Hello and good morning to all our readers. Welcome to another edition of the Prosper Roundup. We have lots in store for you today, including a large section for our small business entrepreneurs and for those looking to create their own start-up during this economic situation. Drop us a line when you’re through to tell [...]

• Mixed Lots Small Size Notes Paper Money US Coins Paper Money

• Mixed Lots Indian Head 1859-1909 Small Cents Coins US Coins Paper Money

Continue reading → Prosper.com Roundup - Small Business and the Economic Crisis

A common subject our community members talk about is: how many loans does a lender need to be diversified? As far as a number is concerned, based on my review of marketplace data I believe that that a minimum of 100 equal sized loans achieves effective diversification.  In fact, I believe there are still diversification [...]

• Plate Number Coils United States Stamps

• Home-Based Businesses Businesses for Sale Opportunities

Continue reading → Optimal number and size of loans - other factors to consider - for diversification

It’s not surprising that lenders have recently been calling and emailing us to find out if their Prosper cash balances are FDIC insured. We want to take this opportunity to let our lenders know that their cash balances are, in fact, FDIC insured.  Prosper is not a bank, does not take deposits, and is not [...]

• Cash Registers Banks, Registers Vending Collectibles

• Bank of Canada Canada North, Central America Paper Money World Coins Paper Money

Continue reading → Lender funds have FCIC coverage

It’s not surprising that lenders have recently been calling and emailing us to find out if their Prosper cash balances are FDIC insured. We want to take this opportunity to let our lenders know that their cash balances are, in fact, FDIC insured.  Prosper is not a bank, does not take deposits, and is not [...]

• Cash Registers Banks, Registers Vending Collectibles

• Bank of Canada Canada North, Central America Paper Money World Coins Paper Money

Continue reading → Lender funds have FCIC coverage

The collection of links this week comprises a list of reads for small businesses and those looking to start a small business. Several articles discuss investors and start-up money. Browse the other categories to read about lending, banking, and stocks.
Peer-to-Peer Lending:
• Learn how P2P lending’s popularity surges over at Seo(X)Factor.
• Tiny Crunch Newswire writes Washington Mutual Bites [...]

• Small Cents Coins US Coins Paper Money

• Small Size Notes Paper Money US Coins Paper Money

Continue reading → Prosper Roundup – Bailouts and Business

Wow, half the banks we knew and trusted last week are gone. This one bought that one, that one closed, the others merged and rest are waiting for a bailout that may never come.
“Don’t look now but there’s something funny going on over there at the bank George. I’ve really never seen one but that’s [...]

• George V UK Great Britain Stamps

• George VI UK Great Britain Stamps

Continue reading → George Bailey, Where Are You?

As you may have read, Citigroup recently agreed to purchase Wachovia’s banking operations for about $2.1 billion in a deal brokered by federal regulators. Wachovia’s troubles are similar to those of Washington Mutual, whose assets were seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation last week and sold to JPMorgan Chase. Wachovia sold thousands of adjustable [...]

• Banking, Insurance Advertising Collectibles

• Federal Reserve Notes Large Size Notes Paper Money US Coins Paper Money

Continue reading → Help Your Neighbors

Welcome to this latest edition of Prosper’s Weekly Roundup. The title for this week’s roundup comes from a Forbes headline. There’s a lot going on in the news! Be sure to check out the Stocks and Banking Industry section for more information.

Peer-to-Peer Lending:
• TNL.net presents fast pace look into the History of Currency. P2P Lending is [...]

• Banking, Insurance Advertising Collectibles

• Postal History Worldwide Stamps

Continue reading → Weekly Roundup - Bottom-Feeders and the Banking Industry

Prosper updates the portfolio plan templates regularly in order to reflect changing risk and interest rate conditions in the marketplace.  It is important that you update your portfolio plans, as these updates include changes to bidding rates based on the most recent loss rate projections.
If plans are not updated regularly, there is a good chance [...]

• Plans, Blueprints Guides Building Hardware Home Improvement

• Heart Rate Monitors Monitors Pedometers Gym, Workout Yoga Exercise Fitness

Continue reading → Why Portfolio Plans should be regularly updated and reviewed

Our global financial system is in the grips of a full blown crash – clearly now the worst since the Great Depression. Just when we think things are stabilizing, a new shock dwarfs all that came before. It’s safe now to say that the old normal will likely never return. This wasn’t caused by just [...]

• Grips Clubmaking Products Golf

• Full Runs Comics Collectibles

Continue reading → Message from Chris Larsen, Prosper Co-Founder and CEO

Prosper roundup gets switched around! Easy to read categories are going to be our new way of organizing the roundup.
Categories may change from week to week, but overall the feel of the roundup will be the same. 
Business Loans:
• SFGate posts an article this last Sunday on how right now it’s a hard time to get new [...]

• Deals Sunday River Maine Skiing Vacation

• Lamp Posts Outdoor Lighting Yard, Garden Outdoor Living

Continue reading → Prosper Weekly Roundup

When I search through listings on Prosper, I generally look for loans from borrowers who have really taken the time to give Prosper lenders a good understanding of their financial situation and the purpose of their loan.
After I bid on a loan, I tend to feel so confident that they are trustworthy and credit worthy [...]

• Credit, Charge Cards Trading Cards Collectibles

• Engines, Multi-Purpose Outdoor Power Equipment Yard, Garden Outdoor Living

Continue reading → Diversification

In my first blog post last week I talked about how I often share the learnings of successful lenders, as well as the teachings of the marketplace results. My job at Prosper is to show lenders how to use Prosper and its various bidding tools.  Here are a couple of other learnings to consider.
I (and [...]

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• Post-1950 Bookcases Furniture Antiques

Continue reading → There is always another listing

My job at Prosper is to show lenders how to use Prosper and its various bidding tools. I speak with dozens of new lenders at Prosper every day. I often share the learnings of successful lenders, as well as the teachings of the marketplace results.
One of the most critical messages I try to share with [...]

• Cut-Off Tools Air Tools Tools Home Improvement

• Air Tools Tools Home Improvement

Continue reading → The Marathon, not the Sprint

Snowflaking is a way to save on interest. The general principle is to pay in a small extra amount towards a loan every month, a $5 snowflake here, a $10 snowflake there starts to build into a snowball which, if rolled downhill, compounds. These small amounts might not seem like much, but they definitely add [...]

• Small 1x2-4 Rugs, Carpets Antiques

• Small Appliances Kitchenware Housewares Kitchenware Collectibles

Continue reading → Snowflaking your Prosper Loan to Save Interest

In October 2007, Prosper launched a Facebook application for our members. In April 2008, we then launched a new Facebook application which allows people to transfer funds to their Prosper lending account instantly. We provided this service because lenders wanted a more immediate ability to bid on loans they liked without having to wait for [...]

• Service Businesses Businesses for Sale Opportunities

• People Postcards Collectibles

Continue reading → Prosper Facebook Application Reaches 5,000 Users

In every field of investing, there are certain leaders that the intelligent investor keeps a close eye on.  These are investors that have had a consistent track record of great returns and are widely known for their knowledge of the market and their ability to separate the good from the bad.  In the stock market, [...]

• Track Field Other Sports Fan Apparel Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

• Lines, Leaders Tippets Fly Fishing Fishing

Continue reading → Follow the Leader: Watching Lenders and Groups on ericscc.com

I come from a background in international development and I’m a huge fan of Muhammad Yunus / Grameen Bank and the concept of micro-loans and empowering entrepreneurs. I was so excited when Prosper started because it’s the first large-scale micro-loan concept I’ve seen in the US. I believe that micro-loans and the social community around [...]

• Tokens Love Exonumia Coins Paper Money

• Bank of Canada Canada North, Central America Paper Money World Coins Paper Money

Continue reading → Why I Love Being a Prosper.com Lender

When Prosper created their portfolio plans, they added a tool to help new lenders enter the marketplace. It assembles a portfolio of loans whose only objective is to track the average loan return in the specific market slices, much like index funds have done with the stock market. Want to play it conservative, you buy [...]

• Track Field Other Sports Fan Apparel Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

• Stock Certificates, Bonds Paper Railroadiana, Trains Transportation Collectibles

Continue reading → Diggin’ For Gold Around The Portfolios