How to Get Started

Since you most likely work a full-time job, this taxi service could start out in the evenings and on the weekends. Just buy a dependable car and get yourself listed in the yellow pages and start your own simple website that lists your city and your services, as well as some rates and hours of operation. From this point, you might just need to wait for that first phone call to come your way.

Instead of using a meter like a typical taxi, you could really keep things simple (people like that). If you’re driving someone from point A to point B and it’s no more than 15 miles, just give them a flat rate of $10 or so (use your discretion based on your expenses). After you get used to your operation, you might want to start getting some testimonials about the service you provided. Were you on time? Did you drive them effortlessly to their destination? Would they use your service again? If you really want to get their responses, you might want to hand them a quick checklist when they’re halfway through the ride. If you want to get really high tech, maybe you’ll have them fill out your short survey on an iPad. Be sure that each of them leave with your magnetic business card as well so they can keep your name on their fridge for easy access!

What If Things Take Off?

Sometimes the biggest fear of entrepreneurs is that things will go too well and they might not be able to handle everything themselves! First of all, don’t freak out, this is a good thing! You just need to be sure that you’re organized and systematize every step of the process.

Before you do decide to expand, be sure that you have private hire taxi insurance from DNA. And, if you start to manage a fleet of cars, this becomes even more important that you have the right kind of insurance. It might even be wise for you to private hire taxi insurance online quote. With expansion, the most important thing to remember is to just start out slow. Yes, there will sometimes be business that you have to turn down. That just happens. It’s better to turn down some business once in a while than to have way to many cars and not enough customers. Best of luck in your ventures!

The best way to get a raise is to ask for one. Bosses tend to not be thrilled by suggestive hints and knowing jokes, but there are a few things you can do to make it seem like it’s your their idea. Here are 5 tips for getting a little closer to that pay rise you’ve been waiting for.

Be confident

If you’ve arranged to meet your boss and discuss your place in the company, don’t go for the wilting flower route. Most bosses will immediately turn you down if you take the “I’m broke and I need the cash” route. Anything you can do to show your confidence is a plus. Be it going through your past successes or throwing on a new shift dress, if it works, it works.

Research

Don’t just go in willy-nilly. If you’re going to put yourself in a position to get a pay hike, know the facts. Research similar size companies to find out what the equivalent pay is, so when it comes down to talking numbers you know what to say. Look into how your firm is doing against competitors to make sure it’s viable for them to offer you more.

Timing is everything

As with anything, the when is as important as the why. You should not only ensure that the company is doing well, but that you are too. If you’re about to come to the end of a large project, which you feel you’re largely responsible for and it has gone well, then timing may be perfect.

Be realistic

Don’t go in expecting the moon and the stars. Remember your research and know when the time is right, and what the fair amount you can expect is. At the same time, don’t undervalue yourself and make sure you get the credit you deserve.

Keep at it

Times are tough, and sometimes things aren’t going to go your way.  Bosses tend to agree that the best advertisement for your worth to the company, is the work you put in. So if your first try isn’t successful, keep at it. When it comes to your performance review 6 months later, you’ll have the added ammunition to request the earnings you think you deserve.

Higher Insurance Rates
Right now, you might be assuming that you are going to get an excellent insurance rate on your car because it is brand new. Well, be careful with that. Since the car is new, you’re going to need a full package that includes collision. If you have been driving around an older vehicle, the insurance rate is probably going to surprise you. When you want to find a great package that works for your situation be sure to contact homeownersinsurance-quotes.org.

Credit Scores and Interest Rates
Hopefully, you know that in addition to the loan payments for the car, you are going to have to pay interest on that loan. These payments will just be added right on to your monthly loan payments. However, you might not realize that your credit score has a huge impact on how high or low these interest rates will be. If you have poor credit scores, then you are likely going to wind up with some rather high interest rates.

You Can Refinance
Most people have heard of the term refinance, but they might apply it only to housing situations. Despite what you may currently believe, you can actually refinance a car loan as well. In a few months or so, you can try to refinance to get a lower interest rate. With a refinance on a car loan, you might also be able to extend the life of the loan. If you are having trouble making the monthly plans, having the loan for a longer period of time could certainly help.

Understanding The Sticker Price
Too many people assume that they can walk into a car dealership and just demand whatever price they want, but it does not work quite like that. Yes, you can look for price comparisons on the car around the neighborhood, and you can certainly see what its estimated value is. Still though, this information does not mean that the dealership is going to give you the exact price that you would like to have. Remember, the dealership is a business, and it needs to make money. Be reasonable with your negotiations.

Trading in Cars
You may be a little bit confused about this process as well. If you are going to trade in a car, that vehicle does not have to be the same make as the one you are planning to buy. You should also realize that it’s very unlikely you’ll receive a huge sum of money for the trade-in vehicle. This statement is especially true if that car you’re trying to trade in is very old or in poor condition. When you’re unhappy with the trade-in value, you can try to negotiate.

All of this information might be a bit surprising to you. However, you now know so much more about purchasing a new vehicle and the implications that it can have for you. When you go into the dealership, you are going to appear as though you are an old professional at this game.

When you head to a car dealership, do you immediately fall in love with a car and feel like you have to have it? I hope you don’t – first of all, that’s how you overpay for a car, and secondly, that’s how you incur a handful of other expenses that you may not have previously thought about. “What kind of expenses?” you might be asking yourself. Let’s take a look at three big ones that you’ll want to consider when you buy your next car.

Gas Mileage

When you’re looking at vehicles, you might just assume that the smaller vehicles have better gas mileage than the larger ones. This is not always the case. I once had a friend that bought a Jeep Liberty and just assumed that it would get great gas mileage because it was much smaller than most SUVs. On a good day, he was lucky to average 16 miles per gallon. Another good example is a Saab. These cars are small, but they are more powerful than you think. It makes them fun to drive, but it also means that their gas mileage is awful. If you don’t pay attention to the MPG specs, you might be paying out more than you bargained for at the pump every week.

Dependability

Some people like to buy brand new cars because they assume they’ll be more dependable, while others like to sit back and wait for a few years to see which models really live up to the hype of dependability. I really like the latter approach, especially if the car is a brand new body style and engine than the previous years. Every new car just seems so great when you buy it, but it can turn on you quite quickly if it wasn’t engineered well. Do your homework and check the Edmonds and Consumer Reports.

Insurance

If you fall in love with a car and buy it without finding out the cost of the insurance, you could be in for a terrible surprise when you take that car home. I have looked at Porsches in the past, and the Boxters are becoming quite affordable, but the insurance is still outrageous! There are many factors that go into insurance costs, but mainly the more safe a vehicle is, the cheaper your car insurance will be. Trucks and Jeeps are cheap, and tiny powerful cars are typically pretty expensive. If you’re shopping around for insurance, check out Motor trade Insurance from Flint & Motor traders Insurance. Once you find the rate that’s best for you, you can confidently drive that car home without any big surprises!

However, jobs in the construction industry are becoming increasingly sought after. An individual looking to become a construction worker has the potential to earn a great salary and receive a number of benefits. Even so, due to the very nature of the occupation, working conditions and associated health risks mean this type of employment isn’t for everyone.

Therefore it is important to understand the implications of becoming involved with construction work.

Salary and security

Since 2010, the average salary for a project manager in the construction industry has been around £44,000, which is the same as quantity surveyors with a similar level of experience.

The majority of employers in the oil and gas industry also recently indicated that they were expecting to give workers a pay rise. If you’re prepared to work in dangerous locations, such as war-torn or politically unstable countries with security problems, pay scales will usually reflect the risk involved.

If you’re working for a major corporation, then the compound or construction site is likely to have safety measures and strict controls on entry.

Other benefits

With standards and regulations for construction spanning different regions and indeed the entire world, skills can be transferred almost anywhere.

One of the other advantages of being a construction worker is self-employment. You can be your own boss, have flexibility over the jobs you take on and don’t have to work for somebody else.

In several instances, working abroad is an attractive option. For example, in Australia a civil engineer can earn upwards of £54,000 while a project manager has the potential to receive £85,000 a year. What’s more, one of the main reasons construction workers move abroad are for the potential tax benefits.

Risks

Working on a construction site has various implications regarding safety and potential health risks. Even though it is standard practice to always wear a hardhat and high-visibility jacket, you are always at risk of accidental injury.

Certain sites or buildings may have hazardous materials present such as asbestos. Exposure to this substance can lead to serious conditions including mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. If a construction worker develops mesothelioma, they may be eligible to make an asbestos compensation claim.

Although the construction of buildings and property will always be ongoing, the amount of activity in that area does fluctuate, and recent figures have shown a decrease: in January 2013, the Office for National Statistics noted that output in the private commercial sector fell by 14.5% while new public non-housing decreased by 23.5%.

It is important to note that these statistics can change quite dramatically over a short period of time. However, the number of active construction projects at any one time is far from guaranteed.

Auto insurance is one of the necessary expenses to legally be on the road.  The cost for coverage can be very expensive depending on where you live, what may be on your driving record, and especially your credit score.  While the standard liability insurance is the only legally required coverage to drive, the basic plan leaves you uncovered in the event of a fire, theft, or any other type of unexpected disaster.

When you apply for auto insurance, the first step is identifying what type of coverage will address your individual needs.  Once you know what type of plan will address those needs, you can compare auto insurance rates and plans from providers across the country.

While the application process seems a lengthy and arduous ordeal, there are ways to simplify the procedure.  The traditional process required you to call an insurance company, set a meeting date, and physically speak with an insurance agent to discuss the terms and conditions of a plan.  The process was very lengthy, and required a repetitive back and forth negotiation that takes up much of your personal time.

Thankfully, traditions become outdated, especially as technology finds more convenient methods to get things done.  You can use online insurance comparison websites to review some of the best advertised auto insurance rates and policies from some of the leading providers in the country.  This is a valuable service because it eliminates the hassle of meeting with insurance agents.  Instead, you can browse all of your options in a one-stop shop location, and submit your application within minutes instead of days.

Today’s world is built upon technology making everyday life faster and more convenient for people in order to get things done.  If you are legally required to have car insurance to drive, you should be able to acquire that coverage in the most convenient way possible.

1)      Checking Account – You might think that it’s odd for me to start out with “checking account” as an investment, but there are quite a few credit unions out there that are offering 3% or 4% just for having money in a checking account! Now that’s some pretty easy money with very little risk.

2)      Company 401(k) – Does your company currently offer a 401(k) fund? Do they match your investment? If they do, I would strongly recommend investing since they’re basically giving you free money toward your retirement!

3)      Foreign Currency – You can either choose to invest in the market to purchase your foreign currencies, or you can actually purchase money from another country whose economy seems much more stable than ours. It might not make you a ton of money, but it’s a good hedge in the event that our economy goes belly-up.

4)      Junk Silver – Did you know that the US quarter used to be made out of mostly silver before 1965? If you would like to invest in silver and actually have some in your hand, try to get your hands on these quarters. Instead of being valued at $0.25, they’re actually worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 per quarter.

5)      Spread Betting – While spread betting is quite risky, it’s definitely fun, especially if you know what you’re doing and can make some money at it. If spread betting is not legal in your country, you can most likely get away with CMC CFDs.

6)      Real Estate – This is actually one of my favorite forms of investing. It does cost quite a lot of money upfront, but if the value of your properties rise while you’re also earning a positive cash flow, your overall earnings per year are quite large! The trick, of course, is to find good renters, which can be tough. But, if you can attract those that are diligent in making their monthly payments, renting out properties is heavenly.

These are some great ways to increase the value of your portfolio. Keep in mind though, that not all big purchases are classified as investments. For instance, your house that you live in – that is NOT an investment. While it may increase in value each year, it is also quite a large expense when the roof leaks or you need to repair your furnace. Also, your car is not an investment either, it is actually a depreciating asset. Once you drive it off the lot, it is typically worth less than the instant you bought it. While cars are necessary, you’ll definitely want to limit your spending on them since the value continues to go down each year.

At the height of the skyscraper’s construction, some 30 on-site contracting companies from nations around the world were involved, along with the daily workforce of around 12,000 workers and contractors representing more than 100 nationalities. Many, of course, moved on to other construction projects when the Burj Khalifa was finally completed and then officially opened in 2010. Others simply returned home.

However, a tiny number of the more well-to-do expatriates decided to stay on and carve out a more permanent stake in the future of UAE by buying their own property. Not surprisingly, the UAE’s modern and transparent financial sector played its part, offering mortgage, home loan and other financial products which Westerners particularly have come to expect from their own banks back home.

But having said that, moving from rented to owner-occupation in a domestic housing market that’s at least more or less familiar is hard enough. It’s even tougher doing so in an unfamiliar foreign jurisdiction. Buyer beware, that oft-quoted truism, comes quickly to mind despite the comparatively benign property-owning climate which is to be found in the UAE.

Over the last few months, mortgages have been very much a hot topic in the news with the UAE’s central bank and lenders in the country at loggerheads over the level of mortgage cap to be set for both nationals and expatriates alike. Now it looks like agreement has finally been reached.

According to The National, an English-language daily newspaper published in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, new rules are expected to be officially announced soon which will see the mortgage cap for first-home buyers set at 80% of the purchase price for UAE nationals, and 75% for expatriates. Second and third-home loans for Emiratis will be capped at 65% of the purchase price. For expatriates, that figure will be 60%.

Originally the country’s central bank announced it wanted bank mortgage lending to expatriates capped at 50% for a first property, and then 40% on any subsequent property purchase. Needless to say, the proposal didn’t go down too well. Such a cap would have meant expatriates finding a deposit of half the value of their property. However, the reasoning behind the move appeared to be prevention of the levels of real estate speculation seen in Dubai during 2007 and 2008, and which led to a property bubble.

Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, chairman of the UAE Banks Federation and chief executive of Mashreq Bank, told The National that the regulator had widely accepted the proposals on the mortgage cap made by member banks.

He said, “The Central Bank has broadly agreed in principle to the fine-tuning proposals we made and an agreement could come in the second half of the year.”

Check out the full story here.

Top tips to survive unemployment.

If you used to leave work on a Friday and then enjoy your weekend, you still can. Come Sunday night, though, start planning what you are going to achieve on Monday. Make this a routine. Find a journal and get into the habit of writing in it every day. Make plans and design a schedule. Things don’t just happen; from now on you have to make them happen. So make a plan of everything you want to achieve in a day. Have different columns for different things:

• Job Search
• Application
• Skills Search/Update
• Domestic
• Confidence Building

You can make up your own headings but these are basic ones.

• Create a column with money saving and money making tips. If we worked as hard trying to save money as making it, we could probably cut down some of the hours we needed to work anyway. Think about how to make money even when you are unemployed. You might start a backyard or garage sale, clear out everything that is no longer any use like CDs and DVDs, for example, and sell them – be ruthless.
• Review your skills. Is there a skill you have never earned money from? Think hard. Perhaps you repair electrical goods, can offer computer solutions or lessons, are an expert at painting and decorating, or you could possibly become a freelance writer or designer. Maybe you could become a freelance translator. Do some voluntary work, you never know who you might meet, what experience you might gain or what opportunity will come your way. The important thing is to check out opportunities: the internet is full of them.
• Doing someone’s garden, cleaning, ironing, dog walking and so on are all stop gaps, though some people have turned them into thriving businesses. They may not be great jobs but they can be a stepping stone to running your own enterprise and are things people always need help with. Identify a need and offer a solution, it shows initiative.
• Keep up routines, think about updating your skills and your CV. Consciously save some money for your ‘escape fund’ and maybe use this to enroll in a course. Check out free ones wherever possible.

Now you are home, can you save household expenses by shopping more carefully, checking out bargains, cooking for yourself, avoiding convenience foods that are expensive and freezing food. You might write a blog entitled Surviving Unemployment and end up getting advertising on it!

The most important thing is not to be closed minded about your situation, be curious, keep busy and keep looking. Unemployment may be just the opportunity to give you the life change you have always wanted.

Just because there is no paid work it doesn’t mean you need to be ‘unemployed’!

This article was brought to you by musicmagpie.com, the site where you can sell your old technology, clothing, DVDs and CDs for cash. If unemployment has left you pinching pennies and looking to free up cash, visit the site to see what you could raise through selling your unwanted stuff.

Retail businesses have to find new ways to stay in profit at a time where customers are less keen than ever to spend money in stores, and it’s not just a case of high street competition but an out and out fight for survival.

One essential way for businesses to safeguard their profitability this year is to make sure they have a strong online presence. It’s important to stay ahead of the game on emerging technology such as mobile shopping and improvements in receiving online payments (click here for more information). By all accounts we’ll see a continued rise in the use of mobiles for shopping this year, so it is essential that businesses build mobile friendly versions of their sites and optimise them for mobile search.

In store the challenge will be to keep customers happy, satisfied and keen to drop in while they are out and about. Shops need to ensure their customer service is second to none and work hard on the customer experience. Cutting the queues is one of the best ways to keep customers happy, so investing in faster payment options such as contactless and portable payment solutions is a strong approach.

Businesses need to work on increasing efficiency so outgoings are at a minimum and there are no unnecessary costs that could be avoided. Ensuring your business has solid anti-fraud precautions in place can be a great cost cutter, reducing the chances that funds will have to be spent resolving issues around payment fraud and system tampering (both online and in store).

There may also be potential income streams which you haven’t considered before. When taking payments you could begin employing Dynamic Currency Conversion. This system allows you to offer customers a choice of 21 local currency options to pay with, and your business gets a share of the foreign exchange commission if customers choose to pay with a currency other than sterling.

Alternatively, you could start selling mobile phone credit at the counter – for which you receive a share of the commission on each sale. Point of Sale products such as mobile credit can be an excellent way to maximise the spend of each customer. If you do not already operate store card or gift card options this is certainly worth exploring as around 2-4% of retail sales in the UK can be accounted for by the sale of gift cards.

Staying strong in the retail industry this year will heavily depend on businesses’ ability to adapt in an extremely challenging economic climate and remain visible to their customers in every domain – the high street, online and in the increasingly powerful world of mobile search. Businesses need to put the customer first. Building trust and customer loyalty has probably never been more important.