Setting Goals For Your Online Business

The need for goals

Reaching our goals helps us to believe in ourselves and setting goals is a great way to fuel our ambitions. It isn't just about creating a plan for our success in life, it's also to give us the inspiration we need to reach out and reap more than we ever thought possible. Goals focus our acquiring of knowledge and help us to set our time and resources in an order to get the very best for our situations.

In this article we'll discuss:

Guidance in your niche selection
What are niche goal projections and outcomes?
Are you busy or productive
Ninja productivity hack revealed
Video - Goal projections and outcomes
Guidance in your niche selection
What do you like to do? What are your habits, hobbies, or passions? There are a number of niche choices within any main topic when you break it down.

An example could be Baseball which is a very broad term with lots of competition. If we break that down there are many niche selections to choose from within that keyword: baseball teams, major or minor league, kids, uniforms, statistics, jerseys, caps, equipment, collectables, magazines, etc.

All of these baseball niche can be fine selections to build a website around and can be quite profitable. I have an entrepreneur friend that has a number of sites, one of which is a website about football snack helmets, which has been doing well for a few years now.

What are niche goal projections and outcomes?

A projected outcome of your goals within your chosen niche.

Niche - The topic or category that you've chosen for your site.

Goal - The end result that you are seeking.

Projection - An estimation of when the end result will occur,

for example:

First commission sale within 30 days.
>>>>By writing an article per day for 30 days.
First page ranking with my targeted keyword within 30 days.
>>>>By writing posts three times a week for four weeks, with each having an internal link to my targeted keyword page.

What exactly are you going to do to reach your goal? Or what are you willing to give up in exchange for the desired goal? Maybe turn off the TV for a few hours each day, or trade in some wasted time for, that same time being spent to reach your goals.

The law of sowing and reaping

There is a time for sowing and a time for reaping. The time spent sowing, or creating the business can be for years depending on the project and the desired result. Once the sowing time is up, the reaping time can start and be indefinite.

There are many tasks that need to be done with any set goal and each one takes time and effort to complete. I've heard that "excellence is a commitment to completion", so we need to be good finishers of each task and reach our goals.

The time spent sowing can be less depending on the effort given to it. If we sow little we will reap little also. If we are building a website and posting to it once a week it will take quite a while longer to reach our goals of filling it up with quality content, as opposed to posting 3-4 times per week.

Are you busy or productive?

The definition for:

Busy - actively involved in doing something, or having a lot of things to do.

Productive - achieving or producing a significant amount or result.

Are we busy doing many things without a proper order or timely, continuous task completion?

Example: spending hours on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and also additional hours on other things without making posting quality content for our viewers our #1 priority.

It's easy at times to get involved or over-involved in a project that ends up taking a lot more time than we thought but aside from that we'll be more productive and reach our goals quicker if we properly structure our time and always make posting fresh quality content a priority.

Create clear niche images

We need to do some internal and external research and visually see some other website businesses within our niche. This will give a look at how the other niche sites are presenting themselves and their products. The internal research is making a list, over a couple or few days, of things that we love to do, or what are we passionate about. It's best to select a niche that you would like to spend a lot of time and energy on, not one that you'll get bored with or become disinterested with. We can also choose to create a nice affiliate website setup to inform about and promote products, or have a non-profit or personal site (.org). Many website owners have multiple sites.

Create a vision board

Do you have any wall space at home to devote to a vision board? They're great to increase motivation and energize your efforts as you pursue goals.

Take a nice area of wall space and fill it up with goal related images and headlines and pictures that inspire every time you look at it. See, visualize, and feel the goal being reached as you look at the board and are inspired to move forward and achieve. Keep on adding and replacing inspiring images and text to keep it fresh, in sight and also in your mind.

Websites like Pinterest are great for creating vision boards and one can create as many boards as they want for fun, or to keep private.

Ninja Productivity Tip

I guess it doesn't matter what type of business that you are promoting but all have dozens of tasks that need to be done continually and properly. Many have multiple internet businesses and always have a list of things that need to be done asap. Well here's a great tip I've used and recommend to you.

Plan ahead and:

Remove all distractions or find a place where you can be uninterrupted.
Choose only one thing to focus on completely for an hour and set a timer.
Stop when the timer goes off and leave it for the next time. Don't think about it anymore.
Take a short walk or take a non-sitting break, unless you've been using a standing desk. Lying flat on your back might feel good too.

Start the next task and repeat the process.

If a little more than 60 minutes is needed go ahead and finish the task before taking a break. If it needs much more time to complete put it away until next time. After you've powered through a focused hour and taken a break to refresh, you can set the timer for another 60 minutes and continue where you left off or move to another task.

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Multiple Revenue Streams Keep A Solopreneur Solvent

To build a successful career as a Solopreneur consultant requires courage, resilience, possession of marketable skills and relationships with people who are willing and able to refer or endorse you for paid project assignments. Solopreneur consultants must have a talent for selling, the discipline to create and pursue business goals, a knack for big picture thinking and implementing strategies and an understanding of human nature and motivation. The ability to attract good luck and dodge bad luck helps, too.

Precious few Solopreneurs are able to just "go to the office" everyday and delve into the usual work. In order to generate the preferred amount of business revenue, we understand that creating multiple revenue streams may be necessary and to make that possible, we must recognize the marketability of our skill sets, in aggregate and in segments. As well, we must learn to package, promote and sell our skills and value to prospective clients.

Consider my revenue streams, for example. When asked, in my short form elevator pitch I say that I'm a self-employed external consultant who provides business strategy and marketing solutions to mid-size for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. What that means in reality is that I've facilitated strategic planning meetings at not-for-profit organizations; edited a 100 page nonfiction book and also served as its photo editor and project manager; developed curriculum for a series of 90 minute sales skills training workshops; and periodically I teach business plan writing.

I've been fortunate enough to regularly win business strategy development or marketing campaign assignments, but the fact is that there are often gaps and in response, I've learned to branch out and offer segments of my skill set to clients or employers as a way to maintain my required cash-flow and, whenever possible, also enhance my brand. In my experience, it's the ability to leverage one's perhaps infrequently promoted competencies that help Solopreneurs to create and sustain a profitable business venture.

My friend Adela is a busy educational consultant who works with college bound high school juniors and their parents to identify suitable colleges for the student and navigate the application process. Adela's business appears to be thriving, yet she nevertheless teaches Spanish at a local university (she was born and raised in Mexico and came to the U.S. to attend Notre Dame University).

Jackie, a friend of many years, is the founder and manager of a small, full-service fitness center that became very successful in that highly competitive market, yet she teaches a fitness class at another gym a few miles away. Why? Because she gets to observe another style of fitness center management from the inside, she receives training in new fitness techniques that she can evaluate for inclusion in her own gym and she earns a few extra dollars each week, something that a mother of four can always use. Sometimes you can get paid to research the competition!

My friend Carole toggles between freelance marketing gigs at technology companies and corporate positions in that sector. She's a Lotus alumna who's also worked for tech giant EMC, distinctions that command respect and open doors in the tech industry. In between corporate gigs, Carole goes out on her own to develop marketing strategies for tech start-ups. A couple of years ago, she was offered a position as director of marketing at one of those start-ups, but when the inevitable reorganization occurs, she'll re-enter Solopreneur life.

So, Solopreneur friend, I invite you to put on your thinking cap and brainstorm how you can create additional revenue streams by exploring how certain segments of your skill set can be packaged and promoted to current and prospective clients!

Thanks for reading,
Kim

Kim L. Clark is an external strategy and marketing consultant who brings agile skills to the for-profit and not-for-profit organization leaders with whom she works. You can ensure that mission-critical goals at your organization will be achieved when you contact Kim at http://polishedprofessionalsboston.com.

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10 common investment mistakes that can ruin your retirement

 It is well known that as things stand, the majority of South Africans will not have enough money to sustain their current standard of living in retirement.

Recent increases to value-added tax and the fuel levy, among other things, have worsened the outlook for many.

Retirement savers would do well to avoid fairly common investment mistakes, according to chief executive officer at 10X Investments, Steven Nathan.

Here are the 10 mistakes retirement savers frequently make, and how to avoid them:

Mistake #1: Saving too little

The number one reason most people miss their retirement goal is because they don’t save enough.

“No rocket science here,” says Nathan. “You can’t save like a pauper and then expect to live like a prince in retirement.”

The basics of  a successful model for retirement is that people should save 15% of their gross salary throughout their working life (an average of 40 years) and invest in a balanced high equity fund that charges low fees.

Mistake #2: Paying high fees

Fees matter a lot more than most people imagine, says Nathan. In the context of a 6.5% real return (that is after inflation), every 1% paid in fees reduces the return by more than 15%.

If investors are paying 3% in fees the return will be reduced by 45%, which means that more than half of the real annual return is lost to fees.

When the effect of compounding, where you earn a return on your return, is included the negative impact can be devastating.

Nathan urges investors to understand the fees they are paying, and to look for a low-cost provider that charges no more than 1% in total annual fees.

Mistake #3: The wrong asset mix

Choosing an asset mix that mirrors personal risk tolerance, such as conservative or risk averse, but is not appropriate for the investment time horizon can dramatically damage a retirement outcome.

"It is critical to grow your savings at a high rate for the majority of your savings period, which is why you should be invested in a high equity fund," said Nathan.

"A lower growth portfolio would be insufficient in the context of a 40-year savings plan, based on a 15% savings rate."

A life-stage solution, where one can automatically be switched to the appropriate portfolio as the time horizon changes, is a simple and effective solution.

Mistake #4: Investing in an underperforming fund

Nathan said that, when it comes to retirement investing, it is more important to eliminate the downside risk and reach the minimum savings goal than to entertain upside risk in the hope of overshooting the savings goal.

"No one should be gambling with something as important as their retirement savings," says Nathan.

Mistake #5: Emotional switching

Chopping and changing funds or asset classes, especially during periods of market turbulence, often leads to buying high and selling low.

Investors should rather stick to their plan and avoid the temptation to switch or try to time the market.

Mistake #6: Inadequate diversification

If you are over-invested in one asset class or security, you assume concentration risk, the risk that one investment will have a disproportionate impact on your savings outcome. As a retirement investor, you cannot afford the downside risk as it may ruin your pension.

Nathan says: “Remember, it’s about reaching your goal with the lowest possible risk; it is not about speculating your way to a dream existence.”

Savers should invest in various asset classes (equities, bonds, property and cash), each providing exposure to many different underlying securities, held across different currencies (local and international) and regions (for example, developed and emerging countries).

Mistake #7: Saving outside retirement funds

Tax-free deductions and investment returns can potentially increase the value of your retirement savings by up to 30%.

And you score again because your retirement income is almost always taxed at a lower average rate than the marginal tax you saved on your contributions.

Mistake #8: Starting to save too late

Few people in their 20s worry about retirement but, ideally, we should start saving towards retirement from our first pay cheque. We should keep it up throughout our working life (around 40 years on average).

Nathan says it is important to remember that contributions are only one source of your future retirement income. The other is the net investment return you earn on your contributions.

“The sooner you start contributing to your retirement fund, the longer your money has to grow.”

Initially, Nathan adds, the returns add only a little to your total pot, but once compounding (earning a return on your return) kicks in, the growth will pick up and continue building momentum.

“The effect is much like a snowball rolling down a mountain, until the compounded investment return totally overwhelms your contributions.”

Mistake #9: Cashing in savings on changing jobs

Not preserving what has already been saved is a very common mistake in South Africa: up to 80% of fund members have at some point cashed out their savings when they changed jobs.

Not preserving is like starting late: people lose not just the accumulated savings, but the return on those savings for the remainder of the savings term.

The foregone return becomes a big number when a fund is cashed in 30 years ahead of time.

Mistake #10: Underestimating how much money is required

Using a quality retirement calculator (based on accurate inputs and assumptions) provides a good sense of where savers stand relative to their goal, and what they could do to improve their savings outcome.

“When it comes to retirement planning, various factors are beyond your control, such as the macroeconomic environment and stock market performance, which makes it even more important to understand and control the many factors that you can,” says Nathan.

Steven Nathan is the chief executive officer at 10X Investments.

How High Achievers Harvest Time and Accomplish Their Dreams - Part 1

Have you ever wondered why some people achieve so much more than others?

Our research of high achievers (HAs as we call them), regardless of their chosen field of endeavor, show shared characteristics. Here are 6 of the most important; all of which speak directly to the issue of harvesting time to achieve their dreams.

1. They know what they want.

2. They know why they want it.

3. They have set goals to achieve it.

4. They have a clearly defined plan to get them there.

5. They take action.

6. They commit their time and resources to its accomplishment.

While only a part of the total formula for Time Harvesting these 6 factors are important, contributing elements. In Part 1 we will look at the first element: they know what they want.

Envisioning the outcome.

HAs know exactly what they want. There is no ambiguity about their dream. They are totally focused on the outcome. They can describe it in vivid detail. They're convinced it can and will happen. It's not about "if," it's about "when."

The "what" defines the priorities.

Because the outcome is both crystal clear and expected, there is singleness of purpose. Thus, dedicating time to accomplish the goal becomes top priority understanding that the sooner the plan is executed, the sooner the dream is realized.

Competing priorities.

Unfortunately, like everyone else, HAs don't have the luxury of only dealing with the dream. Life gets in the way and HAs must deal with other issues, as well. But, just like the consistency of the compass needle, after the fires are put out; HAs return to accomplishing the dream.

The lesson.

The lesson is clear. To get the absolute benefit out of every moment of your time you must have a compelling, desired outcome. Otherwise, your time is just dissipated as you wander about aimlessly. Unfortunately, too many people do not have a clearly defined, realistic, defined outcome for their life. That is why they waste so much time and feel unfulfilled.

Remember, if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there.

Going forward, the compelling question is, "Where will you be, and is that where you really want to be?" What a terrible shame to live an unfulfilling life because you aren't doing what you really want.

The critical issue.

The critical issue is the necessity to define your dream. Take the time to figure that out. You simply must. Then, each day you can devote your time to getting there.

In Part 2, we will look at your "why;" what drives you to accomplish the "what."

Would you, too, as so many other have, like to effectively have a 13th month or more every year to achieve your dreams? Author Jan Schrader shares the secrets of Time Harvesting in the book, The Secret of the Thirteenth Month - Harvesting the Time to Achieve Your Life's Dreams. To learn more, just go to http://www.JanSchrader.com, and discover the power of Time Harvesting.

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This Year, Transform Your Time With the Stories You Tell Yourself

When you pause and listen, you may be surprised at how much 'chatter' is going on in your head. You're actually conversing with yourself almost constantly. And this isn't just idle chatter.

Indeed, the stories you tell yourself, to a surprising extent, define your reality.

So, when it comes to meaningful conversations, the silent ones you have with yourself may be the most important ones to pay attention to.

And what better time than the start of a New Year to think about that? Maybe it's time to consider telling yourself some new stories.

What you tell yourself is your choice...
Here's a scenario that a client told me about not long ago:

Joan had invited a few of her friends to join her family for their holiday meal. She was really looking forward to it, had cooked up a storm, and had created a centerpiece that she was really proud of. Just before the guests started arriving, her cat jumped up on the table and started tearing the centerpiece apart.

Upset, Joan sprang into action to shoo the cat away. In the process, she knocked over a pitcher of water. It soaked the tablecloth and was starting to puddle on the floor as the doorbell rang.

Telling the story, Joan smiled proudly and said that in that moment she made a really important choice. She decided to laugh as she opened the door to her first guests. And that decision powerfully defined her present reality and had a ripple effect that changed the shape of her day.

What our stories tell us...
So Joan told herself quite a bit with her laughter. She indicated that there was no need to feel ashamed or to panic. Her laughter meant that what had just happened was something she accepted. It became part of the unfolding story of her day and was a source of humor, not horror.

And I'm sure you can imagine how differently this would all have felt had she chosen differently. Picture her face as she opens the door. How does it look if she is furious with the cat or self-critical about knocking over the pitcher?

Choose your stories well.
So, as we move into a new year, I invite you to consider the power of the choices you make. And especially, think about the stories you tell yourself about your life. You can make such a big difference for yourself.

You'll find expert guidance quickly with our free Finding Time Success Kit, so check out our video at http://thetimefinder.com/ and then sign up for your Kit!

You'll receive our Finding Time Boundary Template, our popular Weekly Tips, and our monthly, award-winning E-zine -- all free and all right to your in-box!

For even more time tips, tools and techniques, visit our blog at http://thetimefinder.com/blog/

Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D. The Time Finder Expert

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Why Do People Procrastinate?

Procrastination is the number one dream killer ever known to mankind. Many people think that interruptions have something to do with procrastination. This would be the furthest thing from the truth. Procrastination is the action of delaying or postponing something of great importance for something of less importance. Let's face it, we all have procrastinated at one point in our lives. I get it, no one is perfect, but when procrastination begins to have a major impact on your life it may be time to do some soul searching to correct the problem.

So why do people procrastinate? This is a great question. Let's see if we can find out why and find out how to overcome it. First, let's identify the two variations of procrastination. For many years I have been fascinated by people who consistently procrastinate. You know the kind of people I am talking about. People that put everything off. These types of people will be late for their funeral.

In my line of work, I have come to the conclusion that procrastination stems from two areas of the human mind. The first area in question would be the conscious mind. This is the part of the mind that is active when you are awake and aware of what you are doing. The second area would be the unconscious mind. This would be the area of your mind where you are totally unaware of what you are doing. Conscious procrastination is the easiest to identify and also the easiest to negate. Unconscious procrastination is not that easy to recognize due to it having something to do with deep formed mental habits. We have to catch ourselves doing it before we actually know that we are doing.

Putting things off has destroyed so many dreams since the beginning of time. It has also caused more heartache and failure than all other time management issues combined. The procrastinator does not understand that the winds of opportunity blow upon us all, but the procrastinator never seems to notice due to not taking care of the things they should have taken care of.

Now, getting back to why people procrastinate. Why do people allow things that matter most to fall by the waste side to address things of lesser importance? Conceivably it could be due to the task being unpleasant. Some people unquestionably dislike washing their clothes, while other people dislike taking out the trash. Whatever the case, being productive and successful often requires people to get out of their comfort zones. The natural response to unpleasant tasks is to put them off. In short, we let events control us and our productivity. The only way to escape this vicious cycle is to become cognizant of our thoughts and behaviors.

Discipline is the key to negating procrastination. You will want to create urgency by setting deadlines for everything you do. This can be accomplished by setting goals and breaking those goals down into smaller tasks to be completed. You may want to address the unpleasant parts of those tasks first leaving the more enjoyable tasks for last. You may want to turn your tasks into a game, this will turn the drudgery into fun. You will also want to reward yourself for meeting your deadlines no matter how large or small they are.

Another reason we procrastinate would be due to over-committing, pursuing non-obtainable goals, fear of failure, being disorganized, and plain bad timing. The last reason I can come up with would be that we just don't care about if it gets done or not. The bottom line would be, we cannot do anything personally about procrastination until we are cognizant of its' existence.

If you are interested in learning how to crush procrastination in its' tracks drop by http://www.drmarkhuddleston.com and pick up a copy of "Eluding The Toxic Enemy Within." This book has inspired so many people to change the way they live and see the world.

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Being Financially Stable

If saving for retirement is a struggle, imagine yourself if you lost a job. More and more people really take care of their own retirement security. To avoid unnecessary financial constraints, create a plan to reduce debt as you approach retirement. Design your savings and spending plans.

Retirement planning is definitely difficult, especially if the implications of your choices tend to get magnified. You'll need to determine the amount of savings needed for your desired lifestyle. A spending strategy is equally important. However, rather than following a budget, many people spend more than what comes in.

Determine your annual base or mandatory expenses on food, clothing, shelter, utilities, medical, and transportation expenses. Also consider investing in long-term health care insurance which can typically cover the cost of home care, nursing-home care, and assisted living which is not usually covered by traditional health insurance.

Safeguarding your finances while you are still employed will help you become financially stable even after retirement. Many people are anxious when their retirement years are fast approaching. Imagine being at that point in your life and feeling you haven't achieved your goals yet. It could get especially worrisome if you don't have enough savings to be able to sustain your lifestyle after you retire. So, you need to enjoy spending within your means.

Securing a retirement fund is definitely needed if you want to live comfortably. The best time to start saving for your future is now. Not next year, not next week, not tomorrow, and not even later. Start planning for retirement at this very moment. It's better to start sooner than later. The earlier you plan, the more time you have to save money, pay off debt, and invest in the future. You also give yourself some leg room in case you make a bad decision and need to recover from a mistake. If you start investing late, then you lower the possibility of accomplishing your retirement plans.

Consistency is essential in saving money for your retirement. At first, it may be difficult, but you'll find it easier to save as you get along. One of the solutions for this is to set aside savings every month, even just a small amount. Save more as you go along-but never, never go below the initial savings amount.

Planning may be easy, but it's the willingness and determination to stick to your plans that could bend at times. It's important to have a clear vision ahead. No matter how far away your retirement years may seem, it is always a good idea to learn how to manage your personal finances. Those people who know how to manage their money succeed in allotting enough money not just for their savings but also for other financial matters.

It's important to create a budget. Separate your needs from your wants and try to track your spending on a monthly basis by listing down all your expenses. Seeing where you spend your money can help you sort out your priorities and plan how you can save more from your income and spend less on non-important expenses.


Retiring from work is a major leap in one's life. Prepare for the inevitable as early as now and assure a financially stable future for yourself and your family.

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7 Simple Steps to Weather Any Economic Storm

When the US economy gets bad, we all feel the pinch. However, some parts of our population feel the pinch harder than others. For example, many senior citizens live on a fixed income consisting of Social Security, small pensions and investment income. For these people, even small changes in costs of food or medicines can take a huge toll on their financial fitness. Listed below are 7 simple steps that everyone can take to improve their financial condition and put themselves in a better position to weather upcoming economic storms.

1) Save more money. I know, this sounds simple and common sense tells us to always have some savings for a "rainy day". However, most people make the mistake of not saving enough. As a general rule of thumb, you should have no less than two months worth of expenses saved in cash (savings account, CD, checking, etc.). For some people, the amount of savings will need to be higher. Putting money into your savings should be a routine part of your financial habits. Make it a point to put a standard amount away every month. For example, have your bank automatically transfer $100 to your savings account each month. Do not take from this account unless you have an emergency!

2) Spend less. This tends to be the hardest change that people have to make. Spending money makes us feel good and we all like that. However, when spending gets out of control we can find ourselves in a hopelessly deep hole that may take some serious cuts to get out of. It is much easier to make small spending "adjustments" along the way. For example, instead of spending $3 each day for that gourmet coffee, simply make a small pot at home for about $0.70. There are many small coffee brewers available that make excellent coffee and buying in bulk saves a lot of money! Another way to spend less is to look for loyalty clubs that pass along savings to the members. I am a member of one such club at my local grocer. Each week there are two or more pages of special purchases only available to members of the loyalty club--and it costs nothing to join! I save tons of money with that.

3) Diversify investments. I have written entire articles on this in the past but it bears repeating here. If you are a senior citizen, you most likely should not be invested 100% in the stock market. Most seniors that I work with need to produce income from their portfolio to supplement their other retirement income sources. In order to give their investment portfolio the best chance of surviving an economic downturn, we use various combinations of stocks, bonds, cash, annuities and alternative investments. Unfortunately, this is an area where many people just do not have the expertise (or courage) necessary to properly identify investment choices that are right for them. You may need to seek the advice of a qualified professional. A fee-only advisor does not accept commissions and therefore has no financial incentive to place you in one investment over another. Go a bit further and seek a fee-only advisor with a credential like the CFP mark. (http://www.cfp.net) A good advisor can pay for themselves many times over and this is money well spent!

4) Negotiate. Practically everything is negotiable these days. Everyone knows that big ticket items are negotiable like cars and homes. But I have personally found success in negotiating the cost of everyday items like trash pickup, newspaper delivery, satellite TV and phone service. You might be surprised that you can reduce the costs of some of these items by as much as 50% or more with a simple phone call. You may have to threaten to cancel your service (which you should do if you can get the service cheaper somewhere else) in order to get the lower price. After all, the service provider had rather be making some money from your account than to lose your business all together. Trust me on this one and make some calls today!

5) Be more efficient. There are some clear ways to be more efficient like running all of your errands early in the morning rather than spacing them out throughout the day and keeping your car tires properly inflated. You should also have a programmable thermostat installed in your home. These devices can save you hundreds of dollars each year by carefully controlling the climate in your home for optimal comfort and savings. Additionally, only run other appliances like the dishwasher or washing machine/dryer when you have a full load. Also try not to run any household appliances during the summer peak energy consumption hours of 11AM to 3PM. My local municipality charges over 30% more for electric power during these hours. Be sure to have your windows and doors checked for leaks at least one per year. A $3 tube of latex caulk is a solid investment for making your home more efficient.

6) Pay off debt. Credit card debt is especially burdensome during rough economic times. Your interest rate can go up, your credit line can be cut or both. This goal has to be balanced with saving but it can be done. Adding another $25 to your monthly credit card payment can significantly speed up the payback period. When it is all paid off, don't close or cancel the account because that may hurt your credit rating. Instead, remove the card from your wallet and leave it in a safe place in your home so that you will not be tempted to use it for impulse purchases.

7) Volunteer. Many studies have shown that people spend more money when they are unhappy or unfulfilled. Likewise, the same studies show that people who feel happy and content spend less money on impulse items. Volunteering in your community is a great (and free) way to boost your morale and feel better about yourself. Doing something for others pays dividends to the community in big ways. Your local animal shelter, homeless center or church can always use additional volunteers. This opportunity also provides you with time to interact with other people who have similar interests as yours. You might even pick up some tips on how to save money!

There are many more ways to prepare for the next financial crisis. If you feel like you are unable to do these things, seek professional help. Referrals from friends or relatives is a good place to start but always be sure to check up on any advice giver especially if they charge a fee or earn a commission from their activity.

Todd Fields, CFP is an expert in the fields of financial planning and investment management. He is founder and President of Trusted Wealth Management, Inc. serving senior citizens and retirees in the Atlanta, GA area. He can be reached via his website at [http://www.trustedwealthmanagement.com] or via e-mail at todd@trustedwealthmanagement.com.

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Avoid The Next Financial Storm That Will Affect Most American People Very Soon

My greatest fear along with most Americans would be if we will outlive our money during retirement or if we will have enough money to retire on at all. As long as our government lives on separate terms than the people they govern I foresee millions of Americans suffering from financial strife later on down the road. Most Americans truly think that Social Security is going to be enough to get them through their twilight years. I personally think that Social Security will not be around from most of us and if you are depending on Social Security to support you during your twilight years, you will find out that it will not be enough. Social Security was only created to subsidize your investments, retirement plans, and/or savings. It was not created to act as a retirement plan.

Since I have had the luxury of being affiliated with the banking industry for over 30 years now I have seen thousands of saving accounts of senior citizens that had less than $10,000 in them. I spoke in Northern California back in 2004 where I mentioned that the many jobs that kids and young teenagers use to occupy would no longer exist due to senior citizens not having the money to retire. I was laughed off the stage by 6000 people. Who's laughing now!. There are no longer paperboy jobs for kids due to the senior citizens now occupying those jobs. I also stated that most of the fast food jobs along with Walgreens and CVS jobs would no longer be occupied by high school teens and they would be replaced by senior citizens, just take a look around and tell me it is not happening right in front of your eyes. People are no longer laughing. I also told people at that seminar that I foresee tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of people homeless in the next 10 to 20 years.

You might want to take notice of thousands of people taking up residence under freeway ramps all over the nation. They are living in tents and bathing in fast food restaurants bathrooms. This is happening in the greatest nation on earth. You can keep looking the other way but very soon you will not have any other place to look. If the government does not do something very soon, all that you know will come to an abrupt end.

I wrote "The Essential Keys To Financial Freedom" book to educate the American people of their many financial options that still exist today. If the American people sit around and do nothing they will end up in financial distress in the next 10 to 20 years. You must sit down with a financial advisor as soon as possible before it is too late. For More information; visit me at: http://www.drmarkhuddleston.com

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Super Tips For Turning Failure Into Success

How to Turn Failure Into Success

Acceptance, Communication, Success
DO NOT Let Failure Affect Your Self Worth
"Success is failure turned inside out."
Author unknown.

I honestly wish I knew who wrote this so I could thank him for giving me a guide to what success looks like. I was a freshman in high school when I read this quote and it stayed with me, not only stayed with me... but it changed my life. It was so clear, things can really be that simple!

Whoever wrote this must have known about a young girl who wanted to be successful but had no idea what success looked like. She thought her life was full of failures but in reality, the failures were really successes. It's like holding a t-shirt in your hand and you're about to put it on but than you realize it's inside out. What do you do? Well, you fix it and you put your shirt on the correct way. Then you go about your business, never giving it a single thought.

My friend, it is that simple. All you must do is take the failures and turn them into successes. Why is it so hard for you to turn your failures into success? Because you've tied your self worth to both the success and the failure.

Here's the problem. As humans, we give everything way more meaning than it should carry. For example, let's say your marriage failed and you started blaming yourself. You ask: How come I did not see this or that? Shouldn't I have known better? All the signs were there, so how could I have missed it? I'm such an idiot... and on and on... the madness goes. Pretty soon, you begin to feel badly about yourself. You start calling yourself dumb, idiot, loser, etc. You begin to think about all the people you let down and what they must think of you. Sound familiar?

What if you didn't give it any meaning at all? What if a failed relationship was just a failed relationship? What if a bankruptcy was just a bankruptcy? What if losing your job was simply that. What if none of it had any deeper meaning at all?

Here's what you should do to keep the failures in your life from affecting your self worth. First, you must stop taking everything personally. This was huge for me. When I stopped taking everything personally, and looking at them as "things that happen in a broader context" I could look at things more objectively. The failures aren't personal. It's all part of this thing call "life". Everyone who takes on this human incarnation is going to have a certain level of failure as well as success.

The second thing to do is to look at the failure objectively. It has no meaning except for the meaning you give it. I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work with T. Harv. Ecker, author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. One of the things T. Harv. Ecker taught me was that nothing had any significant meaning at all. He constantly reminded me of this simple fact. It's the same thing with failure and success. They have absolutely no meaning at all besides the meaning we give to them.

For a lot of people, having success means they've made something of themselves. they've proven to aunt so and so or their father that "I'm not a loser." Here's what I've learned. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, not even yourself. Just accept that your successes and failures are impersonal.

I meet millennials who seem to define themselves by their career. What they do for a living has become such a priority, they don't even realize how closely they've attached their self worth to it. Today, the pressure to get married has been replaced with the pressure to become successful in your career as quickly as possible. Sure, it's a good thing to be successful in your career, but you are not your career. There's more to you than the initials behind your name or the title of your job. When you are at the bottom of the totem pole at work, you can't translate that as to where you stand in life. This is where you are today. That's not where you will be five years or ten years from now, so why does it matter so much?

Here's a different take on it. You may lose your job, all your money, and all your earthly possessions, but you can never lose the ability within you that got you those things in the first place. And if you can remember that, then you can turn every failure into success. When I left Florida, I left with my Honda Civic, my clothes in the trunk, and a few toiletry items, and that's all I had. My tribe was very upset because they felt like I had thrown away everything I had worked so hard to achieve. What they didn't realize was that my ability to get those things was still within me.

I don't know how I knew this but I knew that I could own another home. I knew that I could recreate an even better life than the life I'd had in Florida, and I did. I want you to awaken to the possibility that you can create better. You can always have better than you had before. The ability to get a great paying job is inside of you. The ability to start a new business after you've lost a business that you've worked hard at is all inside of you.

Last year I had the opportunity to interview Angela Martindale. She transforms lives from ordinary to extraordinary. She's a highly sought-after nutritionist, and fitness coach to Hollywood moguls and models. She's the creator of Chi Yoga Flow. The one thing that stuck with me during our interview is the fact that she lost everything after her divorce. Angela moved in with her parents with only a backpack crammed with a few personal items. This is after she had built a thriving business. But what she still possessed was the ability to create the results she had created before! Although her ex took her earthly possessions, he couldn't take her ability to rebuild both her life and her business. Angela anchored herself down and rebuilt not just her life, but also her business, and today she is happier than ever. In the process, her work has truly transformed my life and the lives of many other women.

If you want to turn your failures into successes all you have to do is detach your self worth from both the failures and the successes. You've heard of child actors or other performers who committed suicide or became drug addicts and alcoholics because their career started to slide. This happens because their self worth was attached to their job. When your self worth is not attached to your job, your career, or your bank account, you are free to turn your failures into successes. The next time you find yourself down, just remember Angela's story and remember what my mentor, T. Harv. Ecker said: "Nothing has meaning except the meaning you give it." Stop giving your successes and failures meaning, just live your life. Enjoy the successes when they happen and when you fall down, just get back up, dust yourself off, and get back in the game.

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Think Twice Before Stepping Into That Trap

Have you ever searched the internet looking for ways to make money?

According to Ninja Outreach, there are 500+ different ways to make money online today. Many of the programs that are promoting a way of "How to make money online," being sold today are not fresh but used and now being monetized or worse. Learn the things to watch for because some people just want your money, and to keep you busy until the 30-day money back guarantee is up.

Some are set up just to continuously tap your credit card or bank account by up-selling "must have" products, for best results of course. Make sure that you watch out for the extra must-have purchases or up-sells. If that starts shortly after your initial purchase, then it might be a warning sign of more to come.

After some really good training at Wealthy Affiliate University, I now know how to spot the opportunists that are just out to get my money and give back as little as possible. I think that it's very important that we all be able to spot the actors and learn ways to avoid being taken advantage of before a con artist gets hold of our credit card or bank account.

I heard a "fact" that 90% of everyone that buys a product related to internet marketing online, at some point, feel as though they've been ripped off. I really dislike being taken advantage of and I'm sure that you do too.

There are some things that I look at and for

Once you become aware of what to look for in a good program it becomes really easy to see in most cases whether you should invest your time and money or not. Knowing the ways to avoid scams online can save someone a lot of aggravation and money.

Someone may contact you and say that you're already a winner and you just need to give some personal info in order to collect your prize, maybe your bank information so that they can direct-deposit your winnings, and they may need your social security number for the taxman too of course.

Con-men have figured out just what works on people to get what they want from them while giving as little as possible themselves.

Most have a few things in common other than the obvious and if you can learn to spot the warning signs and not dismiss them but take note and think twice about the situation, you might not fall prey to someone's trap.

Here are some signs that should make you hesitate and think twice about the situation.

1. If it sounds too good to be true then it possibly is.

Even though a 100% legitimate program can be made to sound "too good to be true" with a great sales pitch, this is definitely true with a scam, they can make up anything and lie and deceive us if we're not alert to some things. Hustlers will prey on the fact that many would love to make money fast and with little effort and they have no idea how the whole online business world operates, so they are lied to, or misinformed, and conned into purchasing the bait. The scheme will dangle a carrot of easy money to distract you from what they're really after and that's your personal and/or bank info.

2. Act Now - Don't Wait!

Some scammers are notorious for creating a sense of urgency and they try to get you to act quicker by disturbing your thought process. They use that false sense of urgency to distract you from what they really want, your money.

Even though it is possible to earn thousands of dollars per week online, it ain't easy!

A point to be made here is that there is a definite difference between an offer that is just low quality in what it delivers and a swindle. A scam is a deliberate rip-off, a dishonest scheme, and a fraud.

The truth is that although you have the impression in your mind that you'll be making money in a matter of weeks, it may take much longer and cost a lot more than you originally thought.

As with any business, there are various tools that need to be used for best results. Some of these offers will include everything but most will "up-sell" some things as must-have items for you to purchase separately. This is just something to watch for when purchasing a product or program.

Example: you purchase a program to make money online for $199. Sounds great, but then after getting done with the first lesson or stage, you are sold a must-have product to help with the program for $50. There could be a few of these surprises hidden in the program and after a while, your total spent amount is $500. I would like to know that before I purchase anything and I'm sure that you would too.

3. No or false contact info on their website

If you can't find any way to contact the seller on their site then be very careful. If they're hard to contact you'll be disappointed because if you have any questions you need them to respond quickly with the answers. For you to feel confident making a purchase you'll want the safe feeling that you can get in touch and get a problem solved within a reasonable amount of time and not wonder if the support even received or cares about your claim.

4. Up-sells

As mentioned earlier, if after your purchase you are encouraged to then buy an additional product so that you can get the full benefit of your purchase, that's not a good sign. Your newly bought product needs you to buy another product in order for it to work properly. This could be just the start of more up-sells coming to grab some more of your money. Keep watch out for that because you could start out with a $20 purchase and end up with $500 in receipts... yikes, what happened! Now my product should work just fine right? This is why I've learned to always recommend products that you can try out first.

5. Outrageous claims to success

When you see commercials or video of these guys driving around in their Lamborghini's and welcoming you into their fancy million dollar homes and sailing around on their yachts, there's a good chance that you should change the channel because their product is not worth your time or energy. Their sales pitch is really their product and the product being sold most likely isn't worth half the price to you. The images of money and luxury that they show you in their sales pitch can make you want to buy their product even knowing that it very well could be a rip-off.

6. Deliberately slow your progress

There are some also that will only allow you to do 1 or 2 lessons per day saying that they don't want you to be overwhelmed when their program is really shallow and basic and you could do the whole course in a few days if they allowed you to.

Even though someone can get a website framed and started, it can take months for one person to fill it up with pages and posts, images, etc. Then you need to be able to draw traffic to the site or nobody will see it. Learning SEO, or search engine optimization is essential to ranking in the search engines.

>>>It's really like any other business, you need to keep investing time and energy into it to get anything out of it, and if you neglect it, it will certainly bear less fruit for you.<<<

Well, those are just 6 ways to avoid scams online and keep from being taken advantage of.

I think the best thing for someone to do is to get a website and start a blog about something that you can write about on a regular basis, a passion or hobby of yours. Know that it will take some time to build up your site to the point where it actually starts making money, so you would need to settle down and keep producing blog posts even after your site is full of content.

>>> Did you know that you can learn how to make your own websites and also set up your own platform for selling products of your own or affiliating or reaching the world with your message. <<<

If you're looking for a new career the training is absolutely FREE of charge to start, No Card Needed- 2 FREE Sites and FREE 10 Lesson Entrepreneur Certification Course.

I am retired and enjoy working on my websites and helping others create their own sites and get started in online business. Come visit and Sign up for the FREE stuff @ http://www.newcareerat40.com

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Getting Targeted Traffic For Free

Getting targeted traffic for free is not as difficult as you may think. The most important thing is to make sure your free traffic is qualified and from good sources. Some of these sources will cost some money but many of them are going to be at no cost.

One of the best kinds of free traffic is when you use the search engines to help you.

Here are some excellent sources:

1. Traffic from local search engine pages - It is relatively easy to claim a local page for your business. If you add reasonable content and links to your main website, this is a super easy way to generate quick traffic that can convert for you. Best of all, if you have a local business you will be adding gravity to your local searches.

2. Build Multiple HubPages - These platforms are free to build and if you post high quality content, follow the rules and deliver for your readers, you can drive traffic from the search engines right to your main website. You will need to add ongoing content and remember to research and follow suggestions from top page creators so that you don't get banned.

3. Reverse Engineer Google Alerts - Google alerts is a fantastic tool for having content find you. By using long tailed keywords related to your niche, you can keep up with press releases, competitors, video, blogs and just about any kind of latest and greatest content that people are putting online. By following content streams to blogs based on your keywords, you can post responses to what people are looking for and answer their questions (For example Yahoo answers). These answers can have a link to your website or blog, thereby drawing traffic from the search engines.

4. YouTube Videos Posted Under High Trafficked Videos - YouTube is one of the best ways to generate free traffic that is also targeted. By finding one of the top trafficked videos in your niche and creating a video response to it, you can post your video and expect to receive a small percentage of its traffic on an ongoing basis. Anyone can create a video response and don't forget to add links to your website/ squeeze page in your description.

These are just some of the ways you can get free and targeted traffic. If you think about it free traffic is everywhere and you can find new sources of targeted traffic if you look for it.

Discover an endless supply of targeted website traffic that you can get for little or no money involved. Learn how to get "No Cost" targeted web traffic to all of your money sites in my Traffic Tips 101 training guide today! You have nothing to lose and a ton of "FREE" targeted website visitors to gain.

Your online reputation is the most important asset that your business has! Let us show you how to use your 5 Star Reputation to get more customers go to Truman Marketing and let us show you how!

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Getting Started With Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a form of marketing in which the focus is on influencers rather than on the target market as a whole. The concept is simply to identify the people who impact potential buyers and direct marketing activities around these influences.

Influencer content may be framed as some form of advertising evidence in which they themselves play the role of potential buyers or may be third parties. These third parties exist in a supply chain (traders, manufacturers, etc.) or can be called value-added influencers.

The world has slipped into social networks. Many consumers watch their co-consumers about their purchasing decisions. It's not like before, consumers trust each other, and one of those consumers is these personalities on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms that enjoy a lot of followership. This concept of social networking has exceptionally revitalized online industry; this surprisingly effective marketing technique is helping different international brands achieve their marketing goals.

It is an open secret that a celebrity that can run your brand regularly and help promote it is a brilliant idea, more companies are beginning to exercise the authority of social networks which is more efficient than the conventional advertising. For this reason, Influencer Marketing could be the next big success in advertising. Here's why:

THE CONCEPT OF INFLUENCER MARKETING IS A VERY POWERFUL ONE 

There are many methods that can help increase sales in your business. But for now, nothing can contest the record that Influencer Marketing has played in recent years. Research has shown that consumer-to-consumer marketing leads the consumer to generate more sales than paid advertising can do. This only shows that influential marketing can provide an exceptional opportunity for brands to capture the power of word of mouth thanks to the influential people who follow and admire.

IT'S GROWING FAST WITH THE HELP OF SOCIAL MEDIA 

Since the world has embraced the social media, this may be the right time for your business. Social media is more than just a replacement for conventional media. Previously, consumers Would buy an item based on what they see or hear. Today, social media is the main thing; consumers can easily connect with other consumers and can make a better buying decision by discussing their product or service experience. The use of social networks is growing rapidly across age groups and gender. Influencers communicate with consumers using these platforms and gives influencer marketing a key addition to any successful marketing strategy.

FAR BETTER THAN PAID ADS 

There are over 200 million people worldwide who are using ad-blocking apps already, what happens to the money you have spent on those pop-up advertisements if the most of the internet users don't even view them. It's time for the internet marketers to up their game and change to something internet users have less issue with. Consumer trusts influencers and their recommendations; more of your marketing and business strategy should go into working with influencers

HELPS YOU WITH THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE 

Influencer marketing has the ability to change the overall outlook of your business for the better along with email marketing; it is actually very cost-effective. The fact that your competitors are already investing in it, is an indicator that it's the next big and shouldn't be overlooked, as influencers can truly affect consumers' choice on buying a product.

Overall, the digital world is completely different. A lot of marketers are already using Influencer Marketing, because of its effectiveness and high return on investment. Social media likes and shares can be gathered turned into valuable insights to your advertising sojourn. There is no better time for you to start reaping the benefits of influencer marketing than now.

To explore more, visit: https://infostreamusa.com

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Prosperity And Wealth Are Yours By Understanding The Law Of Abundance

Being grateful daily for simply one week is proven to have had advantages for aligning with the universal law of wealth and abundance by studies of psychologists.

Spiritual masters have actually understood and promoted gratitude for literally millennia for prosperity and abundance.

Personal transformation gurus also mention that how to attract wealth is through appreciation by being thankful for realizing your inner light of eternal being.

To attract money to you and other material pleasures is by being be grateful?

The easy answer is aligning with the law of abundance is to do the opposite of being unappreciative or feeling that you lack and that there is absolutely nothing to be grateful for.

There are always millions of needs to be grateful thus aligning oneself with the law of abundance, well-being, and overall peace of mind.

The principle of thankfulness is realizing your limitless abundant self and reflecting that prosperity mindset into your material world.

You can never lack things to be grateful for, since the real universe-- which is you from within where your true free will exists, never ceases to support you, even when it seems things are going wrong.

Things only appearing to be going in a wrong-minded direction is simply the real universe pointing out that your ego-based negativity is obscuring your inner Light of creation.

The Course in Miracles states, "The cornerstone of God's creation is you, for His thought system is light."

Why don't individuals get the lesson and continue to act as victims of an unjust and cruel world?

It is simply a valuable life lesson-- in appreciation.

Appreciation is not limited to winning in the stock market, or real estate values sky rocketing, and watching your bank account grow.

To be grateful can imply to realize that you have the power within you for how to attract wealth, today with exactly what you have within you at your inner core.

It's what the Course in Miracles terms, "Lights center."

Yes, the center of the light that you are!

I personally ensure that around you, right now, you have more than 25 to 35 things you could be grateful for.

Deciding to be appreciative triggers positive ideas and feelings and is how to attract money to you.

Can not you be grateful for the technology we have at our finger tips today?

How about having food on the table? What about clothes? Do you have any close acquaintances and friends and a loving family?

What if you could be appreciative for those things?

Previously we discussed more on when you think How to Change my Life, consider the law of attraction and its reflection principles

This is not a reason to beat yourself up, or a criticism that states you "ought to be" grateful. This can be disadvantageous.

Remember the old 'cliché' of our parents telling us when we were kids about all the starving people around the world when we wouldn't eat our vegetables? (I remember my little sister telling our Dad one evening at dinner, "Let's get their address and send them this terrible broccoli on my plate!)

That was funny, but my point is if anything it taught children to pack themselves beyond their physical need, worse yet created food addictions and obesity.

Exactly what this article is stating is that if you do select to be grateful, and you do have the power of the law of abundance.

It begins with the little things that possibly have been taken for granted, then increased prosperity and abundance in some capacity is in fact guaranteed if it is formed into a daily routine over the course, ideally of 21 days or more.

Begin being grateful today and start owning up to the universal law of abundance if you have ANY concerns in your life.

Start by jotting down in a journal every day for at least 21 days, and then onward, 7 things that you might be grateful for-- even if you feel there is absolutely nothing to be grateful for.

It will be like sowing a seed that will change your life for the better.

The Course in Miracles teaches, "Every idea has a purpose, and its purpose is always the natural outcome of what it is."

That said, begin a prosperity and abundance appreciation list of little and huge things that anybody could be grateful for, specifically when you are holding on to things which serves little sane or real purpose in order to just be cranky.

Yes, make a random list for you.

It is advised that you make your own list based on your goals and objectives. Beginning now, I mean in this instant, today.

Not later on. Not when you've remembered this article a few days from now, examined your email or anything else.

Now, put thankfulness into action and see exactly what it does for you.

One last thing we should consider, and say you've got an actually bad obstacle in your way that appears like it simply can not be fixed.

Maybe it's a longstanding health concern, or possibly you've been stuck in a self-created or "natural disaster" created monetary scenario that has been badgering you.

Sometimes, these apparently unfortunate occasions can be entirely turned around when trying to find the good in the situation.

Ask yourself: exactly what in this situation might teach me something, so I may move forward in life.

To a life of abundance and well-being!

http://jamesnussbaumer.com/my-blog/ Hi, I'm James Nussbaumer, I'd like to introduce myself through my thought provoking self-improvement and inspirational books, articles, and other content which are reflections of A Course in Miracles. I'm also offering you a Free version of my EVERYDAY MIRACLES newsletter, where you'll get updates on my weekly podcasts, videos, livestreams, other events and so much more, helping everyday people live life on their own terms. This is for folks who are interested in letting go of the past and attaining Real Abundance, Purpose, and Wellness in their lives. http://jamesnussbaumer.com/self-help-library/

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Great Goal-Setting Methods You Can Use

The Long & Short Goal Method

The first goal-setting method that we'll cover is probably the one that you're most familiar with. This is the setting of long-term goals that can be broken down into smaller ones. The way that these method works is by setting long-term goals that you want to achieve over a specified period of time.

For example, write down 10 goals that you want to achieve in the next five years. Then determine what short-term goals that you will have to accomplish in order to make this happen.

These short goals may be things that you can do in a week, month or it may take as long as a year. There are no time limit requirements on short-term goals. The only rule is that they lead to long-term ones.

The Checklist Method

If the above method doesn't appeal to you, then you may want to try the checklist method. The checklist method is similar to the long and short method, but it brings your task list down to a daily level. How you use this method is by creating your long-term goals. Then, make a list of things that you can do daily to achieve those goals. This will be your daily checklist. Put it on your phone or tablet, or as the background of your desktop computer, and make sure that you check off all of those goals every day. At first, it will be difficult to get used to it, but after a while, it will become second nature to finish your checklist before you go to bed.

The Journal Method

Finally, there is the journal method. The journal method simply encourages you to write your goals down in a journal or diary, and then write an entry as often as you can about what you are doing to progress towards your goals. This is a much less restrictive method than the checklist or journal and highly creative people may prefer it.

Three Financial Habits that are Preventing Your Success

When it comes to financing, some people have developed habits from the time they started handling money that has brought them some level of achievement in their lives - whether that be having good enough credit to putting money away for emergencies or future investments. But most people aren't quite as good at managing their money. You don't have to become a financial guru to be successful, but there are three habits that nearly everyone does that are very likely going to prevent you from achieving the success that you desire.

Spending Money on Convenience

One of the worst bad habits that people have, especially in the United States, is wasting money on convenience. Store owners know this too and they take advantage of it. For example, while you might be able to go to a big box department store and buy motor oil for $2.50, you'll be paying $5 or $6 if you get it at a convenience store. Knowing that you are paying a great deal more money for not much more convenience will allow you to stop yourself when you are considering it. Put that money in savings instead.

Not Keeping Good Records

Another financial habit that will make it difficult for you to be successful is not keeping good records. Keeping records of your income and expenses is important because then you know what you are earning and spending in relation to each other and can see ways that you might be able to save money. Saving money is vital to future financial success because it is available in the case of an emergency, it will help you avoid credit card debt that could block your path to wealth and it could become your startup money when the next great idea comes along.

Failing to Create or Stick to a Budget

Another thing that people do is fail to create a budget, or even if they have a budget, they often do not stick to it. This means that they are less likely to save money and will not learn the skills that are going to be required to start a business and run the financial aspect of it down the road. Creating and adhering to a budget is directly related to success in business, and many of the top entrepreneurs in the world say it is one of the most important skills to have.

My name is Daniel Taylor and I'm a internet marketing, entrepreneur, product creator and mentor.

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