Work at Home Scams

The Internet is full of ads for work at home opportunities promising you thousands of dollars a month for staying at home while doing little or no work. If you are struggling financially, as so many people are, these ads sound like the answer to your dreams.

If you are thinking about investing your time or money in any of these ads, proceed with caution. Not all work at home opportunities deliver on their promises. In fact, a large percentage of them are scams and should be avoided.

Most advertisements for these opportunities deliberately omit certain facts, including only the information that will draw your attention. There is no mention of how many hours you will need to devote to the program or what the total investment costs may be.

Many work at home schemes require you to cover the costs of placing newspaper ads, buying office supplies, etc. This is in addition to whatever start-up fee or initial investment is required. Many people lose thousands of dollars plus their time and energy because they fall prey to these schemes.

There are many of these work at home scams floating around on the Internet. Some of them are listed below:

ASSEMBLY OR CRAFT WORK: Most of these programs tell you how easy it is to produce goods for a company that promises to buy them from you once you complete them, thus earning you a nice weekly income. They fail to tell you how many hours are required in order to produce those items or how much of your money is required as an investment in equipment or supplies, sometimes adding up to hundreds of dollars.

An example of this is a company that pays you to make aprons. You need to either have a sewing machine or purchase one. You may also be required to buy materials to make your aprons. However, after you purchase the materials and equipment and perform the work required, you are not paid.

How can they get away with this? They tell you the work does not meet their quality standards. Unfortunately, no work ever done by anyone is up to standard leaving you with a loss of income and investment. If you want to sell the items you have made, you are forced to find your own customers.

CHAIN LETTERS: Ads for chain letters tell you to make copies of a certain letter and send that letter to people whose names and addresses are provided. All you are required to do is send ten dollars for a mailing list and labels. You are then shown a chart to see how you can automatically receive thousands of dollars.

In reality, the only people who ever make any money from chain letters are the ones who are at the top of the chain who, by the way, are continually changing names and post office boxes. The person who sends you the chain letter tries to pull you in by claiming to be a successful lawyer who does this on the side and who assures you that there is nothing illegal about chain letters.

ENVELOPE STUFFING: Ads for envelope stuffing have been around for years in various formats. The basic claim is that for a fee, you will be provided with directions to earn money from home simply by stuffing envelopes.

After you make the initial investment, you discover there was never any real employment offer. Instead, you are told how to place ads in newspapers, magazines, online classifieds, etc. The only way for you to earn money is if people respond to your ads.

MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING: Ads for MLM programs tell you how you can earn more money than you have ever had in your life. By joining their program it will be possible for you to let others earn money for you while you enjoy your prosperous lifestyle!

Multi-level marketing is a business based on direct sales. It is a solid, well-established, legal form of business that has provided profit for many people who have successfully sold products for reputable companies.

Many illegal pyramid schemes can resemble these legitimate MLM programs. The difference is that instead of selling a product, your primary goal is to recruit others into the program. At some point, everything collapses because the market becomes saturated and only a few people at the top have made money.

MEDICAL BILLING: Ads for medical billing are in newspapers, magazines, and on the Internet. The sales pitch says there is a crisis in the health care industry due to the massive task of processing paper claims. Since only a small fraction of the claims are fulfilled electronically, the opportunities in this area are huge.

Supposedly, doctors want to contract out their billing services to save money. This means you should be able to earn a sizable income working from home providing services like billing and accounts receivable. No experience is required and you will be provided with clients. Unfortunately, the reality is that you have to do the selling yourself.

Very few people who invest in a medical billing business are able to find clients and generate an income, let alone recover their investments. The competition in this market is brutal and primarily centers on a few large companies.

Before making any investments in any companies, ask questions, specifically regarding investment amounts and the requirements for running the business. Insist upon receiving contact information for references. Contact those references and speak to them, preferably in person.

If you invest in any work at home opportunity and find that it is not legitimate, contact the company and ask for a refund. If they will not honor your request, find out the physical address and contact information of the company. You can then make a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or your local Attorney Generals office. You can also find out if any other complaints have been received for that company.

Chris Chenoweth writes articles pertaining to health and nutrition, budgeting, and online business. If you would like additional information regarding work at home opportunities, learn how to earn a respectable income every month from legitimate online companies. You ARE required to put in some work but there are no hidden fees or investments required and you can start immediately: http://www.ezniche.com/data/article.php?l=352Alis Blog86532
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Quick Property Sales - How to Sell your Home Fast

Do you want to sell your home quickly? Perhaps you are moving abroad and want a fast completion on the sale of your property? Maybe you face repossession and need a solution to prevent the mortgage company from taking your home, or you need extra cash to solve a financial problem? Whatever your reason for wanting a fast property sale, the answer to your quandary is the cash buyer.

Cash buyers will buy your property quickly and complete the purchase within one to four weeks of you accepting their purchase offer. In some cases, cash buyers can buy your home within 24 hours! Just imagine - no more worrying about how you are going to pay that mortgage, or where you will find finance for your next house move. Cash buyers are the solution to your quick property sale problems! All you've got to do is find them and entice them to buy your home.

Finding cash buyers

The biggest challenge for homeowners who want to sell their properties quickly is in finding property buyers who can buy their homes without the need for a mortgage or home loan. For most homebuyers a mortgage is essential for the quick purchase of their next house. The loan application process can take 6 - 8 weeks, and sometimes longer. These are not the types of purchasers you want to deal with when you are in need of a fast sale.

Instead, your ideal buyer is a homebuyer, property investor or property developer that has finance already in place and can exchange contracts immediately. They have cash instantly available to buy your home from you direct, without the need to involve a lender in the property transaction.

But where do you find these types of property buyers?

Well, you can ask your local real estate agent if they have cash buyer contacts. Alternatively, you can advertise in the local press. You could even search the Internet using a search engine like Google or Yahoo with a keyword phrase such as 'quick sale property'. This is all very well, and no doubt you will attract some interest. However, if you want to be absolutely sure of securing the sale of your home you need to make the property attractive to the buyer. Here's how

1) Give a full 'estate agent style' description of the property. Just stating that your property has x number of bedrooms and has a garden of size y is not going to make you the sale. Buyers want as much detail on the property as possible. If you want to attract their attention you should really go to town on your property description. Go through your house room by room and describe the features that really 'sell' the house to the buyer. Remember to include room size measurements and mention features like double-glazing, boiler systems and anything else that adds value to your home - especially if it is newly installed.

2) Get the property professionally valued. An official valuation of the property from a local estate agent or surveyor is crucial. You need to state the value of the property in your description if you want to achieve a quick sale.

3) Invite offers at 10% - 20% below the property valuation. To get cash buyers REALLY INTERESTED in your home, set the sale price at some 10% - 20% below the open market valuation for your home. By doing so you are guaranteed a flurry of responses to your request for a quick property sale. Buying property at below market value is the sales hook that will draw the right type of buyer in for your property.

4) Have the property ready to view. Cash buyers generally like to view the properties that they are going to buy ahead of making the purchase. Some cash buyers will buy property in any type of condition. So, if there are unfinished DIY jobs in the house or that extension you started is only half-built, there's no need to worry. Cash buyers - especially those with property development experience or investment experience - may buy your home anyway!

5) Get the property's paperwork together. Collect all paperwork relating to your home including guarantees for work done to the building and information on your mortgage lender. The buyer may wish to inspect these ahead of making an offer to buy your property. If you have all these bits and pieces of information together in one place it will make the process swift and trouble-free.

Selling your home fast is a straightforward process. The buyer will generally make all the arrangements. They can even arrange for a solicitor to act on your behalf for the property sale if you so wish. It really is as easy as 1-2-3.

Seb Jay is owner of ProInfo Marketing - a UK-based company that specialises in quick property sales. If you want to sell your home fast contact Seb Jay at ukproperty@proinfomarketing.net for a no-obligation offer on your property.Anabelle Blog58945
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Omega 3 Microencapsulation Not In My Orange Juice - The Newest Development To Cash In

In an effort to add Omega 3 from the right source (fatty fish) to our grocery store products, the latest attempt to cash in on the Omega 3 band wagon is microencapsulated Omega 3 fish oil in of all things, orange juice (Tropicana), butter (I Cant Believe Its Not Butter) and yogurt. Suffice it to say, microencapsulation is a complicated process that requires a scientific background to explain.

What I do know is, I never wish to add fish of any kind, in any form, encapsulated, freeze dried, flaked or otherwise to orange juice, butter, yogurt, or any food for that matter. Its not only tremendously unappealing, many people are deathly allergic to fish. Will they have to read labels of orange juice, butter and yogurt to make sure dried or encapsulated Omega 3 fish oil is not lurking within?

We are inundated by commercialism, clever advertisers, hype, powerful food and drug companies complicated by our own time limitations to dig deep for answers. So we do our best to keep up, read a bit here, listen a bit there and assimilate information often on the run. When we walk into our grocery stores and see Omega 3 on products, our first reaction is to buy knowing we need to add Omega 3 yet so few know they just added more seed oils to their bodies. And with todays textbook science clearly showing seed oils are the culprit behind chronic inflammation affecting Americans health today, it is not a stretch to call the behavior of food manufacturers unscrupulous in their duping of the American consumer in the most dreadful way not the cash in their hand but the very health they are trying to either keep or restore.

Research once showed ALA from seed oils was beneficial to heart health and other diet-related diseases, yet those conditions continued to climb and studies began emerging linking an over-abundance of ALA and other seed oils to chronic inflammation (arachidonic acid) being at the core of those diseases. And unless youve stayed clear of fast food restaurants, prepackaged foods, treats, and your favorite sit down restaurant, youve unknowingly been consuming huge quantities beyond any healthy recommendation that was suggested just a few years ago.

The first attempt at misleading labeling was conscienceless but the newest of dropping tiny caplets of microencapsulated Omega 3 fish oil into juice and dairy products defies logic. My mind, nor my palate, can tolerate the thought of the taste or texture. At first glance it might appear as a step in the right direction by at least adding fish oil that we need but do you want fish oil delivered to you in those products? And if we throw Omega 3 microencapsulated fish oil into a wide array of grocery store products, how will we know if weve consumed a gram a day as suggested by the AHA or ten grams a day? It is estimated that by 2011, sales of Omega 3 enriched products will soars to $7 Billion Dollars.

A simpler solution is educating the American public as to the difference between food grade Omega 3 fish oils that offer no benefit and pure pharmaceutical grade fish oil from the right fatty fish that do. Purifying fish oil requires years of skill utilizing molecular processes. Suppliers who purchase 50 gallon drums of fish oil to turn into capsules for resale can afford to buy one, get one free and offer a two month supply for $25.00. Your health is precious and finding a quality source of fish oil only requires a little looking beyond the labeling.

Find a fish oil manufacturer (not a fish oil reseller, retailer or supplier) who began the process of producing fish oil by contracting with deep sea fisherman to deliver it to their lab. Make sure they either own the pharmaceutically lab purifying the oil or are aware of the labs standards. If not, your supplement passed through so many hands, its amazing it made it to the shelf in tact. Check for testimonies from real, satisfied customers who have experienced significant health changes. There are great fish oil products out there.

Lois Smithers, former avid equestrian who fractured two vertebra, spent years researching Omega 3 she credits with ending debilitating chronic inflammation. With Debra Morgan, they own Sea-Based Health, LLC. Sign up for their newsletter and product recommendations, visit http://seabasedhealth.comAlexandrina Blog871
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Wine and Weddings

From those of us who have a hundred matrimonial relatives, to those of us who have, ourselves, been married more times than Henry the VIII, chances are we've all attended our fair share of weddings. As we sit through the ceremony, watching two people we care about exchange vows of love, forgiveness, and faithfulness, it's easy to ponder certain questions: Will these newlyweds live happily ever after? Will they have children? Will they stay with each other in sickness and in health? And, most importantly, will the reception have an open bar?

The bride and the groom, though they have enough on their plate, also must deal with putting something in the glasses of their guests. While some receptions do away with alcohol completely, for those driven by certain religions or, perhaps, insanity, most either have a cash bar, an open bar, or a bit of both.

Because of this, choosing what alcohol to serve at a wedding is an important factor in the ceremonious occasion. It is a factor that teeters between wanting guests to enjoy themselves, but not wanting to form more of a union with credit card debt than with a new spouse. However, there is a way for those throwing the reception to have their alcohol and drink it too. In a nutshell (and a glass), serve wine.

Make it Convenient

Wine is cheaper than other types of alcohol, particularly hard alcohol. Because of this, making it available - and readily available - can save a ton of money. While you don't need to shove wine down your guests' throats, or hire a used car salesman to get rid of older vintages, there are a few things you can do to encourage wine drinking in a tactful manner.

One trick of the trade is to have hired caterers walk around with wine, offering it to guests. Not only does this make the guests feel as though they are being waited on hand and foot, but it also decreases the line at the bar, increasing the probability that guests will drink moderately priced wine rather than expensive liquor. If it's convenient, chances are guests will drift away from a Jack and Coke, and instead, fall into the comforting arms of a Merlot.

Watch Out For Tricky Business

When ordering wine for a wedding, caterers will often charge one of two ways: by the number of guests, or by the amount of alcohol consumed. It may appear more financially frugal to pay by the amount of wine consumed; chances are not everyone at your reception - your old Aunt Molly with anti-alcohol beliefs, your Uncle John who's recently back on the wagon, your underage cousin with a bad fake I.D. - will drink. However, be forewarned that caterers, when charging you by the amount of wine consumed, may get a little bit tricky, certain you are more concerned with keeping red wine away from the white wedding dress than you are with what the wait staff is doing.

Some caterers attempt to make it appear as if the guest list consumed more wine than they actually did, concerning both the people paying for the wedding and Alcoholics Anonymous. One way they do this is by removing glasses from tables, even when the glasses are filled to the brim with wine. For example, if a guest gets a fresh glass of wine and then decides she wants to go out on the dance floor, leaving the wine to greet her upon her return, she will more likely come back to an empty table. This is because, while she was out dancing, the wait staff, circling like vultures, came over and threw out her full glass, forcing her to eventually fetch another new glass, and ultimately adding cost to the reception.

Know How Much to Buy

Running out of alcohol at a wedding reception ranks up near divorce on the spectrum of marriage, causing people, with opened mouths and clenched fists, to ponder why. Because of this, it's essential that you know how much wine to buy if the caterers aren't providing it for you. Obviously, the best way to figure this is by the amount of people attending, and the drinking habits of your guests. For a wedding with a guest list that is made of the-run-of-the-mill drinking crowd - the partiers, the socialites, the intellectuals - more wine should be purchased than if the guest list is made up of people - the oblivious, the unaware, the masochists - who don't generally engage in wine drinking.

When deciding to buy red wine or white wine, making things pretty even is usually the best way to go. Typically, half of the people drinking wine will drink white and half will drink red. Chardonnay and Cabernet are usually the most popular types, with White Zinfandel getting an honorable mention. Men, sticking to their blood thirsty carnivorous ways, routinely drink more red wine while women routinely drink more white wine.

The demographics of your guest list, however, aren't the only things to consider when purchasing wine. You should also consider what you are serving as the main course of dinner. For instance, if serving seafood, chicken, or pork, you may want to stock up on a nice white wine. If serving pastas, red meat, or anything drenched in red sauces, a cellar of nice red wine may need to be invaded.

Shop Around

It may seem like the wine purchased for a wedding reception needs to be expensive, as if serving cheap wine is an ominous sign of marital failure. However, this isn't the case at all. Several expensive tasting wines can be purchased for a reasonable price, keeping guests happy and the married couple free of the burden of an outrageous wedding bill.

If you shop around, you may find that good wines for reasonable amounts are actually in abundance. From the Korbel Sparkling Natural Chardonnay to the Gruet Brut Blanc de Blancs, good wine doesn't need to make the bride and groom consider charging a general admission fee to get into their ceremony.

Wine and weddings is as natural a union as husband and wife, particularly for those who are attempting to save a little money on their bar tab. Serving wine at your wedding will be cheaper than providing your guests with hard alcohol or expensive beer. It will also keep guests happy, allowing everyone to eat, drink, and be merryor be married.

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor at http://www.savoreachglass.com. With a vast knowledge of wine etiquette, she writes articles on everything from how to hold a glass of wine to how to hold your hair back after too many glasses. Ultimately, she writes her articles with the intention that readers will remember wine is fun and each glass of anything fun should always be savored.Analise Blog66731
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Meeting Your Family's Health Needs With An HSA

Making sure that your family is able to stay healthy partly depends on having a good health insurance program for them. One of the more recent new additions to the health insurance industry is called the Health Savings Account (HSA). This new program enables you to have reduced insurance rates because of a higher deductible, and a tax deferred savings program with it. Here are some of the features of this program.

Reduced Rates

By getting a health insurance program with a high deductible, you are able to greatly reduce your monthly premiums. This is an especially good way to go, if you are younger and currently have pretty good health. The deductible amounts are pre-determined by the government, and you are required to have deductible amounts between $1,050 and $5,250 for singles, and it needs to be between $2,100 and $10,500 for families.

Savings Are Tax Exempt

One of the great benefits of this type of plan is that, like an IRA, you enjoy tax-free income, and interest on the amounts you have in the program. You can put into the plan money that comes off the top of your taxes. There are limits, though, and for singles it is up to $2,700, and for families it is $5,450. A little extra benefit is that you are able to take off of your taxes any money that is deposited into the account all the way up to April 15th. So, if you are coming up to tax time, and find you need to reduce your taxes some more, you can put it into your HSA, and find the tax break you need.

Better Coverage

The new HSA's have an extra real nice feature - they cover more. Some things that you may not have been covered for under another type of policy, you may find that you are covered for with an HSA. This could actually allow you to get a better coverage for less. Things like dental coverage, therapy, even non-prescription medicines and some alternative treatments may also be covered, and even some mental illness treatments, too.

You Keep Control

Under an HSA, you are the one in control of the money. It is yours to use. You can take money out of the account when you want, but only the money that is used only for medical purposes is tax-exempt. Generally, you will be given a card, like a credit card, that gives you access to the account. Whenever you use money from the account, the insurance company automatically gets a receipt, and it is subtracted from your account, and your deductible - and it remains tax exempt.

Like any other insurance policy, once you have paid the deductible amounts, the rest is up to the insurer to pay. By having the high deductible you reduce the premiums considerably. The savings account can also provide a good hedge for your medical insurance program for the future, too, because any money not used toward the deductible remains your money to use next year, if you need it. On the other hand, the money in your HSA might also be used to provide some money for retirement - assuming you maintain your good health.

Joe Kenny writes for the Personal Loans Store, allowing visitors to compare UK loans and also focuses on personal loans for UK residents.Alleen Blog89982
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Biz 101, How To Save Money

Ever feel like youre short on cash? How would you like to learn how to save what you earn? Todays average consumer is way too focused on spending, and not focused enough on saving. In Money to Be Made Online, youll learn some of the ways you can save money while doing business. If you fit into the category of not rich, before you can go on that wonderful vacation, or buy a new house, you need to save up some cold hard cash. Nothing is better than money well spent some say. Well I think nothing is better than money well saved. Before you can spend wisely, you have to have some good savings.

So whats the secret to saving money? Im going to outline a few simple tricks that if followed, will leave some extra cash each and every month. Why is it that people are always spending more than they earn? Because theyre in the business of helping other people save money. Thats right, theyre providing the retirement funds for the debt collecter, or credit card executive. First, I want to let you know where some of your money goes, besides when it goes down the drain.

Most people forget completely about their money after it leaves their pocket. Money isnt just a piece of paper or numbers on a screen. For the purpose of this article imagine that money is a type of energy, like electricity. Like electricity, most people dont think or care where it comes from, or where it goes, and how its transferred from place to place. Each time you use electricity, or transfer it to another place, you lose some of its potential. Most appliances dont use 100% of the potential energy available, maybe in the future but not currently. When you buy something, taxes are taken out, plus the middle mens fees, and then profit for the top of the pyramid.

The first thing you should do is become aware of WHERE your money goes. By thinking of where money comes from, and ends up will open your mind into new avenues of perception. You have to fight your way out of the consumer box and create a new box, with a new label, that youre comfortable. Its good to think outside the box, for people who live in boxes they didnt create themselves. But when you create your own box, when you design your own life and are finally free from all debt, worry, and create your own experiences, then I suggest you think inside that box instead!

So now practice thinking this in everyday life. Where is my money going? Imagine all the little middle men in between, and then maybe youll respect money a little more. Youll realize how big and industrious the world actually is. After youve reached this stage of awareness you should be more motivated, and ready to seriously save some money. By saving money in this state, you might realize how important that one little dollar of profit is. When multiplied by a good product and millions of consumers, youve just made a million dollars.

If youre ready to start saving some money, be ready to follow these simple tasks, and expect some extra cash! First, you need to be organized. Saving money is not just about being cheap, but its also about management. You must organize well! Most successful people are great at saving because theyre natural organizers, and when they make it big they get a secretary. After a while these tasks become natural, and dont feel like a bother at all, so keep it up and after a while youll get a hang of it.

Organizing your cash flow is essential. Everywhere you go, carry a note book, small note pad, or a PDA if you have one. Most PDAs are compatible with finance software, so buy some or find a free version. DO IT NOW! This is the most important aspect of saving money, you first need to know where its going! So for the first week, I want you to do two simple things. Every single thing you spend money on, write down the date, the cost, where, and how you felt. At the end of the day create another separate sheet with a total of amount spent, and list all the things you can do without. Now try to think of where your money went, and imagine the process it took to make the products you bough. Did you purchase gas? There are lots of things needed to get gas into the country, so imagine the process and your mind will open!

After one week, take a look at all the data youve collected. Dont do this review until a full weeks data has been collected! Determine what was essential and what you can do without. Take your daily essential and total them up. Look where you can eliminate needless expenses! One of the things you can do, are follow the guidelines in Money to Be Made Online. Follow the experience of seasoned veterans, and save money for your business today!

Keith Londrie II is a successful Webmaster and the owner and publisher of moneytobemadeonline.com A website that specializes in providing tips on how to REALLY make money online that you can research on the internet in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home. Visit http://moneytobemadeonline.com/ today!Anabelle Blog58945
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Stocks - Getting Started in the Market

Hollywood loves the stock market. The chaos of the stock exchange floor, the tension of boiler room day-trading, devious power brokers making back room deals; it all makes for great drama. Then you have the true-to-life stock market stories in the news: insider trading, big money IPOs, the dot com bust. All of it is enough to make you steer clear of the market for good and travel down a safer investment path. But dont be frightened, history shows that long-term, theres no better place to put your money to watch it grow. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Stocks 101

Simply put, when you purchase stock in a company, you become part-owner of that company. Along with other shareholders, you all combine as investors in the business, and therefore reap its rewards, or suffer its losses. Stocks are most commonly divided into separate categories depending on the size and type of the company (e.g., mid-cap, small-cap, energy, tech, etc.).

While speculation can drive stock prices in the short term, its long-term company earnings that determine a stocks gains or losses. Speaking of short term, thats when stocks are extremely volatile. Over a span of just a few months or years, stocks can climb to astronomic heights or drop to pitiful lows. But, since 1926, the average stock has returned over 10 percent per year. Thats better than any other investment vehicle out there, and thats why stocks are your best bet for long-term investment.

Picking Stocks

Before you dive head-first into the market, there are a few things you should know about picking stocks. First, the markets performance as a whole is not necessarily a reflection of its individual stocks. Good stocks can keep growing even in a down market, while bad stocks have the frustrating tendency to drop or remain stagnant in a strong market.

Also, remember that history is not indicative of a stocks future performance. Even solid stocks can slip from time to time. Remember that stock prices are based on a companys earnings outlook, not its past performance. If the future looks bright for a company, a $100 dollar stock is probably a good buy. If earnings look less than promising, even a $5 stock can be a waste. Finally, investors determine a stocks value by measuring a handful of primary criteria, most notably cash flow, earnings, and revenue.

Diversify

Its the rallying cry of all smart investors. When compiling an investment portfolio of stocks, its smart to own shares in companies from several different industries. Consider it a hedge bet. When one part of the economy experiences a downturn, youll have other stocks in your portfolio to put your faith in.

When building your portfolio, the safest bet is to pick from financially strong businesses with earnings growth above the average. Surprisingly, that limits the lot to choose from, as only around 200 stocks today fit that bill. A solid portfolio features somewhere in the ballpark of 20 stocks selected from seven or more industries. A general rule of thumb is to invest in stocks with an above-average rate of growth and reasonable valuations.

Buy and Hold

Day trading is a great way to lose your nest egg, but quick. As we noted before, stocks over the short term are highly volatile. Sure, brokers today are offering cheap trades, but beware. There are a ton of hidden fees and taxes involved with day trading, not to mention the amount of attention required by you to monitor the blow-by-blow proceedings of the market. Our recommendation: buy and hold. A ten percent return over the long term is nothing to sneer at.

Joseph Kenny writes for the Loans Store which offers more information on home loans, secured loans and other loan topics available on site.Anabelle Blog58945
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Spam Scams: How Not To Become A Victim

All spam emails we receive every day in tens or hundreds are annoying and disgusting. But the worst of them are scams, hoaxes, and illegal schemes aimed at defrauding you of your money, private information, and even your life. Being aware of how the spam scams work you will be able to protect yourself against the spammers-fraudsters and not to become a victim of their fraudulent schemes.

A lot of spam scams arrive in the form of a great investment offer. It usually works as a Pyramid scheme. Spammers ask you to pay money for a membership, goods, or simply to "invest" promising you much money as revenue. Your revenue will come from those people who will invest after you. Your investment is distributed to those who joined before you. At some point the pyramid ruins because there are not enough new investors to keep the money flowing. The spammer is at the top of the pyramid and he is the only one who benefits. The scan may not always look like an investment offer. The spammers can ask you to distribute some advertising letters to a list of email addresses, for remuneration. Although they will tell you that the list contains only opt-in email addresses, its not true, and you will be sending spam directly from your computer.

Another fraudulent scheme you may meet looks like a letter coming from a company that you do business with. Usually the spammer asks you to follow a link within the message supposedly to update your account. But actually this is done to worm you out your personal and financial information. If you click on that link, you will be brought to a page that will look like a companys web site. While you are logging in or filling the form in, the program is recording your keystrokes and all your private information account number, user name, password, social security number is disclosed. Never click on the links included in such emails. Just open a companys web site in a separate window and check your account details out.

Nigerian spam is one of the most dangerous email scams. The mechanism of the scam is simple. The spammer sends you a badly spelled letter on behalf of a government official, deposed ruler, or relative of a ruling family asking you for help. They have some goods, money, or jewels that they cannot access due to political reasons. They ask you to allow them transfer large sums of money into your bank account. They promise to remunerate you for your kindness, or even leave all money to you. Attractive offer, isnt it? Dont be a dolt, dont believe them. They tempt you into a trap. Their object is to obtain your account number and bank transfer information. They also may ask you to send them a fee to bribe some corrupt government officials. Further you may receive additional officially looking letters where you will be asked to provide further documents, private information, and money. When they have played with you long enough, or believe that you may suspect to be led on, they will rob you and quite.

Take care! Dont react upon any spam message whatever tempting offer it contains. Delete it at once, or let an anti-spam filter delete all spam before you download it into your inbox.

Julia Gulevich is a technical expert associated with development of computer software like AATools, Advanced Email Verifier, G-Lock EasyMail, Spam and Junk Email Filter http://www.glocksoft.com/sc/ More information can be found at Anti Spam Filter Resources http://www.glocksoft.net/sc/.Ada Blog34402
Alvera Blog99353

Affiliate Marketing: Making Money Finding Clients!

As a business owner, Bill had a good thing happening. He was able to run his store and run it well. He had customers that would even come from quite a ways away because they liked the products and the services that he provided. But, since he was only one person, he didn't want to really expand with other stores. He liked being able to go home to his family and not worry about a lot of other employees.

Yet, it would be nice to be able to get his product to others, wouldn't it? Bill knew he would have more customers if he could get his business online and then promote it. But, he knew nothing of how to do that. The last thing that he wanted to do was spend money advertising his company only to not make anything off of it.

Bill wanted to be able to retire one day and give his children the ability to have a business that was already stable so he decided to try his hand at developing a website. With a little help from his son, he learned that there were people out there that would work for him to promote his website. All he had to do was to hire them and only pay them when people came to the site to buy a product.

These affiliate marketers did all of the work for him. They brought people to his website where his products did all of the talking. And, he paid them for bringing the customers. Soon, they came back on their own and his business grew well beyond his hopes.

Fred was one of the affiliate marketers that worked with Bill. He created a website that was geared at promoting Bill's and made a good amount of income off of just this one site. He brought the customers and Bill paid him to do so.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most sought after types of internet marketing. For those that are looking to get in, the process is simple. Advertise for a company and bring clients to them. If it is just that simple, though, more people would be after this highly profitable game. In affiliate marketing of any type, there is some work that needs to be done to make it successful. For that reason, understanding just what affiliate marketing is and how it works is how you'll know if this is the right place for you to be in.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?

The job of an individual in this business is to promote web businesses like Bill's. The affiliate marketer is then rewarded for every visitor that is brought to the site because of what he did to promote it. You may be promoting for subscribers for services. You may be promoting for customers who will make purchases. Or, you may be compensated just for having the individuals make it to the right web page. In any case, affiliate marketing is set up to be that of a finder's fee situation because you are bringing new businesses to the client.

Some terms to know:

Affiliate: An affiliate is an individual that is affiliated with a company to help promote the company.

Marketing: Is the act of promoting a website or product.

Affiliate marketing: Promoting of a website, product or service through affiliates as opposed to paying for and placing the advertising yourself.

Affiliate marketer: An individual that does the marketing for the company.

Compensation for affiliate marketing ranges in how it is provided. There are three main types of payment structures available.

a. Pay Per Lead: In this scenario, the affiliate marketer is paid based on the individuals that they get to register or subscribe to the site's product or service.
b. Pay Per Click: In this method of compensation, the company will determine a set rate to pay based on each time that a new client visits the website.
c. Pay Per Sale: In this case, the affiliate marketer will be paid based on the amount of sales made from the purchase of a client that is attracted to the website. This is a commission based program.

The Benefits

From the aspect of being the affiliate marketer, you can make money virtually anytime of the day and night when your sales medium works. Whatever you do to make sure that the clients click through to the buyer's website, you'll be able to be compensated for that. Another benefit is the fact that there are many affiliate programs out there being run. Bill's small business is nothing compared to the larger companies out there. One of the largest that runs its own affiliate program is that of Amazon.com.

On the other hand, businesses like to use these set ups and are willing to provide the opportunity because nothing is paid for until it is realized. They pay only when you give them the results of clients to the site. Bill liked this, of course, because he knew he wasn't wasting his advertising dollars.

The Cons Of Affiliate Marketing

Like any other money making opportunity, it is important for you to understand that you may need to invest. Often, the affiliate marketer will need to invest in a website to attract visitors to and in advertising and marketing. For some individuals, the plan is to develop one website that is a launching pad for several affiliate marketing campaigns.

For example, if the affiliate marketer wishes to tap into the world of credit card affiliate programs, he or she will design a website that provides key information about credit cards. They will be able to link the website to the official websites of the credit card companies. By luring customers in with quality information on credit cards, the potential customer will click on the banner ads or links provided to take them to the official site to sign up.

But, affiliate marketing is not that simple. You will need to invest in providing good quality information. You will need to furnish your content yourself or hire a professional. Then, you'll need to get customers to your site. To do this, some affiliate marketers use search engine optimization and article directories while others pay to have their website listed as an advertiser on search pages.

Is There Money Out There?

It may seem that you are putting quite a bit of money into this business, but in fact, affiliate marketing can be a good way to make decent money. The amount can range from just a few dollars to quite a bit. It all comes from the knowledge that you have or obtain and the work and dedication you put into the task. Affiliate marketing has the potential to make a decent income. You help Bill and he pays you to do so. Both win in the game of affiliate marketing.

Keith Lee is a motivational speaker, a life coach and a fitness instructor for the past 10 yeras. He study and did research on the Internet Marketing Industry for years. Go to his webiste http://www.MyInternetMarketingSuccess.com for some superb tips.Allis Blog30938
Ann Blog73831

Free Article Submission Software Gets You TONS Of Quality, 1-way Links!

Free Article Submission Software Gets You TONS Of Quality, 1-way Links!

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Articles to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Articles experts.

The information about Articles presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Articles or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

With the search engine evolving each and every day, it's absolutely critical to not fall into the trap of following the latest and greatest craze for ranking highly in the search engines. Things such as cloaking, keyword stuffing, blog spamming etc. are things that worked at one time, but are definitely not something that will last in the long run. Your website will either get banned for doing something like that, or you simply won't get ranked anywhere and your effort will be in vain.

With that said, now is the time to start taking your business seriously. There are legitimate ways to increase your search engine ranking that will always be effective at not only increasing your search engine ranking, but also at building your credibility in your chosen niche, generating quality leads to your business, and not to mention, getting your name and business in front of lots of people around the world.

What's this method I'm referring to? Article Submission. Yes, you heard me right... Article Submission really isn't anything shockingly new, but the problem up until now has been the fact that although submitting your articles to article directories was an incredible way to increase your search engine rankings, it took one heck of a long time to actually find these directories, and then fill in all of the required criteria for submission.

This is where the brand new, free software program created by Brad Callen and Bryxen Software, Inc. comes into play. This software will allow you to submit your articles to literally hundreds of popular article directories all over the world. Only a few mouse clicks and you'll be able to instantly submit your articles. It's taken the tedious process of finding and filling out these submission forms, incredibly easy and fast.

To learn more about Article Submitter and how you can download a free copy, visit the link below:

http://www.tinyurl.com/2r5c2a

But, please keep this to yourself, as I'd like to keep this our secret weapon :-)

Enjoy!

John Miller

That's the latest from the Articles authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

John Miller has been involved in the marketing of a wide variety of products and services, ranging from tangible items such as electric wire and cable to services such as medical staffing. He has been successfully involved in internet marketing siince 2002, primarily in the Ebay marketplace. Throughout, he has been an enthusiastic student (investing considerable amounts of money) of non-Ebay online marketing programs.Anna Maria Blog58337
Angele Blog37115

Finance, Money and Internet Scams--4 Rules to Keep in Mind

Finance, Money and internet scams are everywhere. When shopping for online work at home, which home based businesses are real? It sounds like a straightforward question with a straightforward answer: just use common sense. But hold on a second. Not so fast. Do you think you can separate the scams from the legitimates? Have you seen all the various home based business offerings on the web?

O.K. Sure. If someone is offering you the Brooklyn Bridge for $1.99--It's a scam. But beyond that, how can you tell? These job opportunities are often counter-intuitive. What seems "too good to be true" is often real, and the legitimate-seeming businesses are a scam. But most people don't have the time or money to check them out.

I've spent the past five years researching and actually implementing many of these money making schemes on the internet, the ones most people tend to dismiss out-of-hand. And that's the problem. Most people dismiss them first, without giving a serious second thought to them. They think they know. But they don't. It's not as straightforward as people first assume.

Here I've compiled four rules to keep in mind when shopping for a home based business opportunity. This list is by no means comprehensive, but is a good thumbnail starter for those interested in home based businesses.

1. Look For Money-Back Guarantees.

Reputable companies will always offer money-back guarantees--most within 60 days--some with no time limits at all. Some companies (I'm thinking PaidSurveysOnline and Survey Scout) offer money-back guarantees, but must be contacted.

2. Avoid Excessive "Join-Up" Fees.

It's O.K. to pay for the initial program fee, but avoid companies that continue to ask for "dues" "bonuses," or "club memberships" after you've purchased their program.

3. Do Your Homework.

Find out how well the product is selling and what percentage of people ask for their money back. Go to Clickbank.com for the stats on thousands of products online.

4. Expect Some Extravagance and Exaggeration in the Ad Copy.

People aren't stupid. Ad copy writers know this. They know most intelligent adults can make adjustments for hyperbole in an ad.

Keep these four rules in mind and use common sense. If you keep an open mind, approach these offers seriously, and implement their strategies, many of them can make money for you.

John Buckley has owned a home based internet business for five years, and also reviews home based businesses for various publications. See more of his reviews at: http://www.Gojacksonia.comArlyne Blog37633
Aeriela Blog26893

How to Stop Spending Your Hard Earned Money

Answer these questions:

a. Does your spouse or partner complain that you spend too much money?

b. Are you surprised each month when your credit card bill arrives at how much more you charged than you thought you had?

c. Do you have more shoes and clothes in your closet than you could ever possibly wear?

d. Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailers shelf?

e. Do you buy things you didnt know you wanted until you saw them on display in a store?

If you answered yes to any two of the above questions, you are an impulse spender and indulge yourself in retail therapy.

This is not a good thing. It will prevent you from saving for the important things like a house, a new car, a vacation or retirement. You must set some financial goals and resist spending money on items that really dont matter in the long run.

Impulse spending will not only put a strain on your finances but your relationships, as well. To overcome the problem, the first thing to do is learn to separate your needs from your wants.

Advertisers blitz us hawking their products at us 24/7. The trick is to give yourself a cooling-off period before you buy anything that you have not planned for.

When you go shopping, make a list and take only enough cash to pay for what you have planned to buy. Leave your credit cards at home.

If you see something you think you really need, give yourself two weeks to decide if it is really something you need or something you can easily do without. By following this simple solution, you will mend your financial fences and your relationships.

Written by http://www.diyconservatories-and-windows.co.uk/ of http://www.digital-view-web.co.uk/

Neil ParnhamAriel Blog79043
Anabelle Blog58945

Choosing Small Business Website Names

I disagree with the comment made by some web developers that all the good domain names are taken. Search engine optimization, or seo, does not depend heavily on the www name you select. For my clients just starting out the decision choosing small business website names has never been an issue. It is a fact that all the 3 character and 4 character domain names with the key extensions are taken. Furthermore, I agree that a vast number of choice domain names are no longer available; however, the selection of a suitable www domain for your small business is possible if you remain flexible.

The real value in the name you choose from a search perspective is how easy it is to spell and remember. Of the two types of visitors to your site, the human visitors and search engines, the ability of a person to remember your domain name and spell it correctly to pass it on to others outweighs any SEO value. Search engines are robots and don't care.

Using words like "greatest", "best", or other exaggerated terms in your domain name is thought by some to be a disadvantage and penalized by search engines. Search algorithms change often and likewise that theory, and although you may not be penalized for using such words, consider the reaction of your human visitors. They may not stick around if they feel you boast without the content to back it up. For a serious small business commercial enterprise, my advice is avoiding adjectives in the domain name entirely.

In some cases new clients approach me to redesign an existing website, and it surprises me that some of the basics are overlooked. For example, a commercial enterprise in business for profit should not select a dot ORG domain simply because the dot COM was taken. This was the case from a conversation with a client interested in a site makeover. Their ORG version was online for two years with little or no backlinks or serious indexing from search engines. The mindset of getting one particular name should be reconsidered especially if it's your first online venture.

Here's a breakdown of the most desirable domain extensions and the usual purpose of each:

COM - Commercial for profit enterprise
INFO - Information only related website
NET - Companies providing internet services
ORG - Non-profit organizations

Certainly there are many more like BIZ, US, WS, and others which are all reasonable choices, but for your commercial small business my recommendation is always acquire a dot COM www domain name. The client mentioned earlier did not realize a dot ORG was intended for a non-commercial enterprise, and they decided the poor website SEO performance was something that justified getting a new dot COM. We easily found an available www domain using their company initials and one key word about their target market which is medical. Despite my advice that they keep the existing site and simply change the theme, they decided to just let it go when it expired.

My commercial site choice was my first and last name, and very unique at that. Using your name is okay, and expected if you're famous. There is, however, little or no value as far as keywords in my www domain to attract visitors, so is that a mistake for search engine optimization? Certainly not. The fact that I have collected more than 100 screenshots of generic phrases relative to my business that made Google page one is evidence the content, not the domain, is key.

Here's some advice to help you when choosing a new dot COM small business website domain name.

Start out with a list of about 10 domain names that you would like to have. Next, make a list of market related single word terms about what you do and the customer base you service. If your market is localized, consider geographical terms that relate to where you sell or provide services. Spend 30 minutes brainstorming to come up with the initial names and additional lists of single word terms. You may want another list of significant initials.

Next, search for "WhoIs" in Google to find free online services that keep a database of available domain names, and follow the link in the search results. Each database has a search box which allows you to input the domain name and extension. Begin with your first choice and work down the list and keep track of available names for review later. It may not be easy, so try combinations of the key terms as you continue to search, and keep in mind you want a domain name that is easy to spell and remember. By the time you're done you should have a half dozen or more available names, so take your time and select the best one, and then register the name immediately.

Tip: The domain name may not be significant for search engine optimization, but the length of your registration can be. My advice is registering domains for 2 years minimum, and 5 to 10 years if that's in your budget. Search engines consider that the length of your registration reflects your commitment to be online long term, so at today's prices 5 years is practical and should cost less than $50 USD.

There's nothing wrong with getting the dot COM domain name you want, and then registering the other major extensions that are available for the same name. If you are highly successful in your online venture, having the other extensions registered in your name prevents others from attempting to take advantage of your reputation by association. In conclusion, the concept that all the good domain names are taken is a myth. You may not get exactly what you want, but practical options are available with a little research and due diligence.

Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center http://www.jimdegerstrom.com and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog http://www.jimdegerstrom.com/blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.Alyce Blog12872
Almira Blog82432

Employers: Save Time By Hiring A Private Investigator To Conduct An Employee Background Check

If you are in business, you know that it's important to have a variety of information about those individuals who are working with you. This is true whether the position involves a security detail, handling large amounts of cash or working with a great deal of information such as the social security numbers and credit information for your company's clients.

Therefore, conducting an employee background check is essential in many businesses. However, not every manager or owner will have the time to thoroughly check out everyone who has applied for and who is being considered for filling a position. That's where a private investigator comes in.

It's possible to hire a private investigator to conduct an employee background check for you.

With an employee background check, a private investigator can determine whether the prospective employee:

has a car or truck registered in his or her name;
has a clean driving record;
has indeed attended the college or university listed on his or her application;
has been sued or has a criminal record;
has ever filed for bankruptcy protection;
has sued a previous employer for worker's compensation;
has passed state licensing exams such as those for teachers, doctors, nurses or lawyers;
has ever failed a drug test; or
has been listed on the sex offenders registry.

With this information, you can verify the information that is on the applicant's resume and determine whether or not they meet the criteria that your company sets for its employees.

Much of the information that is included in an employee background check is information that is on public record. Therefore, some businesses may wonder why they should hire a private investigator when it is possible to get the information on their own.

There are a number of reasons why it makes sense to hire a private investigator to conduct an employee background check. Time is one reason: while as an employer may have to place a number of phone calls or conduct a number of searches just to determine who should be contacted to find the information, a private investigator is experienced at conducting employee background checks.

In addition to saving time by having someone else conduct an employee background check, your business will be able to continue to focus on your clients and customers. As a result, your day to day business will not slip through the cracks and you can be sure that the employee background check is conducted without bias.

When the same individuals who conduct interviews also conduct employee background checks, it's possible that a detail would be weighted based on the interview with or personality of the applicant. Because a private investigator is a neutral party, all that will be considered during the employee background check is the information that the search yields.

With that information, you will be better able to determine whether or not the applicant is someone who fits in with your company, your mission statement and the specifics of the position. And, thanks to an employee background check, you can be sure that the person who you hire is a reputable, reliable candidate who will help your business to grow.

David Almeida is a licensed private investigator with a degree in criminal justice. He is affiliated with the National Association of Investigative Specialists and the Licensed Private Detectives Association of Massachusetts. For more information visit http://www.baystatedetective.comAlvina Blog99946
Alis Blog86532

How And When To Teach Your Kids About Money

As a child, money seems to somehow grow on trees as mum and dad always appear to have money to buy things.

Even though this is clearly not the case, its unfortunately the perception of children who live in a very consumer oriented world.

Rather than letting your child grow up thinking that money comes easily, you need to institute some form of education that teaches them how to understand and use money wisely.

Teach them young and they will carry forward that knowledge and live a better financial life. Heres a few tips how :

From ages 3 - 7

1. Show them the value of money by explaining what $2 can and can't buy. It may be an idea to do this whilst walking down the super market aisle or toy aisle (if you are game!).

2. Let them watch you pay for things. You may even start by letting them hand over the cash or pressing the OK button on the ATM.

3. Do not give them notes. Pay their pocket money in coins as your children need to understand how to allocate their money.

4. Show them how to visualise their goals. Get them to draw what they want to save up for. Keep the goals realistic otherwise they will very quickly lose interest.

What they learn -

Different things have different values.
Money simply doesn't grow on trees and that you have to work for your money.
You have to allocate your money for different things

From ages 7 - 12

1. Encourage them to participate in the school banking programme. This will give them a sense of regular commitment to savings.

2. Get them interested in looking at their bank statements and following how much money they are saving. This will get them used to scanning banking paperwork.

3. Get them to start thinking of a long term saving goal and work out how long it will take them to reach that goal.

4. Give them a combination of notes and coins for their pocket money. This will really strengthen their allocation abilities and efficient usage of spare change.

5. Start showing them the family bills and explain positively that the bills have to be paid to keep the family going.

What they will learn
Saving is a planned activity and something that needs a bit of thought rather that just putting away what's left over.
The value of small change
It takes a fair bit of money and good money management skills to keep a roof over their head.

For Teenagers

1. Encourage them to set up their own bank account and use internet banking.

2. Direct debit their pocket money into their account. This will get them used to dealing with intangible payments, and that electronic money is not just a set of numbers.

3. Make them responsible for their own bills such as mobiles. This is a very quick way to teach them how to spend wisely.

4. Try not to lend money to them for purchases that are of an extravagant nature. If they really want it, encourage them to get a part time job to save up enough. If you do loan money to them, do so only on the grounds that you will reduce the amount of their pocket money until the loan is paid.

5. Charge them board if they have a part time job - this will start getting them into the habit of paying their way for things they take for granted - like food and shelter!!

6. Introduce them to the concept of return on investment. Show them the value of putting some of their money into high interest savings accounts or even into managed investments.

7. Highlight the fact that if they start now they will be so much better off down the track.

What they learn

Not only will they learn more modern and more efficient banking techniques they will also learn how to curb their wants, or find ways to earn rather than going into debt for something that is not totally necessary.

It takes money to create money.

Greg R Smith is money expert from Australia who is recognized for his gift to translate the often complex money world into simple over the kitchen table language. He is a qualified financial planner with over 20 years experience and is also a best selling an author, TV presenter, columnist, public speaker and radio presenter. He is also the inventor of a revolutionary money box that will change the way children learn about money forever - visit http://www.moneyedbox.com for more.Ada Blog85176
Amelie Blog34351

Increase Profits With Secure Online Shopping Carts

In the few weeks prior to Christmas, 2006, 350 million people made 250 billion dollars in purchases online. This is a 24% increase from a decade ago, and double the figures for theChristmas season, 2005. Shopping online has become one of the most profitable ways to get a product to the consumer.

The introduction of SSL certificates, PayPal, and the support of Credit Card companies and banks have turned online shopping into the fastest growing market in the world.

At one time, the only option for shoppers included brick-and-mortar retail stores and catalogue ordering. This turned the Christmas season into an exercise in patience and stamina as shoppers waited in long lines, travelled from store to store looking for the right item, and sometimes ordering items months in advance.

Very few people enjoyed the luxury of comparing prices, shopping at liquidation centers, and buying products at wholesale. The Internet changed all that. Now, not only can people shop online, but many businesses can offer secondary sale items at 1/2 retail. Just purchase a lot from a liquidation center, and sell it from your site using Paypal.

The Internet made shopping at home a breeze. However, any work at home business needs to understand the dark side of online shopping if they want to succeed.

Phishing

Many people are afraid to make a purchase from a small website because many fake websites are phishing websites. These sites collect banking information from victims and then use it for fraudulent purchases even loan applications.

Credit Card Fraud and Identity theft are an ever increasing problem both on the net and in the real world.

That is why most online vendors use Paypal instead of their own shopping cart. Yes, it may look basic, but programmers can make the Paypal site mimic any web site. This streamlines the process. Many consumers will appreciate the attention to security.

1) Tell purchasers not to save their passwords or banking information on their PC. Most know this, but posting a warning makes the shopping cart appear secure. Image is everything.

2) Remind clients that Paypal has a buyer protection plan. This will increase sales. After three years on the net, Ive only been ripped off twice.

3) NEVER ask for additional information. Many purchasers will see this as a red flag that might indicate a phishing site. Many marketers love to collect information. It may seem simple to ask people where they came from, what brought them to the site, why thy made a purchase, or where they live but it will cost sales.

4) Show purchasers your security with statements like Only purchase online through secure order pages which are indicated by a small, yellow, Padlock image located near the bottom of the internet browsers window.

Posting an image of the padlock used by IE and Firefox will increase sales by showing that your site uses the padlock.

5) Tell clients that no information from the purchase is used for mailing lists by this business, or partner businesses. Include a disclaimer that this business never sells, shares, or trades contact information with third parties.

6) One of the first things shoppers do is look for a business address. If the address is not located in the USA, and they cannot find a business number in the national phone book, then they wont make a purchase.

It is sad that many phishing sites are run from Russia or Asia where there are not regulations, and no way to legally confront these companies. Until there is an international legal blanket, the only way to increase sales on a website is to reassure shoppers that you are concerned with their security.

Mark Walters is a third generation entrepreneur and author. He offers free training and investing videos designed to speed you towards financial independence at http://www.cashflowinstitute1.com/Articles.htmlAudre Blog54617
Adrian Blog80678

Online Paid Surveys Can Give You An Extra Income

If you have been on the internet looking for an opportunity to earn money you have probably already heard about paid surveys. Online paid surveys are one of the first things money making opportunities people get to know. For people who have been on the internet for a while, this is well known. This article is for people who are new to paid surveys and if you are one of them you should keep on reading because it might be profitable for you.

In this article I have listed some common questions regarding paid surveys. I have also added answers to those questions based on my own experience as a user of this method for generating extra income. My purpose is to help you to gain a better understanding of the online paid survey process.

What is a survey actually?

Online surveys provide a way by which data about people, services or products are gathered through internet. This way to describe it is pretty good if you want to get an idea what to expect from such a survey. Each survey contain a number of questions on a particular topic. To give you an example, it can be a product satisfaction survey which may consist of various questions designed to get your opinion about different characteristics of the product - if you find it helpful, if it is costly for you or if it has a decent price, how frequently you would buy it, etc.

Which benefits does a company have from collecting answers from surveys?

Surveys are a major and widely used market research tool online as well as off line. They are a reliable and preferred method that many marketing companies use to assemble and filter consumers' opinion that help them improve their marketing activities.

What are some companies willing to pay me to answer such surveys?

In fact, many people would be happy to complete a survey for free. Today we are surrounded with people who want our opinion; in our mail boxes, on our phone and on our doorsteps. Many people are tiered of this and won't bother or will even give cheeky answers. If you are paid for your opinion, you are more likely to increase your engagement and give answers that are in harmony with what you really mean. When you are paid you have the necessary motivation to answer it and if you utilize this option from several companies you can earn extra money using paid surveys. That is why many - especially home mothers and fathers and other people with much leisure time - are attracted towards it. The expense represented by the payout is reasonable for the surveying marketing company - the data is vital for planning their activities thus saving a fortune on possible wrong marketing campaigns.

How can I start receiving online paid surveys and start to make money?

To enter the world of this opportunity to earn extra cash you just need to join some online paid survey programs. As soon as your registration, you will start receiving surveys. The frequency at which you get surveys will depend on your profile and on the survey company type as well as how many survey companies you have signed up for.

How much will I be earning?

The payment varies from each survey which means that each of them will bring you different amount of money. It will vary with the company as well as with the type of survey you answer. Some of them may bring you just $3 while other can add up to $50 and even more to your monthly balance. The total earnings each month depend on the kind of surveys you will be completing and their amount. The amount of surveys you get from one company is difficult to predict so you better do not depend on this income. What you can do though, is to join as many companies as possible. The more companies you the more income your are likely to receive.

How will I get paid?

Each individual company or site has a different payment method. The most common payment options are:

payment with cheque,

payment via Pal Pay (this requires a Paypal account which is free and very easy to get)

payment to your credit card.

Make sure that you have checked the method of payment that you need before taking up the surveys. This will keep you away for a nasty surprise.

Are there some scams I should watch out for?

As with most other online stuff, it is better to watch and be careful to whom you are disclosing your data. Unfortunately there are many more fake sites than the genuine ones and no wonder that you come across the fake ones in the first page of your search engine. If you take this seriously and treat it as a genuine income opportunity, it is mandatory to read the contracts, terms and conditions related to those sites. This will give you a fairly clear idea of how they operate or at least how you might lose your money! Serious paid survey companies will have their contact numbers and address displayed in their website. If this information is lacking you should think twice before investing.

I will recommend that you check out what other people are saying about the companies you consider to join. You can go to appropriate discussion forums and other media and publications which can give you an idea about that company. you can also do a search with the company or website name plus "review" or "testimonial". This will enable you to stay away from the scams and focus on serious paid survey companies.

Edgar Holm is a writer and internet publisher who likes to publish quality information about online paid surveys and other online business opportunities. Read more at http://www.the-paid-surveys-portal.com.Anjela Blog10063
Auguste Blog1961

Website Accessibility Important For Disabled Visitors

A study released by computing and disability charity, AbilityNet, found that people with disabilities favour the most accessible websites when using the Internet. A poll of over 100 people with disabilities showed that the disabled community use the Internet for information, shopping, banking and leisure, just like everyone else. However, most disabled users will spend their time and money only on businesses that cater to their needs with more accessible ( http://www.accuracast.com/services/usability-accessibility.php ) sites.

Demographics of UK's Disabled Audience

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that there are 610 million disabled persons worldwide. The European Parliament estimates that there are 37 million disabled individuals in the EU, over 50% of whom are of working age. 10.3 million UK residents declare that they have a limiting long-term illness. These numbers are significant enough to make anyone realise the potential audience they could be ignoring by creating websites ( http://www.accuracast.com/services/search-engine-optimisation/website-development.php )that are hard to access.

Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act ascerts that website owners have had a legal duty, since October 1999, to ensure that all services provided via their website are accessible to disabled people. Any company not complying with the accessibility guidelines could potentially open itself up to legislation and discrimination lawsuits from disabled customers.

Disability Rights Commission: User-friendly websites for all

The disability rights commission launched guidance yesterday on how to launch a website that is user friendly. The document, Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 78, was developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and sponsored by the Disability Rights Commission.

Details on the PAS 78 can be found at http://www.bsi-global.com/PAS78

Common Accessibility Problems

Typical accessibility problems encountered by most disabled users include:

Text size on some sites is hard-coded so that it cannot be easily enlarged

Text labels attached to images (Alt text attribute) are often uninformative or absent

Pictures of text are often used instead of actual text

Adverts and features made up of moving images distract visitors with a cognitive impairment

Interactive presentations such as 'Flash Movies' present access problems for visitors who cannot use a mouse, are vision impaired or who use speech output or voice recognition software

Mini programs embedded in the page such as JavaScripts prevent full access the sites.

Accessible websites are also search engine friendly, which means that by ensuring that your website is accessibility compliant you not only increase your potential audience but also optimize ( http://www.accuracast.com/services/search-engine-optimisation/ ) your website for higher search engine rankings.

If your website presents any of the above problems for users with disabilities, you are most likely alienating a very large customer segment. AccuraCast provides usability and accessibility consultation and design services. Feel free to contact us ( http://www.accuracast.com/contact/ ) to discuss your website's accessibility.

Other articles to read:

Could MSN Search Turn Into a Google Killer? ( http://www.accuracast.com/seo-weekly/msn-google.php )

Google Conversion Rates Lower Than AOL, MSN, Yahoo! ( http://www.accuracast.com/seo-weekly/google-converts.php )

SEO Weekly (http://www.accuracast.com/seo-weekly/ )

Farhad Divecha is the founding Director of AccuraCast, London's leading search engine marketing agency. He has 7 years experience marketing products and services online and offline. His past projects included managing $80 million PC Card product lines for 3Com, consulting for Household, Proctor & Gamble and numerous other large and small companies in the UK and USA. His experience and vision steered AccuraCast to rank among the top 25 search agencies in the UK (NMA 2006 Marketing Services Guide).Audry Blog27364
Anetta Blog97040

7 Tips for Saving Money on Electricity

According to the United States Department of energy, the average household spends about $1,300 on electricity annually. This is a lot of money and things such as the weather; the types of lights used and the frequent use of appliances are the deciding factors.

Can anything be done to make this go down? The answer is yes. By reading these tips, the money saved can be used for other expenses.

1. The weather surely gets hot in the summer. It could go up to 90 degrees or higher and the only way to stay cool is using an air conditioner. People should use curtains and shades to reduce the effort of this appliance in cooling the room under these hot conditions.

The doors and windows in the house must also be closed so the air doesnt go out enabling it to circulate in the designated area. The filters of this household appliance should be cleaned every 3 months to keep it in good condition.

2. The wattage of the bulbs determines how much electricity is consumed. These should be checked because there are some brands available that are just as bright as others that dont use a lot of power.

3. If there is no one in the room, the lights and other appliances such as the computer must be turned off. This can help prevent overloads or short circuits from happening that may start a fire in the home.

4. Many households have washers and dryers. If the practice is to do the laundry every other day, perhaps doing this twice a week when the load is full is advisable. This can also save some money when paying for gallons of water used during the month.

5. The refrigerator and freezer should be defrosted and cleaned every 2 weeks. This prevents the ice from getting too thick which may cause this machine to break down.

6. People have to cook in order to eat. The person can try using range top burners instead of ovens that use up a lot of electricity.

7. People who live in cold climates need a heater to warm the home. A blanket can be use to wrap around it to lessen the power used inside and while taking a shower.

There are many things that people pay for when owning a home. The homeowner can monitor the electric bills the few past months and see if the steps taken has shown improvements when the next one arrives.

The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of a buzzing online Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling Contractors community where homeowners easily and painlessly find the right contractor for their home improvement projects and in turn, contractors can find the right Home Improvement Leads! Also check out the http://QuoteCity.com Blog for more related Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling Articles and Ideas.Alys Blog20384
Alicea Blog7797

Why Is It So Difficult To Collect Timesheets?

Its an all too familiar story: Its Friday afternoon, and you need to finish your accounts and get those invoices out so you can stay in control of your cash flow. You look over your staff timesheets and see that, as you predicted, many of your staff havent submitted them yet. You chase them up, only to find out that one of your staff is at a meeting at a client site and cannot be contacted, and a couple more have already left for the weekend. Then there are those that have to be told three times to do their timesheets. How are you supposed to cope with this and still have time to run your business?

There are a number of methods to deal with this type of situation when it occurs. There is always the possibility that you will find yourself in this situation even with the very best of planning, so you need to have some kind of coping strategy. Here are a few coping mechanisms that you can use:

1 Wait until next week to do your invoicing. This method is probably the easiest solution to handle from an accounting point of view, and it means you can go home early too! However, if you are currently struggling with cash flow this may not be an option.

2 Send out your invoices today and add the missing timesheets to future invoices. There are many reasons not to do this, as it can create difficulty with administration, and it can also confuse your clients. However, if you are strapped for cash, it may be the best option.

That being said, the best way to handle these situations is to plan ahead so that they never occur. Here are a number of proven methods that you can use to get those timesheets in more painlessly:

1 Make timesheets due days (or weeks) before the its time to send out the invoices, and check to make sure you have received them well in advance of needing them to do the billing. While this may sound obvious, youd be surprised at how many businesses have difficulty achieving this.

2 Delegate the task of collecting timesheets to a staff member you trust. This will allow you to spend more time on what you are good at; running your business.

3 Provide an incentive for staff to submit their timesheets by a certain time. By far the most effective method of doing this is to link the collection of timesheets with the payroll. Not the nicest way to go about it, but youll probably never see another late timesheet!

4 Automate the process as much as possible. If you have a lot of traveling staff, make it possible for them to submit their timesheets via email. You can also put systems in place to automatically email staff to request missing timesheets.

If you require a reasonable level of detail in your timesheets, you will generally benefit from implementing a time tracking software solution. Staff can have a program that is installed on their computers and is easy to use, allowing them to enter timesheet information easily while they work. Some time tracking packages will also automate the process of timesheet submission and will link directly to your accounting software, making life easier for everyone.

The key to the success of any time tracking system is for it to be an integrated part of the corporate culture. Hence, staff should be informed that part of their job description includes the submission of timesheets by the deadlines. If you can get staff to create their timesheets while they work and submit the daily, it will be easier for both staff and manager.

If your staff spend a lot of time behind their computers, you may wish to consider a software package that can help the staff fill in their timesheets. One such package is Spherical Technologys Time Tracking Software, which logs the files and applications that a staff member uses, and makes it easy for staff to create an accurate timesheet at the end of the day.

Timesheets are an important but much overlooked aspect of running a successful business. With the right planning and systems in place, timesheet creation and collection can be painlessly integrated into the day-to-day operation of your organization.

Tom Jacobs writes for http://www.superbtimesheets.info where you can find out more about timesheets and other topics.Anallese Blog1537
Auria Blog5766

Ways to Make Moving To or From Dallas Cheaper

If you are planning on moving to the Dallas area, you are not alone. Each year, a large number of individuals and families make the decision to move to the area. Whether you are planning on moving to the Dallas area or from it, you may want to think about acquiring the services of a professional Dallas moving company.

When it comes to hiring the services of a professional moving company, including companies located in Dallas, there are a large number of individuals who are concerned with the cost of moving. As with just about anything else you do, there are a number of different ways that you could save money on moving expenses, even when you are using professional assistance.

One of the many ways that you can save money is by finding an affordable Dallas moving company. Some Dallas moving companies will charge a large amount of money for their services, but not all will. By contacting a number of different Dallas moving companies, for price estimates, you should be able to receive an estimated moving cost. By comparing all of those estimates and choosing the lowest one, you should be able to save money right away.

Another way that you can save money, while using a professional Dallas moving company, is not move everything that you own, especially things that you no longer want or need. It is a known fact that the more items you have to move, the higher your moving costs will be. Before moving, you may want to sort through all of your belongings and get rid of everything that could live without. If you are interested in making a few extra dollars before you move, you could have a yard sale. If you do not have time to host a yard sale, you may want to think about donating your unwanted items to charity.

You may also be able to save money by getting your packing supplies free. Many professional moving companies will supply their customers with boxes, ahead of time. If those boxes need to be returned, they are often free; however, not all are. Before you think about buying boxes from your moving company or another place, you are advised to search for free boxes. A large number of retail stores, including small department stores and grocery stores, would be more that willing to give you their boxes. It is a good idea to ask in advance because many retailers will have you come back on a day when they are supposed to receive a shipment, which in turn will often result in a wider selection of boxes.

Searching for a low-cost Dallas moving company, packing as little as you can, and getting your packing supplies for free are just a few of the many ways that you should be able to move to or from Dallas for an affordable price. In addition to an affordable move, you may also find that eliminating your unwanted items results in a more attractive looking home, which is what you should want your new home to be.

Ted Garvin is a writer for http://FroggyMoving.com where you can find the best Dallas Moving Company around and other related information.Anabelle Blog58945
Amargo Blog40332

Watch Out For Work At Home Scams

If youre like me you would love to work at home. Just think we could stay in our pajamas all day, not have to answer to anyone and work when we want. Not to mention make thousands a month doing it!

There are many work at home scams that you need to be aware of. I have fallen prey to quite of few of them myself. A perfect example is the stuffing the envelope scam. Imagine employers paying someone to do thisand wait there is a $35.00 sign up fee! Of course this is not legitimate. If you find one that is, please let me know, Ill start right away.

Then there is home assembly jobs, maybe putting together doll furniture. You sign up, of course there is another fee for that, you get your materials, finish your project and send it in only to find out it wasnt done to their satisfaction so they reject it. You did all that work and then didnt get paid for it.

Oh and dont forget the mystery shopping scam. Most of these people place ads that hit you up for anywhere from $19.95 to $49.95. For this you will be supplied with a list of places and companies that hire mystery shoppers. Most of them give you a list of department stores for your money.

Generally if it sounds too good to be true, it is. There are steps that you can take to protect yourself. If youre considering a work at home job, call the Better Business Bureau and check them out. Call the Federal Trade Commission. Ask the employer for references. Never send money for a job. Do not respond to 800 & 900 numbers. Avoid companies that have P.O. Box.

There are legitimate work at home jobs available, you just have to do your research and trust your instincts.

Denise DamazioAlyce Blog56982
Anastassia Blog61620

Why Your Writing Time Is Worth More Than Money

I used to think that everything in my life was geared around saving money. Even when it came to my writing I would rather waste time doing things the long way rather than spend money that would help speed my career along.

Bu then something happened that made me realise that my writing time is worth far more than money and now my time is much more profitable.

The thing that happened was Nick Daws Quick Cash Writing course. Id been receiving Nick Daws Ewriter Newsletter for a few months when he started mentioning his Quick Cash Writing course. I took a look at his sales page for this product and saw that it came with a 60-day money back guarantee and that the course promised that I could earn 30-times the cost of the course by the time Id finished it.

So I reluctantly parted with my cash and downloaded the book. Once I started reading it I couldnt wait to get started and began the course with great gusto.

By the time I was halfway through the course I realised that the initial promise of earning 30-times the cost by the time Id completed the course was wrong because Id already done it.

I was totally hooked on this course because it made me start writing, told me where to submit my work and kept me writing more. The cheques were rolling in and I was extremely happy.

So then I decided to try Nick Daws other course, Write Any Book in 28 Days or Less. Again I began the course with the same amount of gusto and 4 weeks later I sat looking at my manuscript which was pretty amazing considering I didnt even know what I was going to write about when I started. Since then my manuscript has been edited, finalised and has now been sent to my agent.

But I was now an addict for downloadable products because now I knew how much time I could save (Id never had written a book in 4 weeks without the course) and how much money I could earn (Id never been so motivated to write so much without the Quick Cash Writing course, which Ive done several times now).

So then I spent more money and bought Jim Edwards Write and Publish Your Own eBook in as Little as 7 Days, which I also did and the eBook has been very profitable indeed and Im now writing my second.

I also bought Jim Edwards Affiliate Link Cloaker so that none of the visitors to my website could tell which links contained my affiliate code which stopped my website looking like a sales pitch and which increased my sales.

I then also bought Article Submitter which helps me submit all my articles to article directories in minutes which was a job that used to take hours.

But then I made the ultimate and most expensive purchase and it wasnt even downloadable or related to writing in any way. I bought an iRobot called Roomba and it runs round my house on its own and vacuums the carpets, rugs and floors while I write.

Does Roomba make me lazy? No, I dont think so. Vacuuming in our house takes a long time because with 3 pets there are a lot of animal hairs around that can be difficult to pick up, but Roomba is built to be especially good with picking up pet hairs and so it is. Ive now gained extra hours to write each week.

But the whole point Im trying to make here is that in my opinion, my writing time is more important than money. In fact Ive discovered that, through careful selection of products, the more money Ive spent the more Ive earned.

Thanks Nick. Thanks Jim. Thanks Roomba.

Ruth Barringham is a freelance writer and runs successful websites at http://www.writeaholic.co.uk and http://www.workathomeaholic.com.Angele Blog37115
Agnella Blog47325

Hybrid Cars Save Money

Hybrid Cars Save Money If you have been sitting on the fence about deciding to purchase a Hybrid car, you no longer have any excuse to be squeamish. Consumer Reports just released a study this August that confirms that Hybrid cars will in fact save you money over the long run.

The combination of generous tax credits along with the fuel saving nature of these vehicles is what makes them a good long term value. The difference in up front cost between a hybrid and its traditional counterpart is often between $1200 and $7000. Thats a wide gap, and can be enough to leave you wondering if its worth it.

The good news is that if you act fast and purchase your new Hybrid car before the tax credits phase out in 2007, alot of that upfront additional cost will come back to you in the form of a tax credit. Meanwhile, you will enjoy long term savings on fuel costs.

Did you know that as of 2006, Hybrids account for only 1% of new car sales in the US? As gas prices rise, the ratio will likely change as people seek to cut costs out of rising fuel prices. Unfortunately, if you wait too long you will no longer be able to take advantage of the tax credits that are being phased out. If you are considering purchasing a Hybrid car, you are better to do it now.

The study, conducted by Consumer Reports assumes that you keep your Hybrid car for several years, long enough to notice the difference in cost of filling up. Of course, the more you drive to work, school, or on vacation, the faster and greater your savings will add up.

If you are researching Hybrid cars, be sure to check out http://www.hybridrevolution.org This site lists updated information on all makes and models of Hybrids available and soon to be available.

Amber Lowery is an author and webmaster. You can read more about Hybrid cars by visiting her site: http://www.netcarshopping.info/hybrid.html or by visiting: http://hybrid.autobuyerworld.infoAntonie Blog80021
Allis Blog30938