Money Matters Hub

5 Very Easy Steps to Affiliate Profits! - Making Money With Affiliate Marketing

2010-05-16T16:24:00.004+08:00

What's the best affiliate marketing online? The one that does not ask for any fee and does really pay.

There are a ton of opportunities online that you can make really good money with as an affiliate marketer. But what if you're just getting started and have yet to make your first dime as an affiliate?

Here are 5 steps you can put to use right away to help you start pulling in those affiliate commissions.

Step #1 Get Traffic To Your Affiliate Link.

As an affiliate you don't have to worry about anything else but getting visitors in front of the offer you're promoting. What you want to find out as soon as possible is whether or not the product you've chosen to promote will be worth your time and effort.

Step #2 Start Building Your List.

The best way to maximize any amount of traffic you get is to build a list of subscribers. With a list of subscribers you can send traffic to any offer you choose to promote, by simply setting up a short message and pressing the 'send' button.

Step #3 Setup Your Lead Capture Website.

In order to get people to join your list, you will need to setup a lead capture website that will give your visitors only one of two options:

Sign Up

or

Leave

It's important that this website not offer any other choices than the two mentioned above, because that will easy detract from your list building efforts and the last thing you want to do is waste traffic.

Step #4 Send Massive Traffic To Your Lead Capture Website.

There are any number of ways to get massive traffic to your website. Here are just a few tried and tested ways to get subscribers joining your list right now:

Pay Per Click or Google AdWords. While Google AdWords is not the only game in town, PPC traffic is some of the fastest traffic you can get, but it does not come without a learning curve.

Article Marketing is a free an incredibly effective way to attract subscribers to your list. The beauty of article marketing is that your articles will continue to drive traffic to your website long after you've written and the more you write the better it gets.

Ezine advertising is another method of traffic generation that allows you to pay for access to other list owners subscribers and post ads offering them an opportunity to join your list.

Setup a Blog with informative articles and put your optin form in a visible location so that you can capture search engine traffic and build your list that way.

Step #5 Focus on following One System. Once you've gone through the steps you need to take to get everything up and running it's important to stick to whatever method of traffic generation you've chosen and work at it until you see results.

In this blog, you will notice that I've only one Affiliate Marketing network that I promote and it's Moreniche. Because I've tried and tested it. No fees and does really pay. Try and join now.

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Human Needs - The Most Lucrative Niche

2010-03-02T22:57:00.007+08:00

Many an online entrepreneur has wasted a considerable amount of time targeting a niche that originally looked to be a good bet with seemingly strong demand and so on, only to find out after lots of networking and marketing that it was really a non-starter from the beginning.

To Make Money Online You Need to Target Human Needs

It is of vital importance to really understand the most important human needs before investing time & resources in a niche that may not prove to be that profitable. If you are targeting things that you think will sell, when they are actually things that people couldn't really be bothered with, your internet endeavors will be still born.

On the other hand if you are providing services & products that hit the human needs' sweet spot, you will be onto a good money maker.

So What Are the Most Important Needs of People?

Well there are really only 3 things that people strive for and only a few get to achieve all three of them.

They are;

1. Time
2. Money
3. Health

In other words everyone is trying to spend less time making as much money as possible whilst maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Many people achieve the first 2 but let the third one suffer - just look at how many high powered wealthy executives have bad hearts and really look out of shape. Also a lot of really healthy people, such as personal trainers or professional athletes, have their health but maybe not so much of the wealth - except for the Michael Johnsons & Lance Armstrongs of this world.

So achieving all three of these needs is a difficult act to achieve, but as internet marketer you should be trying to attend to these needs with your products and services.

Target the Greatest Needs That People Have

Finding profitable niches should therefore include targeting everyone's desires & needs and be specific enough to hit your prospect's sweet spot.

If you can get this strategy right and do it often enough, you could be onto a real money maker.
Targeting Needs and Niches. Identifying people's needs is one thing but it might be too broad to be viable in terms of a money making strategy.

It is therefore useful to narrow things down a bit into smaller niches and once you have found a profitable niche that has a strong demand and that is less exploited than the common ones, you will really be onto a winner.

Click here to earn online promoting the hottest and most profitable niches online.

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The Business Credit Card and the Financial Crisis

2009-05-01T23:01:00.005+08:00

In the economical crisis that we are faced with today it is difficult to suggest one credit card over another. Still there are great deals out there you only need to look for them. The credit card companies have started to cut back on giving out the business credit card and even cut back on its present users because of the financial situation that we are faced with in the nation. You as a consumer still need to use your credit card and make your payments in a timely manner. The economy will bounce back especially with the stimulus packages that our president is offering the American people and the business's in our country. We will all need to make sure that everything that we do in the line of credit is well handled.

You need to keep your credit score at a high average by making your payments in a timely manner and even paying your credit card in advance whenever it is possible. The best business credit card for 2009 will be exceedingly abundant in offering rewards, cash back bonus, free yearly annual fee's, and low APR% rates. The credit business needs new faces and will give good opportunities in order to enlist clients. You should not have any problems in gaining a business credit card if you have a great credit score. You must remember that most credit card companies check not only your business credit score but your personal credit score as well.

In today's economy, credit card companies are scaling back on offering just about any card. Are they going to come back around and offer a card that is available to everyone? Yes, the economy works in a cycle and sooner or later, your mailbox will be flooded with offers and you'll have no idea on what to do with the options.

You'll find that today there are still a lot of offers out there but compared to a year ago, yes, the market has changed but only for a temporary while. The companies want to still make money but the only way they can make more money is simply by getting more people to sign up for a card. You can't just service the same old people. If you think of it, you can't just service the same customer over and over again; it's not going to work. As you broaden your horizons, it's going to open up more opportunity to make money for yourself.

In today's climate, you'll want to have a great credit score, an established business or you'll want to prove that you can pay that money back. If you can do or prove a few of these things, you'll find that you'll have no troubles getting the card that you want. Look for ones that offer rewards, ones with a great review online and also look for one that fits your business style. As long as you do your research, you shouldn't have a problem finding one.

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Learn How to Get Debt Free With Free Grant Money

2009-06-28T22:26:00.005+08:00

You may be struggling like so many of us because we do not have enough money to pay our credit cards bills. It is important that you take action so that you can eliminate your debt and not have to worry every day about how to pay which bill. Government Grants are a great way that you can get the money you need to pay off this debt. It is not hard to apply for and receive money that you can use for the purpose of getting out of debt. One of the many benefits to using this type of toll to have no more debt is that you do not have to pay the money back like a traditional loan.

Get Free: Government Grants

Don't wait around until things get worse it is time for you to take advantage of the money you can get to eliminate all of your debt. Much of this money goes unused because so many people do not know that they can get this money. Do not be like those people make sure that you search for and get the money you need to get debt free. There are many types of grants that you can apply for so it is important that you find the one that best fits your particular needs.

Find a: Free Money Grant

Remember that getting the money you need to pay off your debt is not hard to do. There are fee money grants that are available to you so you can get debt free. Do not wait until it is too late to get this money because you can get out from under this mound of debt today.

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Could a personal loan be the answer to your financial needs?

2009-07-03T22:02:00.006+08:00

We could all use a bit of extra cash at times - whether it’s to make home improvements, buy a new car, consolidate debts, or simply to take a much needed holiday. However, not all of us have lump sums of cash saved up - or, if a savings does exist, perhaps it’s already allocated to a different expense. Whatever the reason, not having access to money when you need it most can prove to be extremely difficult.

However, the good news is that UK consumers have access to a range of effective resources and options to help them fulfill their financial needs. One such option is a personal loan. Personal loans can help countless individuals and households by increasing their financial freedom and enabling them to place money where they need it most. Loans come in all sizes - from a few thousand pounds to larger sums - like £25,000 - so no matter what your financial needs, there’s a loan package available to help you.

However, many consumers hesitate when it comes to securing a personal loan, due to concerns regarding repayment. Perhaps you haven’t found a competitive loan offer - which means you’d be re-paying a lot of money in interest. Or maybe you’re worried about what might happen if you were suddenly unable to make your loan payments. Yet whatever the reason for hesitation, there are a range of solutions to put a borrower’s mind at ease.

For example, consumers can usually opt for some kind of loan protection plan - which means that if they lose their job or can’t work due to illness or injury, they’ll be protected with regard to their loan repayments. Some lenders even give consumers the option to take breaks from their loan repayments, due to a range of reasons - from financial hardship to the consumer’s need for extra funds over a given amount of time. If interest rates are a primary concern, rest assured there are countless competitive loan packages out there. There are even dedicated tools - such as loan calculators – designed to help consumers figure out how much will be paid in interest on a monthly basis, as well as over the entire life of a loan.

To make matters even easier, applying for a personal loan is incredibly simple. You can usually apply and get a decision online within minutes of submitting your application - which means you can have money in your account sooner rather than later. So, whether you need cash for a short term expense - like a new car - or one that will be extended over a few years - like your child’s college tuition - a personal loan could be the answer to your financial needs.

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Wedding Crafts Ideas for Saving Money

2009-07-09T21:33:00.005+08:00

Weddings are a joyous occasion but can get expensive in a hurry. With wedding crafts you can insert a personal touch and hold the price down as well. Here are a few ideas for wedding crafts to add sparkle and creativity to your big day.

It is not that hard to create your own wedding veil. To make this wedding craft, you will need a length of bridal illusion in the desired length. You will also need a comb to attach it to your hair and a hat or headpiece to cover the comb. Sew large running stitches about an inch from the end of the illusion and gather it tightly. Now sew the veil to the comb. Top with hat or headpiece. As an alternative, you can decorate a wide-brimmed straw hat with silk flowers, ribbon, and pearls.

The bouquets and floral arrangements can also be personally crafted. For a simple outdoor wedding, consider wild flowers. They are free and have a charm all their own. Bouquets can be arranged in large clear vases, with a bow tied elegantly around.

Favors for the guests are particularly appropriate wedding crafts. Refrigerator magnets are a simple and well-received favor. A really nice idea is to make a magnetic picture frame and include a picture of the couple. You could cut a frame out of craft foam in one of the wedding colors, arrange over the photo, and glue all onto a cardboard backing. Place self-adhesive magnet tape on the back of the cardboard. Decorate the front of the frame with foil heart stickers and a monogram of the couple's last name.

Bows for the ends of the pews or rows make simple wedding crafts. Wide velvet ribbons are nice for fall and winter weddings, while satin is more appropriate for spring and summer weddings. Loop some flat lace in with the ribbons. In the center of the completed bow, attach some silk flowers and pearl sprays with a hot glue gun.

Perhaps you'd like to try your hand at decorating your own cake. Check the craft section of the department store for pans and gadgets of all types to help you create a cake to remember. Do remember, though, that it takes a steady hand. Be sure to practice before starting on the real cake.

Preparing for a wedding can be expensive, but with wedding crafts, you can take some of the sting out. Plan early, however, because it will take a little while to make favors for everyone and all the other little details you will want to take care of. Maybe creating wedding crafts will even relieve some of those wedding jitters. In any event, crafting your own wedding items is a way to have a personal, beautiful, and less expensive wedding.

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Choosing a Forex Broker That Wont Rip You Off

2009-07-11T11:11:00.005+08:00

At the best of times Forex currency trading can be a risky business with a huge potential for profit or loss. As a fulltime trader i have seen the best and the worst that the forex market has to offer, the dizzying highs of large wins, and the gut wrenching lows of people going bust.

You might be a forex trader yourself, or maybe you are just curious about how forex markets work, whomever you are, you need to learn how to seperate the legit forex brokers from the scam merchants. The internet has a great deal of genuine forex dealers offering quality services, it is also unfortunately infected with just as many thieves dressed up as companies who will gladly take your money and then dissapear. This fear of being taken advantage of puts a lot of people off the idea of trading forex, this shouldn't be the case.

Now there are a few key differences between stock markets and forex markets that you are going to have to learn:

1. Forex has no centralised exchange house.

2. Forex trading is 24/7.

3. Forex is a largely unregulated market.

Looking at that list, it kind of seems that the forex market is akin to a wild west town full of outlaws and gunslingers. In this market there is noone to complain to, noone who will hold your hand. So how can you find the genuine dealers amid all the garbage? Do not trust any broker whose reputation cannot be confirmed, and whose company is not tied to the forex market.

The attraction of the forex market can be overwhelming. The scent of huge profits often overpower the common sense of the average person. They enter eagerly, just waiting to invest their life savings.Lying in wait are the scammers with huge promises, they capture the new investors money, and suddenly disappear.

The good news is, is that many genuine forex brokers do actually exist. Easy-Forex, Oanda, and many more have proven track records that justify their positions in the market. Usually if a company is small, has no affiliation to forex or a financial institution, then stay away. Also a word on looking for reviews about brokers online. You can find honest reviews on forex brokers online, however there seems to be a habit of late of competing forex companies, and/or traders engaging in negative marketing of each other. Dig deeper and you will usually find an honest answer.

So remember:

1. Validate the companies reputation.

2. Make sure they are tied to the forex legitimately.

3. If the company is small and unheard of, stay away.

4. Finally if the broker has a proven online track record, a legitimate financial institution affiliation, and a few good reviews, give them a try.

My ultimate advice is, if unsure, invest the smallest amount you can, and find out for yourself. This is how i usually used to find brokers, and it worked for me.

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How Promotional Items Can Help Your Business Grow

2009-08-06T16:52:00.004+08:00

In rainy seasons, everybody tends to get hold of their pennies as much as they can, and every expense needs to be considered thoroughly -tell that to your teen-age daughter! The trim in budgets goes from big multinational companies to very small businesses. But very frequently, promotional expenses are considered that: expenses, when in fact they should be considered an investment.

The money spent on branded promotional items will surely come back in sales. This is a concept that needs to be engraved in businessmen's brains. It is not a waste or an expense that needs to be paid: it is capital invested that constitutes the fuel of the company, what will eventually keep the company going. For instance, if you manufacture something, money spent on promotional products has the same importance as money spent on raw materials. The only question is to select the promotional items carefully and do the math properly. What do we mean by doing the right math?

The concept that rules this equation is "cost per contact". That is, how much are we willing to spend on each contact. But this is only one dimension of the issue. The other question is, of all these people we contact, how many of them are willing to become actual customers? The relevance of this matter is self-evident. It will help us trim our investment on promotional items to give them the most effectiveness.

Registering for an important exhibit, paying money to be at the stand, and in brochures is money wasted, unless you have plenty of promotional items to give away to a population of possible customers. The idea is to make your name, and contact information available to all of these "juicy" clients.

The reason for its importance is psychological, as many other concepts related to marketing. Words are blown by the wind. No matter if your commercial advisors talk until they go blue in the face, in a few minutes all those words will be gone, simply because physiologically, the human brain tends to discard unimportant information, as if it was programmed to save vital memory space. And believe me, what your company does, and your strategies and information is irrelevant information to the future consumers' brain.

So, you must make yourself absolutely sure that the customer-to-be has all your information handy. Once the customer calls you or drops a line, you have a green light to convince him that he has made the correct choice by calling you. The concept is this: the early bird catches the worm. The early competitor that has made provisions to have his name available for the customer in need, gets the contract.

The idea is persistence. Let your brand persist. In the Katrina of everyday life, your brand must stay above the flotation line. Or your business will irremediably sink. The importance lies not only in taking your brand as far as possible, but to make it persistent in the right place: your customer-to-be's desk.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to to your friends. Have a great day!

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How to Get Free Money Online

2009-07-18T09:25:00.005+08:00

Everyone loves to get free money and the best place where you can find free cash is online. Free money online is not a new concept. Since the Internet became the most popular medium for advertising and product promotions, companies started using free money as a tool to attract more customers. So it is really worthwhile to actively search for free cash online because such promotions are actively tied to the marketing efforts of companies. These companies will definitely honor payments because their reputations will be affected if they do not give you the promised cash-back. So here are some tips on how you can find free cash online.

The best companies that can provide lucrative free money promotions are credit card providers. As the credit market tightens, credit card companies are finding it difficult to get new clients and customers. More people now want to save and reduce their personal spending so credit card companies are the first to be affected by the shift in consumer sentiments. To lure back customers, they offer instant free money credits with no questions asked. Some of the top credit card providers can offer as much as $250 by simply getting or using your credit card. Such promotions are very enticing and you should take advantage of these free cash bonuses while they are still available.

However, not everyone can take advantage of the free money promotions provided by credit card companies. That is because you need to have a minimum credit score of 700 before you can get approval from credit companies. If your credit score is 700 or higher, then you can easily enjoy free money online provided by credit card companies. If you have a lower credit score, it is best if you can improve it first before filing your application with credit card companies. If you do not know your credit score, you can easily get it online also. Just look for an online service provide that will allow you to get your credit score for free.

You can also find free money online by simply creating an account with online financing institutions and peer to peer lending. There are many lending websites that can offer this kind of promotion. This option is for everyone because registration and joining the site is free. All you have to do is to invest a minimum amount to the lending company and you will instantly get as much as 50 percent instant cash-back. For example, if you deposit $50 in your online account, the company will instantly provide $25 bonus for you. You can immediately use this bonus free money as instrument for peer to peer lending. This is probably the best way to grow your online investment doing little effort. The best thing is, you will be able to get instant money by taking advantage of such promotions.

It is very easy to find free money online now. Companies know that consumers want to get more value for their expenses or investments so they offer lucrative free cash promotions that you can enjoy. As long as you choose a reputable and a stable company that provides cash-back options, you can ensure that your free money will be credited instantly to your account.

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Money Saving Tips With Internet Online Shopping

2009-08-13T21:55:00.004+08:00

Learn great money saving tips with online shopping as they could really give you huge savings if you practice them well. Internet online shopping has been gathering popularity as you can easily sift through many online stores in the shortest time frame to get the best deal, at the click of a mouse button. With discount vouchers, discount codes or promotional codes, you can save even more when shopping online.

5 Essential Money Saving Tips With Internet Online Shopping
1. Always aim for the best deal and save more for the item(s) you desire. Do not immediately settle down with your purchase on the first online store that you come across. Scout through a few of them and make your price comparison to get the best deal. Lookout for sale items especially. Sale prices can be dramatically lower than the standard prices and help you to save big.

2. Always use coupons or discount voucher codes if you know where to check online. There are many websites out there that offer thousands of coupons to almost every online store.
Typically you pay 20% more for an item for shipping fee, and if you are able to save that much with discount vouchers, you are essentially getting free shipping for your items. Every time you get to the last checkout page, just key in the promotional code into the little box will do.

3. Always keep an eye for online rebates given by retailers that can help to save a huge percentage on the selling price. Simple fill out a little form and cut out the UPC code. Use these rebates and save big.
4. Always look out for sites or items that come with free shipping. As mentioned above, shipping fee is normally 20% more than the item price itself. Saving on your shipping can be tremendous if your item costs a lot.

5. Do not miss out those state retailers that do not charge sales tax for your items for your state. The money saving here could be significant too.
With money saving tips above and if you have practiced them well, you can add up and see how much you have easily saved for yourself. The best part is, you don’t even have to walk into a store to save a bundle. Spend some time to search online and I am sure you can find more money saving offers and tips out there. Start saving and enjoy living debt free today!

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Travel Jobs & How to Make Money While You Travel

2009-08-16T21:27:00.005+08:00

Ever had the desire to quit your lame 9 to 5 job, tell your boss to shove it, pack up and start traveling the world?

All of us have had that desire at one point! The thing that stopped you was probably the same thing that stops most people: money.

“How will I pay for my flights, food, lodging, transportation, yada, yada, yada,” you asked yourself.

Don’t let these concerns bother you too much, because there is an underground, growing group of travelers who are utilizing some simple but hidden techniques to make significant incomes while traveling.

Here’s an overview of how we make money traveling and by landing travel jobs:

Underground Travel Income Method #1 – Traditional Travel Job - Hold a job that either a) pays for us to travel or b) is located in the place we wish to travel to. This is the lowest paying and most complicated method of all, but is the most commonplace.

Common jobs that pay for travels are for professional speakers, salespeople, package couriers, flight attendants, travel nurses/doctors, conservationists, cruise ship workers, etc.

Travel jobs located in the places we wish to go to can be any of the above, but also are specific to the location we travel to. There are some FUN jobs overseas that are looking for foreign workers!

Underground Travel Income Method #2 – Travel Writing – Travel writing jobs for magazines are more common than you may imagine. However, there are LOADS of other ways to write as you travel and make money, including blogging, picking up projects from sites like Elance and Guru, and writing travel guides, both online and offline.

Underground Travel Income Method #3 – Selling Affiliate Products – Using a simple website, you can drive online traffic to a product that will be of interest to your online followers. Don’t be intimidated by this! It can be as easy as using your very own Facebook or Myspace profile. Affiliate products typically pay 50% to 75%, so you can make a very healthy income for selling just a few objects.

Underground Travel Income Method #4 – Filming Your Adventures – If you’ve got the camera out and you’re taking pictures, why not switch it to ‘film’ mode and make money from it? You simply make a video of your destinations using iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, then use your videos to create a customer base!

Underground Travel Income Method #5 – Podcasting – If filming scares you off or intimidates you, you can make an iTunes podcast. It is easier than ever to get listed in iTunes and there’s a HUGE audience of podcast listeners. Simply talk about the places you visit two or three times a week and watch how your following grows… and how your bank account grows!

Underground Travel Income Method # 6 – Ebay – The common misconception about Ebay is that you have to sell a physical product to make money. Here’s the trick: You can set up a fulfillment house to ship your product (or hire your little sister or the neighborhood kid). All you have to do is create your Ebay post from an internet café and collect the money!

Take any one of these six ‘travel job’ methods, and there are hundreds of travelers all over the world making more money than they would at a regular ‘job…’ and they’re living it up at exotic, world-class destinations. Take your pick, and take action on the ideas here!

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How Credit Card Balances Affect Credit Scores

2009-08-30T20:51:00.004+08:00

Getting confused about how to use your credit cards for the best effect on your credit scores?

You know you need credit card accounts - you've been cautioned not to close any accounts, especially your oldest accounts.

You've heard that you shouldn't carry a balance of more than 30% of your available credit in a given month. You know that if you do charge more, you should go on line and make a payment before your monthly credit card statement is generated.

But, do you need some kind of balance on those cards each month?

It turns out that yes, you do. But you don't need to carry that balance and pay interest on it. The best strategy for using a credit card to raise your credit scores is to use it each month for some small purchase - and then pay the balance in full when your statement arrives.

This demonstrates that you're using credit wisely and paying your bills on time. That factor is one that has frustrated more than one cash purchaser when they've tried to get a mortgage loan.

Many cannot understand how they can have poor credit scores when they don't owe a dime. But not owing a dime doesn't prove a thing to creditors. They want to see that you can owe, and then pay as agreed.

Thus, seeing a small balance and a notation that indicates "pays as agreed" looks better and will improve your scores more than seeing no balance. 35% of your FICO score is based on your payment history - how you handle debt.

Your credit card debt is reported to the credit bureaus when your statement is generated each month, so the dollar figure that you owe on that day is the number that's reported.

That's why it's so important to pay large balances before the statement is generated. The way credit reports are set up, no one can see that you charge $4,000 in business expense each month, and then pay it in full. All they see is the $4,000 balance. If the credit limit on your card is $4,200 - it looks like you've borrowed to the maximum.

30% of your FICO score is based on the amount you owe vs. the amount of credit available to you - so keeping debt under 30% of available credit is a huge boost to your scores.

If you think you may want to use credit in the near future, start using your credit cards as a tool to boost your credit scores. Sometimes just a point or two can make a difference in the interest you'll pay.

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Consumer Spends When Value Exceeds Price

2009-09-11T23:36:00.007+08:00

The consumer will spend money when the perceived value of your offer is greater than the value of their money. Retailers and businesses will only succeed in this economy when they are able to validate that the value of their product exceeds the value of money. Not even the nastiest of recessions will stop the American consumer from spending money. Spending is instilled deeply into the psyche of Americans and it will take more than a recession to stop this propensity to purchase.

While spending will be reduced due to bad news, lack of credit and unemployment it will not be eliminated. Those that prove successful in selling their products and services will focus on value not price. Even emotional, nonsensical purchases will be made when value exceeds price in the buyer's mind. Whether it is a new roof, kitchen, vacation, pair of True Religion jeans, Cartier Watch, HCG injections, an automobile purchase or employment when the value of that purchase (or decision) makes more sense than the value of the money the action to purchase will be made.

The challenge for retailers is two fold;, 1) finding out who has the need, 2) doing a great job at building the value proposition.

Neither of these two skills has been needed for years. And do not confuse value with lower price they have nothing to do with one another. Lower price will not get the job done in this market, only the value justification proposition will!

Cash for Clunkers is proof that people not only want to spend but will even make long-term commitments when value is perceived. The saving rates in this country has now reached the highest levels in 25 years, so don't believe the argument that people don't have money. The consumer today has more money than a year ago but is being more selective! While the consumer is motivated to save money the desire to spend money runs deep in our culture. Businesses that stay in contact with their customers and truly know how to make the value-add proposition will continue to sell their products.

This truth will hold true no matter if you are Tiffany's, Wal-Mart, Gap, Apple, iPhone the automobile dealer, real estate agent, a small business owner and even applies to the 26 million that are looking for a job!

The media freely delivers you all the bad retail sales numbers, facts, figures and projections but offer you no solution. Those companies and individuals that are able to justify that the value of their product or service exceeds the value of money will succeed. Lowering your price will not be successful if you are unable to show that the value of your proposition exceeds the value of money.

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Free TV on PC

2010-02-09T23:00:00.007+08:00

What's the best way to save money? Take advantage of as much freebies as you can get.

I've came across a website that says FREE TV on PC. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a TV and PC in one specially if you are at work and does not want to miss your fave ball game or soap?

For a long time, the TV industry has dominated the entertainment media. It is now not only a favorite pastime but also play a very important role in communication medium in modern societies. There are now different forms of TV transmission. Conventional broadcast still takes the lead. Cable and satellite programming have found their place but limited only to their niches. The up and coming Internet Free TV on PC is fast gaining popularity and is clearly the one for the future.

Internet television has been around for years without gaining popularity mainly because of limitation in technology. Internet TV is basically TV on Computer, earlier internet and PC limitations in speed and capacity had rendered internet TV not viable. Well, situations are different now. The mega-bps broadband internet and mega-hertz CPUs can more than aptly support internet TV on PC. If desired, the programming can be propagated further to other AV systems. We can even receive Free TV on PC other than the internet if we know how. Computers can become TVs by adding a TV Tuner board or box. With that, we can watch conventional, cable or satellite TV too on our computers. An obvious benefit out of this is that you can multi-task the function of a TV and computer at the same time.

Internet TV programming works by capturing free-to-air video streams that are available on the internet. There are 2 kinds. The first one is by discrete websites which are very company or product specific. As such, they are generally limited in both scope and objective. The other kind is standard TV programming. They are basically subscription TV by commercial service providers. These operators gather various FTA TV programming worldwide and provide them for access to their members over the internet through the use of their specialized software packages.

Why pay when you can watch Free TV on PC? If you have the time and know-how, you can definitely watch TV on Computer free. Millions are already watching free TV on PC. It's hard to disregard this form of TV with all its advantages such as PC convenience, thousands of channels, complete genres, no additional hardware or retrofit and so forth. There are many good providers but there are also many scams so research thoroughly before deciding on your pick.

Happy viewing!

Saving Some Cash on New Year's Online Bargains

2010-01-01T21:54:00.004+08:00

Retailers need for early sales at any cost means that discounting is heavy; so scour the web for the hottest deals and not-to-be-missed promotions. Common sense is often an integral element in securing the best bargains so make sure you take account of seasonality and look for lingerie in late February, stock up on chocolate in April right after Easter and hunt out school uniform and boy's football and rugby boots in March or April when the season's nearly over (remember to buy big!). As the summer sun fades away, check out the last of the swimwear and holiday clothing sales and invest in outdoor barbecues, patio and garden furniture in late September.

Although the chilly winter months of January and February are far from ideal for sun seekers staying in the UK, they are great months to grab a short break bargain. With its indoor subtropical swimming and sports complexes Centerparcs beats the winter blues and is already offering discounted forest village breaks.

The New Year is traditionally the time to grab the best of the holiday bargains for that romantic Valentine's getaway or the family summer holiday. Charter airline XL.com is featuring a 'deal a day' advent calendar with fantastic cheap flight and holiday deals on some of their sunshine breaks.

If you've already blown your holiday leave entitlement then maybe treat yourself to a theatre visit. The half price ticket booth in London's Leicester Square offers a wide selection of shows and musicals selling on the day of performance only. If you're planning ahead to the summer, Thisistheatre.com is promoting Kids Week 2007 by offering free tickets for children to some of London's top West End productions.

For dining offers in London and other major cities around the UK Toptable.co.uk is offering set course meal bargains, free wine deals and kids eat free plans at a range of restaurants. There are always plenty of discounts to be had on grocery food items, clothing, household goods and furniture but without spending hours on end researching it's very difficult to pick out the best of the bargains. However, a number of websites gather together discounted products; try Voucherheaven.com for one of the largest inventories or Madaboutbargains.co.uk for some top tips on both bargains and general frugal living.

There's normally no such thing as a free lunch but if you're completely spent out this Christmas try logging on to Freemobilephonegames.co.uk and download free java phone games. The games are available for all of the most popular handsets and are submitted by game developers who've entered into the festive spirit.

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Make Money Now Using Just Your Digital Camera

2009-09-18T10:40:00.004+08:00

Making money using your digital images has never been easier. Microstock photography sites have now made it possible for just about anyone to earn money from their digital images.

Microstock photography allows users to sell their digital images for free. Users are encouraged to upload their digital images to a microstock site. Every time your image is downloaded by a registered user, you receive money. The amount you take home depends on the size and resolution of the image downloaded. iStockphoto, Dreamstime, Fotolia and Shutterstock are popular microstock sites.

Although the payout per picture is not that high, your earnings do add up. In fact, you can make thousands of dollars a month from selling many of their digital images.

Below are a few tips to get you on your way to making money through microstock photography.

Note 1: Image Quality is Important

A high end camera is not required to produce acceptable images. Any high resolution digital camera can do the job.

Note 2: Your Photos Will Be Reviewed

Each individual image submitted to microstock sites will be reviewed. Therefore, it is important to analyze your own images before submission. Also, make sure to read all the image terms and requirements before submission. Images are sometimes rejected. Today, many of the prominent microstock photography sites have tutorials that you can follow to help you take fantastic images.

Note 3: Subject matter is important

Content does matter. Certain subject matters, such as business and food images are popular. However, images of family and flowers may not make the cut. Do some research and see what image types are downloaded the most. This will give you an idea of what sells and potentially what to focus on.

Also, images containing people may require you to complete a model release form. Please read the terms and conditions of the microstock site before making such submissions.

Note 4: Portfolio Development Takes Time

To make a serious income from microstock sites, it is important to develop a portfolio containing a many high quality images. Also, make your images keyword rich. Relevant keywords will allow your images to appear more frequently in customer searches.

Also, submit your images to numerous microstock sites. This increases the probability of your images being downloaded.

With these notes in mind, you can be on your way to making serious money using only your digital camera!

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Obama's Federal Loan Modification Plan

2009-10-03T20:43:00.005+08:00

President Obama has instituted a loan modification program that is designed to help these people stay in their homes and not become another victim to foreclosure. The plan will issue new, more affordable mortgages to those who qualify.

The plan called for $75 billion to be set aside for banks and other lending institutions to use in order to help people refinance their mortgage and get out from under mortgages already in default. It is estimated that as many as 7 to 9 million homeowners will benefit from the program.

If you believe you might have the necessary circumstances to qualify for a loan modification, then here are a few tips and guidelines you should know.

* The home you are trying to refinance must be your primary residence.

* You don't have to currently be behind on your payments but must be able to show that a financial hardship is being caused by making the payments each month.

* Your current mortgage must have originated prior to January 1, 2009.

* The amount of your monthly house payment needs to be more than 31% of your gross monthly income.

* Your total mortgage that you are applying for does not exceed $729,750.00.

* You can prove and have the documentation to show a financial hardship or extreme conditions.

* A second mortgage that you have may be included.

* There is not cost for applying for a new loan modification.

You may need to shop around to find a lending institution that is participating in this program because it is on a voluntary basis. Although the federal government is giving financial incentives to those banks who chose to participate. Also, you will be rewarded if you are able to remain current on the new loan. For every year, up to five years, the government will credit your new mortgage $1,000.00 towards the principle for a total of $5,000.00.

If you are struggling financially, now is a great time to try and refinance your home. The loan modification package will be a big help to you and your family.

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How to Manage Money After Divorce

2009-10-26T22:57:00.005+08:00

After separating from her husband last year, Marilyn has been struggling to pay her bills on time and to keep track of her expenses. During the 21 years she was married, her accountant husband had taken care of all their financial transactions. “I didn’t understand the basics of managing our money,” Marilyn reveals, “I had never even read our bank statement.”

Four years ago, 46-year-old businessman Steven decided to let his ex-wife keep the family home, since she would have custody of their two young children. “I left everything with her and walked out with just my personal possessions.” Today he wonders if he made the right decision as he is finding it difficult to afford to buy another house of his own.

The dissolution of a marriage usually brings upheaval for the former partners, their family members and friends. While attention is given to the emotional and mental effects of divorce, the monetary challenges cannot be ignored as they can leave the family finances in serious disarray.

If you are dealing with divorce, here are some important considerations:

Be Aware of Your Financial Picture

With the changing financial situation that a divorce can bring, you need to be on top of your money situation, knowing clearly if your income will meet your monthly spending requirements. Download a personal budget at www.financiallysmartonline.com to help you plan for regular expenses, control non-essential spending and project for possible emergency costs. This will also help you to know what amount your former spouse should be required to contribute to the household.

Prepare For Additional Costs

It’s definitely easier when two persons pool together to meet shared needs such as housing, food and utilities. Running separate households usually brings additional expenses that must be budgeted for. Depending on the separation agreement, you may now have to pay alimony, or be totally responsible for of all your personal expenses. If you have children, increased costs such as transportation between the parents’ homes, and additional child care should be factored in.

Learn New Money Skills

You may also be faced with new responsibilities that were previously carried out by your spouse. If balancing your cheque book, paying utility bills promptly, and shopping wisely at the supermarket are new tasks for you, make every effort to learn how to manage your money. Look out for books, magazines, Internet articles and television shows that can give you tips; and use a cash flow calculator available online to help keep you on track with your spending.

Get Advice On Assets and Liabilities

Another important consideration is how to deal with jointly held possessions. If your finances were commingled in bank accounts, businesses and belongings, it is crucial to get guidance from your own lawyer or accountant. Some people have lost significant sums because they allowed their former spouse to make the decisions on the separation of assets. It’s also necessary to get advice on loans or credit cards that you may have co-signed while married. Don’t assume that your ex has paid off debt based on verbal assurances; get written proof that these obligations have been met.

Change Financial Information

Along with making necessary changes to joint assets, remember that you may need to adjust legal documents such as your will and life insurance policies. Ensure that these now reflect your current wishes on how your property should be disposed of when you pass on. Think carefully if you also want to change the trustee designation for your children on your life insurance and bank accounts.

Make Plans For The Future

Unfortunately, the marriage promise of ‘until death us do part’ has been broken, and with it disappeared the idea that you and your spouse would support each other through your retirement years. It’s very important to get expert advice to ensure that your monetary needs will be met when you stop working. Go to a financial institution that can help you to plan how much money you will need to save and the best types of investments for your retirement goals.

Invest Your Settlement

If your divorce terms involved the liquidation of property or business, or you received a cash settlement, you need to invest your money wisely. This is not the time to go on a post-divorce spending spree to feel better about yourself. With advice from an investment advisor, use the money to boost your retirement savings, fund your children’s college tuition, or invest in assets such as real estate that can provide income and growth.

Avoid Money Hang-Ups

At this time, you also have to manage your emotions around money. It might be tempting to use money to exact revenge, by making unreasonable demands of your ex, or passing on unfavourable comments to your children. Even if you feel that you have not received what is due to you, or if you think you have been overextended, don’t let money issues make you bitter. Despite your disappointments, your divorce can signal a new beginning for you to take control of your own financial success.

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Useful Ways to Cut Down Your Daily Budget

2009-11-14T22:32:00.004+08:00

Saving money is a useful and advisable activity under any set of circumstances, and recent financial conditions have made saving even more of a holy grail to many people. But what if you already see yourself as a financial paragon, a veritable domestic Buffet, firmly in control of your personal financial reins? Fortunately, there is also more you can do to cut costs (and corners, where necessary and where safe), you just have to get a little more creative! While so doing, you may even have some fun and become motivated to stick to your new changes whilst re-programming yourself to always look for a cheaper, and often more fun alternative than is presented by the corporations and ad-executives.

First, kill two birds with one stone: walk or cycle instead of driving or taking public transportation, where possible. Not only will you get back into shape (if this is one of your goals), but will also save you a good deal of money. Who know, you may just decide to make this a permanent lifestyle change, thereby saving yourself a huge amount of money on gas, car insurance and train tickets! If you absolutely cannot give up the car due to logistical reasons, why not look at starting a neighbourhood car-pool? Take it in turns to drive and pool the cost of insurance and gas. In many cities, there are also special car-pool lanes and you will often pay a lower toll in such cases.

Also, if you are dreading Christmas, Easter or an aunt's birthday because of the Hallmark Effect on your finances, why not get creative and make your own greetings cards? If you have a computer with decent Photoshop software, you can design and print your own, personalised cards and effects. You can also make them from scratch from raw materials-a great activity to get your kids involved with. And remember, the personal touch is always so much better!

For ladies, try getting your hair cut/trimmed a little less regularly. Even stretching your regular trim by two weeks or so every time will save you the cost of at least two haircuts and a tip per year.

Finally, stop spending your $5 bills! Whenever you get one, put it in the back of your wallet and when you get home, put it in a special jar. Do this for a month and see how much you have saved. Get ready for a nice surprise. Also, carry less cash generally. You will be less tempted to buy frivolous items, and having to put purchases on your card will make you think more carefully about your spending. Try using these tips regularly to help you save and see money come back to you bank account for a change.

If you're stuck and need some help finding good information online try using SaveItMonthly.com for useful information that can help you keep ahead of your bills each month and set aside money for later.

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How to Avoid Over Spending in College

2009-11-28T06:27:00.005+08:00

Small, seemingly inexpensive purchases are a major financial pitfall for many college students. Spending $6, after all, does not usually have immediate consequences, and is such an insignificant dollar amount that most students do not think twice before spending it. But what if that $6 is spent on a specialty cup of coffee, and what if that innocent cup of coffee is purchased six days a week? It is easy to see how small purchases can quickly add up, leaving students broke, hungry and wondering, where did all my money go?

The first step to gaining better control of your spending is knowing where your money goes. Understanding your spending habits involves more than proudly reminding yourself that you have covered the necessities such as food and fuel this week. What about the quick stop for chips and soda at the convenience store? The four visits to the neighborhood coffee shop? Assessing what you spend means really scrutinizing where each dollar goes—then determining where you can reduce expenditures so that your funds from work, parents or a student loan will last longer.

By tracking all of your expenditures over a two week or one month period, you will get a clearer picture of where your money is going. The idea is to understand your spending habits such that you can become more conscientious about how you apportion your money, not to eliminate everything that is not a necessity. Perhaps your daily cup of coffee is a meaningful and relaxing part of your day. Even the savings from buying a smaller size can add up, or why not invest in a coffee maker and brew coffee at home for long term reduction in spending?

One activity many students find consumes a disproportionate amount of money is patronizing convenience stores. Frequent stops for snacks and drinks at convenience stores and drug stores can add up fast, especially considering the higher than average prices charged at such places for the convenience. When assessing your spending habits at convenience stores, ask yourself, “what am I buying?” If you frequently stop for a soda, it may make better financial sense to purchase it in bulk at a regular grocery store. While you may spend $1 at a convenience store for one drink, you may find that you can get a twelve pack for around $4 and stretch your dollar further.

Another major money trap for college students is eating out for every meal. The opportunity to socialize and again, convenience, drive many students to go to restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, a habit that can quickly drain funds. If restaurants account for an overwhelming percentage of your expenditures, look for ways to reduce the percentage without depriving yourself of food or socializing. For instance, if dinner out with friends is on the agenda, you can simply eat breakfast and lunch at home to justify the greater expense of dinner. Planning for meals is key—if you do not have groceries on hand to create your own meals, you will likely end up opting for fast food and putting yourself in the same, financially strained situation time and time again.

Learning to spend wisely and in moderation may take some time and ongoing effort, especially with the instant gratification to which many of today’s college students have become accustomed. Taking an honest look at your spending habits is the first step to establishing a balance between responsibility and indulgence that will not leave you starving next week.

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Control Your Christmas Spending

2009-12-23T19:16:00.004+08:00

With only about 10 shopping days left to Christmas day, the seasonal spending frenzy is about to get into high gear. Sometimes reasoning and control will fly out the door, as we get caught up in the hype fed to us by the retailers. After all, this is the time of the year when many shop owners make more money than the rest of the year combined!

While we do want to support a vibrant economy, we can’t afford to lose sight of all our financial goals, or worse, incur massive debt. Here are some tips that will help you to control the urge to splurge this Christmas:

Know Your Spending Limit

Many times we start buying gifts without first considering how much money is truly available to purchase them. It’s important to first make a budget that outlines how much you can spend in the context of all the other demands on your limited income. Remember that if you spend more than you’re able to on gifts, you’ll be taking funds away from some other important necessities. Your budget will help you to prioritize your spending and stay focused.

Make A List

Don’t start shopping without making a list of all the persons you wish to give presents. This helps you to allocate your budgeted amount among all your friends and relatives. You can decide who will get the more expensive gifts and who will get the tokens. Use your list to also write down exactly what you think each person would really want for Christmas. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll probably end up buying something just for the sake of getting a gift, and the recipient might end up not liking it or using it. When that happens, your money will just be wasted.

Don’t Window Shop

Once you’ve made your list of names and gift items, write down all the possible locations where you think the presents can be found. Then go directly to these stores and look only for the gifts that you planned to buy. This will help to prevent you from wandering aimlessly through stores in search of presents, and buying other items that you didn’t plan for or really need.

Don’t Buy On Credit

Even the most disciplined person can get caught up in the shopping whirl when there’s a credit card or two in hand. You see things that you just have to have, you feel the need to reward yourself for the year’s hard work, and you tell yourself that you’ll figure out how to pay for it later. What that thinking leads to is nothing but high-interest debt! I’ve read somewhere that research has proven that people who shop with credit cards are willing to spend as much as 30 per cent more for items than if they were to pay cash for the same item. However, if you’re confident in your self control, then you can use your credit card as long as you stay within the spending limit that you’ve set, and you pay off the balance when it’s due.

Be Creative

If after you’ve done your budget you realize that you don’t have enough money to purchase nice gifts for everyone on your list, then it’s time to get creative. Remember that your objective in giving presents is to show your appreciation. You can accomplish this without spending a lot of money. Maybe you can give out gift certificates for services like a manicure or a massage that you’ll do personally. If you have talent in the kitchen you can give cakes, or offer to cater for your friends’ Christmas dinners. Think about each person and figure out something that you can do for them that they will really value and remember for longer than a physical gift.

Start Planning For Next Christmas

The smart way to conquer Christmas spending is to start planning for it several months in advance. When you’ve established your spending limit, save a fraction of it every month so that next year you’ll comfortably have what you need. You can also buy presents throughout the year. This way you’ll probably spend less, and be able to put more thought into getting the perfect gift.

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How Do I Calculate Finance Charges?

2010-01-31T21:48:00.007+08:00

Having some knowledge of how to calculate finance charges is always a good thing. Most lenders, as you know, will do this for you, but it can helpful to be able to check the math yourself. It is important, however, to understand that what is presented here is a basic procedure for calculating finance charges and your lender may be using a more complicated method. There may also be other issues attached with your loan which may affect the charges.

The first thing to understand is that there are two basic parts to a loan. The first issue is called the principal. This is the amount of money that is borrowed. The lender wants to make a profit for his services (lending you the money) and this is called interest. There are many types of interest from simple to variable. This article will examine simple interest calculations.

In simple interest deals, the amount of the interest (expressed as a percentage) does not change over the life of the loan. This is often called flat rate or fixed interest.

The simple interest formula is as follows:

Interest = Principal × Rate × Time

Interest is the total amount of interest paid.

Principal is the amount lent or borrowed.

Rate is the percentage of the principal charged as interest each year.

To do your math, the rate must be expressed as a decimal, so percentages must be divided by 100. For example, if the rate is 18%, then use 18/100 or 0.18 in the formula.

Time is the time in years of the loan.

The simple interest formula is often abbreviated:

I = P R T

Simple interest math problems can be used for borrowing or for lending. The same formulas are used in both cases.

When money is borrowed, the total amount to be paid back equals the principal borrowed plus the interest charge:

Total repayments = principal + interest

Usually the money is paid back in regular installments, either monthly or weekly. To calculate the regular payment amount, you divide the total amount to be repaid by the number of months (or weeks) of the loan.

To convert the loan period, 'T', from years to months, you multiply it by 12. To convert 'T' to weeks, you multiply by 52, since there are 52 weeks in a year.

Here is an example problem to illustrate how this works.

Example:

A single mother purchases a used car by obtaining a simple interest loan. The car costs $1500, and the interest rate that she is being charged on the loan is 12%. The car loan is to be paid back in weekly installments over a period of 2 years. Here is how you answer these questions:

1. What is the amount of interest paid over the 2 years?

2. What is the total amount to be paid back?

3. What is the weekly payment amount?

You were given: principal: 'P' = $1500, interest rate: 'R' = 12% = 0.12, repayment time: 'T' = 2 years.

Step 1: Find the amount of interest paid.

Interest: 'I' = PRT

= 1500 × 0.12 × 2

= $360

Step 2: Find the total amount to be paid back.

Total repayments = principal + interest

= $1500 + $360

= $1860

Step 3: Calculate the weekly payment amount.

Weekly payment amount = total repayments divided by loan period, T, in weeks. In this case, $1860 divided by 104 weeks equals $17.88 per week.

Calculating simple finance charges is easy once you have done some practice with the formulas.

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Traffic-booster

2009-04-22T21:37:00.002+08:00

Richard, our fellow Entrecard member of Traders Hub has come up with a brilliant way for us to boost our traffic and I'm telling you, the scheme is taking the Entrecard community by storm. Here's how you can take advantage of it too.

(Start, copy the code and embed this droplist in your blog! It will build up your links, improve your page rank and bounce rate, and increase your blog authority!)
1. Traders' Hub
2. CoolAdzine for Marketeers
3. AsTheCrackerHeadCrumbles
4. Confessions Of A Fitness Diva
5. Beyond Feron
6. Reality TV Soup
7. Conversations With Moms
8. Chinaren's Blog
9. Wine At Five
10. Leomar's Den
11. Poetic Expression
12. Gems By Jerri
13. Gas Saver
14. WAHM Resource Site
15. Travel On The Tide
16. Femme Power
17. Gina's Music Memories
18. Gina's Italian Kitchen'
19. Baby Boomer Flashback
20. Subtropical Gardening
21. Peace, Love, Happiness
22. It's Just Simply Unique'
23. Because Someone Cares
24. Adventures Of A Fitness Diva
25. Sexy Old Broad
26. JavaSwim
27. TV News And Reviews
28. Chapters Of My Life
29. Mydzo Blog
30. Lights Camera Action
31. Virtual Gamer
32. Random Ramblings
33. The Daily Planet
34. Red Sox Mommy
35. The Savvy Tourist
36. Republic of A
37. Ken's Trees
38. Juliana's Lair
39. Happily Ever After
40. The Work From Home Mother
41. The Superficial Gallery
42. Work At Home Wealth
43. John Lottery's Bimonthly Articles
44. All About Stock Markets
45. Money Matters Hub
46. Money Saver
47. Zorlone
48. Devoutly Davao
49. Politics 2000
50. Limitless Adventures
51. Mystic Moments
52. Mature Not Senile
53. The Raging Rev
54. The Frugal Housewife
55. The Path To Pegasus Letter
56. Independent American
57.My second Trial
58. Buy Tees
59. My Online Adventures
60. Our World
61. Shiny Adornments
62. Stock Market Bliss
63. Savage Nomads
64. Amazingly Me
65. Up All Night
66. Sonnie Side Up
67. Renaes Crafty Corner
68. Teen Suicide Talk
69. Seek No More
70. One
71. Cheaper by Half A Dozen
72. Birding In Falklands
73. Everyday Living
74. Digital Artisan
75. Glitchline
76. All To Read
77. TechieCardia
78. Martial Arts Junkie
79. Exposed SEO And Internet Marketing
80. Diet Secrets Online
81. Akila's Blog
82. Tracey's Blog
83. Parenting Life
84. Short Apps
85. Hunter Academy
86. Easy Racing
87. Hot Shit Form Here
88. Network Of Combined Ideas
89. Denford Magora's Zimbabwe Blog
90. 1Cent News Dot Com
91. Woodworker Blog
92. Isker's Blog
93. My Ark
94. Travelling And Sightseeing
95. Where The Road Takes Us
96. iTech Dude
97. Truths Of A Shy Writer
98. Lil Insights
99. Business Success
100. Beyond Taiwan
101. Laptops,Mobiles, And Forex Trading
102. Dark Angel
103. Right Wing Nut Job
104. Show Me The Money
105. Paperkraft.Net
106. John Wright Sketch Blog
107. How To Earn Money Blogging
108. Born To Succeed
109. Fit, Fabulous and Forty
110. My Life In Italy
111. Mix It Up With Marc
112. Insane Freelance Writing
113. World Through Colored Glasses
114. Lucent Dusk
115. Forex Pip Addict
116. BlogTactic
117. Lunatic Banknotes & Coins
118. Stalking Minds
119. Chicken Heart
120. Atniz Work From Home
121. Theme Today
122. Kaya Mo, Pinoy
123. Traditional Jewelry
124. Vonshred
125. Quantum Indonesia Translogistic
126. Personal Budgeting And Finances
127. Sand And Sea Designs
128. Linkmandx.com
129. Slightly Sarcastic
130. The Health And Wellness Post
131. TopClanz
132. Fusion Investing
133. Shauni Speaks
134. Muyin Jewelry
135. The Damn Nation
136. Opinions From A Filipino's Perspective
137. Mindful Drivel
138. Lisgold
139. Hello Kitty Gifts
140. First Door On The Left
141. DashRent
142. Business, Wealth, And Financial Success
143. Rosilie: My Blog
144. Photo Journalist
145. AdSpheres
146. Life's Journey
147. Screaming Me Me
148. Zero
149. Mama Flo's Place
150. Entrepreneur Empire
151. Teacher Techie Says
152. Jigsaw's Lair
153. Your Digital Life Style
154. EZGreatLife
155. Serian Man
156. The Puss Reboots
157. Dollar Tamer
158. Places To Visit In Argentina
159. Pyro Electro News
160. Here and Now 4 Angel
161. Q Shifter Hobbies
162. Pinoy Web Surfer
163. I Love Hate America
164. Pregnant With Cancer
165. Call Center Gal
166. Freebie Reporter
167. 60 Were Enough
168. Saxon
169. Entrecard Tips
170. CafeTeen dot Biz
171. Morning Coffee News
172. Search Engine Must Be Crazy
173. hendigo dot com Product Review Paradise
174. Newsvids
175. Bloggerhitz The Power of Blogging
176. Swirling Thoughts
177. Domestic Goddess
178. Crotchety Old Man Yells At Cars
179. UR Entertainment Port
180. Widgets For Bloggers
181. GewGaw Writings
182. Puzzles
183. Tizzalicious Crafts and Cuteness
184. In My Own Words
185. Pinay Mom In Czech Republic
186. International Musing
187. Busy Little Elf
188. Blazing Minds
189. Step By Step To Extra Cash
190. Spectrum
191. On Web Check
192. Hot In Singapore
193. Gadgets Spot
194. Sjeltur
195. Nesting Buddy
196. Looks Around
197. A Malaysian Abroad
198. A Jedi's Musings
199. Fix My Life
200. Vanilla Seven
201. Search Engine Panel
202. Know Ur Exchange
203. Techno Techiques
204. SackosaurusRex
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How to Choose a Business

2009-01-19T16:18:00.001+08:00

I came across an article entitled "How to Choose a Business" from a section of a local magazine called "Money Matters". Then I thought, this should be in my blog! "Money Matters" should be included in the Money Matters Hub : ) However, its not my way to own someone else' work so I made mention of the name of the local magazine at the bottom of this post.

One interesting thing about the said article is that the ideas and advices are almost the same as what I've imparted in my posts "Make Your Dream Business Happen" and "Turn Your Hobbies into Business". It's kinda big deal for me because the resource person of the article below is a well-known entrepreneur, a venture developer, and financial advisor in the Philippines - Francisco J. Colayco. It just amazes me how a "small" and budding entrepreneur like me can be of equal intellect with such a big person like Mr. Colayco.

There are many possible ways to make some money. What is important is that you find something you really want to do and you are willing to take a risk on. Ideas might be good initially as a part-time or small-time business but as you become more experienced, it could grow to a bigger endeavor. We are sure you know of so many companies tat started as a one-person back-yard business and eventually grew big time.

Business succeed because of four critical must-haves: 1) Passion of the entrepreneur; 2) Technical capability; 3) Strong markets and 4) Effective Leadership & Management. All must be present to a degree consistent with the size and demand of the particular business. There is no fixed formula on how to start a business. The opportunity to start one may result from any one of the four attributes. At some point however, all four must be in place.

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF:

What things can you already do/make that other people might pay you for? For example, if you cook well, you can make special dishes. If you are good in writing, you can be a freelance professional writer or perhaps even write your own book or get into some form of publication.

Do you want a business that produces a product or one that provides a service? The type of business you choose will dictate what kind and how much resources will be needed. Look around your community, your neighborhood, your barangay, your city, etc. Are there products or services that are really needed but not serviced; things or services that may even irritate you because they are not available. You may be surprised that just around the corner are opportunities you can grab. How about household service? Are there enough households and what is the average age of the houses? Does the community need more maintenance services? If so, how is it best offered? Through service subscription or through the old traditional way of pay per service call?

What things do you own that you can use to make money? For example, if you have a computer, you can do work through the internet. Perhaps, you have an underutilized van that you could instead operate as a school shuttle service.

Knowing what you can do/make and the things you can use, who can you sell your product or service to? What do your possible customers need? To start, make a list of your relatives, friends, contact, officemates, etc. If you can fill their need, you may have a business that can start off. Knowing the need is not enough you must also determine what is the acceptable or preferred way that the proposed services or products best be delivered. In choosing the business, you must also be sure that the value for money proposition you will offer is something you will be able to sustain. Otherwise, competition will just eat you up.

Who can you talk to/consult about creating this business for yourself? This will help you be more objective on your ideas and thoughts. Talk to more influential people like your parents, teachers, boss, etc. If you need to learn more about it by studying or being apprentice to someone, be open to the idea and identify what you have to do.

Remember that whatever business you finally choose, be prepared for "Hands-on" learning. In this way, you readily make adjustments to be successful. Moreover, you will gain a lot of confidence and good contacts for the future. You get all these while earning additional income. Remember that you need to be organized, responsible and determined to succeed. If you decide not to go into a business, looking into these ideas can help you get to know yourself, your interests and your abilities. The information you gather may even give you ideas for future employment opportunities.

source: Money Matters, SME volume 3 issue 4 2008

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Have Plan B

2009-02-21T20:54:00.001+08:00

I made mention in my previous post that my family and I are so hooked on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" that we bought a collection of all seasons. At the moment, we're now in season 5 and for those who have not seen The Apprentice there's actually a part at the beginning of every episode where Trump gives a piece of advice on being a good leader. In the episode 4 of the season 5, his advice was "Plan B". Then I uttered, "exactly what I'm saying!" I mean, I've not read this in any book or heard it from someone else but base on my life, work, and business experience I've proven that whenever I do something and I did not had a plan B things get really screwed up more often than not.

Why? Because when you don't have a plan B, you put your self in a very jittery situation as you expect or hope that things will fall into place so that your initial plan would be a success. Well, if you want to be successful in everything that you do you should always keep a reality check. And the reality is life doesn't always work the way we want or hope them to be. So we should always be prepared. Like if you're doing a presentation for a very important deal, don't just depend your visuals in your laptop and LCD. You have to consider that glitches like electrical or technical failure do happen and when they do you should have a plan B - a poster of the image, a diagram, a chart, etc. that you need to present.

Say you're into events management business and you are hired to manage an outdoor event like a garden wedding. It would be crazy (and stupid) not to have have a plan B for the venue and leave the success of the event in the hands of nature. What if it rains? The plan B in this case is to allocate a place where you can put a huge tent and hold the wedding instead. Better yet, put up a tent in every garden function that you will manage so you wouldn't have to worry about the rain.

Having a contingency plan is like "the condom principle"...Better have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Things could get out of hand and if you do not have a contingency plan or plan B you will not only putting your self at the risk of losing money, time, but a potential business deal at hand. Remember, if you don't have a plan B then you don't have a plan at all.

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