While there are thousands of different green and solar products on the market, it is sometimes difficult to know which ones are the most effective. When you do find a great product that can fulfill your needs, it either ends up being very expensive, or it becomes expensive because you have to hire someone to [...]
June 7th, 2008 | erica | Comments | ContinuedArchive for erica
Protect Your Small Business from Embezzling Bookkeepers Part 4: Common Scams
I am always asked if it is wise to speak openly of how bookkeepers steal since I may be giving bad bookkeepers new ideas, causing business owners to lose money and sometimes even force them to put their businesses for sale. My answer to this is always…Absolutely. It is absolutely a wise idea to inform [...]
March 8th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Save 50% or More on Your Grocery Bills
While shopping at Clubs can be a great money saver when you have little time or a very large family, the biggest problem I’ve found is that the food at Grocery Clubs are not always the healthiest options. Purchasing Vegetables in bulk can make the trip worthwhile, but there are many other ways to save [...]
March 5th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
How to Travel with Kids on the Fly
Flying with children can be daunting. Hearing people comment about your crying angel mid-flight can really tick a parent off as well as create a sense of defensiveness. However, flying with kids does not need to be horrifying. The ten tips listed here will make flying with any child a more pleasurable experience.
BOOKING THE [...]
RAISE YOUR CREDIT SCORE 200 POINTS IN 30 DAYS: Part 3 – Clean Your Credit Report
Over the last ten years, I have helped many people fix their own credit, and each time I do, I am amazed at the credit myths and the false beliefs that are out there. There is just so much incorrect information circulating, that many people begin to believe that repairing their credit is a long [...]
March 1st, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
What Mortgage Lenders Look For
Obviously, potential mortgage lenders look at your income for the last two years and your credit score when determining if you are “home loan-worthy.” However, income can now be “stated,” and bad credit does not mean you will be unworthy in getting a loan. Bad Credit is just as attractive to many lenders as good [...]
February 29th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Protect Your Small Business from Embezzling Bookkeepers Part 3: Ghosts in the Company
Believe it or not, Ghosts do exist. Even worse, they can exist in a business. When I say “Ghosts,” I do not mean the ethereal spirits that walk through walls and wail in the night…the sounds of chains rattling and making goosebumps rise on your arms. No, when I say “Ghosts” may [...]
February 28th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Free Money for College Part 5: Alternative Education Options
In this final article of its five-part series, I go over little known options for financing education, as well as cheaper options no often considered when choosing colleges. By being fully cognizant of all of your options, you may find your college degree costing a fraction of the “usual” college fees, and all without having [...]
February 26th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
RAISE YOUR CREDIT SCORE 200 POINTS IN 30 DAYS: Part 2 – Get Out of Debt Fast
If I were to rename this series, I would use the phrase “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.” Thus, last week’s article “Manipulate Your Credit” would become “Changes for Good Credit.” Next week’s “Cleaning Your Report” would become “Erasing the Bad Credit.” And this article would become “Alternatives for Ugly Credit.” [...]
February 24th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
21 Ways to Stop Identity Theft
The United States Post Office released a brochure this month on “Fighting Back Against Identity Theft.” According to the Post Office, a recent Federal Trade Commission survey reported that 2% of identity theft was connected to the mail. They list twelve ways that anyone can protect themselves from identity theft, but there are [...]
February 21st, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Keep Your Money to Yourself Part 4: Make More Money
This final article in its four-part series is all about making money, whether hand over fist or a bit at a time. The goal of this series was to show a few simple ways to improve anyone’s cash flow by both cutting expenses and increasing income. Since last week’s article “Supplement Your Income” was about [...]
February 21st, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Free College Money Part 4: Searching for Scholarships
NOT JUST FOR HONOR STUDENTS
In Free College Money Part 3 of this five-part series, college grants were defined as “a gift of money…not a reward that you have to pay back or compete for…” Unlike grants, you do have to compete to win scholarships and they are awarded based on prearranged criterion, creativity and [...]
Pros and Cons of Networking
Networking is an extremely powerful and effective tool when growing any business. It is having a sales force without paying for a full time staff, launching an advertising campaign without having a marketing budget, and establishing yourself as an expert in your field without having to become a media darling. The basic goal is to [...]
February 18th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
RAISE YOUR CREDIT SCORE 200 POINTS IN 30 DAYS: Part 1 – Manipulate Your Credit
This article is the first in a three-part series on things you can do today to bring your score up as much as 200 points in 30 days. You see, creditors report your accounts to credit reporting agencies every 30 days like clockwork, so by completing a few simple steps now, you can bring [...]
February 17th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Protect Your Small Business from Embezzling Bookkeepers Part 2: Credit Cards and Identity Theft
Having been in the bookkeeping and retail business for more then ten years, I have seen a lot of credit card theft on both sides of the Office Door. I have seen credit cards pull a disappearing act, employees buy unauthorized items on company credit, and tens of thousands of dollars charged within a [...]
February 16th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Keep Your Money to Yourself Part 3: Supplement Your Income
When trying to increase your cash flow and thereby keep your money to yourself, it is important to find ways that can supplement your income without having to spend too much time or effort on your part. Not only does this help ease the burden in troubled times, but it is very satisfying to [...]
February 14th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Free College Money Part 3: Hundreds of Grants
The definition of a college grant is a gift of money given expressly for the purpose of attending a qualified educational institution. It is not a reward that you have to pay back or compete for, it is simply given to an applying student based on whether or not they meet the qualifying criteria. [...]
February 12th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Non-Toxic Household Cleaners
Many people are aware that flour is a quick and easy solution to kitchen fires. But are you also aware that there are many other common multipurpose kitchen products that are an easy and non-toxic solution to everyday cleaning problems? These items are “no worry” items because you will never have to worry [...]
February 11th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Keep Your Money for Yourself – Part 2: Get the Best Deals
Finding the best deals does not need to be difficult. For some like me (the compulsive shopper), shopping can be an addiction. By making wise money choices, you give yourself the opportunity to make wise-money investments. This second article in a four-part series offers nine tips that will help you find the [...]
February 6th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Free College Money Part 2: Tax Programs
This article is the second in a five-part series on how to find free college money. Below, there are eight great ways to get free tax money for any student’s college education and include an explanation of each.
TAX-FREE MONEY: There are several tax-free programs that can be used to help [...]
February 6th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Protect Your Small Business from Embezzling Bookkeepers Part 1: Checking Account
These days, too many SBO’s (Small Business Owners) trust their employees far too much. They trust them to be loyal and hardworking and to never, ever steal from them. Unfortunately, theft happens far more often then SBO’s realize, and it occurs repeatedly for years before anyone ever catches on. Bookkeepers especially are [...]
February 5th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Get a Big Fat Tax Refund
It’s tax time…the dreaded time of year when you’re scrambling madly to gather all your paperwork together and deeply dreading the taxman’s verdict: “YOU OWE MONEY!!!” Oh, the horror…The desolation. How in the “H-E-double hockey sticks” are you supposed to come up with a couple grand to pay the IRS?
Actually, you [...]
February 2nd, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
20 FREE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PUT MONEY IN YOUR POCKET
Although these tips are written for business owners, many of these tips can be used for everyday people as well to save and make money. They can be done immediately, and over the course of a month or a year, you will find more money in your bank account.
1) Use a rewards credit card. [...]
January 31st, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Keep Your Money to Yourself – Part 1: Cut Your Expenses
Whether you are an “Average Joe” trying to go above and beyond the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, or you are a business owner struggling to keep your business open and thriving, there are hundreds of things you can do to increase your cash flow every month. This article is the first in a four-part series that [...]
January 30th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Free College Money Part 1: Starting with Pennies
This article is the first of a five-part series on finding college money, whether for you or your child. In this article, you will see how pennies a day can quickly add up to more then $6,000 in free college money, and where that college money can come from. Begin socking that [...]
January 29th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
How to Be Cheap on Valentines Day Without Getting Your Butt Kicked
Although men have been known to complain that women are “difficult” and “hard to understand,” when it comes to gift giving, women are simple. It’s all about POINTS! That’s right, Points! You see women give you secret points for every action and gift you present no matter what the cost. A dozen roses is awarded [...]
January 27th, 2008 | erica | Comments | Continued
Totally Agree in this one. Avoiding it can cause big difference in your budget. We must be in caution when ...
creditplain - who do you think wrote this dumb piece? 
I think this is information that toyota really needs to put out. There has been so much bad press lately ...
