Look, I’ll be the first one to admit, I’m not frugal in every aspect of my life. There are times when I enjoy spending a little extra money (call it splurging). Each one of us has different priorities, so where we spend extra money will be different for each of us.
Now, I want to back up for a second. Before I allow myself to splurge in an area, I ask myself this first, “have I been diligently funding my retirement accounts?” This and saving for an emergency fund are two top priorities for EVERYONE, no questions asked. If you do these two things, then if you have money left over, feel free to spend it! There isn’t a better feeling in the world than knowing you can spend some money guilt-free, knowing that you’ve done your due diligence in saving for retirement!
Saving money and being frugal needs to be in balance with your spending habits. I compare this with a diet. If you deprive yourself of all bad foods, you will most likely end up breaking the diet, and won’t be able to stick with it. On the other hand, if you stick to a diet that has “cheat days” built in, you keep your sanity and stay with the diet indefinitely.
Here are some areas of my life where I splurge or save:
Cell Phone: SAVE
I’ve been on my parents family plan for years and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. One may argue that I’m not acting like an independent adult. If willingly throwing money out the door is being an adult, then I guess I’m not one! I just see nothing wrong with staying on the family plan. Also, I never buy expensive or fancy phones. I currently own an android smart phone that I purchased for $50 a year ago. I plan on keeping this phone until I get another free upgrade from Sprint. Also, I pay for very few minutes. Since Sprint has unlimited text for $10/month, I try to text my friends as much as possible. If I do have to talk on the phone, Imake sure it’s at night, therefore making it free.
Food: SPLURGE
I’ll be honest, I really like food! And not just any food, it has to be good food! I’m a recreational bodybuilder, so I’m very conscious of the food I put into my body. I try to buy free-range/organic eggs, milk and meat whenever I can. I justify this because I rarely eat out. I’m a big believer in investing in your body. A healthy body is one of the most important assets you have. You want to be alive and kicking during retirement right?!
Clothes: SAVE
I don’t buy into the designer fashion industry. I stick with run of the mill brands at store like ROSS, Marshall’s, Target and Macy’s. Why pay extra for branding? Maybe it’s because I’m a guy, who knows haha. I just could care less about the brand. Go ahead, scoff at my lack of fashion, we’ll see who’s driving the Ferrari 20 years from now!
Cable Internet: SPLURGE
I’m only considering this category a splurge for me because I have the fastest internet out there. This is also dependent on my landlord. I currently rent, so my options were to either have fast cable internet or no internet at all. This is a pretty insignificant cost anyways…
TV: SAVE
Who has time to watch TV? There’s not a lot of time left in the day after 12 hours at the office and two hours at the gym. I don’t watch TV and I don’t own a flat screen either. It’s just not that important to me.
Toiletries/Skin & Hair Care/Cosmetics: SAVE
Friend who know me will tell you I’m extremely cheap in this category. I re-sharpen by Gillette blades, and use the $1 bottles of Barbasol. I use clippers to cut my own hair. I buy bargain shampoo and use the cheapest toothpaste possible. Some would argue that this is an area where you should splurge. Well, my response would be that i get the same end-result using the cheaper products.
Travel: SAVE
I’ve seen the world thanks to my parents. They were missionaries, so we were constantly moving around. I’ve been to China, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Holland, Britain and Mexico. I’d love to travel again someday, but right now it’s not a priority in my life. The most traveling I do now is flying to see my beautiful girlfriend in Memphis and to see my family in Seattle.
Car: SPLURGE
I’m a guy, can you blame me! I drive a 2004 Acura TL. It was my dream car right out of college. I paid a large portion of this car in cash, but also took out a loan. I justified this loan because of the low interest rates (3%). Believe it or not, I’m actually making more money having this loan. The loan freed up some of my cash to invest in the stock market where I’m making significantly more than 3%. I plan on keeping the TL for years to come, so to me, this is a great investment.
Insurance: SAVE
Why pay more for auto insurance? The key here is to stay away from the big insurance companies. your best bet is to stick with a local insurer where you live. Also, I have a high deductible and every possible discount available. i also don’t over-insure my car. While it’s not at the bare minimum, my insurance is definitely on the lower end of plans out there. To ensure I’m getting the best deal possible, i look around at other company’s rates once a year.
Entertainment: SAVE
I never go out to movies. I have a monthly Netflix subscription and watch HULU for free.
Now, what about you? What areas do you save or splurge?
-JE
http://www.freemoneywisdom.com/
Purchasing your first adult bike is a bigger decision that most people would think. A bike is a very personal item, just like a new car or new clothes, it has to fit you! A first time buyer has many points to consider before investing their hard earned money into a pleasure or competition bike.
Choosing the Right Kind of Bike
First thing to consider is what type of bike you want for yourself. There are generally four styles of bikes to choose from, and your selection should depend on what your main type of riding will be.
Road Bikes
A Road Bike is for paved streets and riding fast. It has thin tires, a lightweight frame and a position that puts you bent over the handlebars. The frames of most road bikes are not heavy in construction and don’t usually stand up well for extended periods under heavy loads or tough, rough surfaces. They are definitely not made for off road riding.
Mountain Bikes
These have become very popular in the last couple of decades. They have wide tires, with knobby treads and a tough frame, and are made for the off road trails and countryside. Mountain bikes are not as fast as road bikes, because durability and a more comfortable riding position is more important to the rider. Your sitting position is a bit higher on mountain bikes, more upright with the straight handlebars.
Cruisers Bikes
Cruisers are more for the site seeing type of ride. They have wide tires, wide seats, upright handlebars and usually just a single gear. More simple mechanically, they are easy to maintain and work with flat terrain and a rider who’s more into a nice ride for pleasure.
Hybrid Bikes
Hybrid bikes are a cross between a road and a mountain bike. They offers the best features of the the two types of bikes combined. Smooth skinny tires, allow you to go faster and have an upright seat for easier riding. The handlebar position is one that many people favor.
Here is a list of the seven things you should always have when you are out on your bike:
Spare tube
Tire levers
Patch kit
Pump/CO2
ID card
Multi-tool
Cell phone
… a small GPS is not a bad idea either.
If you want your bike to run smoothly for as long as possible, you need to keep it in clean working condition.
1. Clean and lubricate your chain The chain and sprockets on your bike play a key part in the transfer of power in your legs to your wheels, making them go round and round. When they collect dirt and grit and get gummy, not only does it slow you down, but they also wear out faster. Keeping your chain clean and lubricated is one of the best ways to keep your bike working well.
Use a lightweight oil specially designed for bikes. Stay away from motor oil as it is too heavy and will quickly attract dirt and crud. Light lubrication is the key, and wipe off excess at the end.
2. Lubricate the moving parts of your brakes and derailleurs. Your bike has quite a few moving metal parts that accumulate dirt and moisture. To keep your bike operating well, these parts should be lubricated regularly. Pivot points on the brakes and derailleurs, these are places where you want to apply a couple drops of oil.
While riding your bike down a canal road in say Naples Florida you will be happy you checked out all the types of bikes to buy. Check out the local Naples coupons for bikes website for Naples service shops and parts discounts.
Enjoy your new adventure!
Sue Teaverbaugh invites you to take advantage of bike discounts IN THE Naples Florida area at http://www.couponlightning.com/catpages/BICYCLES/SALES_AND_HIRE_AND_REPAIRS/
If you have read any book on marketing or taken a class on the subject, one of the basic concepts early on is that of market share. Obviously, gaining market share is a good thing. But in today’s economy, that can be rather expensive. Expanding your market share involves finding new prospects and convincing them to buy from you instead of your competition.
So, what other option do you have to grow your business? The only other way to increase your revenue using your current business model and staying within your traditional market is to go for wallet share. What is wallet share? If market share is the amount that you have been able to penetrate into a market, wallet share is the extent to which you have been able to penetrate into your customer’s wallets.
Now hold on a minute; doesn’t it sound a bit greedy to talk about getting as much out of your customer’s wallet as you can? Is it greedy to provide the best service to your customers? Go back to your Mission statement and reaffirm why you are in business.
Let me give you an example of a wallet share strategy. We once worked with an insurance company that needed to increase their revenue. On closer inspection, we determined that they never educated their policy holders on all of their product lines. So, over the next six months the agents called every client whose policy was about to expire and asked if they could quote on all other policies that they had with someone else. Not only did this strategy more than double the sales of the insurance agent, but it saved their policy holders money as well.
In a retail setting, wouldn’t it make sense to determine how all of your products can relate to each other? For example, if you have a paint store, wouldn’t it make sense to keep a painting project checklist at the counter for each time someone comes in to buy paint? Perhaps it would even make sense to have one list for “do-it-yourselfers” and one for professionals.
Another way to tap in to wallet share is to bundle goods or services together. Look at how the fast-food industry has captured wallet share by bundling products together as “meals” at a discounted price. One of our clients who sold cell phones had a hard time understanding how he could bundle anything with cell phones. Then his coach pointed out all of the accessories that graced an entire wall in his store.
The best part about going after wallet share is that you don’t have to advertise to find your customer. They already buy from you, and therefore they have decided that they are comfortable with you. All it takes is a little imagination and the resolve to take action.
Copyright © 2008 Kahuna Enterprises, Inc.
Tim Dollmeyer is a certified ActionCOACH business coach. If you have questions or would like to learn about coaching, visit [http://timdollmeyer.com/]
As the world of business moves faster and becomes more competitive, having a Business Coach is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity! Tim’s role is to coach business owners to improve their businesses using the proven systems provided by ActionCOACH coupled with his experience and yours. Tim will work with you to develop your vision and then get you into Action to achieve it.
Tim is a powerful and inspirational presenter who uses humor and audience participation to bring his point across in a way that will make a big impact on you and your business. Whether teaching business management, leadership or team building, Tim will help you to view your business in a whole new way. Tim presents workshops for every aspect of growing a business. Each program can be tailored to your company’s specific needs. He also delivers workshops in various areas such as conflict resolution, negotiating and public speaking.
Our generation is obsessed with having the latest and most up-to-date smart phones-Blackberries, Droids, Google phones, and of course, the iPhone. Many even line up for hours waiting for these nifty gadgets, complete with their own scheduling applications, camera features, and fun games. With new smart phones coming out every few months, older versions of these gadgets pile up in storage. While they may be useless for you, they are worth quite a fortune for others. To make the most of these used phones, you should sell your blackberry for cash.
If you are looking to upgrade your smart phone to the latest version, you should sell your blackberry for cash to make a good chunk of change of offset the high cost of those new phones. By doing so, you get rid of a phone that may just take up space in the back of your drawer. A simple three-step process gets you cash for your used-and even broken-phone! The first step entails a quick questionnaire detailing the model and condition of your phone. At the end, you will receive a quick quote on how much you will receive for the used gadget. Should you choose to sell the used blackberry for this price, you will receive a pre-paid package to ship your phone. A tracking number and shipping insurance will be provided by the purchasing company to ensure quality service. Lastly, payment will be sent to you either through PayPal or through a mailed check. It is a quick and simple process that will easily transform your used phones into cash. New smart phones are often pricey. Thus, by selling your blackberry for cash, you can offset that high cost. The money you make from your old phone can be seen as a recoup or discount off of your updated smart phone.
Purchasing a used blackberry can be a good way to save some cash when buying a smart phone. Contracts with cell service providers often require one-, two-, or three-year contracts that bind you to a particular phone in order to get a huge discounted rate. However, if you choose to change to another phone, it may cost many excessive fees. Thus, purchasing a used smart phone enables you to break free from that contract by buying a phone that has many of the same capabilities but without the exorbitant costs. Moreover, by selling your blackberry for cash, you are enabling someone who may not be able to afford a brand new smart phone to enjoy the same benefits of a smart phone that you do! It’s a win-win situation.
If you are looking to save on an upgrade to the latest blackberry, you should sell your used blackberry for cash. If you are looking to enjoy the same benefits of a smart phone without the same expenses, you should look into buying a used blackberry.
Why wait? Act now and visit http://www.cashforberrys.com now to make some quick cash or to get a cheap phone!
Technology moves quickly. Sell your old Blackberry and use the money you make to buy the newest smartphone on the market. www.Cashforberrys.com gives you the most cash for your old cellphone.
Mobile broadband refers to an internet connection using a portable device similar to a USB device. It uses different network standards or even satellite based portable system. Mobile internet services empower the users to with high speed internet access wherever they travel. This facility is not available to those who use a fixed line broadband. Hence, frequent business travelers, students and business owners can remain connected to their work place using mobile services while on the go.
Many business owners need to travel a lot for getting business deals. This keeps them out of office for days. With the use of mobile dongles for broadband access, businessmen can virtually connect with office from anywhere. The high speed internet access provides good clarity voice and video chat for setting up meetings and work schedules while they travel. This is a limitation for those who have fixed line internet connection. They would have to find a wireless free network or find an internet cafe both of which are time consuming without good output. Having a mobile portable broadband provides safe and faster internet access in the remotest areas which is more convenient.
Apart from portable broadband drives, mobile phone internet has also made life easier. Cell phones with features like GPS, Bluetooth and internet data plans also provide good connectivity with home and office. These also help in on the spot presentations even when you are away from office. Most of these services are available with international roaming plan. This helps to connect online even when a business owner travels out of the country.
Mobile broadband services offer internet data plans for quite affordable rates and discounts. When compared with a fixed line broadband, the mobile counterparts prove to be much more cost-effective, efficient and provide better connectivity. It is simple to carry and a handy internet device at any location. The market is full of mobile broadband deals offered by various companies. Having broadband that is mobile has benefited several businesses, professionals and students. People can monitor their office work or complete school assignments wherever they go and be connected to internet using mobile broadband.
Broadband Comparison UK can provide you with Free UK Broadband Comparison. Compare to get the best broadband services, deals and offers from all the UK internet and mobile broadband providers. Cheap broadband & mobile broadband packages available.