How to Cut Costs Easily

By EverydayPie

Cutting your household expenses doesn't have to mean washing and re-using Baggies and living on rice and beans. (Unless, of course, you like washing Baggies and never get tired of rice and beans.) You can save some serious money with a few barely noticeable changes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

If you carry credit card debt and are a good customer (no late payments or overlimit charges), call and politely ask if your company will lower your rate. A 5% cut in your interest rate could save you hundreds (or thousands, depending on your level of debt) of dollars a year.

Step2

Look into "package deals." If you're willing to get your telephone, cable and Internet service all from one source, you might be able to score a deep discount. Check the providers in your area to see who's running a special.

Step3

Trim the fat. If you're paying for premium cable channels you never watch, cancel them. Put your cell phones on a family plan, or consider using pre-paid phones if you only need them for emergencies. Alternately, if you can't get enough of your cell phone, consider canceling your land line and relying on cell service alone.

Step4

Adjust the temperature. A two-degree difference on the thermostat can save you a chunk of change on your heating bills. Keep it a bit warmer in the summer and a bit cooler in the winter.

Step5

Cook and freeze. If you find yourself spending lots of money on lunch or dinner out, pick one day a week to cook a big batch of food and freeze it. Soup, stir-fry, and pasta dishes all keep well in the freezer, and you can grab one for a quick meal anytime.

Step6

Up your insurance deductible. This doesn't work for everyone, but if you're a generally safe driver with a little bit of savings accessible, consider bumping up your car insurance deductible to $500 or $1,000. This can substantially lower your monthly premiums.

Step7

Go generic. Target and Wal-Mart both feature $4 prescriptions on a host of generic drugs. This is lower than many insurance company co-pays. Check with your doctor to see if there's a generic version of a medication that would work for you. (Also look into mail-order delivery of your meds -- this can give you some significant savings, too.)

Successful Marketing with Maslow

When Abraham Maslow conceived his Hierarchy of Needs in 1943, he couldn't possibly have known that it would be one of the most influential advances in the field of human behavioral study and would remain so well into the subsequent century.

The theory developed by Maslow put forth that the motivation for any action made by any human being is an unfulfilled need. When we have unmet needs, we are motivated to meet them in a specific order. Once the needs on the first level are met, we move on to the needs of the next level, and so on until we reach the top tier.

Physiological requirements are primary concern to a person that keeps him alive. Next is safety needs and then comes social needs. Later in the list is the need for self esteem and last is self-actualization. A student following Maslow's theory will know how this can be adapted in the marketing world. During the attempt to make a sale, it applies not only to the product that is sold; the idea of the product, and the image, but, in the end, the result of the product is also sold. Thus, one or more requirements in the hierarchy may be fulfilled.

Obviously, a marketing campaign will be more successful the more it appeals to the lower levels of unfulfilled need in a person's life. What this means for you, the marketer, is that knowing your audience's needs is key. A product that promises to fulfill an esteem need will be virtually useless to a customer whose safety needs are not yet met.

In order to be successful in any marketing endeavor, the first step is to get a firm grasp on the psychographic motivators to which you will be appealing. Which need on the hierarchy is your product going to fulfill? How will it fulfill this need, and how can you prove to your potential customers that it will effectively fulfill their need?

A more important issue is how you can address the level of need of potential customers you are trying to reach. If a product is requested by a customer, then they are doing your work for you. It is hard, however, to tell what a total stranger wants when you are trying to approach them for the first time.

The best way to overcome this obstacle is simple, and it's one that every marketer is taught from the very beginning of their career: just talk. Talk about sports, the weather, or family life - anything other than the product you are trying to sell. Chatting with your potential customer in a friendly, non-pressured way will allow you to pick up on invaluable clues about their needs.

When you are able to understand the motivations of your potential customers, you approach the ability to meet their needs. After you figure out what motivates them then you can gear your sales pitch towards what will be effective for each customer. As you understand the needs of customers in general you can be more effective in selling to the market in general.

Many management practices today are based on Maslow's theory. His theory can also be useful when it comes to marketing. The most important thing is to be aware of how you can help the customer decide that they need your product.

Tips For Choosing High-Performance Mutual Fund

Most people who invest in mutual funds don't know what they are doing. They take advice from someone at a bank or perhaps a friend and plunk down money into a fund. Sometimes this strategy works, but most of the time, it doesn't.

When you invest your money in a mutual fund, you are trusting someone to invest in the stock market for you. Because of this, you want to be sure this person knows what he or she is doing. Also, you want to make sure that this person is not charging you too much to manage your money for you. Mutual funds fees are "hidden," in the sense that they do not charge you an upfront fee but rather a percentage of the amount of money in your account. If this percentage is too high, you would do better just blindly picking stocks yourself.

Here are five helpful tips for choosing the right mutual funds.

1. Keep the fees low. Generally, expense fees should not be much higher than 1% if it is just a basic domestic equity fund. You should never invest money in a fund that also charges a "load," which is an additional fee that is ridiculous to pay. Never invest in funds that charge loads; those funds are for suckers.

2. Check the asset base. Mutual fund managers only know of so many good investments. When they have too much money to manage, they begin investing in stocks they don't like much but need to invest in anyway or else they'll just have money laying around. There's little reason to invest in a fund with over $5 billion in assets. It's best if it's under $2 billion generally.

3. Consider an index fund. This is a fund that tracks a stock index, such as the S&P 500. For these funds, the manager just buys whatever stocks happen to be in the index. Since this is not much work, the fees are much lower. Even though this method is simple, it has proven to perform better than most mutual funds. Some high performance index funds include FSMKX (Fidelity S&P 500) and VIMSX (Vanguard S&P 400 Midcap.

4. Evaluate the fund's strategy. If you have a long term outlook, look for a more aggressive fund that invests in small-cap stocks, international stocks, and riskier stocks in general. High risk tends to result in high performance in the long run. If you are more risk-averse, consider an S&P 500 index fund.

5. Keep the fees low. Did I mention this already? Well, I'll mention it again. This is where most people mess up. Make sure you are not paying a load or paying too much in fees to the mutual fund.

How to Find Cheap Car Insurance

With the rising costs of fuel and just about every other good or service we purchase, many of us are looking for cheap car insurance. When it comes to cheap car insurance most of us are clueless as to how to go about getting a low cost car insurance policy. There are many factors that influence your car insurance costs drastically.

For example, did you know that the type of car you drive will influence the cheap car insurance you're looking for? Or did you know that using anti theft devices will help reduce your over all car insurance costs? A good driving record will allow you to get cheap car insurance?

The deductible is the amount you pay first out of any claim for an accident. The car insurance policy's cost is directly related to your deductible. A lot of people, especially those with a good driving record, who have had their insurance policy for a long time, have never considered varying their deductible. If you have a clean driving record and are prepared for the risk of paying a larger amount in the event of a claim you can save money by increasing your deductible.

Many times you can get cheap car insurance by combining policies with you existing insurance company. For example if you have a home owners insurance policy contact them and ask for discounts for switching your car insurance to them. If you don't own a home perhaps you have renters insurance or life insurance, contact these companies about the savings you could get by switching your car insurance over to them. Most insurance companies are very accommodating to these requests.

It also pays to shop online for your cheap car insurance; many of the big companies offer a comparison of their coverage versus other companies. As you are requesting cheap car insurance quote online be sure to be completely truthful in answering the questionnaire. Additionally, you should know when you get your online quote you will need to follow up with actual paper work.

Whatever your motivation, with a little work you too can find the cheap car insurance you're looking for.

Common Mortgage Refinance Mistakes

By: Lesley Lyon

During the process of getting a mortgage refinanced, many things might go the wrong way. The mistakes made while refinancing the mortgage may cost more a fortune for the borrower. Most of us, who overpay for their mortgages, may not even be aware of it. To avoid this, the borrower should take some time while researching for the options of mortgage refinance and should contact different lenders to get a better idea on how it works. Some of the valuable suggestions are given below:

Many people do concentrate only on the interest rate while looking for mortgage refinance. Interest rates are very much important, but it should not be the only criterion as the rest of the aspects of mortgage may cost more if the closing costs are enormous. All the aspects of the mortgage need to be considered. To avoid this the borrower can get a good faith estimate from the lender in a written form, which is normally given, only if it is asked for. It will outline all the aspects of the loan to make an informed decision. Along with the interest rates, the length of the loan term and the amortization schedule should be studied, as it will give an idea about the payment to be made. Selecting a right mortgage will save money while at the same time wrong decision leads to financial disaster. Hence, it is good to know the basics of different loans and select the one, which is very suitable.

The borrower should get a guarantee on the interest rate that will give him enough time to close the mortgage. In case of any fees charged for making a guarantee by the lender, the borrower should never get scared for paying the fee as the interest rate lock gives enough time to the borrower to close the loan. In case the borrower fails to close the loan before the expiry of the lock period, the lender will raise the interest rate, hence it should be made sure that the guarantee covers the points paid and what the borrower gets for paying points. A borrower should not accept a loan that includes prepayment penalty as one of its conditions.

Predatory lending practice is still a common phenomenon in the market. Despite laws protecting the borrower from predatory mortgage lenders, some of them will take advantage of the borrowers by charging more interest rates and lender fees. Mortgage guidebook can provide valuable knowledge on how to compare mortgage offers and select the best one from them.

Break-even analysis has to be made to know how long the borrower needs to stay in his house to attain break even on the refinancing cost. Another mistake is that the borrower pays more towards mortgage insurance called as PMI. The PMI need not be paid if the person has 80 percent equity stake in his home. Since the interest rates and loan terms are dependent on the credit score, it is good to correct the credit report incase of any mistakes in it and then apply for the mortgage refinance as the borrower can get better interest rates and loan term.

The Importance of Finding the Right Business Coach

Discover why you need business coaching, and why which business coach you choose is so vitally important to your business.

A business coach is like a personal trainer--for your business. A good business coach will help you to realize your dreams, goals, and achieve success through careful step by step planning and processes. The business coach is there to help you with resources, support, motivation, and planning of your business venture. If you already have a business, the business coach is there to help your business succeed and grow in ways that you could only imagine. You can find a business coach in a number of different ways, and in many places. The key is to find the right business coach for you and your company.

There are several things to consider when looking for a business coach. The first thing that you will be likely to consider is cost. Many business coaches are quite expensive, but there are some that are extremely cost effective. The important thing to remember when considering the cost of a business coach is the cost of not getting the business coach. Starting a business can be difficult and costly, but starting that same business can be more costly if you are not sure what you are doing. When you have a business that seems to be failing, or if your business is simply not going anywhere, you are more likely to lose money by doing nothing than by spending the money on a good business coach.

There are several steps that your business coach will lead you through to help you create a successful business. First, your business coach will make sure that the business that you want to develop is a sound business venture. To do this, the coach will take your skills, talents, experience, and resources into consideration. Once these assessments are completed, the coach will help you with your business development by walking you through the steps of a marketing and business plan. When you are ready, the business coach will help you to develop your business by implementing the plans that you made while under their care and tutelage. If any problems arise or you begin to have doubts, your business coach will be there for support, guidance, and resources.

You also want to make sure that the business coach that you choose specializes in business start ups and development, not one or the other. Someone that can only assist in business development will not be able to help you start your business effectively. Likewise, you will quickly outgrow a business coach that can help you start your business but not manage it effectively. Our business coaches are trained and educated in all aspects of starting, running, and growing a business. We are committed to building long lasting relationships will all of our clients, and taking your business from conception to perfection.

Our group of business coaches and professionals are available to you with inside information about legal matters, tax matters, registration requirements, and the best structure options for your business venture. This type of information is important and likely one of the reasons that you are looking for a business coach in the first place. Like other business coaches, we will also have information available to you about resources for funding, grants, loans, and other financial resources that you may be unaware of.

The Nitty-Gritty Of Accounting

By: Samkern

Accounting is as ancient as man's attempts to transact with fellow human beings. With the predominance of money measurement in economically useful activities, accounting became the most vital tool. At the center of all accounting principles is the urge to ensure accuracy and consistency. This takes the form of double entry system of accounting. The 15th century Italian mathematician, Frater Luca Pacioli, first extolled about the features of the system.

Double entry method offers a convenient and accurate format for recording transactions. Put simply, all transactions have two aspects. Therefore, omissions or numerical errors would automatically stand out. Thus, it acts as a self-correcting mechanism.

The basic aspects of accounting relate to correct classification of transactions. There are four major accounting heads: assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. At any given point of time, the firm's assets should equal its liabilities. This is the accounting equation. If they do not match, there is an apparent error in the accounting process.

The enterprise's assets represent the productive resources used by it. Plant and Machinery, building, stock of raw materials and stores, debtors or accounts receivables, cash and bank balances are some of the assets. Liabilities are the sources that finance the assets. Owner's capital, long-term loans, short-term bills, sundry creditors and other financing are the liabilities.

When revenues exceed expenses, the firm makes a profit and in the reverse it is a loss. Ultimately, profit or loss reflects in the financial position or the values of assets and liabilities on the given date. An increase in assets or decrease in liabilities means profit and decrease in assets or increase in liabilities mean loss.

Profit is the driver in any business enterprise and no wonder entrepreneurs seek to maximize it. More critical than profit is the measure of profitability because the latter reveals the firm's efficiency in utilization of financial resources. Return On Investment is the most common profitability ratio. The claim over profits of a business depends on the organizational type. In ownership or partnership firms, the owner or partners have total claim over the profit. In joint stock companies, the stockholders are entitled only to the dividend as declared by the Board Of Directors.

The work of an accountant is crucial as he reports the performance of the enterprise to the management and the owners. Based on the figures supplied by him, important decisions like capacity expansion, make or buy, retaining or hiving off unprofitable lines of business and employee incentive computation are taken.