Consider Charitable Giving
by FiGuy
Hopefully you have been out shopping, and helping to stimulate the economy - without overspending and breaking your budget. Most folks know that the Christmas season is make or break time for retailers, with Black Friday being the day they hopefully get out of the red ink and into the black, indicating profits rather than losses. The holiday season is make or break time for many charities, too. If you have the means, consider making a contribution to your favorite cause.
If you've already tightened your belt to the last notch, and just don't have any spare cash, drop a couple loose coins in a bell ringer's bucket, and don't let the guilties get you. If, however, you've been a prudent consumer, saved a little money to spend at this time of year, found a few real bargains, and managed to have more on hand that you thought you would, you could go buy a few more trinkets, or you could help make a difference in a cause near and dear to your heart. Part with a few bucks, giving feels good!
Don't consider giving just for the tax deduction, but if you do give, there is no reason not to take any available deductions that are offered. Depending on where you live, and your tax status and filing practices (you need to itemize), you might even wind up getting more bang for your buck than the value of your contribution. State income taxes are often affected by what happens with your Federal taxes, which can act as a multiplying factor. If you are always close to break even (which you *should* be - more on that next year!) and neither paying a large amount, nor receiving a large refund, that small contribution might just keep you from having to write a check come April 15th. It won't make much of a difference monetarily, but it may be very convenient. Why not pay out a little now, while you have it, rather than later, when you may not?
Make sure the charity of your choice is a 501c or other qualifying organization if you are planning to take a deduction, but there are many worthwhile causes to give money to that are not necessarily tax deductible, so don't let tax status alone determine if the charity is a worthwhile one to you! Pick things you care about, and help out with what you can within your means. If contributions are deductible, get a receipt so you can make the claim when you file. If they are not, enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of giving and don't worry about it.
Seek out the charity, and give directly. Don't respond to cold calls or middlemen! At best they will be eating up some of your contribution for their own overhead (and you will be encouraging folks to interrupt your dinner to pester you). At the worst, they are scam artists who will pass along nothing to the charity, but will be lining their own pockets. Direct giving avoids all that, and makes sure the charity gets the most potential from your gift, however small.
Don't break the bank because you feel guilty, but if you do have some money to spare, however little it may be, do consider making a gift to a worthwhile cause.
Have a Merry Christmas (or your particular holiday celebration of choice), and a Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Secret Santa Shopping Tips
Secret Santa Shopping Tips
by FiGuy
You've been designated someone's Secret Santa. Here are a few tips to help you fulfill your role, without having to work at it too hard...
If there is an established limit on spending, keep to it. While things you might like to receive yourself can be a good place to start, remember that tastes do vary, and the person you are buying for may not share yours.
Try to keep your gifts practical and useful, it will be appreciated. Stay away from gag gifts, and decorative or cutesy items. That singing teddy bear might be adorable, but the novelty will wear off quickly. After that it collects dust or winds up in the landfill. Also avoid beauty or hygiene items - you'll almost never get the right brands, and you might accidentally send the wrong message: you stink! you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny! etc.
Edible is credible. Most people enjoy getting good things to eat. Unless you know for certain the person likes fruitcake (I'm one of those weird people who does), avoid it. There are more complaints and jokes about fruitcake than just about any other holiday gift. Try to find out if the person you are buying for has any special needs before you buy. Do they have allergies? Are they diabetic? Do they observe a restricted diet for religious or personal reasons (Kosher, Vegan, etc.)? You don't want to give a glazed ham to someone that doesn't eat pork, and those premium steaks won't go over well with a vegetarian! Chocolate is overdone, but there is a reason for that, and sometimes a cliche will work in your favor.
Consider giving an assortment of small items, and perhaps throwing in a bar of chocolate or some candy to sweeten the deal. This increases your odds of hitting on some item that they will like and use, and you have the tasty treat as a backup in case you missed. Are they always borrowing something from their co-workers? Clue!
Go spy on their workplace for some other hints. Do they have lots of pictures of their family? Perhaps a small electronic picture frame would make a nice gift. Page-a-day calendars are almost always useful. Is their workplace plastered with Dilbert or Garfield cartoons? Bingo! Do they have quotes and inspirational sayings tacked up? Bingo! Now you can pick out a calendar to match their tastes.
Flash thumb drives, those little memory gadgets that plug into a USB port, are a wonderful item that has come down into Secret Santa price range. They come in all sorts of colors and graphic schemes these days, and are quite useful. Unless the person you are buying for already has a drawer full of them, this item should go over quite well.
Keep it simple, try to tailor to the person you are buying for, have fun with it. A little creativity, and a little snooping, can have everyone commenting on what a wonderful gift you picked out - and even if they don't know who did the picking, you'll know and feel good about it.
Now go out and stimulate the economy!
by FiGuy
You've been designated someone's Secret Santa. Here are a few tips to help you fulfill your role, without having to work at it too hard...If there is an established limit on spending, keep to it. While things you might like to receive yourself can be a good place to start, remember that tastes do vary, and the person you are buying for may not share yours.
Try to keep your gifts practical and useful, it will be appreciated. Stay away from gag gifts, and decorative or cutesy items. That singing teddy bear might be adorable, but the novelty will wear off quickly. After that it collects dust or winds up in the landfill. Also avoid beauty or hygiene items - you'll almost never get the right brands, and you might accidentally send the wrong message: you stink! you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny! etc.Edible is credible. Most people enjoy getting good things to eat. Unless you know for certain the person likes fruitcake (I'm one of those weird people who does), avoid it. There are more complaints and jokes about fruitcake than just about any other holiday gift. Try to find out if the person you are buying for has any special needs before you buy. Do they have allergies? Are they diabetic? Do they observe a restricted diet for religious or personal reasons (Kosher, Vegan, etc.)? You don't want to give a glazed ham to someone that doesn't eat pork, and those premium steaks won't go over well with a vegetarian! Chocolate is overdone, but there is a reason for that, and sometimes a cliche will work in your favor.Consider giving an assortment of small items, and perhaps throwing in a bar of chocolate or some candy to sweeten the deal. This increases your odds of hitting on some item that they will like and use, and you have the tasty treat as a backup in case you missed. Are they always borrowing something from their co-workers? Clue!
Go spy on their workplace for some other hints. Do they have lots of pictures of their family? Perhaps a small electronic picture frame would make a nice gift. Page-a-day calendars are almost always useful. Is their workplace plastered with Dilbert or Garfield cartoons? Bingo! Do they have quotes and inspirational sayings tacked up? Bingo! Now you can pick out a calendar to match their tastes.
Flash thumb drives, those little memory gadgets that plug into a USB port, are a wonderful item that has come down into Secret Santa price range. They come in all sorts of colors and graphic schemes these days, and are quite useful. Unless the person you are buying for already has a drawer full of them, this item should go over quite well.Keep it simple, try to tailor to the person you are buying for, have fun with it. A little creativity, and a little snooping, can have everyone commenting on what a wonderful gift you picked out - and even if they don't know who did the picking, you'll know and feel good about it.
Now go out and stimulate the economy!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Gift Cards - Why They Suck
Gift Cards - Why They Suck
by FiGuy
OK, so the title is a little strong, but would I get your attention with "Gift Cards - Pros and Cons"? Gift cards can be a nice way to give, but they do have many negatives. You should examine your situation to decide if the negatives outweigh the positives, and you might just be surprised at the answer you come up with.
Lets look at the plus side first.
Gift cards are convenient. They can be purchased just about anywhere these days, and with the credit card branded variety, the recipient isn't bound to just one place to shop. You may even be able to use them online, as many merchants are trying to do anything to get a little extra business. Some retailers still won't take anything but a very established standard credit card, but the number of those who are more flexible is growing.
Gift cards can add a little security. If you are sending gifts through the mail, and a theft occurs, a gift card may be able to be replaced (this varies from card to card, read the details before you purchase), whereas cash that is stolen is gone for good.
The restrictiveness of a store branded gift card, which can only be used at the retailer it was purchased from, can be a positive factor. If you don't want a teenage recipient running out to get a ring through their nose or a nifty new tattoo, their being stuck shopping at a certain store has advantages.
Sometimes the cards are offered at a discount, so you pay less than the card amount and can get more bang for your dollar. There is a reason the retailers can afford to do this, and we'll get to that shortly.
Now for the downside.
For smaller children, and some of us fully grown children, a gift card just doesn't have the same emotional impact as that special toy. If you want to watch your grandchildren bounce off the walls with excitement, a gift card is unlikely to do the trick. Someone with their heart set on getting that robotic hamster just isn't going to react the same way to a gift card, even though it might buy them five of the silly things. It isn't logical, but you aren't giving gifts to Spock, are you?
Gift cards are restrictive. Store branded cards are only good at that store, so if the latest fashion or trendy item isn't available at that store, the card bearer isn't going to get it. Even the credit card variety, which can be used wherever credit or debit cards are accepted, has its limitations. Many online retailers won't accept debit cards, only established credit cards, and may not recognize the gift card as valid. There are still businesses that do only cash business. You won't be getting a cart vended pretzel or banana on a stick while you are shopping with a gift card, for example.
There may be fees. Most retailer branded cards don't do this, but there are exceptions. The credit card branded cards can get hit by this the worst. Debit fees and transaction fees can eat away at the value of the card, and the recipient won't get the full benefit of your purchase. If you want the person you are giving a gift to have $20, they may not get the whole $20 after fees have been applied to their purchases.
Gift cards aren't as safe as many advertisers might like you to believe. If there is no security method in place, like a PIN number, once the card is being used, it can be stolen just as easily as cash. It may look like a credit card, but undoing unauthorized purchases mostly doesn't work like a credit card.
The worst factor by far is that even without fees or additional charges, it may be hard to use the whole value of the card. Remember I said the retailers had a reason they could offer the cards at a discount? This is why. Every penny of value you don't use is pure profit for them. While many states have laws that help protect the consumer, many still do not. There are some new rules at the Federal level, but they don't go into effect until 2010, and mostly apply to the credit card branded general purpose cards. A card may expire before the whole value is used up. If the card isn't used in a timely manner, monthly "dormancy" fees may be applied, and quickly drain the value of the card. The store may make it difficult to split a payment across cards, or between a card and cash, so it may not be easy to purchase something that cost more than the remaining value on the gift card. A recent study by the Consumer Federation of America showed that 17% of gift card recipients had trouble using the whole balance on their card because the store wouldn't allow split payments for purchases greater than the value on the card.
The numbers bear out this last negative factor, even in places that have rules protecting the consumer. Every year X dollars are spent on gift cards (this year estimated to be in the 40-50 billion dollar range), and quite a bit less than X dollars are ever redeemed. The difference represents lost value. Now, whomever you may be giving a card to may be a smart and responsible consumer who will use the card in a timely manner, and make sure they get every penny out of it, but the numbers say many, if not most, people do not.
That sucks.
To quote Dilbert: "You are buying something that works like cash, only not as well".
Some of the card vendors are addressing these problems, and laws are also being passed to further protect consumers, so the situation may not be quite as bleak as I'm telling you, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Take a look at your specific situation, and carefully read the terms and restrictions of the card you are considering, before you make that purchase. If you will be mailing the gift, if you can buy the card at a decent discount off face value, if the card you are looking at makes a point of addressing some or most of these common problems, or you are happy about some of the imposed restrictions because of your circumstances, a gift card may well be the best way to go. Otherwise cash is probably your best option.
It is hard to go wrong with pictures of dead Presidents!
by FiGuy
OK, so the title is a little strong, but would I get your attention with "Gift Cards - Pros and Cons"? Gift cards can be a nice way to give, but they do have many negatives. You should examine your situation to decide if the negatives outweigh the positives, and you might just be surprised at the answer you come up with.Lets look at the plus side first.
Gift cards are convenient. They can be purchased just about anywhere these days, and with the credit card branded variety, the recipient isn't bound to just one place to shop. You may even be able to use them online, as many merchants are trying to do anything to get a little extra business. Some retailers still won't take anything but a very established standard credit card, but the number of those who are more flexible is growing.
Gift cards can add a little security. If you are sending gifts through the mail, and a theft occurs, a gift card may be able to be replaced (this varies from card to card, read the details before you purchase), whereas cash that is stolen is gone for good.
The restrictiveness of a store branded gift card, which can only be used at the retailer it was purchased from, can be a positive factor. If you don't want a teenage recipient running out to get a ring through their nose or a nifty new tattoo, their being stuck shopping at a certain store has advantages.
Sometimes the cards are offered at a discount, so you pay less than the card amount and can get more bang for your dollar. There is a reason the retailers can afford to do this, and we'll get to that shortly.
Now for the downside.
For smaller children, and some of us fully grown children, a gift card just doesn't have the same emotional impact as that special toy. If you want to watch your grandchildren bounce off the walls with excitement, a gift card is unlikely to do the trick. Someone with their heart set on getting that robotic hamster just isn't going to react the same way to a gift card, even though it might buy them five of the silly things. It isn't logical, but you aren't giving gifts to Spock, are you?
Gift cards are restrictive. Store branded cards are only good at that store, so if the latest fashion or trendy item isn't available at that store, the card bearer isn't going to get it. Even the credit card variety, which can be used wherever credit or debit cards are accepted, has its limitations. Many online retailers won't accept debit cards, only established credit cards, and may not recognize the gift card as valid. There are still businesses that do only cash business. You won't be getting a cart vended pretzel or banana on a stick while you are shopping with a gift card, for example.
There may be fees. Most retailer branded cards don't do this, but there are exceptions. The credit card branded cards can get hit by this the worst. Debit fees and transaction fees can eat away at the value of the card, and the recipient won't get the full benefit of your purchase. If you want the person you are giving a gift to have $20, they may not get the whole $20 after fees have been applied to their purchases.
Gift cards aren't as safe as many advertisers might like you to believe. If there is no security method in place, like a PIN number, once the card is being used, it can be stolen just as easily as cash. It may look like a credit card, but undoing unauthorized purchases mostly doesn't work like a credit card.
The worst factor by far is that even without fees or additional charges, it may be hard to use the whole value of the card. Remember I said the retailers had a reason they could offer the cards at a discount? This is why. Every penny of value you don't use is pure profit for them. While many states have laws that help protect the consumer, many still do not. There are some new rules at the Federal level, but they don't go into effect until 2010, and mostly apply to the credit card branded general purpose cards. A card may expire before the whole value is used up. If the card isn't used in a timely manner, monthly "dormancy" fees may be applied, and quickly drain the value of the card. The store may make it difficult to split a payment across cards, or between a card and cash, so it may not be easy to purchase something that cost more than the remaining value on the gift card. A recent study by the Consumer Federation of America showed that 17% of gift card recipients had trouble using the whole balance on their card because the store wouldn't allow split payments for purchases greater than the value on the card.
The numbers bear out this last negative factor, even in places that have rules protecting the consumer. Every year X dollars are spent on gift cards (this year estimated to be in the 40-50 billion dollar range), and quite a bit less than X dollars are ever redeemed. The difference represents lost value. Now, whomever you may be giving a card to may be a smart and responsible consumer who will use the card in a timely manner, and make sure they get every penny out of it, but the numbers say many, if not most, people do not.That sucks.
To quote Dilbert: "You are buying something that works like cash, only not as well".
Some of the card vendors are addressing these problems, and laws are also being passed to further protect consumers, so the situation may not be quite as bleak as I'm telling you, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Take a look at your specific situation, and carefully read the terms and restrictions of the card you are considering, before you make that purchase. If you will be mailing the gift, if you can buy the card at a decent discount off face value, if the card you are looking at makes a point of addressing some or most of these common problems, or you are happy about some of the imposed restrictions because of your circumstances, a gift card may well be the best way to go. Otherwise cash is probably your best option.
It is hard to go wrong with pictures of dead Presidents!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are done - what now?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are done - what now?
by FiGuy
OK, so the big shopping days have come and gone, and you weren't part of the throngs. Have you missed out on all the good deals? Thankfully, no. So where and when are the bargains? Having played the Black Friday game a few times, only to see much lower prices (even on loss-leader items) later, I can tell you the best shopping times still lay ahead.
Even with really good retail sales figures, the big stores will still be fighting for your business until after the January clearance sales. In leaner years they will fight harder, and price reductions will be more drastic, but there will be reductions and enticements for sure no matter what the economic climate.
If you can hold off until after Christmas, the year end sales almost always offer the best bang for the buck. Of course, that doesn't put presents under the tree on the 25th, so many of us will pay a little more than rock bottom for tradition's sake.
So, if you want presents under the tree, should you wait until the last minute, say the 23rd or 24th, in order to get the best prices on the things we want to buy? Not necessarily. You might find a slightly better price, but not find the item you wanted in stock! That late in the game most retailers are not expecting or placing any major orders - they are running with what stock they already planned to have on hand, with the possible exception of one or two super-popular items, especially the toy du jour (this year it appears to be a robotic hamster). They will be getting more stock for the end of year sales, but it isn't going to show up in the stores right before the big day (Christmas).
You might get lucky, and find exactly what you want on the 24th at a deep discount, but the odds are against you. Experienced shoppers most frequently recommend the week containing December 15th as your best bet for finding a nice price, and finding the item you want still on the shelf. This year the 15th falls on a Tuesday, so shopping from the 14th through the 20th should get you the best results in terms of price and availability. Monday the 14th is likely to be the last major delivery of fresh stock to the stores until after Christmas, and with time running out the discounts aren't likely to get much better than those you'll find that week.
Of course there are always exceptions, and if you feel the need to explore right up until the last day, you might score something special. However, if you want to do better than just get lucky, go hit the stores sometime between the 14th and the 20th, that's when you'll have the most opportunities.
Good luck, happy hunting, go stimulate the economy!
FiGuy
by FiGuy
OK, so the big shopping days have come and gone, and you weren't part of the throngs. Have you missed out on all the good deals? Thankfully, no. So where and when are the bargains? Having played the Black Friday game a few times, only to see much lower prices (even on loss-leader items) later, I can tell you the best shopping times still lay ahead.
Even with really good retail sales figures, the big stores will still be fighting for your business until after the January clearance sales. In leaner years they will fight harder, and price reductions will be more drastic, but there will be reductions and enticements for sure no matter what the economic climate.
If you can hold off until after Christmas, the year end sales almost always offer the best bang for the buck. Of course, that doesn't put presents under the tree on the 25th, so many of us will pay a little more than rock bottom for tradition's sake.
So, if you want presents under the tree, should you wait until the last minute, say the 23rd or 24th, in order to get the best prices on the things we want to buy? Not necessarily. You might find a slightly better price, but not find the item you wanted in stock! That late in the game most retailers are not expecting or placing any major orders - they are running with what stock they already planned to have on hand, with the possible exception of one or two super-popular items, especially the toy du jour (this year it appears to be a robotic hamster). They will be getting more stock for the end of year sales, but it isn't going to show up in the stores right before the big day (Christmas).
You might get lucky, and find exactly what you want on the 24th at a deep discount, but the odds are against you. Experienced shoppers most frequently recommend the week containing December 15th as your best bet for finding a nice price, and finding the item you want still on the shelf. This year the 15th falls on a Tuesday, so shopping from the 14th through the 20th should get you the best results in terms of price and availability. Monday the 14th is likely to be the last major delivery of fresh stock to the stores until after Christmas, and with time running out the discounts aren't likely to get much better than those you'll find that week.
Of course there are always exceptions, and if you feel the need to explore right up until the last day, you might score something special. However, if you want to do better than just get lucky, go hit the stores sometime between the 14th and the 20th, that's when you'll have the most opportunities.
Good luck, happy hunting, go stimulate the economy!
FiGuy
Friday, October 23, 2009
Six Mistakes to Avoid in the Coming Recovery
Six Mistakes to Avoid in the Coming Recovery
by: Ed Biernat
While the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke noted last week that the
recession is "very likely over", the recovery is just beginning. Many
executives and business owners want to get through these changes and get
back to 'business as usual,' and therein lies the problem. "Business as
usual" has caused (or at least exacerbated) the issue, so going back may
not be in the company's long term interest.
Productivity normally rises during a downturn, since everyone is watching
the books more and the organization works hard to do more with less. The
normal increase in productivity in past recessions (1970 - present)
averages about .8 , or 3X the average of the prior six recessions. While
part of this increase is the significant cuts to worker pay and benefits,
part of this increased productivity may be from better utilization of
your human capital and smarter business processes. Don't sacrifice this
gain by retrenching into past practices. Here are some pitfalls to avoid.
Repopulating the company 1 for 1.
The majority of companies have had to lay off a higher number of
employees than in past downturns. And now that things are turning around,
they want to bring them back as quickly as possible. One reason for that
desire is loyalty to the individual, and that is highly commendable. Part
of it is that the manager is using an old paradigm that if sales increase
X%, I will need to restaff with Y number of people. That paradigm may
have been shattered.
· The tasks we do in an organization can be divided into value added [VA]
(those that service the customer) and non value added [NVA] (consume
resources but do not add value). Capture what is being done right now.
How are you able to get it all done with a skeleton crew? What isn't
getting done? Evaluate if it ever needs to come back.
· If it needs to be done, be creative on the how and the who. Who needs
to do it? Typically we have highly skilled workers doing a mix of value
added and non value added work. What if you pulled most of the NVA work
from them and pooled it into a less skilled (and preferably temporary)
person? And how does it need to be done? Instead of adding staff, could
these NVA jobs be automated? Outsourced?
· Remember the bargaining agreement if you have one. Work within it or
start setting the stage for changes. The goal is to get the bulk of the
people back in productive work as needed while giving them some better
assurance that they are on board for the long haul. The mechanisms to
redistribute the NVA tasks are up to you. Think out of the box.
· What about those employees that you couldn't move because they knew too
much or had a special skill set that the organization couldn't live
without? Now is the time to correct that by getting them to put it in
writing the magic that they do. Unless, of course, you want to be held
hostage again sometime in the future.
Being too slow to add resources.
· Stay ahead of the curve when adding resources. This will allow you go
after the NVA activities as you identify them. You will need the extra
bandwidth to follow recommendations and use this recovery time to
continuously improve the organization.
· Focus on servicing your current customers extremely well. Now is the
chance to delight them - you need them more than ever. Make sure the
front line customer support team has the resources to do the job right.
This is particularly true since you are looking to attract new customers
to replace ones you may have lost. First impressions are key and may be a
major differentiator for your company against its competitors.
· Some resources will take a while to get due to lead time on equipment
or locating the right skill set. Start those earlier than you might
otherwise to make sure they are there when you need them and that they
are the best available. (First movers here will probably get a great deal
on critical resources, both human and physical.)
· As you replace lost personnel, hire for behaviors first, skill set
second. If the individual has the right attitude and some expertise and
ability in the area, the specific nuances of the job can be acquired. It
is much harder to change a person's behavior - what you hire is what you
get. If you are a first mover to acquire these individuals, you will have
a greater chance to find people with both the right behaviors and the
right skill set.
Ignoring your suppliers.
· You may have had to add some in haste since your original ones went out
of business. Now is the time to do due diligence to make sure they are
the ones for the long haul.
· These suppliers helped you through the hard times. As the money
returns, be sure to pay them closer to the original terms. They have
probably earned it. But, if the new reality really is net 60 versus the
old net 30, start that dialogue now.
· As you look at NVA activities, you may find a fit with suppliers. It
may not be your core skills but it might one of theirs. It may not be a
bad thing to select a few key suppliers and work to partner with them
more.
Failing to reevaluate your customers.
· Stay close to your key customers. They kept you going. Continue to
service them well through the recovery. The general tendency is to flock
to the newest customers most often. Resist the temptation. Make all your
customers priority customers.
· But take a good long look at them. Are they really the customers of
your future? Some of them may need to get replaced, not today, but over
time. Identifying them early will allow you the most flexibility in your
future agreements.
· Work with them like your suppliers but in reverse. Is there a way that
you can take some of their perceived NVA activities that fit your skill
set? How can you integrate your company into their day to day activities
more?
· Now is also the time to understand what is their view of the new
reality. Your organization probably made concessions to keep the
business. You need to understand what concessions are parts of their
business model going forward, and which ones will return to normal and
when. It is hard to do while you are still starving, but don't wait too
long or you may lose some bargaining room.
Being blind to potential infrastructure issues.
· Since you probably stripped your resources (lived off of inventory,
stock, etc.), think before you bring it all back in kind. Take a snapshot
of what you currently are using and what you didn't use at all. During
this recovery, some things may be difficult to get quickly. Be the first
mover to replace what you will need eventually. On the flip side, you may
have items that you don't need and that may be in demand. Somewhere
during this ramp up may be a great time to rid yourself of these at a
profit if you have them identified and have that as part of your game
plan.
· What corners did you cut that still got the job done? You may have
stopped all preventive maintenance, for example, but you know that isn't
a sustainable answer. Evaluate what was done and not done, and do your
VA/NVA analysis. If it falls into the NVA side, figure out how to get rid
of it or automate it. If it is a VA activity, put it on your priority
list to restart as soon as practical.
· That includes ERP/MRP protocols as well as what equipment to bring back
on line. If you are getting along without it, think twice before bringing
that practice back. Anne Mulchahy, Chairman of Xerox, noted in a recent
interview that the company is evaluating the new ways that things are
getting done as a result of the recession and making the ideas and
process changes that make sense part of the company culture. Never waste
a good idea!
· Take time to evaluate the overall impact of the recession on your
infrastructure. Don't be one of those companies that have to stutter-step
their recovery because of infrastructure snafus. That especially goes for
critical equipment, processes and people. As you regain bandwidth, make
sure that either they are made robust or add some redundancy.
Maintaining a management mindset focused on returning to "business as
usual".
· Your management team just went through a graduate course on how to
survive a significant downturn, so why wouldn't you use that knowledge
going forward? We did a straw poll on how managers are reacting to this
downturn. The overwhelming response was, "I can't wait to get this behind
us to get back to business as usual." So much for the diploma.
· If you followed the advice of most change guru's, you got very close to
your employees during this time and communicated a lot more than you have
historically. Don't throw this one aside as things start back up.
Managing by Wandering Around, visible management and Going to Gemba work
ALL the time. Make this part of the new management paradigm.
· You may have reduced your management headcount as well as the first
line workers. Rethink how you restaff your support team. This is an
opportunity to make some of the structural changes that you may have been
considering. Also, decide what your company culture will look like going
forward. Have you started to rely more on teams versus command and
control? Make sure that you bring back only those individuals that will
reinforce this new way of working.
This has been a challenging time for management at every level, and hard
time for everyone in the organization. Now is the opportunity to turn the
time, effort and money that the recession cost the company for a
investment into a smarter and more solid future. What would you like your
organization to look like and act like three years from now? Today is the
day to start making that vision a reality.
About The Author
Edward Biernat started Consulting With Impact in 1998 after seeing a need
to help businesses stream line their production. His credits include
being a successful quality manager at Bausch & Lomb, and having a
certified black belt with Lean Six Sigma.
The author invites you to visit: http://www.consultingwithimpact.com
by: Ed Biernat
While the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke noted last week that the
recession is "very likely over", the recovery is just beginning. Many
executives and business owners want to get through these changes and get
back to 'business as usual,' and therein lies the problem. "Business as
usual" has caused (or at least exacerbated) the issue, so going back may
not be in the company's long term interest.
Productivity normally rises during a downturn, since everyone is watching
the books more and the organization works hard to do more with less. The
normal increase in productivity in past recessions (1970 - present)
averages about .8 , or 3X the average of the prior six recessions. While
part of this increase is the significant cuts to worker pay and benefits,
part of this increased productivity may be from better utilization of
your human capital and smarter business processes. Don't sacrifice this
gain by retrenching into past practices. Here are some pitfalls to avoid.
Repopulating the company 1 for 1.
The majority of companies have had to lay off a higher number of
employees than in past downturns. And now that things are turning around,
they want to bring them back as quickly as possible. One reason for that
desire is loyalty to the individual, and that is highly commendable. Part
of it is that the manager is using an old paradigm that if sales increase
X%, I will need to restaff with Y number of people. That paradigm may
have been shattered.
· The tasks we do in an organization can be divided into value added [VA]
(those that service the customer) and non value added [NVA] (consume
resources but do not add value). Capture what is being done right now.
How are you able to get it all done with a skeleton crew? What isn't
getting done? Evaluate if it ever needs to come back.
· If it needs to be done, be creative on the how and the who. Who needs
to do it? Typically we have highly skilled workers doing a mix of value
added and non value added work. What if you pulled most of the NVA work
from them and pooled it into a less skilled (and preferably temporary)
person? And how does it need to be done? Instead of adding staff, could
these NVA jobs be automated? Outsourced?
· Remember the bargaining agreement if you have one. Work within it or
start setting the stage for changes. The goal is to get the bulk of the
people back in productive work as needed while giving them some better
assurance that they are on board for the long haul. The mechanisms to
redistribute the NVA tasks are up to you. Think out of the box.
· What about those employees that you couldn't move because they knew too
much or had a special skill set that the organization couldn't live
without? Now is the time to correct that by getting them to put it in
writing the magic that they do. Unless, of course, you want to be held
hostage again sometime in the future.
Being too slow to add resources.
· Stay ahead of the curve when adding resources. This will allow you go
after the NVA activities as you identify them. You will need the extra
bandwidth to follow recommendations and use this recovery time to
continuously improve the organization.
· Focus on servicing your current customers extremely well. Now is the
chance to delight them - you need them more than ever. Make sure the
front line customer support team has the resources to do the job right.
This is particularly true since you are looking to attract new customers
to replace ones you may have lost. First impressions are key and may be a
major differentiator for your company against its competitors.
· Some resources will take a while to get due to lead time on equipment
or locating the right skill set. Start those earlier than you might
otherwise to make sure they are there when you need them and that they
are the best available. (First movers here will probably get a great deal
on critical resources, both human and physical.)
· As you replace lost personnel, hire for behaviors first, skill set
second. If the individual has the right attitude and some expertise and
ability in the area, the specific nuances of the job can be acquired. It
is much harder to change a person's behavior - what you hire is what you
get. If you are a first mover to acquire these individuals, you will have
a greater chance to find people with both the right behaviors and the
right skill set.
Ignoring your suppliers.
· You may have had to add some in haste since your original ones went out
of business. Now is the time to do due diligence to make sure they are
the ones for the long haul.
· These suppliers helped you through the hard times. As the money
returns, be sure to pay them closer to the original terms. They have
probably earned it. But, if the new reality really is net 60 versus the
old net 30, start that dialogue now.
· As you look at NVA activities, you may find a fit with suppliers. It
may not be your core skills but it might one of theirs. It may not be a
bad thing to select a few key suppliers and work to partner with them
more.
Failing to reevaluate your customers.
· Stay close to your key customers. They kept you going. Continue to
service them well through the recovery. The general tendency is to flock
to the newest customers most often. Resist the temptation. Make all your
customers priority customers.
· But take a good long look at them. Are they really the customers of
your future? Some of them may need to get replaced, not today, but over
time. Identifying them early will allow you the most flexibility in your
future agreements.
· Work with them like your suppliers but in reverse. Is there a way that
you can take some of their perceived NVA activities that fit your skill
set? How can you integrate your company into their day to day activities
more?
· Now is also the time to understand what is their view of the new
reality. Your organization probably made concessions to keep the
business. You need to understand what concessions are parts of their
business model going forward, and which ones will return to normal and
when. It is hard to do while you are still starving, but don't wait too
long or you may lose some bargaining room.
Being blind to potential infrastructure issues.
· Since you probably stripped your resources (lived off of inventory,
stock, etc.), think before you bring it all back in kind. Take a snapshot
of what you currently are using and what you didn't use at all. During
this recovery, some things may be difficult to get quickly. Be the first
mover to replace what you will need eventually. On the flip side, you may
have items that you don't need and that may be in demand. Somewhere
during this ramp up may be a great time to rid yourself of these at a
profit if you have them identified and have that as part of your game
plan.
· What corners did you cut that still got the job done? You may have
stopped all preventive maintenance, for example, but you know that isn't
a sustainable answer. Evaluate what was done and not done, and do your
VA/NVA analysis. If it falls into the NVA side, figure out how to get rid
of it or automate it. If it is a VA activity, put it on your priority
list to restart as soon as practical.
· That includes ERP/MRP protocols as well as what equipment to bring back
on line. If you are getting along without it, think twice before bringing
that practice back. Anne Mulchahy, Chairman of Xerox, noted in a recent
interview that the company is evaluating the new ways that things are
getting done as a result of the recession and making the ideas and
process changes that make sense part of the company culture. Never waste
a good idea!
· Take time to evaluate the overall impact of the recession on your
infrastructure. Don't be one of those companies that have to stutter-step
their recovery because of infrastructure snafus. That especially goes for
critical equipment, processes and people. As you regain bandwidth, make
sure that either they are made robust or add some redundancy.
Maintaining a management mindset focused on returning to "business as
usual".
· Your management team just went through a graduate course on how to
survive a significant downturn, so why wouldn't you use that knowledge
going forward? We did a straw poll on how managers are reacting to this
downturn. The overwhelming response was, "I can't wait to get this behind
us to get back to business as usual." So much for the diploma.
· If you followed the advice of most change guru's, you got very close to
your employees during this time and communicated a lot more than you have
historically. Don't throw this one aside as things start back up.
Managing by Wandering Around, visible management and Going to Gemba work
ALL the time. Make this part of the new management paradigm.
· You may have reduced your management headcount as well as the first
line workers. Rethink how you restaff your support team. This is an
opportunity to make some of the structural changes that you may have been
considering. Also, decide what your company culture will look like going
forward. Have you started to rely more on teams versus command and
control? Make sure that you bring back only those individuals that will
reinforce this new way of working.
This has been a challenging time for management at every level, and hard
time for everyone in the organization. Now is the opportunity to turn the
time, effort and money that the recession cost the company for a
investment into a smarter and more solid future. What would you like your
organization to look like and act like three years from now? Today is the
day to start making that vision a reality.
About The Author
Edward Biernat started Consulting With Impact in 1998 after seeing a need
to help businesses stream line their production. His credits include
being a successful quality manager at Bausch & Lomb, and having a
certified black belt with Lean Six Sigma.
The author invites you to visit: http://www.consultingwithimpact.com
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Can Give you a Fresh Start
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Can Give you a Fresh Start
by: Nick Messe
If you think there are more people filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy this
year than in the past you are correct. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy your
available personal assets are used to pay off your unsecured debts and
the unpaid balance is wiped clean. Some states, however, do allow the
filer to keep a vehicle and their primary residence. The rules are
slightly different from state to state, so be sure to check with your
court or a local bankruptcy attorney to see how it works in your state.
Most bankruptcy attorneys encourage people to take a good hard look at
their finances before considering bankruptcy. Although many of your
immediate financial problems will be wiped clean, the bankruptcy will
have a negative impact on your credit score and you might find it hard to
borrow money for a while. So at what point should you go ahead and file
for bankruptcy?
When your debts become so problematic that you can't make a dent in them
and your attempts to hold off your creditors are no longer working, you
might be a candidate for bankruptcy. When you do a tally of your assets
and liabilities and you find that your liabilities are significantly more
than your assets, it is probably time to take action. If your debts are
endangering your IRA or any other retirement accounts, filing for
bankruptcy may protect them.
Filing for bankruptcy doesn't carry the same stigma it used to and has
become almost common these days. If your debts are simply unmanageable
and there is no way to get out from under them, there is nothing to be
gained by not facing this fact. There is no point in hiding from the
facts and letting a completely unworkable situation carry on any longer
than necessary. Chapter 7 could be a tool to restart your life without
debt. Just remember not to repeat the same financial mistakes that got
you into this mess in the first place.
Finding a bankruptcy attorney to help you regain control of your finances
could be the best decision you've ever made. Debt can completely take
over your time and attention and the reasons for getting into this kind
of debt are at that point less important than just being able to simply
get on with your life. With unemployment rising and inflation on the way,
Chapter 7 could save your home, your health and your peace of mind.
Many bankruptcy lawyers offer free consultation before it is necessary to
choose who you want to use. This is the best way to find a lawyer who is
sympathetic to your situation and one you feel comfortable working with.
You can also find out the terms and conditions of engaging an attorney
and also what he or she expects of you as a client.
Take the time to consult with two or three different lawyers. compare
prices and reputations then make your decision. Check with the state bar
association to be sure the attorney you're considering is in good
standing and has no complaints filed against them. Choosing an attorney
to advise you and represent you is an important decision that should not
be taken without proper consideration.
Bankruptcy can bring an end to your financial woes and can also be the
start of a new life, especially since credit counseling is usually
required as part of the proceedings. Hopefully you will come out of it
with a better understanding of the dangers of credit, and a commitment to
avoid letting it happen again.
About The Author
In the Milwaukee and Waukesha area Michael Burr specializes in bankruptcy
and debt relief services. Milwaukee Chapter 7 bankruptcy is an effective
way to eliminate many types of debt and have a fresh financial start.
Contact Attorney Michael Burr directly. He understands what you are going
through and can help you get on with your life. - http://www.burrlawoffice.com
The author invites you to visit: http://www.burrlawoffice.com
by: Nick Messe
If you think there are more people filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy this
year than in the past you are correct. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy your
available personal assets are used to pay off your unsecured debts and
the unpaid balance is wiped clean. Some states, however, do allow the
filer to keep a vehicle and their primary residence. The rules are
slightly different from state to state, so be sure to check with your
court or a local bankruptcy attorney to see how it works in your state.
Most bankruptcy attorneys encourage people to take a good hard look at
their finances before considering bankruptcy. Although many of your
immediate financial problems will be wiped clean, the bankruptcy will
have a negative impact on your credit score and you might find it hard to
borrow money for a while. So at what point should you go ahead and file
for bankruptcy?
When your debts become so problematic that you can't make a dent in them
and your attempts to hold off your creditors are no longer working, you
might be a candidate for bankruptcy. When you do a tally of your assets
and liabilities and you find that your liabilities are significantly more
than your assets, it is probably time to take action. If your debts are
endangering your IRA or any other retirement accounts, filing for
bankruptcy may protect them.
Filing for bankruptcy doesn't carry the same stigma it used to and has
become almost common these days. If your debts are simply unmanageable
and there is no way to get out from under them, there is nothing to be
gained by not facing this fact. There is no point in hiding from the
facts and letting a completely unworkable situation carry on any longer
than necessary. Chapter 7 could be a tool to restart your life without
debt. Just remember not to repeat the same financial mistakes that got
you into this mess in the first place.
Finding a bankruptcy attorney to help you regain control of your finances
could be the best decision you've ever made. Debt can completely take
over your time and attention and the reasons for getting into this kind
of debt are at that point less important than just being able to simply
get on with your life. With unemployment rising and inflation on the way,
Chapter 7 could save your home, your health and your peace of mind.
Many bankruptcy lawyers offer free consultation before it is necessary to
choose who you want to use. This is the best way to find a lawyer who is
sympathetic to your situation and one you feel comfortable working with.
You can also find out the terms and conditions of engaging an attorney
and also what he or she expects of you as a client.
Take the time to consult with two or three different lawyers. compare
prices and reputations then make your decision. Check with the state bar
association to be sure the attorney you're considering is in good
standing and has no complaints filed against them. Choosing an attorney
to advise you and represent you is an important decision that should not
be taken without proper consideration.
Bankruptcy can bring an end to your financial woes and can also be the
start of a new life, especially since credit counseling is usually
required as part of the proceedings. Hopefully you will come out of it
with a better understanding of the dangers of credit, and a commitment to
avoid letting it happen again.
About The Author
In the Milwaukee and Waukesha area Michael Burr specializes in bankruptcy
and debt relief services. Milwaukee Chapter 7 bankruptcy is an effective
way to eliminate many types of debt and have a fresh financial start.
Contact Attorney Michael Burr directly. He understands what you are going
through and can help you get on with your life. - http://www.burrlawoffice.com
The author invites you to visit: http://www.burrlawoffice.com
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Your Family Budget - The 3 Steps To Do It Right
Your Family Budget - The 3 Steps To Do It Right
by Shevach Pepper
If you are reading this article then your financial situation is probably in pretty bad shape and you want to change it. Don't we all? One of the main reasons that people don't even attempt to make a budget (there are other simpler reasons why they don't implement it) is that they think it is a very complicated process to make a family budget. They reason, "If I can't succeed why even try?" I understand their reasoning but it is not really so complicated. In this article I will show you the 3 basic elements of a family budget and how to do them.
To make an effective family budget there are only three things you have to know; your income, your expenses, and how to bring about and keep that your expenses become less than your income. That's all there is too it. But you have to make sure that you know exactly these three things, rough estimates based on your feelings and not solid data is not acceptable. Without cold numbers our mind plays too many tricks on us. Once your income is greater than your expenses then you will enjoy financial security. The question only is; how to do this?
The first step to doing this is to track ALL of your expenses for about a month. This means to record; what goes out of your bank account (such as your mortgage or your insurance payments) , what you buy in the grocery store, what you spend on entertainment, what you spend on transportation, etc. You can write it on pieces of papers and save them in your pocket, your wallet, or your pocket book. If you want you can put it into a spread sheet on your computer. It makes no difference. The only thing that is important is that you write down somewhere where every penny goes.
At the same time, track and write down all of your incomes; pay checks, presents, stock dividends. Any money that you receive has to be written down.
The third step is, that at he end of the month write down (or enter into your computer) all of these figures into 4 columns. Write in the first column on what you spent your money. In the next column, corresponding to the first one, how much money was spent for each thing. After that in the next column from where you got money. And in the last column; how much money you received. Tally both of these columns and see which one is bigger. If the total of your income is bigger than your expenses, then you are in good shape. If not, then you have to see where you can cut your expenses or raise your income.
Start today tracking and recording all of your expenses. It might be a little annoying in the beginning, but it isn't at all overwhelming. After a few months of doing this you will feel less annoyed at the process and the more you adjust your expenses to be less than your income you will be able to begin to live a happy life of financial security.
If you are having trouble keeping to your budget or are experiencing other family pressures then Click here learn practical tips, techniques,and strategies to help you successfully deal with family problems.
Contact the Author
Shevach Pepper
family relations
More Details about family budget here.
by Shevach Pepper
If you are reading this article then your financial situation is probably in pretty bad shape and you want to change it. Don't we all? One of the main reasons that people don't even attempt to make a budget (there are other simpler reasons why they don't implement it) is that they think it is a very complicated process to make a family budget. They reason, "If I can't succeed why even try?" I understand their reasoning but it is not really so complicated. In this article I will show you the 3 basic elements of a family budget and how to do them.
To make an effective family budget there are only three things you have to know; your income, your expenses, and how to bring about and keep that your expenses become less than your income. That's all there is too it. But you have to make sure that you know exactly these three things, rough estimates based on your feelings and not solid data is not acceptable. Without cold numbers our mind plays too many tricks on us. Once your income is greater than your expenses then you will enjoy financial security. The question only is; how to do this?
The first step to doing this is to track ALL of your expenses for about a month. This means to record; what goes out of your bank account (such as your mortgage or your insurance payments) , what you buy in the grocery store, what you spend on entertainment, what you spend on transportation, etc. You can write it on pieces of papers and save them in your pocket, your wallet, or your pocket book. If you want you can put it into a spread sheet on your computer. It makes no difference. The only thing that is important is that you write down somewhere where every penny goes.
At the same time, track and write down all of your incomes; pay checks, presents, stock dividends. Any money that you receive has to be written down.
The third step is, that at he end of the month write down (or enter into your computer) all of these figures into 4 columns. Write in the first column on what you spent your money. In the next column, corresponding to the first one, how much money was spent for each thing. After that in the next column from where you got money. And in the last column; how much money you received. Tally both of these columns and see which one is bigger. If the total of your income is bigger than your expenses, then you are in good shape. If not, then you have to see where you can cut your expenses or raise your income.
Start today tracking and recording all of your expenses. It might be a little annoying in the beginning, but it isn't at all overwhelming. After a few months of doing this you will feel less annoyed at the process and the more you adjust your expenses to be less than your income you will be able to begin to live a happy life of financial security.
If you are having trouble keeping to your budget or are experiencing other family pressures then Click here learn practical tips, techniques,and strategies to help you successfully deal with family problems.
Contact the Author
Shevach Pepper
family relations
More Details about family budget here.
Friday, October 2, 2009
How Does Refinancing A Car Work?
How Does Refinancing A Car Work?
by Jennifer Quilter
Happy to have a new vehicle, but not so sure about your new interest rate? Let's look at how does refinancing a car work and what it can do for you.
If you know much about refinancing a home, then I'd like to start off by telling you that a vehicle will be much simpler. With a home there are large upfront costs and math to be done to ensure it will be worth it.
With a vehicle things are much more straight forward.
Refinancing means to finance again. You are replacing your old loan with a new one, and using the new on to pay off the old one. When you go out to look for a new loan the biggest thing you are looking for is a lower interest rate. The lowest interest rates are usually found at credit unions, but to ensure you get the lowest rate possible I suggest searching for five rates and comparing. This way you know you'll have found the best possible deal.
So, how does refinancing a car work? Once you find your new, lower rate, you pay off your old loan with the new one and then start making the payments on your new loan. It's that simple.
Another benefit some people look for is extending the life of the loan. Because the loan amount is probably lower now, when you get the new loan you can look at spanning it out over a longer period of time. This will give you lower monthly payments now, but will also mean you'll be paying more total interest in the end.
With a new loan you have all new options and possibilities. Anything you don't currently like about your current financing can be changed by starting over. When we look at how does refinancing a car work we see it is starting over.
If you still want to know more check out How Does Refinancing Work? for more helpful information,
including explanations for refinancing a mortgage and the pros and cons of refinancing.
After spending her post college years climbing out of debt, Jennifer
Quilter has spent a great deal of time reading up on finances. She now
combines that knowledge with her love of writing and helping other people
understand the complicated world of finances.
Contact the Author
Jennifer Quilter
finances
More Details about How Does Refinancing a Car Work
here.
by Jennifer Quilter
Happy to have a new vehicle, but not so sure about your new interest rate? Let's look at how does refinancing a car work and what it can do for you.
If you know much about refinancing a home, then I'd like to start off by telling you that a vehicle will be much simpler. With a home there are large upfront costs and math to be done to ensure it will be worth it.
With a vehicle things are much more straight forward.
Refinancing means to finance again. You are replacing your old loan with a new one, and using the new on to pay off the old one. When you go out to look for a new loan the biggest thing you are looking for is a lower interest rate. The lowest interest rates are usually found at credit unions, but to ensure you get the lowest rate possible I suggest searching for five rates and comparing. This way you know you'll have found the best possible deal.
So, how does refinancing a car work? Once you find your new, lower rate, you pay off your old loan with the new one and then start making the payments on your new loan. It's that simple.
Another benefit some people look for is extending the life of the loan. Because the loan amount is probably lower now, when you get the new loan you can look at spanning it out over a longer period of time. This will give you lower monthly payments now, but will also mean you'll be paying more total interest in the end.
With a new loan you have all new options and possibilities. Anything you don't currently like about your current financing can be changed by starting over. When we look at how does refinancing a car work we see it is starting over.
If you still want to know more check out How Does Refinancing Work? for more helpful information,
including explanations for refinancing a mortgage and the pros and cons of refinancing.
After spending her post college years climbing out of debt, Jennifer
Quilter has spent a great deal of time reading up on finances. She now
combines that knowledge with her love of writing and helping other people
understand the complicated world of finances.
Contact the Author
Jennifer Quilter
finances
More Details about How Does Refinancing a Car Work
here.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Money Saving Tips - 7 Super Simple Ways to Save Money
Money Saving Tips - 7 Super Simple Ways to Save Money
by Heidi DeCoux
#1 -- Go out for dessert instead of dinner. Dinners out can get expensive but it's not fun to stay in every night. Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert. To save time and reduce the temptation to go out to eat, make up large batches of food and freeze it in individual serving
containers. This way you can heat up a homemade gourmet meal in minutes then go out for a yummy dessert after wards.
#2 -- Borrow instead of Buy. Need a special tool for a project or maybe a hedge trimmer or tent. Go to NeighBorrow.com to find someone near you that will happily lend you theirs, free of charge.
#3 -- Turn down (or up, depending on the season and climate you live in) your thermostat before you leave your house. Shut the vents off in rooms that you do not use during the day, such as, bedrooms or family room and keep the doors closed. No sense in heating or cooling rooms that are not being used.
#4 -- Have a Clothing Swap with friends. Invite your friends to clean out their closets, bring over their unwanted clothing and accessories along with a dish to pass. Lay out everyone's clothes. Eat, mingle and shop - for FREE! You'll probably leave with at least a couple of new fun pieces
to add to your wardrobe, and you'll have a fun and free night out. Simply donate all of the left over items to charity.
#5 -- Unplug items you are not using. Even if they are off they are still pulling current. This cost savings will add up to more than you think. If you don't want to continually be unplugging items, invest in a Smart Strip (different than a standard power strip). It does not allow your items to pull electric current when off. You will probably cut your electric bill in half. For more info on Smart Strips go to http://clearsimpleliving.com/page/smartbuys .
#6 -- Wash all your clothes in cold water. It's better for your clothes, especially darks, and generally they come out just as clean. Just use a little pre-spot if needed. Also, stop running your water continuously when brushing your teeth or washing dishes.
#7 -- Consider buying gently used versus new, check Craigslist.org, Ebay.com or HandMeDowns.com before paying retail. You can save a bundle!
Added bonus: It's great for our environment when we re-distribute items instead of tossing things out and re-manufacturing new things.
Cheers to saving our planet and saving money!
Heidi DeCoux is the publisher of the Life Made Simple E-zine and a
professional organizer in Minneapolis http://www.HeidiDeCoux.com
specializing in home organization http://www.clearsimpleliving.com.
Heidi energizes her readers’ lives by simplifying their homes and
schedules. For more info, free tips on how to find more time in your day,
and to receive her FREE Report: The Fast & Easy Way to Get Organized and
Stay Organized Forever, visit www.ClearSimpleLiving.com and discover how
to end the frustration of endless searching for things and find what you
want fast so you can have more fun!
Contact the Author
Heidi DeCoux
Home Organization & Personal Time Management
heidi@heididecoux.com
More Details about Money Saving Tips here.
by Heidi DeCoux
#1 -- Go out for dessert instead of dinner. Dinners out can get expensive but it's not fun to stay in every night. Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert. To save time and reduce the temptation to go out to eat, make up large batches of food and freeze it in individual serving
containers. This way you can heat up a homemade gourmet meal in minutes then go out for a yummy dessert after wards.
#2 -- Borrow instead of Buy. Need a special tool for a project or maybe a hedge trimmer or tent. Go to NeighBorrow.com to find someone near you that will happily lend you theirs, free of charge.
#3 -- Turn down (or up, depending on the season and climate you live in) your thermostat before you leave your house. Shut the vents off in rooms that you do not use during the day, such as, bedrooms or family room and keep the doors closed. No sense in heating or cooling rooms that are not being used.
#4 -- Have a Clothing Swap with friends. Invite your friends to clean out their closets, bring over their unwanted clothing and accessories along with a dish to pass. Lay out everyone's clothes. Eat, mingle and shop - for FREE! You'll probably leave with at least a couple of new fun pieces
to add to your wardrobe, and you'll have a fun and free night out. Simply donate all of the left over items to charity.
#5 -- Unplug items you are not using. Even if they are off they are still pulling current. This cost savings will add up to more than you think. If you don't want to continually be unplugging items, invest in a Smart Strip (different than a standard power strip). It does not allow your items to pull electric current when off. You will probably cut your electric bill in half. For more info on Smart Strips go to http://clearsimpleliving.com/page/smartbuys .
#6 -- Wash all your clothes in cold water. It's better for your clothes, especially darks, and generally they come out just as clean. Just use a little pre-spot if needed. Also, stop running your water continuously when brushing your teeth or washing dishes.
#7 -- Consider buying gently used versus new, check Craigslist.org, Ebay.com or HandMeDowns.com before paying retail. You can save a bundle!
Added bonus: It's great for our environment when we re-distribute items instead of tossing things out and re-manufacturing new things.
Cheers to saving our planet and saving money!
Heidi DeCoux is the publisher of the Life Made Simple E-zine and a
professional organizer in Minneapolis http://www.HeidiDeCoux.com
specializing in home organization http://www.clearsimpleliving.com.
Heidi energizes her readers’ lives by simplifying their homes and
schedules. For more info, free tips on how to find more time in your day,
and to receive her FREE Report: The Fast & Easy Way to Get Organized and
Stay Organized Forever, visit www.ClearSimpleLiving.com and discover how
to end the frustration of endless searching for things and find what you
want fast so you can have more fun!
Contact the Author
Heidi DeCoux
Home Organization & Personal Time Management
heidi@heididecoux.com
More Details about Money Saving Tips here.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Survive the Economy with Shared Housing
Survive the Economy with Shared Housing
by Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.
Multi-generational households are making a comeback for Boomers in the
Sandwich Generation - especially with the lack of jobs available for new
college graduates and the financial pinch felt by aging parents as their
retirement incomes dwindle. Don't be disappointed if you were dreaming
about the empty nest. This new living arrangement can reduce stress, with
more family members sharing household responsibilities, financial
expenses and emotional support. That is, as long as guidelines are
clearly set in the beginning and upheld.
Families today are facing a new kind of housing crisis as the economy
continues to be problematic. When one spouse in a two-career marriage
loses a job, making the monthly mortgage payment becomes difficult,
especially for Sandwiched Boomers. Senior citizens who have been able to
pay for housing from their retirement accounts must cut back on that
expense when their retirement funds are down by 50 percent. When a
mortgage begun with an artificially low interest figure calls for a rate
increase or a balloon payment, the cost becomes prohibitive for the
nuclear family.
These scenarios are not about Gen X and Gen Y kidults boomeranging back
home, with connotations of immaturity or irresponsibility. Rather they
reflect adults struggling with the real effects of a global financial
meltdown not faced in over 75 years. An AARP study revealed that more
than ¼ of the foreclosures and delinquencies last year occurred among
those 50 and over. These seniors and their adult children are looking
carefully at what to do to ease the economic woes that have hit everyone
hard.
Some younger families are moving in with their parents, pooling their
funds for mortgage payments. In other cases, seniors are giving up their
individual, larger homes and moving into 'granny flats' or guest suites
on their children's property. Irrespective of the type of arrangement and
reason for combining two families into one home, some serious planning is
needed before taking the plunge. Here are 6 tips to put into play before
sharing daily life with extended family:
1. Have a family meeting to set guidelines before you move in together.
Be frank and honest about your needs. You'll each be giving up some
autonomy and control so you can expect to have situations where push
comes to shove. Present your positions for the best and worst case
scenarios. Then decide how you want to compromise so that everyone gets
some of what they want. Put any absolute deal breakers out on the table
so they can be discussed in detail.
2. Set boundaries so that everyone's privacy is respected. Living
together with roommates in a college dorm is one thing but sharing space
with adult family members can get awkward. Identify signals to use when
one of you wants to be alone. The last time you all lived together, the
circumstances were quite different. Old issues around power or dependency
can resurface in this close environment, particularly when there may be a
difference of opinion about how to handle issues with
children/grandchildren.
3. Work out a schedule for shared responsibilities, chores and finances.
Gain consensus about making the division of labor equitable. When
children/grandchildren are part of the mix, arrive at a clear timetable
with regard to babysitting so that no one feels exploited. The
multi-generational experience can foster a closer relationship between
grandparents and grandchildren, with the middle generation being able to
step away from some care-giving tasks.
4. Respect the needs of everyone involved. When each person feels heard,
it takes away some of the frustration stemming from the lack of control.
You can be supportive to one another just by listening even if you don't
agree with the reason for the complaint. Use the techniques of active
listening and sending I-messages.
5. Think about the problems that can arise and make a Plan B. Just
because you all are having some difficulty with the new living
arrangements doesn't mean you have to discard the entire idea. Continue
to schedule family meetings to discuss the issues and conflicts. Lack of
privacy, intruding on other family members' boundaries and unwanted
advice are often sore points.
6. Be flexible and learn to love compromise and cooperation. Look at the
situation from the perspective of other family members as you work on
understanding their positions. You are all in this together and while you
may not get exactly what you want, you can work out a solution that is
good for everyone.
Generations living together can lead to a win-win situation. Even with
the potential costs of remodeling to accommodate both families,
maintaining one household rather than two creates considerable savings.
And other positive outcomes develop. Support generated on both sides can
serve as the foundation for resolving past misunderstandings, making
forgiveness easier to accomplish. The close bonding allows for building
rich memories to savor over the years. And the expression of gratitude is
good for both giver and receiver. As the older generation continues to
age, these times can be the impetus for planning care by a newly
sandwiched generation, with grandchildren pitching in to help.
(c) 2009, Her Mentor Center
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. & Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. are co-founders of
www.HerMentorCenter.com, a website dedicated to the issues of mid-life women and www.NourishingRelationships.Blogspot.com, a Blog for the Sandwich Generation. They are co-authors of a forthcoming book about Baby Boomer women and their family relationships. As psychotherapists, they
have over 40 years of collective private practice experience.
Contact the Author
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.
Tips for the Sandwich Generation
Mentors@HerMentorCenter.com
More Details about shared family housing
here.
by Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.
Multi-generational households are making a comeback for Boomers in the
Sandwich Generation - especially with the lack of jobs available for new
college graduates and the financial pinch felt by aging parents as their
retirement incomes dwindle. Don't be disappointed if you were dreaming
about the empty nest. This new living arrangement can reduce stress, with
more family members sharing household responsibilities, financial
expenses and emotional support. That is, as long as guidelines are
clearly set in the beginning and upheld.
Families today are facing a new kind of housing crisis as the economy
continues to be problematic. When one spouse in a two-career marriage
loses a job, making the monthly mortgage payment becomes difficult,
especially for Sandwiched Boomers. Senior citizens who have been able to
pay for housing from their retirement accounts must cut back on that
expense when their retirement funds are down by 50 percent. When a
mortgage begun with an artificially low interest figure calls for a rate
increase or a balloon payment, the cost becomes prohibitive for the
nuclear family.
These scenarios are not about Gen X and Gen Y kidults boomeranging back
home, with connotations of immaturity or irresponsibility. Rather they
reflect adults struggling with the real effects of a global financial
meltdown not faced in over 75 years. An AARP study revealed that more
than ¼ of the foreclosures and delinquencies last year occurred among
those 50 and over. These seniors and their adult children are looking
carefully at what to do to ease the economic woes that have hit everyone
hard.
Some younger families are moving in with their parents, pooling their
funds for mortgage payments. In other cases, seniors are giving up their
individual, larger homes and moving into 'granny flats' or guest suites
on their children's property. Irrespective of the type of arrangement and
reason for combining two families into one home, some serious planning is
needed before taking the plunge. Here are 6 tips to put into play before
sharing daily life with extended family:
1. Have a family meeting to set guidelines before you move in together.
Be frank and honest about your needs. You'll each be giving up some
autonomy and control so you can expect to have situations where push
comes to shove. Present your positions for the best and worst case
scenarios. Then decide how you want to compromise so that everyone gets
some of what they want. Put any absolute deal breakers out on the table
so they can be discussed in detail.
2. Set boundaries so that everyone's privacy is respected. Living
together with roommates in a college dorm is one thing but sharing space
with adult family members can get awkward. Identify signals to use when
one of you wants to be alone. The last time you all lived together, the
circumstances were quite different. Old issues around power or dependency
can resurface in this close environment, particularly when there may be a
difference of opinion about how to handle issues with
children/grandchildren.
3. Work out a schedule for shared responsibilities, chores and finances.
Gain consensus about making the division of labor equitable. When
children/grandchildren are part of the mix, arrive at a clear timetable
with regard to babysitting so that no one feels exploited. The
multi-generational experience can foster a closer relationship between
grandparents and grandchildren, with the middle generation being able to
step away from some care-giving tasks.
4. Respect the needs of everyone involved. When each person feels heard,
it takes away some of the frustration stemming from the lack of control.
You can be supportive to one another just by listening even if you don't
agree with the reason for the complaint. Use the techniques of active
listening and sending I-messages.
5. Think about the problems that can arise and make a Plan B. Just
because you all are having some difficulty with the new living
arrangements doesn't mean you have to discard the entire idea. Continue
to schedule family meetings to discuss the issues and conflicts. Lack of
privacy, intruding on other family members' boundaries and unwanted
advice are often sore points.
6. Be flexible and learn to love compromise and cooperation. Look at the
situation from the perspective of other family members as you work on
understanding their positions. You are all in this together and while you
may not get exactly what you want, you can work out a solution that is
good for everyone.
Generations living together can lead to a win-win situation. Even with
the potential costs of remodeling to accommodate both families,
maintaining one household rather than two creates considerable savings.
And other positive outcomes develop. Support generated on both sides can
serve as the foundation for resolving past misunderstandings, making
forgiveness easier to accomplish. The close bonding allows for building
rich memories to savor over the years. And the expression of gratitude is
good for both giver and receiver. As the older generation continues to
age, these times can be the impetus for planning care by a newly
sandwiched generation, with grandchildren pitching in to help.
(c) 2009, Her Mentor Center
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. & Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. are co-founders of
www.HerMentorCenter.com, a website dedicated to the issues of mid-life women and www.NourishingRelationships.Blogspot.com, a Blog for the Sandwich Generation. They are co-authors of a forthcoming book about Baby Boomer women and their family relationships. As psychotherapists, they
have over 40 years of collective private practice experience.
Contact the Author
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.
Tips for the Sandwich Generation
Mentors@HerMentorCenter.com
More Details about shared family housing
here.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Save Energy and Save Money
Save Energy and Save Money
by Jane Cocker
Check out these instant FREE ways to save money and energy:
Cost: Your laundry hides two appliances that cost you a load! Your
washing machine and clothes dryer cost you money and energy savings on a
daily basis. A hot wash with warm rinse for example, will set you back
about 80 cents a pop; a quick load in the clothes dryer has you paying
about 45 cents each time.
Freebie: Replace your hot water with cold, instantly saving up to 50
cents per wash. Over a year this could be as much as $167.00 in savings!
Switch to air-drying your clothing rather than operating the dryer and
put another $135.00 away a year for rainy days!
Cost: A typical 75 watt incandescent light globe uses about 5 cents an
hour to run. Households use multiple light fittings and we ‘flick the
switch' so often that these little power suckers are guilty of costing us
up to $110 a year to run.
Freebie: If you aren't in the room, switch your lights off. Simple!
Replace standard bulbs with energy savings; energy-efficient bulbs last
up to six times longer and use 80 percent less energy. What a great idea!
Cost: Are you still running your 1972 cooler-box as a ‘beer fridge'?
Older appliances are energy-hungry, gobbling up to $90 more a year to run
than current energy-efficient models. If you have an ice-chest from the
Ice Age that you keep bait in too, then add another $75 a year to your
energy costs. Freebie: Get rid of your aging or faulty appliances and
replace them with star-rated energy efficient ones. And finally, you'll
have a lot more money left over for fresh bait and cold beers if you just
get rid of that rusted fridge in your back shed!
British writer living and working in Buenos Aires.
Contact the Author
Jane Cocker
More Details about how to save energy and money
here.
by Jane Cocker
Check out these instant FREE ways to save money and energy:
Cost: Your laundry hides two appliances that cost you a load! Your
washing machine and clothes dryer cost you money and energy savings on a
daily basis. A hot wash with warm rinse for example, will set you back
about 80 cents a pop; a quick load in the clothes dryer has you paying
about 45 cents each time.
Freebie: Replace your hot water with cold, instantly saving up to 50
cents per wash. Over a year this could be as much as $167.00 in savings!
Switch to air-drying your clothing rather than operating the dryer and
put another $135.00 away a year for rainy days!
Cost: A typical 75 watt incandescent light globe uses about 5 cents an
hour to run. Households use multiple light fittings and we ‘flick the
switch' so often that these little power suckers are guilty of costing us
up to $110 a year to run.
Freebie: If you aren't in the room, switch your lights off. Simple!
Replace standard bulbs with energy savings; energy-efficient bulbs last
up to six times longer and use 80 percent less energy. What a great idea!
Cost: Are you still running your 1972 cooler-box as a ‘beer fridge'?
Older appliances are energy-hungry, gobbling up to $90 more a year to run
than current energy-efficient models. If you have an ice-chest from the
Ice Age that you keep bait in too, then add another $75 a year to your
energy costs. Freebie: Get rid of your aging or faulty appliances and
replace them with star-rated energy efficient ones. And finally, you'll
have a lot more money left over for fresh bait and cold beers if you just
get rid of that rusted fridge in your back shed!
British writer living and working in Buenos Aires.
Contact the Author
Jane Cocker
More Details about how to save energy and money
here.
Friday, September 11, 2009
What if my store doesn't double coupons?!
What if my store doesn't double coupons?!
by Becky Sandefur
Some of the large chain stores have made coupon shopping much more
tantalizing by offering double and triple coupons. They are banking on
the fact that most people will come to their store for that extra
savings, use some coupons in their stores, then fill their grocery cart
with other high priced products. Let's face the facts, corporate America
is in it to make money. Thank goodness, that's not where the story ends!
While double and triple coupons are a great asset to lowering your
grocery bill, you'll end up actually paying more overall if you don't
watch it. The magic happens when you understand the strategy and match
those coupons with the stores lowest priced sales. Sometimes there are
even extra bonus manufacturer savings if you purchase a certain number of
their products in one transaction. Those are the times you load up and
pay little to nothing for those products.
I've heard so many people say that it isn't worth it for them because
their store doesn't double coupons. Drop the anchor . . . Don't jump off
the boat just yet! All over this great country of ours is a plethora of
opportunities just waiting for you to grab hold of. You can look from one
state to another and from one rural area to the suburbs to find the
savings you need. Some places double coupons worth up to .50 while others
will double $1 and $2 coupons; Then others don't double at all. However,
what I have found is that where one place might give those great double
deals, the other place has better sales to make up for it. Also,
different regions get coupons of different values. So where my .50 coupon
might be doubled to make it worth $1, another part of the country has
that same coupon already worth $1 or even more!
In all actuality, some of the very best deals are not even the deals you
get with double couponing. I love it, for instance, when there is a $4
coupon to save on razors and the store runs a special for those same
razors for sale at $4. You can't beat free . . . all it costs is the tax!
Then there's not even the hassle of trying to figure out how many you can
purchase if your store will only double up to three coupons on same items
per transaction. Don't limit yourself or your shopping opportunities.
With prices everywhere skyrocketing, you really can take charge of what
you pay. All it takes is keeping your eyes and ears open to sales and
available coupons. As with anything new, it might take some time to get
used to coupon shopping. Before you know it you'll be breezing through
the stores with keen observation and knowledge while paying just a
fraction of the price, double coupons or not.
Becky Sandefur is an entrepreneur known for her gift of helping others
reach their money-saving goals. Her expertise is in the area of Home
Economics, budgeting, and household management. She is the business owner
of "The Coupon Detective" that trains people how to Save Hundreds on
their Grocery Bill.
Contact the Author
Becky Sandefur
thrifty shopping
More Details about coupon shopping http://www.MyCouponDetective.com.
by Becky Sandefur
Some of the large chain stores have made coupon shopping much more
tantalizing by offering double and triple coupons. They are banking on
the fact that most people will come to their store for that extra
savings, use some coupons in their stores, then fill their grocery cart
with other high priced products. Let's face the facts, corporate America
is in it to make money. Thank goodness, that's not where the story ends!
While double and triple coupons are a great asset to lowering your
grocery bill, you'll end up actually paying more overall if you don't
watch it. The magic happens when you understand the strategy and match
those coupons with the stores lowest priced sales. Sometimes there are
even extra bonus manufacturer savings if you purchase a certain number of
their products in one transaction. Those are the times you load up and
pay little to nothing for those products.
I've heard so many people say that it isn't worth it for them because
their store doesn't double coupons. Drop the anchor . . . Don't jump off
the boat just yet! All over this great country of ours is a plethora of
opportunities just waiting for you to grab hold of. You can look from one
state to another and from one rural area to the suburbs to find the
savings you need. Some places double coupons worth up to .50 while others
will double $1 and $2 coupons; Then others don't double at all. However,
what I have found is that where one place might give those great double
deals, the other place has better sales to make up for it. Also,
different regions get coupons of different values. So where my .50 coupon
might be doubled to make it worth $1, another part of the country has
that same coupon already worth $1 or even more!
In all actuality, some of the very best deals are not even the deals you
get with double couponing. I love it, for instance, when there is a $4
coupon to save on razors and the store runs a special for those same
razors for sale at $4. You can't beat free . . . all it costs is the tax!
Then there's not even the hassle of trying to figure out how many you can
purchase if your store will only double up to three coupons on same items
per transaction. Don't limit yourself or your shopping opportunities.
With prices everywhere skyrocketing, you really can take charge of what
you pay. All it takes is keeping your eyes and ears open to sales and
available coupons. As with anything new, it might take some time to get
used to coupon shopping. Before you know it you'll be breezing through
the stores with keen observation and knowledge while paying just a
fraction of the price, double coupons or not.
Becky Sandefur is an entrepreneur known for her gift of helping others
reach their money-saving goals. Her expertise is in the area of Home
Economics, budgeting, and household management. She is the business owner
of "The Coupon Detective" that trains people how to Save Hundreds on
their Grocery Bill.
Contact the Author
Becky Sandefur
thrifty shopping
More Details about coupon shopping http://www.MyCouponDetective.com.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Coupon shopping…cut your grocery bill in half!
Coupon shopping…cut your grocery bill in half!
by Becky Sandefur
As grocery prices are on the rise, one homeschool mom of three beats the
odds by saving thousands of dollars every year on groceries and showing
others how they can get the same results. Becky Sandefur and her family
have lived in the DFW metroplex for the past 13 years. Sandefur's
coupon-shopping spree began several years ago. "I had tried using
coupons, but never seemed to be able to make that much of a difference on
my grocery bill," she says.
Trial and error paid off and she soon discovered that coupon shopping and
saving money is not just about the coupons. It is also about the stores,
the sales, the timing, the organization, and understanding the system.
Sandefur claims it is "not as hard as it seems and totally worth it!"
That's when she became known as, The Coupon Detective. Sandefur began her
business with a website at www.MyCouponDetective.com to help others learn
how they can also easily save hundreds of dollars a month. Many ideas are
simple, yet often overlooked. "The problem most people have with coupon
shopping is the organization," Sandefur says. "They don't have a system,
so it gets too time-consuming or they lose track of the coupons and
really don't save all that much before giving up."
Shoppers all over the United States have benefited from the Coupon
Detective's practical training and inspiration. Academy students
regularly send in testimonials and emails with "thank you's" and
appreciation for helping them save so much on their grocery bill.
Sandefur claims "with the right plan of action, you should be saving a
minimum of 50% on your grocery bill."
Becky Sandefur is an entrepreneur known for her gift of helping others
reach their money-saving goals. Her expertise is in the area of Home
Economics, budgeting, and household management. She is the business owner
of "The Coupon Detective" and trains people how to Save Hundreds on their
Grocery Bill. You can get your free report at
http://www.MyCouponDetective.com
Contact:
Becky Sandefur
More Details about coupon shopping
here.
by Becky Sandefur
As grocery prices are on the rise, one homeschool mom of three beats the
odds by saving thousands of dollars every year on groceries and showing
others how they can get the same results. Becky Sandefur and her family
have lived in the DFW metroplex for the past 13 years. Sandefur's
coupon-shopping spree began several years ago. "I had tried using
coupons, but never seemed to be able to make that much of a difference on
my grocery bill," she says.
Trial and error paid off and she soon discovered that coupon shopping and
saving money is not just about the coupons. It is also about the stores,
the sales, the timing, the organization, and understanding the system.
Sandefur claims it is "not as hard as it seems and totally worth it!"
That's when she became known as, The Coupon Detective. Sandefur began her
business with a website at www.MyCouponDetective.com to help others learn
how they can also easily save hundreds of dollars a month. Many ideas are
simple, yet often overlooked. "The problem most people have with coupon
shopping is the organization," Sandefur says. "They don't have a system,
so it gets too time-consuming or they lose track of the coupons and
really don't save all that much before giving up."
Shoppers all over the United States have benefited from the Coupon
Detective's practical training and inspiration. Academy students
regularly send in testimonials and emails with "thank you's" and
appreciation for helping them save so much on their grocery bill.
Sandefur claims "with the right plan of action, you should be saving a
minimum of 50% on your grocery bill."
Becky Sandefur is an entrepreneur known for her gift of helping others
reach their money-saving goals. Her expertise is in the area of Home
Economics, budgeting, and household management. She is the business owner
of "The Coupon Detective" and trains people how to Save Hundreds on their
Grocery Bill. You can get your free report at
http://www.MyCouponDetective.com
Contact:
Becky Sandefur
More Details about coupon shopping
here.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Five New Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store
Five New Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store
by Chris Robertson
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), average weekly
home food costs for a family of four with two children under five years
old rose from $85.60 in March 1999 to $118.30 in March 2009. That's an
increase of nearly 28 percent in ten years. Unless your income has
increased 28 percent or more, you are spending a greater portion of your
earnings on grocery shopping than you were ten years ago.
Other household expenses, such as heating costs, have risen even more
recently. That means there is simply less money to go around and every
opportunity for saving money is worth considering. You probably already
use coupons and look for sales. That's great; keep it up! If you want to
save even more, here are five fresh ideas for lowering your grocery costs.
1. Aisle-by-aisle shopping. Organize your shopping trip by setting up a
virtual aisle-by-aisle grocery list. You'll spend less time in the
grocery store and avoid impulse purchases. Using an aisle-by-aisle
organizer makes shopping so much easier you can bring your children and
save money on baby sitters. Plus, with a virtual shopping list, more than
one person can contribute to the list and that means fewer trips to the
store.
2. Favorites list. Keeping a virtual list of food favorites helps you
avoid the return trip for a forgotten item. Do you always buy a dozen
eggs every week? Do you always buy a jar of peanut butter when your jar
is half empty? The favorites list reminds you of items that should go on
your shopping list. You'll save gas money if you don't have to go back to
the grocery store, not to mention the time you will save and frustration
you will prevent.
3. Pay attention to the store's food recipes. Grocery stores often have
recipes for featured foods. If tilapia is on sale in the fish department,
but you don't know how to cook it, look for a recipe at the store.
4. Set up a grocery coupon organizer and a food recipe organizer. There's
no doubt about it - organizing saves money. When you organize your food
recipes you can easily find a recipe for whatever is on sale that week.
Is pork tenderloin on sale? Just go to the meat section of your recipe
organizer, or look under pork, and there you have it. Same with coupons:
with a grocery coupon organizer you'll know if you have the right coupons
for your purchases. You can also be sure to use those coupons before they
expire.
5. Start a grocery delivery service. Share your shopping expertise. Folks
who are too busy to shop or who are house bond will actually save money
by paying you to do their shopping because you have the skills to save
them serious money. Your customers can email their grocery lists to you,
making it even easier for you to shop for them.
Eating healthy food is important for everyone. Before you cut back on the
quality of the food you buy, consider these and other clever ways of
saving grocery money, so you can still buy the food you want for your
family.
Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon
International is one of the world's MOST popular internet marketing and
internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business
resource web site at: http://www.majon.com (NOTE: Content article shown above may be linked and circulated freely on web sites, ezines and other publications as long as ALL article content, links and author information
remain UNCHANGED in any way whatsoever.)
Contact the Author
Chris Robertson
More Details about grocery http://www.aislebyaisle.com here.
by Chris Robertson
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), average weekly
home food costs for a family of four with two children under five years
old rose from $85.60 in March 1999 to $118.30 in March 2009. That's an
increase of nearly 28 percent in ten years. Unless your income has
increased 28 percent or more, you are spending a greater portion of your
earnings on grocery shopping than you were ten years ago.
Other household expenses, such as heating costs, have risen even more
recently. That means there is simply less money to go around and every
opportunity for saving money is worth considering. You probably already
use coupons and look for sales. That's great; keep it up! If you want to
save even more, here are five fresh ideas for lowering your grocery costs.
1. Aisle-by-aisle shopping. Organize your shopping trip by setting up a
virtual aisle-by-aisle grocery list. You'll spend less time in the
grocery store and avoid impulse purchases. Using an aisle-by-aisle
organizer makes shopping so much easier you can bring your children and
save money on baby sitters. Plus, with a virtual shopping list, more than
one person can contribute to the list and that means fewer trips to the
store.
2. Favorites list. Keeping a virtual list of food favorites helps you
avoid the return trip for a forgotten item. Do you always buy a dozen
eggs every week? Do you always buy a jar of peanut butter when your jar
is half empty? The favorites list reminds you of items that should go on
your shopping list. You'll save gas money if you don't have to go back to
the grocery store, not to mention the time you will save and frustration
you will prevent.
3. Pay attention to the store's food recipes. Grocery stores often have
recipes for featured foods. If tilapia is on sale in the fish department,
but you don't know how to cook it, look for a recipe at the store.
4. Set up a grocery coupon organizer and a food recipe organizer. There's
no doubt about it - organizing saves money. When you organize your food
recipes you can easily find a recipe for whatever is on sale that week.
Is pork tenderloin on sale? Just go to the meat section of your recipe
organizer, or look under pork, and there you have it. Same with coupons:
with a grocery coupon organizer you'll know if you have the right coupons
for your purchases. You can also be sure to use those coupons before they
expire.
5. Start a grocery delivery service. Share your shopping expertise. Folks
who are too busy to shop or who are house bond will actually save money
by paying you to do their shopping because you have the skills to save
them serious money. Your customers can email their grocery lists to you,
making it even easier for you to shop for them.
Eating healthy food is important for everyone. Before you cut back on the
quality of the food you buy, consider these and other clever ways of
saving grocery money, so you can still buy the food you want for your
family.
Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon
International is one of the world's MOST popular internet marketing and
internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business
resource web site at: http://www.majon.com (NOTE: Content article shown above may be linked and circulated freely on web sites, ezines and other publications as long as ALL article content, links and author information
remain UNCHANGED in any way whatsoever.)
Contact the Author
Chris Robertson
More Details about grocery http://www.aislebyaisle.com here.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
9 Ways to Guard against Identity Theft
9 Ways to Guard against Identity Theft
by Vernon Williams
The following steps will help avoid being a victim of identity theft:
1. Protect your Social Security number.
* Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet.
* Never have your social security number preprinted on your checks.
* Only give your Social Security number when it is absolutely necessary.
* If asked for your social security number, suggest an alternative form
of identification.
* If your state uses your Social Security number as your driver's license
number, ask them to substitute another number.
* If your health insurance company uses your Social Security number as
your policy number, ask them to substitute another number Before giving
over your social security number, ask:
o Why do you need my Social Security number?
o How will my Social Security number be used?
o How do you protect my Social Security number from being stolen?
2. Shred sensitive documents before putting them in the trash
Shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance
forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge
cards that you're discarding, and credit offers you get in the mail.
3. Cancel prescreened credit offers.
Call: 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) to stop receiving prescreened
offers of credit in the mail.
4. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox.
If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail,
contact the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 or online at
www.usps.com, to request a vacation hold. They will hold your mail at
your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.
5. Protect your passwords on credit card, bank and telephone accounts.
* Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain sight. Don't
share them on the Internet, over email, or on the phone. Your Internet
Service Provider (ISP) should never ask for your password.
* Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden
name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security
number or your phone number or a series of consecutive numbers.
To make it tougher for hackers to try to figure out your passwords:
* Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers
or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A
12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.
* Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word
in the dictionary.
* Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys
on the keyboard as passwords.
* Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).
* Don't use the same password for each online account you access.
6. Verify a source before sharing information.
Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on
the Internet unless you've initiated the contact and are sure you know
who you're dealing with. Identity thieves are clever, and may pose as
representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISPs), and even
government agencies to get people to reveal their Social Security number,
mother's maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information.
7. Include on the essentials in your purse and wallet
Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards
that you'll actually need when you go out.
8. Store information in secure locations.
* Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if
you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your
house.
* Share your personal information only with those family members who have
a legitimate need for it.
* Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work; do the same with
copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal
information.
9. Determine security procedures in your workplace or at businesses,
doctor's offices or other institutions that collect personally
identifying information.
* Determine who has access to your personal information.
* Verify that it is handled securely.
* Determine the disposal procedures for those records.
* Determine if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so,
ask how your information can be kept confidential.
Get additional ways to protect yourself at
http://www.howtocutyourexpenses.com/identity-theft.html
With over 20 years of experience as a personal financial educator and
counselor, Vernon Williams has developed in depth knowledge of what it
takes to achieve financial success. Today, he is a sought after trainer
and speaker by organizations from both the public and private sector. He
is the author of 425 Ways to Stretch Your $$$$ and 3 Rules that Guarantee
Financial Success. Visit him at http://www.howtocutexpenses.com
[http://www.howtocutexpenses.com]
Contact the Author
Vernon Williams
Finances/Money
vwilliams64@comcast.net
More Details about Identity Theft
here.
by Vernon Williams
The following steps will help avoid being a victim of identity theft:
1. Protect your Social Security number.
* Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet.
* Never have your social security number preprinted on your checks.
* Only give your Social Security number when it is absolutely necessary.
* If asked for your social security number, suggest an alternative form
of identification.
* If your state uses your Social Security number as your driver's license
number, ask them to substitute another number.
* If your health insurance company uses your Social Security number as
your policy number, ask them to substitute another number Before giving
over your social security number, ask:
o Why do you need my Social Security number?
o How will my Social Security number be used?
o How do you protect my Social Security number from being stolen?
2. Shred sensitive documents before putting them in the trash
Shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance
forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge
cards that you're discarding, and credit offers you get in the mail.
3. Cancel prescreened credit offers.
Call: 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) to stop receiving prescreened
offers of credit in the mail.
4. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox.
If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail,
contact the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 or online at
www.usps.com, to request a vacation hold. They will hold your mail at
your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.
5. Protect your passwords on credit card, bank and telephone accounts.
* Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain sight. Don't
share them on the Internet, over email, or on the phone. Your Internet
Service Provider (ISP) should never ask for your password.
* Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden
name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security
number or your phone number or a series of consecutive numbers.
To make it tougher for hackers to try to figure out your passwords:
* Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers
or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A
12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.
* Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word
in the dictionary.
* Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys
on the keyboard as passwords.
* Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).
* Don't use the same password for each online account you access.
6. Verify a source before sharing information.
Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on
the Internet unless you've initiated the contact and are sure you know
who you're dealing with. Identity thieves are clever, and may pose as
representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISPs), and even
government agencies to get people to reveal their Social Security number,
mother's maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information.
7. Include on the essentials in your purse and wallet
Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards
that you'll actually need when you go out.
8. Store information in secure locations.
* Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if
you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your
house.
* Share your personal information only with those family members who have
a legitimate need for it.
* Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work; do the same with
copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal
information.
9. Determine security procedures in your workplace or at businesses,
doctor's offices or other institutions that collect personally
identifying information.
* Determine who has access to your personal information.
* Verify that it is handled securely.
* Determine the disposal procedures for those records.
* Determine if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so,
ask how your information can be kept confidential.
Get additional ways to protect yourself at
http://www.howtocutyourexpenses.com/identity-theft.html
With over 20 years of experience as a personal financial educator and
counselor, Vernon Williams has developed in depth knowledge of what it
takes to achieve financial success. Today, he is a sought after trainer
and speaker by organizations from both the public and private sector. He
is the author of 425 Ways to Stretch Your $$$$ and 3 Rules that Guarantee
Financial Success. Visit him at http://www.howtocutexpenses.com
[http://www.howtocutexpenses.com]
Contact the Author
Vernon Williams
Finances/Money
vwilliams64@comcast.net
More Details about Identity Theft
here.
Monday, August 31, 2009
0 Balance Transfer Cards, What are they and How do they Work?
0 Balance Transfer Cards, What are they and How do they Work?
by Daniel Major
0 balance transfer cards are extremely popular as they offer a means to
actually save money by simply transferring your credit card balance or
balances, to the credit card provider making the offer, well at least for
a period of time anyway.
If you take into consideration the current state of the economy, it is
somewhat surprising that the number of people who have large credit card
balances increases year on year and this trend shows no sign of slowing
down in the future. Unfortunately, many of these people are paying high
interest repayments for the privilege of having this debt so it is
understandable that 0 balance transfer cards are highly sought after. If
you listen to the statistics often cited by the media and political
figures the average APR of a US credit card is around 15 percent and the
average debt for a US credit card holder is $8000. This figure is very
misleading as most US households probably owe 25 percent or less of this
figure; a more realistic statement would be to say 5 percent of credit
card users have credit debt of $8000 or greater which is a far more
accurate assessment of this situation.
5 percent of credit card holders still adds-up to a large number of
people that have a high combined credit card balance all of whom would
benefit greatly from the use of 0 balance transfer cards.
Although emphasis is generally placed upon the size of a debt it must be
stated that the size of a debt is irrespective; $1000 of debt is as
difficult to deal with for someone with no money as $10000 of debt is and
as a result the benefits of zero interest balance transfer credit cards
are there for all to use.
How do 0 balance transfer cards work?
Quite simply, credit card companies need customers in order to make money
therefore, to entice new customers from their competitors; they offer 0
percent interest balance transfer deals. These deals usually run for a
fixed period of time, usually between 6 to 18 months and offer zero
interest on balances that are transferred over from other cards, and may
even cover purchases made during the same period.
The removal of the interest element of the repayment benefits the card
user as monthly interest makes up quite a large chunk of the monthly
repayment saving the user a considerable amount of money for the period
of the deal.
If it seems too good to be true it usually is, 0 balance transfer cards
are no exception.
Obviously, credit card companies are in business to make profit and for
them to totally eliminate their 'pot of gold' would be nothing short of
business suicide so there are certain methods they use to make money.
The first method of recouping some lost revenue is by charging for the
balance transfer. Usually, a charge of 3 percent for the balance to be
transferred is incurred. If you are transferring a large amount you
should be cautious as 3 percent could be a substantial amount of money
although many companies do put a cap or a ceiling on this charge. It is
advisable, therefore, that before signing up for any deal, that this is
checked out properly.
Another method that is used is to impose a very high APR upon purchases,
in this situation it may be wise to have a secondary card that is
designed to benefit the shoppers amongst us and use this solely for that
purpose, this will avoid any unpleasant hikes in your bills.
Conclusion
0 balance transfer cards are a fantastic way to reduce your monthly
outgoings for a fixed period of time but it is also advisable to maintain
the same levels of repayments that were made before the transfer
therefore reducing your debt quicker.
Always check the terms of the card, an ideal card deal will run for at
least 12 months, have few costs for the transfer process, apply to
purchases made during the offer period and have an OK APR when the deal
is over which is very important.
Unfortunately, these deals are generally only available to people with a
good credit history so check before applying.
And finally; credit card companies have become wise to the 'card jumper'.
When these deals first began many people used to jump from one card
issuer to the next and as a result card issuers were losing out on
revenue left, right and center.
Your credit history is scrutinized for the tell-tale patterns of this
type of behavior and you will be declined more often than approved if you
are seen to be jumping, which doesn't do your credit score any good, so
make sure you sign up for a good deal.
Finding good 0 balance transfer cards that offer a deal is one of the
best steps towards gaining control over your finances but for a method of
debt elimination that has a more long term effect in the battle against
debt visit www.creditcardconsolidationloanssite.com
here you will find
links to information about methods of debt elimination so good that they
could have you debt free in as little as three years.
www.debtconsolidationinformationonline.com
Contact the Author
Daniel Major
More Details about 0 balance transfer cards
here.
by Daniel Major
0 balance transfer cards are extremely popular as they offer a means to
actually save money by simply transferring your credit card balance or
balances, to the credit card provider making the offer, well at least for
a period of time anyway.
If you take into consideration the current state of the economy, it is
somewhat surprising that the number of people who have large credit card
balances increases year on year and this trend shows no sign of slowing
down in the future. Unfortunately, many of these people are paying high
interest repayments for the privilege of having this debt so it is
understandable that 0 balance transfer cards are highly sought after. If
you listen to the statistics often cited by the media and political
figures the average APR of a US credit card is around 15 percent and the
average debt for a US credit card holder is $8000. This figure is very
misleading as most US households probably owe 25 percent or less of this
figure; a more realistic statement would be to say 5 percent of credit
card users have credit debt of $8000 or greater which is a far more
accurate assessment of this situation.
5 percent of credit card holders still adds-up to a large number of
people that have a high combined credit card balance all of whom would
benefit greatly from the use of 0 balance transfer cards.
Although emphasis is generally placed upon the size of a debt it must be
stated that the size of a debt is irrespective; $1000 of debt is as
difficult to deal with for someone with no money as $10000 of debt is and
as a result the benefits of zero interest balance transfer credit cards
are there for all to use.
How do 0 balance transfer cards work?
Quite simply, credit card companies need customers in order to make money
therefore, to entice new customers from their competitors; they offer 0
percent interest balance transfer deals. These deals usually run for a
fixed period of time, usually between 6 to 18 months and offer zero
interest on balances that are transferred over from other cards, and may
even cover purchases made during the same period.
The removal of the interest element of the repayment benefits the card
user as monthly interest makes up quite a large chunk of the monthly
repayment saving the user a considerable amount of money for the period
of the deal.
If it seems too good to be true it usually is, 0 balance transfer cards
are no exception.
Obviously, credit card companies are in business to make profit and for
them to totally eliminate their 'pot of gold' would be nothing short of
business suicide so there are certain methods they use to make money.
The first method of recouping some lost revenue is by charging for the
balance transfer. Usually, a charge of 3 percent for the balance to be
transferred is incurred. If you are transferring a large amount you
should be cautious as 3 percent could be a substantial amount of money
although many companies do put a cap or a ceiling on this charge. It is
advisable, therefore, that before signing up for any deal, that this is
checked out properly.
Another method that is used is to impose a very high APR upon purchases,
in this situation it may be wise to have a secondary card that is
designed to benefit the shoppers amongst us and use this solely for that
purpose, this will avoid any unpleasant hikes in your bills.
Conclusion
0 balance transfer cards are a fantastic way to reduce your monthly
outgoings for a fixed period of time but it is also advisable to maintain
the same levels of repayments that were made before the transfer
therefore reducing your debt quicker.
Always check the terms of the card, an ideal card deal will run for at
least 12 months, have few costs for the transfer process, apply to
purchases made during the offer period and have an OK APR when the deal
is over which is very important.
Unfortunately, these deals are generally only available to people with a
good credit history so check before applying.
And finally; credit card companies have become wise to the 'card jumper'.
When these deals first began many people used to jump from one card
issuer to the next and as a result card issuers were losing out on
revenue left, right and center.
Your credit history is scrutinized for the tell-tale patterns of this
type of behavior and you will be declined more often than approved if you
are seen to be jumping, which doesn't do your credit score any good, so
make sure you sign up for a good deal.
Finding good 0 balance transfer cards that offer a deal is one of the
best steps towards gaining control over your finances but for a method of
debt elimination that has a more long term effect in the battle against
debt visit www.creditcardconsolidationloanssite.com
here you will find
links to information about methods of debt elimination so good that they
could have you debt free in as little as three years.
www.debtconsolidationinformationonline.com
Contact the Author
Daniel Major
More Details about 0 balance transfer cards
here.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saving money in hard economic times with free coupon codes
Saving money in hard economic times with free coupon codes
by Gen Wright
The market can be bearish, or it can be bullish. When the market is
bullish, everybody is happy. There are no lack of well paying jobs, and
with money in the pocket, one can do what the heart desires. But it is
during bearish times that most people are having trouble coping.
For starters, people worry about their jobs. In an economic downturn,
many businesses are adversely affected. This is especially true for big
corporations. Chances are, when times are good, companies start to expand
by bringing more employees on-board. Sometimes, this happens due to
foolish business executives, who never plan for the downturn, which will
surely come.
Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Often, the victims are the ones
who are asked to leave the company. Without jobs, financial commitments
start creeping up slowly. If finances are not properly managed and
savings are used up, the position that the victim is in is certainly an
uncomfortable one.
However, there are various measures that everyone can adopt to help save
money. It's important for one to take an active (as oppose to passive)
stand here to help tide through the bad times. In hard economic times, it
is always wise to adopt a more prudent and active approach when making
any purchase.
An active approach means that one should be actively seeking out the best
deals. A prudent approach means that one should buy only what one needs,
and not spending unnecessarily. In fact, prudent spending habits should
be adopted at all times, regardless of whether economic times are good or
bad. During good times, a person with more prudent spending habits can
fatten up his or her bank account. When the downturn comes, this very
same person is in a better position to tide through the hard times.
One surefire way of saving is to always seek out free coupon codes. Free
coupon codes are easily available on the Internet. Many retailers
actively promote their products and services through many different
online channels. For example, they may join online discount aggregators,
whose sole function is to list promotions from merchants.
Using free coupon codes allow you to save lots of money. You may get to
enjoy free shipping, free gifts, and other great discounts. That means
you will always get more and spend less when you use coupon codes.
There are coupon codes available for almost every type of product you can
think of. Health products, books, electronics, MP3 players, food, gifts,
insurance, and so on.
If you think about it, as consumers, we all need different products at
different times of our lives. So it's definitely great that such discount
coupons are easily available for such a wide range of products.
Don't underestimate the substantial savings you can get from using these
coupon codes. It's a simple act of copying and pasting some code before
making a payment using your credit card. But if each act can save you 50
dollars, think about how much savings you would enjoy if you use 10 or
more coupons a month. That will amount to at least 500 dollars savings
each month.
You can use the money you save to pay off bills, mortgages, or simply
keep them in the bank.
For immediate access to Free Shipping Coupons
and Free Coupon Codes, please visit our
website.
Contact the Author
Gen Wright
by Gen Wright
The market can be bearish, or it can be bullish. When the market is
bullish, everybody is happy. There are no lack of well paying jobs, and
with money in the pocket, one can do what the heart desires. But it is
during bearish times that most people are having trouble coping.
For starters, people worry about their jobs. In an economic downturn,
many businesses are adversely affected. This is especially true for big
corporations. Chances are, when times are good, companies start to expand
by bringing more employees on-board. Sometimes, this happens due to
foolish business executives, who never plan for the downturn, which will
surely come.
Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Often, the victims are the ones
who are asked to leave the company. Without jobs, financial commitments
start creeping up slowly. If finances are not properly managed and
savings are used up, the position that the victim is in is certainly an
uncomfortable one.
However, there are various measures that everyone can adopt to help save
money. It's important for one to take an active (as oppose to passive)
stand here to help tide through the bad times. In hard economic times, it
is always wise to adopt a more prudent and active approach when making
any purchase.
An active approach means that one should be actively seeking out the best
deals. A prudent approach means that one should buy only what one needs,
and not spending unnecessarily. In fact, prudent spending habits should
be adopted at all times, regardless of whether economic times are good or
bad. During good times, a person with more prudent spending habits can
fatten up his or her bank account. When the downturn comes, this very
same person is in a better position to tide through the hard times.
One surefire way of saving is to always seek out free coupon codes. Free
coupon codes are easily available on the Internet. Many retailers
actively promote their products and services through many different
online channels. For example, they may join online discount aggregators,
whose sole function is to list promotions from merchants.
Using free coupon codes allow you to save lots of money. You may get to
enjoy free shipping, free gifts, and other great discounts. That means
you will always get more and spend less when you use coupon codes.
There are coupon codes available for almost every type of product you can
think of. Health products, books, electronics, MP3 players, food, gifts,
insurance, and so on.
If you think about it, as consumers, we all need different products at
different times of our lives. So it's definitely great that such discount
coupons are easily available for such a wide range of products.
Don't underestimate the substantial savings you can get from using these
coupon codes. It's a simple act of copying and pasting some code before
making a payment using your credit card. But if each act can save you 50
dollars, think about how much savings you would enjoy if you use 10 or
more coupons a month. That will amount to at least 500 dollars savings
each month.
You can use the money you save to pay off bills, mortgages, or simply
keep them in the bank.
For immediate access to Free Shipping Coupons
and Free Coupon Codes, please visit our
website.
Contact the Author
Gen Wright
Friday, August 7, 2009
Ten Steps To Building A Good Credit History
Ten Steps To Building A Good Credit History
by: Drahcir Semaj
Are you thinking of buying a house? Do you want to buy a new car to
replace that old wreck? Trying to get insurance on you home, auto, or
life? In each of these situations, what’s on your credit report will
determine if you can get a loan or insurance and what rates you’ll have
to pay.
If you’re trying to build or repair your credit history, you have a
daunting but not impossible task in front of you. Lots of people have
been where you are and today they have good credit. With time,
discipline, hard work, and by taking the proper steps, you’ll be able to
build a good credit history too.
To build or rebuild your credit history you need to take certain steps:
Develop a budget and live by it. Whether your building credit for the
first time or rebuilding credit, you need to know how much money you have
coming in each month and how you’re spending it.
Start by listing your income from all sources. Next list all fixed
expenses (rent, mortgage, car payments…). Finally list all of your
variable expenses (entertainment, recreation, clothing…) no matter how
small they are. Writing down and tracking your expenses will help you to
understand your spending patterns and you’ll be able to see where you can
save money by making lifestyle changes.
Open a checking account and use it responsibly. Lenders want to know that
you have a relationship with a financial institution and that you have a
checking account available to pay your bills. Don’t overdraw your bank
account; in addition to possible damaging your credit record, you’ll be
charged fees.
Pay your current bills on-time and pay them in full. Paying your bill
on-time puts positive information on your credit record. Late payments or
missed payments count against you.
Review your credit report annually. Contact Equifax, Experian, and Trans
Union to get copies of your credit report. You should get a copy of your
credit report from all three reporting agencies because some creditors
don’t report to all three agencies. If you’re a member of a credit union,
check to see if your credit union offers discounted credit report
ordering for its members.
Fix any errors on your credit report. If you find errors on your credit
report, contact the credit reporting agency and the creditor (in writing)
to get the errors fixed. Check your credit report to make sure that
negative information like late payments, delinquencies, liens, and
judgments against you have been removed after 7 years; bankruptcies
should be removed after ten years.
For more information on how to dispute errors on your credit report,
visit the Federal Trade Commission website at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm.
Apply for a credit card. If you’re rebuilding your credit history,
consider applying for a secured credit card. To get a secured credit
card, you’ll need to deposit funds with the credit card issuer and your
credit limit is usually equal to the amount you deposit. A secured card
can be used the same way as an unsecured card and your timely payments
will help to improve your credit history.
Apply for a department store or gasoline card. These cards are usually
easier to get than major credit cards and they come with smaller credit
limits.
Establish an account at a credit union and take a loan out on it. This is
a secured loan. You’ll have to pay interest on the loan, but if your
payments are reported to the credit bureaus, the small interest fees will
be worth the positive information that is added to your credit record.
Don’t max out your credit cards. Maxing out your credit cards can hurt
your credit score. Try not to use more than 30% of the credit you have
available to you. Part of your credit score measures the amount of credit
that your have available to you and how much you’re using. The more
credit you’re using, the more negative impact on your credit score.
If you get into trouble with your credit, get help. Don’t wait until
creditors send your accounts to debt collectors. If you can’t make a
payment contact the creditor and make arrangements to make the payment.
If you feel that you’re over your head in debt get help from a debt
counselor.
You can contact Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union at:
Equifax: http://www.equifax.com/
Experian: http://www.experian.com/
Trans Union: http://www.tuc.com/
About The Author
Drahcir Semaj is a freelance writer. You can contact him at
drahcir@drahcirsemaj.com . Or visit his
website at http://www.drahcirsemaj.com
by: Drahcir Semaj
Are you thinking of buying a house? Do you want to buy a new car to
replace that old wreck? Trying to get insurance on you home, auto, or
life? In each of these situations, what’s on your credit report will
determine if you can get a loan or insurance and what rates you’ll have
to pay.
If you’re trying to build or repair your credit history, you have a
daunting but not impossible task in front of you. Lots of people have
been where you are and today they have good credit. With time,
discipline, hard work, and by taking the proper steps, you’ll be able to
build a good credit history too.
To build or rebuild your credit history you need to take certain steps:
Develop a budget and live by it. Whether your building credit for the
first time or rebuilding credit, you need to know how much money you have
coming in each month and how you’re spending it.
Start by listing your income from all sources. Next list all fixed
expenses (rent, mortgage, car payments…). Finally list all of your
variable expenses (entertainment, recreation, clothing…) no matter how
small they are. Writing down and tracking your expenses will help you to
understand your spending patterns and you’ll be able to see where you can
save money by making lifestyle changes.
Open a checking account and use it responsibly. Lenders want to know that
you have a relationship with a financial institution and that you have a
checking account available to pay your bills. Don’t overdraw your bank
account; in addition to possible damaging your credit record, you’ll be
charged fees.
Pay your current bills on-time and pay them in full. Paying your bill
on-time puts positive information on your credit record. Late payments or
missed payments count against you.
Review your credit report annually. Contact Equifax, Experian, and Trans
Union to get copies of your credit report. You should get a copy of your
credit report from all three reporting agencies because some creditors
don’t report to all three agencies. If you’re a member of a credit union,
check to see if your credit union offers discounted credit report
ordering for its members.
Fix any errors on your credit report. If you find errors on your credit
report, contact the credit reporting agency and the creditor (in writing)
to get the errors fixed. Check your credit report to make sure that
negative information like late payments, delinquencies, liens, and
judgments against you have been removed after 7 years; bankruptcies
should be removed after ten years.
For more information on how to dispute errors on your credit report,
visit the Federal Trade Commission website at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm.
Apply for a credit card. If you’re rebuilding your credit history,
consider applying for a secured credit card. To get a secured credit
card, you’ll need to deposit funds with the credit card issuer and your
credit limit is usually equal to the amount you deposit. A secured card
can be used the same way as an unsecured card and your timely payments
will help to improve your credit history.
Apply for a department store or gasoline card. These cards are usually
easier to get than major credit cards and they come with smaller credit
limits.
Establish an account at a credit union and take a loan out on it. This is
a secured loan. You’ll have to pay interest on the loan, but if your
payments are reported to the credit bureaus, the small interest fees will
be worth the positive information that is added to your credit record.
Don’t max out your credit cards. Maxing out your credit cards can hurt
your credit score. Try not to use more than 30% of the credit you have
available to you. Part of your credit score measures the amount of credit
that your have available to you and how much you’re using. The more
credit you’re using, the more negative impact on your credit score.
If you get into trouble with your credit, get help. Don’t wait until
creditors send your accounts to debt collectors. If you can’t make a
payment contact the creditor and make arrangements to make the payment.
If you feel that you’re over your head in debt get help from a debt
counselor.
You can contact Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union at:
Equifax: http://www.equifax.com/
Experian: http://www.experian.com/
Trans Union: http://www.tuc.com/
About The Author
Drahcir Semaj is a freelance writer. You can contact him at
drahcir@drahcirsemaj.com . Or visit his
website at http://www.drahcirsemaj.com
Thursday, August 6, 2009
What Paper or Computer Files Should You Keep?
What Paper or Computer Files Should You Keep?
by: Judy Cullins
As business people we must deal with a great deal of paper and
information from email and the net every day. You need to know however,
that according to the "Pareto Time Management Rule," only 20% of all
paper and information is important. That leaves 80% that is not
important. It's just another decision to make as to whether this
information makes your life better or not.
Does this shock you? It did me at first, but now I subscribe to this
motto and let go of all paper and information that doesn't serve me. It's
my new mantra. If the information is important I make sure it gets
filed--either in paper files or on my computer. More and more I don't use
paper files and have learned how to make new folders of important people
or specific information I need to keep track of.
If you are a stacker, slinger, or stuffer, you can now expand your power
by keeping only what is important to you.
How to File these Important Pieces
If in a paper file organize them alphabetically and vertically and put a
complete name at the top of the manila file folder. Categorize the kinds
of files too: one for household information, another for the teleclasses
and speaking engagements, another for coaching clients, and another for
promotion Online and off.
In a computer word folder organize information alphabetically too. "My
documents" includes these and many more, but with this technique you will
always know where to find the important information because it's
organized and categorized in folders Examples include: articles to
submit, contacts influential, ClickBank, promotion campaigns by month and
of course folders for books in word and PDF. These folders are the
lifeblood of any business.
Make sure you keep only information that supports your best life. With
that 20% make sure you file it so you can find it in less than two
minutes!
Judy Cullins c. 2004 All Rights Reserved
About The Author
Judy Cullins: 20-year author, speaker, book coach
Helps entrepreneurs manifest their book and web dreams
eBk: "Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online"
http://www.bookcoaching.com
To receive FREE "The Book Coach Says..."
or Business Tip of the Month go to
http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml
Judy@bookcoaching.com
Orders: 866/200-9743
by: Judy Cullins
As business people we must deal with a great deal of paper and
information from email and the net every day. You need to know however,
that according to the "Pareto Time Management Rule," only 20% of all
paper and information is important. That leaves 80% that is not
important. It's just another decision to make as to whether this
information makes your life better or not.
Does this shock you? It did me at first, but now I subscribe to this
motto and let go of all paper and information that doesn't serve me. It's
my new mantra. If the information is important I make sure it gets
filed--either in paper files or on my computer. More and more I don't use
paper files and have learned how to make new folders of important people
or specific information I need to keep track of.
If you are a stacker, slinger, or stuffer, you can now expand your power
by keeping only what is important to you.
How to File these Important Pieces
If in a paper file organize them alphabetically and vertically and put a
complete name at the top of the manila file folder. Categorize the kinds
of files too: one for household information, another for the teleclasses
and speaking engagements, another for coaching clients, and another for
promotion Online and off.
In a computer word folder organize information alphabetically too. "My
documents" includes these and many more, but with this technique you will
always know where to find the important information because it's
organized and categorized in folders Examples include: articles to
submit, contacts influential, ClickBank, promotion campaigns by month and
of course folders for books in word and PDF. These folders are the
lifeblood of any business.
Make sure you keep only information that supports your best life. With
that 20% make sure you file it so you can find it in less than two
minutes!
Judy Cullins c. 2004 All Rights Reserved
About The Author
Judy Cullins: 20-year author, speaker, book coach
Helps entrepreneurs manifest their book and web dreams
eBk: "Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online"
http://www.bookcoaching.com
To receive FREE "The Book Coach Says..."
or Business Tip of the Month go to
http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml
Judy@bookcoaching.com
Orders: 866/200-9743
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 4
The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 4
by: Palyn Peterson
At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.
Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.
This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.
Amazing Money Tip #9 You must set short-term goals and long-term goals.
If you don't know where you are going, how do you expect to get there?
It's simple but powerful logic. When you have a target sitting out there
somewhere in the future, a target which is your goal, it can almost act
like a magnet that pulls you toward it.
Setting solid goals which are attainable, yet still a challenge, have
proved time and time again to be one of the most powerful methods of
achieving wealth and success ever developed. It has been demonstrated in
corporate training schemes. It has been used successfully again and again
by countless individuals. Setting both short term goals and long-term
goals has the effect of focusing your mind like a laser beam. It pulls
you along toward higher and better things. It gives solidity to what you
are trying to accomplish, and thus makes that which you want more real
and likely to come into your life.
As you have probably heard, it is best to write your short- term and
long-term goals down on paper and then post them somewhere in your
workplace and home. The first thing you should do every morning is look
over your goal list, and then put together your Top 10 to do list which
will move you toward your goal. The last thing you should do every
evening is review your short-term and long-term goals, and tell yourself
as you go to sleep that you are going to do everything in your power to
make those goals a reality in your life. Amazing Money Tip #10 Invest
your money and make it work at multiplying itself. Saving money in a
savings account is important as we said above, but the 2.3 percent
interest rates most banks give you is not even enough to keep pace with
inflation.
You must do more than save your money -- you must invest it. That means
financial vehicles with super-high rates of return, such as mutual funds
and stocks, or the more risky commodity markets.
A $5,000 investment in commodities can return you 10 times that amount --
$50,000 --in just a few weeks, although you could easily lose it as well.
Invest your savings into a long term certificate (CD). You can often get
one with an interest rate up 4.5-5%. They are 100% safe, and still give
you a much better return than normal savings accounts.
The bottom line is, you should take a portion of your savings and put it
in a high interest or high risk investment plans. That's the way to
really get ahead. Amazing Money Tip #11 Have fun! Yes, this tip
easily makes my list because it is so essential to your success. The
great writer Ray Bradbury once said in an interview: "If you are not
having fun, you might as well forget it. Do everything you do with joy
and you'll be successful." You need to be having fun to stay positive,
and you need to stay positive to make money. So come on! Get out their:
laugh, clap your hands, live! Have a blast and rake in the cash! The
world is waiting for you!
I hope you have learned many new ways to save your hard- earned money,
and enjoy your day-to-day life more. Remember, nothing discussed in this
4 part series is anything that you can't do. If you put this information
to good use, it is guaranteed that you will benefit from it.
Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
About The Author
Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News.
A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong
focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools,
Resources, eBooks, and More!
by: Palyn Peterson
At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.
Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.
This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.
Amazing Money Tip #9 You must set short-term goals and long-term goals.
If you don't know where you are going, how do you expect to get there?
It's simple but powerful logic. When you have a target sitting out there
somewhere in the future, a target which is your goal, it can almost act
like a magnet that pulls you toward it.
Setting solid goals which are attainable, yet still a challenge, have
proved time and time again to be one of the most powerful methods of
achieving wealth and success ever developed. It has been demonstrated in
corporate training schemes. It has been used successfully again and again
by countless individuals. Setting both short term goals and long-term
goals has the effect of focusing your mind like a laser beam. It pulls
you along toward higher and better things. It gives solidity to what you
are trying to accomplish, and thus makes that which you want more real
and likely to come into your life.
As you have probably heard, it is best to write your short- term and
long-term goals down on paper and then post them somewhere in your
workplace and home. The first thing you should do every morning is look
over your goal list, and then put together your Top 10 to do list which
will move you toward your goal. The last thing you should do every
evening is review your short-term and long-term goals, and tell yourself
as you go to sleep that you are going to do everything in your power to
make those goals a reality in your life. Amazing Money Tip #10 Invest
your money and make it work at multiplying itself. Saving money in a
savings account is important as we said above, but the 2.3 percent
interest rates most banks give you is not even enough to keep pace with
inflation.
You must do more than save your money -- you must invest it. That means
financial vehicles with super-high rates of return, such as mutual funds
and stocks, or the more risky commodity markets.
A $5,000 investment in commodities can return you 10 times that amount --
$50,000 --in just a few weeks, although you could easily lose it as well.
Invest your savings into a long term certificate (CD). You can often get
one with an interest rate up 4.5-5%. They are 100% safe, and still give
you a much better return than normal savings accounts.
The bottom line is, you should take a portion of your savings and put it
in a high interest or high risk investment plans. That's the way to
really get ahead. Amazing Money Tip #11 Have fun! Yes, this tip
easily makes my list because it is so essential to your success. The
great writer Ray Bradbury once said in an interview: "If you are not
having fun, you might as well forget it. Do everything you do with joy
and you'll be successful." You need to be having fun to stay positive,
and you need to stay positive to make money. So come on! Get out their:
laugh, clap your hands, live! Have a blast and rake in the cash! The
world is waiting for you!
I hope you have learned many new ways to save your hard- earned money,
and enjoy your day-to-day life more. Remember, nothing discussed in this
4 part series is anything that you can't do. If you put this information
to good use, it is guaranteed that you will benefit from it.
Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
About The Author
Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News.
A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong
focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools,
Resources, eBooks, and More!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 3
The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 3
by: Palyn Peterson
At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.
Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.
This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.
Amazing Money Tip #6
Do what you love and the money will follow. I think there's a book by
that title. At any rate, it's true. One of the primary reasons that many
people live paycheck to paycheck, and are broke despite working very hard
at their jobs, is the fact that they hate what they do.
If you hate your job, you will not have a positive attitude toward money.
You will associate money with that dreadful sound of the alarm clock
every morning. Once you tie up your source of wealth and income with
drudgery, that's exactly what the majority of your life will become:
drudgery.
Starting today, you should begin planning your escape. The first thing
you should ask yourself is: "If money were no object, what would I be
doing? What do I like to do most for fun, and is it possible that I could
get paid for it?"
Sound ludicrous? It's not. In fact, if your work is not also your play,
you are fighting against yourself. You will eventually burn out and hate
the world. On the other hand, if you get up every day being exciting,
positive and looking forward to what you are going to be doing - and
making money at it - you will automatically move toward doing more and
more of what you love, and making more and more money at it. If your
dream job means starting your own business, don't let that stop you
either! It is much easier than most people think. Look in to it, it could
literally change your life.
Amazing Money Tip #7
You must get organized. Being a tidy, efficient person has more influence
on how much money you make more than you can ever imagine.
If you want to have a lot of money, you can't afford to be a slob. Think
about it. Let's say you are at your desk trying to get some work done.
You need to find the stapler, but because your office is such a pit, you
spend 15 minutes looking for it. You've just spent 15 unproductive
minutes. Next you may need to locate a file, and that takes you 20
minutes of sifting through paper. Another 20 minutes down the tube. By
the end of the day, you may easily burn up two or three hours doing
something as trivial as looking for things. The same goes for any kind of
job you might have. If you are an auto mechanic, how much time do you
spend trying to find a nine-sixteenth wrench, when you could have it at
your fingertips.
It's disorganized people who are always saying at the end of the day: "I
seem to work so hard but get very little done!" Of course! You spent the
entire day looking for the Scotch tape!
The fact is, time is money. The more time you spend unproductively, the
less time you are earning money. Clean up your office. Organize your tool
shed. Get your bookwork organized. Think of every minute saved as a buck
in your pocket.
Amazing Money Tip #8
Make your own daily top 10 list. Speaking of getting organized, you
should sit down every morning with your cup of coffee and list the top 10
things you would like to get done that day. Then organize them in
priority of importance. Start at item #1 and go down the list as fast as
you can.
Make no doubt about it - this is a powerful way to get work done. It will
put hoards of cash in your pocket. The reason is that making money is all
about movement - forward movement. As the famous novelist Ayn Rand told
us, in a capitalist society the most important things a person can do is
move forward every day!
Having a top ten list will ensure that you accomplish something every
day. You may not get through the whole list every day, nor should you
necessarily try. Just do your best. At the end of the day, you should be
able to look at your list with pride, examine the scratched off items and
say: "That's what I got done today! I did something to better my life and
create wealth!"
Again, this method has been used by a majority of the most wealthy and
successful people in history. Shouldn't you join the club?
The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 4. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.
Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
About The Author
Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News.
A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong
focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools,
Resources, eBooks, and More!
by: Palyn Peterson
At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.
Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.
This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.
Amazing Money Tip #6
Do what you love and the money will follow. I think there's a book by
that title. At any rate, it's true. One of the primary reasons that many
people live paycheck to paycheck, and are broke despite working very hard
at their jobs, is the fact that they hate what they do.
If you hate your job, you will not have a positive attitude toward money.
You will associate money with that dreadful sound of the alarm clock
every morning. Once you tie up your source of wealth and income with
drudgery, that's exactly what the majority of your life will become:
drudgery.
Starting today, you should begin planning your escape. The first thing
you should ask yourself is: "If money were no object, what would I be
doing? What do I like to do most for fun, and is it possible that I could
get paid for it?"
Sound ludicrous? It's not. In fact, if your work is not also your play,
you are fighting against yourself. You will eventually burn out and hate
the world. On the other hand, if you get up every day being exciting,
positive and looking forward to what you are going to be doing - and
making money at it - you will automatically move toward doing more and
more of what you love, and making more and more money at it. If your
dream job means starting your own business, don't let that stop you
either! It is much easier than most people think. Look in to it, it could
literally change your life.
Amazing Money Tip #7
You must get organized. Being a tidy, efficient person has more influence
on how much money you make more than you can ever imagine.
If you want to have a lot of money, you can't afford to be a slob. Think
about it. Let's say you are at your desk trying to get some work done.
You need to find the stapler, but because your office is such a pit, you
spend 15 minutes looking for it. You've just spent 15 unproductive
minutes. Next you may need to locate a file, and that takes you 20
minutes of sifting through paper. Another 20 minutes down the tube. By
the end of the day, you may easily burn up two or three hours doing
something as trivial as looking for things. The same goes for any kind of
job you might have. If you are an auto mechanic, how much time do you
spend trying to find a nine-sixteenth wrench, when you could have it at
your fingertips.
It's disorganized people who are always saying at the end of the day: "I
seem to work so hard but get very little done!" Of course! You spent the
entire day looking for the Scotch tape!
The fact is, time is money. The more time you spend unproductively, the
less time you are earning money. Clean up your office. Organize your tool
shed. Get your bookwork organized. Think of every minute saved as a buck
in your pocket.
Amazing Money Tip #8
Make your own daily top 10 list. Speaking of getting organized, you
should sit down every morning with your cup of coffee and list the top 10
things you would like to get done that day. Then organize them in
priority of importance. Start at item #1 and go down the list as fast as
you can.
Make no doubt about it - this is a powerful way to get work done. It will
put hoards of cash in your pocket. The reason is that making money is all
about movement - forward movement. As the famous novelist Ayn Rand told
us, in a capitalist society the most important things a person can do is
move forward every day!
Having a top ten list will ensure that you accomplish something every
day. You may not get through the whole list every day, nor should you
necessarily try. Just do your best. At the end of the day, you should be
able to look at your list with pride, examine the scratched off items and
say: "That's what I got done today! I did something to better my life and
create wealth!"
Again, this method has been used by a majority of the most wealthy and
successful people in history. Shouldn't you join the club?
The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 4. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.
Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
About The Author
Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News.
A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong
focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools,
Resources, eBooks, and More!
Monday, August 3, 2009
The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 2
The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 2
by: Palyn Peterson
At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.
Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.
This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.
Amazing Money Tip #4
Ben Franklin said it long ago: "A penny saved is a penny earned." Yes,
it's still true, and still one of the most powerful money-making tips in
all history.
Implied within Franklin's famous statement is the difficulty of saving.
It's tough to save and easy to spend! You know that! That's why every
penny saved truly is earned - because it takes so much effort to hold on
to that cash! But if you can do it, it will work magic in your life.
Having a savings account will de-stress your life. Imagine being ahead of
your bills, rather than behind. When you are ahead of your bills, you
entire life comes under your control. You sleep better at night. Your
mind is freer to come up with new ways to make more money and save more.
Saving is contagious - once you let it get started!
Here are some tips to help you save:
1. Don't settle for interest checking. Have a separate savings account
that can't be as easily accessed as a checking account.
2. Keep your savings in another bank - one that's off your regular
route, or perhaps even in another town. That way you won't be tempted
to dip into it every time you visit the bank to make a checking
deposit.
3. Buy short-term savings bonds, which have 6-month to one- year
maturity dates. That way you will get a higher rate, while at the same
time keeping your money close in case of real emergencies.
4. If you can, open the account under two names and require that both
signatures be required to make a withdrawal. Two people can debate
each withdrawal and keep each other in line.
5. When you get your paycheck, immediately put a minimum of 5% in your
savings account. After just a year, you'll be surprised by how much
you have actually saved and feel great about it.
Amazing Money Tip #5
Visualize wealth and abundance everyday. Am I actually suggesting that
you practice some sort of airy-fairy mysticism that will make you into a
"money magnet"? Maybe yes, maybe no. Call it what you will - a mind game,
mysticism, New Age ga-ga -- but the solid fact is that behind every
wealthy man and woman is a positive attitude toward money. Here's a quick
demonstration:
(1) Person One with a negative money attitude has daily thoughts which go
this way: "Jeez! $20 bucks is hard to come by! I seem to work so hard and
get so little for it. Money just slips through my fingers. It's amazing
how much money you have to earn to just get by these days. I'm never
going to be able to afford that new car on my limited salary, but this
job is still the best thing going for me right now. It's easy for some
people to make a lot of money, but I'm not one of those people ..." and
on and on.
(2) Person Two with a positive money attitude has daily thoughts which go
this way: "You know, I bet if I work my butt off I can get a raise next
month, and then I'll take half of the extra money I make and toss it in a
savings account. There must be a 100 other ways I can bring in some extra
cash. Money is not all that hard to earn if you work hard, watch your
spending and save a little at a time. There's enough wealth for everybody
in this country, and I can easily get my share, and more ..." and on and
on.
Okay. Which person do you think will have a better chance of success? You
don't need to be a Rhodes Scholar to see how Person One is dragging
himself down with his thoughts, and how Person Two is giving himself a
fighting chance.
Look at it this way: It costs nothing one way or the other to have either
negative or positive thoughts. So why not have positive thoughts?
There have been many studies done on the thought patterns and the frames
of mind of some of the richest, most successful people in the world. The
one thing they all had in common was a positive attitude toward money and
their ability to earn it.
The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 3. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.
Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
About The Author
Sign up for Palyn Peterson's FREE 13 day intensive email course and
discover the 16 necessary basics and 8 advanced internet marketing
techniques. You'll also receive a free $gift$.
http://FutureInternetMarketing.com/guide.htm
palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
by: Palyn Peterson
At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.
Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.
This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.
Amazing Money Tip #4
Ben Franklin said it long ago: "A penny saved is a penny earned." Yes,
it's still true, and still one of the most powerful money-making tips in
all history.
Implied within Franklin's famous statement is the difficulty of saving.
It's tough to save and easy to spend! You know that! That's why every
penny saved truly is earned - because it takes so much effort to hold on
to that cash! But if you can do it, it will work magic in your life.
Having a savings account will de-stress your life. Imagine being ahead of
your bills, rather than behind. When you are ahead of your bills, you
entire life comes under your control. You sleep better at night. Your
mind is freer to come up with new ways to make more money and save more.
Saving is contagious - once you let it get started!
Here are some tips to help you save:
1. Don't settle for interest checking. Have a separate savings account
that can't be as easily accessed as a checking account.
2. Keep your savings in another bank - one that's off your regular
route, or perhaps even in another town. That way you won't be tempted
to dip into it every time you visit the bank to make a checking
deposit.
3. Buy short-term savings bonds, which have 6-month to one- year
maturity dates. That way you will get a higher rate, while at the same
time keeping your money close in case of real emergencies.
4. If you can, open the account under two names and require that both
signatures be required to make a withdrawal. Two people can debate
each withdrawal and keep each other in line.
5. When you get your paycheck, immediately put a minimum of 5% in your
savings account. After just a year, you'll be surprised by how much
you have actually saved and feel great about it.
Amazing Money Tip #5
Visualize wealth and abundance everyday. Am I actually suggesting that
you practice some sort of airy-fairy mysticism that will make you into a
"money magnet"? Maybe yes, maybe no. Call it what you will - a mind game,
mysticism, New Age ga-ga -- but the solid fact is that behind every
wealthy man and woman is a positive attitude toward money. Here's a quick
demonstration:
(1) Person One with a negative money attitude has daily thoughts which go
this way: "Jeez! $20 bucks is hard to come by! I seem to work so hard and
get so little for it. Money just slips through my fingers. It's amazing
how much money you have to earn to just get by these days. I'm never
going to be able to afford that new car on my limited salary, but this
job is still the best thing going for me right now. It's easy for some
people to make a lot of money, but I'm not one of those people ..." and
on and on.
(2) Person Two with a positive money attitude has daily thoughts which go
this way: "You know, I bet if I work my butt off I can get a raise next
month, and then I'll take half of the extra money I make and toss it in a
savings account. There must be a 100 other ways I can bring in some extra
cash. Money is not all that hard to earn if you work hard, watch your
spending and save a little at a time. There's enough wealth for everybody
in this country, and I can easily get my share, and more ..." and on and
on.
Okay. Which person do you think will have a better chance of success? You
don't need to be a Rhodes Scholar to see how Person One is dragging
himself down with his thoughts, and how Person Two is giving himself a
fighting chance.
Look at it this way: It costs nothing one way or the other to have either
negative or positive thoughts. So why not have positive thoughts?
There have been many studies done on the thought patterns and the frames
of mind of some of the richest, most successful people in the world. The
one thing they all had in common was a positive attitude toward money and
their ability to earn it.
The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 3. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.
Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
About The Author
Sign up for Palyn Peterson's FREE 13 day intensive email course and
discover the 16 necessary basics and 8 advanced internet marketing
techniques. You'll also receive a free $gift$.
http://FutureInternetMarketing.com/guide.htm
palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com
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