How to Purchase a Used Automobile: Tips From the Auto Insurance Guys

These days, purchasing a new car requires a lot of money. For those looking for another option due to the financial output, shopping for a used car may be a good bet. Of course, a previously owned car, no matter how sleek and shiny may have hidden disadvantages.

Below find tips from some finely-tuned insurance professionals on how to go about the task of shopping for a used car.

8 Ways to Get a Good Deal on a Previously-Owned Car

• Decide How Much You Can Spend on the Purchase
Prior to shopping around for a good used car, do a personal financial tally. Then focus only on buys you can afford - whether via financing or full payment method.

• Choose the Right Kind of Vehicle
Unmarried people without kids do not need a big car. On the other side of the coin, married individuals with children in tow could use a larger car. Recreational drivers, long-distance drivers and city or highway drivers have different needs as well. Assess your individual requirements, then shop for the car that matches them.

• Check Out Prices and Repair Frequency
Look online to determine what you should be paying for car makes and models according to year and usage. This search will also let you know what type of vehicles requires less maintenance work and what type has less mechanical headaches.

• Learn about the Car's Past
Research a particular car's history by putting in the Vehicle Information Numbers. This will get you to a full report about past collisions, owners and even recorded maintenance and repair jobs.

• Test the Car out by Taking it for a Spin
Drive your prospective car purchase over a calculated route that includes hills, bumps, curves and highway maneuvering. This way, you'll get an idea how the overall driving ability is.

• Get a Professional Mechanic's Opinion
Enlist your favorite mechanic in the decision by hiring him or her to inspect the car for surface problems that a layman like you may not be able to detect.

• Use Your Price-Negotiating Skills
Utilize the knowledge you have gained from all your research on the car to negotiate a price that fairly reflects its true value.

And Last But Surely Not Least

• Do not Forget About Auto Insurance
Before completing the buying process, speak to an experienced independent insurance agent about insurance for the vehicle. After binding the policy, sign the contract, pay, and you are good to go. No worries about the possibility of no coverage on the road to home!

Now that you have a new (used) automobile take care of it with good maintenance practices and remember to keep driving safety a priority.

Happy driving!

Online Poker - The Fastest and Easiest Way to Play Poker

In the era that we live in, computers play a major role in our lives. The internet is used everyday for various things, such as buying clothes, games and other different accessories. Some people actually work from home and make a living using the internet. Poker is a world wide game, therefore, if you really think about it, poker made one of the best decisions by joining the internet. Poker is so popular that there is a possibility that in every country of the world there are homes with people playing poker right this minute, and the majority of these people are playing online poker.

Playing online poker is fairly simple if you have basic computer skills. If you do not know basic computer skills, do not worry, all you need to know is how turn on your computer, manage a mouse, open the internet page, type "play poker online" in the search box, press enter and choose which ever site you prefer.

Online poker sites have dozens of games you can play. Why? Originally it was one game; over the years different styles of poker have been created due to the imminence popularity poker has around the world. If you have access to the internet, then you have all the different varieties of poker in the tips of your finger. If you like poker and you are a beginner sometimes you have some questions regarding the rules, strategies, or maybe you just want to know some of the history of poker; the internet also has hundreds of articles filled to prim with information that will take hours to read completely. (You can never read all the articles regarding poker because new articles are uploaded everyday!)

Technology makes our lives easier, and computers with internet access are part of this technology. Therefore if you are up-to-date with technology and you love playing poker, online poker rooms are a little piece of heaven available in your home. What is also cool about online poker is that there are free online poker rooms and pokers rooms were you can place a bid and win money! Some of the most popular poker games are Texas hold'em, five-card draw, seven-card stud, Razz, Omaha high, Chinese poker, crazy pineapple, deuce-to-seven, and double-flop Texas hold'em.

Online poker is the fastest and easiest way to play poker. You can never get bored of it. The best part of online poker is that with every style of poker you choose to play, the generals rules of that particular game can most of the time be located in the same site, or the site will have a reference site where you can go and read the main things you need to know about the style you chose to play.

So what are you waiting for? Leave all does fifty-two cards you use to play poker with and play poker online, the fastest and easy way to play poker.

Fill Your Wallet! How to Earn Money Both Online and Offline

As more and more people fill up the world, it sees more and more difficult to fill up your wallet. There will always be someone better than you who will get the job that you like. There will always be someone better than you who will get the promotion that you have long strived for. Sad as it may sound, there will always be someone better than you who will get what you want - but this should not stop you from earning money.

Thanks to technology, you actually have many opportunities to earn money, both online and offline. All you need to do is to know where such opportunities are, and what you can offer in terms of finances and skills in order to meet certain requirements. Whether you are after a part-time or a full-time job, you can use the power of the Internet to find you work that will fill your wallet up, so that you can let go of all the other excuses of fate and circumstance in order to earn you the money that you need.

First, join online groups and forums. Such places can allow you to not only voice your concerns, but find kindred souls who share the same problems as yours. You can also find more successful people and ask for their advice.

There are two main online groups and forums that you might want to join. First, join online groups and forums that cater to people with the same interests and skills as yours. For instance, if you are a writer, you might want to join online groups and forums that cater to writers in your genre, or to writing in general. In such groups, you will be able to hone your writing style, especially if workshops are involved. You will also be able to find writing jobs through connections in the online group and forum.

Another online group and forum type that you might want to join is any group catering to job seekers. Such groups will post job openings regularly, and you will be constantly updated on ways by which you can earn money. Just be sure that the members of such online groups and forums are reliable and reliable, or you might find yourself chasing a scam.

Second, know your skills and interests completely. Are you a writer, a graphic artist, a web designer, a clothing designer, or a researcher? What are you especially good at? What are your skills? What is your educational background? If you know yourself completely, there are two things that you can do with ease: you will know what jobs you will excel at, and you will know how else you can improve yourself.

With all this knowledge on hand, look for jobs online that will cater to your skills and interests. Moreover, join workshops or attend classes that can help you improve your skills: not only will you emerge from workshops and classes with better skills than before, you will have earned yourself friends and possible connections!

There are many more ways to earn money online. Do research on them, especially on affiliate programs that pay decisions for clicks of advertisements on your website. This can be good for residual income, and can help you earn more money while you have a day job, or a part-time job that pays your bills.

There are still many ways to earn money, and all you need to do is find the opportunity. Always keep an open mind, and be on the lookout for ways to earn money legally. If you can, invest your money in mutual funds or bonds, and save some in the bank for a rainy day. As you let your money pour in, and as you allow it to grow, you can soon find yourself living comfortably - even retiring early!

How to Avoid Auto Repair Ripoffs

Auto repair is like any other business-there are some unscrupulous cheats out to take your money. But you can avoid getting ripped off for auto repairs if you keep your wits about you. Here's how to do it.

First, get a referral to a reliable, trustworthy mechanic. Friends are a good source for referrals. Ask them who they've had good experiences with, and who they would avoid. That's probably the best way to find a winner.

But do not simply take a friend's word for it. Check out your mechanic! You can call the Better Business Bureau to see if he's had any complaints. Look for certificates like an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) seal, which means he's at least met some minimum standards for skills and service.

Before you get any work done, ask about labor prices and prices for parts and supplies. Not asking means you really have no right to be shocked if they pad your bill. And be sure to find out about the warranty on parts and labor (do not forget the labor piece of the puzzle).

Most important, get everything in writing. That means the estimate for the work, the details of the warranty on parts and labor, everything. If a mechanic will not give a written estimate, he's either too lazy to do it, or he's leaving the door open for fraud. You do not want to play either game. And once you're armed with the price and warranty information, do not be afraid to shop around to see if you can lower your cost.

If your problem is a little out of the ordinary, such as those annoying intermittent rattles most cars experience from time to time, take a test drive with the mechanic beforehand to show him exactly what you need addressed. Do not make him guess. If you can show him the problem, he might know exactly what to target, which will save you labor cost, and probably save him from making unnecessary repairs.

Before you pay the bill, go for a test drive to make sure the car is fixed to your satisfaction. If it is not right, ask the mechanic to make it right. Even great, honest mechanics who pay attention to detail can miss things. A test drive can bring those misses to light, and probably save you a hassle later.

And speaking of the bill, read it. Check it over carefully. Ask about anything you do not understand, or that does not sound right. If you just pay the bill without checking, it's like signing a mortgage document without reading it. Silly, right?

Finally, pay your bill with a credit card if you can. That gives you maximum flexibility to protect yourself from fraud. If something goes wrong, you can call the credit card company and dispute the charge. Many cards also offer some fraud protection, so you might have another line defense.

As with most things, you can avoid getting ripped off for auto repairs by being informed, and by being careful. If you will do a little work up front to prepare, and take small steps to protect yourself, you can save yourself aggravation and expense.

Keys For Effective Electrical Troubleshooting

Equipment can malfunction for a variety of reasons. Mechanical contacts and parts can wear out; wires can overheat and burn open or short out; parts can be damaged by impact or abrasion; etc. Equipment may operate in a manner far different than it was designed to, or not at all.

Typically, when equipment fails there is a sense of urgency to get it fixed and working again. If the defective equipment is part of an assembly line, the whole assembly line could be down causing unexpected 'time off' and lost revenue. If you are at a customer site to repair equipment, the customer may watch you, knowing that they are paying for every minute you spend troubleshooting and repairing their equipment. Either one of these scenarios - and there are more, can put a lot of pressure on you to solve the problem quickly.

So What is troubleshooting? It is the process of analyzing the behavior or operation of a faulty circuit to determine what is wrong with the circuit. It then involves identifying the defective component (s) and repairing the circuit. Depending on the type of equipment, troubleshooting can be a very challenging task. Sometimes problems are easily diagnosed and the problem component easily visible. Other times the symptoms as well as the faulty component can be difficult to diagnose. A defective relay with visual signs of burning should be easy to spot, whereas an intermittent problem caused by a high resistance connection can be much more difficult to find.

What makes an expert Troubleshooter? One trait of expert troubleshooters is that they are able to find virtually any fault in a reasonable amount of time. Easy faults, complicated faults, they find them all. Another trait is that they typically replace only the components that are defective. They seem to have a knack for finding out exactly what is wrong. No trial and error here. So what is their secret?

You might think that a person who has a very good understanding of how the equipment works, should be able to troubleshoot it effectively. Being a good at troubleshooting requires more than this.

Expert troubleshooters have a good understanding of the operation of electrical components that are used in circuits that they familiar with, and even ones that are not. They use a system or approach that allows them to logically and systematically analyze a circuit and determine exactly what is wrong. They also understand and effectively use tools such as prints, diagrams and test instruments to identify defective components. Finally, they have had the opportunity to develop and refine their troubleshooting skills.

If you want to troubleshoot like the pros you will need to develop your skills in each of these areas. Let's look at them in more detail.

1. Understand how the circuit works . This consists of understanding the operation of all the components that are used in the circuit. This could include such components as: push buttons, contactors, various types of switches, relays, sensors, motors, etc. Electrical circuits typically control or operate mechanical systems and components. You also need to understand how these mechanical aspects of the equipment operate to carry out the work. You need to be able to determine how the circuit works under normal conditions and what effect changing one of the circuit inputs has on the circuit operation. For example, what happens to the overall circuit operation when a push button is pressed; which relays energize, which lights illuminate, does the pump start or stop, etc. You also need to be able to determine what effect a faulty component may have on the circuit operation.
2. Use a logical, systematic approach to analyze the circuit's behavior . This is critical. There are several approaches that troubleshooters use. They may have different steps or processes but they have the following in common: They all approach problems systematically and logically thus minimizing the steps and ruling out trial and error. One such approach used to teach troubleshooting is called the '5 Step Approach'. A summary of the key steps are:
   • Observe Most faults provide clues as to their cause. There could be visual clues such as signs of damage or improper operation. Do not forget to use your other senses; sounds and smells can also provide valuable clues. Through careful observation and a certain reasoning, most faults can be identified to the actual component with very little testing.
   • Define Problem Area At this stage you apply logic and reasoning to your observations to determine the problem area of ​​the malfunctioning equipment.
   • Identify Possible Causes Once you have the problem area (s) defined it is necessary to identify all the possible causes of the malfunction.
   • Determine Most Probable Cause Once the list of possible causes has been made it is necessary to prioritize the items as to the possibility of them being the actual cause of the malfunction.
   • Test and Repair Once you have determined the most probable cause, you must test it to prove it to be the problem or not.

   See A Systematic Approach to Troubleshooting for more details on this approach.

3. Understand how to use tools such as prints, diagrams and test instruments to identify defective components. Let's first look at prints and diagrams. Some of the key things you should be able to determine from these are:
   • how the circuit should operate
   • what kind of features the circuit has
   • what voltages you should expect at various points on the circuit
   • where components are physically located
   • how the components are actually wired together
   Various types of test instruments are available for testing electrical circuits. The ones you choose depends on the type of circuit and its components. A common test instrument which is invaluable to a troubleshooter is a Multimeter. It is capable of measuring voltage and resistance with some meters capable of other measurements such as current and capacitance. You must be able to determine what type of test instrument to use, when and where to use it, and how to safely take readings with it.
4. Practice! Troubleshooting, like any skill, requires practice to become proficient . Practice can be difficult to get. Depending on your job, you may not have the opportunity for enough troubleshooting practice. And even if you do, your employer may not want you to practice troubleshooting on equipment they rely on. Until you become reasonably competent, it is best to practice troubleshooting in a controlled environment. One option is to build or purchase equipment that can be used for troubleshooting. This equipment is designed with the ability to apply faults to it. Here you can practice your skills in a very realistic environment without affecting equipment in use. Another option which is gaining more popularity is the use of computer simulations. These simulations can be extremely realistic and allow you to practice your troubleshooting skills in a safe environment. Some other advantages are portability, cost effectiveness, and can be used in almost any location. Some even include an assessment function that assesses the user's troubleshooting skill, provides feedback, and records their troubleshooting processes.

Review your own skills in each of these areas. Improving any one of them, along with a good dose of practice, will improve your troubleshooting skills.

How to Turn a Website Into a Money Machine

Making money online requires four major elements.

1) A product or service that people are willing to pay for.

2) The technology infrastructure to enable prospects to find and interact with your business online.

3) Traffic bringing prospects to your site.

4) Converting those prospects into customers and collecting their money.

While all four elements need to be in place and working together in order to make money, the technology infrastructure is the most critical element because it supports the other three and creates the leverage that enables individuals to make five, six and even seven figure imports from their home based businesses.

The biggest misconception about the technology needed to make money is that having a website is enough. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A website is simply the first, albeit the most important, element required to make money. Typically a website consists of a hosting account (where one leases space on a web server), a URL or web address, and a few pages of information or sales copy about the product or service being offered.

However, to turn a website into a real online business requires the addition of a number of software applications to manage the various business functions required including: autoresponders for building a list, multimedia to improve sales and conversions, split-testing to measure and improve conversions , traffic tracking to optimize advertising and traffic strategies, credit card processing, and monitoring and reporting of critical business metrics.

Generally these are purchased as stand alone applications and added to a basic website in order to create a real online business. The total cost of all the additional technologies required is in the range of $ 2,000 to $ 4,000.

The major drawback to this approach is the time it takes to operate the online business, as it takes a great deal of time to jump from application to application to gather the operating data required to make operating decisions.

The solution to this problem is to retain a software engineer to connect, integrate and develop displays for the most important operating information. This can easily cost an additional $ 20,000 to $ 30,000.

The objective being to reduce the amount of time spent dealing with the technologies so more of your limited time can be invested in driving traffic and learning the important conversions skills required to convert prospects into customers.

Alex Mandossian, the uber successful Internet marketer said it best.

"The secret to making money online is Simple.

Do not spend any more than 10% of your time dealing with the technologies so you can spend 90% on traffic and conversion because that's where the money is made online. "

Then he finished with most important point.

"There's no money in learning and managing the technologies, unless you want to be a webmaster."

This means that you either need to hire a professional webmaster to set up and manage the technologies required to operate your online business (so you can focus on getting traffic and converting it into customers) ... OR you need to get one of the integrated applications that provide all the technologies ready to go.

Not only do these applications combine all the technologies into one easy to use application that let's you focus on traffic and conversion, but they cost 80% to 90% less than purchasing all the technologies separately.

Bottom line, the best way to turn your website into a money machine is to purchase one off the shelf. It's far faster, much cheaper and will make you a lot more money.

Please visit www.YourFirst50K.com [http://www.yourfirst50k.com] for more information & to receive your FREE copy of my ebook titled "How to Make Your First $ 50,000 Online"

What Business to Buy

There's a twofold answer to the question 'What Business to Buy' simply because in its' core it involves two aspects: You and The Business.

At first it is all about Your Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Interests. When looking for Opportunities in Business You are a fundamental part of the Process. Make list to narrow down personal interests, traits and characteristics and look for a Business that suits these exercises. Most of the time when entrepreneurs buy businesses that do not match their Temperament, they end up unsuccessful, unhappy and selling the Business.

Ask yourself the following questions to get Your Ideas for Businesses:

• What are my 5 Strongest Personality Traits? You can also opt to ask your friends and family to send you lists with their observations (can be very revealing).
• What are my 5 Strongest Skills when it comes to doing my current or previous jobs?
• What Role do I want to Play in the Business?
• What Destination and Location do I want my Business to have or can it be a Business without a fixed Location (such as internet based).
• Do I prefer a large-scale business with many contacts and customers or do I prefer to focus on a niche market, dealing with a smaller number of contacts and clients?
• Do I want a Product Supply Type of Business or a Service oriented business?
• What is my Business Investment Budget?

When going over all the answers to these questions, you will have a Clear Picture What Type of Business you want to Buy.

Find a Business to Buy

After having identified What Type of Business you want to Buy it is time to Find a Business to Buy. You will want to opt for a Business that offers Value for Money. Its Valuations have to be backed up by Reliable and Detailed Financial Data.

Some Investors are Buying Businesses because they are Cheap compared to their core Value. They believe that as long as the market undervalues ​​the business relative to the core value, they are making a Solid Investment. This way of Investing fully depends on the reasoning that the market will eventually realize it has undervalued the Business and will correct its Course.

Below some questions you can ask yourself when determining What Business to Buy:

• Does the Business Match my Personal Characteristics and Expectations?
• Is there a Solid Business Plan available?
• What are the Top-5 Competitors of the Business?
• Do I have access to all Detailed Financial Data?
• What is the Trend in Profits over the last 5 years?
• Does the business show healthy and consistent cost margins?
• What is the expected Return on Investment?

How much you will always profit from your Business depends on the level of Original Investment and Your Management and Marketing Skills.

Fx Trading Forex - Trading Foreign Exchange

The largest financial market worldwide is without question, the foreign exchange market, also commonly referred to as Forex or Fx trading. With a large volume of cash and activity in fx trading forex, there is high liquidity in this market.

According to statistical data, over $ 3 trillion changes hands around the globe on a daily basis. Along with these high liquid assets, you have the ability to trade whenever you want and at any price level that you choose.

In a forex exchange trade, a trader measures how much a currency is worth in relation to another currency. These currencies, between two countries, are traded in pairs. To illustrate this point, if you exchange US dollars for Canadian dollars, this pair would look like this: USD / CAD.

90% of the foreign exchange market is made up of 6 major pairs, and these are:

-EUR / USD: The Euro and US dollar.

-USD / CHF: The US dollar and Swiss franc.

-GBP / USD: The British pound and US dollar.

-USD / JPY: The US dollar and Japanese yen.

-USD / CAD: The US dollar and Canadian dollar.

-AUD / USD: The Australian dollar and US dollar.

Now we know that a currency's value is assessed against its paired value. So, when one currency moves in one direction, the other currency's position will verify the current value from this exchange rate movement.

Before the availability of the Internet, large institutions like banks and corporations prevailed in the forex market. In today's global environment, the Internet has enabled anyone with a computer to get involved with fx trading forex. The structure of this market is highly decentralized and is known as an Over The Counter market.

An advantage to forex trading is that you can start trading with a small amount of money. Education is key in developing a solid understanding and an individual trading style. Arming yourself with knowledge will also help you to minimize your risks and learn to trade more profitably.

I would suggest that you find one of the better online forex brokers and open a demo account with them. A demo account will allow you to play around with fx trading forex and execute trades without risking any money. You also have access to current forex news, charts and statistics, at no cost to you.

These are some of the benefits to developing your skills in the foreign exchange market. I hope that I have provided a few insights and wish you all the best with your trading plans!

Top 5 Best Home Business Ideas

It is an ideal time to get started in your own home-based business as the unemployment rate is increasing day by day and there are no signs of improvement in the economy. If you are wondering, why should you give preference to home-based business over any other business type? Well, it is simple, the start-up investment needed to get going, flexibility of a job nature and great money-making opportunities are not found in any other business type nowadays.

There are various home-based businesses and in this article I will mention the top 5 home business ideas which can help you to start earning quick cash.

1 - Affiliate Marketing

It could be as simple as setting up a blogging site and reviewing products in your favorite niche to refer others. It would not be wrong, if I would say, it is a fast growing home-based business online nowadays as it can help you to earn huge cash if you would understand the tips and tricks.

2 - Freelance Writing

This is another decent way to start a home-based business if you have writing skills. There are number of websites that allow you to offer your services in ghost writing, short stories of technical writing. Some of the more popular jobs in writing are - writing topic related articles, e-book writing and auto responder emails etc.

3 - Business Coaching

Many small businesses cannot afford to have a full-time business coach, therefore if you have expertise it can be a great way to start a home-based money-making opportunity. It is always recommended to start offering your coaching to local businesses first and then expand it to a global market.

4 - Technical Support

This may be the avenue for you, if you are pro at assisting people to solve issues and technical problems. You can even produce your videos to show people step-by-step guide on how to resolve their common technical issue and that you can sell from your site.

5 - Blogging

Blogging has also been a one of the successful method to start home-based business as people has been making six-figures per year from it easily. If your blog is interactive and helpful for others, you can display ads and offer affiliate products and services to earn huge money.

Above mentioned are all very popular and successful ideas to start a home-based business but it is recommended to go with something you are passionate about, so that enthusiasm and passion will come across when you are doing it. This way, you will not be able to earn money out of it but will love your job too.

Making a Girl Wet - 3 Simple Tips to Make a Girl Wet

Are you looking for ways to make a girl wet?

Girls do get wet when you arouse them to a certain level. However, it is not easy to get a girl wet. But don't worry, I can help you.

Getting a girl wet can be emotionally satisfying for you - Well, I guess every man in this world wants to see his girl squirt during lovemaking.

However, do take note that not every girl can squirt. A woman gets wet and squirts because of orgasm. There are dry and wet orgasms: so if your lady falls under the first category, then you have no choice but to accept that she won't squirt.

But before you can know, you need to try the tips I am going to share with you here.

In order to get a girl wet in bed, what you do here is to try all ways to make her reach orgasm. There are basically 3 ways to make her orgasm:

1. Engage in prolonged foreplay. I can't stress seems to stress enough how important foreplay is. Many men tend to skip this and go straight to intercourse. Don't do that.

Naturally, women take a longer time to get aroused. When a woman is not aroused, she can't reach orgasm.

Foreplay is a good time to use your skills to make her reach maximum arousal level. Use your hand and tongue to stimulate all her erogenous zones such as breasts, neck, inner thighs, earlobes, abdomen, armpit, etc. Be thorough, but don't spend too much time on each area.

2. Go down on her. Cunnilingus or oral sex for women, is the single best way to make a woman orgasm. Spend at least 3 minutes to perform cunnilingus on her. Start with the outer lips and make your way to the clitoris. The clitoris is very sensitive to stimulation. If you use the right tongue techniques to lick her clitoris, she is going to explode into shaking orgasm.

One thing to note: Don't bite the clitoris. You will cause serious pain to her and this is a BIG TURN OFF.

3. Fingering her g-spot. Insert your finger into her vagina with your palm facing upward. Your first task is to locate the g-spot. It is situated somewhere at the front wall of the vagina. So use your finger to make a "come here" motion and try to feel a round, roughened area on the front wall. This is the G-Spot. Once you have located the g-spot, apply pressure to it. It should enlarge and feel more solid.

If you stimulate it correctly, you will feel her legs squeezing against your quads. This shows that she is near to orgasm! Go for the finishing line.

Making your girl wet by giving her an orgasm is a great way to satisfy her sexual desire. However, if you can't last long enough during intercourse (premature ejaculation), you are throwing your efforts to waste.

89% of all women asked, who admitted to being unfaithful to their male partner, said that they were driven to betrayal due to their man's inability to last long enough to allow her to have a vaginal orgasm.

Don't be one of them. If you are having problem to last long enough to satisfy her, check out the bonus tip below:

How To Evaluate A Business Idea For Developing An Enterprise

Why Do You Need A Business Plan?

Planning is a process that never ends for all businesses. It is extremely important in the early stages of any venture when the entrepreneur will need to prepare a preliminary business plan.

There are different types of plans that may be part of any business operation. These include but not limited to Financial plans, Marketing plan, Human Resource plan, Production plans, Sales plans etc. Plans may be short term or long term or may be strategic or operational. Whatever the type of plan or the function, plans have one important purpose; to provide guidance and structure to management in a rapidly changing market environment.

A business plan on the other hand is a written document prepared by the entrepreneur that describes all the relevant external and internal elements involved in starting a new venture. It is often an integration of functional plans such as marketing, finance, manufacturing and human resources. It also addresses both short term and long term decision making for the first three years of operation. So, the business plan, or road map, answers the strategic questions of where am I now? Where am I going? And how will I get there? Potential investors, suppliers and even customers will request or require a business plan.

How I Prepared My Preliminary Project Proposal

In my case, I followed the following break downs keeping each section as brief as possible.

1. Background : In this section, I established the context of the project by giving an account of the problem it is trying to address.

2. State of the art: I gave an overview of existing and emerging technology in the field, including an account of rival technologies and a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the various options.

3. Proposal: I wrote an overview of the proposed project and the approach, ie the activities which I will be mandated to achieve the project objectives. Clearly establish the research element or novelty component in the proposal.

4. Consortium: an overview of the proposed manpower and establish the required ability to carry out the project successfully (eg skills, competencies, etc.)

5. Objectives and Deliverables: Identify (1) the objectives and (2) the deliverables of the proposed project.

6. Competitiveness: if applicable, establish the competitiveness or advantages of the proposed solution compared to other solutions, whether these already exist or are still being researched.

7. Cost: give an overview of the project cost (including start-up cost and working capital requirements).

8. Impact: this section should include:
i. Markets and Uses: identify possible uses and markets for the deliverables of the project.

ii. Benefits and Beneficiaries: identify the beneficies of the project's results (eg the project participants, the general public, third parties) and the manner in which they will benefit.

iii. Roadmap: give an indication regarding what further steps, effort, costs and timeframes are necessary before possible benefits can be realized from the deliverables or results of the project (unless these are realized within the lifetime of the project).

iv. Spillover Benefits: identify any secondary benefits of the project (eg facilitating participation in funding programs, improving Malta's ranking, strengthening Malta's reputation in a particular area, etc.)

Preparing a Detailed Business Plan
Stages of writing a business plan are: After deciding to go into business, before starting the business and when updating is required.

Business plans can be written for retail business, wholesale business, service business, manufacturing and any other type of business.

A business plan is written by doing the following:
Identifying all the questions that could have asked about the business.
Determining what additional information needs to be collected to answer all the questions.
Obtaining all the necessary information.
Comparison various alternatives
Making a decision on each question.

A business plan should:
Have a good appearance
Provide an index
Provide a summary
Number each copy
Be signed to show who is submitting it.
Depend on the nature of the business.

A business plan should be organized to carry a cover page, table of contents, executive summary, business description, marketing plan, organizational plan, operational plan, financial plan and appendices.

Outline of a typical business plan is as below;

1. Title: Feasibility study Report on______________________
Commissioned by_________________
2. Project consultants
3. Table of contents:

Executive Summary
The Report
Project Background
Objective of study
Project description and
Loan promotion
Promoter
Location

Market and marketing plan
Potential customers
Competition
Pricing
Sales Tactics
Advertising and Promotion
Distribution.

Technical Feasibility and management plan:
Factory
Machinery
Overhead charges
Packaging materials
Raw materials Manpower and Labor costs.

Financial Projection / Feasibility:
Overview on capital requirement
Financial plan
Projected cash flow
Projected profit and loss account
Expected balance sheet
Break-even analysis
Source and application of funds

Organization Plan:
Form of ownership
Identification of partners / Principal shareholders
Authority of Principals.
Management team background
Roles and responsibilities of members of organization

Assessment of Risk:
Evaluate weakness of business
New technologies
Contingency plans.

Schedules:
12 months projected sales
12 months proposed purchase
Fixed Assets and depreciation schedule
Profitability index.

Thanks for reading

Household Budget is Key to Debt Reduction

What is a Household Budget?

Is not it just taking care of basic necessities and then making sure there is money set aside for entertainment? No, not at all. You see, that's how people get mired in debt. Most people get money and then spend that money right away. What comes in must go out. Individuals are consuming every penny they make - and sometimes more than that, as they are juggling high interest credit cards and other debts.

As a matter of fact, a household budget may be something you have thought of or avoided, even without realizing it.

A Household Budget will Help Reduce Debt

Your household budget is really a set of instructions that you as well as your family will follow in order to reduce your debts as quickly as possible. The faster you pay down and pay off all your debts, the sooner you can breathe easy while knowing you get to keep a lot more of the money you earned. But even more importantly - you will save a tremendous amount of money.

The longer your debts remain in force, even if you are making the payments against them on time, the more money you will have to pay in interest. Interest only accrues against outstanding principal debts, and it accrues according to percentages. So, the less outstanding principal balances you owe, the less interest can accrue. The faster you reduce all your debts, the sooner you will be able to stop paying interest.

By creating a household budget you are essentially creating a debt reduction budget. You are making sure that you are getting those debts paid down and paid off faster than you would without that budget. What that means for YOU is that you are saving thousands of dollars by cutting off interest accrual as fast as possible.

Benefits of a Household Budget

A household budget will help in reducing debt as well as assist you in organizing your finances. There are also many other great benefits, which include:

1. Building up savings as a safety net for unexpected expenses, lost job, or pay cut.

2. Giving you the ability to buy big ticket items with minimal or zero use of credit which gives you peace of mind

3. Assist you in long term savings to attain financially related dreams such as purchasing a new home, having enough money for a college education for your kids and a good nest egg for retirement.

How do I Create an Effective Household Budget

Believe it or not, you may think it can be time consuming to create your household budget but it is actually pretty easy.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Compare your current total monthly spending to your current total monthly income.

2. Reduce your spending where necessary so that your income, after taxes, is greater than your total expenditures.

3. Allocate your dollars appropriately so you are able to pay all of your basic living expenses and debts first.

Remember, the more you can pay against your debts without seriously changing your lifestyle, the better it will be for you. However, if you are in way deep over your head with debt, you might have to give up a few things that you've been financing, like that giant screen TV or entertainment system.

You may also have to find ways of increasing your income. Here are a few ideas:

1. Finding a second job that you can do from home on the Internet

2. Turn a hobby into some kind of business where you can get paid for your talent skills

3. Sell some of your items online at eBay or Craigslist

You have to be willing to take control of your finances, be discipline and as much as possible follow your budget consistently every month! As long as your cottage budget has you earning more money than you're spending, it's working for you.

Make Money From Games Online

Introduction:

Make money from games online; is this an interest to you? Well the gaming industry has never been bigger then what it is now and it will only continue to grow from the demand of hardcore gamers online. For all games to be sold and played we all know the content has to be outstanding due the competitive market for all top gaming companies has increased. These companies go through many procedures from animation to game testing to get a perfect final product and this is where you come in.

There is now a demand for game testers who can make easy relaxing money from games online or by getting a job through the big companies, either way way we know how to get you there and you have the skills they are waiting for.

Do you have an interest in?

- Testing games for big companies in order to make some extra income or even get yourself into it fulltime employment? It can be easily done with the correct contacts and the correct way of approaching the contacts. You will play games for the companies and give your personal feedback, following that you may be put as part of a team to discuss further information and to test the online multiplayer side of the game.

- Testing games in Beta online, there are online companies who need game testers to increase quality of game content to keep the traffic and customers visiting there websites. Every detail counts when it comes to the smaller game companies out doing each other and there are a larger hand of these companies paying out then most people would expect. This is defiantly a good way to make money from games online.

- There are also many other ways of achieving an income from game related jobs. There are websites enabling you to fill out surveys based on games you have played so they can collect the information and data from a large selection of players and make the correct adjustments. As tedious as the surveys can be they can have a very healthy payout for around 30-40 minutes of your time. This can be an excellent way of making money from games online.

- The one and only plus point of being a non-gamer or a soft core gamer is that all game companies encourage a selection of inexperienced gamers to trial there games as they like to have a fresh eye on there product allowing the layout to be easily understandable on their final product.

So to all you hardcore or softcore gamers who want to have a job in a rapidly expanding business with very big benefits, earning money from an enjoyment in your life then you're in the right place.

Here is the method and the route to carry on your journey as professional money making game tester. The tips, skills and method to make you the brightest gem out the box and to get you're learning and earning new tricks to make money from games online.

Top 10 Tips for Choosing a Web Designer for Your Business Web Site

How to Choose a Web Design Firm

Simple. You do your homework on them. Then, you start asking questions and taking notes. There are plenty of web designers available. You want to go with the best because, in fact, your web designer is in essence your partner. You want to choose a designer that takes YOUR business seriously.

What questions do you ask?

There are several important questions to ask when choosing a web designer for your business web site.

Creating your web site can be a tricky process. Choosing the best web design firm for your business web site is a very important decision. And if your company is like most small businesses, you probably do not have a web design experience. Building your web site will take time and work. And working with a web designer is no easy task. So choose the right web design company from the start and avoid do-over's, which can be cost and time consuming.

1. What kind of web experience do you have?

For starters, find out what kind of design experience your potential design firm has. Do they have experience with content management systems such as Joomla or Drupal, do they have experience working with "raw" HTML? Has the web design company created web sites similar to yours? Do they have relevant industry experience? If you want to sell products through your web site and accept credit card payments, does the web design company you are considering have experience with ecommerce hosting?

2. Do you have a portfolio that I can review?

An experienced web design company will have a solid portfolio of web sites that they have created for other clients. Ask for links to other site the design company has created and reviewed each one. Do you like what you see? Do the sites have a style that appeals to you?

3. Do you have any references?

In addition to reviewing web sites, ask for customer references. Contact their clients and ask them about their experience with the web design company. Were they happy with the results? Did they get what they paid for? How much did they pay? Would they recommend them? How long did it take? What did not they like about the company? How responsive was the company when they had questions?

4. What are your prices?

The most important step in pricing is to make sure the potential design company outline all of the prices associated with the work and puts it all in writing. Never enter into a deal without all of the costs are well understood up front.

Ask them a bit about how they manage payments. If they respond in a very business-like and professional manner, this is a good sign. If they throw out answers like - "Do not worry, we'll manage" or "Whatever you are comfortable with", do not be fooled. This is trouble waiting to happen. Get the price in writing before you begin the project.

5. Do you have experience with search engine optimization?

Most small business owners do not have it in their budget to hire a separate marketing firm to work on search engine optimization (SEO), so it is imperative that your web designer have experience in SEO. A good designer will know that design and SEO go hand-in-hand. Designing a web site for search engines with "clean" code that utilizes cascading style sheets is essential to getting your content indexed in the leading search engines, such as Google and Bing.

6. Do you have experience with social media marketing?

Many marketing firms do know the first thing about social media marketing. These firms are stuck in the past and are not as effective as they pret to be. Be sure that you work with a designer that knows how to setup a Facebook fan page for your business and design a customized Twitter profile. This is important because you will want your social media properties to mesh with the design of your web site. The web site and social media pages should complement one-another.

7. What is your process for designing or building a web site?

Make sure you ask your potential web design company about the process that they use? Do they design a web site or do they build a web site? An experienced Internet professional should understand the difference between these two concepts. If they do not, they're probably not as experienced as they claim to be. Building a web site is a highly technical process, while designing a web site is a highly creative process. Many advertising firms specialize in web site design which does not necessarily require any web development skills whatever. At the same time, many firms design web sites, yet out-source the creative portion of the project. Find out from the beginning what the process if for the firm that you are considering.

8. How long will it take?

Perfectionism can be a huge stumbling block in the fast paced world of the Internet. Some designers are unable to compromise between quality and time to market needs. Test: See how long it takes until you receive a proposal.

9. What type of support is offered after web site launch?

If your design firm does not offer web site maintenance, you might want to continue looking. Most reputable design firms will offer "post-launch" maintenance for companies that do not have an in-house webmaster.

10. Which web hosting providers do you work with?

If your design firm does not know the first-names of the contact at their favorite web design firm, then this should raise a red flag. Most reputable web designers know not to choose a web host simply because they are the most popular or because they offer the cheapest web hosting. A reputable web design firm should know who to call and how to get results! Does your web designer work with a green hosting company? Environmentally-friendly web hosting is becoming more and more popular for business web sites looking to implement an eco-policy.

Getting a little recognition on the W3 is hard, even in a niche market (especially in a niche market). You have less than 10 seconds to convince a site visitor to stick around long enough to learn about the quality of your services, your products or your message. Web surfers are jagged out on information overload. If they do not see what they want to see on your home page or a landing page, they bounce. So, making a statement about your corporate culture and your business' core values ​​has to happen in the blink of an eye. Visitors will never even see the "About Us" page if you do not create a good impression - in 10 seconds. So, go green! An emblem or banner claiming that you employ green hosting makes an immediate statement about your on-line business. It says you care about the environment.

Do your homework when choosing a web design firm.

Good designers are creative people that need to think out of the box. Finding a good web designer is getting harder and harder. The good designers are being snatched by agencies and large projects. They are overloaded with work and often, you will not know about them because they do not have time (or need) to market themselves. Doing your homework and asking the right questions is important to decide if they are right for the job.

How To Make Money Online With Games

Are you fed up with having to wake up early to catch the morning cable or beat traffic on the roads? Is your boss becoming too much knowing that your survival depends on him? If so, this is the time to start thinking of how you can make money online, from the comfort of your home. The internet gives you plenty of options to choose from, but making money playing video games should be the most interesting of them all.

Recommended websites:

· SecondLife.com

· ClubBing.com

· PlayAndWin.co.uk

A few years back, getting paid to play video games online for other players was viewed as a counter-intuitive prospect. However, there are now a number of sites that can enable you to earn legal money. Anshe Chung became the very first millionaire from online gaming in 2008, and there is no reason you can not pull the same stunt. Here are the steps that you will have to follow to make money online in this way:

1. The first step is to get controlled with a web-based game that actually offers cash prizes to exemplary players. There are quite a number of games such as The Mobster Game that award the highest ranked online players.

2. You will then have to do your part in excelling in every game you play. This will absolutely require a lot of practice. As you excel, you will earn extra turns that can at times be changed for real cash.

3. Obtain the highest possible ranks on text based games offering offering weekly rewards. Some games could easily earn you a thousand dollars in a week!

4. Participate in as many online tournaments as possible to win even larger cash rewards. Most tourneys will require you to pay a registration fee and the winners will get a huge portion of the collections.

The other way to make money online with games is to sell characters. Simply create an account with a game you do not intend to play. If many players love the game, they will be willing to pay you cash if you threaten to delete the account after a short while. Most payments will usually be made to you via Paypal.

Pros

There are quite a number of advantages that you enjoy when you choose to make money online with games. Most importantly, most of the online games come with huge incomes, especially if you win tournaments. You also enjoy the convenience of working at the time you deem best.

Cons

There are not many sites that will pay you handsomely to play games. To make it even worse, you will have to be very good to earn reasonable amounts of money.

With many video game enthusiasts switching to online games, you can take advantage and sharpen your skills so earn good money. There are not many jobs that pay you to just play so if you are good enough this is the time to start commuting. You will however have to be a bit patient with returns.

Three Best Certificate Programs With Great Career Opportunities

Today, there are thousands of certificate programs that promise to land you aspiring careers. However, not all of these programs live up to the promise. With extensive research, we have found out the truth behind certificate programs. The research helped us to find the three best certificate programs that are available in today's world. Just keep reading to find more about them.

Accounting Technician Program

Accounting is a field that always has good career opportunities. In this slowed down economy, the demand for accounting technicians is very high. An accounting technician gets paid based on his/her ability and qualifications. Accounting technician training programs prepares the candidates to meet any challenge in the accounting world. Through these training programs, the candidates become certified accounting technicians, along with getting wide knowledge about receivable and payable, payroll procedures and tax laws, fixed assets, present value calculation for liabilities, cash-basis and bookkeeping. This enables them to command higher salaries than expected.

The Legal Field

The legal field is well known to be a never-ending source jobs. Paralegal jobs are the current attraction in the legal arena, due to an abundance of lawyers. There are many types of paralegal training programs that are available today. The traditional on-campus paralegal training and the quicker online paralegal training are the two primary options. There is a misconception among people that there is absolutely no need of paralegal training. They think that they just need to a law firm and become a paralegal. The fact is that the most paralegals are hired based on their knowledge and previous experience. The paralegal degree and training programs are an excellent means to get wide knowledge about legal activities. Becoming a paralegal is very easy today. The basic training requirements are good writing skills, some computer knowledge and a few management skills.

Administrative Assistant Training Program

Administrative assistants are needed everywhere, in every industry. Hence, the scope of career opportunities is wide too. The responsibilities of administrative assistants will vary across different companies. However, typing, filling forms and answering phone calls are the basic responsibilities of an administrative assistant. Though the clerical and office skills of the administrative assistants are often overlooked, the best administrative assistants can gain recognition by completing office tasks with the utmost efficiency. So where does this "utmost efficiency" come from? This is where the administrative assistant training programs come in handy. The important fact to be noted is that administrative assistants get paid based on their efficiency.

Choosing the Right Institution

When it comes to training programs, there are a lot of scams online. Therefore, it's always good to do a little research about the institution before you join them. Always stick to the trusted and accredited training programs to avoid scams. Renowned training institutions like 'MTI College' are excellent platforms of study and they offer great career assistance, as well.

Why CodeIgniter? Its Unmatched Benefits in Web Development

With countless open-source frameworks for PHP web development prevailing, if there's one platform that helps both web owners and developers together is CodeIgniter. Now, what makes it so is here to unveil through this post. However, the principle aspects about CodeIgniter known by most is the hassle-free development and seamless user experience. This is the thing that most website owners fall for because they know that their much-anticipated web solution will be developed at the fastest time and also with lower costs. Beside, there are lots of striking functionalities you can get running a CodeIgniter-based web solution.

# 1 Agile Approach

The most mention-worthy benefit of the framework is that it deploys a simpler and agile approach. While one can use PHP language for crafting a solution with it, other components of the framework are too easy to use. The interface is pretty simple to understand, for which develop the site smoothly and swiftly.

# 2 Great Programming support

Being a custom framework, CodeIgniter offers top-notch functionalities of programming and developers have the comfort to code in the most eminent way. While they can create everything straight from the scratch, no configurations are used. That means you can use the code once created later for other aspects of the website.

# 3 Minimal configuration needs

It is perhaps one of the rarest frameworks with fewer configuration needs. It runs with the rule, "Write once, use everywhere. While programming one just needs to start with 'config.php' and potentially load the database, libraries and all arrays. There's no need for writing the database name every time for different programming.

# 4 Easy and extensible

It makes a perfect fit PHP framework for many users who do not possess much technical skills. They are true and easily able to deploy and run a solution with CodeIgniter because of its less code requirements, easy-error handling, fast response time, no mandatory "installation". Further, it's extendable. Means, with it, one can write additional libraries, alter the pattern of pre-existing libraries and tweak in other elements to fit the web app's requirement.

# 5 Inbuilt tools for security

The framework allows the owner of website or applications to decide and implement the level of security they want. While it has some of the default exception inbuilt security tools for filtered input and output. Secondly, there are other functions reinforcing top-level safety to the web solutions like encryption and decryption. Under these, all the data are sent and received through secret installation, meaning no intruders can hack them.

Apart from these impossible benefits, other perks of using CodeIgniter for web development include fast execution and installation time, proper file organization, huge community support step-by-step development testing, easy customization templates, and cache class.

What It Takes to Be a Computer Freelance Professional

Who is a computer freelance professional

Being a computer freelancer means that you are doing computer work independently, and not punching a time clock for any one business. You may have several clients that you are working with from a remote location that they work from. They may only work part time for each client, but they regularly keep in touch with the ones that they work with on a continuously basis. Sometimes they may only work for a client one time to write a program or to fix a problem and never hear from the again. They can work fulltime remotely or travel to different offices for the customer, but they are not on the employee payroll.

How to get started

First thing that you will want to do is to write down all your skills and see which ones are in demand. Do some research online and find the one that are paying the most and which skills do not have a lot of competition. Once you figure out your marketable skills you will have to start putting the word out, either with your friends, or online and with ads to get jobs that will pay you.

Where to find work

There are several great websites online that you can register your skills and get matched with clients, they may have you sign a contract, and you will be able to telecommute. The more skills that you have the more in demand you will be, and the easier you will be able to get signed on with a client. You can also advertise your skills on places like Craigslist, and place ads online. You basically are a small business owner.

What you need

You will need good selling skills, because you will be selling yourself to the client, and you also need top notched computer skills. You will need to keep these skills up to date with the ever changing technology. You need to make sure that you are always on top of your game.

To start out as a computer freelance professional, you may start out part time while working your fulltime job until you get your reputation built up. Once you get a good reputation and people start referring you, you may find that you have more work than you can handle. This can be a very lucrative business and you will find that you may enjoy being your own boss and working with the many different clients.

The Value of Networking Your Brand

Networking can be an effective tool for promoting, marketing and sharing your personal brand. It allows you to meet and connect with like minded individuals and develop quality relationships. It also helps you create the right contacts for growing a viable and profitable network. Last but not least, it allows you to communicate your mission, goals and passions for success.

Listed below are tips and practical ways that savvy networkers can increase their brand proposition.

Activate Your Brand

In order to build a credible and reliable personal brand, you need to be active in your networking activities. Generally, this means staying consistent and intentional in your endeavors. Whether you feel comfortable connecting via in person or online, have a plan and put it into action. Make sure to follow up and follow through. Set up meetings, additional ways to stay in touch in person or online and build your personal brand with others. Show commitment and integrity in your dealings and interactions.

Establish Your Brand

As you develop your relationships, focus on building a strong personal brand. Explore various avenues of expressing your personal brand within your communications styles. What makes you unique and differentiates you from your colleagues or competitors? What skills, abilities or talents make you passionate in your career, business or academics? What do things do people associate you with, when your name comes to mind? By answering these questions, you are gaining a greater understanding of the value of your brand.

Execute Your Brand

Your personal brand can be a powerful for growing your networks. Use it as a touch point for conversations and finding opportunities. Show the relevance of it whenever you go to events, meetings and functions. Incorporate it into your elevator pitch, resume / bio, business cards and other marketing tools and materials. Make every effort to reinforce its worth and significance.

Use these tips to add more value and increase the dynamics of your connections. Along with your communication styles and marketing efforts, create relationships that improve your networks.

Computer Literacy

Once, the thought was that only businesses had a need to use computers. Therefore, computer literacy was not necessary or required of the layperson. The average person only needed to learn and do what their corporate or organizational bosses told them.

Outside of work, a desktop (personal) computer was simply the next new electronic gadget for the home. A personal computer was for convenience and fun, and not a necessary requirement of everyday living.

Now days, if you lack computer knowledge and skills you may start to suffer low self-esteem, especially when you see the young and the elderly possessing such skill and knowledge.

You now find the use of computer technology in almost everything you do - all day, everyday. In fact, some high-end automates seem to require more than a little understanding of computer technology in order to understand the operational and programming functions.

Banks and other financial institutions may soon require some activities to take place on-line (for example, receiving e-bank statements), or you will pay a fee for an alternate method such as postal mail.

The younger you are the more difficulties you will experience in the future, if you do not possess a working (and constantly increasing) knowledge of computers. Improve your computer literacy and your self-esteem will certainly improve.

Those in the fifty plus generation, due to longer life expectancy, may also have trouble if they do not become computer literate.

In addition to self-esteem and lifestyle reasons, there are two other reasons why you should become computer literate.

Mental Health :

Studying computers will stimulate and challenge your mind. Learning all about computers will force your mind into a higher level of mental activity. In so doing, you strengthen brain cells and nerve connections. As a result, you maintain a higher level of mental alertness long into your later years. Vigorously exercising your mind, regardless of age, is necessary for long-term mental health, and for living a more vivid and fulfilling life.

Increase your computer literacy. Create a desire to learn all you can about computers. You could start by taking a class at a senior plus center or the continuing education division of a local college or university, or simply self teach. It is never too late to start.

Money :

a) The more you know about computers the more valuable you become to your employer. Your increased value could lead to job security and sometimes promotional opportunities.

b) Earn extra income by helping others with their computer problems. More and more people are buying computers. A fast growing trend is the need for inexpensive home visits to assist people (an aging population) with understanding computers, solving a wide range of computer problems, setting up a home computer network, and internet security.

Now you have it! Whatever you become computer literate for reasons of lifestyle, mental health, to make money, to improve your self-esteem, or any other reason, you absolutely benefit. You can not lose.