There is a double-edged sword for small businesses: online banking. It offers convenience, but it can make you more vulnerable to theft. And not every business person can afford to hire IT folks to guide him or her through the maze of protective software.

Cybercriminals have a myriad of tools at their disposal to hack into your business accounts and steal sensitive information. Phishing is a common scam that uses e-mails that look like the real thing to lead Internet users to Web sites where they are asked to enter sensitive information such as user names, passwords, or credit card or bank account numbers. Once a criminal has the information he needs, he can then bleed a business owner dry, emptying business and personal accounts. Criminals can also sell your sensitive information online to anyone with the best offer.

There are some practices that business owners should adopt to secure online banking.

• Train your employees to never trust e-mails requesting personal information, such as user names or passwords. If there is no one in your office qualified to provide this type of training, find an IT professional to educate your employees.

• Ensure that your business systems, including computers, file and mail servers, are protected by trustworthy security software.

• Designate one computer to use as your business' online account machine. This machine should be used for online banking and not for other activities such as e-mailing, web browsing or file sharing.

• Discuss with your bank the type of security they have in place, and as for recommendations as to what will work best in your office as a complement. Familiarize yourself with the protection and processes the bank's security provides to businesses in the event of a loss.

You should also familiarize yourself with the various ways criminals can do harm to your online efforts.

• Programs that perform malicious actions but have no replication abilities are called trojans. These may arrive as harmless files or applications, but they actually have malicious intent written into their code. Banking trojans are specifically designed to gain control and compromise online accounts.

• Phishing is a form of identity theft in which a scammer uses a seemingly authentic e-mail to trick recipients into providing sensitive information.

• Site spoofing involves Web sites that look and appear professionally designed and legitimate. They are designed to get the recipient to submit personal information such as credit card and bank account numbers, Social Security numbers and birth dates.

Once you've learned the ling and what not to do, you'll be able to breathe easier as you conduct business online.

Americans are reportedly spending more and feel more confident in their job security, according to a Gallup poll released earlier this month.

The poll reported that people spent an average of $80 during one week this month, the highest weekly spending average in more than a year-and-a-half. Gallup's Job Creation Index reflected more hiring by employers nationwide. These two indicators show a positive trend in the way Americans feel about the economy and its chances of recovery.

In the week ending June 6, the Index showed that 29 percent of workers reported that their employers were hiring workers, and 21 percent said their employers were laying off workers.

The increases were not just in the government jobs sector, but were in the private sector as well.

Earlier findings this year reflected a different picture. In spite of a depressed economy and an unstable employment climate, Americans were still spending.

But a recent Bloomberg survey showed that 57 percent of Americans feel the economy has worsened in the past year.

"A sense of gloom pervades perceptions of the economy and nation; barely one-in-three Americans say the country is on the right track," a Bloomberg press release stated. "Just 9 percent of those polled say they believe the economy will be strong again within a year, and 4 percent of Americans who cut back on spending now say they are confident to start back up."

The survey also found that with unemployment and underemployment still high, consumers are still worried about job security. But the pace of job loss is slowing.

But despite the surveys, one thing remains clear: trying to determine what motivates consumers is about as difficult as nailing Jell-O to a wall. Despite a muddy economic picture, it appears that when things get tough, Americans go shopping.

And this news may encourage small business owners to spend extra money marketing their goods and services to draw in some of these consumers. If you don't have the available funds for such a venture, a small business loan may be an excellent choice. No collateral is required, your privacy and security are protected, and you can obtain a revolving line of credit. Rates are as low as 7.93 percent, and a variable annual percentage rate is available.

During a town hall meeting in Tampa in recent months, Tampa, Fla. entrepreneur Steven Gordon had the opportunity every small business owner would kill kittens for – the chance to ask President Barack Obama why the Small Business Administration won't make loans directly to small businesses.

The president told Gordon that the process, which would mean the government would have to "stand up a massive bureaucracy," would take too long, Obama said, and would only serve to frustrate small business owners.

Gordon wasn't satisfied with the answer he received, and he recently attended a joint hearing of the House Financial Services and Small Business committees in Washington.

Karen Mills, SBA administrator, echoed Gordon's concerns, saying business owners need access to loans and counselors who can help them become creditworthy.

The SBA has a long and storied history of lending. The Small Business Act created the SBA in 1953, and allowed the agency to finance businesses directly or in cooperation with banks or other financial institutions. Direct loans are limited up to $350,000, and the SBA lent money to businesses that banks rejected through the late 1980s, and through the late 1990s to disadvantaged borrowers. Since that time, the agency has undergone restructuring and downsizing, but is still making loans to homeowners and businesses following a disaster.

The House has twice passed legislation calling for direct SBA loans.  Its SBA reauthorization bill creates a new capital backstop program tailored to recessions, which would allow the SBA would help borrowers prepare a business loan application and then shop it to banks. If no bank is willing to make the loan, the SBA would make the loan. This program will end in September 2011.

In the Senate, no one is particularly enthused about the bill, including Ben Cardin of Maryland, who is on the Small Business Committee. And so the debate continues.

In the meantime, what’s a small business owner to do in order to obtain need funds for the cost of operation, expansion or new hire-related costs?

An unsecured loan or line of credit could be the answer, and will help a small business owner establish credit.

The kids are out of school, they’re bored and complaining there’s nothing to do, and you’re broke. Now what?

Many parents don’t realize just how active their kids are until they have to keep them occupied during summer vacation. With that final school bell comes the juggling of schedules and managing your finances to provide entertainment for your children. Although the cost of trips to the movie theater, arcades, swimming and other daily activities are manageable for most families, it’s the big stuff that can really put a dent in the family finances. What if your child shows an interest in attending sports, academic or arts camps? The costs for these types of camps can add up quickly, particularly if your child has more than one area of interest.

In fact, 26% of parents say they will spend more on summer activities than they do during the school year, according to the American Express Spending and Saving Tracker. That averages out to about $600 per child for summer activities. So a family with three children could expect to see a sizeable chunk bitten out of their budget – if all three children are heavily involved, a quick $1,800 is spent, just on activities. That doesn’t even include supplies and any additional fees.

Another issue parents face each year is not only where to take the family vacation, but how to pay for it. Despite the sagging economy, more than half of Americans plan to go on vacation this year. For the average family of four, the cost will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,000, according to American Express. For many, that number can jump as high as $6,400.

So what’s a parent to do?

If you don’t have time to shop around and you want to borrow money for your family’s summer expenses as quickly and simply as possible, then America One Unsecured is for you. America One Unsecured has been providing clear unsecured personal loan solutions for consumers and small business owners since 1999, and is one of the largest loan consultants in the United States.

America One Unsecured offers cash advance loans up to $1,500, and personal loans of $10,000 or more. Getting started is easy, collateral is not requested, and there are minimal documentation requirements. In most cases, there are no annual fees, and there are no pre-payment penalties. Personal loan services are offered in all 50 states, and feature state of the art privacy and security, as well as experienced and expert guidance. Terms are from six to 84 months, or a revolving line of credit, and rates start at 7.93%.

So call America One Unsecured today. And get the family all packed for summer adventure.