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Keeping Yourself Financially And Physically Fit

ewoodesign — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:21:50 +0000

You’ve no doubt heard both of these sayings before. Though you probably haven’t heard them together. I was recently checking out an article about ways to get financially and physically fit by AceCashExpress. Here’s my thoughts on the subject. The first point is about having a gym membership which I agree is a waste of money for most people. If you’re not somebody that likes working out with a variety of equipment and is really into things like weight lifting without a place to store the equipment I’d skip the gym membership. It could be a $100 a month bill for something you’re barely going to use. Take a walk, buy a bike, anything would be a better investment. If you’re really set on exercise equipment I’m sure you have a friend or relative who has something gathering dust at their house you could use! I have to disagree on the point on “gourmet frozen dinners” though. Gourmet and frozen shouldn’t be used in the same sentence. If you really want to save money, and eat good food learn how to make some simple recipes. There are lots of foods that can be both healthy, cheap, and delicious that you can make in a short amount of time. Even meals that take longer like roasting a chicken (1 -2 hours) are simple and can be thrown in the oven while you do everything else you have to do around the house! So, don’t let that discourage you from making something good. Victor mentions bicycles as well as I did earlier for cheap exercise. Some other good forms of cheap exercise I’ve found? Taking a walk – Free and stress relieving! A 15 minute walk every day will make you forget your problems for that 15 minutes and clear your head. Plus, it’s decent exercise for those that can’t do very strenuous things like running. Jump rope – ($3 for a jump rope) This is the best cardio work out you’re going to get ever and in less time than anything else. It’s Not terribly strenuous and you’ll get worn out quickly. Swimming – Free if you live by a community pool, the ocean, or a lake. Swimming is really great exercise and easy for people with bad knees or other problems that keep them from running.

Using the Internet to Find Your Niche

ewoodesign — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:01:35 +0000

The Internet is a wonderful place where users can find a great deal of information. However, many are not aware that the Internet is also where some savvy entrepreneurs can find lucrative business opportunities. Internet niche marketing is just one example of how those in the know can turn their hard work and dedication into profit. This is not to say that Internet marketing is a simple field where anyone can prosper but there are opportunities for those how are willing to persevere in their efforts.

How To Create A Franchise Business Plan

ewoodesign — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:32:40 +0000

When starting any business venture it’s important to have a plan! If you’re planning on opening a franchise without a franchise business plan then you need your head examined! A franchise is a very big investment in most cases* and if you’re not careful you can lose your shirt. Here’s how to structure your business plan so your franchise doesn’t go belly up in the very first week you operate it! This is also a very important step if you need financing for your business because no banker will look twice at you with out it. * (Though it doesn’t have to be expensive! Check my list of the top low cost franchises to operate!) Creating A Franchise Business Plan Start with a general description of the business. What do you plan to do with this franchise? What do you think the challenge, risk, and reward scenario will be? Not to be pessimistic, but you need to be prepared for a worst case disaster so you can bounce back quickly. Inventory the management and partners involved. Include their background, and any pertinent experience they have in running a business. The bank and investors are interested to see if you have a history of success. If you know anybody you could get interested with this type of background consider bringing them in if only as a temporary paid business consultant to help you out. Explain your marketing plan. Yes, every business should have one, and it will probably change a hundred times before you’re done when you start figuring things out. You should start with a basic idea of who you’re going to market to and how you’re going to reach them. Don’t have a grand opening with no customers! Do some math and figure out how much money you think your business can make. This could mean going out and doing research on other businesses in the area and what they gross. If there is no established niche you could take it to random people and see if they’d be interested in your business. Take these results with a grain of salt. Finally you should create a financing section. Even if you provide all the money this puts things in perspective costs wise. You can see exactly what your yearly operating cost is verses your projected profit margin. Make sure you’re aloting enough profit for the bills you’ll be racking up. If you’re serious about opening a franchise, but you’re confused as to which one you want to start you can check out my article here on the best business franchise opportunities or you can also visit Franchise Truth for the top mistakes to avoid when opening your own franchise business.

Make Money Online By Starting Your Own Directory Submission Service!

ewoodesign — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:22:38 +0000

Directory submission is one of the favorite methods of building links for your site. Links from high PR do follow directories can really help your ranking if you submit your URL to the right sites. The problem? It’s very time consuming to submit to all of these directories, and the approval time can be very long. You’ve no doubt seen people charging a premium price for automatic directory submission services. People pay for this because of the time saving factor. Many webmasters don’t run just one site. They could have hundreds of them under their belt and on their plates to keep updated. This means they have to keep the time used on each site to a minimum and so they subscribe to many services like this to keep their own time spent in check. If you’ve been wanting to start up a service like this to earn money online you can do so with a web directory submitter script! This is an out of the box solution for somebody who wants to start this type of service. You can use this and get started almost instantly in marketing your new directory submission business. Search engine keyword traffic is no doubt the favorite way to get sales for this type of service. Find a niche keyword you can market to and start building up your domain to rank for it. This takes a while though so if you want to start marketing your service immediately you can start on places like forums or even on sites like Fiverr.com! Since the price on places like Fiverr is very cheap you could offer an “limited introductory” submission with only a few sites. Then include a note offering the premium service on your site with more sites. If you need a turn key software package for this you can try PHP Dir Submit. This is a full featured software package that comes fully loaded with hundreds of directory sites, the capability to add your own directory sites, free installation, and is a 100% white hat tool. Advertising your service as white hat will be a huge selling factor alone. Many link building tools can’t make this claim and use shifty practices for submission.

Save Money By Using A Freelance Web Designer

ewoodesign — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:08:56 +0000

If you’ve got your website up and running it may be time to start thinking about creating your brand identity. This starts with a custom design. If you’re still using a plain Jane type of default theme for your blog or your ecommerce platform it’s time to re-think this decision. The way your site looks is an important part of your branding. You need to think about your site design carefully as this is the first impression people have of your business! Let’s think about a couple of scenarios here for starters. Let’s say a visitor happens upon your site and it has a hacked together theme that doesn’t work well or doesn’t work at all. What do you think this says about your business? A customer will not only most likely be afraid that their order information isn’t secure, but also that your site is not here to stay! They don’t want you to run off with their money. They click away and purchase from one of your competitiors. What if a visitor comes across your site and they see a plain looking theme that many people are using? This tells them that you are a one night operation looking to scam them out of cash or you don’t care enough about your business to invest any money in it. Either one is not looking good for you, and either answer leads them to a competitor’s site. While, none of these perception may actually be true it doesn’t change the fact that this is what many people are thinking! A lot of small business owners are afraid of getting into a custom design, because they think the cost will be too great for them. This is simply not true. You can cut the costs significantly by going with a freelance web designer. Since freelancers work for themselves and not a big corporation they can afford to charge lower rates since the profit is not being dealt out to a boss, a business, hundreds of co-workers, ect. Try searching for something like “London web designers” and you’ll come up with a huge number of listings to help you get the job done. You can also try places like Odesk, freelancer, and other work related sites to help you find a good freelancer. Almost all of them will give you an upfront quote, and you can take a look at their portfolio to make sure you’re getting what you need. You could have a custom ecommerce or WordPress design for as little as $400 depending on the complexity of your product. Don’t think of this as profit lost! This is an investment in your business and you!

Recovering from While Collecting Debt

ewoodesign — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:51:32 +0000

When a nation is suffering from an economically difficult time, it can take a toll on its citizens as well. Many companies will most likely lay off a lot of their employees to save money or cut pay checks. This can be problematic for a lot of families who as they learn how to cope with a limited budget. It is also a difficult time for companies. Since so many people are suffering from budget cuts, they may not be able to pay back the money they owe to some businesses, including your own. This doesn’t mean that you should freak out and yell at your clients. With a few tricks, you will be able to get back the money you are owed while still keeping your professionalism. Being in extreme debt is no laughing matter for your clients. They have creditors calling them at all hours of the day demanding money. They may even have to file for bankruptcy. If you want to get your money back from them without getting them mad or upset, you should have your credit collectors call them but remain calm and serene. Do not demand that they pay the money back. Instead, talk to them about their debt issues and try to come up with a payment plan that works for both of you. This will keep your customers happy, get you the money they owe you and also keep your customer ratings high. Even though you feel like freaking out, you need to remain calm. Keeping a clear head during this troubling time can allow you and your employees to help navigate through the murky waters of people owing you money. You can even suggest to your clients that they hire a debt recovery services. This will help them get on a payment plan that will help them give your business back the money that they owe you. If you still are at a loss to get back the money from the people that owe it to you, then you should consider hiring the professional help of a financial lawyer. A financial lawyer can show you all of the options that you have in order to legally attain the money you are owed. Having people owe your company money is not the end of the world. You have to keep this in mind at all times. If they owe a lot of money to you, try getting the help of an international collection agency. You can also try resolving the issues by yourself with them in a calm and gentle manner or also getting help from a financial lawyer. You will love being able to have all of the tools that you need in order to help yourself and your company with this problem. You will soon see that you can still be a thriving business and receive all of the money that is due to you. All it takes is a little time, patience and sometimes some help. Originally posted 2011-09-29

Acquiring Credit Processing Services For Your Small Business

ewoodesign — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:02:55 +0000

If you’re a in any business these days you’ll quickly find out that people like to pay with their credit or debit cards. A lot of small business owners are wary of accepting them because of the fees involved with credit card processing services, but that’s a huge mistake. More and more people are abandoning other forms of payment for their debit cards due to the convenience factor. In fact, I don’t even like to shop at places that don’t take them. Even if you don’t have a store front and do most of your business at fairs or events you can benefit from having a merchant account. Think of the possibilities of having POS Systems as a part of your mobile business. If people visit the fair or another venue they usually bring cash, but only a small amount. Many times they find purchases they want to make, but if you don’t accept debit cards you’ve lost a sale. Many new business owners feel they are losing profit by paying out cash to a merchant by accepting credit cards. This is short sighted as this fee can be as little as 1 or 2% with a monthly minimum fee in place. This means you could have possibly missed out on a sale for a 1% fee. Doesn’t sound so great now does it? I sell advertising via my bank transfer and credit merchant and I pay them a percentage. If I didn’t my only option would be to accept checks which nobody in the online world uses. They have take forever to clear, they have to be snail mailed, and they have a huge fraud risk to them. I would make almost no money using this. When I sold on eBay I had just a normal bank transfer account, because I didn’t want to pay the fees. I finally got tired of trying to explain to people why they couldn’t pay with their credit card and I bit the bullet and upgraded my account. I would dare say my sales went up 50% just from accepting credit cards. This is worth the small fee it requires for the credit card processing service. If you’re really worried about your profit margins go over your prices. Try to get a better deal with your vendors, make larger purchases for bigger discounts, or even up your pricing by a very small amount to cover this new fee. A lot of people are afraid to institute these types of charges, but it’s a part of doing business. As long as you are not outright extorting your customers they’ll understand. Just know that credit card processing is something you will need eventually in your business.

Why Traffic Does Not Always Equal Conversions!

ewoodesign — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:43:16 +0000

Traffic is awesome. It's what every webmaster wants to achieve, but it can be a little confusing sometimes because it's not all created equally. The goal of traffic is conversions. So if you're getting traffic that does not convert it's utterly useless to you. Stop wasting your time and money!

How To Start A Business On No Budget

ewoodesign — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:49:10 +0000

If you’ve been wanting to start a business for a while you may be held back by the fact that you don’t have much in the way of savings. There are plenty of businesses you can start up with little cash, but what if you don’t have any at all? If your problem happens to be no money you probably also have no credit which leaves your resources to borrow money very slim. If this is the case you do have a couple of options depending on your situation. Side jobs or part time work could be the answer. Try hunting around on craigslist in the gigs section. You could do things like lawn work, flyer distribution, sign waving, or even skilled trades like computer repair if you have the skills. Utilizing these types of gigs you can easily make a few hundred to even a couple thousand dollars over a few weeks depending on the number of gigs you can land. This could be especially useful if you’re doing work related to the business you want to start. Make sure to tell people why you’re trying to earn money. If you can’t seem to find any jobs you could try small term lending. Most people borrow cash from friends or relatives. If you need a small amount of cash this is most likely your only options to get cash loans today. If you need a small amount from $500 – $1,500 this could be your best bet. You could also try a payday loan type service, but if your business doesn’t pan out it could be hard to pay the money back quickly enough. Still, if you’re positive you have the work lined up and don’t want to borrow from family it could be a good option. You could also try liquidizing some of your stuff you don’t use. You can make a few hundred dollars in a weekend if you have a yard sale. You might be able to net even more if you have high dollar items you can stand to part with like a boat or an extra vehicle you don’t really need. Getting rid of these items could give you the capital you need to invest in business equipment, promotional materials, and other things you need to get your business off the ground. You may want to think about a service business. Even if it’s not your ideal business and you’d rather own a restaurant or something similar it can be good to help you get money. This type of industry is usually something you can jump into with little upfront cash investment. You could then use this money to save up for a more costly venture without putting yourself into debt that you can’t handle! A restaurant can cost up to $50,000 to start after you purchase equipment, food, and pay for your building. That’s a lot of debt to be in if you don’t make it. Alternatively, you could try running a catering

On The Subject Of Kiva Again

ewoodesign — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:21:37 +0000

My last post mentioned Kiva, and their microlending program. I have mentioned them before in another post too. The thing is I love what they're doing. That whole 'teach a man to fish' deal. I think it's great. Helping people who are trying their best to help themselves, but need a little boost.

Keep Priorities in Line With a Look At Old Age

ewoodesign — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:06 +0000

Two events in the past week have given me added perspective about those things that are most important towards the end of one’s life. First, I went to visit an old family friend at brookdale assisted living, a retirement home and care facility. This friend had led a normal life that was marred by some tragic and unforeseeable turns. Her husband died young of a heart attack. The company she worked for went out of business. Finally, only a couple years after she finally retired, she was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. This friend could have lost all her savings, wallowed in her misfortunes, and ended up in some down-and-out convalescence home. But instead, she had two very important things going for her, two things that she could control: she had a plan and she had a strong resilience. She saved money, worked hard, and bounced back from setbacks. When life forced her to change or adapt her plan, she had the will and resilience to do so. For those of us faced with comparatively minor setbacks as we navigate the road to retirement, it’s a worthwhile lesson. Second, I attended a birthday party for an uncle of mine. He was turning 90, a very impressive milestone, and an assortment of family members descended on a local restaurant to celebrate the occasion. The food was delicious and the conversation surprisingly pleasant, but what really intrigued me were the speeches and the slideshows that helped summarize this man’s life. Although he had lived a full and varied life, spending time in the Army, living in multiple cities, making numerous friends, and raising children during a tumultuous era, there was only one coherent theme that emerged from all the presentations: family. Even as memories faded and as old friends moved away and died, my uncle’s spouse and children remained a constant – the only constant – in his life. I left the party with a new perspective on the importance of one’s nuclear family. While the importance of planning, resiliency, perspective, and family may become more apparent later in life, this is not to say that they are not equally important for those of us who are middle-aged. Whenever we get embroiled with work or stressed about some small problem, take a deep breath, remember what’s important, and keep that perspective going forward.

First Time Buyer Mortgages

ewoodesign — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:08:56 +0000

If you’re looking to own a home now is a great time! You can pick up property for huge discounts compared to recent years. However, if it’s not the best time for you as in you don’t have a lot of savings don’t fret. There’s many opportunities and programs that are looking to help people get first time buyer mortgages! First, don’t be too depressed if your credit score is not the best. While it’s an important factor; many banks also look at other things too. Here’s a few things they’re looking for! Time at current employer A person who has been with their job for several years is considered far more stable. They are much less likely to get fired or quit and be without income. This is important to banks, because obviously people without income will probably default on their mortgage. Assets vs. debt If you have other assets such as 401k, savings, or even a car you can use this to your advantage. Report all of this on your mortgage application as “assets”. These assets show that you have a safety net in place! All of these items lend you net worth and will make your debt vs. credit look better. Make sure to list everything you have that’s tangible! Repayment history Banks will often check with other billers to see your payment history. If you are faithful with payments for loans and bills it will look good for you even if you have less than perfect credit from past mistakes. Many financial institutions take this into consideration when financing you. Secondly, if one bank turns you down try another one. Not all banks have the same requirements! Some are much harder to get approved than others. I originally applied with INGDirect, but was denied financing due basically to the fact that I was not in debt enough to be in more debt ironically. Since I had very good credit and a large down payment I sought advice from a realtor who convinced me to apply elsewhere. I was approved by both Bank Of America (whom I decided not to finance with) and Trustco (whom I ultimately chose). If you get turned down; try another lender. There’s also many government programs in place that help you get a mortgage or even a very low down payment to put you in your first house! You can also look into HUD homes or Fannie Mae property programs. Resources for first time home buyers Should you get a 15 year or 30 year mortgage? Originally posted 2011-07-28 10:43:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

How To Cover Your Bills In The Event Of A Leave Of Absence

ewoodesign — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:43:37 +0000

If you find yourself sick or injured you may need to take a sudden temporary leave of absence from your job. This could be as little as a week to as much as several months depending on the severity of your condition. If this was an unplanned medical leave you could find yourself scrambling to cover bills. If you don’t have enough sick pay to cover your living costs here’s a few ideas to get the money you need. Savings The first step is always the savings account. If you don’t have much cash savings consider selling some stocks in your portfolio or even taping into your 401k. You will most likely face a tax penalty but you are able to make early withdrawals from your retirement account for medical emergencies. Just make sure to spend this on your medical bills. While it doesn’t help you right now you can also write off any medical expenses not paid for by your insurance company. If it’s close to tax time though you might be able to get a refund advance from a tax preparation company and get your refund now rather than later. (For a fee of course!) Pay day loans If you only plan to be out a short time and are living on a reduced sick pay income for the time being you could look into taking out a payday loan to keep up with bigger bills like your mortgage. Most of the time these loans are quick money and can get you out of the red within a day or two. Make sure you know how long you’ll really need the money for so you’re ready to repay at the right time. This can also be good if you’re waiting on selling other less liquid assets but can’t get a hold of that gain for a few weeks or months. Liquidize Assets If you have no savings to take money from you may need to get rid of some of your non-liquid assets. If you plan to be out for a long time for a severe injury or illness this could be your only option. If you have several vehicles, a boat, ect. it might be a good time to sell to have some cushion money. Even if you believe you’re okay it’s always nice to know you’re financially stable in an emergency. Selling a second property could also be advisable, but can take a very long time. Find Other Passive Income If you have any skills you can use at a desk such as writing, developing, or coding you can freelance these skills out to make some money in your down time. Anything you can do to make money at home can benefit you. Try looking around freelance boards or job forums to find options like these.

One Minute Guide to Eliminate your Debts

ewoodesign — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:39:06 +0000

Debt stricken consumers aspire to lead a debt free life. The debtors can prevent sleepless nights over inflating credit card balance and the debt burden will no longer feed their anxiety. If you are wondering how then read the following useful tips that will help to eliminate your debt and guide you to regain your financial independence.

Start Saving Early This Year

ewoodesign — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:03:19 +0000

If you want to get a head start of your finances, then it is important to start saving early this year and you can get that start using a cheap credit card. No one enjoys the headaches involved with not being able to pay your bills or having emergencies come up that can take a drastic effect on your finances. Not having good credit or shoddy finances can affect everything from your ability to get a job to your ability to get a car or a house if you have a family. Not to mention, any loans you need may be denied if you don’t have an ample and good credit history or the money to back it up. Saving early can include cutting out unnecessary items from your monthly spending budget such as lattes from the coffee shop, car washes, trips to the salon or expensive toiletries and clothing. Perhaps you can even cut out services such as cable TV or your telephone land line. Additionally, maybe you don’t realize how much your are spending eating out and can save money by eating in more often or cooking budget-friendly meals such as beans with rice or pasta and sauce. A cheap credit card can help you save more money and cost less as well. When you don’t have money saved and a medical emergency arises or you lose your job, this may make the difference in whether you have a place to stay or not. A cheap credit card can help you pay off any emergency bills so that you can save more money. Not to mention, if you have a family to support and you don’t have any money saved, it can be difficult for you to enjoy special occasions or even gift giving during family holidays. Your family may want to take a family vacation that you simply cannot afford. This can then cause undue stress as you worry about how to treat your family without killing what little money you have saved. Investments can help you save such as purchasing a CD or buying mutual funds. With a CD or certificate of deposit, you can withdraw from it in as little as six months and with interest rates, your money will have grown. Of course, it takes discipline to store money away. Sometimes you need to ask yourself whether you want to suffer through discipline or regret. Most of the time, having discipline may seem like the more logical choice over experiencing regret. A cheap credit card can be beneficial in helping you build up your credit as well. Your credit is your payment history and whether it is on time or not. When applying for a home or car loan, your credit history is one of the first things lenders view to determine if you can be trustworthy with your payments. If you have a good credit history, this can help you tremendously.