Monday, June 16, 2008

Pricing Strategies, Revenues, Costs And Profits: How Does Profit Connect To Your Sales Price

By Adrian Pepper When I ask my accountant, he tells me that Profit equals Revenue minus Costs. He then spoils this simple equation with two caveats: Revenue is the cash flowing into your bank – this is sales without the bad debts, returns or shrinkage. Costs include your materials, labour and energy bills as well as everything else needed for long-term trading such as your contingencies, investments, replacements, training, and insurances. So how do you determine your price? If you were my client and I was helping you to calculate your sales price, does that mean that can you simply take the cost of the goods or services that you are selling and add on the Profit you choose? No – though you are in business for profit, your other goals might include growth, long term survival, avoiding competition or managing tax. So deciding your business objectives will change the price you set for your products and services. As I work with small businesses, we often have to look at a range of pricing strategies to figure out which will allow them to reach their chosen goals: 1. Pricing low for market penetration You may want to gain new customers quickly, perhaps when you are entering a new market. Therefore, you lead with a low-priced product to build your clientele and then in a separate sales cycle target these customers for sales of your more profitable products or services. 2. Pricing to be market competitive You may want to compete for tenders, proposals, auctions or other situations where you are forced to offer similar products to your competitors so that the buyers can select on price. So set a competitive price to get selected and afterwards you can look for ways to adjust your costs – through volume discounts, payment schedules or value engineering. 3. Pricing high to maximise your profits You may have a product or service that is unique or new, with no local competitors, giving a short-term opportunity to get high profits before copycat products dilute your market. Therefore, increase the profit per sales unit, keep your supply cycles tight and ensure you are not left with unsaleable goods when your monopoly runs out. 4. Pricing to make a transparent profit You may want to set a price that your customers see as honest and reasonable, say with a key major customer or group of customers, where trust is important. So set a ‘cost plus 15%’ price to make an acceptable profit on top of the input costs that you allow your customers to audit. 5. Pricing for maximum profit and maximum sales You may want to generate the maximum profit without losing customers along the way. This might follow your initial product launch as you start to emphasise how the benefits you offer differ from your competitors. Choosing the right strategy Using one of these five strategies helps my clients to move from a simple profit structure to using price in their marketing strategy to achieve specific business goals. Of course, the chosen strategy is only good until your market conditions change. Then you need to reconsider your goals and re-apply the pricing strategies that will get you there profitably. Adrian Pepper coaches people through business and personal difficulties, helping companies figure out what to do, how to move forward and what to get organised. You can contact him through Help4You Ltd, through his website at www.help4you.ltd.uk or by phone +44-7773-380133. At feeds.feedburner.com/help4you, you can listen to his podcast for small businesses. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Pepper http://EzineArticles.com/?Pricing-Strategies,-Revenues,-Costs-And-Profits:-How-Does-Profit-Connect-To-Your-Sales-Price&id=348818 payday lending in arkansas el paso online car loan johnny paycheck aka donnie young project payday is it a scam
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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Always Sell Consequences

By Chi-Chiu Ng Customers would rather not lose something than save something. If offered the choice to not lose $100, or to save $100, the customer will choose the not lose option. This is an important marketing understanding. Always communicate the consequences to the customer of going without your product. The fear of loss is a much stronger buying motive than the potential to save. For example, take the storm window manufacturer who claims its double-paned windows “Will save you $2.00 a day in reduced energy consumption.” It is more effective, more memorable, and more compelling to say, “You are losing $720 a year with your old single-pane windows. Try ABC Double-panes.” The gauge and controls company that says, “New Spillex Controller prevents overfilling, saving you hundreds of dollars in cleanup costs,” would generate more inquiries and more sales using, “Overspilling spills your dollar bills on the ground. New Spillex Controller stops your loss.” Every benefit for every product can be dollarized. Every benefit for every product can be expressed in the dollars and cents and delivers to the customer. Every benefit can be calculated to show the economic value to the customer. The benefit can be presented as a saving for the customer, or as the cost of going without the solution. It is always more effective to influence the customer by showing the cost of going without, along with any other consequences of not buying your product. Few customers knowingly ignore consequences and then deliberately buy an alternatative product just for a lower price. The super marketer dollarizes the product benefits and then shows the customer what it is costing him per year, per week, per hour to go without the product. Fewer than 5 percent of all marketers ground their product claims on benefits to the customer. Fewer than 1 percent of all marketers dollarize the value of their product and sell with numbers. Only the super marketer dollarizes and sells on the consequences of not buying. Customers don’t want to lose. Do customers a favor: Warn them what they will lose if they don’t buy your product. When they buy, everybody wins ! Marketing courses and products yield one of the highest returns on investment in the world. Their true value is in the NEW IDEAS they contain. Invest in good marketing ebooks, study them, and apply the new ideas you gained to make more money in your business. Please visit http://www.MarketingEbookCenter.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chi-Chiu_Ng http://EzineArticles.com/?Always-Sell-Consequences&id=176921 direct bad credit lender payday direct lender payday federal payday calendar
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Sunday, June 8, 2008

Buying Teak Wood Furniture Responsibly

By Vinodh Pushparaj Teak has many qualities that make the indoor and outdoor furniture made out of this a coveted high value asset. They last for generations. The durable nature is due to the hard grain nature of the tree. These are a high demand items in many parts of the world. The prices are sky-rocketing and unless you get it from the source you are going to pay a huge price to add this to your Home Collection. The products made out of teak wood have a pleasant smell unlike other untreated wooden furniture. The hard nature of the wood makes it easier to work with by the craftsman creating unique patterns and designs. You could have come across the priced museum collections of old south Asian kingdom there is teak in most of them. This has the ability to create smooth patterns and complex designs because of the properties of the wood. They dont create splinters like other wood and hence the furniture is safe. The smooth finishes created by the craftsmen can be enjoyed by many generations as it is more resistant to rot and other damages. A quick look at the Teak industry shows that the majority of the plantations are from south Asia. Unlike the rain forests these tress are from the dry regions making it more environmentally friendly to use. The Timber industry also claims that the amount of wastage out of the teak usage is minimal in comparison to other wood. Every aspect of the teak wood right till the saw dust finds use in one way or the other. The main problem like other wooden furniture use is you have contributed to the chopping of a tree at a minimum. But this can be made right when you understand the following factors. The first is the farm raised trees are better as they were done just for this purpose. This also ensures the trees in the wild are not used and hence are less damaging to the natural habitats. There are a few folks who argue that wooden furniture should never be used. Hmmm, the simple counter argument is what else to use. The softer nature of wood is preferred against iron or other metals. And such we have to end in plastic. Plastic causes a lot more harm to the environment in the long run than the lack of a farm raised tree in the face of the earth. There are a few manufacturers that even go on to guarantee that the trees that are farm raised are once again replanted. This makes sure the tree that was raised finds a replacement in the face of the earth. This is unlike the trees in the wild, where there is no guarantee a chopped tree will be replaced by another sapling. Some of the common furniture made out of teak is: 1. Teak Patio Sets 2. Teak dining Sets 3. Teak Benches 4. Teak Chairs 5. Teak Tables 6. Teak Loungers The next time you buy one of these make sure you ask where the wood comes from and the re-plantation policy of the woods source. You can find one wholesale company which can guarantee this at Teak Select. Make sure you replace your plastic furniture with the teak furniture, teak patio furniture and teak garden furniture. Author is a freelancer accessible through the no fee free freelance website freelancefree.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vinodh_Pushparaj http://EzineArticles.com/?Buying-Teak-Wood-Furniture-Responsibly&id=46083 payday loan with multi payment plan unsecured uk loans figuring a paycheck christmas same day cash advance
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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Sensible Eating Tips When Dining Out

By Nahar Efendy Noordin Dining out has become something that people take advantage of and most do not consider it to be luxury but rather a necessity. On average people will eat out 4 to 5 times a week and spend over $ 350 billion a year on this pastime. The high demand for fast food is growing which means that the portion size are also growing and have become 2 to 3 times larger than what you would normally eat at home. There are super size options and extra side portions that have contributed to the population becoming fatter and prone to various health risks. Even though the population is indulging the fitness and weight loss industries are thriving as people search for healthier lifestyles and smaller waistlines. It has also become compulsory for fat foods and restaurants to list their menus nutritional facts and calories. Most fast food restaurants have also tried to help by introducing healthier food options and low calorie meals. This does not however make for healthier lifestyle, as we only need to eat a small amount of food to keep going throughout the day. When you are dining out there are things that you can do to lessen the amounts of food you eat in one sitting. One thing is to not super size your meal, no matter how much they say you can save. You will save far more money in the long run, by not having to spend fortunes on hospital bills, diet programs and exercise equipments. You can also cut down the size of the meal by ordering appetizers or start dishes instead of the main meals. You can also share a main dish with a friend, or take half of it home in a doggy bag for another meal. Listen to your body and stop eating when you are full. It is not necessary for you to clean you plate. Try to get out of this habit that was forced onto you when you were a child. It can take 20 minutes for the brain to realize that you are full so eat slowly, and stop every so often to rest and drink something. Drinking water or fruit juices will also make you fuller quicker. According to dietitian the best way to eat sensibly when dining out is to be defensive. Do not take the items on the menu as they are. Special order by asking for grilled chicken instead of fried, get the bread basket taken away, and ask for any fatty sauces to be separate. Trim off the fat on meats and dab the excess oil off a pizza. This can go a long way to reducing the amounts of calories and saturated fats that are consumed. Also remember that certain juices, beers, sodas, and other drinks can add more than 100 calories to your meal, so resist the temptation and order fat free drinks and water. A webmaster of Obesity Therapy website; a one stop obesity resource center. http://obesity-therapy.most-effective-solution.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nahar_Efendy_Noordin http://EzineArticles.com/?Sensible-Eating-Tips-When-Dining-Out&id=511102 no faxing required military payday loans johnny paycheck personal loan calculators auto title personal loans in maryland
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Friday, May 30, 2008

Bridal Shop Owner Reveals Insider Secrets Every Bride Should Know

By Susan Cook Your wedding is nine months away and you decide to start searching for your perfect gown. You walk into a bridal store and start talking to one of the salespeople. They ask you for your wedding date and you tell them. They immediately tell you that you will need nine months in order to special order your wedding gown. Is this true? In most cases, this is not true. The bridal shop is telling you that just so you will panic and place your order that day. This also helps them in stopping you from looking at other bridal shops. Dont ever be bullied into buying your wedding dress on any given day. You might have found the dress of your dreams but give yourself a little time to think about it. You are making a big purchase for a special day and you need to make sure that this is the dress. Even if it is one day make sure you really think about it. I have suggested to some girls to go eat some lunch, discuss it with family or friends and then come back to make your purchase. Once you buy your gown that is it. Most shops do not allow returns or money back especially on special orders. Once you put money down on a special order, the dress is yours. The majority of manufacturers require 8-12 weeks for a special order unless you are making drastic changes to a dress. Did you even know you could change designs on a dress. Most manufacturers will allow you to lengthen a train, shorten a train, take off some beads, or add beads. If there is something you would love to add/change to your dress just ask the salesperson. Not all manufacturers allow this but some do. It never hurts to ask. If a bridal shop gives you a delivery date of 6 months or more then I would be very careful. You have decided on your perfect wedding dress and now it is time to order it. First of all I would pay one one-half of the deposit. If the shop asks for more than that then walk out. You do not want to put more then half down on something you do not yet have in your hands. Also if the wedding is cancelled, you have lost only one-half the cost of the dress because remember deposits on special order dresses are not refundable. Being in the bridal business, I understand why stores ask for more then half. Weddings sometimes get cancelled or the bride decides she does not want the dress. Also, I suggest you put your deposit down with a credit card. This way if anything happens like the store closes down or never places your order then you have a way of getting your deposit back. After you place your order and put your half deposit down, make sure you get a receipt. Also make sure that they write down the style number, color, and size down on your copy as well as the stores copy. This way you have proof of what was supposed to be ordered. When I was a bride, I picked out my bridesmaids dresses from this particular store near me. I searched for hours in bridal magazines until I finally found the perfect bridesmaids dresses. Believe it or not once the dresses came in, I realized the store ordered the wrong dress. This was only one month before my wedding day. Luckily we caught it in time and the store corrected the problem. It does happen, so make sure you get everything in writing. In the next couple of days after you place your order, call the store and get an estimated delivery date. This way you can be sure they ordered it. These are estimated dates not actual dates. No one can give you an actual date. This is the real world and things do happen. When a bride places an order with us, we always call them the next day or so and give them the delivery date. Make sure you right this date down on your receipt along with the day and person you spoke with. One hint: If you have plenty of time then I suggest you move your wedding date up one month. This will help to reassure you that the dress will come in plenty of time before your wedding. This is a trick I use myself. When I order a dress from the manufacturer, I move the wedding date up a couple of weeks just to make sure we have plenty of time to get the dress in. The manufacturer thinks they have the actual wedding date and base their delivery date on it. This gives me a couple of extra weeks to correct a problem if something does go wrong. If your wedding date is 4 months or less away, then you cannot do this because you will incur rush charges. How to make sure your dress is new: Youve found your perfect dress and although the store has the exact size and color in stock you decide you want to order your dress new from the manufacturer instead of the stores sample. You make your down payment, the dress is ordered and you have an estimated delivery date. The bridal shop calls you to tell you your dress has arrived and you go in to try it on. Before you even try it on you notice makeup stains inside the bodice of your dress and the underskirt looks as though it has been dragged across a dirty floor. Guess what? Its a sure bet that your dress was never ordered and they are passing off the floor sample as a new dress. At this point you should point out the problems to the shop. Refuse to take the dress and demand they order you a new dress. Never take the dress out of the store and expect to come back later to show them the problems. Once you take a dress out of the store, the dress is yours no matter what. Sometimes when a dress comes into the shop and we unpack it, we will find dirt or stains in the dress. We notify the manufacturer immediately and they provide us with a new dress at no extra charge. If your dress came in from the manufacturer stained or dirty you should have no problem requesting a new one. If, in fact, the store never ordered you a new dress and are trying to pass the floor sample on to you, you have every right to demand your money back or if it would satisfy you, to have the store clean it at their expense. Always make sure you go into the store as soon as you can when your special order dress comes in. This includes bridesmaids dresses as well. If you go in immediately then you can still get the manufacturer to replace the dress if anything is wrong. Usually most manufacturers give the shop one to two weeks to notify them if something is wrong. After the certain time frame there is nothing you or the bridal shop can do to request a new dress if something is wrong. This is another reason to plan your wedding a year in advance. When situations do arise and things do happen then you have plenty of time to correct the problem. When dresses are ordered just 8-12 weeks prior to the wedding, if something does go wrong, it is very difficult to correct the problem. Susan Cook is the author of “Bridal Shop Owner Reveals Insider Secrects Every Bride Should Know”. For more useful tips and advice visit http://www.bridalinfo123.com. This article is a clip from her book “Bridal Shop Owner Reveals Insider Secrects Every Bride Should Know.” Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Cook http://EzineArticles.com/?Bridal-Shop-Owner-Reveals-Insider-Secrets-Every-Bride-Should-Know&id=46544 cash advance resources – usa benefits furniture with no credit check christmas payday cash advance guareenteed payday loans
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Acupressure Is Different To Acupuncture

By Eric Cho A form of touch therapy that utilizes the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupressure is a lot like Acupuncture. The same pressure points are used in both systems. The only difference is that while Acupuncture relies on the use of needles to stimulate the pressure points, Acupressure is non-invasive. In Acupressure, the practitioner makes use of the finger tips to apply pressure. Herbal remedies, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Acutouch, Shiatsu, diet, lifestyle changes, and meditation are all a part of the comprehensive healing techniques found in China. Legend has it that both Acupuncture and Acupressure developed when early Chinese healers treated the wounds of warriors. These systems of healing came to the West in the 1970s. Acupressure massage performed by a trained practitioner is used both as a preventive as well as a therapeutic healing technique. Many health conditions including but not limited to headaches, migraine, cold, flu, arthritis, allergies, asthmas, sinus problems, sprains, tennis elbow and even toothaches can be treated using acupressure. Emotional and mental strain, tension and nervous tension can also be eased using this technique. Acupressure also helps increase positive energy within the person thus creating a sense of well-being. It can be used to stimulate the immune system, thus keeping many ailments at bay. Acupressure can also be used to alleviate sexual dysfunction. Acupressure, unlike acupuncture is easy to learn and does not need any formal knowledge. The techniques of acupressure are fairly easy to learn and provide quick, cost-effective and immediate relief from symptoms. Acupressure is used as a treatment by message therapists and acupuncturists. Most massage schools in America include a course of acupressure as part of their program. Acupressure, like Acupuncture, is based on the Chinese belief of Yin and Yang. Unlike medical practices in the West, Chinese medicine does not consider the body as a separate entity. Both body and mind work together to form the person. Thus disease cannot be diagnosed as the breakdown of a purely physical system. The damage starts from the inside and slowly spreads to the organs and expresses itself. The ordinary man is so removed from his own body that he cannot detect the underlying cause of his disease. Chi is the fundamental life force or energy that flows through the body and ensures the innate health and balance of the body. There are 12 major meridians in the body that support the transport of Chi. Acupressure works on the pressure points and unblocks the circulation of Chi so that it can once again flow freely. Acupressure seeks to stimulate the points on the meridians that pass closest to the skin. These are the points that are easiest to stimulate using finger pressure. The techniques of acupressure are so easy that it can even be used as a self-treatment for common aches and pains. An acupressurist will evaluate the symptoms and general health of the patient through gentle palpitations. Then he begins his therapy on the different meridians of the body. A session of acupressure is generally very relaxing and pleasurable. Some people experience immediate relief while others take some more time to experience benefits. For chronic conditions several sessions may be necessary. Alternative Health Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Cho http://EzineArticles.com/?Acupressure-Is-Different-To-Acupuncture&id=261819 atlanta no credit check apartment wisconsin law on payday loans aw wish pay day friday lyrics no credit check auto jackson tn
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Saturday, May 24, 2008

Relora May Help To Reduce Stress and Stress-Induced Over Eating

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Peter_Dougan] Peter Dougan Relora is a novel blend of plant extracts from patented Magnolia officinalis and patent-pending Phellodendron amurense, and has been shown in a number of clinical, placebo-controlled studies to help to reduce the symptoms associated with diet-related stress. From nervous tension and irritability, to concentration difficulties and occasional sleeplessness, scores of users have reported success with their diet and stress levels. Preliminary research suggests that Relora may help regulate cortisol levels in the body that are associated with stress-related weight gain. Weight gain can be associated with emotional over-eating for people with stressful lifestyles. Findings also suggest that Relora may decrease the cravings for high fat, high sugar foods in stressed individuals, most likely due to its ability to help normalize stress hormone levels that cause these cravings. Relora is a popular stress-reducing product which is designed to reduce stress and therefore to alleviate stress hormones and stress-related eating. Relora is easily obtained just about any where natural supplements can be found. Cortisol and DHEA are the two hormones that are primarily released by the body when stressed. When the body is subjected to prolonged stress, it makes a greater amount of Cortisol and less DHEA. This hormonal imbalance can have the following devastating effects on your body: Can cause you to crave carbohydrates excessively. Make you feel fatigued or even exhausted. Increased cholesterol levels. Make you feel emotionally flat or even depressed. May even weaken your body’s immune system. Lead to weight gain by enabling more efficient fat storage. Carbohydrates and sugar are more likely to be stored as fat. Prevents proper rest. Regular use of the supplement, Relora may reduce the levels of cortisol and increase the levels of DHEA in stressed adults. It has also may be effective in reducing stress and stress-related cravings for high fat, high sugar foods. The benefits of Relora may even go beyond its primary action as a natural agent for managing stress and improving the quality of sleep. Individuals who are stress eaters and who also have elevated cortisol levels, might have greater success in managing their weight by using Relora in addition to watching their calories and maintaining a regular exercise program. Relora has been shown to help promote normal healthy levels of Cortisol and DHEA in the body. For more information on Relora and the effects of stress and hormonal imbalance on the body, please visit: [http://www.Relora-Review.com] http://www.Relora-Review.com Article Source: [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Peter_Dougan ] http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Dougan [http://ezinearticles.com/?Relora-May-Help-To-Reduce-Stress-and-Stress-Induced-Over-Eating&id=547632 ] http://EzineArticles.com/?Relora-May-Help-To-Reduce-Stress-and-Stress-Induced-Over-Eating&id=547632 60 day loan uk personal car loan personal loans with horrible credit construction loans online
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

What is the Lemon Law – A Concise Definition

By Earl Powers Lemon law refers to the statement from the government that was created to protect consumers from defective piece of automobile. An automobile that has manufacturing defect or if it asks for repeated repairs after purchase and if the automobile is under warranty period, such a vehicle is termed as a lemon. A law was placed for the benefit of consumers to prevent them from a lemon vehicle. In a nut shell if any vehicle such as a car is under warranty period and is suffering from various defects that prevent a consumer to use the vehicle effectively then Lemon law act or the Magnuson Moss Act comes into force. Lemon law can be enforced on any sort of vehicle like a car, truck, van, SUV, motorcycle, boat or computer, etc. If any of these consumer durables is found to be defective then the consumer is entitled for either money back, replacement or a cash settlement. The law can be consulted with a Lemon law attorney as various states have different lemon laws. Some states have a lemon law for only the automobiles but some also include other consumer durables like computers, etc. A dealer or manufacturer should have made number of attempts to repair the vehicle before being declared as lemon. Usually three or more attempts in row over a short period of time are required for any vehicle to be termed as lemon. Lemon law is also applicable to vehicles which have been resold but are still under warranty and meet the mileage and time criteria. More often it is very difficult to persuade a manufacturer to accept a lemon vehicle. In such cases a lemon suit is often called for. To ensure whether a vehicle is a lemon or not one should observe certain conditions of the vehicle before pursuing a lemon law suit. A vehicle should exhibit some serious defect or some abnormal condition. Such a condition should be covered by manufacturer’s warranty. Number of attempts for repair should also be taken into account before preparing a lemon law suit. A written notice should have also been issued to the manufacturer prior to a lemon law suit. A vehicle that has been bought back by the manufacturer from the customer is known as a Lemon Buy Back. Such lemon buy backs are often sold in auctions as used cars by the manufacturers. The Lemon law enforced for protecting consumers from the lemon vehicles is Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. This lemon law states that any advertised guarantee should explicitly state relevant information about a warranty. This law ensures that any warranty for goods above $15 should be clearly expressed on the goods and should be clear and easy to understand. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty act enables a consumer to bring suit to any manufacturer, supplier, warrantor, or service contractor for any defective piece of good or services. A lemon vehicle explicitly loses market value due to its manufacturing defect. Moreover, manufacturing defects may lead to several life threatening circumstances. It also substantially impedes a person’s ability to control or operate a motor vehicle for ordinary use or intended purposes. Any manufacturing defect can also create a substantial risk of fire or explosion. All these risk elements call for enforcement of Lemon law in the states of United States. This law helps consumer from all such threats and hazardous circumstances. Earl Powers, US Lawyer and Lemon Law expert – focusing on Used Car Lemon Laws and What Is The Lemon Law Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Earl_Powers http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-the-Lemon-Law—A-Concise-Definition&id=143642 fast loan no credit orlando bad credit car loan cash loan places on austin peay in memphis payday loans for self employed people
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Monday, May 19, 2008

The Top 10 Ways to Reduce Expenses When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Spot

By Pam Woods If you’re in a career transition with limited financial reserves or up to your neck in alligators from overspending, run to, not from the problem. The longer you carry this issue around the heavier it will get. Choose to implement all of the action items below to immediately reduce your spending. Better yet, make it a game to see how low you can get your expenses…you just might find that less is more. 1. Phones Eliminate your cell phone and shop around for a long distance carrier with a low rate per minute and no monthly fee. 2. Subscriptions Cancel newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. Everything you need is free at the library, accessible via the internet, or on television. 3. Utilities Turn down the thermostat, use energy efficient lamps in fixtures, turn off the lights when you leave a room, ask your local utility companies about budget billing, and review the many other energy and money saving tips listed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s website which can be found at www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/energy_savers. 4. Taxes If you’re employed, ask if your employer offers a Section 125 Plan or Flexible Spending Program. If so, enroll in the plan as soon as possible to pay your health premium, health expenses and dependent care expenses (if applicable) with pre-tax dollars. 5. Medical Purchase generic prescriptions when possible and obtain the best price by calling and comparing prices at local pharmacies, increase your medical coverage deductible, and read and understand your medical plan to be a smart consumer of health care services and save dollars. 6. Stuff in your home Clean up, organize, and simplify your home environment. Hold a garage sale and fill it with the things you don’t use, don’t have room to display, or can’t access easily. You might also consider selling items on eBay. Another option is donating your items to a charitable organization as your gift may be deductible. Your stuff is someone else’s treasure. 7. Meals If you’re working – take your lunch, shop at a discount grocery store and buy in bulk, cut out the junk food, avoid purchasing prepackaged meals, and avoid eating dinner out. Have you stopped to think that your daily latte may be costing you $600 per year? 8. Fitness Terminate your gym membership. Try walking, running, hiking, or biking. It’s easier and more convenient to step through your front door and start exercising, plus the fresh air is invigorating. 9. Recreation and fun Stay home with a good book or rent a video or DVD instead of going to the movie theater. Pop your own popcorn, snuggle up in your favorite chair, and have a fun night at home. As painful as it might be, you could also drop your cable TV. 10. Lifestyle Money problems are seldom about money but rather emanate from your lifestyle choices. For example, I recently spoke with a small business owner who told me he was in financial trouble and was looking for ideas to save his business. He then mentioned that he was taking his family on vacation next month. He must have felt it necessary to justify his vacation plans because he proceeded to tell me he was taking the vacation in spite of his dire financial situation as it was important to create a positive memory and good time for his kids. I wonder how much he’ll enjoy the vacation when his business is about to tank. If you’re in financial trouble or see it looming on the horizon, please don’t try to justify spending any more money, cut every expense today and when you’re out of debt start saving and building at least a years worth of financial reserve. It can be done! Good luck. Pam N. Woods is co-author of a bestselling book, Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies from the World’s Greatest Mentors; endorsed by Ken Blanchard and Dr. Stephen Covey. She is a Coach U graduate and President of Smart WorkLife Solutions, a coaching and consulting company devoted to co-creating customized solutions to fit clients business and personal organizing needs. Prior to founding her own firm she had a successful 20+ year career as an insurance executive and Vice President of Human Resources. For more free how-to articles and advice, or to contact Woods, visit http://www.worklifecoach.com. Copyright 2003 – Pam Woods Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pam__Woods http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Top-10-Ways-to-Reduce-Expenses-When-Youre-Between-a-Rock-and-a-Hard-Spot&id=6516 bad credit real estate loan calculating federal tax withheld from paycheck money loan idaho no credit check car dealers
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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Water Lilies – How and When to Divide and Fertilize

By Brett Fogle Normally a good time to do this would be in early Spring, once the pond thaws out and things are starting to warm up a bit – and before your lilies have started growing back too much. Some people would recommend dividing your water lilies every year, but I don’t think that’s practical or necessary for most people (unless you’re a pond nut like me), but after awhile you WILL have to divide your lily rhizome as it outgrows its current pot or planting container. A good way to determine if your water lily needs dividing is if it’s not blooming or producing nearly as many pads as normal. What can happen is the root (or rhizome) has become so overgrown that it has essentially run out of room in the pot, and can’t effectively absorb nutrients to grow. Fortunately, it’s easy to remedy this problem – and you’ll most likely wind up with several new lilies to plant, or give away to friends. The first thing to do is to remove the pot, and dig up the rhizome from the pot. Notice how the root has become twisted and overgrown. All you need to do in order to refresh and invigorate the plant is to either cut or break off and remove several sections of the root/rhizome to create a better root to soil ratio, letting the root more effectively absorb waterborne nutrients. You’ll be left with several new sections or baby lilies that you can then re-plant and grow into new plants of their own. Now we’ll take a look at how to fertilize your lilies (new and old) to make sure they’re ready for Spring and Summer, and to make sure they’ll keep blooming and growing all season long. Here’s a trick I use to fertilize my lilies quickly and easily… Have a fairly wide tipped flathead screwdriver nearby, and then use it to punch a clear path into the soil and through the existing roots. Then give it a good twisting to hollow out your hole. You’d be surprised how hard it can be to push a fertilizer tab down into a dense root pack – so try this next time and tell me if it isn’t 100% easier. Now that you have your ‘holes’ dug – take 3-4 water lily fertilizer tabs out (we like the Tetra Pond fertilizer tabs), and push them down into the holes with your index finger. That’s it — you’re done! Once fertilized, you’re ready to replant and put back in the pond. It’s a good idea to add some more ‘fresh’ soil (never potting soil), which I usually just dig up from the yard. Adding fresh soil will usually re-energize the plant, and give it some more room for its new roots to develop. I recommend a good 2″-3″ of new dirt right on top. Similarly, with your new Rhizome cuttings – plant them in a new container with some fresh soil on the bottom, and then covered by some more fresh dirt (around 1″ for new cuttings). Use a shallow planter for the new cuttings, just to get them started. Once they start to grow again, move them to a deeper pot with more dirt. Add some gravel on top, to keep you fish from burrowing in the dirt (as koi are known to do), but only a thin layer of pea gravel — anything too deep will make it difficult for the new lily pads to ‘push’ through. On existing lilies – I prefer to use the mesh bags for my lilies. They seem to allow a better absorption on nutrients from the pond water and I like the fact that I can cut holes in the corners and cable tie them over the dirt – to also keep the koi from ‘burrowing’ in the dirt. You can find these at most nurseries and water garden centers. Here’s another trick I use – Don’t just drop the pot back into the pond, as trapped air bubbles can sometimes uproot the lily or some soil. This is especially true for new pottings, as the soil has not been properly ‘set’. Here’s what I do: Lower the pot into the water, just enough to fill it with water, then raise back up out of the water until you see all the air bubbles disappear. Do this a few more times, until you think you’ve removed all the air bubbles from the pot. Then slowly lower it down into the pond. There’s nothing more frustrating than having a newly potted lily (or any plant) suddenly lift up out of the pot, dumping dirt all over the pond, and having to be repotted. It’s happened to me more than once… Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several other pond-related websites including www.MacArthurWatergardens.com and www.Pond-Filters-Online.com He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE ‘New Pond Owners Guide’ visit MacArthur Water Gardens today. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brett_Fogle http://EzineArticles.com/?Water-Lilies—How-and-When-to-Divide-and-Fertilize&id=195267 cash advance structured settlement fast payday loans payday loan laws payday loan direc
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