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Spring Cleaning Can Save and Make You Money

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spring cleaningSpring cleaning may help you save money and make money. When you engage in the age-old tradition of spring cleaning, you initiate the process of taking stock of the items that you currently possess, are able to eliminate the items that you no longer need, organize what is left, and clear space in order to add new things. While engaging in this process, you have the potential to save yourself money on future purchases by locating items that you forgot that you had and recycling your possessions to create new items that you may use, without spending any money. Additionally, you may find that you have the ability to cash in on a lot of items that you would normally just throw out. In this guide, you will learn how to save money and make money with your spring cleaning activities.

Taking Stock

Spring cleaning is more than just washing your curtains, shampooing your carpets, and freshening up your home. It is a time when you must evaluate all that you possess. By taking stock of your possessions, you may determine what items are positively contributing to your life, what items could serve another purpose in your life, and what items you are willing to part with. For example, if you have some old towels that are not in the best shape, you could cut those towels up and turn them into rags for your garage. If you have old, scratched CDs that cannot be used or sold, you could recycle them and create a decorative item or cup coasters. If you have old cell phones, you could actually sell those online. If you cannot use an item, you should determine if it may be recycled into another product. If you cannot recycle the item, you should attempt to sell it. If you recycle your old items, you save money. If you sell your items, this is how you make money. Taking stock is one of the top spring savings tips.

Out with the Old

We all have litter, clutter, and junk in our lives that is completely useless. When spring cleaning, it is imperative that you figure out what items in your home fit under these categories and completely eliminate it. Many do not realize it, but, having excess junk in the home could result in excess cost. For example, it costs more to heat or cool a room that is loaded with boxes and storage containers than it does to heat or cool an empty room. The standard rule of thumb is to eliminate items that you have not used in the past six months from the home during spring cleaning activities – with the exception of photographs and other irreplaceable treasures. In doing so, you are not only cleaning and organizing your home, you are positively contributing to the amount of money you spend and save. Out with the old is one of the most positive and productive spring savings tips.

Conclusion

There are many spring cleaning tips available that will help you save money and make money. By simply taking stock of what you have, determining what can be recycled, selling what may be reused by others, and cleaning out the old, unused items in your home, you have the unique ability to save money and even make a few dollars. Spring cleaning should be an activity that not only allows you to clean up your home, but, also allows you to declutter, remove excess junk, and make a little cash. By following the spring savings tips in this guide and the suggestions on how to cash in on your junk, you are sure to find many ways to save money and make money with your spring cleaning activities.

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: ,

Round Up to End Financial Debt

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End Financial DebtAccording to the best financial advisors, one of the most productive ways to end financial debt is to engage in rounding up to pay off. Essentially, this just means rounding off your debt payments to the nearest $10.00, or even, the nearest $100.00! There are two main reasons to engage in this task. First, a round, even number is easier to process when it comes to simple calculations. Second, by rounding up to the next $10.00 or the next $100.00, you are paying more towards the principal, which will reduce the total amount of debt that you owe and at a faster rate because it will reduce the amount of interest that you pay, overall.

If you are ready to end financial debt, there are many positive and productive strategies for accomplishing your goals; however, rounding up remains to be a favorite among most. Rounding up, in the traditional sense, involves rounding up to the next dollar. Unfortunately, if you have a bill for $124.67, rounding up by only a dollar would put you paying $125.00. That means that you only put a total of 33 cents more towards that bill. When it comes to credit card bills, loan payments, and other types of debt, that 33 cents will not amount to much. When you engage in the process of rounding up as a means to restoring your financial health, you will want to opt for the $10.00 or $100.00 mark. For example, if you have a bill for $120.00, you would want to either round up to $130.00 or $200.00. An extra $10.00 to $100.00 on each debt payment that you make towards the principal of that debt could have a significant impact on eliminating that debt quickly.

In order to succeed in rounding up, you will need to create a budget that rounds up all of your expenses

including those debt payments. Examples include your house payment, your utility bills, and even your spending money. This will allow you to determine exactly how much you will be able to round up each bill – whether it will be $10.00, $50.00, or $100.00. Once you have created your budget and have determined how much may be successfully rounded up, you must make a commitment to pay that amount each and every single month. If rounding up a house payment, be certain to check the conditions of your loan. In some cases, paying more on a monthly mortgage may end up costing you more.

Now, once you have all the figures established and have made a commitment to yourself to round up all of your debt payments to engage in the task of restoring your financial health, you must then simply do it! Any excess money that you have in the bank account at the end of the month should be transferred to an interest-bearing savings account. Not only will taking these steps assist you if you want to end financial debt, it also has the ability to help you save money and help your money make more money!

Filed Under: Debt Tagged With: ,

Round Up to Save For Retirement

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save-for-retirementHow do you start saving for retirement on a limited budget? For some the concept of investing money to build a more financially secure future is second nature, a habit that seems to be built into their DNA. For many others it seems like a foreign language, or something that is reserved for those who might be found lounging pool side by their summer home three months out of the year. With a margarita. No, a dry martini. And a small dog. No wait, a wolf. Sorry. Anyway, saving for retirement, a college fund or the adventure of a lifetime is a habit anyone can learn and the Acorns app makes it easy and accessible for everyone.

Who or What is Acorns?

To put it simply, Acorns is investment for the people! A quick trip to the Acorns about us section gives some insight into who they are…

“Jeffrey Cruttenden co-founded Acorns to simplify investing and connect it to everyday life. In college, he noticed that most of his classmates that had an interest in investing couldn’t come up with a lump sum to meet minimum balance requirements.”

And…

“Walter Cruttenden is a financial markets innovator. He founded and served as CEO of Cruttenden Roth, now Roth Capital Partners. Walter also founded and served as CEO of E*Offering, the investment banking arm of ETrade. E*Offering became the number one provider of online IPO’s before its sale to Wit Capital and ultimately to Schwab. Walter co-founded Acorns and serves as its CEO.”

To learn more about their awesome team of designers, engineers, managers, and cool people who will be working to make your spare change work for you visit this page.

Oh and then there is that whole bit about the Nobel Laureate Dr. Harry Markowitz, a.k.a. “father of the modern portfolio theory” being on the board and the advisor “who helped create the five investment portfolio choices.” (Huffington Post).

Modern start up with a design based philosophy, a dream team, and a world renowned economist on board…check, check and check.

Acorns is a secure financial service that was designed to help people invest more easily with no account minimums or commissions. They offer a personalized investment portfolio and fractional investing. The bottom line is that this is a service that will enable someone on a very limited budget to start investing and saving for retirement now. Have you started looking into investing only to have your curiosity and drive crushed by seeing minimum investment requirements that surpass what you could save in six months,a year, or longer? That reality is exactly the driving force behind the Acorns app.

What is the Acorns App?

The Acorns app is a free download for your smartphone and a web application is coming soon. The app is available through Itunes and Google Play. It is currently available for iOS 7 or 8 and will run with any Android device running 4.1 and higher.

  • Download the free app
  • Set up your account with your online banking login information, checking account and routing number (secure and Acorn does not store your bank login info on their servers)
  • They do not withdraw money from your bank account that you have not approved you are in control of your money
  • Begin investing with as little as 5$ wracked up in spare change round ups
  • Complete your account information to set up your individualized investment portfolio
  • You can withdraw your money from Acorns at any time without penalty and opt for a less aggressive portfolio than recommended
  • The app allows you to be proactive with your investing, any time, anywhere.

How much is using the Acorns app and financial services going to cost me? This is my favorite part. There are no minimums on your account. And they will never charge the modest 1$ per month fee on 0$ balance. The 1$ per month fee is for accounts up to $5k and fees are only .25% per year for balances for accounts over $5k. You can go play with the slider to check out what the fees would look like up to a balance of a million here:

https://www.acorns.com/fees/

How secure is the Acorns app and service?

The app and site are secured with a 256-bit encryption. This is good. For those who want the full on tech-ish explanation this is a time when the wiki may help…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard

The accounts are SIPC Insured up to S500,000 for fraud. If you want to learn more about that check these out…

http://www.schwabmoneywise.com/public/moneywise/money_basics/account_types/fdic_insurance.html

http://www.sipc.org/

save-for-retirement-changeHow Does the Acorns App Use Your Spare Change to Invest?

There are three different options to use your Acorns app.

  • You can deposit or withdraw lump sums
  • Set up automatic deposits for scheduled investing (like you would for a vacation or Christmas club account at your bank)
  • Round ups (investing spare change by rounding up)

The round ups option is one of the coolest aspects of the service so let’s spend some time on that.

You can link your round ups to one account or multiple accounts (debit, credit, Paypal- your spending accounts). Your round up amounts are the spare change left over on a purchase. So say you buy lunch at the cost of $13.23 after taxes and you drop a $4 tip for a total of $17.23 on your debit card transaction. The amount to equal a round $18 (which is $0.77) could go towards your Acorns account to be put towards your investment portfolio. You can do this manually or have your settings set to automatic round ups for convenience.

Let’s face it. This is a fun and interesting way for everyone to invest and build a savings for retirement or any other savings goal that strikes a chord with you. You can choose to invest more or less at any time. Rather than paying cash, throwing money in a jar and cashing it in you are putting small amounts of money to work for you. This adds up over time and can help those who do not have enough investment capital to approach other options get there. Suddenly that moment when you are trying to stop that gas pump at exactly $25.00 and it rolls over to $25. 07 becomes more exciting doesn’t it?

To learn more about how Acorns optimizes diversified portfolios based on your own risk level visit Acorns’ Investments page.

What Are People Saying About Using Acorns App?

“Investing is complicated. Acorn is not.” - Business Insider

This App Makes Investing As Easy As Swiping Your Debit Card

For a good article and visual overview of the kinds of questions and choices you will make when going through the process of setting up your account check out this review from Carrie Smith posted to investorjunkie.com:

Acorns App Review – Using Your Spare Change to Invest

“Young people may not have enough assets to meet the minimum requirements of big financial houses like Fidelity, Vanguard, and Schwab. With Acorns, there are no minimums.” - Dan Kadlec, Time

This App May Let You Retire on Your Spare Change

For your further reading enjoyment...

Build an investment portfolio, one dime at a time - CNBC

Acorn App Gives You a Way to Finally Invest Your Spare Change - Mashable

Acorns Is A Micro-Investment App That Does All The Thinking For You - Techcrunch

The overall goal of the Acorns app project is to get people investing small amounts over long periods of time. It isn’t a get rich quick plan, but it is certainly a fresh approach that will allow more people to take the step towards financial growth. If you are currently using the app tell us your story.

Filed Under: Retirement Tagged With:

The Frugal Lawn and Garden Guide

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lawn-and-gardenThe Frugal Lawn and Garden Guide – Gardening Tips, Lawn Care, and More for Less

If you are searching for frugal ideas that pertain to gardening tips and lawn care, you will benefit immensely from reviewing this lawn and garden guide. If you reside in a region that experiences distinct seasonal changes throughout the year, you are probably currently looking over a lawn and garden that is brown, weed-ravaged, and in a complete state of despair. Purchasing the tools, seeds, fertilizers, and compost to get your lawn and garden back in shape is a costly endeavor; however, the expenses that most experience each year is completely unnecessary. In fact, there are many frugal-based gardening tips and techniques that will work for both your lawn and garden. In this frugal lawn and garden guide, you will learn how to bring your garden and lawn back to life for less.

Eliminate the Dead to Rekindle Life in Your Lawn and Garden

If you are interested in bringing your lawn and garden back to life, the first step that you should take is eliminating the dead. This will rekindle the life in your lawn and garden. You should go through your lawn and garden and pick out all of the dead grass, dead weeds, and other items that no longer have life in them. This is not the most exciting of steps, but, it is inexpensive, and relatively easy. Once you have removed all of the dead grass, weeds, and other items, you should then take a steel rake and lightly scratch the surface of the soil. This will help loosen it up. This will aid in promoting growth of new grass and other types of plants.

Lawn Aeration with Your Shoes

If you have the right types of shoes, all it takes is a little walk through your yard to aerate the lawn. Professional lawn aeration services usually cost in excess of $100.00; however, by simply choosing to wear a pair of shoes that have spikes on the bottom, you can aerate the lawn and garden yourself. The spikes on the bottom of the shoes will simply loosen the soil by putting small holes in the ground. Once the soil is loosened and the small holes are in the ground, fresh air, water, and various types of natural nutrients have the capability of reaching the roots of the grass and the roots of the other plants that are part of your lawn and garden. This step will dramatically encourage growth. In most instances, a pair of shoes with the appropriate spikes will only cost approximately $10.00 to $12.00.

Mow in a Precise and Strategic Manner

When it comes to gardening tips or just general tips on lawn and garden, most experts agree that it is important to mow the areas in a precise and strategic manner. First, you should ensure that the blades on your lawn mower are kept sharp. If they start to dull and you use them on your property, the blades will create an opportunity for various types of pathogens to invade and completely weaken the grass. You will find that the grass becomes less dense, highly frail, discolored, and in some instances, may die. Sharp blades should always be used and the grass should be cut only at a rate of about 1/3 of the size of the total blade. Short clippings of grass will successfully break down and permit the natural amount of nitrogen to return directly into the soil. If you cut grass any more than 1/3 the size of the blade, the long clippings have the potential to result in stress on the grass that is still located on the ground and may inhibit its growth. Finally, it is important to ensure that you cut the lawn in a pattern…such as across or up and down. Each time you cut your lawn, you should stick to this pattern.

Conclusion

There are many frugal and simple steps that may be performed in order to optimize the growth of your lawn and garden. While most of the steps outlined in this guide are geared towards the lawn, they may be used in the garden, too. Once you have completed the steps outlined here, you should also treat your lawn and garden with fertilizer. It does not have to be name brand or expensive. Instead, combine a bag of compost and a bag of manure and sprinkle the substance over your yard and your garden. By following the gardening tips and the lawn tips outlined in this guide, you are sure to find that both of these regions of your property grow beautifully and bountifully. The lawn and garden steps here will typically result in less than $30.00 in expenses, which will result in a vast amount of financial savings each year!

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: ,

Investment Opportunities – Put Your Money in the World Wide Web and Watch it Work for You!

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investment-opportunitiesInvestment Opportunities – Put Your Money in the World Wide Web and Watch it Work for You!

If you are in search of potentially profitable investment opportunities, you should put your money in the World Wide Web, sit back, and watch it work for you! In the past decade, the real estate market has experienced such a high degree of fluctuations that it is no longer considered to be a viable option for those that seek to have a financially stable future. The housing market rapidly moves from one extreme to another, with no consideration for the average investor; however, there is one real estate market that is quickly gaining in popularity. That is the virtual real estate market, or, the web properties that are currently available on the World Wide Web. Leading financial advisors that offer investment tips are now claiming that one of the most profitable markets to invest in are web investments. If you are ready to put your money to work and create the life that you have always desired to live, continue reading for life-changing advice and comprehensive information on these highly sought after investment opportunities.

Out with the Old, In with the New

If you are searching for investment opportunities, it is quite likely that you are familiar with the term “Asset Class”. These “classes” are specific categories that pertain to similar types of investments. The three primary categories based on asset class are stocks, bonds, and CDs. Real estate is also considered to be a common type of asset class. “Asset Allocation” is another common term that you likely know. Essentially, this pertains to how you will mix up the standard classes with the investments that you elect to make. While it is true that all investment opportunities pose a certain amount of risk, there is one asset class that is considered more promising than all of the rest. That is, web investments. This is a new asset class – even to Wall Street. Now, you can take part in this amazing new movement.

Dual-Investment Opportunity

When researching investment tips, you will quickly find that most financial experts agree that you should make more than one investment in order to optimize the opportunity for success. By investing in the web investments that are part of this new and amazing asset class, you are engaging in dual-investment opportunities. Not only are you investing in a business, but, you are also investing in the virtual real estate market. Right from the start, you are dramatically increasing your chance of achieving a high level of financial success. Ultimately, this means that you are diversifying your portfolio with just one decision, with just one transaction. These types of investment opportunities are rare. If you take advantage of this new asset class on Wall Street, you are setting yourself up to experience unlimited growth potential, as it pertains to revenue from the website opportunities that you take advantage of upon your initial purchase. There are currently 800 million virtual properties available and a new 50 million properties are created a year. Why limit yourself to the traditional real estate market, when, for the same price, you could potentially gain thousands upon thousands of virtual properties? Join this new asset class today and you will find that it is one of the most profitable investment opportunities currently available.

Filed Under: Investing Tagged With: ,

Easy Ways to Save on Travel Expenses

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save-on-travel-to-greece

Save on Travel – Easy Ways to Save on Travel Expenses to Greece

There are numerous ways to save on travel available for those that have an interest in visiting various locations around the world. In today’s world, the “Bucket List” is becoming increasingly popular. This has been especially true since the release of the American comedy-drama movie, “The Bucket List”, in the year 2007. Essentially, this type of list outlines the achievements, experiences, and travel adventures that an individual hopes to have, experience, and/or accomplish during their lifetime. In evaluating the bucket lists of several people, it has been established that one of the most popular travel destinations is Greece. If this is on your bucket list, it is quite likely that you are a bit concerned about how you will finance your travels. In this guide, you will learn about discount travel tips that will help you fund your trip for less, as well as other travel ideas that will help you in checking off this adventure on your bucket list.

Why Visit Greece?

Greece is a region that combines highly diverse landscapes, a wide array of cultural experiences, and varied assortments of activities. There are a plethora of reasons why a trip to Greece is considered to be ideal. The unique culture and the awe-inspiring beauty of the spectacular landscapes will leave you thoroughly amazed. There is always something unique to see, to taste, to explore, to discover, and to feel. You have the unique ability to expand all of your senses in a location where all of the elements of nature offer you countless experiences and adventures. The climate conditions are considered to be ideal, year round. Greece offers you the ability to observe beautiful islands, pristine beaches, amazing grand forests, and mountains covered in snow, all at once. When it comes to travel ideas, there are plenty in Greece. This is an amazing and rewarding travel destination for anyone with a bucket list.

Discount Travel Tips

According to research, Greece is considered incredibly affordable. In fact, it has been established that food, accommodations, and other things within Greece cost approximately half of the same things within other regions of Europe. If you are searching for ways to save even more money on your trip, consider the following discount travel tips:

  • When searching for accommodations for your stay, opt for dorms instead of private hotel rooms. On average, a dorm will only cost $15.00 per night, whereas other rooms cost at least $45.00 per night.
  • Choose to visit Greece during its “off-season”. In doing so, you will find that you are able to experience more and save more money on accommodations. During these times of the year, private hotel rooms typically cost approximately $25.00 per night.
  • You should avoid staying at hotels on the more popular islands of Greece, such as Mykonos. If you do stay on this island or the other popular destinations, you can expect to pay twice as much.
  • If at all possible, elect to purchase your own groceries and prepare your own meals. If you dine at a fancy restaurant, you can expect to pay in the way of $20.00 or more; however, by dining at one of the local cafes, you can cut your meal costs in half!
  • If traveling in and around Athens, opt for the train system as it is incredibly cheap.
  • If you prefer to see Greece on your own time and in your own way, you should rent a moped. These average $20.00 a day or less.
  • One of the best discount travel tips for Greece is to visit areas that are not considered to be on the “beaten path”. In doing so, you will discover a price drop on all items by about 30%.

Conclusion

There are many travel ideas that pertain to a trip to Greece. In addition to this, there are many ways to save on travel that will allow you to make the most of your dollar. In this guide, you have been introduced to several of these tips. If you want to experience the beauty of the white-washed villages placed along the hillsides, the sparkling azure seas glimmering beneath the glistening rays of the sun, and have a desire to walk along the soft white sands of the popular beaches, you will be pleased to know that it is all possible – at a great price. By adhering to the discount travel tips and travel ideas outlined in this guide, you will be able to experience Greece like you never imagined.

Filed Under: Budgeting Tagged With:

Financing Your Bucket List

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bucket-list-financingHow to Achieve Success in Financing Your Bucket List and Saving for Retirement

It is now possible to achieve a high level of success in both saving for retirement and bucket list planning, according to financial experts. It is a known fact that most of us could create a massive list of experiences and adventures that we would like to take part in before we “kick the bucket”, so to speak. The idea of creating a list of these experiences and adventures gained an immense amount of popularity with the release of the popular movie, “The Bucket List” in the year of 2007. In this comedy-drama, two men were able to successfully take part in the experiences and adventures that most “normal” people only ever dream of experiencing. This is because the character played by the ever-popular Jack Nicholson was financially rich enough to not only live through the experiences that he desired, but, was able to fund the wishes of the character that Morgan Freeman had, too. While these two movie characters engaged in numerous extravagant adventures and experiences, it has now been determined that such adventures do not have to cost a fortune. In fact, the average person has the ability to engage in both saving for retirement and funding the activities as part of their bucket list planning.

The True Meaning of Financial Life Planning

Money is an element that is not only essential, but, a highly obvious component, when it comes to financial planning. This is especially true when it comes to saving for retirement and bucket list planning. However, it is important to understand that money should not be the only component that you place your focus on; if you engage in this type of shallow focus, you will quickly discover that you stand the risk of living a life that is also shallow. Financial life planning involves integrating experiences and adventures into any financial-based plans that you have in life. It involves learning how to live the highest-quality and most enjoyable life possible, with the resources that you have available to you. This is the true meaning of financial life planning.

Saving for Retirement and Bucket List Planning

One of the biggest mistakes that individuals make when it comes to saving for retirement and bucket list planning is treating these two milestones as an “end point”, instead of a “starting point”. Retirement is not the “end”; it is simply a transition in life, from one point to another. First, you must get this concept into your mind. You are not nearing the end of life; instead, you are simply transitioning into your golden years. In order to make this transition smooth and enjoyable, you should ensure that you have the proper amount of money saved so that you can live comfortably and enjoy all of those experiences and adventures on your bucket list. To succeed in these endeavors, simply take the following steps:

  • The first step to saving for retirement and bucket list planning is to ensure that you have a vision that is realistic and achievable. In order to experience a truly successful retirement, you must ensure that you are retiring TO some other type of experience in life, not FROM something, like a job that you despise. You must have a vision of what you want to do and where you want to go when you enter into your golden years. You should understand that, when you retire, you may still engage in activities that you enjoy and pursue your passion. Yes, many of your activities will come with a monetary cost; however, many will not. In some instances, you may even find that your retirement activities MAKE you money. For example, perhaps, you will spend your golden years writing that book that you always wanted and will self-publish to discover that it is a success! Vision. It is imperative when it comes to saving for retirement and bucket list planning.
  • The next step to saving for retirement and bucket list planning is to properly balance your time account. That is, the 168 hours a week that we are each granted. Many individuals make the mistake of going from excessively working to excessively vacationing when it comes to retirement. You should strive for balance between your vocation time and your vacation time. It does not matter how much money is present in your bank account, if you fail to completely capitalize on the time that you have, you will not experience the happiness that you desire from the adventures and experiences on your bucket list for retirement. The 168 hours that you have available each week should be broken down into time with family and friends, time dedicated to your work, your health and fitness level, your personal growth, sleeping, and your down time – which includes watching television, engaging on social media websites, and bucket list adventures and experiences.
  • The next step to successfully saving for retirement and bucket list planning is to see your paycheck as a “playcheck”. While working to save money for transitions, adventures, and experiences in your life, it is imperative that you enjoy what it is that you are doing. If you are not enjoying your work, it may be time to change careers. Engage in pursuits that are meaningful and enjoyable. Pursue your passion. Transform a hobby into a business that will allow you to generate profits, or, use your knowledge to become a consultant in a field you are well-versed. Not only will you add more meaning to your life, you will add more money to your retirement account and your bucket list account. Work will no longer seem like work. Instead, it will become fun and enjoyable!

Conclusion

Saving for retirement and bucket list planning are two very exciting activities. By following the steps outlined in this financial life planning guide, you are sure to find that you have the money and the time to achieve a high level of success in both endeavors. Retirement is a transitional period, not an end of life milestone – as so many have seen it through the years. Retirement is not just an economic-based event. It is a personal event that is meant to be enjoyed. While financial preparation is part of preparing for this transition, it is not the only aspect of preparation. By creating a life balance, capitalizing your time, recognizing your passion, and understanding what you enjoy – as a person – you will discover how much money will be needed when saving for retirement and bucket list planning.

Filed Under: Retirement Tagged With: ,

How A Financial Advisor Can Dramatically Improve Your Business

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A financial management consulting service can help your business with critical advice on growth strategies and improved organizational efficiency. This advice can take your business to a whole new order of magnitude.

Let’s take a closer look at how this can happen:

Business Growth Strategiesstock chart

Business growth is difficult for all companies in all industries. When we read the financial press, it gives us a distorted picture of how well businesses in general are doing around the world. We only see the 10 percent who are worthy of media attention and not the majority who fail to create sustainable growth.

Business is hard for most companies around the world for three main reasons:

  1. Companies simply overlook a lot of revenue generating opportunities in their primary businesses. Few C-level executives will claim their business has come close to its the full potential. Since financial business management consultants have rich experience with numerous clients and the advantage of an outsider perspective, they can see the untapped potential in your business, as well as where your money is being squandered and how it can be strategically reallocated to generate significant profits.
  2. Companies who enjoy the advantage of serving a mature market too often diversify into emerging markets hoping to make some fast profits instead of taking advantage of their already well-established business model and trusted connection with a receptive customer base.
  3. Companies may fail to define what they do well and then hit a wall in their core business. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple as CEO, he threw out their frivolous new line of products and began to focus on a core line of specialized, aesthetic, and sophisticated tech products like the iPod, iPad and iPhone. The results of this simple strategy changed Apple’s fortunes.

When these common errors are addressed dramatic changes can happen.

Here’s what strategic growth can look like:

After the University of the Virgin Islands teamed up with Cane Bay Partners, a St. Croix business in the Virgin Islands, the university was advised to develop a progressive Computational Science and Business Modeling curriculum for the university. This growth strategy introduced students to leading edge training in decision sciences, predictive analytics and econometrics.

Organizational Efficiency

Another area where businesses need help is learning how to improve organizational efficiency.

Here are 5 ways a business management company can offer a refreshing perspective.

  1. It can show a business how it measures up against everyone else in their industry and set some realistic benchmarks for success.
  2. It can show a business how to create value throughout its organization by replacing unnecessary complexity with effective roles and goals. Organization simplification is an answer to disruptive technologies and globalization forcing a company to struggle with it strategic objectives.
  3. It can show a company how to make effective decisions in every phase of its business processes.
  4. It can show a company how to recruit for talent and create a future supply of leaders. In a technologically driven world, talent is the new wealth. We are leaving the industrial age behind and emerging into a knowledge era. Nurturing technologically-literate, high performing, talented people will allow a company to leapfrog over its competitors. Kate Donovan, the Global RPO President for ManpowerGroup Solutions, said,”
    According to ManpowerGroup’s 2013 Talent Shortage Survey, 35 percent of employers worldwide are having trouble finding staff with the right skills. When organizations don’t have the right talent at the right time, the cost comes in the form of missed opportunities, dissatisfied clients and a negative impact on the bottom line.”
  5. It can show a company how to use measurement, incentives, and other performance enhancing tools to create a highly effective organization.

Conclusion

With the right advice, it’s not inconceivable for you to take your business to a whole new order of magnitude. They bring to the table a variety of ways to analyze your business, measure its effectiveness, reduce risk, and improve its developmental model.

When Cane Bay Partners advised the University of Virgin Islands on the best type of classes to offer their students, they had enough foresight to understand that we are heading for a world where there will be many more high-tech computer jobs than people to fill them. Specifically, there will be about 5 million unfilled jobs by 2020. Their financial advice was an incredible growth strategy for the university, the student’s fortunate enough to be enrolled, and for the Virgin Islands itself.

The potential for offering these classes was always there, but it took a financial business management company to point out the future and how to align with it.

 

Filed Under: Business, Management Tagged With:

Colleges of the Future And How to Pay for Them

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college-planning-tipsCollege Planning Tips – The Colleges of the Future and Their Costs Compared to Traditional Campuses

There are several college planning tips in circulation. In a world that is exceptionally competitive, the education that is obtained by going to college is considered to be invaluable. Based on data derived from the Census Bureau in the United States, the annual earnings of an individual with a Bachelor’s degree is 60% higher than those earned by an individual that has only graduated from high school. Unfortunately, the costs associated with college are so immense that, since the onset of the 1980s, educational rates have been found to be increasing at such a rapid speed that it is even faster than the average rate associated with inflation. This information was pulled from data that is part of the Consumer Price Index. If those costs continue to rise just 5% on an annual basis, it has been determined that the average college tuition for a four year university could exceed $210,000.00 easily by the year of 2017. As a result of this fact, many are starting to turn to the colleges of the future – online colleges. In this guide, you will be introduced to a few college planning tips that relate to online colleges, their costs, and how those costs compare to traditional brick and mortar college costs.

What is an Online College?

An online college is a school that offers students the ability to engage in learning through classes that are offered through telecommunication venues and technology that harnesses the power of the World Wide Web. Many of today’s community colleges and universities offer classes and other learning materials through the internet so that students are no longer restricted to the confines of a classroom, a pre-determined schedule, and the hefty costs associated with attending a traditional brick and mortar campus. If you want to reduce the amount of time it takes to get through college, would like to receive a college degree during periods of time that are convenient to you and meet the demands of your schedule, would like to attend college without having to travel long distances, and would like to reduce the financial constraints associated with the traditional campus, the online college is likely an ideal option for your unique needs and desires.

The Average Costs Associated with Online Colleges

If you are searching for college planning tips, it is quite likely that a large reason for your search is that you are trying to determine how much your postsecondary education will cost so that you understand how much will need to be saved or acquired to attend school. The sticker cost of a college education typically varies from one school to another. Additionally, financial aid that is offered by the government and private-based donors may also have an impact on the costs. When reviewing online colleges, it was established that there is a large fluctuation in averages. While one year of school may be $6,000.00, another school may offer a year of tuition for $23,000.00. Compared to traditional schools, which could charge anywhere between $20,000.00 to up to $100,000.00 a year, online colleges are much cheaper. If you want a college education and are making notes that include all of the college planning tips that you are finding, you may find that an online college is the best option for your individual needs and your finances.

The Benefits

There are many challenges occurring at traditional brick and mortar colleges and universities. Examples include high tuition costs, cuts in the educational budgets, shortages of courses, and economic complications. Many students are starting to search for alternatives to their postsecondary education. Today, approximately 4 million students are enrolled in full-time online colleges. The main benefits associated with these colleges of the future include a wide selection of programs and courses, lower tuition costs, a self-paced and comfortable learning atmosphere, and convenience. A college education is essential. When it comes to college planning tips, you may find that it is best to opt for an online school. You will find that you have the ability to learn more, for less, at a pace that is appropriate for your unique situation.

Filed Under: College Finances

Professional Couponing Explained

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professional-couponingProfessional Couponing – How the Coupon Masters Save Big Time at the Store

If you are searching for an professional couponing course, look no further. Here, you will be introduced to extreme couponing tips that will have you saving big time at the store, just like all of those coupon masters that are featured on various television shows, news features, and other forms of media. The tactics that will be outlined in this guide are not the ones that will allow you to clear off shelves at your local store, or develop a massive stockpile that will overrun your home. This extreme couponing 101 guide is not designed in such a way that it encourages you to engage in unethical practices. The extreme couponing tips will simply allow you to save a tremendous amount of money through the use of legitimate methods that will allow you to get more of what you need and want, for less.

Finding Coupons

The first step in this professional couponing guide is to learn how to find coupons. It is not at all uncommon to find yourself overwhelmed at the assortment of methods in which coupons may be obtained. There are paper coupons, printable coupons, and even electronic coupons. In order to find the best coupons for your needs, follow the steps outlined below:

  1. First, check out the inserts that are located in your local weekly newspaper. In most instances, these inserts are present in the Sunday paper; however, there are some instances in which you may find them in a Wednesday, or other mid-week newspaper, too.
  2. Next, go on the internet and do a search for “printable coupons”. You will discover many websites, such as coupons.com, that offer a large assortment of savings on your favorite brands.
  3. If you have a smart phone or a loyalty card for a particular store, you may find eCoupons. These load onto your card or smart device automatically and may be deducted when you make an appropriate purchase at the checkout.
  4. Catalina printouts are becoming increasingly popular among retailers, such as Dollar General and Winn-Dixie. Essentially, these print out on your receipt or immediately after you make a purchase at checkout.
  5. Blinkies are another coupon type that is popular among those interested in extreme couponing 101. These are found within the store on special displays or hanging along shelves.
  6. Magazines often include some coupons that include massive savings. Examples of the magazines that you may find savings include Good Housekeeping and All You.

When to Use

The next extreme couponing 101 lesson involves knowing when to use your coupons. This will allow you to get the absolute most for your money. First, you will want to save your coupons for when the items go on sale. You should never give your coupons away for a full-priced item. Instead, use them when the item goes on sale so that you may save the most amount of money. Next, you should follow the cycles of sales. For example, candy typically goes on sale around Halloween and snack foods are commonly at the lowest prices during the time of the Super Bowl. Simply research the cycles associated with grocery sales to determine what can be bought each year, at the cheapest prices.

How to Use

The next professional couponing tip is to ensure that you know how to use the coupons that you find. It is important to inquire at the store that you shop at about savings opportunities so that you have the ability to take advantage of those. The following outlines some common questions that you may direct to the retailer:

  • Does your store engage in the act of double coupons? If the store answers, “yes”, you should then ask for the double coupon policy and learn every detail possible about it.
  • Does your store allow the stacking of store coupons? In most instances, this means that the store allows you to use both a manufacturer coupon with a store coupon.
  • Does your store allow coupons to be used from competitors? If so, be sure to make use of every opportunity that you can when it comes to savings.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many professional couponing tips that will allow you to optimize your savings at the checkout. First, you need to know exactly how to find coupons. Next, you need to know the best times to use those coupons. Finally, you need to learn all the methods associated with how to use the coupons that you find. By taking these three simple professional couponing tips, you will find that you are able to purchase more, for less. All it takes is a little commitment to the endeavor, a little knowledge, and a bit of creativity, and you have the potential to save thousands of dollars a year at the store, just like all of those high profile master coupon experts!

Filed Under: Coupons/Discounts Tagged With: , ,
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