Invest in Home Buying

Photo by Nik

At this time you may think investing in a home is not a good choice. If you look at the past history, the economy will go through different phases. The current phase we are in is the majority of homes are selling at or below value. This is the "buyer’s market" of homes phase. Some of the other phases include gold bought at a low price and then selling at a high price, investing in risky stocks that later may pay out very well, and the money markets interest paying out well.

Now is the time you should jump in and purchase a home or multiple homes. Invest your money in a home(s) to sell at a later date when the market gets "hot" for sellers. (In the meantime, if the home you purchase is livable and not a fixer upper, you can rent out your new investment.) You will be very pleased with the profit you make once you sell the house. With that profit you can try to invest in money markets, stocks and/or bonds, etc., depending on which phase the economy is in.

Another option you have is to buy homes to "flip." Flipping is where you buy a property for very cheap and sell the property to make a profit. You may see some cosmetic problems in the house that need fixing. Maybe it is simply updating the house. You can easily update the house but instead of putting expensive tile in the kitchen and bathrooms, use linoleum flooring. If you are handy you can install the flooring yourself and save money from high labor costs. The key is to make the house attractive to potential buyers while spending as little money as possible so you make a nice profit.

Sometimes the profit may only be a few thousand dollars. If you keep investing in homes, the money will add up quickly for you.

Another option you have is to buy the home and get rid of the home before you fix it up if you know some information on flipping. This works especially well if you have a team of people who you can work with. You purchase the home and have a list of other people into flipping homes. You have to know what is a reasonable price to buy the house(s) at so you can raise the price and make a profit.

It is time to invest in a home or as many homes as you can afford to make a nice profit (in the near future) before the economy turns to another phase. For more information please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Business Opportunity--Photography

Photo by Nik

Do you love to take pictures? Are people always complimenting your photographs? If so, photography may just be the perfect business opportunity for you.

Sometimes jobs just come right to your front door. My husband takes a lot of photos. People started asking him to take pictures for them and they would pay him. My husband had no training. His only training was his love for photography. Sometimes he would check photography books out of the library or buy magazines with helpful information. Now you can easily browse online and find out helpful information.

My husband started by taking family group photos at reunions. Everyone loved the memories captured.

Next, people started to ask him to be the photographer at their wedding. At first he was reluctant as this is a big responsibility. He decided to try it out and he enjoyed it. You can offer a lower price than a “professional” photographer. Meet the wedding couple ahead of time and tell them the photograph ideas you can offer them. Make sure you get a list of the pictures the couple wants taken.

Other photography business opportunities include: Baby pictures in different poses. New parents cannot get enough pictures of their baby.

Senior photographs are an excellent way to make money. You can offer to let the teenager change into five different outfits and you can take many different background pictures and poses.

Example: Take 250 pictures. Charge a flat rate of $200.00 for a disc of (at least) 200 pictures. Delete “bad” pictures. Polish up the stunning pictures. You can use a program such as PhotoShop to add special effects.

If you are answering an ad online or in the newspaper for a photographer, make sure you have a portfolio of the photographs you’ve taken to show the potential client. If you do not have any photos you want to use, start with family. Take some free pictures and choose the best ones to display.

If you have an excellent eye for photography and you are creative, this business opportunity is for you. For more information on business opportunities please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/.

Save Money--Plant a Garden

This spring it would be wise to plant a garden to save money. Enjoy fresh vegetables for snacks and with your meals.

You do not even need that large of an area to plant your garden. Choose your favorite vegetables to plant. Green beans, Swiss chard (a type of spinach), carrots, peppers and tomatoes usually thrive in gardens.

Beans you can enjoy picking with your children. Usually green beans are plentiful so check each day if there are green beans to be picked. This could be your children’s chore once they know how to pick the beans off of the vine.

Enjoy toast and a juicy red tomato with a little mayonnaise or butter for a healthy snack or lunch. Place sliced carrots on plate instead of potato chips.

Saving money by planting Swiss chard will give you a few different ways to eat the vegetable.
You can boil the Swiss chard and put a little butter and salt on it to go with a healthy meal. (I recommend using spray butter as there are no calories or fat in the ingredients.)

You can use the Swiss chard as a lettuce. Put it on a small plate, drizzle warm bacon dressing on top and add a few walnuts. This is an elegant salad sure to impress your family and/or guests.
Eat Swiss chard cold with your favorite dressing or mix it in with lettuce for more color and vitamins.

Save money by planting carrots in your garden. The carrots can be eaten fresh, julienne style, dipped in a little Ranch dressing, warm with butter and/or brown sugar for a sweet treat, grated in chili and other soups to add vitamins and a hint of a sweet flavor.

Peppers are wonderful on salads, pizza, casseroles and sliced fresh for extra crunch. If you love green or red peppers slice them up and add them to your sandwich.

Even if you live in an apartment or condominium, you can have a deck garden to save money. Buy large pots, rich soil and plant your vegetables.

In wintertime, vegetable prices usually rise. It would be wise to freeze extra vegetables. Enjoy fresh veggies in the wintertime. Tomatoes are wonderful in spaghetti sauce, lasangna, chili, etc.

Save money by eating fresh vegetables, picked by you and/or your family. For more information on saving money, please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Save Money Due to Gas Prices

We all are looking for ways to save money on gas. With the rising cost of everything from groceries to bills, we need to find ways to conserve.

A great way to save some weekly cash is to carpool with co-workers. Ask around if anyone wants to carpool. If you work at a large firm or factory, post an ad on the bulletin board for all to see. You could drive one week and your co-worker could drive the following week and keep alternating. Not only will you save money due to gas prices, you will be helping our environment.
If your job entitles you to keep track of gas mileage be sure to do this to get your correct reimbursement.

Check local gas prices. You can look online for the cheapest gas. If you are going in that direction, purchase your gas from that gas station. Do not go way out of your way to get the cheapest gas as you will waste time and money driving.

If you live close enough to work, to save money on gas, start to ride your bicycle. It will take some time to get used to this idea, but it will be well worth it. Give yourself a little extra time to get to work and you will get into a routine and wonder what took you so long to do this! Driving short distances to and from your workplace really is bad for your vehicle. Riding your bike to and from work is great cardiovascular exercise. You just may start to ride your bike even more such as to the post office, local grocery store, library, etc.

There are many simple ways to start to save money on gas; you just have to be willing to make the changes in your life. For more information on how to save money on gas please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Laid Off or Terminated--Now What?

Volunteering is Key

You just got the news that you are laid off or terminated. Now what? First thing to do is take care of your mental health. Many people are losing jobs. As hard as it is to accept you lost your job, do not take it personally. There are a lot of people in your shoes. Some people have even lost a few jobs due to the economy lay offs and terminations. A lot depends on what type of work you are in.

Your county Workforce Development Center will be a huge help to you. They list job openings, help you with your resume if needed, offer computer software programs (to earn a certificate) used in the workplace such as Microsoft Word, Excel, etc., and depending on your situation you may qualify for money for a free two year college degree. If you decide to go the two year college degree route, you must choose a job that the state feels will be productive job wise and money wise.

Examples:
1) Registered Nurse is a great degree to go to school for. The R.N. health field job is constantly growing and needs good nurses as well as it pays very well.

2) The veterinarian technician does not qualify for free schooling. The state feels a vet tech does not make enough money to support the person and/or their family.

Once your resume is updated after you were laid off or terminated, get out and volunteer. You will be helping others and you will learn how much more you get back by doing so. You can volunteer in a nursing home doing a variety of activities. Just call a nursing home and ask for the activities director. He or she can let you know what fun activities you may help the staff with. Or you may just want to go in and visit with the elderly. Some people never get visitors and you would be making a phenomenal difference in someone’s life.

You could volunteer at an animal shelter. Many shelters need someone to come in and walk the dogs, pet and play with the animals and/or clean the cages. Have fun while helping make animals lives better.

If you choose to volunteer, you may add this extra amenity to your resume. Your qualifications equal with another person’s resume could mean you get the job if volunteering is adding to your resume.

If you have been laid off or terminated, please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Go Green--Save Money

Not only will you be helping our environment by going green, you will also save money. In these times saving money is especially important.

Ways to go Green and Save Money
You may invest in a solar hot water system instead of using an electrical hot water heater. The solar hot water system does not waste electricity. Solar energy is what heats the solar hot water heater.

If you are not able to invest in a solar hot water system, the next best thing you can do is to buy an electrical water heater that is energy efficient to save money. This is very important as the water heating bill is the second highest costing energy bill. The water heating bill falls into second place after the air condition and heat bill.

Look for Rebates to Save Money
When you need to purchase a hot water heater, furnace, refrigerator, etc., be sure to look for sales and rebates to save money. Rebates will come from the electric company as well as (possibly) the manufacturer. The electric company encourages consumers to buy energy efficient products.

Transportation and How-To Save Money
You can save money by walking, riding your bike, using a Moped or motorcycle if possible, or a vehicle such as a Hybrid. These methods are very wise to use when you only have to travel a short distance. The motorcycle and Hybrid are great for short or long distance travel. Both will save you an incredible amount of money when gas prices are so erratic.

City Water and Saving Money
To save money on your quarterly water bill, be conscientious of how you are using water. You do not have to flush the toilet every time you use the bathroom if it is not a bowel movement. Teach your children this as well.

Some people wash their dishes by letting the water run as they wash with no stopper in the sink. This wastes an unbelievable amount of water. Instead, fill-up your sink with soap and water. Rinse. You can even save some money by taking a dish pan and filling it with hot water. While washing dishes, rinse in the dish pan and let dry.

Invest in a washing machine that recycles the water. The machines may cost a little more when purchasing but will save you an astonishing amount of money in the long run. If you have a large family, this washing machine is for you.

To learn more please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Save Money on Children's School Lunches

If your children are in school, you can save money by packing cold lunch versus the school hot lunch. Each week buy the (lunch) food at the grocery store that is on sale. To keep your child or children healthy, buy on sale fruit, vegetables, bread, meat, peanut butter and jelly, ingredients for homemade treats and juice boxes.

Your child or children can purchase the school milk or make sure he or she has a drinking container that can be filled with your milk at home. Give your child a treat once in awhile with juice boxes or use juice from home that is less expensive and pour into drinking container.

Buy bread that is on sale and store it in your freezer. For meat you can use left over turkey and chicken for sandwiches. If your child or children like lettuce and tomato, add them to the sandwich. Purchase the lettuce and tomato when they are on sale or not too expensive.

Fruit may be different each week due to sales. You can even buy canned fruit on sale and use coupons whenever possible for all items, so when fresh fruit becomes too expensive, you have a back up plan.

Great vegetables for your child or children’s lunch are carrots cut julienne style, baby carrots, cut up celery or celery with peanut butter and raisins for “ants on a log”, cut up red or green peppers, fresh broccoli and cauliflower. Add some Ranch salad dressing in a small container for extra fun dipping and flavor.

Bake homemade oatmeal and raisin or peanut butter cookies, muffins and other healthy treats to pack in the school lunch. Plus, you will have a snack already made for when your children return from school.

Be sure to add an ice packet to keep food cold as most schools do not have a refrigerator for children to put their lunches in.

Add a joke of the day or special note to let your child or children know you love them for something extra special in their lunch.

If your school lunches are $2.00 each and you have three children that is $30.00 per week and $120.00+ a month you are spending on hot lunch.

For more information please visit: visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

De-Stress in Tough Economic Times

Most people are pinching pennies at this time. When pinching pennies the first thing to go is your entertainment spending. You and your family still need to get together and have some fun.

Think like the olden days. You and your family can have fun turning off the television and spending time together. Take turns reading a spooky story to each other. Or create a story together. One person can start; the next person continues the story and so on. Play board games together. Make thoughtful cards together for family, friends, soldiers and a nursing home. All of these fun things will bring you as a family closer together.

When meeting your friends why not do a round robin? One person has the drinks at their house, the next person has the hors d' oeuvres, the third person has the main meal, and the last person has the dessert.

If you and your friends live too far away to drive to each other’s homes, you could invite your friends over for dinner and a movie or games. If you plan on watching a movie together, you can try to plan your meal around the movie’s theme. Example: The movie Scarface with Al Pacino. Make a hearty Italian meal with salad, lasagna, garlic bread, wine and a surprise Italian dessert. You can cook the main part of the dinner and everyone else can bring the rest of the food. One person brings a snack, two or three people bring the side dishes and the last person brings dessert.

If you are not planning on watching a movie together, after dinner you can all play Wii games if you have the Wii system. What fun to go bowling, play tennis, lawn darts, go golfing, play trivia, etc. You all will have so much fun laughing and getting exercise at the same time. Also, the Wii even has a game called Scarface and if you have it, you can all try your hand at it.

It is important to still have fun with family and friends even if you have barely any money to spend. Life is not all about work and worrying about money to pay your bills. Everyone needs to laugh and have a good time to stay healthy.

For more information please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Five More Ways to Save Your Money

Saving money step by step

1) If your wash machine breaks down and cannot be fixed, invest in a washing machine that will save water. The washing machine will recycle the water throughout the cycle. If you have to pay for city water this is a tremendous savings especially if you have a large family. You will feel better about "going green", too.

2) Hang clothes on a clothesline outside or in an area of your house that is discreet, yet warm enough to dry your clothes. You can always let the clothes dry for a day or two and then put the clothes in the dryer for ten minutes. Drying the clothes in the dryer for ten minutes will help get some of the wrinkles out. Plus, a dryer sheet will soften the clothes up and add a soft fresh smell.

3) Use a dryer sheet two times or cut the dryer sheet in half and use half of the dryer sheet at a time. I cannot tell the difference if I use one full sheet or either of these methods.

4) If you need new windows, a furnace, water heater, etc., it is worth spending a little more for a high energy efficient model.

5) When grocery shopping do not go to the store hungry. Your grocery bill can triple in cost. Try to stick to buying only the items on your list and items you use that are on sale.

You can save money by following some simple steps in tough economic times. Hopefully you will not lose your job but if you do, you will feel more secure knowing you have money saved. You will also feel more secure that you have become accustomed to saving money by doing simple steps.

For more information please visit: http://www.preparednessmentor.com/

Five Simple Ways to Save Money

During tough economic times every little bit of saving helps. Here are five simple ways you can help your pocketbook:

1) Clip coupons. If you buy a Sunday paper make sure you clip at least enough coupons that will cover the cost of the newspaper. For instance, if you pay $2.75 for the newspaper, use at least $2.75 worth of coupons for that week.

When it comes to grocery shopping, plan to buy a lot of items that are on sale. Only buy them if you will use the items. This method will save you a lot of money. You will be stocking up on items you use when they are at their cheapest. If you have a coupon for the item, that is even better.

2) Walk or ride a bicycle instead of drive. This may sound simple but we take our vehicles for granted. With the gas price slowly creeping back up, walk whenever possible. Not only will you save money on gas, wear and tear of your vehicle but you will be helping to keep your heart, mind and body healthy. All in all, it is a win-win situation.

3) Check online for gas prices and compare shop. Get your gas in your town or nearby town. You can get your gas on the way home from work or in an area you are already at. It does not make sense to save money buying cheaper gas yet you are driving twenty five miles out of the way to buy it.

4) If you are gone all day at work turn your thermometer down to 66 degrees. When you go to bed, turn your heat down, too. This will save a bundle on your electric or gas bill.

5) For your entertainment instead of buying books use the library. If you cannot find the book you want, ask the librarian. Many libraries are in the same group and the book can be sent to the library you use. Most libraries offer free movies. Instead of going to the theatre or paying to rent a movie, wait for the library to purchase the movie.

If you love popcorn while watching the movie at home, you can buy a bag of popcorn kernels. Line the popcorn in a brown paper lunch bag, fold it over so it is closed and put it in the microwave. Stand by the microwave and listen for the popcorn to stop popping. Add butter and salt if desired. This is much cheaper than buying single bags of microwave popcorn.

Every little bit of saving will add up fast to save money, just as spending a little here and there adds up quick to a big bill.

For more information please visit:
http://www.preparednessmentor.com/