Average Financial Costs of Smoking.txt

The financial costs of smoking hits everyone hard. A whole lot of your hard
earned cash goes right to the cigarettes, pipe tobacco, or chewing tobacco you
buy. Right now, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is four dollars. Ouch!
That doesn't sound like a lot when you say it costs four dollars for a pack of
cigarettes, but let's look at it with a wider perspective. Let's say you smoke
one pack of cigarettes a day. This is how much smoking cigarettes costs you:

One Day - $4.00

One Week - $28.00

One Month - $112.00

Smoking one pack of cigarettes a day will cost you approximately $1,344 per
year.

You could put that money in a savings account. That's a good down payment for a
vehicle. After five years you could be very close to growing a down payment for
a new home. You could put that money towards saving for your children's future.
Eighteen years of that money is $201,600! That could help put your child or
children through college! That doesn't even include the interest you will be
paid for that money if you have it in a savings account, certificate of deposit,
or a college fund. It would be substantially more.

Just imagine what you could do with the money if you didn't have to spend it on
nicotine products. And you don't have to. That is a decision you are making.
Every time you go to the store, you and you alone are making the choice to
purchase a pack or carton of cigarettes. It is difficult to quit, but it is not
impossible. You can make a different, better choice.

And it is not just savings you could use that money for. You could have extra
cash for any other necessities. You could go on a vacation, buy a new computer,
go out for dinner, and more. You could upgrade your home or your business. You
could send your child or children to a great summer camp. You could pay for
their sports activities, or put them in more extracurricular activities. You
could start up your own business with the money you would save. You could work
for yourself instead struggling for a paycheck that someone else controls.

Just sit back and think about it for a few minutes. Using nicotine doesn't just
hurt your health and the health of everyone else around you; it hurts your bank
account. You go to work and work your butt off for the money you earn. You payyour rent, your utilities, and your phone bill, cable, buy groceries and
clothing. Then you buy cigarettes or other nicotine products you have become
dependent on.

The possibilities of what you could use that money for are endless. Use your
imagination. What would you like to do that you currently can't afford because
you smoke? What would you like to do with that money instead of hurting your
health and your financial status?

Follow our simple worksheet at http://www.nicotineguide.com and get a headstart
in quitting your addiction. Plus find out how each puff is affecting you and
your loved ones.

[tags]nicotine addiction[/tags]

Are You Sick of the Financial Insecurity of Fluctuating Seasons and Income.txt

Finding a stable and secure income that will come year in, year out, no matter what happens on the farm, will give you real peace of mind. By investing off farm, you are not only providing a secure income now, but also preparing for retirement. This IS attainable by all levels of income earners and people of all ages.

I am a farmer’s wife and have lived through some good and bad seasons on the farm. If farming was all about money, then we wouldn’t still be here. Most of us farmers genuinely LOVE the lifestyle that farming brings.

However, being a ‘city girl’ and marrying a farmer, I struggle with the insecurity and irregularity of income. These days, you’d have to be a top financial professional to get it right 100% of the time. Some years we seem to have plenty of money and other we’re in debt before we even start paying for seeding expenses (and that doesn’t even include the tax due!). Does this sound familiar?

Well, I’ve got some great news for you. I have discovered a way that provides a regular income that is not affected by the rainfall! My husband and I have been investing in real estate now for a couple of years and have found that even in bad times, we still have that income to fall back on. This brings real ‘peace of mind.’ Trust me, it’s really not as hard or as expensive, as it sounds, and we as farmers have an extra huge benefit that we can take advantage of, and that is – the fluctuating seasons and income! (I bet that’s a surprise!)

Firstly, real estate investing builds not only income for now (assuming you buy cash flow positive properties), but will also prepare you for a comfortable retirement. As a bonus, you also get the capital increase (real estate is said to double in value every 7-10 years approximately), as well as tax advantages. And if this isn’t enough, then you can also use other people’s money to acquire it and pay it off.

Sounds like a winner all around, don’t you think?

Not convinced yet?

Well, how could we use our fluctuating income to our advantage? As farmers, on a good year we could put money in a ‘mortgage offset account’ or just pay extra off the loan. This would reduce your interest payments. In a bad year, you can redraw the extra equity you have in the property, or properties. This investment vehicle can be used totally to your advantage (check with your accountant or tax advisor though).

I really could go on for ages about this brilliant opportunity because I am so passionate about it and it has been our saving grace over the last couple of years as well as having comfort in knowing that we’re planning for a secure financial future.

I really hope you have got some benefit out of this article, at least be inspired to check it out further. Good luck in your enterprises, whatever you do, and I hope that this year is a great one for you!

Mandy Nield is a recognised authority on the subject of investing. Whether you are a fully experienced master craftsman or a raw apprentice, you will learn exciting and achievable ways to improve your saving and invest profitably in real estate, to secure a financial future.

http://www.anyonecaninvest.com

[tags]off farm income,retirement,cash flow,farming,farmers,security,retire,investing,invest,investment[/tags]

A Truly Successful Company.txt

There are many attributes to a successful company. A truly successful company enhances the lives of everyone associated, therefore, everyone benefits.

A truly successful company, while taking care to use ethical and moral business practices, will enhance its wellness. The people who make up this successful company are its attributes and the wellness in their lives improves.

When we speak of wellness in someone’s life, let us consider four areas of focus:

Physical wellness…where you are given opportunities to live a longer and healthier life. Members of this company enjoy superb quality built into naturally based products that out-perform grocery store brands. These products are scientifically researched, developed and manufactured resulting in effective combinations of natural ingredients, creating nutrition you can feel. Made with exclusive patented formulas, these products are sensible, effective, safe and eco friendly.

Financial wellness…presenting you with the opportunities to relieve yourself of debt and enabling you to secure a financial future with life-long residual income.

Environmental wellness…where you can make your home and environment cleaner thereby making your spaces and surroundings safer. This company developed and manufactures ecologically friendly products containing no toxic substances such as: phosphates, chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, ammonia and aerosol propellants.

Personal wellness…you can achieve balance in your life and experience freedom and peace of mind. This includes your family life as well because this successful company has the most unique home and personal health products in the world.

Let’s talk about an Inc.500 company with a proven, long-standing track record that is led by an experienced, strong management team. A company offering outstanding quality, unique, consumable, eco friendly products at reasonable prices. Does an organization that offers its members the amazing opportunities mentioned above really exist? You bet!

Wouldn’t it be beneficial to the world if all companies operated in a different way? Where the customer forms a relationship directly with the company? Where customer and management work as a team, supporting one another creating mutual success? Where new members and customers alike join in a common mission for wellness?

Every month hundreds of thousands throughout the world purchase these exceptional products maintaining a 95% reorder rate.

A company that helps its members enhance their lives in these ways cannot help but succeed.

Tom Watson is enjoying success writing articles and building his marketing business. He has also become a member of this very successful company, and benefits from the environmentally sound products that have enhanced his life and family. If you would like to enhance your life and wellness, please contact trish_hettich@comcast.net

[tags]physical wellness, financial, eco-friendly products, environment, successful company[/tags]

A Financial Case for Leadership Development.txt

In the competitive world of business, companies may decide to forgo leadership training in order to cut costs. However, a high-quality Leadership Development course can save six figures off a company’s bottom line each year. Not only does a company need to vie for its share of today’s market to keep itself profitable and successful, but it must also compete to keep its biggest investment, its employees.

In a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics Report, the United States Department of Labor stated that the median tenure of employees ages 25 to 34 was 2.9 years. They also reported that management and professional occupations, with the highest median tenure among major occupational groups, was only 5.0 years. Consider then, the cost of employee turnover.

A company should calculate the replacement of an employee at 150% of the employee’s annual total compensation figure, and 250% if the employee is in a managerial or sales position. This figure includes lost productivity, training, recruitment, temporary replacements, either through hiring temporary staff or overtime incurred by other employees, and the actual cost of an employee leaving. Simply put, if your company’s average employee compensation package is $50,000 then the average cost for the loss of an employee is approximately $75,000. Consider also that if your company maintains a workforce of 1000 people and a yearly turnover rate of 7%, then your annual turnover expenditure will be approximately $525,000 a year. Over a period of 5 years, this figure can easily top two and half million. (To see a break down of costs see our employee turnover.) Wouldn’t companies be better off using this money in developing leadership and innovative ideas to stay ahead of the competition? The answer will be a resounding yes.

So how does a company keep its quality employees?

A first step would be to discover what an employee feels is important in his or her job. CMOE surveyed 327 employees about their supervisors (117) before these supervisors attended a Leadership Development Course. The survey asked employees to give their opinions about what their supervisors were doing right; and in what areas could their supervisors improve. Twelve companies and agencies participated in these survey evaluations, representing the fields of banking, education, government, manufacturing, and sales. The data showed that employees want to be engaged, trusted, and responsible for their contributions. They also want to share in the emotional benefits of being linked with a growing and successful business. Good leadership is the key to fulfilling these employee needs.

Another step is to put in place a team of leaders who have the skills to inspire a commitment from their employees to accept responsibility for and have a vested interest in their company and co-workers. Unfortunately, too many managers have knowledge about good leadership skills and still do not understand how to put this knowledge to work in the most effective manner. Training professionals can help these managers develop their knowledge into successful skills. An experienced leadership training company can also help companies develop an effective Leadership Development Course specific to a company’s needs. The result will add dollars to the bottom line by keeping valuable employees, increasing productivity, and creating an environment conducive to innovation that will keep the business ahead of its competition.

The Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness can help you develop effective leaders through our Leadership Development Courses such as: Applied Strategic Thinking, Coaching Skills, Team Building, and Transition into Leadership.

Martha Rice is a design team leader for the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness. She has degrees in both English and Communication and has over twenty five years experience in administration.

If you would like to learn more about any of these or other Leadership Development Courses, please contact a representative from CMOE. You can contact us at (888)262-2499

[tags]leadership development[/tags]

10 Ways to Increase Your Profitability.txt

"Profitability is as dependent on cutting costs as it is on increasing sales."

Profitability is as dependent on cutting costs at it is on increasing sales. As financial advisors, we are often called upon to assist management in reducing costs and finding alternatives to their unique situations. We have outlined below ten areas that all business owners should examine when attempting to implement cost-cutting strategies.

Outline

These are the 10 Ways to Increase Your Profitability

• Check Payroll Costs


• New Perspective on Fringe Benefits


• Utility Review


• Overnight Mail & 1st Class Delivery


• Company Owned Vehicles


• Automate


• Outsource Your Headaches


• Vendor Contracts


• Budget & Plan


• Attitudes & Employee Inclusion

1. Check Payroll Costs

   Payroll represents the lion's share of most firms' controllable costs. Although it has received bad press in the past, employee leasing deserves your careful review. Also, examine whether any employees can be classified as subcontractors; or consider the use of part-time or temporary employees. Finally, consider whether automation can help reduce your payroll.



2. New Perspective on Fringe Benefits

   Share the cost. Fringe benefits can now approach 40-50% of your payroll. Espe-cially in the area of health care insurance, consider installing a "Cafeteria Plan" and begin sharing future premium increases with your employees. Because all insur-ance programs are very competitive, make sure you solicit bids.



3. Utility Review

   Cost conscious employers always look at utility bills for easily found profits. Telephone bills, in particular, provide an oppor-tunity for significant savings. Energy efficient lighting can reduce your electric bills by as much as 40%.

   Further, rebates are available to aid you in upgrading your systems while other programs are designed to pay you for your energy savings. Experience has shown that employees are motivated to help conserve both water and electricity. Take advantage of this fact with our utility review services.



4. Overnight Mail & 1st Class Delivery

   Overnight mail is a luxury. What did you do before it was available? Consider faxing documents, it's cheaper than mailing. Also, if your clients are geographically close, examine bulk mail services. Within 25 miles, in most areas, bulk mail is as fast as first-class mail.



5. Company Owned Vehicles

   New depreciation periods now make it more difficult to recover costs on vehicles. Consider an employee reimbursement program, or call us and we can advise you of the cost/benefit between purchasing or leasing your vehicles.



6. Automate

   Automating manual systems can increase your profits substantially. Few businesses have yet to see automation affect at least a portion of their operations. Increased efficiency and accuracy are additional benefits of this process. Caution: Don't get locked into today's technology, as it will be tomorrow's dinosaur.



7. Outsource Your Headaches

   If you think you are too small to outsource, consider who does your payroll. Many business operations can now be outsourced providing you the opportunity to focus on what you do best. Billing and collection services, accounting and bookkeeping, sales and even human resources can be done cheaper and more efficiently by others.



8. Vendor Contracts

   To reduce your raw material costs, talk to your suppliers about long-term contracts that include discounts for timing, delivery and inventorying of supplies. Through historical analysis, you may be able to identify trends that will benefit you both.



9. Budget & Plan

   Few areas will provide you more cost savings than the ability to compare your current costs to a budget. In this manner, you quickly spot problems and can take action before things get out of control. By planning, you can also determine what impact various cost-cutting changes will have on sales, margins and expenses. We will be glad to assist you in this crucial area.



10. Attitudes & Employee Inclusion

    Cost cutting starts at the top. Few programs will be successful if management does not support them. Furthermore, employees can be invaluable in identifying areas of waste. To make an employee inclusion plan successful, you must provide for a sharing in the savings.

    However, you must also be aware that quick fixes will have little lasting value and can be harmful long term. Cost cutting is not a one-time experiment but an ongoing program designed to increase your profits. Carefully crafted and executed, a cost-cutting program can ensure the long-term health of your business.

Summary

We have developed a sophisticated cost-cutting program that compares your business to others in your industry to initially identify areas that need closer examination. By focusing on the critical areas, we save you time and money and you see financial benefits quicker.

Alan L. Olsen is the managing partner at Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., a top Bay Area CPA firm. He focuses on developing innovative strategies for business enterprises and individuals. A specialist in income tax planning, he frequently lectures and writes articles on tax issues for professional organizations and community groups. His website is ranked one of the top in the nation, featuring tax tools and business leadership articles: http://www.groco.com

[tags]payroll,company,profitability,costs,sales,financial,management[/tags]

7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom and Wealth Building - Step 1.txt

STEP 1: Make up Your Mind and Setting Your Goals

The first step to any form of planning is to determine your objectives and to set your goals. Although it's the easiest to do, most people do not do it. So, in this case, please take a piece of paper and write down your financial objectives and goals.

Keep it sweet and simple. And constantly refer back to remind yourself of the goals that you have set. Trust me - you will forget your objectives and sway off course if you do not have your goals documented.

Decide on what you would like to achieve financially; develop a plan to achieve it; stick to it to make sure that you stay on track with your objectives. Put your mind, soul, and determination to achieving these goals and you will arrive in time.

Your goals should contain:

- Your Targeted Net Worth

- Your Targeted Monthly Residual Income

- Your Starting Capital

- The time (in years and months) to achieve these goals

- How much time per day would you allocate to achieve the above goals?

For starting capital, it's best to only use risk capital because when you are using your live savings to achieve this, you would normally be too fearful to lose, that is when you make emotional, instead of rational, decisions. As we know, in any business, emotional decisions will, most of the time, turn to bad decisions. We are talking about your financial future - so please make only rational decisions - consider all possibilities when things don't go your way.

Now that we have decided on your goals and your starting capital to achieve these objectives, we are now ready for Step 2 - Achieving Financial Freedom.

CASHFLOW AVENUE is established to provide Low-Risk Options Trading Recommendations to the common traders in their pursuit of financial freedom and a better lifestyle. http://www.cashflowavenue.com

[tags]Financial Freedom, wealth building[/tags]

7 Power Habits to Guarantee Financial Independence.txt

Are you always running short of your funds? Do you still have to borrow money sometimes to at least live comfortably? Do you get to pay your bills on time?

If you answered mostly yes, then you are in danger of being financially unstable. You cannot afford the things you want and sometimes, even the things you need. Don’t go sulking out there! You better move your body. If such is the case, better tell yourself that you cannot afford to be that way always. You have to be financially independent.

What is financial independence? Financial independence is the capability to determine and support yourself through your own endeavors. There are 7 ways or habits for you to follow to gain financial independence. With the right attitude and the proper goal in mind, you might just find yourself beaming with pride because of your achievement.

1. Keep a focused vision

Start with a vision. What is your vision for your life? Where are you definitely heading? You want financial independence. You want to be able to stand on your own and have a more stable and secured life, for yourself and for your family.

Keep that vision in mind. Hold on to it as you start to realize that vision. The choices and decisions you will make in the future will have to head to the direction of your goal. Return to that vision when things get doubtful or tough.

2. Invest your money wisely

Generate income. Your income will be the financial foundation of your vision. This will basically come from your job’s income, but don’t settle with that.

Aim to increase your income. Invest your time, money and effort into a beneficial enterprise. Start a business that you feel passionately about and make sure it will work. Think carefully of every detail in your enterprise and work on it. Do not settle with good enough results. Aim for excellence, quality and integrity to succeed.

3. Save up

Start a fund for your future. Allot a percentage of your present income to savings. Do this at the start of each month, before you go ahead. This will avoid the enticement to buy, buy, buy. It will also teach you how to properly budget your money for necessary expenses.

Money in the bank could also earn interest. Although it is not considerable compared to a good investment, it is still a good way to keep money for your future. Just make sure you maintain the money in your savings account. Avoid touching it unless it is really necessary.

Give value also to your coins. Every single cent matters. All of those scattered coins you have there could comprise a few dollars. Even if it is considerably small amount, it will still find some use for that.

4. Spend wisely

Don’t spend all your earnings. As they say, don’t earn to spend. Buy only things that you really need. Tighten those belts for now as you bank for a more secured future. Choose to live simply. Forget the need to show off on other people that you can afford. If you want achieve financial independence, you must hold on to your money as much as possible.

Avoid incurring debts as much as possible. Take control of your finances as much as possible. Credit cards for example could hold you locked in a desperate state. You could be getting what you want now through that credit card, but imagine yourself giving the bulk of your income for interest payments! Make ends meet in the meantime for later on in life, you will surely afford to be leisurely.

5. Keep contingency plans

You must plan ahead for events in the future. Have contingencies. Make certain that your financial assets are secured. At this phase, it is a good option to get an insurance policy. Insure your life, health and property, even your loved ones.

Protect your interests whenever you enter into any engagement. Make sure that your endeavor is legal, that you are financially capable, and that it is feasible within your means. This way, you will have optimal performance and desirable results. You could prevent harmful losses in the long run.

6. Take care of yourself

Health is wealth. The only way for you to achieve your dreams and be able to stand on your own is when you are physically and psychologically able to do so. Have regular check ups with your physician. Have a healthy diet. Exercise Regularly. Health will be your asset to achieve financial independence. Only a good physical standing would allow you to enjoy the fruits of your toils today.

7. Be Unstoppable

You must keep yourself focused to achieve the goal of being financially independent. Do not let yourself be distracted by whimsical desires. Do not spray. Do not procrastinate. Every cent and every minute counts as what you do today will have a lot to say on what you will have in the future. Take advantage of every opportunity that will come your way. Keep yourself confident.

Tell yourself, you will not be a loser in this game. You have to make it!

Daegan Smith is the leader of the fastest growing team of successful home business enterpernuers on the net. Find out how we're creating financial freedom all across the globe and how to get in on the action FREE =>http://www.comlev.com Team Blog: http://www.turnkeyinternetbusiness.blogspot.com

[tags]Financial Independence, Financial Freedom[/tags]