Sunganani

New Christian Finance Review

2010-03-12T15:58:00.001+02:00

Terry Dean (pictured left) is mostly known as one of the internet marketing go-to guys. He has been around a while and certainly knows his stuff. What most do not know is this course that he has called "The Complete Practical Guide to Christian Financial Freedom". It is one powerful course that everyone with money problems (or trying to avoid them) should get and go through. You can get it by visiting www.newchristianfinance.com.

Having struggled with debt and financial lack for an extended period of time, I decided to check this out. Here Are Some of the Topics He Covers;

God's step by step plan for you to become totally debt free. Yes, apparently God is interested in you being debt free.

How Terry and his wife stopped praying for money…this will tip you over. When I read this I could have pinched myself for not having thought of it before.

How to renew your mind to see money, tithing and giving from God's view point. Miss this and you will continue your undesirable cycle.

How to quit fighting over finances in your marriage. If you are married then you know how much fighting is caused by financial issues and some of the nasty results.

How to pay off all your debts and plan for your retirement. Terry was able to retire by age 30...

3 ways to create your online income stream in your spare time no matter your age or background.

This course comes packaged in mp3 files with 6 hours listening time. You also get 2 eBooks. All this for $37. (You can get it if you just wean yourself some cellphone talk time ;)

If you are in debt, or you are headed over there and you want to do something about it, then I definitely recommend this course. Just applying point number 2 has changed the way I have been praying about my money issues drastically. Read more from Terry here.

Relationship Quotes for Your Enjoyment

2010-03-11T12:28:00.000+02:00

Sometimes the best way to say something is the way someone more literary than you has said it. In that vein, here are some relationship quotes of note:

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."

-Oprah Winfrey

"Some of the biggest challenges in relationships come from the fact that most people enter a relationship in order to get something: they're trying to find someone who's going to make them feel good. In reality, the only way a relationship will last is if you see your relationship as a place that you go to give, and not a place that you go to take." -Anthony Robbins

"Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same." -Flavia Weedn

"The act of forgiveness is the act of returning to present time. And that's why when one has become a forgiving person, and has managed to let go of the past, what they've really done is they've shifted their relationship with time." – Caroline Myss

"Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired." – Mark Twain

"Well, it seems to me that the best relationships - the ones that last - are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with" ~ Gillian Anderson

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." – Aristotle

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart." – Helen Keller

"Where does the family start? It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl - no superior alternative has yet been found." – Winston Churchill

"It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations." – Kahlin Gibran

"To love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely in the hope that our love will produce love in the loved person." – Eric Fromm

"Man is a knot into which relationships are tied." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

"You can't stop loving or wanting to love because when its right, it's the best thing in the world. When you're in a relationship and it's good, even if nothing else in your life is right, you feel like your whole world is complete." ~ Keith Sweat

"Our greatest joy-and our greatest pain comes in our relationships with others." ~ Stephen R. Covey

"Love doesn't just sit there like a stone; it has to be made - like bread, remade all the time, made new." – Ursula LeGuin

"Once the trust goes out of a relationship, it's really no fun lying to 'em anymore." -Norm from Cheers

There’s a broad collection of relationship quotes for you.

How to Quit Fighting About Money in Your Marriage

2010-03-08T17:48:00.002+02:00

Are you tired fighting about money in your marriage? I totally understand how you feel. Been there but that's another story. It is a well documented fact that money wars are one of the most predominant factors that lead to separation, divorce and estrangement in many marriages. Do not wait until that happens in your marriage. You
have to do something about it…even if your spouse may not seem to be doing something about it. When you start, it works wonders. Naturally, spouses tend to grow apart in marriage unless they both work at growing closer. Here are a few tips I have laid out that will help you to quit fighting about money in your marriage.

Pray – Your Marriage Depends on It

You will need to start spending more time in prayer about your money issues. God is interested in it much more than you do. Tell him how you feel, what you think, the whole works. No pretence before him is good for you or anybody. Get it off your chest and ask him for wisdom, not money, on how to go about sorting your issue out. He will give you the wisdom. When you get it, implement it.

The Bible – Renewing Your Mindset about Money

Alongside prayer, you need to take time and renew your mindset about money the way God sees it. You will only get that from the Bible. Go to the concordance and study words, and passages that have words like, money, wealth, riches and so on. You will be amazed what you find. Study passages that have to do with marriage roles as well.

It is a well known fact that you are who you think you are. The way you think about money is the way you will treat money. My challenge to you is to think about it the way God does and you will be off to a good start.

Tackle the Problem

You know your spouse best so I cannot tell you when to do what but you need to bring your spouse into the conversation you are having with God. Tell your spouse what you have been up to and why. You want to quit the fighting over money and you would like both of you to do something about it. You cannot be successful unless you agree. The scriptures say that "two cannot walk together unless they agree" (Amos 3:3) and "two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work" (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Communicate with your spouse that you want to work on your money issues together. Do not be discouraged if they are not on board the first time. Keep on praying…and talking when they situations are ripe.

Agreed Strategy

Assuming you have reached an agreement in point 3. Your next step is to work on an agreed strategy for tackling the issue (not your spouse). It may mean changing your mindset, or working out a budget, deciding on roles, or a new business to help pay off the debt, cutting expenses or attending a seminar to learn about money. You need to agree on a strategy and work on it.

Celebrate the small victories

It is easier not to see any progress especially when you are in huge debt. But do get in the habit of celebrating the small victories you achieve. I recall my wife and I celebrated the day we paid off a $453 debt over six months. This was at a time when our new business needed that money ploughed back into it for growth. However, it was such a good feeling. We are still working on the paying off the other debts, which are bigger than $453 but that does not keep us discouraged. In fact, it helped to encourage us that it is possible to get out of debt and live a debt free life.

So to recap; Start with prayer, renew your mindset, get your spouse on board, agree on a strategy to tackle the problem and, most important, celebrate your small victories.

A friend of mine once said that there are only two money problems on the planet: too much money and too little money. I have had enough of the second problem. It makes you fight over the silliest of things in marriage. I prefer to have the first problem, you fight over better issues and accomplish more worthwhile things. Like which orphanage to give the money to or which project you should support in church.

Resources

The complete Practical Guide to Christian Financial Freedom – a course by a Christian who managed to get out of a debt of over $50,000.

Healthy Marriages – Easier Said Than Done

2010-02-26T07:35:00.001+02:00

It is a known fact, at least it needs to be a known fact, that a lot of work goes into a couple having a healthy marriage. However, why you look at the overwhelming divorce statistics, you would be tempted to think otherwise. Alongside these depressing stats, I am of the opinion that we should be looking at those who have not divorced and focus on what they are doing right that we can emulate. It is amazing what a change of focus can accomplish.

If you focus on finding a good house to rent, good houses pop up everywhere. If your wife is expectant, you notice expectant women everywhere you go. When you buy a new car, you notice similar models all over town and you think "it was not special after all". But I digress.

Focus is on building healthy marriages. It takes work.

Lots of hard work.

Remember to celebrate the rewards no matter how small they may be.

Healthy marriages consist of (from my observation)

A mutual understanding of the differences between the husband and wife and how you can reconcile them.

Shared spiritual values. Different faiths tend to pull couples apart.

Effective communication

In a non-threatening environment.

Massive prayer.

Huge servings of humility

Healthy marriages are not impossible. You can work to keep divorce at bay and be the statistics on the other side. However, if you have already undergone or are undergoing a separation/divorce, you could think of making up with your ex. The call is yours.

Later
Staying Close: Stopping the Natural Drift Toward Isolation in Marriage

Marriage and Money –the Wows and the Woes

2010-02-26T07:33:00.004+02:00

One of the leading causes of family strain is the issue of money. The reasons are vast. But just to list some;

One spouse is a "saver", the other is a "spender". What a perfect match.

Differences in background. Maybe she grew up with parents who did not think about using their money for long term investments and he grew up with parents who did.

She takes lots of risks with money compared to him. But then her parents were always in business.

He thinks the better money comes through running a business and she thinks of the job.

Priorities for the money. He wants the latest iPod and she is thinking of the diapers for baby 3…

Whatever the reasons of the differences, the issues comes back to how you reconcile them. Here are a few steps towards that road;

Recognize that you are different in the area of money. It will help to list them down and discuss them.

Work on finding common ground you can work with and recognize the strengths in the differences and talk about how you can utilize them for the betterment of the family.

Learn from the Word of God about money. How he sees it, how he expects us to use it.

Do it.

Don't stop doing it.

Money and Marriage God's Way
Got any more tips you would like to share?

Praying for Your Wife is for Your Own Good

2010-02-25T03:36:00.003+02:00

It is far much easier to pray for a wife than praying for your wife. Partly because you are in the state where you are searching. And when the drive to find a mate kicks in, it's like trying to stop the waters of a dam that has burst.

Now you got her and you are that married couple you were looking forward to be. As the months and years go by, you begin to see more woes than wows. And along with that reasons to question whether you should still be together. Praying for your wife does not come easy at those times.

But…

And that's a big BUT…

That is the only way I know how to start getting the juices flowing between the two of you.

See what happens is that when you go to God in prayer and pray for your wife (an exercise my wife affectionately calls "telling you on Dad"), you realize that God has his own agenda for your own good. Many times it becomes me that has to change.

Granted, she may also need to change in some areas but God has his own way of getting to her. Keep on praying and doing all the practical things you promised you would do.

And there is no heart God can't get to.

Pray for your wife. It's for your own good.

Later.

Build Meaningful Relationships – Your Life Depends on Them

2010-02-24T03:36:00.001+02:00

Relationships are the top agenda in almost everything that goes on, on and off the planet we live in. Meaningful relationships are what hold this place together. If you are not building meaningful relationships with the people around you, you begin to decay inside. That's the way we are wired.

And if you know anything about wiring anything, then you should now that a short circuit can cause inconveniences of different types o f magnitude.

If you are not able to build meaningful, dynamic and satisfying relationships with those around you, then ask yourself "What I am here for?" If you are truly honest, you will find that whatever reason you are here for, has to do with other people. Miss this and you are in for a long, lonely drive in life.

Here is our action point: begin to observe everything around you. The ants, birds, offices, businesses, online activities. See if you can find any meaningful relationships at work.

An example?

Facebook. It is one of the most visited websites on the planet up there with Google, Yahoo and Youtube. And what is it about? People connecting with people. I ask myself: "Am I using my account there to building meaningful relationships?"

Later.

Why I think Tiger Woods Should Be Left Alone

2010-02-23T03:42:00.001+02:00

Just the other day I was watching the press statement that Tiger Woods gave on television regarding his experiences after the revelation of his extra-marital affair(s). Goodness me, the comments that followed by some viewers and commentators made me see just how much undue pressure is being put on the guy. I do not in any way condoning what he has been into but I think some things are better left for him to decide.

Listening to some comments, it’s like Tiger Woods is married to the whole world, or at least the golfing world. Why on earth are some people expecting him to apologize to them as if he married them? Really? Much as he is a public figure but I am not sure he needs to go that far.

I think the major thing here is that he should be given time to work on his relationship with his wife. Because if he looses that, he will have lost the very foundation that would make him go further.

What do you think?

Must You Meet His Family Before the Wedding?

2010-02-17T01:45:00.000+02:00

Got this question the other day, from Julie (name changed for privacy reasons)

Good question. Really, in today's world where people like to think of nuclear everything, where we have become the global village, this is a question that seems foolish but is important, very important.

I said very important. Why?

Well, it just so happens that his man you are preparing to marry grew up with these people. They know him, most like more than you do. They have this track record of his wows and woes. It's a wise move to meet them way before the wedding, several times.

And after the wedding. Really.

You will be surprised what you will learn about your husband to be by just being with his family. There is so much insight. Unfortunately for you, these are very personal experiences such that I cannot give you specifics.

Take me for instance, I learnt why my wife likes to watch athletics. The entire fifty something channels on DStv and she lands on athletics. You know, 100metre dash, swimming…the whole thing, when you could easily, very easily land on an Arsenal or Man U match. (Now you know what I watch). Well, it turns out that after some visits, I learn that my mother-in-law is into that, but my father-in-law is like me. That, my friend, basically put the remote control wars I have had with my wife into perspective.

Very helpful indeed.

So yes, do get to meet his family before the wedding.

Way back before the wedding.

Several times.

And learn something. Warning, you might even end up deciding not to marry him.

Meet them okay?

It's wise.
Preparing for Marriage God's Way: A Step-By-Step Guide for Marriage Readiness and After-The-Wedding Conflicts [PREPARING FOR MARRIAGE GODS WA]

Turn Your Photos into Cash - 12 Reasons Why This is the Perfect Home Business

2010-02-15T05:32:00.000+02:00

Okay I will go straight into the meet of why the www.turnyourphotosintocash.com system is the perfect home business.

You can take digital photos of virtually anything on this planet or beyond if you wish.
You can work from home and choose the hours you work giving you more freedom for leisure time!
You don't even need any experience because even with an average picture, you can make money using this system!
You don’t have to have a website or even any computer technical skills!
You don’t need to possess marketing or sales skills (and you will be your own boss)!
Anybody selling photo products doesn't need to store or ship inventory!
If you already the proud owner of a digital camera, PC and have an Internet connection, you won’t have to spend a cent to get started!
This on-line money-making business is so simple that literally anybody can do it - male or female, any age, any skill level!
You might already have an absolute GOLD MINE of photos just sitting on your computer, meaning you can begin to make money immediately. All you need to do is read the free guide found on www.turnyourphotosintocash.com and discover just which photos you can use!
You’ll find out just how easy it is to create a residual income - meaning you get paid even while you’re not working!
Demand for Internet digital images is growing on a daily basis, so now is the perfect time to get started!
In plain layman's terms you just can't find an easier way to make money with your digital camera…and you can get started right now!

Get your FREE REPORT on how to make money with just a digital camera, computer and internet connection at www.turnyourphotosintocash.com Then you can decide if this is for you.

Your Name

Sunganani

p.s. You can visit my favorite stock photo site at www.shutterstock.com

What To Say When You Propose Marriage

2010-02-04T04:03:00.002+02:00

This is really for the guys because the expectation is that they do the asking. I think it is just natural. Anyway what you say when you propose marriage is really up to the way you have been relating with the woman/fiancée. You basically have seen a number of pointers that tell you that she is giving you the “come and ask for it”. Women by nature want long term commitment. However you say it, she wants to know that you are

1. In it for the long haul. Once you are in and the ship is sinking, you will go down trying to save it.

2. You are going to love her unconditionally. If anything she wants that love to grow as the years go by.

Sooooo…how do you say it? Don’t know and yes I am married but my case was an interesting one. More on that later.

Here is what has been done by others

On bended knee with flowers or the ring.
Over dinner.
During a walk or a hike or picnic.
Over the phone. I am yet to hear if facebook works...

Back to my story. I intended to “pop the question” after some time of seeing her. However, it was how I asked her out that made things awkward. She was trying to ensure that I am in this for the long haul and I said something like, “for me this is about marriage” and that was it. We started seeing each other and somewhere in those three years we started making wedding plans . I just never “popped the question”. And get this.

Are you sitting down. Ok.

10 years of marriage later she still wants me to “pop the question”. Says she misses the experience.

Help.

Anyone?

What is the Prayer to Manifest Money?

2010-01-30T05:23:00.000+02:00

There is a teaching that is going around that for you to have all the money you need, you just need to pray a particular prayer. Interestingly, reports are rife that this actually works. However, from what I have seen, there are several things that need to happen for money to "manifest" or "show up". A few things about money and how it works;

Money is a tool, a medium of exchange. So if I want a haircut, I go to a skilled barber, he does the job and I pay for his service using money. He might have hesitated if I wanted to pay with an alcoholic drink…perhaps he does not drink. Money solves that problem. Money is a medium of exchange.
For you to have money manifest, there is a simple, yet powerful strategy you must use;
1. Identify and get what people want
2. Offer it to them
3. Let them pay you for it.
4. That's how money manifests.

Now sure enough, it is wise to pray for the money to come your way, but involves work as well. Listen, people are ready to give you money if you give them something they value. Otherwise you will be hard pressed to find someone who will just show up and give you say, $5,000 for no apparent reason. That would be a miracle and not a regular occurrence of money just showing up.

Conclusion: pray for money to show up after you have found something of value that people are willing to pay for.

Praying With Your Spouse Ought to Be Easy...Right?

2010-01-29T09:00:00.002+02:00

Praying with your spouse ought to be as easy as breathing, after all, you are soul partners right? Well history has shown that it does not always come easy. And why is that for two people who have pledged to be married until death?

What’s Prayer Got To Do With It?

Most people, including Christians, do not see prayer as a vital part in their relationship. Nothing could be so far from the truth. Whatever makes couples think that way basically undoes what they are trying to do. Marriage is a union between man and woman for life…with God very deeply involved.

Life gets in the way

At first it’s the two of you madly in love, then the kids arrive, then it’s the advancement in career and on and on. We end up spinning more plates than we can eat from. Wouldn’t you know it, praying with your spouse, let alone praying, becomes one of those plates that need washing and we tell ourselves

“I will do that beginning tomorrow.”

But then tomorrow never comes. Does it? And your intimate discipline of praying with your spouse becomes more and more difficult.

So here is the deal.

Understand that praying with your spouse is a discipline. You keep at it no matter what.

And I mean, whatever. I didn’t say it is easy. The Holy Bible tells us to pray at all times and not give up (Luke 18:1). Pray when

She seems moody.

After you have disagreed.

For other marriages to pray together and enjoy it.

When your kids have done well

…and when they are just being an irritation.

When there is sickness and

When the salad is very good.

When there is more money at the end of the month and

When there is more month at the end of the money (this one is easy)

Praying with your spouse is not always easy but it is very beneficial. That is why the deal is think of it as a discipline. You do it regardless.

And if you do not like discipline, well, I don’t lose anything, except you might become another marriage negative statistic.

And one more thing:

Start praying today. Ok?

Stuck? I understand.

Start here Two Hearts Praying as One (Family First). It's not where I started but that's where I got the boost.

Meaningful relationships matter,

Sunganani

Here is the secret to get your ex to return you calls

2010-01-28T21:47:00.001+02:00

Are there 'magic' words you can use to get your ex to return your phone calls? Yes, and I will be quick to add that it takes more than words.

Sounds hard to believe but there ARE words that will nearly cast a spell and make your ex feel almost compelled to return your call. Is that cool or what?

I am going to share this with you because this is one of the biggest questions from people who are trying to put their relationship back together. If you are here, you are most likely one of those people. It is a terrible place to be (been there, done that but they did not give t shirts) So I am going to answer..."How do I get my ex to return my phone call or text?"

BUT HERE IS A WARNING!

In the Magic Of Making Up, complete strategy is laid out for you. If you use this technique alone, without an 'overall' plan or strategy...you may damage your relationship more than if they never returned your call. Is that fair?

What NOT to Say!

Before we get into the actual words, let's go over what message almost NEVER works. and worse... puts you in an AWFUL 'psychological' position. These usually fall into 2 categories.

The PLEAD- Where the message sounds like "Kondwani, please, please call me. This is the 3^rd time I have called. I HAVE to talk to you."
And the EMERGENCY-"Mphatso, this is an emergency. Please call me as soon as you get this."

Now, I think you can see what is wrong with both of those approaches? So, I won't go on and on...

How To Use Curiosity & Self Interest To Your Advantage

Two of the most powerful forces in the human mind are curiosity & self interest. And here's the BIG SECRET: When you combine the two, you have a recipe that WILL work 'magic'. So...Let's look at what you can say that works nearly EVERY TIME.

In a friendly tone: "Hi Kondwani. It's Mphatso. I wanted to let you know I appreciate what you did for me. Call me because I want to thank you in person."

Do you see how that uses BOTH curiosity and self interest? Kondwani will NOT be able to resist!

"What did I do?"

"What does she appreciate?"

He will be thinking. And he feels good because it is a positive message.

Now... Before you call you need to do the "Set Up"...which is figuring out what he/she did that you appreciate. It can be any small thing...but needs to be plausible, it needs to be true. But more importantly...

2nd WARNING!

Please have an underlying strategy like the one laid out in the Magic Of Making Up System BEFORE you call. If you apply this technique with no underlying strategy and they call you back you can do more DAMAGE than good if you do not handle it correctly. Okay?

What I am saying is... What you do before, during and after you get them to return your call is MORE important than getting them to return your call. Make sense? Cause you want this thing lasting for a long time so have a wide picture.

Have a PLAN! Read more by clicking here.

Meaningful relationships matter.

Sunga

Your Ex Should Not Come Back

2010-01-25T12:22:00.003+02:00

Shocking, I know. Most of the times we expect all our girlfriends and boyfriends to come up to us, join our pity-party and help us find reasons to get your ex back. However, I keep thinking that there are instances when they should not come back. But before I go into that, let me clear out one issue here; I am talking about boyfriend and girlfriend, not married people, because that's another story altogether. We clear on that?

Okay.

If you want to go ahead and explore how you can get your ex-back then take a look at this popular and highly rated resource by clicking here .

Here is my partial list of why you should not get your ex back;

Abuse. That's physical, emotional, sexual… the whole list.
Cheating. If your ex was cheating on you, again and again, that is a strong statement about where you rank in their sights.
Life goals. Sometimes you cannot get your life goals to sync.
Your relationship started for all the wrong reasons and you can't make 'em right. I read an excellent book on that subject.

Got more reasons? Click on the comment button and let it all out.

Later.

What is the Prayer to Manifest Money?

2010-01-20T13:39:00.002+02:00

Money is a tool, a medium of exchange. So if I want a haircut, I go to a skilled barber, he does the job and I pay for his service using money. He might have hesitated if I wanted to pay with an alcoholic drink…perhaps he does not drink. Money solves that problem. Money is a medium of exchange.
For you to have money manifest, there is a simple, yet powerful strategy you must use;
1. Identify and get what people want
2. Offer it to them
3. Let them pay you for it.
4. That's how money manifests.

Between Marriage and Wedding: The Mistake Most Couples Make

2009-12-23T16:17:00.002+02:00

There is a big difference between marriage and a wedding. As I have said before on this blog, a wedding is an event or a ceremony, if you like, that marks the formal beginning of the institution of marriage. Mark those emphasized words. One is an event the other is an establishment.

The mistake the bride and groom make, helped by just about everybody else, during their wedding preps is that they tend to lose sight of the institution of marriage. As a result, we end up with so much emphasis on the wedding party, the church ceremony, the reception, cake, clothing, honeymoon that we almost forget that there is premarital counseling to be done. So we sprinkle that somewhere between the church and the reception.

It is like life after graduation. I wish someone had prepared me adequately for it. I shook the Chancellor's hand, got the drum beat and applause, took pictures with family and friends then I was ready to face the world…or was I? Years later, I kind of think the school system should have very realistic career guidance counselors. There is certainly a lot that should have been done better!

Here are a few things that will help you see what I mean;

We tend to speak of the bride and groom more than the husband and wife to be. Diversion: Notice the switch in arrangement?
Compare the amount of time spent preparing for the wedding versus preparing the bride and groom for the marriage.
Look at how much resourcing the wedding gets compared to the marriage. It is interesting to note that some marriages start off in debt or a without a place to stay or something that, most of the times, has to do with lack of preparations. So already the marriage starts off with stress it does really not need!

There could be more but the point is: there is clearly a lack of focus here. Am I saying that the wedding should be stripped of all resourcing and attention? No. Not really. But we might just as well if we do not help the husband and wife wanna be's to focus on and prepare for the long term, enjoyable and rewarding institution that marriage is.

What do you think?

How Do You Know That I Love Your Mother?

2009-12-11T09:29:00.003+02:00

I asked my 7 year old son how he knows that I love his mother. Below are the answers he gave

1. You talk to each other a lot.

2. You watch movies together.

3. You buy her presents on her birthday.

4. You are always together.

My follow up question was “Do you like it?”

His answer “Yes” “Why”

“Because I know you will be together a long time”

Your comments?

What Keeps Me Blogging

2009-11-19T08:48:00.000+02:00

I have come full circle in terms of blogging. First I started out with the money motive and I have ended up making one major decision which I will stick to. I will blog because I believe I have value that other people need. Now I do not mean that in a cocky sort of way, I am just saying, I know some things that could help someone and I want that someone to find my blog and benefit from it. That is what it boils down to. Let me explain;

People use the internet primarily to find information. If you can give information that is useful and relevant, then you will get a following. That's why blogging is such a powerful tool. And speaking of which, the internet, and all its accessories, is a tool to be use to accomplish something. That is something the 'gurus' or 'teachers' will not tell you because they want you hooked to them so that they can sell you more stuff you don't need. But I digress.

What keeps me blogging is relationships. Family. Marriage, parenting, money, Jesus, God... What would life be without relationships? That is where I chose to focus and stay on. Once in a while I may go technical about the internet but I will always come back to relationships.

Hoping you will enjoy what you read and find it beneficial.

Later

Problems I Have Faced On My Blogging Journey

2009-11-11T10:26:00.000+02:00

No I am not joking. I have had to wade through a lot of problems in blogging career. Here is my list and what I did to overcome them.

The Money Motive. I had done my research and found out that you can actually make money through blogging. There are actually people who are full-time professional bloggers and make thousands of money while at it. I will give you just three names: Darren Rowse, Joel Comm and John Chow. So, having recently left the organization I had worked with for 8 years, with a wife and two kids at the time, the money motive was very tempting. Fast forward three years later and I realized that all three (plus countless others) made money blogging because they first and foremost loved what they were blogging about. Joel Comm puts it this way "Do what you love and the money will follow". So, blog about what you love, monetize your blog, and the money (and readers) will follow. It is also difficult to run out of what to blog about. I have a friend who is an avid Liverpool FC supporter and he does not run out of what to say. All I do is push the button and off he goes. Get my drift? So what's your passion?
Too Many Voices. I have just mentioned three bloggers I read from but there are thousands of others who say they know what they are doing. I know better now, some will take your money and run. They have taken mine(but that's another story). You have to learn from those that have been there before and have walked the path. Stay focused. And when you have learnt all you need, unsubscribe and work on it! Let me start by recommending Joel Comm's Adsense Secrets. It's where I started out.
Costs. It costs to blog. You pay for internet access, time, a computer, domain name, hosting, templates, outsource the technical stuff. If you do not have the money, start with the free options to everything. So, because I did not have the money for a domain, hosting and all, I went and signed up for Google's Blogger . It's Google's free hosting platform and you get a domain name like http://sunganani.blogspot.com (not really professional). I had picked out my topic and off I went. Once I made enough money, I bought my $12 domain name www.sunganani.com (now you're talking). I don't have to pay for hosting. I chose Blogger for a whole host of reasons; with my gmail comes my Google Account (free) with free useful stuff I can run ads from for $$$.
Who Knew About My Blog? When you have a blog set up, that is one problem solved. But who is going to read it? I did my research and realized that I needed tell others about it, those whom we shared the same interests. So I have had to learn about marketing. If you don't tell, you don't sell. That's just it. You have to learn to market.
Content is King. John Reese says "Content is Kong". Blog readers come for what you write, not adverts, pictures and so on. You focus on generating useful, unique content and you are well on your way toward building yourself a big following.
Time. It takes time to build a good blog. If you are still blogging after one year, chances are, you will still be at it for a whole lot longer. There was a time I gave up blogging because I did not see any results, especially the financial results.
Location, location, location.
I live in Malawi, Southern Africa, no, not South Africa (that's 2 hours south by plane). Credit/debit cards are accessible to a few, It is a nightmare to have $200 to pay for anything online, a paypal account does allow you to withdraw money into your bank account (what's the point I wonder) and on and on and on. The location I am in affected my output until I read Robert Kiyosaki's wisdom "You either say 'I cannot afford it' or you say 'how can I afford it'" To make a long story short, what you see on this blog has a lot to do with me asking the second question. It's a great motto to have. Location has also affected who I write for. Who my audience is.
Measuring Progress. You measure what you value. If you have a bathroom scale you stand on every morning, I know what you value. If you keep on getting your bank balance now and then, I know what you value. Most bloggers do not know who reads their blog, where they come from, what they read on their blog. Those kinds of stats helps me to refine my findings.
Work is not welcome. With the myriad of sales letter of people on the beach claiming that their passive, online businesses pays the bills, I was out to find the perfect program where I would just set up within 2 hours and cha-ching, the money starts rolling in. That's more like a wish. There is always work to be done. You learn, you implement (work), track progress, tweak, rinse and repeat. At some point, when you break through, there is less work because you can pay for the work that you used to do on your own. That's where you meet the sales letters talking about passive income.

So, if you are not going to take blogging for the long haul, then it is best you search for another type of online business but I must wan you that you will find just about the same things waiting!

Your comment?

Why Did I Start Blogging

2009-11-08T07:00:00.001+02:00

Some months after leaving the organization I worked with, someone did talk about how people make some really decent, comfortable living writing stuff on the internet. After searching and getting my share of those who "take your money and run", I decided that blogging was the most cost effective way for me to venture out in this fascinating world. A few reasons;

I am a teacher. Just love to. Whenever I get a chance to share what I know, you would really do a double take wondering if this was the same guy you just met a few moments ago. So, I knew that somewhere in blogosphere, would be people interested in what I have to write.
I love writing. Since there is a shortage of pulpits and platforms to teach from, I find that blogging has brought willing listeners from all over the globe. I have had readers from Chile, Alaska, Canada, Japan…that feels sooo good.
Blogging is a two way street. Your readers can comment, challenge, recommend, invite others. If you are of a weaker spine when it comes to critique, then this might not be your cup of tea.
You can start a blog for free. I started with Google's Blogger because you are allowed to put adverts which you can earn money from. The other popular one is Wordpress.com (as opposed to Wordpress.org this is a powerful tool but I doubled back after using it for six months for security reasons).
Done correctly, you can earn massive amounts of money.

Although blogging is easier to start, I find that content production is a big challenge and consistency is a bigger challenge. However, whatever you love doing, if you blog about it, you will certainly find someone willing to read what you have written.

The Bloggaholic.

How Can I Check My Email From Home?

2009-11-06T10:23:00.001+02:00

Believe it or not, this was one of the questions I asked myself for quite a while especially when I was formally employed. I had a lot of work to do that I really had little to no time to check my personal emails (and I get a lot). Although this might seem obvious to many, there are still others who may not know where to start.

Things to you need:

So what you do (this should have been the first thing actually) is to discuss with your house mate the importance of you to be able to check your email from home. You will need to establish the benefits, even financially, for you to do that. Once that is settled, you need to discuss the when you should be doing that.
Your own computer, blackberry or some smart phone like that. One you can use to read email. I prefer the good old laptop or desktop. Loads of stuff I can do there compared to the smartphones. Make sure you have a regularly update anti-virus software.
Internet connection. There are a lot of ISP's (Internet service providers) itching to give you the service…for a fee of course. There are many options if you are in Malawi: TNM, Zain, MTL and Globemax.
An web based email address. I use Google's Gmail for a whole host of reasons you can read here. I have been with msn and yahoo and have reached a conclusion that for now let's just say you need a web based email address.

Get connected. If you do not know how, get some techie person to help. They are usually happy to show off what they can do for you. Play to their ego!
Discipline. Yep, you read that right. Home is a place where you reconnect with the people that matter in your life (hopefully). When you get home, the last thing they may want to see you do is to get yourself engaged in front of some gadget.

You are good to go.

Make Money Online By Selling Tangible Products- Killing the Information Product Myth

2009-11-05T14:31:00.000+02:00

If you have been online long enough looking for ways to make money online then you have also heard that you should be selling “information” products because that is the number one thing people are looking for online. Information. Well, I have just come to realize that that is not entirely accurate. I will explain.

Every time someone does a search in the search engines like google.com, yahoo.com, msn.com and so on, they are really looking for information about something. They may not really be looking for information products as the gurus have lead many to believe (yours truly included). When you think about it, someone searching for a college to go to does not need an eBook about choosing a college. Chances are, they already have in mind the particular type of college they want to go to. What I need to do as an affiliate marketer is to find colleges that have affiliate programs (if any exist). Another example is if someone wants to buy the latest designer Nike, that person will not need an e-book on the subject. That person will need a real, factory-made, genuine Nike. Catch my drift? However, if someone wants to learn how to make money online, that is a prime candidate for any of the products on clickbank: e-books and software.

In a nutshell, I am saying, information products are just one of the many things you can sell online. They are not the only thing. There are others out there who are making boat loads of cash selling anything but info products.

Sunga

Profit Miracle-How To Automate Article Writing and Make Lots of Money While At It

2009-11-02T16:46:00.001+02:00

Profit Miracle has generated waves of reviews in cyberspace. It has been considered a hot topic for some time now. This system claims that one will earn a minimum of thousands of dollars per week just without much of what is needed to earn money online like making websites, selling, and recruiting. So how does it work?

When you buy the system, you will realize that several things have been done for you. Let me be specific;

1. These guys have done the market research and will hand you campaigns in proven and profitable niches. You copy and profit. Rinse and repeat in another niche.

2. Article writing has been automated. You simply take your keywords, slot the in and out comes your article. What is left is for you to edit it and post it to an article directory.

3. They even tell you where to post your article for effectiveness.

This system is meant for those who want to make money online fast and then learn the ropes later. It works.

I got attracted with this concept because there is little risk and the rewards are beneficial. Skeptical? Good.

The system is available on the Profit Miracle website which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It also provides a very solid and reliable customer support for all its members. They actually answer your concerns even before you buy.

To read more about Profit Miracle, click here.

How To Make Money With My Computer

2009-11-01T07:00:00.001+02:00

For most people a computer is not seen as something that they can make money from. Here are some ways I have found out on how you can actually make money with a computer…lot and lots of money.

Sell it. That’s right, if your computer is still working, trust me, there will be someone who is willing to buy it off you. The only reason I do not like this method is that it is a one off thing and you will be left without a computer.

2. Sell the parts. This is great if no one wants to buy your computer because it has really seen its days. Sell the parts inside for some quick cash.

3. Analyze your skills and abilities and then start freelancing. For instance, I like writing so I have a blog where I write about my favourite topics. I also make sure that they are topics with proven products and services which are bought. Then I sell those products and get a commission. So literary, I get paid to do what I enjoy; writing.

Here are some skills you may have that you can free lance are: web designing, sell web hosting, graphic designing, copywriting, editing, proofreading, marketing, authoring books, research. Learn some new skills and monetize them. For instance, learn about eBay and how it operates and sell stuff. I catalogued some of the best money makers that I have found and posted them here.

http://www.sunganani.com/ Proven Results from Proven Strategies