In this time of recession, all of us are looking for ways to conserve energy and cut back on our utility bills. For some this means taking up reading rather than watching TV or tooling around on the computer.
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Decorate Your Home on a Budget
Even those of us who don’t have two nickels to rub together still want to come home to a house that is warm, inviting, and lovingly decorated.
When starting a new business, it’s important to have all your ducks in row. You’ve likely got a solid business plan penned, a lender on the hook, and a lot of ideas about how you want to proceed with getting your fledgling enterprise off the ground.
Tax deductions, or write-offs, could mean the difference between a healthy refund and paying money to the government. That’s why it’s important to be aware of any available deductions.
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How to Read Food Labels
Have you ever wondered just what is in some of the foods you’re eating? Sure you can read the label, but with all the unpronounceable words to contend with (what the heck is monosodium glutamate anyway?) and the small problem of putting all those numbers into context (is 240 calories good or bad?) you may be scratching your head over what to make of the information.
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How to Start Saving in 2011
It’s time once again to start making your list of New Year’s resolutions. And while “get in shape” is at the top of most people’s lists, you have likely also included “save money” (in one form or another) as a very close second. In fact, you’re not very liable to follow through with any of your resolutions, despite your good intentions (as you may recall from years past) unless you make some sort of change in your methodology.
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5 Great Ways to Market Your Brand
You’ve created a brand for yourself now how do you market it?! Whether you’re a blogger or a small business person having a brand is very important. What’s more important is marketing your brand. Marketing helps people find you, know who you are and creates conversation and curiosity.
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I Luv Danny Macaroons
Being an island girl, I love me some coconuts. From Coconut Oil for my hair, Almond Joy & Mound when I’m craving a candy bar, to a Pina Colada when I’m in the mood for a drink, coconut makes everything better. A great snack dessert that I love to eat are Coconut Macaroons, and after trying Danny Macaroons, I must say I’ve probably found the best Macaroons in NYC
This year you should ask yourself this very important question: Are You an Asset or a Liability?
First let’s look at what each means…
According to Webster’s Dictionary, an Asset is a valuable possession or quality, and a Liability is something owed to another: debt; a handicap: disadvantage.
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Black Swan
After hearing so many great reviews about Black Swan I decided to watch it this weekend, and I am glad I did. I loved this movie from start to finish, it blew me away!!! There were times when I literally scratched my head and looked at the screen in confusion, but I just knew this was part of the amazing performance by Natalie Portman.
Immediately following the season of giving is the season of paying, and if you’re like most people, you have probably racked up a bit of debt in your quest to make the holidays special for family and friends. So rather than finding yourself in the same boat a year from now, why not set aside the resolutions to lose weight (you know that only lasts about five minutes), clean the garage, plant a garden, and so on, and instead commit to setting a budget that will give you the money you need to pay off debt, keep up with bills, and save a little extra to hire a cleaning crew and gardeners (and still have some money left for next year’s holiday season)?
Dating can present a host of difficulties for those who still frequent the scene. Getting to know a new person, learning what makes them tick, and trying not to mess up a good thing by being too, well…YOU…can be a frustrating and disheartening experience. You’re going to meet a lot of Mr. or Mrs. Wrongs before you find THE ONE, and the dates you choose have the potential to make or break a prospective relationship. If you knew the person better, you could definitely come up with something to impress, at least you could if you had the cash on hand for a 5-star restaurant, roses, and a limo. Unfortunately, you may have found yourself a little lighter in the wallet since the onset of the recession (when will it end?!).
One of the biggest problems that many home-based business owners face when they’re first starting out is a lack of visibility. Supporting your new enterprise can be a real problem when you don’t have a lot of money to advertise and prospective clients have no idea who you are or what type of service you can offer (with no history to back you up, you could have a very hard time convincing potential customers to give you a chance).
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This Christmas… Meet the GodFocker
This Christmas why not watch a movie that will make you laugh Out Loud throughout the entire movie. Little Fockers is the one to see, this movie is hilarious from start to finish.
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5 College Jobs That Don’t Suck
Going to college can be stressful, tiring and most of all, expensive. Most students are struggling to get by paying for groceries, rent, and tuition, surviving on the bare minimum. Although having a job while taking a full load of classes can be difficult, it can also be very rewarding and help minimize your debt. Finding the perfect job to meet your busy schedule may not be easy, but when you do find the right job, you won’t regret it.
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5 Most Incredible New Car Features
People often say that technology is advancing at an exponential rate (as in, our generation will generate twice the tech as our parents, our kids will generate four times as much, and so on and so forth). And if you think about it, some of the technology available for cars today would have seemed like science fiction just ten or twenty years ago.
Instead of staying cooped up this winter, consider going on a great vacation to the mountains, escaping to a metropolitan city, or warming up in the desert. There are so many places to explore in a wide variety of price ranges, so pack up the car, bring your skis, or swimsuit and don’t forget to pack some sunscreen.
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Holiday Travel on the Cheap
One of the best parts of the holiday season is taking the time to visit family and friends, far and wide, that you may be unable to see at any other time of year. But with the price of airline tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars at a premium, and long lines, delayed flights, and cancellations plaguing travelers during the busiest travel season of the year, contemplating leaving home, even to see loved ones that have long been absent, can be the furthest thing from your mind.
There’s an entire world out there waiting to be explored by adventurous souls, but you can’t expect to see all of it (at least not in depth) in one short lifetime (and on a limited budget). Instead, you should endeavor to see some of the biggest and best that the world has to offer before you kick the bucket. To that end, here are just a few of the diamonds in the rough that are worth seeing before you shuffle off this mortal coil.
Many of us make and spend money because we must if we want to survive. Food, clothing, and shelter all come with a price tag attached and most societies require you to pull your weight if you want to live according to your own terms. However, when you get into the territory of spending more money than you make, your poor financial decisions are likely based on emotional buying rather than actual necessity; and this can quickly become a problem.