sales. That is because these two business functions are interrelated.

Marketing is the squeaky wheel that allows you to explain to your customers the product you are offering and your competitive advantage. Marketing activities include public relations, advertising, developing and maintaining your web site, and creating brochures and other marketing materials.

Sales activities are those direct actions taken to secure customer orders. Sales include submitting proposals and estimates, in person or on-phone sales calls, e-commerce on your web site, trade show presence, etc.

Most professionals try to do both. The problem is, people who are good in marketing usually can’t sell and the best sales people—those who can close the customer—are often terrible at marketing.

With limited budgetary resources and limited staff to execute our business plan, do we increase the marketing or find qualified sales staff? What is a good solution?

First, recognize you need BOTH marketing and sales to run a successful business. Second, look to outsource a good marketing person who will work for you as a consultant, or offer a base salary plus a commission structure to a good sales person. There are a lot of strong commission-based sales people looking for work as a result of the mortgage industry nightmare.

Solve the obstacle of increasing your marketing and sales efforts, and watch your business grow.

Many of us have the philosophy of “acres of diamonds in our own backyard.” I used to believe this myself, and it showed in my investment strategy as I invested heavily in real estate over the years.

As market conditions continue to change, I realize I need to look at other alternatives, other investments to diversify and grow my retirement portfolio. That is part of the reason why I have a self-directed IRA. It gives me complete flexibility to invest in assets that I believe in. (To learn more about how you can self-direct your IRA visit www.theentrustgroup.com.)

I recently attended a conference where I had the opportunity to observe and learn from people who invest in a variety of different areas based on their belief systems. “Green Investors,” for example, invest in products that support renewable energy, such as wind turbines and hydroelectric plants. Now, I know virtually nothing about these types of investments which is why I generally do not write about them. I bring them to your attention to show you the vast opportunity out there if we seek to explore, do our research, and believe in not only the investment itself but the future of where the investment is going.

Gold, silver, foreign currencies, oil and gas leases, royalty payments and more can diversify a portfolio. The keys to any truly self-directed investment are vast. Take the time to learn about the different assets out there in today’s marketplace. It could make a difference to your financial future. And, you could be doing “good” for the future of humankind!