Archive for Advice
October 26, 2008 at 8:01 pm · Filed under Advice, Business, Great Self Improvement Tips
Being broke is no fun, and trying to figure out how to put money in your pocket without having to sell your PS3 is no fun either. However, if you have Internet access, then you can probably find something that will fit into what you are looking for. Cash gifting for example, is a great way to make a supplemental or even a full time income from your home. The cash gifting expert will help you find the program that is right for you and the income you want to make, and the money you have available for gifting. Once you have made these steps get prepared to start receiving money.
Cash gifting is making a comeback. Once it was considered a multi-level marketing scam, but in truth, it was once just poorly managed. Now, I’m not a cash gifting expert, but from what I have read online, it is very possible to make money through cash gifting. Not only that, it is possible to make a lot of money with cash gifting. It just depends on what kind of time and money you are willing to put into it yourself, and isn’t that true of any kind of business? If you are not willing to commit you will not make money, but if you are, then you will.
October 24, 2008 at 5:45 am · Filed under Advice
Debt Consolidation - Dos and Don’ts
It’s possible you’ve heard all types of rumours about debt consolidation. Some of these stories portray it as a quick route to clearing scattered debts. Other tails paint a scary picture of escalating debt that leads inevitably to financial disaster.
The reality, of course, rests right in-between. Debt consolidation may or may not be the best way for you to repay your creditors. It all depends on a range of factors: not just how much you owe to creditors, but how much money you make and what kind of debts you’re thinking about consolidating, as well as your attitude to debt and to money in general.
There are one or two dos & don’ts that apply to nearly everyone. Consider these debt consolidation tips.
Do talk to a professional debt adviser if you’re thinking about consolidating your debts. You need someone who can help you study your options, so make sure you talk to a professional that doesn’t only offer consolidation loans. Its possible that all you need is some advice on budgeting more effectively, so you can manage your debts personally.
Take time to think carefully about the repayment term on your consolidation loan, if you take one.
Don’t keep on struggling if you really can’t afford your debt repayments. If you need help, ask for it - your debt adviser will be able to help you decide whether you need a professional debt solution, and if so, which one.
June 8, 2008 at 7:33 am · Filed under Advice, Business, Content Resources
The great jobs for stay at home moms are getting even cooler these days. It’s been a while since an opportunity to make money while the baby is sleeping without leaving your home has been lucrative.
When mothers used to throw Tupperware parties, or sell Avon in their home their was alot of selling work involved. Now days you can just use your blog for cash membership to spend that extra time writing and getting paid for it!
Their are all kinds of places that need blogs for backlinks and blogs for adsense revenue! You can get paid doing what you love!
It is becoming more and more a concept that is not raising eyebrows anymore that you can find jobs for stay at home moms. More and more people are realizing that just because your stuck at home watching the kids all day this doesn’t mean you can’t work.
Especially if you have kids old enough to help you baby-sit but not old enough to be left at home alone just yet.
You can log onto the internet and Google to find some lucrative writing jobs and others like project payday (a little more difficult but very stable income if you can handle it!)
April 30, 2008 at 4:55 am · Filed under Advice
How do you increase business profits? Answer the following questions carefully, and you’ll have a good start.
1. Can you increase the average sale? A restaurant with 25% profit margins might make 50% on additional sales to existing customers (less labor to bag one large order than two smaller ones). Asking “What would you like to drink with that?” works, and it’s just a start.
2. What’s the least expensive way to get a customer? Before you spend another thousand dollars advertising to get new customers, could you get as much business by spending a few hours contacting previous or existing customers?
3. What low risk ideas can you try? I once sent a letter to several visiting basketball teams, inviting them to visit our restaurant, and giving the coach a free meal as an incentive. The cost? Two dollars. The pay off was two busloads of customers. At that rate, you could increase your business profits even if nine out of ten ideas fail.
4. Have you tested prices? I knew a store that sold a product for a $1.05, that cost them $1.00. At a price of $1.20, it is doubtful that they’d lose half their sales, but if they did, they’d still make twice the profit. Some things even sell better at a higher price. Test.
5. Can you measure your advertising results? How do you know that you’re not spending more for a customer than they’re worth? Coupons, customer surveys and other methods of measurement are a must.
6. How do you know your customers are satisfied? The worst restaurant meal we ever ate went down without a comment, but we never returned to that restaurant. Maybe the owner should be talking to the customers.
7. Can you enhance the percieved value of your product? Years ago, I sold walking sticks for $10 at flea markets, and $20 at craft shows. Sometimes location alone can enhance the percieved value of a product. What else can you do?
8. What are similar businesses doing? See what your successful competitors are doing. Can you do the same?
9. What other products can you sell? There’s a reason stores have candy and magazines near the checkout. Extra sales are a great way to increase business profits.
10. Can you use your customers as salesmen? Word of mouth is a start, but what other ways can you get your customers to bring their friends to you?
These were culled from a longer list. I call it “stolen business ideas,” because I can’t credit the original authors. I took them where I found them over the years, with grattitude, but without notes.
Steve Gillman has been studying every aspect of money for thirty years. You can find more interesting and useful information on his website; http://www.EverythingAboutMoney.info
April 26, 2008 at 7:29 pm · Filed under Advice
Success is an aim which is hard to reach, but not impossible to.
One common thread that runs along success stories is that
successful people observe great discipline on themselves on
their way to the top plus also their foresight. Common among
successful people are also goals and their habit of not leaving
other aspects of their lives behind.
Despite these characteristics, successful people, like most
other people, are no strangers to failure. Even after learning
the tips on what things to do or remember to achieve success,
people still stumble on which things not to do to achieve
success. Herewith is a list of things successful people do not
do which other people should not do as well in order to reach
success:
For achieving goals, here are some points people should never
stumble upon on their way to success:
>Having no plan at all. Setting goals is just the easy part,
some people see the ends they want to meet but cannot see the
way through them. It is important to consider the resources one
will need and back-up plans should plan A fail.
>Cramming one’s mind with so many things at once. Start small.
Take it one step at a time. Build up small habits to enhance
self-confidence and then pick up speed then on.
>Being vague about plans. Try to be more specific. As in
exercise, instead of saying “I’ll do some work-out next year.”
Try saying “For the whole year net year, I’ll exercise twice a
week.” or something to that effect. Point is, seal your plans
from wiggle-out spaces. Also refrain from absolute statements
containing “never” and “always”.
>Fooling one’s self. Keep track of progress in a journal or
checklist. Sometimes memory becomes really selective and
remembers activities never done and forgets about little
failures.
>Beating one’s self up. A pat on the back for things done well
can mean a lot of encouragement to push through. Do not think
too much about the mistakes committed. Learn from them and then
move on forward.
>Expecting things to work perfectly as planned. Leave room for
failure. Follow the cliche “try and try until you succeed”. If
things do not go well the first try, step up and do it again.
With a little faith it can be done.
While in the business, here are some pitfalls to avoid:
>Being content with mediocrity. Asserting one’s edge or trait
differentiates one from the rest.. Another bonus from this is
that you can ask for higher incentives for the marginal benefits
that you offer.
>Underestimating one’s worth. Determine the price so that it is
both competitive and appropriate. Be cautious about the
implications of having too high a price or too low. A price too
high drives away customers and a price too low may make clients
think twice about the quality of the product or service.
>Failing to make one’s business accessible to potential clients.
Best forms of marketing are via word-of-mouth and referrals. Try
to penetrate these media of advertising. They are cheap yet
highly effective.
>Becoming a workaholic. It is not advisable for one to burn
himself out with work. One should never abandon his health and
his life altogether. He may become successful professionally but
a total loser in the other aspects of his life. Try to socialize
with officemates or colleagues. It is recommended for a person
to engage in a healthy recreational activity once in a while to
relieve stress brought about by his job.
>Being content with stacked knowledge. For one to succeed, it is
important to always be willing to learn. This is important
especially in the field of technology where everything is
changing at a very rapid pace. It is important to be up to date
with the latest trends, programs and gadgets so that one can
deliver well to his clients. Try attending seminars and
workshops to keep abreast with the latest trends in your field
of work.
> Finally, failing to enjoy one’s work. Personal satisfaction at
work is as important as workmanship itself. Personal
satisfaction can serve as the well of enthusiasm for a person,
ensuring that he only rarely, if not never, loses his momentum
at work. Personal satisfaction also keeps a person from draining
out of energy to enable him to do other things after work.
April 19, 2008 at 1:20 am · Filed under Advice
“I have to solve this problem now. The sooner the better!”
“Once I figure this out I will…..”
“I can’t do Y until I do X and I do X RIGHT”
Push, push, push.
As a society, it seems popular and highly favored to become a
“go getter”. Some one who “knows where she is going and makes a
way to get there.”
Ladder climbers have been known to trounce several or quite a
few on the way above and beyond.
The easy way?
Never! Part of the badge of honor is the striving, the struggle,
the sweat and the tears.
There has GOT TO BE a better way.
The good news there IS and it is SOOOOO much simpler!
Instead of pushing so hard and becoming so frustrated, simply
tap into the most efficient methods of using your personal gifts
to achieve the desired results.
You might be asking, “Well, how is that possible without
pushing?”
Here is the often overlooked secret.
There are three simple steps:
1. Instead of saying “I HAVE TO solve this problem or ONCE I
figure this out or I MUST do X before Y, ask yourself something
else. The have to’s and the once I’s and the I must’s are fruit
of not having enough. They are the outcome of believing the
world is a place of poverty, powerlessness and scarcity. One
moment walking along the shore and you will remember this is a
world of incredible abundance. So ASK yourself, “How can I solve
this?” or “How can I do this now?” or “In what way can I do Y
before X is in place?” Simply, quietly and reflectively ask
yourself those replacement questions whenever one of the
scarcity based statements begins playing in your mind’s audio
system.
2. Do not become overly concerned about an immediate answer.
Simply ask, and if you have not had a “Eureka” moment, continue
to quietly and peacefully re-ask the question WITHOUT pushing.
One of the best times to ask yourself your question is before
going to sleep at night. In fact, this is a practice you may
want to try each night before going to sleep.
3. Be alert to any possible response from your subconscious
mind. You may want to spend some focused contemplative time and
directly ask yourself for the response. Many people will say “I
don’t have any more minutes in my day. How can I spend
contemplative time?” One response is ASK yourself! And for now,
use the time you are already using for something else and build
a bridge. One method is to use your shower or bath time.
Hopefully when you are showering you are relaxed and
comfortable, which is the perfect context to tune into your
wellspring of ideas.
Using your subconscious mind to be drawn into success is so much
simpler than pushing yourself unmercifully right OUT of success.
Partnering with your subconscious, you will be amazed at the
brilliant solutions you create over very little time.
A variation of this technique is used in test taking: you may
have learned it when you were younger. In college, one professor
advised me to read the entire test through before starting to
answer any questions.
This way, for any answers you are not clear on, your
subconscious will immediately begin searching for the answers
while you are busily responding to those questions you know the
answers for immediately.
Its like when you are digging around your brain for someone’s
name, or a book title, or a movie, and you say, “Shoot! I know
what it is, I just can’t remember right now!” and twenty minutes
later you will shout (seemingly out of nowhere) “A Wrinkle in
Time! That’s the book I read in sixth grade by Madeliene
L’Engle!” or “Russell Crowe won best actor last year!”
Your brain has an even more amazing search function than your
computer. Using this function will empower you to stop pushing
your way to semi-success. You will now be able to flow your way
into flourishing prosperity.
Review the three steps and ask yourself the questions.
Allow yourself to receive the answers while not being overly
concerned with the immediate answer. Instead, know the perfect
answer is already within you.
Embrace the truth that to truly start succeeding, it is most
fruitful to stop pushing.
