Getting Over the Christmas Giving Blues? Take the Christmas Budget Challenge

With Christmas just around the corner, our focus is slowly starting to shift from our work commitments to Christmas and with it comes the annual Christmas spending spree.

Unfortunately many families don't set a Christmas budget and they rely on their credit cards to get them through the festive season.
Shortly after Christmas these same families will also develop symptoms of the "Christmas Giving Blues" which can include an upset stomach, lack of sleep and anxiety.

You know that feeling. You spend up big, charge it on the card, and then spend the next couple of months worrying about how you are going to pay off your Christmas debts while vowing never to let this happen to you again.

Unfortunately, this is a reality for a lot of families every Christmas and they just don't seem to be able to break out of the cycle.
This year, give yourself and your family a Christmas gift and take the "Christmas Budget Challenge" and enjoy your Christmas without the suffering the Christmas Blues.

There are two parts to the Christmas Budget Challenge:

1. Put in place a strategy that will help you survive Christmas with as little pain as possible.

 2. Put in place a strategy that will give you a plan to enjoy your next Christmas. This plan will also run itself without you even thinking about it.

Let's start by putting in place a plan that will hopefully make this Christmas a little easier on your hip pocket:

1. Have a look at your finances and set an upper limit that you can afford for your Christmas spending. Allocate a certain amount to Gifts and a certain amount to other Christmas expenses. This is the start of your Christmas budget.

2. Leave the credit card at home and pay for Christmas with money wherever possible.

3. Keep track of all your Christmas spending. A good way of doing this is by carrying a small notebook and pencil and writing your purchases in it.

Gift Buying

4. Call your relatives and agree that Gifts will only be purchased for the children

5. Take your Christmas Gift budget that was allocated in step 1 and divide it by the number of gifts you need to buy. This number will be the maximum you can spend on each gift.

Christmas Food Shopping

6. Take your Christmas Dinner budget and make a shopping list.

7. When you are doing your shopping use a calculator to make sure you stay within your Christmas budget.

8. Save money by looking for the cheaper priced goods on the top and bottom shelves. Try not to buy items that are on shelves at eye level, these are usually the higher priced items.

9. Try not to buy items that are located in the displays at the end of the shopping aisles, these items are usually more expensive than the items located in the aisles.

10. Compare prices of similar items and buy the cheaper item.

11. Remember that Christmas is only one day a year. You don't have to spend a weeks worth of grocery money on one day.

12. Ask each relative to provide a food dish, drinks or dessert.

As soon as Christmas is over and the pain is fresh in your mind. You need to take action and put in place the second part of the "Christmas Budget Challenge". This next step will ensure that you have enough money for next Christmas

1. Add up all your Christmas expenses including gifts, food and any other costs.
2. Take the total of your Christmas expenses and divide it by the total amount of pays until next Christmas.

3. Open high interest bank account with the following attributes:
- No minimum starting balance
- Interest is accrued daily and billed monthly
- Interest rate on this bank account must be higher than the inflation rate.
- No bank charges
ING Direct and Citibank have an online banking account that may be suitable for your Christmas Budget account.

4. Organize an automatic bank transfer from your bank account to your Christmas Budget account. This transfer will be on each payday for the amount you worked out in step 2. It is important that this is automated because most people will not stick to this plan if it is a manual process.

5. When next Christmas comes around withdraw your money and repeat the process again.

This plan is very simple and surprisingly effective and you will be able to enjoy your next Christmas without the suffering the Christmas Giving Blues.

Bernie Wiemers has been studying personal finance and wealth creation strategies for the past 3 years. He is dedicated to helping others achieve their financial goals and runs the website My Wealth Plan - [http://www.my-wealth-plan.com] that publishes articles on personal finance and wealth creation strategies.

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Making Money On Amazon: Become an Amazon Affiliate

In this article I'm going to talk to you about a very different and, potentially, even more promising way to make money on Amazon. I'll explain how Amazon Associates works and look at whether or not it is as good as it sounds.

With this way of making money on Amazon you don't need to see or touch a single product. In fact, you don't even need to have a product. You don't need to do any selling either. Amazon sees to all that for you. It's a method that, with time and effort, could make you even more money than selling something on Amazon - from a lot less work than a conventional product stocking, buying-and selling operation involves.

It's all possible thanks to Amazon's very clever and comprehensive affiliate program that is known in Amazon-speak as Amazon Associates.

Of course, you're probably saying, affiliate programs are nothing new. And you'd be quite right.
But Amazon Associates isn't just any old affiliate program. It's a program that is tried and tested, highly professional, relatively easy to get started in, and on top of all that free to join. Not only that, but it allows you to hitch a ride on the back of the famous, highly- respected brand that is Amazon. That's why if you're new to affiliate schemes, or have tried others before and been disappointed by the results, Amazon Associates could be well worth a closer look.

What is an affiliate scheme?

You probably know what an affiliate program (or scheme) is, but in case you don't I'll briefly cover what they are here. Essentially, an affiliate scheme is an arrangement which allows one Internet marketeer (you in this case) the opportunity to promote the products and services being sold by another and get paid a commission (or referral fee as it is sometimes known) for doing it. It's a very simple idea and it is proven to work.

Amazon's affiliate program is a very advanced and sophisticated yet user-friendly affiliate scheme. When you sign up for Amazon's Associates program you don't need any products of your own. Instead, you introduce or refer potential buyers to Amazon's huge and ready-made range of products. More about exactly how that works shortly. If they then buy something, Amazon pays you a commission on the sale.

Put in very simple terms what is happening is that Amazon are paying you for finding and sending them potential customers. It's basically a classic Pay Per Action or PPA arrangement.
You can be an affiliate for all kinds of companies of course. But one of the advantages of being an Amazon affiliate is that people already know and trust the Amazon brand. So it is (or should be) much more likely that those you refer will buy - and buy more - than other unknown or run-of-the-mill affiliate schemes.

How does Amazon work with affiliates?

Amazon call their affiliate scheme Amazon Associates. Actually, that is a bit misleading. When you join you're not really an associate of Amazon. You're an affiliate pure and simple. The Amazon affiliates program is one of the oldest on the Internet. In fact, Amazon pioneered this method of marketing when the Internet was still in its infancy. It works like this:

1. You set up a website and generate traffic for it.

2. You sign up for the Amazon Associates program.
Once approved by Amazon you have access to a range of tools and techniques which allow you to refer visitors to your site to any or all of Amazon's portfolio of products.

3. You choose the products you want to promote. You then create affiliate links on your site which point to Amazon. If a visitor to your site clicks on one of the approved affiliate links and goes to Amazon and buys something within a certain time period you get a commission on the selling price.

The pros and cons of Amazon Associates

* Pro. You don't need products or services to sell. You don't need to spend time developing, creating or manufacturing them.

* Pro. You don't need to store, handle or ship products. Amazon does that for you.

* Pro. You don't need to handle payments. Amazon does that for you too.

* Pro. You don't need to provide customer back- up/support. The product supplier does that for you.

Now, I said affiliate schemes are basically simple. And essentially they are. But there are one or two drawbacks you need to know about before you start.

* Con. There can be stiff competition. Because affiliate schemes are simple to get into there can be competition from other people doing much the same thing as you. Lots of people are already Amazon affiliates, so there's already a fair bit of competition to tackle.

* Con. There's no product exclusivity. Anyone else can sell the same products and services as you. And you can't control the price... at least not with Amazon.

You'll need to choose a good niche and work hard to persuade customers to buy through you - more about all this later.

* Con. It's not an entirely hands-off business - despite the claims made by some people promoting affiliate schemes. You'll still need a website (in most cases). You'll need to spend time and money generating traffic for it. That can be tricky when you're new to the whole thing.

* Con. Affiliate program commissions can be quite small. A matter of pence per sale in some cases. You need to generate a good volume of referrals to earn a good income. (Amazon promise up to 10% but frankly you'd be safer to bank on 5%.)

Amazon and eBay Trading Made Easy - How do you make money on Amazon? Let What Biz Opp? show you how to sell on eBay full or part time. All the tips, tricks and secrets revealed right here.

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Design Guide: Creating the Perfect Home Office

Working from home is on the rise. Census. Gov states that in the last decade, the number of Americans who work from home at least one day a week has increased by a staggering 35% (that's 4.2 million Americans!) in the last decade. The importance of having a well-planned, well-designed, and well-organized home office space cannot be underestimated. Having a clutter-free, organized home office space integrated into your interior design can vastly impact your productivity, stress levels and overall well-being. Here is a practical guide to designing your perfect in-home office space

1.) Choose the right space:
The answer may not be as obvious as you might think. While, geographically, that corner in the living room may seem to make the most sense, its important to consider the level of distraction you may be facing in the future. Televisions, children, telephones, and pets can all come as unexpected distractions to your productivity. Choose a space with minimal traffic, minimal use, and minimal access to distractions.
Also, its important to be able to separate work life from home life- the ability to shut a door and "leave work" is absolutely crucial for reducing stress levels and reducing the risk of "burn out". Perhaps an unused dining room, or formal living room could be a better option than using a spare bedroom.

2.) Compliment, not Contradict:
Your home office should compliment the rest of your home. If your home has a traditional design with lots of warm tones- then stick with that. Your home office space should seamlessly blend into the design of your home, not scream "cold, soul-less cubicle". You also want to avoid clashing design themes- you may have that great desk your mother-in-law gave you- but if it clashes with the flow of the room, it may be worth the additional cost to avoid those architectural hiccups. After all, you want your home office to give you a sense of comfort and ease- not be a stark shock to the senses.

3.) Built-in storage:
It may seem like a superfluous or excessive expense to incorporate built- in organization or storage into a home-office when the option to run to a local store and purchase a desk or shelf (with assembly required) is always there, but adding furniture to a home can cause clutter- and when it comes to home office, clutter is the enemy. Talk with your designer about incorporating built-in shelving, cabinets, and drawers into your space. This will not only increase how seamlessly your home office space blends into your home, but will also avoid potential issues with purchasing organizational tools which inevitably add to the problem rather than solve it.


4.) If you invest in nothing else, invest in a good chair:
Likely one of the most crucial elements of any home office- the perfect office chair should be of utmost priority. When it comes to picking the perfect office chair- spare no expense. You'll be spending a huge portion of your time sitting in that chair, so make sure it is as comfortable and functional as possible.

5.) Disregard the Norm:
Make your space uniquely "you". Forget the muted, office beige (unless that's what works for you) and paint or accent your space a color you love. We've already had some discussion about how color can affect your mood, and when it comes to productivity in the office place- we all know how much mood can affect productivity. Set your space up to be relaxing, permanent, functional, comfortable, and is tailored to your needs and wants. Don't be afraid to be daring- as long as the space is functional,then who's to say you can't design your desk to have a built-in snack bowl, perch for your kitty to sleep next to you, or even something as radical as a place to put a patch of grass underneath so while you're working you can take off your shoes and feel the grass under your feet? If you're working from home, you have the distinct freedom to toss aside convention when it comes to design- use it!

6.) Don't underestimate a good view:
In an ideal situation- we could all build our home offices to overlook the skyline of our city, or overlook a white sand beach, but the reality is that we have to use what we can. Giving yourself something more interesting to look at during those brief moments when looking away from a computer will make you more comfortable. A window is ideal- but even a picture or painting you really enjoy can provide those mental breaks that are so important to a productive work environment. No one likes staring at a blank wall, so while most of us can't be afforded the perfect view, treat yourself to the best of what you can.


7.) Illumination:
Give yourself plenty of light. Of course natural light is preferred, but the daylight hours are limited- so make sure that your office space provides ample, bright light with a good hue. You will likely need more light than you'd anticipate- so adding additional light fixtures is an important consideration. Increased light will reduce eye strain and prevent those pesky headaches. Don't forget to choose a bulb that offers light in a spectrum that works for you! Pale, crisp light sitting nearer the blue side of the spectrum often offers added energy and produces ample light. Stick around 900 Lumens minimum (depending on space) and make sure that your light source is in easy access from a seated position.


8.) Ergonomics are your best friend:
We see this word a lot- but when you're setting up your home office design, make it priority. You can save yourself so much time and energy while avoiding serious long-term problems by making sure that your home office space is as ergonomic as possible. We spent hours a day at our desks, and studies show us more and more how negative being seated in the improper posture can wreak havoc on the body. Protect yourself, your safety, comfort, and well-being: make sure you do whatever you can to make your space friendly to your body.

9.) Greenery:
Consider incorporating office plants into your home office design. Adding a plant or two to your office space can have more of an impact than you may think. Studies have shown that having live greenery in a work space can improve air quality, make your room more comfortable, reduce stress, and increase productivity. A plant is a welcomed and reasonable distraction in the moments you take to care for it by watering or pruning- and besides, they look fantastic!


10.) Cable Management:
Often over looked and unjustly so. Nothing can create more of an eye sore in a home office than a nest of cables cluttering a desk or floor. Velcro cable ties are your friend! Talk with your designer about incorporating ways to hide a mess of cables. Make sure that your space is set up for any connection you might need, including adequate electrical outlets. Make sure to leave your equipment layout open to be altered- you never know when you'll be getting some new piece of office tech, or when you may decide to remove a piece of equipment. If the cables are hard to access, or difficult to add to- you'll end up at square one with a nest of cables. Increasing ease of access and efficiency is key!
In building a home office- you should invest as much as is comfortable for your budget. It cannot be said enough how important to mental well-being, productivity, and mood it is to have a working environment that entices you to be there and doesn't add any additional factors which may cause stress. You'll be spending more time in your home office than you will in most other spaces or rooms in your home- so make sure that your home-office reflects that and suits you perfectly. Experimentation is key- and with a great interior designer- the possibilities are endless

 

To read more articles on Interior Design, visit our blog: Leib Designs Blog
For more interior design ideas and inspiration, see our complete Portfolio
Leib Designs is a New York Based Interior Design Firm.


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Bits of Wisdom to Live Life to the Fullest

Last Monday I had a sumptuous breakfast at the Shangrila Hotel, in Mactan, Philippines, courtesy of my daughter and son-in-law who had an overnight stay there and invited me to join them the following day.

It was one great breakfast worth writing about: It started with a glass of ice-cold, freshly squeezed orange juice under the hotel's palm-tree covered patio, then two large fried eggs, a few strips of bacon, and serving of corned beef, two slices of toasted wheat bread, a serving of mixed fruits, with a cup of warm, native black chocolate to go with it.

To aid my digestive process, I went for my favorite aquatic activity right after - snorkeling. What made it different this time was that I snorkeled in the hotel's marine sanctuary.

For the good of 20 minutes, I swam with tropical fishes of different colors, species, shapes and sizes. It was practically a kaleidoscope of living colors swirling all around me. They are so used to swimming with people that you can almost touch them; some had the audacity to nibble the calluses off my fingers.

After what seemed a lifetime of frolicking with marine life, I threw my flippers and snorkel on the beach and free-styled for two laps along the entire length of the sanctuary.

Later, as I sat on the white, powdery sand in the midst of opulent tranquility, and facing the dark blue seas, I fought the temptation of calling it "living life to the fullest."

I was happy, very happy in fact, on that fine and wonderful morning. But I knew that it was all temporary; I knew that had my daughter and her hubby not invited me over, I would never have had the chance of tasting a slice of a life of abundance.

I knew that when I drive out of the gates of the hotel, the environment, the breakfast, the snorkeling and the swim would all memorable experiences, soon to be buried beneath other experiences of the coming days.

It was nice, it was good; in fact it was awesome. But it was not "living life to the fullest." Living life to the fullest is made up of little pleasures that give our lives an even keel, a balance and meaning. It is not of temporary spurts of joy but of much longer sense of serenity and peace of mind.

Living life to the fullest is:

1. Appreciating the little things that come our way:

From the time we wake up in the morning until we sleep at night, our world is full of tiny little things that can make our hearts sing with joy - if only we take the time to notice them.

From the innocent look of your sleeping child, to the sweet aroma of the coffee your wife is brewing in the kitchen. It is to see the beauty of the flowers in your garden, and the butterflies that effortlessly flit from one to the other; it is to hear the hearty "good morning" greeting of a neighbor, or the soft rays of sunshine that caress your skin as you pick up you early morning paper.

Many more will come your way the entire day but these will large go unnoticed because our brains are naturally wired to see the curses, not the blessings in life.

2. Being realistic:

Living life to the fullest is to know yourself, your abilities and your talents, and what you are capable of. It is setting goals that make you sweat a little bit, make you push yourself a little higher than where you are now.

Maybe you need to bite more than you can chew, just make sure you won't choke to death. It is breaking the barriers you previously set for yourself and enjoying every minute of it.

3. It is letting go of the past:

Whatever you do, the past is past and nothing can bring it back. Rather than pine or be sorry for it, be thankful for the lessons you learned. Let it be the launch pad from you set yourself off to explore new territories, new heights.

Learn from it. Life is a constant process of learning, of evolving, of becoming a little bit better - inch by inch.

4. Not being obsessed with material things:

This is going to be a real challenge in this very materialistic world. It is going to take a herculean effort to go for what we need, not what we want; to desire, not to covet.

There is totally nothing wrong with materialism for practical reason, not to clutter our homes with things we really don't need.

You can only wear a pair of shoes or pants at a time. Why drive yourself crazy in wanting to have a closet-full of them?

Living life to the fullest is not of excesses but of simplicity. Happiness is not about what you have, but of what you are doing with them.

5. It is being friendly:

Several weeks ago, I received an email about motivational things which, I am sure, clutter your Inbox as well. It says,

"Send a silent praise to every person you meet today. Wish them well. Send a wave of blessings to every person you talk to and see what happens."

Pretty cool, isn't it?

6. Listening to your heart and soul:

This is called "mindfulness," the latest craze in finding oneself.

Set aside a certain time of the day to listen to your heart and soul. For 10 minutes or so, shut yourself out from the world and focus on that tiny voice, your inner self, and listen to what it is trying to tell you.

Various researches show that your heart and soul are always trying to communicate with you and they are seldom wrong.

This exercise can be the most beneficial thing you do in any given day.

7. Paying back:

We don't live in a vacuum. Each of us is connected to a community which shaped our thoughts, feelings, desires, and the choices we make. Our community helped us grow and become what we are today.

It is only proper to pay it back one way or the other, in any way you can. Not only is it an obligation, it will also make you a better person.

Studies show that unconditional generosity gives the highest form of happiness to the giver.

8. Never to give up:

Living life to the fullest is seeing things through, no matter how difficult or challenging they may be.

We all face obstacles every day. While some can be avoided or skirted around, some have to be faced head on. How you handle them is a test of your character. Will you run away or stand up and fight? Will you buckle down in surrender or stand up fighting to the last of your strength?

Life is replete with examples of ordinary men who gained fame by pursuing dreams deemed impossible by others. The prevailed because they did not give up.

The reason why the world is full of losers is not because they lacked the opportunity or the talent; it is not because they lacked the intelligence or the connections to push them up.

They failed because they gave up.

9. It is being happy:

Living life to the fullest is, first and foremost, being happy. Maybe not euphoric happy or wear a perpetual grin on your face.

Being happy is none of those. It is to have a deep feeling of satisfaction, not contentment, mind you, of not having so many hang-ups a lot of people do that rob them of their peace of mind, their self-confidence and the motivation to achieve their purpose in life.

Living life to the fullest is to live in constant expectation that no matter how bad things are today, the sunshine of the coming day will bring with it the hope that things will be a lot better; that no matter how bad your fall may be, you can still bounce back and do it all over again.

I believe that we all must strive to live life to the fullest. I believe that we all have the inherent ability to stretch our lives as far as it can be stretched, to go as far as our imagination can take us, and to dream dreams that can spur us to achieve what we once thought unachievable.

That even if we failed, it does not carry with the remorse and despondence failures always bring, but a smile on our face knowing that we have given it our best shot.

Joseph Dabon

I am a freelance writer and blogger. I write about a wide range of subjects,.e.g., self-development, health and fitness, success and happiness and elderly issues, http://elderlytalk.com/.

I am also an SEO content writer and copywriter and a website optimizer.

Email me at dabon.joseph@gmail.com or Skype me at joesfortune should you need some help in your writing.

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5 Steps to Financial Freedom - Practical Tips to a More Passionate Life

Taking the necessary steps to financial freedom is something that a lot of people are after, but when you think about being free, are you just looking for a pile of money?

Most people just want a lot of money, because that, in their mind means true freedom, but in reality you do not need a pile of cash. Living within your means and building a passive income stream is simple. I know, because I have done it.

When you realize that you do not have to make tons of money it really takes the pressure off. The truth is that you CAN do what you love and make a living, you just have to be creative and be willing to try new things.

With all that said, here are 5 steps to financial freedom that are practical and easily implemented if you are determined.

1. Clarity is the absolute first step. Determining what your passions are and what you really want to do can seem overwhelming. I had this problem. The simple solution is to start doing something that you think you like and don't be afraid of making mistakes.

2. Goals come second. Set short-term and long-term goals because they will help tell your subconscious mind what you want. It will in this way help bring you closer to the things you want. Be open to possibilities that you did not expect, because they usually come in different forms.

3. Taking Action is the third step and one that many people have trouble with. Procrastination is a huge time waster. The reason people have trouble taking action is because of fear and not being able to trust their journey.

4. Trusting yourself and the path is essential. When you realize that you can go with the flow of life, even if negative things can happen sometimes, you realize that life is a game that is meant to be played with joy.

5. Enjoying life is something that a lot of people have trouble with. In the end, it is up to you how you interpret each external circumstance that comes your way. Two people can have completely opposite reactions to the same external reality.

Quick Summary
Discovering your passion and learning what you truly love is what it is all about. Now, if you're thinking that you aren't passionate about anything you're wrong, because we are all here for a reason and I promise you that when you dig deeper, you'll find the thing that truly sets you on fire and brings joy to your life.

If you want to learn more and discover how you can get paid to do what you love, please visit my website at http://www.wakeupcloud.com/.

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Social Media Business

Everyone should be looking into Social Media right now because those who don't are going to get seriously burned, and regret not forward thinking. Social Media pushes the names of businesses out onto the web for discussion. It allows a business to connect with the community and advertise virtually for free. If a business doesn't want to get involved in Social Media there could be serious repercussions because other individuals and businesses can hijack brand names and use them in anyway they please.

For example a medium size company, let us call them Righto Inc., might be on the rise to discover there is a twitter account gaining followers, and using a similar brand name to redirect business to their own site. Righto Inc is going to have a certain percentage of their business going through their competition by mistake. Businesses have to think about domain names and social media accounts they wish to preserve so there isn't any complications in the future.

Branding is one of the most beneficial aspects to social media. When a business puts themselves and their logo all over the web it creates a virtual moat around the company protecting them and establishing the company in the public's mind. Nike is a great example of a company that has great well established brand. No one can encroach on Nike's business because their logo and advertising was really well done, making them well-know and visible. The future of Social Media Campaign is bright because they are inexpensive compared to commercial advertisements, which is how Nike originally got huge, by growing their brand and paying for ads, but now days with social media a business can reach an international audience with free social media platforms.

The best way to start a Social Media Campaign is to think long and hard about the domain and user names that should be associated with the business, since the names can never be taken back. The chosen names should really stand out.

Once the domain and user names are established it's important to select the social media websites which will be most beneficial for a business. Usually a business will want to go with big-name sites like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook; but in addition, as the popular ones dwindle down there are so many social media websites, a business might want to pick and choose between the most practical ones.

It is absolutely crucial once these sites are acquired to interact with the community. A Twitter or Facebook account won't help at all if the business is not involved. Social accounts should be following as well as being followed, and accounts should make connections with other individuals and businesses in their industry. Answering questions, promoting and re-tweeting your friends will bond you to your community and get others involved with your business's objective and goals.

It is important businesses design these profile sites with a call to action. Forms and news letters are a great call to action, because an interested potential customer might sign up with a company, so that the company can contact them later. It is also a good idea to have some kind of incentives to attract customers. For example, a business could create coupons so a web-surfer will sign up and get weekly emails about specials. I recently saw Voyeur, a local San Diego Club, do a promotion on Twitter for free concert tickets. The possibilities are endless and one can get creative.

Using a social media campaign is a powerful way to get an online fan base. Getting creative with social media will only help propel businesses forward.

I'm terribly open-minded... Food, travelling, whatever. For example, it is my goal, earlier than later, to live in Europe, Japan and NYC for at least a year in each. I attended a Japanese public high college for a year, so my Japanese is somewhat skillful. I also packed through Europe a few summers back for three months and it was awesome... Sight see in the day and party at night. Music is also important... Music tastes can tell a lot about someone. I like all kinds, from random eclectic indie to ol skool jazz to hiphop, but i guess you would just have to speak to me to work out exactly what.

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Financial Freedom Tips - A New Perspective

Financial freedom is not easy to achieve. You need to know this before I share anything else with you. You have to learn concepts to change your current way of thinking to attain financial freedom.
Here are some tips for you to help change your thinking:

1) Stop blaming other people for your financial disaster. Pointing the finger at other people or circumstances only leaves you with three fingers pointing back at you. You have to take responsibility for your spending habits.

2) Write down your goals for your "net worth". You notice I did not say yearly income. If you want to truly be financially free you must start investing and saving. The amount you start with does not matter. Start somewhere!

3) Think of ways you can help thousands of people. Whatever you currently do for a living, take that and find a way to expose the idea to thousands. Think big. Get away from thinking small.

4) Make a list of the things you are grateful for. When we express gratitude we send our positive energy to everything around us and positive energy comes back to us. A good habit to get into is expressing your gratitude each morning when you wake up. That is a great way to start your day.

5) Read books about people who are financially free and wealthy. We have great leaders in our world who have already paved the path for us. Don't reinvent the wheel, just take what they have already done and build from there.

6) Promote your business or occupation with passion. Being passionate about your career is the best way become financially free. The more excitement you express to other people the more they will be willing to give you their money.

7) Hire a good financial planner. Make sure you find someone who has an excellent track record. Ask to see their performance papers. If they ask to see your portfolio and they are not willing to show you what they have accomplished go find somebody else.

8) Create a passive income. Get into businesses that you can set-up one time and make money repeatedly. These types of businesses are the best for creating passive income and setting you free.

9) Get out of your comfort zone. When you start to change your finances you will sometimes experience discomfort. This is normal. You will be uncomfortable until you get adjusted to the idea of managing your money properly.

10) Take action. Most people will only read these ideas and never change anything. If you are willing to take action then your financial future will be bigger than you ever dreamed.

Financial freedom doesn't have to be mysterious. Keep it simple, take action and reap the rewards. So come on and step out of your comfort zone. No one is going to do it for you!

Did you find those facts on financial freedom useful? You can learn a lot more about financial freedom from author, Kenny Perkins at http://myspace.com/mywebcamcoach

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5 Steps to Financial Freedom - Practical Tips to a More Passionate Life

Taking the necessary steps to financial freedom is something that a lot of people are after, but when you think about being free, are you just looking for a pile of money?

Most people just want a lot of money, because that, in their mind means true freedom, but in reality you do not need a pile of cash. Living within your means and building a passive income stream is simple. I know, because I have done it.

When you realize that you do not have to make tons of money it really takes the pressure off. The truth is that you CAN do what you love and make a living, you just have to be creative and be willing to try new things.

With all that said, here are 5 steps to financial freedom that are practical and easily implemented if you are determined.

1. Clarity is the absolute first step. Determining what your passions are and what you really want to do can seem overwhelming. I had this problem. The simple solution is to start doing something that you think you like and don't be afraid of making mistakes.

2. Goals come second. Set short-term and long-term goals because they will help tell your subconscious mind what you want. It will in this way help bring you closer to the things you want. Be open to possibilities that you did not expect, because they usually come in different forms.

3. Taking Action is the third step and one that many people have trouble with. Procrastination is a huge time waster. The reason people have trouble taking action is because of fear and not being able to trust their journey.

4. Trusting yourself and the path is essential. When you realize that you can go with the flow of life, even if negative things can happen sometimes, you realize that life is a game that is meant to be played with joy.

5. Enjoying life is something that a lot of people have trouble with. In the end, it is up to you how you interpret each external circumstance that comes your way. Two people can have completely opposite reactions to the same external reality.

Quick Summary
Discovering your passion and learning what you truly love is what it is all about. Now, if you're thinking that you aren't passionate about anything you're wrong, because we are all here for a reason and I promise you that when you dig deeper, you'll find the thing that truly sets you on fire and brings joy to your life.

If you want to learn more and discover how you can get paid to do what you love, please visit my website at http://www.wakeupcloud.com/.

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Invest Young Retire Young

 

Enjoy life now and secure your financial future by investing young. There are some simple steps you can take immediately that will help to ensure you are prepared for the financial realities of life.

Social Security and pensions probably won't be around when your teenager reaches retirement age. In the last ten years we've experienced a large reduction in pension plans offered to employees. Employers are replacing pension plans with contributory retirement programs. Unfortunately, according to a report of the National Association of State Boards of Education, "most workers with access to these contributory programs are not participating sufficiently to allow them to retire in their sixties without suffering a great decrease in their standard of living."

This may mean that everyone under age 30 will need to self-fund their own retirement. In order to be financially prepared, it is important they start investing young and avoid financial pitfalls that plague many of their peers. This requires they learn the basic financial education skills so they are financially prepared.

To be financially prepared for retirements today's youth will need to have over a million dollars to be fully financially prepared for a self-funded retirement. After calculating the long-term inflation rate, a young adult today will need over a million dollars in order to retire on an annual income of around $35,000 (today's dollars, adjusted for inflation and salary increases). This is assuming that they live to be ninety years old. However, with the improvements in medicine, many experts feel we will live beyond that mark, so just planning to live to 90 may not be enough. And $35,000 annual income per year is not a lot of money to enjoy the golden years.

What's the answer? One answer may be a simple investment of $100 per month starting at age 18. If that investment earns a return similar to the S&P 500 average over the past 82 years, they would have over a million dollars many years before they reach retirement age.

Have fun and retire young by following these simple steps.

1) Invest Young -There are powerful financial forces on your side when you start investing young. One of the most beneficial to young investors is compounding interest.

Compounding interest occurs when you invest money and earn a return on what you invest. The amount your investment returns then starts to earn you money. This forms a snowball affect that will make your money grow bigger the longer you are invested.

To break it down, you're making money off the interest your investment already paid you. Then you continue to make money off the interest that you made each year. That means your investments can grow faster and larger each year.

2) Consistent, young, investment plan. Investing on a consistent basis may allow you to generate long-term gains over time. For most, simplicity equals consistency; and consistency over time leads to financial security. Follow a consistent investment plan immediately; then as your investment knowledge grows you can add other forms of potential higher-return investments.

3) Use investment vehicles that offer tax benefits -Roth IRA may allow you to withdraw money at retirement tax-free. Most are unaware that forty percent of a persons income goes to pay taxes. You will keep more of the money you earn by investing in an IRA.

4) Diversify your portfolio - Initially, the stock market can be a great place to start investing young. As your account size grows you could take some of that money and move it into real estate or business ventures.

Diversification lowers risk. For example, if you have 'all' your money invested in the stock market when prices are declining then 'all' your money may decline in value as well. Now if you diversify your holdings and had a portion of your money invested in the stock market, some in the real estate market and some in businesses you might avoid a big loss.

The thought of funding one's own retirement makes some people nervous but if people start young and stay consistent, today's generation will be able to afford the lifestyle they want now and through out their life. 

 

 

Vince Shorb

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Why Internet Financial Freedom Is Within Your Reach

Many people dream of achieving internet financial freedom with an online business of their own. Some actually reach this goal and are successful starting and running an internet business.

However, there are many people that struggle and don't make their business a success. The difference between the people that succeed and the people that struggle is that the successful people understand what it takes to achieve internet financial freedom and how to make it happen for them.

So how do they know what to do and a lot of other people don't? Here is what they understand that you haven't figured out yet when it comes to an internet business.

One: You have to educate yourself. 

This will always be something that you will have to do even after you become successful because there are always new things coming out for home businesses. If you ever want to achieve internet financial freedom then you can't skip this.

You have to become smart on all of the different ways to promote your internet business. Learn them one at a time and when you are comfortable with one then add another. Don't try and learn everything at once or you will quickly get frustrated and confused.

Two: Advertise your business constantly. 

You have to advertise in a lot of different ways if you want to make money and be successful. If people can't find your internet business then you will never see success. This is why educating yourself is so important. So advertise, advertise and advertise some more.

Three: You have to want success bad enough. 

That may sound weird when it comes to how you can achieve internet financial freedom but it is imperative to your success. You are the only one that can make your internet business successful.

No one will be there to tell you what needs to be done or when to do it. You have to be willing to work hard, learn all you can, go over, under, around or through any obstacles that get in your way and don't ever give up no matter what. You will achieve financial freedom, and never fail, if you do this.

In order to achieve internet financial freedom these three things are not the only things that you will need to do or have. They are however the most important ones.

If you don't do or have these then you will always struggle to succeed. So make the choice that no one and nothing is going to stop you from being successful with your internet business and before you know it you will have financial freedom. 

by Lee Scutchings


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How To Be Financially Free & Quit Your Job In Less Than 2 Years

10 Habits to Develop for Financial Stability and Success

Just like any goal, getting your finances stable and becoming financially successful requires the development of good financial habits. I’ve been researching this topic extensively in the last few years in my quest to eliminate debt, increase my savings and increase financial security for my family. I’ll talk more about these habits individually, but wanted to list them in a summary (I know, but I’m a compulsive list-maker).
Here they are, in no particular order:

1.Make savings automagical. 
This should be your top priority, especially if you don’t have a solid emergency fund yet. Make it the first bill you pay each payday, by having a set amount automatically transferred from your checking account to your savings (try an online savings account). Don’t even think about this transaction — just make sure it happens, each and every payday.

2.Control your impulse spending. 
The biggest problem for many of us. Impulse spending, on eating out and shopping and online purchases, is a big drain on our finances, the biggest budget breaker for many, and a sure way to be in dire financial straits. See Monitor Your Impulse Spending for more tips.

3.Evaluate your expenses, and live frugally. 
If you’ve never tracked your expenses, try the One Month Challenge. Then evaluate how you’re spending your money, and see what you can cut out or reduce. Decide if each expense is absolutely necessary, then eliminate the unnecessary. See How I Save Money for more. Also read 30 ways to save $1 a day.

4.Invest in your future. 
If you’re young, you probably don’t think about retirement much. But it’s important. Even if you think you can always plan for retirement later, do it now. The growth of your investments over time will be amazing if you start in your 20s. Start by increasing your 401(k) to the maximum of your company’s match, if that’s available to you. After that, the best bet is probably a Roth IRA. Do a little research, but whatever you do, start now. 

5.Keep your family secure. 
The first step is to save for an emergency fund, so that if anything happens, you’ve got the money. If you have a spouse and/or dependents, you should definitely get life insurance and make a will — as soon as possible! Also research other insurance, such as homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.

6.Eliminate and avoid debt. 
If you’ve got credit cards, personal loans, or other such debt, you need to start a debt elimination plan. List out your debts and arrange them in order from smallest balance at the top to largest at the bottom. Then focus on the debt at the top, putting as much as you can into it, even if it’s just $40-50 extra (more would be better). When that amount is paid off, celebrate! Then take the total amount you were paying (say $70 minimum payment plus the $50 extra for a total of $120) and add that to the minimum payment of the next largest debt. Continue this process, with your extra amount snowballing as you go along, until you pay off all your debts. This could take several years, but it’s a very rewarding process, and very necessary. 

7.Use the envelope system. 
This is a simple system to keep track of how much money you have for spending. Let’s say you set aside three amounts in your budget each payday — one for gas, one for groceries, one for eating out. Withdraw those amounts on payday, and put them in three separate envelopes. That way, you can easily track how much you have left for each of these expenses, and when you run out of money, you know it immediately. You don’t overspend in these categories. If you regularly run out too fast, you may need to rethink your budget.

8.Pay bills immediately, or automagically. 
One good habit is to pay bills as soon as they come in. Also, as much as possible, try to get your bills to be paid through automatic deduction. For those that can’t, use your bank’s online check system to make regular automatic payments. This way, all of your regular expenses in your budget are taken care of.

9.Read about personal finances. 
The more you educate yourself, the better your finances will be.

10.Look to grow your net worth. 
Do whatever you can to improve your net worth, either by reducing your debt, increasing your savings, or increasing your income, or all of the above. Look for new ways to make money, or to get paid more for what you do. Over the course of months, if you calculate your net worth each month, you’ll see it grow. And that feels great.

By Leo Babauta

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