Financial Fitness

Your Address Book

2012-01-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

At just about every dollar store in the country you'll find Address books for about a buck, sometimes less. These are one of those items that everyone walks by thousands of time every year and never puts in the buggy. Well, the next time you head to the store, make a point to find one you like.

Why? Because an Address Book is a HUGE asset to your business, one that is usually over looked and forgotten about. How is something that costs about a dollar such a big deal? Well, if for no other reason, because it will help you keep all your customers, potential customers, up line, down line and who ever else all organized.

Now, if you're super anal about things like yours truly, you'll get separate books for all these areas, but there really isn't any need for that.

Keeping your customers and everyone else in order is an asset for many reasons, but mostly because if you can contact them quickly and when ever you choose, it means you never forget them when it's time for sales, new catalogs, specials or other times when it's important to remember them - which means you never miss a sale!

Simply make a point to write down the Name, Address, Phone & Email information for everyone you come in contact with in your business. And DO NOT forget to make down where they stand - Customers, Up-Line, Down-Line, Advertiser, Other Contact... That way you aren't sending your New Spring Catalog to someone who sells the same thing you do.

You also want to make sure that you make a note of everyone's Birthday's, Kids Birthday's, Wedding Anniversary and whatever else you can fit in there. This way you can send cards (from your business) for the appropriate events. And don't ever forget to send good customers extra savings whenever you have an opportunity too! A "Happy Birthday here's $5 in savings" card will almost always get you a sale, just because "you remembered."

It's a very simple thing to do. Yet it's something that people tend to forget to do, and they loose business because of it! Think of how many times you have lost a potential sale because you lost their number... Or how many times you wanted to do something or call someone and couldn't figure out where you put their number. Do you think your customers don't do the same thing? SO, never loose another sale! Make a point to jot down contact information, and send cards, letters and catelogs to those who need them - when they need them.

One last tip - If you haven't heard from a "good customer" for a few weeks/months, it's always a great idea to call and see how they are. Even if they don't order, the fact that you called to check will open the door for future orders, or will let you know if they aren't interested any more.

What are Contact Cards?

2011-09-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

How many times have you talked to someone about your business, gave them a card, they said they would call you in a day or so and then... You NEVER hear from them. Here you are thinking, "I made a great contact today" and they toss your card in their purse and forget all about it. Don't you wish you could stop that from happening?

Well, there are a few options here. You can toss a pen & paper in your purse and have take their name and number down in hopes that you'll remember what they were interested in. OR you can make yourself up some "contact cards."

Contact cards are a wonderful business tool for these types of occasions, vendor shows, events and even in home or office parties when someone shows an interest in future communications. One lady I spoke with made hers business card sized, but I prefer "note" paper sized. These cards or pages have basic contact information as well as a place for them to indicate what they were interested in.

If you have a vendor event or an in home or office party you can simply place them on the table with a pen and allow anyone who shows ANY interest in future purchases, shows or even joining your opportunity fill them out. You can then provide them with whatever basic information you have - business card, flyers, brochure, whatever - and agree to contact them later. This way you aren't waiting for them to remember to call you back, you are calling them.

Here's an example of the ones that I made up for myself. Since I have more than one opportunity I created a place for them to indicate what product line they are interested in as well:

I made this one up on VistaPrint using their "notebook" option - which you can often get free. However you can also use the postcard, business card or other products for the same purpose! But when creating there are three important parts to remember.

You want to make sure you gather all important information - Name, Phone and Email at least! Address if they are requesting information by mail!
Make sure you find out what time is best to call. You'll have more luck if you can actually get them on the phone, rather than just leaving a message.
Make sure you leave them a place to mark (like with an X or something) for what they are interested in. If they want information about hosting a party, you don't want to call with a speech planned on the business opportunity.

Organization is really the key to business. And anything that can increase your chance of being more organized, or at the very least appearing so, is a plus!

Why Social Media is a Benefit for Your Business!

2011-08-31T19:02:00.000-07:00

Facebook is the largest social media site in the world at this point. However, just about any social network site can be used in the same way as Facebook can. So if you are a member of just about any other network out there, you can take and tailor this information to fit... I am, for the most part though, going to focus this article on Facebook itself.

For those of you who follow me or keep up with my business, you know I have quite a few Facebook pages. But why do I have all these pages set up? What is the benefit of having multiple pages? And how do I keep everything flowing?

Okay, so first, lets tackle the "WHY." It's really a fairly simple answer! If you have a business, you want people to know about it! With Facebook being as big as it is, it's nearly impossible to do any type of promotion on there without having people who will be interested see it. It's also a wonderful was to keep current customers up to date on specials, sales, new products, events, recipes and so on. If you do trade shows or something Facebook is without a doubt the best way to let people know where you will be and when! Plus, when your friends, family and customers "Like" you on facebook it will show on their activity and gain you more people who are interested in your business... And as we all know - More Eyes = More Sales!

One common question is why not just promote my business on my personal Facebook? Why do I need to set up an actual Page for my business? Well, again, it's simple. IF you are going to use your own personal page for anything other than business you don't want your unrelated posts to confuse or "turn off" your potential customers. If you have a food based business, simply mentioning that you own a dog could be enough for customers to stop following you.

Also, in order to "Friend" someone on facebook takes time, while a Page can be kept 100% about your business and related information and it's easier for someone to follow. Simply by clicking "Like" they will be updated on everything you say and do! If they "Friend" you, you need to both monitor everything you say and others say to you AND make sure you are logging on several times a day or week to approve all the friend requests.

Also, because facebook is a social site, people talk, lots of people! And you don't want to have to worry about some crazy memory or dream that a friend had about you coming up in on of their posts being seen by your potential customers... No one needs to know about that guy at the mall when you were in Highschool when you're trying to sell them lipstick!

So simply put, creating a "Business Page" is going to be healthier for your business image, easier for your customers to find and easier to keep monitored. Plus business pages get options that regular personal pages do not - like store hours and mission statements!

It's also worth stating that if you have more than one venture you should set up more than one page. Why? Well because if you're selling Avon & Ameriplan you will have those who are only interested in ONE of the two. You would HOPE that if you kept them both on one page that those people would ignore the posts made for the other business so that they can see the ones for the one they want. But unfortunately it doesn't happen that way.

I'll use myself as an example. I follow lots of pages! And some of them overlap. So when I see a page that's posting on things I'm not interested in, I simply stop following it. Do I assume that I'm going to miss out on something from time to time? Yep. But if it means my wall isn't clogged up with fish recipes when I want to read about cloth diapers, I'm happy to miss the good so I don't have to see the bad. And I know many people are like that! So having separate pages is definitely a benefit!

But who has the time? I know I don't have hours a day to sit here and create post after post every hour of the day to keep my readers interested... Do you? Well, not if you're properly running your business you don't! But there is good news out there! You don't need to sit for hours or even log on every day to keep the posts coming!

I have started using a program called HootSuite. There are quite a few options with the program. I use the free one. It allows me to schedule posts for Twitter, Facebook, Facebook pages, Linkedin and more... So rather than sitting and making posts every hour or so for all my pages, I take an hour in the evening and schedule posts throughout the next day... Then, even when I can't be on, I'm on... It's a great way to keep people visiting, chatting, and most importantly buying!

So lets break it down. First, using social media is a great asset to any business, blog, cause or group! Second, social media is the best and cheapest way to keep customers informed of everything you, your business, cause or group are doing, as well as sales & specials. And Third, with programs like Hootsuite using social media couldn't be easier!

What do you say in your updates though? Everything and Anything! Let people know where you're going to be, what events you have, when orders are due, what you're working on, featured products, recipes, product reviews, sales, specials, coupon codes, articles on related subjects and anything else you think fits. Doing things like a "featured products" or simply making a point to say "good morning" and "good night" or "Hey, breaking for lunch, what are you all having" is enough to get people on your page, and from there on your site... Which of course, is the goal!

So now there is only one question left to cover...
Why are you still reading and not setting up your pages?

Company Profile: Beachbody

2011-06-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

This information provided by:

Melissa O'Grady
Independent Representative
View Website

BeachBody
Founded 1999

What does the company sell?
Beachbody sells the top workout systems in the country right now: P90X, Insanity, TurboFire and many others as well as nutritional supplements and Shakeology

What are the start-up costs?
$39.95

What is the commission percentage/level?
25%

Is there support and training for new reps?
Yes, you receive training support materials as well as have a 3-way call with your upline. There are national training events that visit major cities as well.

What do you like most about this company?
Beachbosy looks for coaches who love to help and care about others and to reverse the trend of Obesity our country is facing.

Company Profile: La Bella Baskets

2011-06-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

This information provided by:

Jennifer McClain
Independent Representative
View Website ~ (804)238-5425

LaBella Baskets

Founded 2009

What does the company sell?
Gift Baskets and flowers for any occasion or holiday:)

What are the start-up costs?
$1.97 to try for our 7 day trial, but will be ending soon:)
$19.95 a month for the up keep of you marketing site and store.

What is the commission percentage/level?
20%-35% of gift orders and our corporate memberships.

Is there support and training for new reps?
Yes we have training calls every week and orientation calls with full everything you need on our training site.

What do you like most about this company?
I love that we have a purpose and that's supporting single moms through our Baskets of Smiles Program and everyone is very supportive:)

Company Profile: Wildtree

2011-06-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

This information provided by:

Sabrina M Bowen
Independent Wildtree Representative
View Website ~ (724)258-6919

Wildtree Herbs
Founded 1996

What does the company sell?
All natural, MSG, Preservative, Additive and Food dye Free, gourmet culinary blends, infused Grapeseed oils, dressings, sauces & deserts.

What are the start-up costs?
$114 (including S&H)

What is the commission percentage/level?
25%-55%+

Is there support and training for new reps?
YES! Online team forum, business builder training calls (weekly), and active upline available by phone or email.

What do you like most about this company?
Healthy, affordable food options for my family! Cutting out the Chemicals is really important to me because of my and my families health conditions, this company has opened up so many new flavors and options!

Company Profile: MaryKay

2011-06-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

The following information was provided by:

Kim Bressan
Independent Beauty Consultant
View Website

Mary Kay
Founded 1963, Dallas Texas

What does the company sell?
We sell skincare products and color cosmetics.

What are the start-up costs?
$100 for the starter kit which is valued at over $600.
Contains over $300 worth of full-size products to use and demo from plus all the business supplies you need to start.

What is the commission percentage/level?
We make 50% on everything we sell. When you build a team you earn anywhere from 4%-13% as a consultant. Those checks come directly from Mary Kay Corporate...not from any consultants profits.

Is there support and training for new reps?
YES!!! We have a Full Training program. Local consultants have their recruiter plus a Director. If not local to their group (because we have NO TERRITORIES, we can recruit anywhere in the USA.) we find them a local director in their town to go to live meetings. We also have phone training and tons of hands-on training.

What do you like most about this company?
What I like best is ALL the positive women and ALL the support from corporate and directors all over USA. We are truly about helping each other succeed!!!

Creating your own banner for a blog or website...

2011-05-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, branding is a HUGE thing when it comes to business, charities or even people. If I show you a yellow smiley face, what do you think? WalMart? Yeah, me too. So why? Well, because they know how to brand! Now it's your turn. Once you have a blog or website set up your next step is to create a banner that you can exchange with other, similar blogs or websites - or with forums or anyone else that will post it... But how do you do it?? It's much easier than is sounds - I promise!

Step One - Creating Your Banner
If you have a logo for your company, business or site, you don't need to worry about creation, but you do need to make sure it's the right size.

If you don't have a logo already, you can easily make one. Start by taking a photo or finding a picture that will go with the theme of your site or blog. You can easily do an image search on most search engines or you can look on Photobucket.

Once you find one that you like, right click and choose "Save Image As..." on the menu that pops up. Make sure you know where you save it and what you call it. - just makes things easier...

Open the file in your Paint (or comparable) program and use the "Letter" option to put the title of your site or blog on to it. Once that's done, resize your logo to 125 X 125 pixels.

Your Button is now complete!

Step Two - Creating an HTML code for your Button
Upload your Button to Photobucket. If you don't have a Photobucket account, open one.

Once you have uploaded your Button to Photobucket you will see a number of choices for Sharing it. Choose the one labeled HTML code and copy it.

Open a Note Pad, NoteBook or other word processing program and paste it there so you can make changes to it. It should look something like this:

Now you simply need to change a few things and you'll be good to go.
First, remove the current Photobucket web address and replace it with your own.

BEFORE:
<a href="http://s608.photobucket.com/albums/tt169/SabrinaMBowen/?action=view&current=Banner-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i608.photobucket.com/albums/tt169/SabrinaMBowen/Banner-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

AFTER:

Next you just need to change the title from Photobucket to the name of your site or blog.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And you're done! You now have your HTML code for your button! Remember to save it so you can give it to banner exchange sites or use it as an ad.

Step Three - Creating a Code Box (so others can snag and share your button)

In that same NotePad/Word processor page where you have your Button Code, skip down a few lines and copy and pastes the following:

<textarea cols=”15″ rows=”4″ wrap=”VIRTUAL”>YOUR BUTTONCODE HERE</textarea>

Now, simply copy and paste the Button Code your created before in to it.

BEFORE:

<textarea cols=”15″ rows=”4″ wrap=”VIRTUAL”>YOUR BUTTONCODE HERE</textarea>

AFTER:

Save this code, and the Button Code together (this under that) in your word document for future use.

Here is an example of what it will look like when finished and saved together:
(note, this is for this blog if you should choose to - take and use it!)

Final Step - Using your codes!

Now that you have your codes you cam use the HTML "Gadget" option on Blogger or your website to add this to your blog or site. When you visit other blogs or sites similar to your own, contact the owner and offer to exchange buttons! Now you're reaching not only your readers, but theirs as well!

**NOTE: If you use WordPress.com, you will not be able to display the codebox. WordPress.com does not recognize the code! To get around this I recommend doing a blog post announcing your new badge and providing the code to your readers that way. Then you could create a widget on your sidebar, linking to that post.

AND YOU'RE DONE!!!

Promoting with Vista Print

2011-05-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

   If you're just starting out with your business chances are you don't have tons of money to put in to promotion. Ads, business cards, flyers, coupons... It's all expensive, right? Well, it CAN BE, but it doesn't have to be. Vista Print offers some awesome promotional items to help you build your business, and they offer them for FREE!

   BUT, there is a trick to this. You see, Vista Print offers these products for free because they know once you're on the site placing an order you are more likely to spend on "upgrades," extra products and fast shipping - which is where they make their money. However, if you follow my tutorial below, you'll get the biggest bang for your buck...

Step 1:
   Visit VistaPrint.com and join - which is free...

Step 2:
   LOG OFF! They don't offer the good stuff to you on your first visit! So just log off and give it a day.

Step 3:
   VistaPrint will email you every few days with "sale" emails. THIS is what you want! Whenever you get the email from them go through the list of FREE items they are offering you. While each email is going to be different here is a list of basics that you can usually get and that are AWESOME for growing your business!

Business Cards
Post Cards
T-Shirt
Small Rubber Stamp
Car Magnets
Mailing Labels (I use these as sticker Ads)
Magnets
Sticky Notes
Lawn Signs

Step 4:
   Take some time to design your products, make them perfect!

Step 5:
   You DO have to pay for shipping, although the products are free. Do NOT let them upsell you on the shipping!!! While they say the "slowest" shipping takes a long time to arrive, it rarely takes more than 5-7 days to arrive. So unless you need your products this week, do yourself a favor and use the slowest route this will save you HUGE on shipping costs!

Step 6:
   Enjoy your growing business when you use these products!

Key Points & Other Tips-

Vista Print makes their money on upsells by charging more than they are worth, so don't go for the stuff that's not free or hugely discounted!
You do have to pay shipping, so always go for the cheapest option.
Occasionally you will have the option to earn free expedited shipping when you spend so much, usually this is a good deal. So take it when you can.
Take the time to create the best products you can, these products will speak for your business even when you can't!

65 Ways to Self Generate Leads

2011-05-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Here are 65 ideas for you on how to generate leads. Of course, there is no limit to the ideas a person could come up with. Have fun with this!

1) Use FREE email Signature Tags and attach them to every email you send!

2) Register your website business on Every FREE search engine you can find (first) and then start targeting the pay per click search engines.

3) Register your website with Online Shopping Directories.

4) Register your website with Online Work At Home Directories.

5) Register your website with Online Classified Ads if you are going to do any recruiting!

6) In your spare time you can list your website on FFA Link Pages.

7) In your spare time, go to other peoples personal websites and sign their Guest Book, make sure you include your info so they can find your website too!

8) Contact other webmasters and offer to exchange banners with them! If you do a online E-Zine or Newsletter swap banners with others and place them in your online newsletter and have them do the same!

9) Run a Contest on your site for Newsletter Members ONLY and then list your contest at all the FREE Contest & Sweepstakes Web pages!

10) List your website home business with online yellow page directories.

11) Add your listing into your local telephone paper-version phone book!

12) Scout out your local newspaper for the bridal announcements! You can send a business card and include a flyer for the new bride announcing your services!

13) Scout out your local newspaper for classified ads for Home Based Day Care Centers! Call & ask them if you can make up info packets to be sent home with their customers!

14) Scout out your local newspaper for baby announcements. If your company offers products geared to children or new moms you can try to match up their postal address with their name in the phone book. Drop into the mail a contact ME sheet, brochure or catalog, and business card.

15) Do an Online Bi-monthly or monthly Email Newsletter! After you get your local customer base built up you can consider doing a print version for those with NON-Computer Access! This will keep customers informed of your services!

16) Exchange business cards or flyers with other work at home business owners!

17)Network with other Home Business Owners! Schedule a Home Business EXPO locally in your area! Several of you can get together and come up with ideas on where to hold one!

18) Entice First Time Customers to purchase from you! Offer them an incentive like a personal discount or a special FREEBIE for them making their first purchase with you! Once you rope them in, give them the BEST SVC so that they will come back for more and refer you to others that they know! Word of mouth is sometimes the BEST FREE advertising!

19) Hold an Open House party! Do this 2-3 times per year! Send out invites to everyone and post flyers every where! Offer door prizes, refreshments, demo's etc!

20) Recruit Helper Friends! Have your friends help you spread the word! Give them catalogs, flyers & business cards! Tell them to pass them out, get you orders etc. Offer the "helpers" free items or personal discounts! A lot of times these helpers will end up being full recruits after they see how profitable & easy Your Home Business can be!

21) Sponsor Online & Local Contests! Donate a Prize or Gift Certificate! This will help get your a lot of Business Exposure! If you do online sponsoring, make sure you pick HIGH Traffic Websites!

22) Contact Local Business owners (usually smaller businesses work best). See if you can hang a flyer in their store window or set up a small table display. Offer them a personal discount or a freebie for allowing you this business exposure or swap "bag filler" business cards with them!

23) Contact local Bingo Halls! Offer to donate a Prize for their Bingo games! Make sure you include a business flyer, catalog, business card etc with the prize you are donating!

24) Network with other Consultants and find out what works for them and share your ideas with them too!

25) Print out your own business cards or buy low-cost ones and pass them out every where! (I personally get all of mine from vistaprint.com)

26) If you want low-cost photo-copying for your business flyers try the public library! A lot of times they are a lot cheaper for photo-coping then the big print shops!

27)Distribute Flyers & Business Cards to: Apartment Complex Rental offices!

28) Get permission to hang up flyers at grocery store memo boards, school teacher lounges, public laundromats, church directory memo boards, senior centers, nurses & doctor lounges etc!

29) Contact your local hospital and ask them if they give out the FREE new baby bags filled with gifts etc to the new moms in their hospital? If so, ask if you can add a flyer, business card, or brochure to the mix!

30) Contact Local Fire companies/fire houses in your area! See if they would be interested in holding a Fundraiser or Party.

31) Do you have local Job Fairs? If so, contact them about you setting up a table with Recruiting Info at your Local Job Fair! You can also contact local temp. agencies and see about you leaving info with them about the Your Business Opportunity!

32) If you are into recruiting, place online classified ads every where! You can also place ads online at your local newspaper, TV stations and radio stations websites! Don't forget to also place a classified ad in your local print version newspapers too!

33) Contact local TV stations & radio stations.

34) Offer to hold parties for friends, co-works & family members! You can get FREE advertising by having normal bridal shower, baby shower, anniversary parties etc! Try to tie them into your Business!

35)Do you have children? If you participate in their bake sale activities try to incorporate your business in that.

36) Going to a summer picnic or family/class reunion? Wear a badge advertising your business.

37) Every time you are checking out somewhere, give the cashier a hot card.

38) Make sure you leave info about Your Business on your answering machine or voice mail message! Not everyone who phones you knows that you sell or represent a particular company! (especially those pesky bill collectors & telemarketers)!

39) Write your Website URL & email address on every piece of mail leaving your home, including the bills! Either get return address labels with it printed on or handwrite it! Do you know how many hands touch once piece of mail? GREAT FREE advertising for you!

40) Do a school fund-raiser.

41) Make up a colorful flyer and hang it in your car window! Passer-bys can see your flyer at a parking lot, red-light etc!

42) I leave my business card behind every where I go! I even include one in the Hotel MAID's Tip envelope that I leave behind with my tip in it! You can also do this at restaurants, restrooms, etc!

43) Contact your local Welcome Wagon Group! Network with them! See if you can add your business card, flyer, catalog to the Welcome Wagon Package in your area!

44) Pass out brochures in your neighborhood!

45) Talk about your business Everywhere you go!

46) Don't be afraid to ask others to check out your website! The worse thing that could happen is the word "NO" but in the future if they need service from you they will remember that conversation with you!

47) Contact local kitchen & cabinet tradesmen in your area or local cabinet makers! See if you can set up a display in their shop about your Business!!!

48)Contact local professional offices. See if you can leave brochures about your business there.

49) Contact Local Sorority Houses!

50) Contact College Campuses & Private Schools and see if you can set up a Table Display during their open house days!

51) When out and about....make sure you use an AmeriPlan® LOGO something!

52) Update your personal Business Website as much as possible! People who regularly visit our website don't want to see the same thing over & over!

53) Does your church hold spring & holiday bazaars? Don't forget to set up a table display with your business info! Volunteer your time for Church Bake Sales, Holiday Bazaars etc. In exchange, set up a table or booth with your info.

54) Fundraising! A lot of opportunities here for you to expand and grow your business! Make a list of all the LOCAL groups in your area! Print out flyers about Your Fundraising Opportunity and include contact & business info about yourself! Every month commit yourself to mail out or to contact at least 5-10 of those group contacts per month!

55) Do you know of a family in your area that had a fire tragedy recently? A flood or other home tragedy? Donate something to them and include your business information.

56) Invest in BLANK postcards or invest in Business Themed Postcards! These are cheaper to mail out than using catalogs! Include your business & Contact info on them and mail them out to everyone advertising your business! This works well with random mailings from phone books as they are much more inexpensive to do and recipients usually tack them to the front of their refrigerator until they need to contact you!

57) Business SALE aids and Advertising! If you can afford invest in getting some printed, personalized sales aids! Pass them out to everyone! Everyone loves something for FREE!

58) Encourage your current members to send referrals to you. If any of them enroll, you will reimburse them that month's membership fee!

59) Make up inexpensive Gift Baskets and put your business info in them and set them in local mom & pop businesses.

60) Offer something free for every 5 referrals!

61) Contact all the businesses in your area and provide them with printed info about your business.

62) If time is a problem for you, get yourself organized! When watching TV or a movie, stamp the backs of your catalogs! You can do this during the commercials instead of just sitting there & biting your nails LOL Enlist the help of your kids! Children love to feel that they have a "job" and offering them a few bucks or another incentive for helping you with your business!

63) Contact NEW Graduates from College in your area!

64) Get Business Themed Banking Checks! Your bank checks pass thru tons of hands that could become potential customers or party hosts! If possible get your email address or website URL preprinted onto them! I also suggest using preprinted postal address labels too!

65) Get yourself a self inking or rubber stamp made up with your Website URL and contact info on it! Stamp everything with it! Not only does this save you time but you will be more "apt" to stamp up everything and anything if it ONLY takes a second to do it!!!

65 Places to Leave Your Business Cards

2011-05-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of 65 different kinds of places to advertise. Of course, you can always add to this list. Let your imagination go wild! Enjoy! I suggest you visit VistaPrint, order yourself business cards, postcards, sticky notes and whatever else you can get FREE (only order the free stuff &; pay shipping). Leave them EVERYWHERE you go... Make a point to put out 10 - 15 every time you leave the house, it will usually only ad 10-15 mins to your trip!

Arcades Mechanics Waiting Rooms
Laundry Mats
College Campuses
Back of Bathroom Stall Doors
Libraries
Hair Salons
Tax Preparation Offices
Orthodontist Offices
Insurance Offices
Dry Cleaners
Bagel Shops
Donut Shops
Deli's
ATM's
Veterinarians
Nail Salons
Day Care Centers
Retirement Homes
Model New Home Centers
Real Estate Agent Offices
In Front of Magazines at Check Out Lines
With Your Tip at Restaurants
With Toll Booth Collectors
Grocery Store Clerks
Video Stores
Dressing Rooms
Bank Tellers
Shoe Stores
Kids Resale Shops
Gymboree Centers
Temporary Staff Offices
Flower Shops
Restaurants
Pet Stores
Dance Studios
Grocery Store Bulletin Boards
Mortgage Offices
Computer Stores
School Administration Offices
Fabric Stores
Print Shops
Cashiers at Dealerships
Tanning Salons
Vitamin Stores
Sales People At Any Store
Senior Activity Centers
Walk-In Medical Clinic Waiting Rooms
Credit Unions
Supply Stores
Park Benches
Bus Stops
Pharmacies
Bowling Alleys
Clerks At The Post Office
Gas Station Attendants
Movie Theater Lobbies
Furniture Stores
Places Where You Pay Your Bills
Cable Offices
Water and Gas Utilities
Any Place Where There Is A Woman Receptionist
Apartment Leasing Offices
Put Your Business Cards By The Baby Food Area In Super Markets

How To Choose a Domain Name (part 2)

2011-05-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some other things to pay attention to when selecting domain names...

1. Domain Extensions
Many webmasters wrestle not only with choosing the best domain name, but also with the decision of what domain extensions to select for their website. The following is a general guide to what the most popular domain extensions represent...

.com - commercial (by far, the most popular domain extension)
.net - network host (often used by hosting companies)
.edu - educational institution
.org - organization
.info - informational sites

If your primary focus is in a local market, you may find value in a local domain as well.

There are also country-specific domain extensions, such as ".co.uk" for England and ".com.au" for Australia. A country-specific domain might be valuable to you if you have, for example, a Russian version of your software. In that case, you might want to register the ".ru" version of your chosen domain as well. Some studies show that country-specific domains perform better in that country's search engine results. In other words, google.com.au will give preference to domains that contain .au results.

2. Be Different
Distinguish yourself from competitors with a unique and easy-to-remember domain name. Choose a domain that is different. Select a domain that will not cause marketplace confusion.

3. Keyword-Rich
Including keywords in a domain name is often helpful in ranking well for those specific keywords or phrases. If you find one available, definitely consider purchasing a keyword-rich domain. Keyword domains are particularly useful for content-based web sites.

4. Domain Name Spacing
There is a lot of talk about whether a hyphenated domain (i.e. this-domain.com) is better than one that runs the words together (i.e. thisdomain.com). While hyphenated domains allow search engines to distinguish the keywords, they also make it more difficult for customers to remember. Do not struggle with the decision of which domain to register, as both have their benefits -- just register both if possible. Domains are relatively inexpensive and worth the money.

5. Number Of Characters
Obviously, shorter domain names are better. Eight to ten characters in a domain name is considered ideal, but not always realistic. Choose a domain that is easy to remember and not excessively long.

More Info on Choosing a Domain - http://www.small-business-software.net/ ... part-1.htm

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.

How To Choose a Domain Name (part 1)

2011-05-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

So, you have an idea or a product.... now you need a domain name for a website. How do you choose a great domain name? Here are a few ideas...

Brainstorm
Create a list of words or phrases that relate to the product, service, information, or brand that will be promoted on the website.

Experiment
Experiment with variations of the words in the above list. Change the order of words in phrases to create unique combinations for possible domain names.

Check Availability
Check the availability of the potential domains, using Network Solutions or a similar domain registrar. If the desired name is already taken, most domain registrars will provide a list of alternative similar domains that are available.

Check Trademarks
Search to see if a trademark exists for a specific word combination. The USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) has one of the largest searchable databases of trademarked words or phrases.
http://www.uspto.gov/

Check Search Engines
Enter the potential domains in the various online search engines and examine the results. Do the desired domains already have existing websites? Will the selected domain result in any marketplace confusion?

Test It Out
Pose the potential domain to friends and acquaintances. Ask how the name makes them feel, and ask for their initial reaction to the names. Ask people from other countries, too! Remember: words do not always translate well into other languages, or not as you might expect. If you sell in a global marketplace, you do not want to unintentionally alienate or insult your audience with an offensive or confusing domain name.

Purchase It (And Variations)
Once you have settled on a domain name, purchase it... before someone else does! Domain names are relatively inexpensive, so we recommend that you also purchase variations of the domain name, in order to lock them up as well. You can then redirect the any traffic from the variations to you primary domain.

How to Choose a Domain: Part 2

Tools For Selecting Domains
Domainr - http://domai.nr/
Dot-o-mator - http://www.dotomator.com/
Bustaname - http://www.bustaname.com/
Domize - https://domize.com/
DomainsBot - http://www.domainsbot.com/
dnScoop - http://www.dnscoop.com/
StuckDomains - http://www.stuckdomains.com/
Nameboy - http://www.nameboy.com/
dyyo - http://dyyo.com/search_form.php
DomainTools - http://www.domaintools.com/
Ajax Whois -http://ajaxwhois.com/
DomainTyper - http://domaintyper.com/
Instant Domain Search - http://instantdomainsearch.com/
Make Words - http://www.makewords.com/
PCNames - http://www.pcnames.com/
Domain Pigeon - http://www.domainpigeon.com/
ChoiceBits - http://www.choicebits.com/
Wordoid - http://www.wordoid.com/
Squurl - http://squurl.com/
Unwanted Domain Names - http://unwanted-domain-names.co.uk/

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.

How To Twitter

2011-05-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

Twitter, the latest social networking craze, is a micro-blogging platform where participants post "tweets" which are short comments limited to 140 characters or less.

Getting setup on Twitter is not terribly difficult. There is a slight learning curve in regard to Twitter's culture and tweeting practices, so it is a good idea to monitor the posts for a few days before you jump in and begin tweeting, just to get a feel for the community. Many Twitter participants monitor the posts (tweets) of other people they find interesting, which is called "following". Twitter is interactive, and allows others on Twitter to reply to tweets and engage in a conversation with the original poster or others who add comments to the original posts/tweets.

Here are the setup steps for both Business and Personal usage...

For Business Use:

1. Choose A Name
Select a name for your Twitter account. If the Twitter account is going to be for company use, you should use your brand name as your account name.

2. Create A Profile
Write a business profile that includes a description of your company, products, and services.

3. Add An Icon/Avatar
Upload a customized avatar that will reinforce your company brand, such as a version of your company logo. Twitter icons that are eye-catching will draw more attention to your posts.

4. Customize A Landing Page
Customize a landing page for your profile, and reinforce your brand and company message there. Use the profile space to provide additional information.

5. Follow
Follow friends or others with similar interests, products, or company focus. You can also follow industry leaders.

For Personal Use:

1. Choose A Name
Select a name for your Twitter account. This can be a nickname or your real name.

2. Create A Profile
Write a profile that reflects your personal interests. This will help people with common interests to locate you.

3. Add An Icon/Avatar
Upload a Twitter icon/avatar. Eye-catching Twitter icons will draw more attention to your posts. You can use a photo of yourself, or another image that reflects your personality.

4. Customize A Landing Page
Customize a landing page that reflects your personal interests or passions.

5. Follow Friends
Follow friends or others with similar interests, media personalities, or just about anyone you are interested in.

Engage
Keep in mind that Twitter is not about shouting your message -- it is about engaging in a two-way (or more) dialogue. Begin tweeting by interacting with those that you are following.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.

Chalene Johnson's How to Deal with Negative People

2011-05-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

This Video is a MUST WATCH! No matter if you follow my blog to help you in business or just day to day finances... This video will really be a benefit to you!

Thanks Chalene!! You're an angle!!

Attract Wealth with Visualization

2011-04-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Visualization can be used for a wide range of purposes, but one of the most beneficial is making yourself feel prosperous and attract more money into your life. Some refer to this as the “law of Attraction.” You may wonder how seeing simple images in your mind can help attract anything – but when you think about it, a consistent focus on lack causes you to expect the worst and think and act in ways that emphasize lack – which simply creates more lack in your life!

On the other hand, when you change your perception of lack into a stronger focus on abundance, you find yourself thinking and acting in ways that can be more prosperous. Not only will you better appreciate the abundance you have in your life now, you’ll also be in a better mind-set to recognize great opportunities and act on them when they appear.

For best results, use visualization on a daily basis because changing your mental outlook requires consistent reinforcement. You can perform your visualization exercises first thing in the morning, right before bed in the evening, or any time during the day when you have a few minutes to spare.

What types of things should you visualize? For one, see yourself having plenty of money. Imagine that you’re able to pay your bills with ease and have plenty left over for fun, helping others and saving for a brighter future. Make these visualizations as detailed as possible, even down to the clothing you’re wearing, the home you live in, the vehicle you drive, and the way you carry yourself in your daily activities.

The details are important because they’ll trigger your emotions and make you feel like you’re really experiencing these visions – which your subconscious mind will then accept! How would you feel if you had all the money you needed? What type of mind-set would you have if money was no longer a concern for you? Infuse these thoughts and feelings into your visualization exercises, making them as strong and real as you can.

Then, the next important step is to be sure you’re not undoing all the great energy you put out during your visualization exercises by thinking and acting in ways that contradict what you’re trying to attract into your life.

Avoid spending time worrying about not having enough money, stressing about bills or feeling anxious about your income. The moment you start doing these things, you immediately shift your focus back to a lack mind-set, which keeps the cycle of lack going strong.

Whatever you do, be sure you don’t limit the ways that money can come to you! For example, don’t focus all of your efforts on winning the lottery because you’ll be blocking all other possibilities. Remember that money can come to you in limitless ways – most of which you’d never expect! Simply focus on being open to any and all possibilities and allow your positive focus to attract bigger and better things than you can even imagine right now. Use the law of attraction for your benefit.

Service Based Company vs. Product Based Company...

2011-04-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

When I started looking to work from home I had NO CLUE there were so many choices. I knew I wanted a home based business, but didn't really know beyond that what I wanted. I kept looking at companies that just didn't fit my life or my needs, and I failed at them all... It was only once I found a company that fit me that I discovered WHY I was failing at all these others. I never understood the difference between a product based company and a service based company - nor did I understand how that would affect how I market, build and earn with my business... It's because of this experience that I feel this difference is something that needs to be addressed.

A product based company will offer a physical product. This will offer you opportunities such as home parties, vendor/craft shows, store fronts and sample marketing. However, with a product based company there are also some draw backs. Depending on the company itself you may be required to deliver or ship each product order. Others may have a limited purchase opportunity for customers, so this is something that needs to be considered. IF you have a company with a limited product selection or where products are not going to be reordered you may be limiting your future income. It's generally best to find a product line which offers reorder potential. Vitamins, Cosmetics, Edibles and Clothing all carry a great reorder potential because people will use them up and need more. If your company offers a product with a low or limited need to reorder it does not mean that there isn't a good income opportunity, it simply means that you will always be searching for new customers and will not have the luxury of leaning on older customers.

A service based company will not generally offer a physical product, but will offer some type of membership. These companies are not a suited to home parties or shows as their product based counterparts but it can be done. They will also give you the freedom to promote your service without the need of deliveries, shipping or product stock. Service based companies also tend to offer a "residual" style pay, meaning that unlike a product base you don't have a need to contact previous customers or collect reorders because the service will generally be billed automatically unless they cancel. This is a good option because it frees you to find new customers rather than spending time contacting new ones and helps to provide a faster building income. But, it tends to lack some of the "business relationships" that come with the repeat customers of a product line...

Which is better is completely up to you! But now that you know all the differences, you can make a better informed choice about what is right for you!

Getting Started On The Work At Home Road...

2011-04-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

The first step to working from home is finding an opportunity that fits you and your needs. If you are like I was when I started my search, you have no clue where to even start looking... Google will bring up MILLIONS of Work at Home options and a great majority of them are outright scams! You know it, I know it, and neither of us want you to fall for one! But, how do you know which ones are legit and which ones really are a scam? And how do you know once you have a legit company that it's really the right one for you? Well, I am going to try to help you there.

The first thing you need to do is decide if you want a home based JOB or a home based Business... To do that answer a few questions:

Do you want set hours or days?
Do you need structure or boss to give you assignments?
Are you willing to accept limit your income in order to guarantee a paycheck?
Do you have child care or other arrangements which will allow you to have a quiet work environment?

If you answered yes to these questions, you'll want to start looking for a job... With a Home or Online Job you will be "Employed" by a company. You will work specific hours they schedule you and will have a Manager or Boss just like outside the home and will get paid an hourly, commission or base pay. In most cases Home Jobs are Customer Service where they require you to have a very quite background (where you would still need a babysitter or daycare if you have children). There are other positions from home you can find from Virtual Assistant to Freelancing. There are a couple companies that allow you to answer texts from home also. Many of these companies will ask for a background check, headset, landline, etc. and most times you will have to purchase these things to be able to start. Some companies will reimburse you for these, some will not. With most legitimate jobs from home, you must go through an interview process, background check, and you will have many to compete others as you would with any job out of the home because there are not unlimited spaces with these companies.

However if you answered NO to the above questions I would think you are better suited for a home based business... A Home Based Business is a great way to build a residual income that will pay you for a lifetime and completely change your life. It will also bring in a decent amount of income in the process of building the lifetime residual income you want. (If you work it consistently and put in the time necessary) You will want to find something you have a passion for or will be proud to represent. A Home Based Business is YOURS and you are in charge of your income and how much you earn. Most Home Based Businesses or Opportunities will have a start up cost and a monthly overhead to stay in business. These are required just as starting a Business outside the home requires investing and monthly overhead for keeping in business. What is great about Home Based Businesses is most are very low cost verses starting a business outside the home. You still have the same income potential in less time and in most cases Home Based Businesses are only $50 to a few hundred to start (Some are less, some are more). You will make your own hours, work around your schedule and have the freedom to answer only to yourself. With in just a couple to a few years you can be set for life and can create financial freedom. You do have to understand that it will take time to build, that it will not happen overnight and that you will reach many obstacles in building your business. It is those who choose to keep going and give it their all are those who are successful with a Home Based Business. Starting and growing will not be easy the first couple of years but will be worth it! It can and will change your life if you allow it to, put your heart into and become driven to make it happen!

So, now that you know what you are looking for how do you narrow down the options? Well, if you are searching for a home based JOB your options are already going to be limited to what positions you can find. However it's a good idea to start in areas you are comfortable in or where you already have experience. If you have previous customer service experience that would be a good place to start your search! If however you are looking for a home business there are countless opportunities and the number grows daily! Here again is where we need to get in to discovering what is right for YOU and your family. And again, to do this, we need some simple questions...

What kind of income potential are you looking for?
How long are you willing to work to reach that goal?
How much of an investment are you willing to make to reach that goal?
Do you want a company with a product or a service?
Are you willing to stock a product or products in your home?
Are you willing to make deliveries or not?
Are you interested in doing in home, vendor or other style shows?
Would you like a company with an established record or one where you can get in on the ground floor?
What type of product or service do you wish to be affiliated with?
What are you passionate about?

Depending on your answers to the above questions you should be able to pick out a company that's right for you. Obviously if you hate cosmetics Mary Kay or Avon would be bad choices, in contrast if you have a passion for natural or green living you may be better suited for a company which promotes these beliefs... And of course if you have a disability that stops you from doing in home or vendor shows you would want to make a choice that will enable you to work without those options. Limited transportation would be something that may make you want to look for something which won't require delivery...

There are an unlimited number of options for working from home and I hope that I have helped you to better find your way through some of the clutter. In the end what it all comes down to is if the company isn't a good fit for YOU and your life it isn't going to be something you enjoy doing and it in turn won't be something you find success in. You'll never hear someone say "I hate my job, but I'm successful" because the two don't go hand in hand. By better narrowing your search your are allowing success to find you!

Here's to your success!

9 Reasons Why You Should NOT Start a Home Based Business - And How to Overcome Them!

2011-04-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking of starting a home-based business, you're probably aware of some of the obstacles you face. But, can you overcome them? Here's a look at 9 reasons NOT to start a home-based business - at least if you're not capable of overcoming them with a little work and determination.

1. You Don't Have a Nest Egg to Start a Business
Regardless of what type of home business you want to start, you need to expect that it will take some time until you start seeing any sort of income that will support you. You can also expect that you'll have some startup expenses and that you'll need to pay estimated taxes. All of these things take money.
Ideally, you should have at least 4 to 6 months of your expenses to draw from. This will give you some time to get your home based business established and, hopefully, establish an income stream from your business.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
If you have access to inexpensive credit or investors who are willing to take a chance on your home based business, or if you have a spouse or significant other who can earn enough to pay your bills while you are getting your business established. You could also consider either starting your home-based business on a part-time basis or taking a part-time job until your business is capable of providing a steady revenue stream.

2. You Can't Get or Afford Health Insurance on Your Own
It's pretty risky to go without health insurance. One substantial illness or injury and you could be bankrupt. If you are going to operate a home business full time, it will be up to you to figure out how you will get health insurance at a rate you can afford. If you have any kind of illness or past medical history, getting health insurance on the open market is nearly impossible, especially as you age.
Ideally, you have a spouse who can get you health benefits on his or her group policy at work. This would provide you with a reasonable premium and in most plans, eliminate the need to pass medical underwriting that might otherwise result in an insurer refusing to cover you.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
You might be able to join a professional organization or union as a self-employed individual that provides group health coverage to its members, although these are becoming increasingly rare and even these policies are getting tougher to afford. Some states do not permit medical underwriting - health insurers are regulated to "take all comers" regardless of any medical conditions you might currently have or have had in the past that have since been addressed.

Higher deductibles can provide affordability to some who are otherwise insurable. A savings program, a tax-deductible medical savings program, or combination of the two, can help you pay your deductibles while you operate your home based business.

3. You Hate Taking Risks
You don't want to place yourself in a situation where you can't sleep at night. Remember, having your own business provides a great sense of freedom and independence, but it comes with the risk of no steady income and making your bills every month can be a very challenging and stressful experience.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
It's very hard to change the emotional part of your dislike for taking risks. The best thing you can do is to provide some sort of safety net. Having that available should make you feel more confident and will go a long way toward reducing your stress levels. Additionally, while many argue that entrepreneurs must be "risk takers by nature", there is such a thing as a foolish risk and a calculated risk. Doing your homework to understand what the real risks are and what their impact could be, will not only help you better prepare for them, but can also help you to better identify which risks you absolutely must avoid in your home based business.

4. You & Your Spouse or Live-In Don't Get Along
If you are married or are living with a significant other or even a roommate or parent, everyone needs to be on the same page. If you are already constantly arguing or fail to see eye-to-eye on most issues, running a home business is going to be extremely challenging or nearly impossible. After all, you don't want to make your day-to-day living situation worse than it already is. With a home-based business, your day-to-day will probably involve being home most days, nearly all day long. That means you'll have little opportunity to escape a tense situation whenever your partner or roommate is also home.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
You need to have frank and honest discussions with your spouse, partner or roommate. Look for ways you can meet half way. Be supportive and try to understand your partner's needs and concerns and ask that he or she do the same. Try to resolve your problems BEFORE you actually go ahead and start your home-based business. Consider counseling if it seems warranted for your specific situation.

5. You Lack the Self Discipline Required for a Home Based Business
Being your own boss in a home-based business will take a tremendous amount of self discipline on your part. There won't be anyone telling you what you should do or when you should be doing it. You'll have the distractions typically found around the home - TV, web surfing, the kids, etc. - competing for your attention every day. If you're accustomed to following instructions and having someone else lay out the details for you, chances are very good that you will not be successful in a home-based business. Success doesn't come easily - it requires persistent hard work - perhaps even harder work than you've ever had to tackle.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
Prevent distractions by setting ground rules in the house. Set a schedule for your daily routine and make sure your family members respect and understand it. Even if your clients aren't setting deadlines for you, set your own and aim to meet them every time. Keep track of the hours you are working on a regular basis. That way, if you slack off you'll see it right away - before it's too late. Set specific production calls - I'll make so many calls today, or write so many articles, etc. and then reward yourself for meeting those goals.

6. You Don't Know What Kind of Home Based Business You Want
I often receive email from readers indicating they are anxious to start a home based business and they want me to tell them what home based business they should start. The point is, no one can tell you what home-based business you should start - you have to decide that on your own. If you know you want to start a small, home based business but don't know what to do - wait until you've figured that out. Otherwise, you'll go from business to business and never realize success.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
You need to do your homework, and that includes understanding what makes you tick, what turns you on and what you are good at. You need to have a good idea of what your passion in life is all about because if you can follow your passion, your chances for success in your home based business are much greater because it will drive you to do whatever is necessary to succeed.

Also, don't expect to be successful right off the bat if you have no experience or skill level related to the home-based business you want to start. You would be far better off getting experience from someone else first before going it alone. That way, you'll have a broader understanding of the challenges and potential pitfalls that await your home-based business before you encounter them and you'll increase your chances of being able to overcome them. You'll also be better able to market yourself since you can point to your first-hand experience and be better able to explain to a prospect why they should pick you over your competitors.

7. You Lack the Self Confidence Needed to Run a Home Based Business
Running your own home-based business means you have to believe you can succeed. If you don't you're basically wasting your time and money. You need to be able to handle rejection - not every prospect will turn into a paying customer, and you need to have confidence in your abilities or you won't be able to convince others to have confidence in you.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
Start small - preferably even before you start your own small home-based business. Look for something you can accomplish and then do it to the best of your abilities. Be proud of your accomplishment and start building on your success. It also helps to have others who believe in you - especially when things aren't going so well. Occasionally we all need a pep talk to get back in the game or get back up on the horse.

Believe that you DESERVE success and that you are very capable of achieving it. This is very difficult to overcome if you've spent most of your life with self-esteem issues, but it doesn't mean it's impossible. Sometimes a trusted partner who can help you with your small business can also get you through the rough times.

8. You Don't Have the Time to Run a Home Based Business
Starting and running a home-based business is going to take up a LOT of your time - probably much more than you ever thought it would. Even before you start, you'll need a considerable amount of time to plan and research. After your small business is up and running, you'll need plenty of time because it's likely that you'll be working more hours than you worked as an employee because you'll be wearing all the hats.

If your time is already over-extended - with social activities, family obligations, etc., you need to be sure you can devote the time your business will need to survive and prosper.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
It's easy to say that we're too busy - for exercise or for operating a home-based business. If you really want your own business you're going to have to find and make the time. See if you can get other family members to help you with some of your obligations. Try to set aside specific times for your home based business - including the time you'll need for preparation.

Keep track of the time you spend on your business and non-business activities because it will help you find areas where time is being wasted or could be better spent on more fruitful activities. You may also discover that you really do have the time - you're just not 100% sure you want to start a small business and you've been using time as an excuse or "safety valve" to protect you from your fears. If that's the case, this is probably not the right time for you to start your business.

9. You Have No Tolerance for the Record Keeping Needed in a Home Based Business
Maybe you're the type who just wants to go out there and DO IT. However, operating a home-based business takes some discipline in bookkeeping and record keeping in addition to all of the fun stuff you'll be doing. At the very least, you'll need to keep good records for tax purposes, like earnings and expense and you'll also need to keep good records on your clients so you can stay on top of who's paying on time and who isn't.

Having a good record keeping system and documentation on your business also helps make it easier to sell your home-based business should you want to do so later on. Just because your business is home based doesn't mean you can neglect your record keeping.

Workarounds for this Obstacle
If you just can't stand keeping records, you could look for software to help you manage your bookkeeping and record keeping tasks. You could also consider having a partner or friend with good small business bookkeeping skills handle the bulk of these tasks for you.

Even if you don't prepare your own tax returns, your records need to be well organized and complete to make things easier on your tax preparer and to make sure you get the deductions you have coming to you.

How To Start A Residential Cleaning Company

2011-04-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

If you want your own business and you don't have much money to get started, a residential house cleaning service may be just what you need - especially if you have a neat streak running through your veins.

Once established in this kind of business, you can easily make the transition to office cleaning, or even start a janitorial business serving larger commercial operations.

But for now, let's examine the business of cleaning residential homes. Is there a market for this business.

Indeed, life is more hurried and full of distractions than ever before. Many people feel they just don't have enough time in a day for housekeeping.

Oddly enough, many of us rank a clean home as very important, yet it's one of the last things on our "to do" list. Numerous surveys verify that people give cleaning a low priority in the use of their free time.

On top of that, cleaning seems to be one of those tasks that gets half done. You know...

"I'll do the dishes and vacuum, oh but that dusting and those cobwebs in the corner will just have to wait till the weekend."

Ah, but then the weekend comes, and who wants to ruin a perfectly good weekend cleaning house?

So the household dilemma is:

We want a clean home, but we don't have time to clean and we don't like to clean.

That's where you come in. Cleaning takes on a whole new meaning when you're getting paid for it.

RESIDENTIAL CLEANING IS IN DEMAND

American Demographics magazine reports that of all homes with two adults, over half of them are 2-wage-earner households. For couples with an education above the high school level the numbers run as high as 76%.

In recent years, a rising divorce rate has produced an unprecedented number of working single parent homes, and roughly 15% of the American workforce holds two or more jobs.

These facts along with our general dislike for keeping house has made the cleaning industry one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. economy. Residential and commercial office cleaning is a multi-million dollar business with no signs of slowing down.

YOU CAN START ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET

A residential home cleaning business is one of those rare businesses you can start with very little start-up costs. With just a bucket of cleaning supplies and some rags you have an instant business.

As for equipment, you don't need much more than vacuum, a broom, and a long handled duster. You'll find that many people prefer you use their vacuum (If you've ever seen the carpet at my Uncle Jim's house, then you know why). If your house cleaning service includes carpet or blind cleaning, this equipment can be rented to save on costs.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU MAKE?

Depending on the going rates in your area, you can expect to average anywhere from $10 to $25 per hour. You can clean small retail and office operations and charge an additional $5 to $15 per hour.
For bigger profits you may want to specialize. For instance, you could clean rental homes and apartments after tenants move out. Working as a husband-wife team will also make your operation more profitable.

HOW TO GET BUSINESS

Classified ads work exceptionally well. Advertise in your local newspaper or weekly shopper. Run test ads in various newspapers in your area and advertise frequently in the one that gives you the best results. Look at the ads currently running and make your ad stand out from the crowd. Offer an additional benefit such as a 20% discount on the first cleaning to entice potential customers.

Distribute half-page or full-page flyers to homes and businesses. In one afternoon you can canvas a neighborhood with several hundred flyers. This method will capture the customer that is not actively seeking cleaning services, but is nevertheless frustrated with cleaning chores. You can produce an attractive flyer right from home with your computer and color printer.

Print some business cards. This can also be done on your computer. Leave a card with everyone you meet and everywhere you go. Hand it to grocery store clerk, give it to the mail carrier, leave one at the restaurant...

Get listed in the yellow pages.

Advertise on the radio. You may be surprised how affordable this can be. Granted, the best rates are likely later time slots, but guess who's listening? That's right... the workaholic that doesn't have time to keep house.

TIPS TO GET YOUR HOUSE CLEANING BUSINESS STARTED

Visit your local janitorial supply store. You'll find lots of free advice from experts who are more than happy to win you over as a new customer.

Establish relationships with other cleaning services. Offer to help them out on your slow days. You may need their help on a busy day if you get sick or have an emergency.

While not absolutely necessary for residential cleaning, you'll need to have a bond for commercial office cleaning. Insurance is also a good protective measure. Some customers will insist on this. Call a few insurance companies for the best rate.

A cell phone or pager can keep you from missing calls.

Put together a professional looking quote sheet to give potential customers (along with your business card) when bidding on a cleaning job.

In conclusion, starting your own cleaning business is a great way to earn a solid income and still have control over your schedule. You decide for yourself how much you want to work and how much you want to make. The demand for your services is very high, and you can grow your business as large as you want and still be home based.

And most importantly, you'll have the satisfaction that comes from creating a lifestyle of your choosing.

Become An Affiliate!

2011-03-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Affiliate programs are found all over the web. Generally they are free as you are not working for or with the company. You are simply the "middle man" for their advertising. Its a very simple concept and easy to do. You will usually need a website of your own or at least a blog, but you could also earn through email or social network profiles as well.

Affiliate Marketing works because you are paid on each sale the company gets through your link. They will provide you with a link, ad or banner to place on your website. At that point you will earn a commission from every sale made through that link. You are responsible for bringing new people on to the site in order to purchase through that site or link. Generally you'll want to stick to products that work well with the subject of your site or blog.

There are a few ways to go about finding Affiliate Programs.
1.) The first is simply by checking out the sites you already shop at... If you have a favorite online site you may want to check out their page for an Affiliate Program option. Usually these are at the bottom of the page.

2.) Second there are Affiliate Exchange Sites that will enable to you find a large number of Affiliates to join from one place. Both www.CJ.com and www.Linkshare.com are Affiliate Exchange Sites. You will be able to join these sites and find a large list of potential Affiliate Programs to join...

3.) Online Mall programs tend to have a free option to join and you are then rewarded for referring new people... However, make sure to read the find print as many of these sites require a minimum purchase each month in order to get paid...

Once you have found a program that you like, you'll want to maximize exposure. Do this by emailing the link to friends and family, posting it on ALL your profiles on ALL your Social Network sites, Posting it in your email and forum signature, and of course on your website or blog - or both!

Remember, the more people who see the link, the more people that are going to click it, the more people that click the more you earn! So don't miss out on potential commissions by hiding your link at the bottom of your pages. Post high and proud and make sure that everyone knows you are an affiliate. Many times people are willing to visit a friends site to go through their link instead of just going to the site... But they cant do this if they don't know it's there...

Happy Affiliate-ship!

Need a second computer? Why not get a recycled one?

2011-03-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Often times home businesses or jobs require a certain amount of time online. But when we are trying to balance family life and work, it can be a bit tricky. A laptop or second computer just for mom can help to save the day when other family members need online and mom's working...

The low cost, "Green" alternative to going out and buying a brand new Dell is buying recycled or refurbished computers at a much lower price. There are many nonprofits that donate computers or sell them at a reduced cost to individuals and families in need. "Need" is defined and determined differently by every organization, so you'll have to follow the guidelines and instructions listed.

At www.techsoup.org/mar you can search by zip code for organizations in your area that provide free or low-cost computers. In the navigation bar, use the Directory link 'Refurbisher List by Community MAR Location.

You can also go to www.google.com and type in “computer recycling and reuse” to search for other resources. Be sure to include your state in the search box, so you're steered toward appropriate groups in your area.

Become an Online Juror

2011-03-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

Channel Your Inner Judge Judy. Instead of spending time watching the courtroom programs on TV, try making some pocket money while determining verdicts as an online juror. Lawyers deciding whether or not to accept a case or looking for preliminary feedback on cases they're currently handling use various websites as a cost-effective tool for research and focus groups before heading into a real courtroom.
Sites including

pay nominal fees to home-based e-jurors, which may range from $10 to $60, depending on the length of the e-trial. Research all of the sites and read the requirements before signing on to serve.

You must use caution when visiting these sites. Even though they contain a lot of legitimate information, they also lead to links to stuff that's not legit. Be cautious about the sites and the ads you see and NEVER respond to check-cashing, wire transfer or Western Union related offers.

Seven Things You Must Give Others If You Want To Achieve Success

2011-03-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

A major part of the process of achieving success and living the kind of life that you dream of is to give. Many people think that to get what you want you have to take it. There is a universal truth though that the true path to get what you want is to give. When you give, you get. What you sow, you shall reap. If this is true, then what is it we must give? I'll show you the way…

Give Others Your Honesty. The world we live in has a simple rule that most follow: Lie when you have to. Unfortunately, this may make some people wealthy but it make us humans poor. To achieve success is to become wealthy not only in money, but in character. To be successful, truly successful, is to be able to attain your goals and keep your character at the same time!…
How about you? Are you honest in all things? The problem with little lies is they become big ones. Lies spin out of control. You get caught in one lie and you lie to get out of it etc. In all things and at all times, give others your honesty.
Give Others Your Respect. Most of the time we give people respect based on what they have done or what they have accomplished. We gauge whether or not they are "worthy" of it based on what we know of what they have achieved or who they know or are related to.
But I believe we should have a higher standard: We respect people not for what they have done or for who they are related to or for what they can do for us. Instead, we respect people for simply being.…
Give Others Your Vulnerability. We are taught to "be strong." And yes, we should be strong. But we have also embraced something that I think keeps us from having the kind of life that we long for. It is an idea that keeps us from experiencing the kind of relationships that would bring deep meaning to us. It is the idea of vulnerability.…
"But Chris, make yourself vulnerable and people will step all over you!" It is true that this will happen. But I have also seen that most people will be drawn to you. They will help you. They will open up to you. You see, we are all broken people inside. We all have secrets. Yet everyone plays the poser. When one let's down their veil, others soon follow—and we all win.
Give Others Your Care. Too many people are running around this old earth not caring about others. The days of "Look Out for Number One" and "Winning Through Intimidation" are over! Let's bring about a new day when we can care about others and succeed!
Take the time to show people you care. Listen to them. Empathize with them. Love them. Now, I don't mean that you have to go around hugging everyone—that probably wouldn't fly in corporate America anyway—but we can take some time to step back from business and be human! And I have found that when we do so, our business succeeds as well!
Give Others Your Passion. There is nothing this world needs more than passionate people. And people need passionate people. Living in this day and age can be tiring. The hustle and bustle of it all can wear you down and tire you out. Give your passion to others and fire them up.
Don't just be humdrum—be excited. Give people all the energy you can muster up. And you will find that energy reciprocal. They will get energized and passionate. This in turn will fire you up more when you are already charged and get you going altogether when you don't feel like moving at all!
Give Others Your Experience. We all have areas that we excel in and they are usually areas that we have experience in. One of the things we can do to make our lives more meaningful and be of utmost help to others is to show them the way through the experiences we have.
Sometimes it will be what they should do: Shortcuts to take, people to meet etc. Sometimes it will be what they should not do: Shortcuts not to take and people to stay away from! Whatever it is, we can be of service to others by giving them our experience and ultimately it will make us all better!
Give Others Your Help. All in all, what we want to do is to help others. Zig Ziglar says that if we will "help others get what they want, we will in turn get what we want." If we want to be successful, we should consider ourselves servants of other people. What can we do to help them and make them better? This is the true path to greatness and success, not only in business but in life!

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer
as well as the President of Made for Success
Your Success Store

25 Ways to Save Money on Healthcare

2011-02-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

This article first published in Parents Mag, has some great information about healthcare savings! While this "Healthcare Bill" may or may not be coming through soon, may or may not be a good thing and may or may not break the bank all at the same time... Get discounts on prescriptions, negotiate with your doctor, bargain-shop for a health plan. In this economy, you need to take more control over your family's medical bills.

Find the Best Plan
1. Shop for the Best Plan
When selecting a health plan, don't just choose the one with the lowest monthly premium or the one you used before. Benefits can change significantly every year -- as can your family's health needs. The best way to bargain-shop: Jot down your family's average number of doctor visits per year, routine prescriptions, dental cleanings, and other services. Compare what you'd pay over an entire year for these items on each plan. Don't forget to include monthly premiums and deductibles.

2. Consider an HD Plan It might feel like a big switch if you're used to paying $20 office co-pays. But a high-deductible (HD) health plan can save you hundreds of dollars per month in lower premiums. These plans (which have an annual deductible of at least $1,100 for individuals; $2,200 for families) are great if your family is healthy and doesn't usually visit the doctor too often. Another benefit: Most HD plans qualify you to open a health savings account (HSA), where you can sock away (on a pretax basis) money to pay your insurance premiums and out-of-pocket health expenses. Better yet, unused HSA money continues to grow tax-deferred, year after year. An HD plan might not be right for you, though, if family members have chronic (and costly) health conditions, you're not disciplined about saving money in your HSA, or if having such a high deductible makes you uneasy.

3. Join a Discount Club If you don't have dental insurance, look into plans like AmeriPlan (thisisap.com), Careington International (careington.com), or HealthInsurance.com's dental-discount cards. Participants in these plans agree to give members up to a 60 percent discount. You'll pay a monthly membership fee (ranging from about $12 to $30), and you'll probably need to pay cash at the time of service. Check each plan's coverage in your area -- some regions have fewer participating providers than others.

AmeriPlan
Careington International
HealthInsurance.com

4. Join the Farm Bureau Believe it or not, you don't need to be a farmer to join your state's farm bureau. Simply by paying an annual membership fee (usually less than $50) you're eligible for all sorts of benefits -- including discounted group health insurance in some states. If you or your spouse are self-employed, this might work for you. For more information, type "farm bureau" and your state's name into your Internet search engine.

5. Always Have a Safety Net If you or your spouse are switching jobs and have to wait for your new health insurance to kick in, ask whether you can extend your policy from your old employer. (The COBRA law requires some, but not all, companies to let you.) If it's not possible to keep your old plan, buy a short-term family insurance plan so you're never without coverage. These policies are relatively inexpensive and can usually be activated within a day or two. Compare plans online at ehealthinsurance.com.

Know Your Coverage
6. Take Advantage of Extras
Your health plan may offer valuable services you don't hear much about, so poke around its Web site to learn what's available, says reader Kimberly Hoody, of Phoenix. Some carriers, for example, have nurses on call 24/7. They can tell you how to safely remove a splinter or whether or not your child's cold symptoms warrant an immediate doctor visit (and another co-pay, ka-ching!). Some plans also offer discounts on acupuncture, gym memberships, massage treatments, and weight-loss programs.

7. Get Regular Checkups Don't skimp on well-child checkups just to save money, says Jessica Banthin, a healthcare expert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These exams are usually inexpensive or are fully covered by insurance, and they help your doctor detect health problems early. Routine vaccines will also lower your child's risk of illness -- and your risk of facing high medical bills.

8. Look for Special Services Many health plans have programs for patients with ongoing conditions like asthma or allergies, including discounts on preventive care, helpful newsletters, and more. Reader Jaimee Starr's son Austin, 8, has asthma and gets chronic bronchitis in the winter months. After talking with her health-plan representatives, the Springfield, Ohio, mom learned she could buy a home nebulizer from them for just $55 instead of renting one from her pharmacy for $180. Health-plan reps also steered her to a drugstore that offered lower prices on her son's asthma medication.

9. Flex Your Spending If your employer offers a flexible spending account (FSA), you'd be nuts not to use it. FSAs are tax-sheltered accounts that you can use to pay for out-of-pocket medical costs such as office and prescription co-pays. Reader Lisa Chavez-Melo, a human-resources professional in Albuquerque, New Mexico, suggests "guesstimating" what you'll spend on medical expenses each year and putting about 20 percent less into your account so you don't have to worry about scrambling to find last-minute ways to spend it before it disappears. (FSAs are a "use it or lose it" plan and the money must be used within the year.) Some good ways to spend that last bit of FSA money: replacement glasses or contacts, dental cleanings, and even certain over-the-counter items like bandages, infant pain reliever, and contact-lens solutions.

10. Read Bills Carefully Up to 50 percent of your doctor or hospital bills may contain mistakes that end up costing you money, says Jane Cooper, president of Patient Care, a consumer-advocacy group in Milwaukee. Something as simple as an incorrect billing code could prompt your insurance to pay less than expected or even reject your claim. Other common errors: mistakes in an account number, claims with incomplete information -- even claims sent to the wrong insurance-company address by a doctor. Read your benefits booklet carefully to make sure your plan is paying all it should. If you catch an error, send a certified letter to your insurer. Follow up in a few weeks to make sure the mistake is corrected.

11. Don't Accept "No" If your insurance company won't pay for a service you think you deserve, don't just give up. Appeal the decision. If you're denied again, contact your state insurance commission. That agency can mediate a dispute between you and your insurance company. If you win, you could save yourself hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.

12. Remember to Network When making an appointment, always double-check that the doctor is still in your insurance plan's network. (Many come and go.) And ask to see in-network providers when you go to the hospital or an urgent-care center. Just because a facility participates in your plan doesn't mean every professional (the nurse-practitioner or radiologist, for instance) does. Also, if you need to see a doctor when you're out of town, call your insurance provider's toll-free phone number to find out the best way to get services that will be covered.

13. Split the Cost If you need extensive dental services, ask your dentist about starting the work in December and finishing it in January. Depending on your dental-plan benefits, you may get better coverage by splitting the cost between the two plan years.

Discuss Options with Your Doctor
14. Bring a List
Get a copy of your insurance company's list of covered prescription medications (a "formulary") and share it with your doctor. Many insurers separate drugs into several pricing "tiers," so some medicines cost you more than others. If your doctor knows what's on your insurer's list, he can select the best medication for you at the lowest price. Also, if your plan requires you to get a referral to a specialist, take your insurance plan's preferred-provider list to your primary-care appointment. Your doctor can easily pick out the best specialist who participates in your plan.

15. Be Upfront About Finances
Are you short on cash? Do you have a high insurance deductible? Don't be embarrassed to tell your doctor or dentist. He may be able to suggest less-costly treatment options or even agree to lower fees. In fact, a Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive poll found that three out of five people who negotiated with their doctors received discounts.

16. Slice Your Pills
Believe it or not, many high-dose prescription pills, from allergy meds to antidepressants, require exactly the same co-pay as their lower-dose counterparts. Ask your doctor whether you can safely split a higher-dosage pill in half, and cut your costs too. (You can't do this with controlled-release medications.)

17. Ask to Sample It
Your doctor's cupboards are full of free drug samples, courtesy of the pharmaceutical industry. If your child is getting shots, ask for a trial-size pain reliever in case he needs it later. If you're trying a new antibiotic or rash cream, your physician may even have enough samples to cover your course of treatment. Also, check out the drug company's Web site, which sometimes offers coupons or free samples.

Take Preventative Measures
18. Watch Your Head
Make sure you and your kids wear helmets when you ride a bike, a scooter, or a skateboard, since most serious injuries are the result of falls.

19. Get in a Lather
Americans plunk down big bucks every year on cold remedies and flu treatments when the best preventive medicine is plain old soap and water. Teach everyone in the family to scrub their hands for about 20 seconds before eating, after playing outside, or after being in contact with someone who's already sick.

20. Prevent Tooth Traumas
Starting around their first birthday, kids should get twice-yearly checkups from the dentist, says Keith Morley, DMD, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Preventive care nips problems in the bud before they become more costly. You should also talk to your dentist about getting sealants for your child's molars. (Sealants are a liquid plastic material applied to your child's back teeth to prevent them from decaying.) Many insurance companies cover the cost, but even if they don't, get them anyway: They'll probably save you money in the long run.

21. Steer Clear of the ER
Never use the emergency room as a substitute for your regular doctor. You'll pay much more, and you'll probably wait longer to be seen, says Parents advisor Alice Domar, PhD. If your child feels lousy on a Friday morning, make an appointment with the doctor for that day so you don't end up in the ER over the weekend.

22. Save on Supplements
Don't spend your hard-earned money on vitamins, mineral supplements, and herbs since there's not enough data to support their effectiveness, says Dr. Domar. Most vitamins and supplements will pass right through you, which means money down the toilet -- literally! The notable exceptions: calcium and vitamin D supplements, which have been proven effective.

Shop Around
23. Pay Less for Prescriptions
Go generic, for starters. In almost every case, generics are just as good as name brands and are much cheaper, says Catherine Tom-Revzon, a pharmacist at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore, in New York City. Second, compare costs since prices vary significantly from store to store. Your best bet may be a warehouse club like Costco or Sam's Club. (You don't even need to be a member.) Another option: If your plan has a mail-order pharmacy, you might be able to get 90 days' worth of prescriptions mailed to you for two co-pays.

24. Keep an Eye on Discounts
Remember that you don't have to buy glasses or contact lenses from your optometrist or ophthalmologist. Federal law requires them to give you a copy of your prescription so you can buy lenses anywhere you like. Even if you don't have vision coverage, insurance providers may offer discounts on glasses or contact lenses. If not, look elsewhere: Some Automobile Association of America policies include eyewear discounts. Warehouse clubs and online retailers also offer deals.

25. Go to Dental School
If you need expensive dental care, consider a clinic at a local dental school. Well-supervised students staff these clinics and charge between 20 and 50 percent less than what you'd pay at a professional dental office -- big bucks if you need a costly crown or implant. Search for dental-school programs in your area at ada.org.

Ten Tips for Balancing Work And Family

2011-02-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

There is no single formula for attaining a balanced life. It is a personal decision how one combines their career, spouse/significant other, children, friends and self into an integrated whole. The key is to develop creative solutions as you approach the challenges of balancing the responsibilities and joys of your multiple roles. Some of the same skills and strategies you use at work such as planning, organizing, communicating, setting limits and delegating can be used effectively on the home-front for achieving a satisfying, fulfilling and well-balanced life both personally and professionally.

1. Build a Support Network

Ask for help and allow yourself to be helped and contributed to. Get your children involved--work together as a team. Recruit friends, family, neighbors, bosses, work colleagues, etc. and ask for their support. Between work and family, surprises are inevitable. Be prepared by creating back-up and emergency plans; always have a contingency.

2. Let Go of Guilt

Guilt is one of the greatest wastes of emotional energy. It causes you to become immobilized in the present because you are dwelling on the past. Guilt can be very debilitating. By introducing logic to help counter-balance the guilt, you can avoid sabotaging your efforts toward work/family balance and stay better on course.

3. Establish Limits and Boundaries and Remember They are Necessary for Balancing Work and Family

Boundaries are an imaginary line of protection that you draw around yourself. They are about protecting you from other people's actions. Determine for yourself what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior from other people. Boundaries and limits define how you take charge of your time and space and get in touch with your feelings. They express the extent of your responsibilities and power and show others what you are willing to do or accept. Without limits it's difficult to say "no". Remind yourself often that your boundaries are necessary for balancing work and family.

4. Determine Your Own Standards

Get rid of the notion of being a perfectionist. Wean yourself off it by making compromises--figure out where the best places to make the compromises are without short-changing yourself, your spouse, your children, your boss, etc. Live by your own standards rather than someone else's. Standards are about YOU and refer to the behavior and actions you are willing to hold yourself to.

5. Create Time for Yourself

Being a good parent, partner and professional means being good to yourself first. Use your mind to make some affirmations for yourself. Find ways to relax, relieve tension and minimize stress. Taking some time off for yourself will not only benefit you, but it will benefit your work and family tremendously, as well!

6. Get Organized

Set priorities, work smarter not harder, delegate (and really let go!). Create lists and save them for re-use. Keep a main calendar centrally located to post everyone's activities.

7. Balancing Work and Family Requires You to Be Flexible

Forgive yourself when things don't get done. Understand that with children things change at a moment's notice. Be ready and willing to assume responsibility for any of the tasks that need to get done at any time. Never get too comfortable, because as soon as you seem to get things under control, they change! Also, realize that in order to achieve success many women have had to give up their original goals and substitute new ones with different but equal challenges. Negotiate for what you need.

8. Enjoy Quality Family Time

Spend quality/focused time with your family. Give them your full attention. Develop rituals you can all look forward to. Create relationships with your spouse and children that are not incidental but rather instrumental to your success.

9. Find Reliable Child Care

Leave your kids in capable hands. Find someone you feel comfortable and confident in. If you're feeling ambivalent about working or about leaving your child, etc. do not show it--your child (at any age) will pick right up on it. Feel proud when you've found someone who fits into your needs. Get involved with your child's care providers by communicating frequently and observing interactions between caregiver and your child.

10. Achieve an Integrated Life

Keep things in perspective. Create harmony in your life--a mixture of work, family and friends. Remember, there is no single formula for balancing work and family. It is a personal decision how one combines spouse, children and career.

Answering Text Questions as a Home Job - No Phone Required

2011-02-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

There are many Stay at Home Moms or Individuals out there that want to work from home with out phone work. Either if you work outside the home, stay at home with your children or just want a little something extra to do, these might be for you. As Home Jobs with no phone work are very difficult to find... there are a few out there. Most do not pay hourly or salary, they go by the work you do or are freelance writing which is similar to growing a Home Business as you have to grow your Articles. But I can say there are two companies that are legitimate and offer pay for simply answering text questions...

They are both Cha Cha and KGB. What they do is allow cell phone users to text to them a question on anything and get the answer. People can ask anything and everything they want and then as an Agent or Guide for those companies you will use the companies list of resources to find the answer and using your computer you will text it back to them. The way you get paid is by text and goes by how quick you answer, type, etc. They have a few other positions in this area that you can review on their websites.

Both of these companies only hire randomly and usually they only open up hiring over a 24 to 48 hour period of time and then close it. You can submit your application to be put on the waiting list. You must be accepted as an employee to work from them. Some are accepted, some are not. You are in competition with many others, so you will want to keep that in mind. As these are good for a little of extra spending money or small bills, it is not a full time or even part time job from home. It will bring in a little extra income but is not something to depend on.

You can work as much or as little as you want determining on how busy they are. When you log in as a Guide or Agent you will get notified through your computer when there is a question to answer you then take that question and use their resources to answer it. You can log out at anytime and do not have any certain hours to go by.

You must remember this is not a Home Job to replace your income but it can bring in a little extra income each month for you and your family. At this moment they may not be hiring but you can submit your application anytime to be put on the waiting list.

For more Information on becoming a Guide for Cha Cha go to www.ChaCha.com
Review the different Guide Positions for Cha Cha ~ http://becomeaguide.chacha.com/guide-roles/

For more Information on becoming an Agent for KGB go to http://542542.com
Review the different Agent Positions for KGB ~ http://542542.com/current_positions

Why is Network Marketing a good fit for any home based business for Moms

2011-02-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Before I outline the reasons we should first define what a network marketing company is. Simply put, a network marketing company has a business model that bypasses the traditional means of bringing a product to market or the end consumer. From the time a product is manufactured to when it's received by the "end user" it travels through a number of different points. For example a traditional model will look something like this.... Manufacturer, Wholesaler, Distributor, Retailer etc... In a network marketing company you don't have to deal with all these steps which is oftentimes time consuming and cuts into the cost of doing business.

Another way of stating it would be, network marketing company cuts out the costs of dealing with the "middleman." Not only does network marketing bring increased profits to the company and the representative selling the product because of it's direct to market approach, but you are able to leverage time in ways you wouldn't in a traditional business model. How is this possible?

Because a large part of your success depends on sponsoring other people to be part of your business. And if you teach and train your "business builders" effectively you are able to share in a portion of their efforts.

For example, if you sponsored 10 individuals within your team, and those 10 individuals put in 10 hours of work a week, you would essentially be leveraging 100 hours worth or work every week. This presents an extremely attractive proposition to Moms who don't want to invest an inordinate amount of time in their businesses outside of raising their children.

In addition, a good network marketing company should be structured in such a way that you can make an unlimited amount of income without working a full 40 hour a week. I have met hundreds of successful woman within the industry who work no more than 20 hours a week.

If your sold on the benefits of starting a network marketing business, I encourage you to start a business within the exploding gourmet food industry with Wildtree...

Residual vs Flat Commission

2011-02-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

When I first started my search for Work at Home I had NO CLUE what residual income was or what residual commission meant. Had I known then what I know now, things would have been so very different!

Generally most home business companies fall in to one of two commission categories, some have aspects of both, but most are one or the other. Those two types of commission are very simply a flat commission, where you earn a percentage of each sale, one time, and a residual commission, where you earn a commission over and over.

But how does it really work? It's fairly simple, yet seems to present itself as more complicated than it is. So, I will break it down for you here.

Flat Commission ~
A flat commission pays you a percentage of each sale made. So, if you work with a company that offers a 30% flat commission you will earn $30 out of every $100 in sales you bring in. However, you will have to continue to make the same number of sales PLUS additional sales each month in order to see your income climb. With a flat commission you will start every month (or sales period) off with an income of $0 and build your income on a basis of sales made during that month (or period.)

Example 1: During your first month with Company A you find 30 people interested in your new business and product. This earns you $300 in sales. If you are earning a commission of 30%, that would bring your commissions to a total of $90. However, in month two, you only find 25 people interested, which equals only $250 in sales and just $75 in commissions. Because you made less sales in month two you earn less income.

Residual Commission ~
In a nut shell residual commission is a payment structure that provides you a longer term income per sale. Usually this type of income is only available through companies that sell some type of membership or autoship plan where the customer has a monthly fee. The reason for this is simple, when you sell a "plan" of this type the customer promises to pay a monthly fee, your commission comes out of that payment. So, even though you are only making the "sale" one time, you are going to be paid month after month. The major benefit to this type of commission payment is that it's longer term than flat commission and allows you to build a larger income quickly!

Example 2: During your first month with Company B, you find 30 people interested in your business and make $300 in membership sales. With a commission of 30% you earn $90. However, when month two comes you find another 25 people interested and make $250 in sales, which equals $75 in commissions, in addition to the $90 in commissions from the previous month for a total of $165 in income for month two. You made less sales and earned more in month two because of the business you brought in during the previous month.

Recruiting Income ~
The second way that many companies allow you to earn income is through the recruitment process. This usually allows you to earn an income from bringing others in to the business. However, the two types of commission come in to play here as well. If you are with a company that pays a flat commission based on the sales your recruits make you will receive commissions only if and when they create business. If you, however earn a residual commission on recruits simply for having them on the team, you will earn regardless of their business success. SOME, companies combine the two and provide their recruiters with a residual commission simply for team building plus pay them additional commission based on the sales of those recruits, but most do not.

Prior to getting involved with ANY company it's best to completely investigate their commission plan. Many companies will start you out with a higher commission rate and then drop it after a few weeks of months. Others will have sales quotas or requirements in one way or another to earn higher levels of commission. Make sure you ask questions about commission of your enroller prior to enrolling! When it comes to your income you don't want surprises!

Pros & Cons... At Home Job vs. Home Based Business

2011-01-30T15:30:00.000-08:00

Many times individuals go out on their work from home search without a clue on what they are looking for. All they know is they would like to work from home. We all have different reasons for wanting to work at home that range from not having a commute to staying home with our children to having time freedom to wanting to change our lives and situation. The list goes on and on for every individual, but those reasons can be very different for the person searching. That is where it ultimately comes down to the individual and what they want. The first few things you want to ask yourself are...

~ Do you know the difference between a Home Job and a Home Business?

~ Have you researched what scams to look out for?

These questions are a big part of starting your search. Once these are answered you will know what truly is best for you... a Home Business or a Home Job. There will be a lot more Home Business opportunities verses Home Job Opportunities but you do have a choice and options. If you are looking to really change your life and your circumstances a Home Business is your best choice, now if you are looking to supplement a little income or keep yourself occupied both a Home Job and Home Business are good for those reasons. There will be many choices to choose from and many scams that you come across along the way so be very careful. Search wisely but also stay very open minded as there are many ways to work from home.

Home Job ~ (Pros and Cons)

Pros ~
* You are paid an hourly or base pay (Usually $7 to $12 an hour for customer service home jobs)
* You have no commute or gas to pay
* You can work from the comfort of your own home
* Do not have to deal with the corporate world
* You can "usually" work around your families schedule
* Saves money from gas to lunch, and other costs that were involved working outside the home
* No Dress Code
* Less Stress

Cons ~
* Many cases you still need a babysitter or daycare
* Daycare Costs might still be needed
* You will still have a Boss to answer to
* Most companies require a quiet background
* You cannot miss work just the same as working outside the home

Home Business ~ (Pros and Cons)

Pros ~
* Time Freedom, you make your own schedule always
* No Boss to answer to, just yourself
* Get to be with your children everyday
* Opportunity to make great money
* Six Figure Income potential or more
* It is YOURS, no one else's and cannot be taken away
* Residual Income (get paid month after month, year after year even when you are not working)
* Bonuses and many perks to win like vacations, cars and more
* Doing something you have a Passion for
* With in just a few years can change your life and circumstances completely
* No Glass Ceiling ~ You can acheive as many goals as you want
* Tax Write Offs

Cons ~
* Learning how to deal with balancing work and family
* The first couple of years are the hardest
* For the first couple of years sacrificing time and energy into your business
* Overwhelming at times
* Distractions

The bottom line is both are great ways to work from home, but you must choose what is best for you. A Home Job can make your situation a bit better for the time being. A Home Business can change your life and circumstances forever. The Pros definitely out weigh the Cons in both cases! Just remember no matter if you choose a Home Job or a Home Business they both require self-discipline, self-motivation, a lot of energy, dedication, drive and most of all Heart!

Why should I work from home? Top 6 reasons to work from home

2011-01-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

In these tough economical times so many are trying to find "Plan B" and are wanting to have security in income. This is very difficult to find this day in age. With job security going out the door and now no one is able to find a good company to work for that will allow them to dedicate their lives to and retire at a good age. These are very rare finds and now with the economy as tough as it is... there is not enough job security to go around. Many are lost, confused and tired of their same old situation.

Many steer away from work at home opportunities because of the fear of no job security. They get scared they will not be successful, that it will fail and they will still be in there same position. Well, what most do not come to realize is anyone can be successful working from home. It all comes down to the person! If you are willing to work from home seriously and treat it like a Business or a Job... with dedication, determination, heart and drive it can bring you home full time and give you that financial security and freedom you are looking for.

If you look around to local Small Businesses, Independent Contrator's, etc. Many worked very, very, very hard and invest thousands upon thousands to become successful. Even the large corporations started somewhere... like Microsoft and Apple, they both started in basements of their homes. These companies and businesses understood what it took to be successful. We all have this opportunity right in front of us for a lot less investing and hardship.

Having an opportunity that will give you the same chance to become successful and financially free is something most feel is not out there. Well, it is definitely out there. You can find many legitimate companies that allow you to work from home, you just need to make sure you invest the time necessary to make it successful. There are many sites that will tell you come make thousands in just minutes a day. That is all a scam. A Home Business takes the same effort you would give growing a business outside the home or a job outside the home. What is great it does not take half as much time as a business outside the home does! And eventually you can be working only a couple hours a day max bringing in six figures.

Here a some of the TOP Reasons people want to work from home...

1. Financial Freedom / Working on your own Terms... Working from home gives you not only the schedule you want, the time off that you want, the time with your family and friends, being able to be a parent 24/7, and much more... It brings the Income also. Income is a big reason why people want to work from home. Having a Home Business can create six figures or more if you work hard, put in the determination, dedication and heart it needs. What job outside the home can you say does that? The ones that do require years and years of school, by the time you can enjoy your life and money you can't even spend the time to enjoy it because you working consistently. Working from Home gives you the Freedom and the Income you want.

2. Stay at Home Moms, Work outside the Home Moms and Single Moms... This gives Moms the opportunity to change their lives and their families lives. Even if it is a part time income as a goal, they have an opportunity to be able to acheive that without leaving their children. Which is one of the main reason's people want to work from home... to be with their children. It allows them to be a Mom and earn an Income at the same time.

3. Inexpensive to start a Home Business / Low Cost Start Up.... With a Home Business or Opportunity you are allowed to have the same and even more potential than a business or career outside the home.. but you get all the other great perks that go along with it! Being able to have a six figure income potential with a small amount of money to start is an amazing opportunity to change your life. You have to think about how much it is to start a business outside the home then compare it to a Home Business. Most Home Businesses are very low cost... there are many that are under $100 to start up. You can take advantage of growing a great residual income with out all the thousands of investing.

4. Getting out of the 9 to 5 day to day... Working from Home gives you the chance to get out to the Rat Race. Being underpaid for your job, dealing with traffic, gas, daycare costs, lunch costs, office drama, not being home with your children and ultimately having not one ounce of control on your life.

5. Tax Benefits / Write Offs... Having a Home Business and Working from Home allow you to have a great amount of Tax Benefits and Write Offs. These include many things from traveling expenses to everyday home bills like utilities, internet, phone, etc. Your Home Office is with in your Home which allows you to have these Tax Benefits. You will want to make sure you consult with a Tax Expert for more details on how this works.

6. Looking for Work (Losing Jobs and just Part Time Work)... This is an alternate to many of those who cannot find a job outside the home or need that additional income. With how bad the economy is in the last year finding a job is getting more difficult. Many are looking for something to allow them to be in charge of their income, not someone else telling them when they can work or lose their job. A Home Business can also be a great way to bring in Income on the side for part time work. It allows those who work full time to work around their schedule and eventually come home with in just a year to a few short years!

There are many Home Businesses and Opportunities to choose from. Make sure you do your research, you know your passion and you are willing to learn how to build it online and offline successfully. When choosing something, put your all into it and do not let anyone stop you. You will have obstacles and walls but they will be worth it. Remember... do you want to work 40 hours a week for 40 years for someone else's dreams to come true or do you want to work 2 to 4 years smart to make your dreams come true?

Website Set Up How Too...

2011-01-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

If you have your own business of any kind, be it Avon or Massage Therapy, your business should have a website at this point. Many people, myself included, want to come home and check out a companies site before actually calling for an appointment. If I like what I see on the site, it ups my chances of calling because I am already comfortable with the business...

For many people the thought of building a website is terrifying. They hear words like Java Script and HTML and want to run screaming. At one point you needed a college degree to build a fully functional website. Today, that's just not the case! I have personally build a number of websites, none of which required a lot of headaches. In today's world the idea of creating a website shouldn't be scary at all.

Websites like FreeWebs and Yola all by walk you through the process. My personal favorite is Yola, but I have used others as well. It really is very simple to do. Once you sign up for an account you will pick a style. There are a number of free options and some more complicated ones that you have the option to pay for. Go through them and find one that fits your needs. If your website is more about jewelry than it is trees, don't pick one that is covered in forests... It's really that simple.

The next "challenge" is actually creating content, or the stuff on the page. Again, this part will vary a bit depending on what your business is... But generally you will need the following pages in a good website:

Welcome/Home Page - This page will be the first thing that visitors see when they type in your web address. It should be colorful and eye catching as well as have a simple and informative message that welcomes new and old visitors.
Business Overview - This can be combined with the Home Page, but that can get to be a bit overwhelming. So I generally recommend a second page for this. You'll want to write a few informative paragraphs to introduce your business or company. Make sure to include your mission statement (if you have one) as well as a little about how you got started. The more people know the better and safer they will feel using your business over another.
Product or Service Overview - This page is exactly what it sounds like. You will want to review your products or services in detail. If you make jewelry, talk about how it's made and what you use, if you clean houses make sure to cover how you got started, what area you cover and what you can do for a person's home. Of course these are examples, so, make sure that you tailor your page to your business.
Business/Employment Opportunity - If you are someone that has started a business from scratch and isn't looking for employees, skip this one. But if you have a franchise style business, will be needing employees or are looking to expand through others this is a must have page. Explain what you are looking for in potential employees or business partners and how they may contact you if interested. What are the benefits of working with you? And why should they choose you over a competitor?? These are very important things to include!
Contact Us - No matter if you have a multi million dollar corporation or a small home based business visitors to your site are going to want some way to contact someone be they have questions. On this page you'll want to thank them for visiting and invite them to contact you with questions or comments. List whatever contact information you are comfortable giving out. This should include at least a business email and or business phone number. You could also list the business address if you have a store front.

Of course these are simply the "should haves" for a website. You can include as much or as little as YOU want. Remember to keep it colorful with lots of pictures. You'll also want to do your best to keep it informative without being to bulky... A new potential customer wants to be able to visit your website and get comfortable with you and your business, they don't want to read a novel.

Generally I also advise against listing any prices on your site, unless they will be ordering directly from it. The reason for this is simple. If your cost goes up and your prices change you don't want to be loosing money because you listed a price six months ago... You'll want to show some examples of your work if you are selling things or describe the services you provide. But I generally suggest a "call for pricing" notice. Offer a "free consult" or "free estimate" which will leave them the option of calling, listening to your prices and still saying no without feeling like they are cheating you. If people feel like they are roped in to buying something just by calling with questions, they won't call.

Once your website is set up and ready to go you will have just a few things to do before you are ready to list it on your business card. FreeWebs, Yola and most other website creator sites will give you the option of a free web address. This will look like www.YOURSITENAME.yola.com, it's long and hard to both remember and refer to... They will also give you the option of buying a "domain name" through them. However, I do not generally suggest doing this. Instead you'll want to go through a site like GoDaddy to purchase your domain name. Again, it's a very simple process.

You'll want to visit www.GoDaddy.com and sign up for an account. There will be a box where you can search for a domain. This is where you will type in what you want your site name to be. However, there is a chance that someone else has already taken it, and you will have to try again. You will also have the option of having a .com, .org, .biz, .info and more. Choose the one that best fits your business. Although .info tends to be the cheapest, .com tend to be the easiest to remember.

Your cost for a domain name will vary from as little as must $1-$2 to as high as a few hundred depending on what you want. Obviously I suggest finding one that's not already owned this way you can get a .com for about $10. This will give you the highest amount of views.

So, once you have built your site and purchased a domain name you will need to connect the two. If you are using Yola this is very simple. You will simply click on the Publish My Site button in the top right hand corner of the site builder. It will give you 3 options, the last of which is I already own my domain name - choose that. Then it will ask you to "Please make sure your domain name is pointing at Yola" and you can click "How do I do this" that will walk you through it. It's very simple to do.

Once you have built your site, chosen and bought a domain name, linked the two and published the site it will take about an hour for everything to show up... You will have the power to update and add to your site at any point, so don't worry that it may not be perfect. Just remember that after you add content or change anything in the future that you remember to click the update button (which is where the publish button was) so that visitors see the changes.

And you're done. Feel free to use your new business website on business cards, signs, ads and more... You will be surprised to see the growth!

Four Simple Ways to Save Big This Year!

2011-01-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Most of us work hard day in and day out to earn an income and support out families. But we don't realize that some of our every day habits are bleeding that same money from our pockets. So, what are some simple things we can do to save money? We all know about coupons and sales, but who really wants to worry about all that? Who has the time?? Here are four basic easy things you can do to help yourself save money without having to break up your routine...

Clean Up Your Closet!
When your closet is a mess it's easy to forget about those little things you have, or items you have owned for a long while. The average American woman waists over $300 a year buying things they already own, but don't know they own, or they can't find. Remember that cute black belt you bought last July?? If you can't find it, you can't wear it.

   Spend an afternoon organizing your closet like stores do: Group your stuff by category and color - jeans (blue, gray, black), skirts (short, long, dressy), etc. You'll see what you have and ger re-excited about stuff you forgot about. Plus spend less on replacements for stuff you lost!

Get Free Rewards
    With so many stores offering freebies and discounts for customers who sign up for free "membership" cards, you are basically throwing money away by not cashing in on all the bonuses...

    Ask EVERY store you shop in if they have a membership card, and carry them with you EVERYWHERE!

Forget About ATMs!
When you go to an ATM that is not your bank's you get slapped with a fee of around $2. PLUS your bank may add an additional charge of up to $2. If you are doing this just twice a week that could easily add up to over $400 a year in fees!!!

     Take money out of YOUR BANKS just once a week. Also download Quicken Online Mobile with a free ATM-finder app to your iPhone; it uses GPS to figure out where your closest ATM is!

Clean Up Your Messy Wallet!
    If your wallet is jammed with receipts, cash, and coupons, you lose out three ways! You miss out on refunds (because your receipts get mixed up and lost), you end up shor on cash or taking out more money than you really need (who can track cash when it's all wadded up??) and you mis out on the discounts because your coupons expire or are lost.

    Find a wallet with at least three sections - one for cash, one for receipts and one for coupons and cards. Each week throw away out receipts that have passed the window for exchanges and refunds, coupons that have expired and organize cash by denomination.

Using these tips you could simply and easily save yourself $1000 this year - and a well deserved break!

List of top work at home terms you should know

2011-01-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

Many who are already in the work from home industry know most of these terms but those who are just searching and have not understood all that is involved in working from home yet... will not know most of these. This is where educating yourself before searching for work from home is necessary to find what you are looking for. Especially if you want to avoid scams and wasted time on your search.

Below are a list of terms to know when you are searching for work from home or already work from home. This will make it much easier for when you need to direct a word you do not understand in the industry.

Affiliate - An Individual who partners to a product / service and promotes/markets it to others for a commission.

Article Writing - Someone who writes articles online to earn an income or build their opportunity.

Blog - A place where individuals can write and share anything they desire (similar to a journal). You can utilize blogs for personal, promoting, earning an income and/or growing on the internet.

Downline - People you recruit or those under you recruit into your Home Business, Network Marketing, Direct Sales or MLM Company whom are in your organization.

Freelancer - A person who enjoys working from home performing tasks on their own time. They provide services to those companies or individuals who need something done on a temporary basis.

Groups / Forums / Message Boards - A place online where you can network, meet others, socialize, get advice and participate with in the subject you are looking into. You can find these on many Social Networking websites and directly online. On Social Networking websites they are considered 'Groups' and directly online it is considered a 'Forum / Message Board'.

Home-Based Business - Similar to a Direct Sales/Network Marketing company. Provides a service or product that allows you to work from your computer and phone. Without having to leave your home.

Independent Contractor - A person who is not an employee of the company, but provides a service for the company under a written contract or agreement. Also someone who is self-employed.

Multilevel Marketing/MLM - A binary or two leg system that allows others to grow a downline by placing people below each other. There are many forms of MLM systems.

Network Marketing - Networking/communicating online and sometimes offline with those who already work from home or those who are searching. Many home based companies are considered "Network Marketing".

RSS - Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. You will find this mostly on blogs.

Search Engine Optimization/SEO - The process of making a site and its content rank highly in search engines using keywords or keyword phrases relevant to a site's content.

Telecommute - To work for a company from your home. Utilizing your phone, computer and/or fax.

Upline - In Home Based Businesses, Direct Sales, Network Marketing and MLM this is considered the person whom enrolled you, your Mentor, those on your team above you and your training support.

Virtual Assistant/VA - Works from home providing different services from admin, phone work, filing, faxing, communicating through email, assistance to the company that they are working for or provides a certain service to Clients as their own VA Home Business.

There are many other terms you might come across. If you do and do not understand them or do and want to share them here you are more than welcome! We will either share what you do no understand or would appreciate a term shared that is not listed. Just comment below with any other terms you may think of or do not know about. Thank you!

Do Companies Hire People To Work From Home?

2011-01-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

There are companies that hire employees directly to work from their homes. Check the sites that list work at home jobs. Some of these positions are those where you cover a territory, for an insurance company or a consumer products firm, for example, and spend some time on the road and some time in your home office. There are also customer service, recruiting, sales, scheduling, technical, writing, and telemarketing jobs available. In many cases, the jobs are part-time, commission-based, or pay a lump sum for a completed project.

In other cases, you can work as a home based agent where you are an employee of the company who works from a home office, providing customer service to client companies. Virtual assistants provide administrative, secretarial, and clerical support, as well as creative and/or technical services for clients.

Work at home transcriptionists are usually independent contractors who transcribe and edit recorded reports onto their home computer. Online tutors work for internet based companies that offer help, within a variety of subject areas, to students of all ages.

If you're looking to make a little extra money, paid surveys are a possibility, but do be careful about avoiding scams.

Full-time jobs that provide health insurance, a pension, vacation, and other benefits while you work full-time from home, especially if you don't have experience, are few and far between. Finding them online is a little like looking for a needle in a haystack. But it can be done.

There are some sites that will enable you to quickly find such work, but please remember that these sites are not usually up to date on which companies are currently hiring, they are simply lists of companies that DO hire from home. You also need to understand that some of these websites earn their income from the ads placed on them and that these may not be as reliable as the site owner would home. Should you find a company that seems like a good fit for you - ALWAYS do your homework first!

For a list of legit home job companies put together by this blog's owner please visit http://sabrinascloset.yolasite.com and click Work At Home Jobs. *This site contains NO paid ads!

Research A WAH Job

2011-01-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Work from home job postings are everywhere. There are listings for data entry jobs, research positions, multi-level marketing opportunities, and a variety of other ways to make a lot of money fast. In fact, there are so many of them that work at home schemes are on the National Consumers League's list of Top 10 Frauds.
Unfortunately, most of those positions aren't what most people would consider a "real" job or any kind of job at all. There are no benefits, no hourly wage or salary, only a promise of making money. Sometimes these opportunities are supposedly so lucrative that fees are charged to give you the listings, provide you information on getting started, or to set up your business.

Just Say No
The simple answer to the question of whether you should pay for work from home job listings, in a word, is no. Despite what the work at home ads and companies might promise you, legitimate employers pay you, not the other way around.

I do want to note that ALL real and legitimate home business opportunity (MLM or not) will and should require some type of investment on your part. Please review the Differences Between A Job & a Business for more information on the two.

Too Good to Be True
Take a look at these sample work from home ads:
$1000 A Day From Home
Automated - No Sales
Cash Money Every Day
Get Paid Paid Daily via ATM
With this one, you don't have to do much other than go to any ATM machine to collect.

Work from Home Part Time
Earn $10K or more a month
This ad had a disclaimer in a tiny font at the bottom of the page which said there is risk involved and you might not do as well. The "might not do as well" part was repeated at least four times in the disclaimer.

If you think about it logically, the chances of making money doing a minimal amount work simply aren't high - other than, perhaps, for the people making money scamming others. Think twice before you click on anything that sounds too good to be true - it is.

Find Company Information
If you're still not sure, and remember, companies can be very creative about how they advertise their opportunities because they want you to think that the position is legitimate, there are places to research work at home companies.

Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Enter the company name or the web site into the Better Business Bureau search box to find out whether there have been complaints and whether the company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau. I entered the name of a company I was interested in and found there had been seven complaints, all of which were unresolved and discovered that the company's record was unsatisfactory.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC provides information on commission actions. For example, operators of online malls that disguised themselves as legitimate business opportunities settled Federal Trade Commission charges that they were actually illegal pyramid schemes.

Scam.com: Work at Home Scams
The Work at Home Scams Bulletin Board has information on work at home scams and registered users can post questions about scams. There is also a MLM/Pyramid Scams bulletin board.
Finally, be wary and be careful. Despite the best efforts of computer systems and staff, it's hard for job sites to stop work at home scams from being posted. Posters are creative and sophisticated and are continually coming up with new ways to advertise their information.

Report a Scam
Have you been scammed or almost scammed? Here's how to report a scam, including where and how to report an employment scam.

Disclaimer:
You may see advertisements for work at home jobs on this page, because that's the topic of the article. Just because you see an ad here, that doesn't make it a legitimate company. Carefully investigate companies that you are interested in.

Top 5 Ways to Work From Home

2011-01-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

These days the cost of living is increasing and it seems very difficult to get a good paying, solid job with the way the economy is. It is pretty much necessary to have two incomes coming in the household for most families. Many stay at home Moms are now having to start searching for a job outside the home. Which in most cases they will make just enough to pay for daycare, gas, and food. Left with just enough to pay one or two small bills if that.

With unemployment growing and the economy struggling ~ the work from home trend is better than ever! As many are looking for "Plan B" and want something stable that they can depend on for income. Finding the right home based business, opportunity or home job means that many from stay at home Moms to Retirees to those who work outside the home now can start earning income from home. Working from Home gives you the freedom, time and schedule that you want. It will allow you to work when you want and need to verses having someone else telling you when you can work, what days you can have off, and if you can attend your child's activities or not. There are many reasons to work from home and every person out there can find at least a few reasons they would love to or need to. Well, it is definitely possible... There is something out there for everyone, but you just need to decide what Home Based Business, Home Job, or Opportunity that's the right fit for you. Also understanding the difference between a Home Based Business and At Home Job are big keys to choosing. You also will want to understand what Scams out there. So what is the right fit for you?

1. Direct Sales / Network Marketing: What started out many years back with different companies like Ameriplan®, Avon, Tastefully Simple, Mary Kay, Candles, etc. has now grown into such a tremendous market. Many can now just get services and shop for products directly through representatives of these companies. What is great it now can be completely done from your computer, internet and phone. In some companies it is better to go locally working. This area of work is pretty much 95% Moms. Either Moms that worked outside the home who wanted to come home or stay at home Moms who needed income. But what is great is anyone can do this. You definitely need to find something you are passionate about, that you would love and be proud to represent. After you decide what service or product you want to represent, you will need to choose a company. Some there are not many choices like service based but other's there are many companies with the same type of products. So you will need to choose which company is best for you. You will want to compare compensation, commission, etc. to decide which one is the right fit. The main way to be successful in these opportunities is to promote both your service/product and your business opportunity. You will earn income on both sides also creating a residual that can pay you for a lifetime with in 2 to 4 years given the right amount of time and effort. These choices can definitely create a six figure income or more with in a few years.

2. Freelance Writing: What is good about freelance writing is that you just need a computer and internet service to earn an income. There is no cost in earning income doing freelance writing. It does not have the potential of Direct Sales / Network Marketing but it will bring in a decent income with in time. There are many who make a full time income with freelance writing. It is good for stay at home Moms as you can do it around your kid's schedule, and family time. To start on this venture you must remember it will take time and you must be able to capture other's interest. Write about subjects people want to hear about and definitely something that you have a lot of knowledge in. To get started you can visit many places like Examiner, Bukisa, eHow, Helium, etc.. You will want to publish just a couple article's at first and then apply to every article writing site that you can find to add those same articles in. You will then want to stay consistent adding articles and getting them out there.

3. Virtual Assistant: Virtual Assistant's perform pretty much the same office duties an administrative assistant does, you just do it from your home office verses outside the home. You can start this area of business by going through many freelance websites for work. You can also specialize in different areas like building blogs, creating groups, creating profiles on social sites, etc. This is a Home Business, so you have to build your clients just like you would doing direct sales, network marketing, etc.

4. Graphic Design: With Graphic Design you can do many different things. This may include designing complete websites for other's (if you have the experience and expertise). If you do not have that knowledge you can definitely offer services to individuals and companies designing logos, images, etc. Digital scapbooking is another great way to get into this area of home based businesses.

5. Child Care: This is a great way to stay home with your children and also having them have other children to play with. Working outside the home you will have to put your children in daycare which can be very, very expensive and in a lot of cases take most of your paycheck. Starting a home based child care is awesome for those who loves kids and have patience. A great way to advertise for this is to get flyers out locally everywhere in you area, run an ad in your local papers, hand out business cards, and even find some local sites to advertise like craigslist and backpage.

There are many options to working from home and starting a home based business. You just have to choose what is best for you and what you will enjoy doing. Write down your goals, what you want, and where you want to be in a few years.. work from that to decide what best fits you. Anyone from stay at home Moms, Retirees, work outside the home individuals, stay at home dads, college students, etc. can work from home making a great income. You just have to be willing to put in the time... become determined, driven and creative to changing your circumstances.

Top Ten Work at Home Scams to Look out For and Stay Away From!

2011-01-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

Many of you have searched for work from home with no success and many are just starting their search with the fear of being scammed. It is very possible to be scammed as 95%+ opportunities out there online are scams. That is where research, advice and help come into place. Especially from those who have already been scammed and spent much time searching. On my search I personally lost $15,000 in a 3 year time frame. Now being successful from home I realized where I made many mistakes on my search. You must always do your research on an opportunity, make sure you understand the Difference between a Home Job and Home Based Business, and do your best to keep an open mind but also keep guarded on where you invest money. You must always remember a Home Job will not require you to pay to work for them (If they do ask for money then it is a scam). But with Home Based Businesses you usually will have to pay a start up cost and monthly overhead. I think many start their search (just like I did) thinking they can make money quickly over the internet and there has to be some magic opportunity or job out there. This is not the case... as there are many Legitimate Home Jobs, Home Based Businesses, and ways to earn income from home... You still will want to be very careful on your search and understand what scams to look out for.

Top 10 Scams to look out for on your search for work at home...

Assembly Work at Home: Typical Ad -- "Assembly work at home! Easy money assembling craft items. No experience necessary." This scheme requires you to invest hundreds of dollars in instructions and materials and many hours of your time to produce items such as baby booties, toy clowns, and plastic signs for a company that has promised to buy them. Once you have purchased the supplies and have done the work, the company often decides not to pay you because your work does not meet certain "standards." You are then left with merchandise that is difficult or impossible to sell.

Envelope Stuffing: Typical Ad -- "$350 Weekly Guaranteed! Work two hours daily at home stuffing envelopes." When answering such ads, you may not receive the expected envelopes for stuffing, but instead get promotional material asking for cash just for details on money-,making plans. The details usually turn out to be instructions on how to go into the business of placing the same kind of ad the advertiser ran in the first place. Pursuing the envelope ad plan may require spending several hundred dollars more for advertising, postage, envelopes, and printing. This system feeds on continuous recruitment of people to offer the same plan. There are several variations on this type of scheme, all of which require the customer to spend money on advertising and materials. According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, "In practically all businesses, envelope stuffing has become a highly mechanized operation using sophisticated mass mailing techniques and equipment which eliminates any profit potential for an individual doing this type of work-at-home. The Inspection Service knows of no work-at-home promotion that ever produces income as alleged."

Chain letter: Typical Ad -- "Make copies of this letter and send them to people whose names we will provide. All you have to do is send us ten dollars for our mailing list and labels. Look at the chart below and see how you will automatically receive thousands in cash return!!!" The only people who benefit from chain letters are the mysterious few at the top of the chain who constantly change names, addresses, and post office boxes. They may attempt to intimidate you by threatening bad luck, or try to impress you by describing themselves as successful professionals who know all about non-existent sections of alleged legal codes.

Home Typist (also order taker/application taker): There are lots of home typist positions that are perfectly legitimate, but these never ask you for a fee and they are also rarely advertised online. Don't get suckered by ads that promise home typing work that require a fee. They are all variations on the email processing scam.

Appointment setter: Similar to the scam above. You are cold calling and telemarketing to set up appointments for reps to make home visits. You get paid if and only if the appointment you set up "qualifies". Guess what??? They usually don't "qualify".

Lists of companies that hire home workers: Many people get scammed into buying lists that promise hundreds of “sure bet” companies that are just waiting to hire you to work from home. The simple reality is that these lists are often just compiled from the telephone book and many of the companies on them, if the companies exist at all, don't know they're on such a list. And, the real kicker: Most of these companies don't even hire home-based workers. There are legitimate lists online, but they are totally free for you to review.

Online Business: Typical Ad -- "Turn your Home Computer into a Cash Machine! Get computer diskette FREE! Huge Selection of Jobs! No experience needed! Start earning money in days! Many companies want to expand, but don’t want to pay for office space. You save them money by working in the comfort of your home." This is typical of advertisements showing up uninvited in your e-mail—an old scheme advertised in a new way. You pay for a useless guide to work-at-home jobs—a mixture of computer-related work such as word processing or data entry and the same old envelope-stuffing and home crafts scams. The computer disk is as worthless as the guidebook. It may only list free government web sites and/or business opportunities which require more money.

Processing Medical Insurance Claims: Typical Ad -- "You can earn from $800 to $1000 weekly processing insurance claims on your home computer for health care professionals such as doctors, dentists chiropractors, and podiatrists. Over 80% of providers need your services. Learn how in one day!"

Generally, the promoter of this scheme attracts you by advertising on cable television and, perhaps, by inviting you to a business opportunity trade show at a hotel or convention center. You may be:

Urged to buy software programs and even computers at exorbitant prices; a program selling at a software store for $69 might cost you several thousands of dollars. Told that your work will be coordinated with insurance companies by a central computer. Required to pay for expensive training sessions available at a "current special rate" that will be higher in the future, and Pressured to make a decision immediately. Most likely, the expensive training sessions are superficial, and the market for your services is very small or nonexistent. The promoter may delay the processing of your job, citing a backlog or mistakes in your work. There may also be no central computer as advertised. You may be left with no way to deliver what you have promised to your clients or customers—if you found any—and with no way to earn any money on you own.

$6 Chain letter. If you’ve ever seen the $6 Chain Letter in your Inbox, you’ve experienced a pyramid scheme up close and personal. For only $6, you can make thousands or so promises the letter. A simple rule of thumb: Avoid all chain letters, especially when money is being requested. This is one letter you’ll want to avoid like the plague because not only is it totally illegal and it doesn't work

Reading books for pay: A variation on the job’s list is the "Make Money Reading Books” list. This list names publishers who pay to have individuals review their manuscripts. As with the lists in #5, you can find this information for free on the Web yourself. And, while it is true that some publishing companies pay people to review manuscripts, they will advertise these positions carefully. They are not typically happy about receiving unsolicited resumes.

Email processors: Email processing is the e-version of envelope stuffing. Typically, you pay person 1 a fee of between $5-30 and then person 1 sends you your 'information kit'. This typically tells you how to take the exact same ad you replied to and send it out by email or on newsletters to convince others to send you the same fee you sent Person 1.

What's the difference between a JOB and a Business??

2011-01-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

Many of you have or are still looking for legitimate Work from Home Jobs or Businesses. The main thing to understand when researching Work from Home is really understanding what the difference is between a "Home Job" and a "Home Based Business". Both are great ways to earn an income but are different in many ways. Understanding the difference is the first thing you want to do before starting your search.

I spent years searching for legitimate work from home and in many cases I got scammed. I was one of the unfortunate ones to lose a ton of money on these "opportunities" or "jobs" from home. I lost about $15,000 in a 3 year time period trying and searching for anything that would bring income into my home. I finally realized and learned so much about what true, legitimate Work from Home is. What a Home Job is and what a Home Based Business is. I now share this with as many as I can in hopes of you all not experiencing what I had gone through on my search. A couple years back after my difficult search and loss of money I became successful working from home and really understood what is legitimate and what is not. I hope this helps you on your search for the right work from home opportunity or job.

Looking For a Home Based Business:

A Home Based Business is a great way to build a residual income that will pay you for a lifetime and completely change your life. It will also bring in a decent amount of income in the process of building the lifetime residual income you want. (If you work it consistently and put in the time necessary) You will want to find something you have a passion for or will be proud to represent. A Home Based Business is YOURS and you are in charge of your income and how much you earn. Most Home Based Businesses or Opportunities will have a start up cost and a monthly overhead to stay in business. These are required just as starting a Business outside the home requires investing and monthly overhead for keeping in business. What is great about Home Based Businesses is most are very low cost verses starting a business outside the home. You still have the same income potential in less time and in most cases Home Based Businesses are only $50 to a few hundred to start (Some are less, some are more). You will make your own hours, work around your schedule and have the freedom to answer only to yourself. With in just a couple to a few years you can be set for life and can create financial freedom. You do have to understand that it will take time to build, that it will not happen overnight and that you will reach many obstacles in building your business. It is those who choose to keep going and give it their all are those who are successful with a Home Based Business. Starting and growing will not be easy the first couple of years but will be worth it! It can and will change your life if you allow it to, put your heart into and become driven to make it happen! I will be sharing another article soon on tips when looking for a Home Based Business.

Looking for a Home or Online Job:

A Home or Online Job is quite a bit different from a Home Based Business. With a Home or Online Job you will be "Employed" by a company. You will work specific hours they schedule you and will have a Manager or Boss just like outside the home and will get paid an hourly, commission or base pay. In most cases Home Jobs are Customer Service where they require you to have a very quite background (where you would still need a babysitter or daycare if you have children). There are other positions from home you can find from Virtual Assistant to Freelancing. There are a couple companies that allow you to answer texts from home also. Many of these companies will ask for a background check, headset, landline, etc. and most times you will have to purchase these things to be able to start. Some companies will reimburse you for these, some will not. With most legitimate jobs from home, you must go through an interview process, background check, and you will have many to compete with as there are not that many companies that hire employees to work from home as there are Home Based Businesses. You can also opt to earn income from blogging, writing articles, becoming an affiliate to companies, etc. These are free to do but most of these require you building that income verses getting paid an hourly rate.

When searching in search engines for a Home or Online Job it is better to put in... Virtual Assistant, Freelancing, Customer Service Jobs from Home, etc. Do not put "Work from Home" as you may get many Scams or mostly Home Based Businesses or Opportunities.

Many supposed Home Jobs that people do not realize are scams are Data Entry, Stuffing Envelopes, Assembly Jobs, etc. These are NOT legitimate Jobs from home in most cases. If someone asks for you to pay them to be employed from home, it is a scam. (A Home Based Business does require a start up cost, a Job from home does not) If you would like to learn more about Scams go to Scams to Look Out For.

The Cost Of Working

2010-12-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

As everyone knows, just by looking at my profile, I am a very proud work at home mom. I work hard and I make a decent income. Because of that fact I talk to many many people each and everyday that are looking to do, just what I do. And I also come in to contact with the skeptics that believe you can only earn money if you go out and get a job, and work for someone else 40 hours a week... I hear all the excuses and all the myths about working from home. What I want to talk about right now though is one of the many pieces of mis-information out there. The idea that you should never have an investment to make money...

This idea comes from a real and understandable fear of being scammed. There are many many scams out there and trust me, even I have lost money to them. So, I do understand this fear. However, any small amount of research on a company or product will get you an understanding of it's legitimacy. If a company asks you for money to work FOR them, or for them to give you information, chances are, it's a scam. If a company can not provide someone to talk to you one on one, chances are, it's a scam.

However having a start-up and overhead fee alone and in itself doesn't actually constitute a scam. In fact, ALL jobs have a cost! Every single one of them! If someone tells you that it's free to work, chances are, they have never really thought about what they are actually paying to have their job.

Here are some great examples of what I am talking about:

Work Outside the Home:
My husband works 40 hours a week outside the home. His "start-up costs" for his job were about $100. And he has an average monthly overhead of $240 a month... Now, chances are you are wondering why he is working for a company that is costing him so much - It must be a scam... No, it's no scam. He works customer service for a very legit phone company, chances are you have heard of them, Bell Telephone?!

So, why does he have an overhead and start up? Well, when you start a new job outside the home you have a cost for new clothes, shoes, office supplies and in some cases a parking pass... For my husband that cost was about $100. Now, what about that overhead? Well, lets add up his cost to work each month. He drives 20 mins in to the city everyday, on average that's a $40 a week cost for gas ($160). He also needs to eat lunch while at work. With an average cost of $4 a day, he's paying about $80 a month for lunch. So his monthly overhead is about $240 in total.

However, I want to also note that that $240 a month doesn't take in to account things like wear and tear on the car or the fact that since we only have one car, days he forgets his lunch or when he has to buy a new pair of pants or new office supplies... If you take all that in to account there is around an extra $10-$15 a month tacked on to the $240...

As you see, even the average 9 to 5 JOB has start up and overhead!

Work At Home Jobs:
We have all heard over and over that work at home jobs are all scams. You can't make money from home. Well, this just isn't true. There are hundreds of very legit companies that are willing to pay for you to work from home. However this doesn't come without cost either. In most cases these companies are willing to pay you on a per-hour basis for phone work or a per job basis for transcription or some kind of typing work. With both of these there are going to be rules and regulations from the company.

But what cost could there be? While it is true that you should NEVER be charged from these companies for the opportunity to work there are many legitimate costs that do come with working for these companies. Most of them will require that you purchase a specific headset for phone calls or that you have a certain program. These will cost you some money, however it's usually going to be about only $20 or so. The other major cost that tends to come up with these companies is that in cases where you are required to be on the phone (customer service or telemarketing) you are usually required to have a quiet background. This means that although you are home, if you have small children you will need to hire someone to care for them while you work. Sitter costs can be anywhere between a few dollars an hour to the $20 a day range. There is also an occasional cost of drug screens or background checks with these companies as well.

Plus, you are going to be required to have a home phone line and Internet connection with these. So, cutting the internet to help save money, isn't an option here. This cost is also one that should be added in when figuring out the cost of a home JOB.

Home Based Business:
There are thousands of home based business companies out there. These give you the opportunity to own an operate a home based franchise. Although the word franchise is rarely used to describe them, that's exactly what they are. You will always have some kind of out of pocket cost with these, however the difference with a home based business and a home based job is that with a business, all and any costs you have (even assumed ones) are tax deductible, so you can actually save money on your taxes just because you have a business.

But what are the costs and why are they there? Well, each company is going to have different costs. But I can still explain why they are there and what they are for. A start up cost with the company will cover a number of things. Usually it will cover the cost of paying someone to put all the legal paperwork of adding you as a franchise owner. It will also cover the cost of any supplies you will need to start your business. If the company is in sales of a product you will usually need to pay for samples, catalogs, order forms, and websites... All of these things cost money. You will also have some kind of overhead. Now, if the company itself does not have a monthly or yearly overhead cost, that doesn't mean there won't be one. Eventually you are going to need more samples, brochures, paperwork. You will also need things like office supplies, business cards, flyers and advertising. If you have a website, this two costs money.

Now, as I said all the costs with a home business will actually come off your taxes. While this is also the case with a regular job and home based job, there are many more things with a business that become deductible. A great example is gas. If you have a car and a home business, you have the right to keep track of your miles used to advertise your business. SO, if you go to WalMart to hang flyers and do your kids back to school shopping, you have the right to report those miles to the government as a business expense... Come tax time these miles will add up and you pay WAY less in taxes. This kind of thing just can't happen with a job!

Business Franchise:
Out of home business franchises such as Papa John's or McDonald's are going to have a HUGE cost to start, to keep and of course to run. In most cases they will also earn you a much higher amount of money, but not in all. The average Subway, for example, brings in an average of only $25K a year. Not really the "big bucks" that most people would expect out of a franchise. And some of them can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to start.

Mom & Pop Business:
This is a business that you and/or your family start. From Family Bakeries to Small Retail Shops, they all have costs. Of course they will each come with different and specific costs to have and run. Building or Space rental or mortgage, supplies for basic business to the products to line the selves, employees to electricity... There are many many costs to a mom and pop shop. But they do come with the same business related tax deductions as home businesses, so although there is a great cost, you will earn some or most of it back.

As you can see, all jobs and or businesses carry a cost. Be it the regular 9-5 or a work at home opportunity you come across online... They all have a cost! Expect it! If you are one of the thousands of people that are looking to work from home but are afraid of being scammed and keep hearing that a job should be free... It just doesn't work that way! You CAN make money from home but as with any other opportunity it will have a cost.

Your best bet is to find a company that you think you could like. Talk to a real person and check them out on www.RipOffReport.com You will get straight to the point as to who is and isn't a real company or opportunity. You should also find out if they are partnered with any other companies or organizations that would prove their legitimacy. And if all else fails - log on here and ask around!

No matter what you choose, good luck! And Gods Bless!
Sabrina M Bowen

Is Direct Sales Hard??

2010-12-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

The following article is an excerpt from a speech given by a direct seller at a local meeting. I was told she was asked to speak on how direct sales compares to working a "regular" job. I have edited it to share with you. As you read it count the many blessings we have in this business.

Lately, I have heard so many people say how difficult direct sales is.
"Its hard." "I can't get any opt-ins." "I can't get people to sign up." "This just isn't for me." "I didn't know how difficult it would be."

Well, I am a single mom of three who, before joining the direct sales family, held down two jobs. I would get up at 4:00 in the morning and not get to bed until midnight most nights, after returning from my part-time retail job, packing lunches, checking homework and relieving my mother, who helped out with the kids.

That, my friends, is difficult.

It is difficult always having to lower your dreams to meet your means. It is difficult to miss your son's football game because you have to work. It is difficult knowing the rust bucket you call a car is eating you alive in maintenance, but you can't afford a new one. It is difficult to realize that someone else is going to watch your daughter take her first step or have your son say mama to the preschool teacher.

It is difficult knowing that you have spent 40 years of your life working for someone else, only to realize that you will be retiring on one-third of what you can live on today. Or, worse yet, it is difficult knowing that you have diligently worked all your life, only to be given an early retirement and replaced by someone younger, more capable.

I will tell you what is difficult. It is difficult waking up one morning and realizing that your children, the most precious things imaginable, no longer need bottles, diapers, have tea parties, or are shorter than the baseball bat they are trying to swing. It is difficult realizing it is too late and that the time frittered away can never be retrieved. It slips
through our fingers one second at a time.

It is also difficult watching the spark in your partner's eyes fade because both of you realize the house you have been wanting is just a dream because someone else is controlling your finances.

We have nasty habits about rationalizing, procrastination and skirting important things, rather than facing the issues. Too often we allow others who do not pay our bills, who do not share our dreams, to direct our futures.

As children we have absolutely no freedom; we rebel in our teens and scream for freedom. We reach adulthood and are finally free, only to relinquish that freedom because we think it is too difficult. We do not want to take responsibility. We do not want to make a wrong decision, so we obligingly give that awesome power to someone else. We wake up too
late. We hear ourselves uttering phrases like: "I wish I had only . . ." and "If I could do it over again."

You have no one but yourself to blame. You had the chance. Perhaps the opportunity was presented many times and each time you elevated the trivial to a higher priority than yourself.

Let me ask you: Is direct sales really difficult?

Is it so traumatic to show someone an exciting product or idea? Is it so difficult to understand that if you work this marketing idea for three to five years, you just might finally be able to send your children to a college chosen by excellence, rather than one chosen by price? That you could finally put your family in the home of their dreams?

Would you work really hard for eight to ten years, so you could mold a lifestyle of your choosing, so your family could live a lifestyle of their dreams, rather than trying to live how someone else thinks you should live?

How difficult is it to pick up the phone and call your prospect? How difficult is it to place ads? How difficult is it, really, to share what you love with others? Think about it.

Realize the awesome power you have in your hands with direct sales. There are people out there working three jobs. There are people drowning in debt; or agonizing through bankruptcy, realizing they only needed a couple hundred more dollars per month. That is difficult!

This business you have chosen has the ability to change lives. Direct sales cannot do anything. But YOU can change lives with it. You are the one with the life-changing ability. What are you waiting for?

There is difficulty and pain in success, and there is difficulty and pain in failure. Difficulty and pain in success will last a short period of time; but pain in failure lasts a lifetime. Which one is really more difficult?

You will pay a price for your actions, and your choices.

Which choice will you make?

2010-12-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

Every day we each wake up and make a choice as to who and what we are going to be. We choose what to wear, what to eat and who we will and will not associate with. We even make the choice as to what kind of person we are going to be. Today, you made the choice to find my blog and read it, and had I not made the choice to create it, you would have nothing to read!

The point is that every thing we do is a choice. And even when life seems to be at it's worst we have choices in the way we handle things and how we deal. If you can't look at your life today and say I am 100% happy where I am, then it's time you make a change. It's easy to say, but usually seems like an impossibility for most people...

Is this what you are thinking? "How can I change my life? I have kids, a husband, a wife, a lousy job, no car, an apartment that's too small and no money... Where would I even start? It's not worth it!"

Well, I can answer all that in just a few short words... STOP THINKING - START DOING!

You see, the difference between thinking and doing is that when you are doing, something actually changes. You can THINK about change all you want! But if you refuse to act, nothing can change. Now, you may be thinking it's easy for HER to say I can do it, but SHE doesn't have my life, my family or my situation... Well, you are right. I don't have YOUR life. But I have my own stubborn unsupportive family, a home that's too small, no car and two small children to worry about. The difference is that I am willing to ignore the family and lean on MY strengths, ignore the house knowing it's only temporary, walk to the store and enjoy the trip and build my new life FOR my small kids so they don't have to be where I was!

Today, I am a successful home based business owner with an incredible company and team! I don't yet own my dream home, but I'm getting there! My husband has been able to come home full time and my beautiful children are happy and healthy by my side. I have gone from being miserably unhappy and depressed to knowing and understanding that I can and do rule my own world and my life. My choice to be happy, healthy and successful was all it took to change everything for me...

So, how did I do it? Where did I start? Well, it was much easier than you may think. I just stopped listening to everyone else... I got up in the morning and refused to listen to the negativity... A news story about a fire would come on and I would turn it off... My mother would start to tell me how building my business isn't going to support us, and I hung up the phone. I stopped letting ANYONE bring me down. And I started looking for reasons to believe in ME!

This blog is being created to give YOU the option to change your life the way I did. To find all the best options for YOU and YOUR life. Regardless of where you are starting out today you have choices to make that can change your life. Where will you start? For most people the thing that needs to change the most is their money situation. The old saying is that Money can't buy happiness. But I never understood that... I mean, sure you can be rich and miserable - BUT having the money to meet the bills each month, fix the car and have a hat and coat in the winter makes it a WHOLE lot easier to be happy! So, this blog will focus mostly on that aspect, but not totally.

Here we will explore the different options concerning working, shopping and a number of other areas that can help to change the way you live and thus - Change Your Life!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Welcome to it! Make the choice to enjoy it!

Sabrina M Bowen