10 Ways to Maintain Your Healthy Weight

Losing weight takes discipline and time. I know, because it took me a year and a half to lose 25 pounds. My weight stayed at 115-117 pounds until my husband I went to a conference in Warsaw, Poland. Conference and restaurant meals took their toll and I gained three pounds (one clothing size) in a week.

We stayed at the Marriott Hotel, which has a "Splendid Breakfast Buffet." Before I took any food from the buffet I surveyed my choices. I ate a healthy breakfast every morning: orange juice, fresh fruit, and low-fat yogurt sprinkled with granola. However, it was difficult to eat healthy lunches and dinners because I had few options.

Don't get me wrong, the food was delicious and artistically served. But leaving half a meal on my plate and skipping desserts didn't balance my food consumption. How could I get back to my healthy weight? The Harvard School of Public Health recommends a "defensive eating" approach to weight loss/maintenance.

Defensive eating has seven steps: selective eating, small portions, stopping before you feel stuffed, few desserts, eating slowly, sensible snacks, and awareness of why you're eating. I added these steps to my personal plan. Here are my 10 tips for maintaining a healthy weight.

1. EAT BREAKFAST. Nutritionists consider breakfast the most important meal of the day because it fuels your day. I get up at 5:30 a.m. and by 9:30 a.m. I'm ready for lunch. Solution? I eat half of my breakfast (two fruits and cereal) at the crack of dawn and the other half of my breakfast (fruit or wheat toast) mid-morning.

2. KEEP A FOOD DIARY. I don't keep a written diary, but I keep a mental list of everything I eat. This list includes every cookie, every cracker, and every pretzel. If I've eaten too much sugar, fat or salt I cut back on these the next day. My food diary has led to a collection of healthy recipes.

3. EAT LOW-ENERGY-DENSE FOODS. Mayo Clinic developed a Healthy Weight Pyramid to "encourage weight loss, weight maintenance and long term health." Low-energy-dense foods (lower calorie foods that make you feel full), are an important part of the pyramid. Fruits and vegetables are low-energy-dense foods and you may eat all you want.

4. STOCK UP ON HEALTHY SNACKS. I keep healthy snacks - carrot sticks, celery sticks, apples, and other fresh fruit - on hand. For a quick, filling snack I eat sugar free applesauce. Unsalted peanuts and walnuts help me to curb hunger pangs, but I'm careful to eat small portions. When I travel I bring healthy granola bars with me. (Yes, I took granola bars to Poland.)

5. BECOME SIZE WISE. By size wise, I mean portion sizes of the food you eat. You may be eating super-size portions instead of "normal" ones. For example, one serving of spaghetti is half a cup, not a mountain of pasta. According to the American Obesity Association, people who maintain a healthy weight eat five times a day, on average, and consume about 1,400 calories. In other words, they eat small meals often.

6. LIMIT CERTAIN FOODS. The American Obesity Association says 92 percent of those who maintain a healthy weight limit their intake of certain food, such as fast food. When I shop for food I avoid foods that have "empty calories," high-calorie foods with low nutritional value. In case you're wondering, I rarely eat at a fast food restaurant.

7. CUT CONDIMENTS. What's the second ingredient on the ketchup bottle? It's high fructose corn syrup, sugar you don't need. Mayonnaise has 90 calories per serving (one tablespoon) and 90% of these calories come from fat. Soy sauce is liquid salt. This extra sugar, fat and salt may cause weight gain. You don't have to give up condiments, just buy healthier versions of them.

8. KEEP MOVING. Regular physical activity is critical to Mayo Clinic's Healthy Weight Food Pyramid. And according to "Why Won't 'Diets' Work?", an article posted on the Internet by WOAI in San Antonio, healthy eating and increased exercise are keys to weight loss /maintenance. This combination "can actually increase your metabolism," the article says. I try to walk 10,000 steps a day and track my steps with a pedometer.

9. QUENCH THIRST WITH WATER. Sometimes your mind plays tricks on you and you think you're hungry when you're actually thirsty. A glass of water can ease your hunger. Instead of sugar-loaded soda pop drink water. I like no-calorie, non-carbonated flavored water and orange is my favorite.

10. GROCERY SHOP AFTER EATING. This is your main defensive eating tactic. Before I go to the grocery store I make out a detailed list. I rarely eat food samples because I'm allergic to soy (it's everywhere) and don't need the extra calories. Besides, these samples are often high in salt, fat, and sugar.

Thanks to these tips I was back to my healthy weight in two weeks. Now I practice defensive eating on a daily basis. The best part of the plan is that I control what I eat and am enjoying delicious, healthy meals. Bring on the holidays because I'm ready!

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. To learn more about her work go to http://www.harriethodgson.com
Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with co-author Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com

Top 10 Ways To Cut Spending

Do you run out of money before you run out of month? Do you wonder where your money goes each month? Do you struggle to find money to invest for retirement, emergencies and other financial goals? Here are 10 tips to cut your spending and stretch your dollar to the max:

1. Consider dropping your home telephone line. Your cell phone is probably all you really need, and most likely it has free long distance. You could save $30 or more per month by dropping your land line.

2. Cut back on trips to Starbucks or other premium coffee shops. Often called the latte factor, spending several dollars per day on luxuries like premium coffee can really add up. For example, if you spend $4 for a cappuccino five times a week for 50 weeks out of the year (youre on vacation the other two weeks), you would spend $1,000 in a year. Try treating your trip to Starbucks as a treat instead of a habit. Youll save money and probably lose weight too!

3. Pay your mortgage payment bi-weekly instead of monthly. Youll pay less interest and pay off your mortgage faster.

4. Carry cash instead of credit cards. Psychologically its harder to spend cash than it is to use the credit card. Youll spend less and save on interest charges.

5. Use the envelope system for groceries, dining out, entertainment, and other discretionary spending categories. This will help you track how much you spend in these categories as well as prioritizing your spending.

6. Raise the deductible on your homeowners and auto insurance policies. Its not wise to file claims for small losses anyway (insurance companies love to raise rates after you file a claim), so a higher deductible will save you money now and in the future.

7. Buy regular gas instead of premium. Most cars dont need premium gasoline. Also, take public transportation if its available in your area. Take advantage of park and ride and carpooling options.

8. Plan your purchases to avoid impulse buying. Take a list with you to the grocery store and stick with it. Studies show that impulse buying can add $10-50 to your grocery bill ouch!

9. Go to the library instead of the bookstore. If youre an avid reader, give yourself a book budget for books that you will want to keep, and go to the library for everything else.

10. Take a vacation at home. Check out all the local sites and happenings. Youll rediscover your hometown and save on travel and hotel costs.

These are just a handful of ways you can cut spending and stretch your dollars, but if you follow these tips youll discover you have more money at the end of each month to apply to other financial goals, such as saving for college, retirement or just for a rainy day.

---

About the Author: Kristine A. McKinley, CFP, CPA, and founder of Beacon Financial Advisors, teaches individuals and families how to invest and plan for retirement, college, and other financial goals. Kristine offers financial and tax planning on an hourly, fee-only basis. To sign up for free financial planning tips, worksheets, checklists and more, visit http://www.beacon-advisor.com. © 2006 Beacon Financial Advisors, LLC and Kristine A McKinley

Buy a home with no money down: 6 ways you can do it

When Janette Jones of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, got ready to buy a town house last year, she discovered that a down payment and closing fees would cost nearly $10,000, taking a significant chunk of her savings. But because her credit score was above 620, she qualified for a loan that covered not only her down payment but her closing costs as well. "It was more important for me to keep the cushion I had in the bank for whatever happened after I moved into the home," she says. "The stove could have gone out the next day, or my car could have broken down two weeks later." Jones is among the 42 percent of first-time home buyers who paid zero down in 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors. Until recently the standard down payment was 20 percent of the purchase price, and the highest barrier to home ownership was the lack of cash. Then along came programs that required as little as 3 percent down. And today's zero-down programs are flinging open the doors to home ownership even wider. They're so popular "because many people with decent credit just don't have the money they need for a down payment," says Marcia Griffin, president and founder of Washington, D.C.-based HomeFree-USA, a nonprofit home-ownership organization. Consider these six options and how each might work for you:

1. GOOD CREDIT Many lenders offer 100 percent financing to those with good credit scores, typically above 580. The financing often comes in the form of two loans: one with a low interest rate for 80 percent of the cost and another with a higher interest rate for the other 20 percent. If your credit score is 620 or higher, you might qualify for loans that cover 103 percent, 104 percent or 107 percent of the sale price, with the additional funds going to closing costs. Mortgage-funding organizations Fannie Mae (fanniemae.com) and Freddie Mac (freddiemac.com) have 100 percent financing programs available. For instance, Fannie Mae's Flexible 100 plan covers the down payment, while you pay as little as $500 toward closing costs. The two organizations can steer you to financial institutions that offer these loan products. However, if you pay nothing down and no closing fees, your interest rate will be higher, and you'll pay interest on the total price plus the closing costs. "If you bring $2,000 or $3,000 to the table in the beginning, you would have thousands of dollars less to pay on the back end," says Sharron Murphy-Williams, executive director of the Ph6be Foundation, a financial-literacy organization in Cleveland.
Advertisement

2. GOVERNMENT GRANTS In 2004 76 percent of Whites owned their own home, compared with only 49 percent of Blacks. As part of a plan to eliminate this home-ownership gap, federal, state and local governments issue down-payment grants to mortgage applicants with low incomes. Programs like the American Dream Downpayment initiative (ADDI) provide down-payment, closing costs and rehabilitation assistance to income-eligible home buyers. Check out the Department of Housing and Urban Development Web site (hud.gov) for a list of funds available from state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. Contact your state's Department of Housing and Community Development to ask about grants. "Many states have grants they don't use because people don't know they exist, and the government isn't really marketing them," Griffin notes.

3. FIXER-UPPER FUNDS If you're eyeing a property in need of repair, especially one in a neighborhood targeted for community revitalization, you may qualify for government programs offering fixer-upper loans. While properties that fall under such programs may need major renovations, a fixer-upper grant usually covers all the costs. Again, check with your state's Department of Housing and Community Development.

4. GIFT PROGRAMS Down-payment-assistance gift programs provide home buyers with between 3 and 6 percent of the sale price. While you don't have to pay this money back, you must buy a home that's part of the gift program because the funds come from sellers' donations. A number of nonprofit organizations offer down-payment assistance, including the Nehemiah Corp. of America (nehemiahcorp.org), AmeriDream, Inc. (ameridream.org), and Neighborhood Gold (neighborhoodgold.corn). You can also find a list of other down-payment-assistance organizations on the Home Gift Providers Association Web site (downpaymentalliance.org). These programs generally have no income requirements, but applicants must be eligible for a loan from a participating lender.

5. SELLER ASSISTANCE If the seller is in a rush to unload her home, you may be able to negotiate with her to pick up some of your costs. "Many times when you buy a home, the seller will agree to give you 3 to 6 percent to cover your closing costs," says David C. Harty, vice-president for legal affairs, Residential Home Loan Centers in Laurel, Maryland. If the seller is unable to find other buyers, you might also set up a "lease purchase" agreement in which you sign a contract to buy a home at a set price in a year or two, while living in it and paying rent. The seller generally will allow some of the rent money to go toward the purchase, which can eliminate the need for a down payment when it's time to close on the sale. You also benefit if the home's value rises because the purchase price is locked in.
6. MILITARY SERVICE If you're a veteran or currently in the military, you may qualify for a no-down-payment loan through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Check the department's Web site at homeloans.va.gov for a list of VA-approved lenders.

ZERO-DOWN CHECKLIST

Many no-money-down programs have hidden costs and risks, so keep these tips in mind before doing a deal:

GET INFORMED. For first-time home buyers, "It doesn't matter how much you know, you should get into a home-buying class," advises Sharron Murphy-Williams of the Phebe Foundation. "Then you can go to the bank equipped to ask intelligent questions about zero-down-payment loans."

LEARN THE COSTS. Ask your lender how much you'll be paying over the course of the mortgage with and without a down payment, then decide whether a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) best fits your budget. Also evaluate gift programs; sellers contribute a portion of the down payment, so there's a chance the price will be inflated to cover that loss.
Advertisement

FIND A SUPPORTING CAST. Have an attorney or a real-estate professional look over all paperwork, because predatory lending is prevalent with many no-money-down deals, Murphy-Williams cautions.

ASSESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. "Make sure you're in an area that's appreciating and not declining," advises David C. Harty of Residential Home Loan Centers. A decline in market value means you could be stuck owing more than your home is worth.

MAINTAIN A CASH CUSHION. Even if you can get a home without cash, don't buy unless you have money in the bank. Harty notes, "Individuals who say they don't have $350 for an appraisal might not be the best candidate for a 107-percent loan."--T.E.H.

COPYRIGHT Essence Communications, Inc.

Buy a home with no money down: 6 ways you can do it

When Janette Jones of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, got ready to buy a town house last year, she discovered that a down payment and closing fees would cost nearly $10,000, taking a significant chunk of her savings. But because her credit score was above 620, she qualified for a loan that covered not only her down payment but her closing costs as well. "It was more important for me to keep the cushion I had in the bank for whatever happened after I moved into the home," she says. "The stove could have gone out the next day, or my car could have broken down two weeks later." Jones is among the 42 percent of first-time home buyers who paid zero down in 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors. Until recently the standard down payment was 20 percent of the purchase price, and the highest barrier to home ownership was the lack of cash. Then along came programs that required as little as 3 percent down. And today's zero-down programs are flinging open the doors to home ownership even wider. They're so popular "because many people with decent credit just don't have the money they need for a down payment," says Marcia Griffin, president and founder of Washington, D.C.-based HomeFree-USA, a nonprofit home-ownership organization. Consider these six options and how each might work for you:

1. GOOD CREDIT Many lenders offer 100 percent financing to those with good credit scores, typically above 580. The financing often comes in the form of two loans: one with a low interest rate for 80 percent of the cost and another with a higher interest rate for the other 20 percent. If your credit score is 620 or higher, you might qualify for loans that cover 103 percent, 104 percent or 107 percent of the sale price, with the additional funds going to closing costs. Mortgage-funding organizations Fannie Mae (fanniemae.com) and Freddie Mac (freddiemac.com) have 100 percent financing programs available. For instance, Fannie Mae's Flexible 100 plan covers the down payment, while you pay as little as $500 toward closing costs. The two organizations can steer you to financial institutions that offer these loan products. However, if you pay nothing down and no closing fees, your interest rate will be higher, and you'll pay interest on the total price plus the closing costs. "If you bring $2,000 or $3,000 to the table in the beginning, you would have thousands of dollars less to pay on the back end," says Sharron Murphy-Williams, executive director of the Ph6be Foundation, a financial-literacy organization in Cleveland.
Advertisement

2. GOVERNMENT GRANTS In 2004 76 percent of Whites owned their own home, compared with only 49 percent of Blacks. As part of a plan to eliminate this home-ownership gap, federal, state and local governments issue down-payment grants to mortgage applicants with low incomes. Programs like the American Dream Downpayment initiative (ADDI) provide down-payment, closing costs and rehabilitation assistance to income-eligible home buyers. Check out the Department of Housing and Urban Development Web site (hud.gov) for a list of funds available from state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. Contact your state's Department of Housing and Community Development to ask about grants. "Many states have grants they don't use because people don't know they exist, and the government isn't really marketing them," Griffin notes.

3. FIXER-UPPER FUNDS If you're eyeing a property in need of repair, especially one in a neighborhood targeted for community revitalization, you may qualify for government programs offering fixer-upper loans. While properties that fall under such programs may need major renovations, a fixer-upper grant usually covers all the costs. Again, check with your state's Department of Housing and Community Development.

4. GIFT PROGRAMS Down-payment-assistance gift programs provide home buyers with between 3 and 6 percent of the sale price. While you don't have to pay this money back, you must buy a home that's part of the gift program because the funds come from sellers' donations. A number of nonprofit organizations offer down-payment assistance, including the Nehemiah Corp. of America (nehemiahcorp.org), AmeriDream, Inc. (ameridream.org), and Neighborhood Gold (neighborhoodgold.corn). You can also find a list of other down-payment-assistance organizations on the Home Gift Providers Association Web site (downpaymentalliance.org). These programs generally have no income requirements, but applicants must be eligible for a loan from a participating lender.

5. SELLER ASSISTANCE If the seller is in a rush to unload her home, you may be able to negotiate with her to pick up some of your costs. "Many times when you buy a home, the seller will agree to give you 3 to 6 percent to cover your closing costs," says David C. Harty, vice-president for legal affairs, Residential Home Loan Centers in Laurel, Maryland. If the seller is unable to find other buyers, you might also set up a "lease purchase" agreement in which you sign a contract to buy a home at a set price in a year or two, while living in it and paying rent. The seller generally will allow some of the rent money to go toward the purchase, which can eliminate the need for a down payment when it's time to close on the sale. You also benefit if the home's value rises because the purchase price is locked in.
6. MILITARY SERVICE If you're a veteran or currently in the military, you may qualify for a no-down-payment loan through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Check the department's Web site at homeloans.va.gov for a list of VA-approved lenders.

ZERO-DOWN CHECKLIST

Many no-money-down programs have hidden costs and risks, so keep these tips in mind before doing a deal:

GET INFORMED. For first-time home buyers, "It doesn't matter how much you know, you should get into a home-buying class," advises Sharron Murphy-Williams of the Phebe Foundation. "Then you can go to the bank equipped to ask intelligent questions about zero-down-payment loans."

LEARN THE COSTS. Ask your lender how much you'll be paying over the course of the mortgage with and without a down payment, then decide whether a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) best fits your budget. Also evaluate gift programs; sellers contribute a portion of the down payment, so there's a chance the price will be inflated to cover that loss.
Advertisement

FIND A SUPPORTING CAST. Have an attorney or a real-estate professional look over all paperwork, because predatory lending is prevalent with many no-money-down deals, Murphy-Williams cautions.

ASSESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. "Make sure you're in an area that's appreciating and not declining," advises David C. Harty of Residential Home Loan Centers. A decline in market value means you could be stuck owing more than your home is worth.

MAINTAIN A CASH CUSHION. Even if you can get a home without cash, don't buy unless you have money in the bank. Harty notes, "Individuals who say they don't have $350 for an appraisal might not be the best candidate for a 107-percent loan."--T.E.H.

COPYRIGHT Essence Communications, Inc.

10 WAYS TO SAVE $2,000 A YEAR!

The Bible tells us the last shall be first-the corollary is that the best careers are often the least-compensated. That means many ministry families feel forced to overextend or even leave their church positions in search of a living wage. They clip coupons, raise their deductibles, and make powdered mac and cheese a staple.

Well, after 11 years in youth ministry, my wife and I have discovered ways to cut corners without living like martyrs. Here are 10 ways to save up to an additional $2,000 per year in your family budget. It takes discipline, but it's well worth it. Our budget-cutting strategies have also united us even more as a team.

1 BE A GIFT GRINCH-For years, Christmas pulverized our budget. Between office exchanges and Sunday school parties, we just couldn't rein in the outflow. In an effort to teach our kids the meaning of service, we started offering acts of kindness as gifts. At first it sounded like a cheap way out, but I'll never go back. My dad would say the greatest gift he ever received was having his grandson help him paint a fence on a Saturday afternoon.

Minimum Savings: $100
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2 WET YOUR WHISTLE WITH WATER-The average American consumes six cans of soda or specialty drinks per day. I'm not saying you should totally eliminate fun drinksthat's not necessary. But eight glasses of water every day will not only help your wallet, it will also boost your overall health.

Minimum Savings: $300

3 MAKE YOUR HOME A BARBERSHOP-My wife learned to cut my hair almost 10 years ago. After a few nicks here and there, she grew into quite a stylist. We purchased our own equipment for $20. A home haircut might not look so hot on a CEO, but somehow it looks cool on a youth pastor.

Minimum Savings: $150

4 BE YOUR OWN GREASE GORILLA-Avoid vehicle maintenance plans. Mechanics ridiculously overcharge for basic services and lead customers to believe that old antifreeze may blow up your car. Untrue. Learning the basics (oil change, tire rotation, changing spark plugs) can save you a bundle.

Minimum Savings: $150

5 EAT DOUGH; SAVE DOUGH-As bread outlet stores grow in popularity, so do cost-saving opportunities. You can buy most loaves at half the cost, and they're still fresh when you bring them home.

Minimum Savings: $100

6 SHELTER YOUR LOOT-Many church employers offer flexible spending accounts that allow staffers to set aside money from their paychecks to cover medical and dependent-care expenses that are not reimbursable pretax. You can set aside up to $5,000 for dependent care.

Minimum Savings: $250

7 SUPPORT BRAIN POWER-Most families try to make annual financial contributions outside of church giving. If you're faced with a choice between agencies, consider giving to universities within your state because your donations can be deducted on both federal and state taxes.

Minimum Savings: $50

8 FUEL YOUR BUDGET-As fuel costs continue to break records, take advantage of credit card features that offer a percentage reduction off every gallon of gas you pump2 (of course, you have to pay off your monthly statement to avoid finance charges). Also, fill up your vehicle prior to the weekend because many gas stations increase rates by at least a nickel on Fridays.

Minimum Savings: $200 per vehicle

9 GO WIRELESS-Soon homebased telephones may become obsolete. If you boost your monthly cell phone minutes you can discontinue your household service line.

Minimum Savings: $300

10 SAVE THE LEFTOVERS, BABY-Young parents often face suddenly shrinking incomes and growing budgets. For our infants, my wife ground up leftovers, froze them in ice cube trays, and thawed food cubes before meals. Babies don't care if their food isn't in a jar-at least, they never told me so.

Minimum Savings: $200

I've almost accepted the fact that mansions, fancy jewelry, and luxurious travel will never grace my future. But according to my wife and kids, we're content with what the Lord has given us, and they make me feel like royalty.

DAVID LONG is a veteran youth pastor in Indiana.

3 Ways To Do More With Less Time

We live in a world where more is expected of us every day.

First there were fax machines, now email and cell phones.Our number of communications daily rom various sources is extreme.

How can we get to all of it in a timely fashion and still get 8 hours of sleep?

Here are three time reducing strategies that are easy to implement:

1. Schedule. Like it or not in today's world if you want to achieve greater levels of success you must learn to use a schedule. You can use a Palm Pilot, a journal or a Daytimer. I use the Franklin-Covey Planning software for windows. It pops up when I turn on my computer and it is
compatible with my Palm Pilot so that I can sync at night when I leave my office.

Now, having a schedule isn't half as important as using a schedule. It doesn't work if you don't use it… everyday.

I keep track of appointments, make a To Do list and then as I work on projects I enter them in so that I can make a journal of my day. Later, this will help me remember how much time I spent on tasks for billing purposes. I schedule in exercise time and I schedule in personal development time for reading and writing.

Once you get started, you'll find it easier and easier to use. The amount of time saved by spending the time to keep your schedule can be enormous. It helps to eliminate the clutter we create on our desks and in our minds when trying to remember all the things we need to do.

It can also help to eliminate unnecessary tasks. Many times we say 'yes' when something is not really in alignment with our goals. The act of making time for it and getting on the
schedule will cause you to evaluate its importance. This can be a tremendous time saver.

2. Systems. Systems are a key component in time management. I have a system for everything! Systems do not have to be complicated but they help to keep you on track and save
time. For instance, I use a 'system' for my after-work time. When I leave the office my evening everyday is pre-planned. I drive home, I change, I make dinner, I watch one hour of TV,
I work two hours, and I go to bed… A system.

I follow the same system every single day. It removes wasted time trying to decide what I'm going to do with my time. Setting up systems for checking email or taking calls can be a real time saver. If you have tasks that you do regularly, think about ways to systemize them. Sometimes
setting up forms or check lists, creating schedules or flow charts, delegating, just about anything can be turned into a time saving system.

3. Lists. Keep lists. You can keep the lists in your schedule but you need to get into the habit of making a list for tasks and systems. Checklists save time because you don't have to think about what comes next. The amount of time I save by using a calculator instead of figuring in my
head is enormous…. Using lists is very much the same. By removing the "think" time you streamline processes and save brain energy for more important things. I have a grocery list prepared in Excel, I print it off before I head to the store and buy only what I need. No time wasted wandering the aisles.

I have a checklist for updating my weblog and writing my newsletter. I have templates for the newsletter and I have time scheduled to do both.

Many times a little time spent upfront can be a huge savings later. When I find myself doing a task that I've done before and feel like its taking too long, I sit down systemize and make a checklist and suddenly I've found 15 or 20 minutes.

© Yolanda A. Facio for Strategy-3.com All Rights Reserved Tired of watching others succeed? Discover how to achieve a more prosperous life. Yolanda A. Facio is the author of an incredible new ebook that guarantees you a more successful and productive life. Click Here Now => http://www.newrulesforsuccess.com More success tips can be found at http://www.strategy-3.com

Top 20 ways to lose those stubborn 10 pounds

Like me, you've probably been meaning to lose some weight and may have included that goal once again in your New Year's resolutions. The statistics, however, aren't in our favor: Seventy-seven percent of Black women age 20 and older are overweight or obese, and half of us in this age group are obese. But that's no reason to give up--or give in. This time can be different. You can become more fit and weigh less. To find out what really works, we tapped two health and fitness experts for proven advice on what to eat, drink and affirm, as well as how to stay motivated for the long haul.

Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian, lifestyle counselor and author of Small Changes, Big Results (Clarkson Potter), recommends these easy-to-adopt habits:

1. EAT BREAKFAST. Studies show that people who eat in the morning are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off.

2. EVERY MONDAY TAKE FIVE PIECES OF FRUIT TO WORK and keep them in a bowl by your desk. You'll have a healthy snack at your fingertips each day, and it looks nice, too.

3. GO FOR A SKIM LATTE instead of a regular. You can save about 100 calories.

4. INCLUDE TWO TO THREE SERVINGS OF LOW-FAT DAIRY or other calcium-rich food every day. They're good for your bones, and studies show that getting enough calcium may help you burn fat.

5. SAY GRACE. Offering thanks for the delicious food and abundance you enjoy calms you and focuses your mind on the meal. Eat slowly and savor each bite.

6. YOU DON'T HAVE TO AVOID CARBS; SWITCH to whole-grain versions. Enjoy whole wheat bread, pasta and couscous. Also select brown rice, oats and bulgur. They offer nutrients and fiber to help us feel full and satisfied. (See pasta recipe at left.)

7. IF YOU HAVE A TASTE FOR PORK, broil or grill some pork tenderloin. It's as lean as skinless chicken breast.

8. TRADE IN ONE SUGARY DRINK, like soda or sweetened tea, for a calorie-free beverage like water everyday, and lose more than a pound a month!

9. STOP EATING WHEN YOU LEAVE THE TABLE. Avoid the urge to nibble on leftovers as you clear the table and clean up.

10. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. Fatigue may cause hormonal and metabolic changes that make you more likely to gain weight.

11. WRITE DOWN YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS to help you stay on track. Ask yourself: Why do I want to lose weight? How much do I want to lose? Focus on your higher motivation for losing weight--becoming healthier, feeling better--because that tends to lead to long-term success.

12. INSTEAD OF DRINKING JUICES, eat the foods they come from. For example, six ounces of apple juice provides 90 calories and only 0.2 grams of fiber, while a medium-size apple contains only 81 calories but offers 3.7 grams of fiber, which gives you a feeling of fullness. This way you won't get hungry five minutes later and head for the fridge.

13. EAT FISH TWO OR MORE TIMES A WEEK. Seafood provides lots of nutrition without many calories. Bake, broil or grill instead of deep-frying. (See recipe for Dr. Ro's Citrus Barbecued Salmon at right.)

14. COOK GREENS WITH FAT-FREE BROTH, herbs, onions, garlic and red pepper. If you add one ounce of salt pork, the fat will soar from nearly zero to a whopping 23 grams.

15. COOK CABBAGE WITH LOW-FAT SMOKED TURKEY instead of fatty meat. Season with caraway seeds and green bell pepper.

16. SWITCH FROM CANDIED SWEET POTATOES to a baked sweet potato and save more than 200 calories.

17. PREPARE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE WITH LOW-FAT CHEESE. egg whites and bread crumbs. These substitutions keep the flavor and cut the fat.

18. HAVE MINIMEALS (250 to 500 calories] instead of large ones (1,000 calories). Aim for three small meals and two snacks. Carry minimeals with you. Whole grain crackers, baby carrots, small boxes of raisins, cans of vegetable juice stash easily in your briefcase, desk drawer or car.

19. TAKE A HIKE! Walking not only reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and breast cancer, but it can also flatten your tummy, tighten your thighs, lessen depression, and make you feel good about yourself. Start slowly, and over days and weeks increase your pace and distance.

20. KNOW THAT YOU WILL SUCCEED. If you backslide, just make yourself start again, because every day is a new day.

BREAKFAST PARFAIT

Makes 2 servings. Total time: 5 minutes.
1 cup no-sugar-added granola
1 cup of your favorite low-fat yogurt
banana, peeled, sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup orange juice

In a bowl or parfait glass, alternate granola,
yogurt and banana slices. Drizzle
with honey and orange juice.

Per serving: 418 calories, 5 grams fat, 6 milligrams cholesterol, 217 milligrams sodium, 87 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams protein.

WHOLE WHEAT PENNE WITH
SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

Makes 4 servings. Prep time: 15 minutes.
Cook time: 15 minutes.

1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound),
coarse stems discarded, well rinsed
3/4 pound whole wheat penne or shells
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound low-fat Kielbasa or other
precooked smoked sausage, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole or halved
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Bring large pot of water to boil. Blanche
broccoli rabe about 4 minutes. Use slotted
spoon to remove and place in a bowl. In
same boiling water, cook pasta according
to package directions. In large skillet, heat
1 tablespoon oil. Cook sausage, about 6
minutes. Remove sausage from skillet; set
aside. Add remaining oil to skillet; saute
garlic, about 2 minutes. Chop broccoli rabe
coarsely; add to skillet. Stir in sausage,
tomatoes, broth and seasonings. Simmer
for several minutes. Drain pasta; stir in
broccoli-rabe mixture. Place in large bowl.
Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Per serving: 523 calories, 12 grams fat, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 871 milligrams sodium, 80 grams carbohydrate, 29 grams protein.

CITRUS BARBECUED SALMON

Makes 4 servings. Prep time: 15 minutes.
Cook time. 10 minutes.

2 tablespoons frozen orange-juice
concentrate
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 4 servings
2 tablespoons each: fresh thyme and
rosemary, combined
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray

In small bowl, mix orange-juice concentrate
and barbecue sauce; set aside. Rub
both sides of fish with herbs, salt and
pepper. Spray large nonstick skillet; heat
pan over medium-high heat. Add fish to
skillet; cook until underside is browned,
about 3 minutes. Turn fish; brown other
side, about 3 minutes. Brush tops of fish
with citrus-barbecue sauce; heat
through, about 3 minutes. Delicious with
steamed green beans.

Per sewing: 240 calories, 13 grams fat,
67 milligrams cholesterol, 236 milligrams
sodium, 7 grams carbohydrate,
23 grams protein.

5 Tips To Supercharge Your Motivation

Motivation is the driving force behind life-enhancing change. It comes from knowing exactly what you want to do and having an insatiable, burning desire to do what’s necessary to get it. It keeps your dream on track as it is the power of motivation that keeps you going when the going gets tough.

Here’s 5 top tips to help you supercharge your motivation:

1. Create a picture board and fill it with images of your desired goals. The car you want to own, the house you want to live in, the area where you want to live yes, they’re the obvious ones. Others could be pictures of holiday destinations, trophies, first-class travel tickets, clothes you want to buy, fine restaurants you want to frequent – whatever you can think of that gets your pulse racing.

2. GET ANGRY. If you want to change your life for the better then get angry about where you’re at now. Having a blasé attitude towards change isn’t what’s needed and it won’t create a strong desire within you. So ask: “Why do I want to change?” Is it because you’re FED UP with debts? Does your job DRIVE YOU CRAZY? Is your life DULL AND PRECITABLE? Are you SICK AND TIRED of doing the same thing week in week out? Are you BORED BEYOND BELIEF by the dull, uninspiring, unhappy people you associate with? THEN GET ANGRY ABOUT IT. And I mean REAL ANGRY. Write it all down, all of the frustrating, unrewarding, miserable lot of it that makes every day a dull slog until your final days. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?

3. Speaking of your final days, start to appreciate the value of time. Time is one of the most precious resources you have and it is also a NON RENEWABLE resource. You can either use it fully or squander it. If you want to create change you’re going to have to invest a lot of time to make it happen. Start to reduce the time you waste on irrelevancies: Television, newspapers, lie-ins, weekends spent shopping, partying, dining out, visiting an endless line of relatives and friends – these won’t help you get what you want and all of them will rob time from you. Valuable time that you can use much more effectively by investing it in YOU. Remember this: You have a finite amount of time here on Earth. You don’t know how much time you have – no one does. But it’s how you use the time you have that counts. So make your time count and that means starting from right NOW.

4. Conformity. Are you a mindless little sheep who’s way too timid to pursue your own way? Do you have to follow where everyone else goes, doing exactly what everyone else does and therefore, who gets the same levels of happiness as all the other little sheep? Seriously, does this describe YOU? Are you too frightened to be different than all of the other sheep because they wouldn’t like it if you decided to follow a different path? So you dutifully trot along following all the other sheep because if they’re doing it then that’s how it is right? But if you do what everyone else does you’ll just get what everyone else gets. Do you want to be a mindless, timid little sheep who blindly follows all the other sheep? Or do you want to be a leader, a warrior who possesses the courage to be uniquely you and to do what you want to do and make your dreams happen? If so then this means you have to be more like a tiger than a sheep. Do you really want to be a sheep? I mean, haven’t we got enough sheep already?

5. Fear your fear. Fear is the force that is determined to stop you in your tracks and rob your dreams from you. But it can only do this if you let it. Are you going to let this cruel destructive charlatan trample on your dreams, steal your happiness and crush your spirit? Imagine this thought haunting your final days: “I didn’t do the things I wanted because I was too frightened to live”. And by then, it’ll be far too late to conquer fear. Refuse to let fear spoil your life and start taking action – now!

The world is waiting for your unique gifts. Why keep it waiting any longer?

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com

Chris Green is the author of the new book “Conquering Fear”, a special program which will show you how to conquer fear and attract greater happiness, success and prosperity into your life. For more info, click here => www.conqueringfear.net

Top 5 Tips To Reduce Your Life Insurance Premium

Life insurance is essential without a doubt but it can be very expensive and as such can be tempting to avoid taking out. However should the worse happen then you could leave your loved ones in a whole lot of trouble financially. Using a little common sense and initiative you can however save your self some money and so make life insurance more affordable. Here are top 5 tips to help you get the cheapest and best deal available.

1. The number one tip when shopping for life insurance is to shop around. By shopping around - especially if you take advantage of the internet - and making comparisons of policies, you will quickly and easily get yourself the best deal possible. Factors to take into consideration when comparing policies includes understanding the details of the policy. These include the amount of premium you will be paying every month; the benefits you get from the policy; and, how much the surrender value of the policy is should you cash it in early. These charges will usually vary from company to company and can vary greatly with some in what you get for your payout.

2. Many companies will allow you to make savings if you choose to pay for your policy on an annual basis or by direct debit straight from your bank account. It is worth checking on this because you could be able to make a saving rather than paying on a weekly or monthly basis.

3. Where possible, instead of taking out several different smaller policies for life insurance take out just one larger one. A large policy is always the best value for money and will sell for less per amount of coverage.

4. If you have held a policy for a number of years then it might be outdated and you could be paying more than you should be for the amount you are covered for. In fact you could be paying around 2 to 3 times more than could you be if you shopped around online and compared newer policies for a better deal.

5. If you quit smoking and drinking, start exercising and lose weight if you need to, you could find that your premiums are a lot lower than those who smoke and drink etc.

Launched in March 2003, BestDealInsurance are a completely independent specialist broker.

They offer the full range of life insurance to mortgage protection cover, ensuring that their clients have the protection they need, without leaving a hole in their pocket.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_H_Thomson

Top 7 Ways To Get Rich

Want to be one of the lucky ones on the road to riches, want to be on the freeway to financial freedom, on your way to wealth? Here are the top 7 roads to riches, the top 7 easiest and fastest ways to acquire wealth ...

Inherit it

This is how today's old money families got their wealth. In the 1800's and early 1900's, before anti-trust laws, income taxes and political correctness, America's finest families built empires and amassed great wealth; in industries such as oil, banking, newspapers, sugar, transportation, land, bootlegging and even prostitution. And that original wealth was passed down to succeeding generations. The number one easiest and fastest way to acquire wealth is to inherit it. Unfortunately, inheriting wealth is mainly a matter of blood; you have to be born into the right family.

Marry it

If you can't inherit it the second easiest and fastest way to acquire wealth is to marry someone who is already wealthy. And sometimes that person may even be kind, generous, compatible and loveable. And, if not, divorce can pay off handsomely. Just remember to get married (and divorced) in a state that has favorable community property laws.

Work for it

If you can't inherit wealth and can't marry it then you can work for it. People rarely get rich having a job. Rather, they build a company and own it. And then often take that company public, collecting hundreds of millions, or billions, of dollars in doing so.
Or, they invent something useful and valuable which greatly benefits society, such as explosive devices like dynamite, or the paper clip or the thigh master or eBay.

Win it

If you can't inherit wealth, can't marry it or can't work for it then maybe you can win it. Lotteries abound, paying out multi-million dollar jackpots, and eventually someone always wins them. Unfortunately, you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning then winning the lottery. But, hey, it only costs a buck!

Steal it or deal it

If you can't inherit wealth and you can't marry it, work for it, or win it then maybe you could steal it or deal it.

You could become a CEO or chief financial officer for a big cash-rich company, cook the books, steal millions of dollars, buy a $20 million dollar home, lie to the feds, and hope you don't get caught, convicted and sent to Club Fed. I don't recommend anyone try to get rich this way.

Also not recommended is to deal it; to become a drug lord and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in cash dealing heroin, crack, meth and other non-FDA approved goodies and wholesaling it to pushers who will gladly resell it to anyone to wants it, ranging from children to movie stars. After all, aren't drug dealers just supplying what people want; even if it creates crime, ruins lives, kills people or could put you in jail for the rest of your life. Not a legal (or moral) way to get rich.

Gamble for it

If you can't inherit money, can't marry it, can't work for it, can't win it, can't steal or deal it then maybe you could gamble for it. Over 50 million people play poker. A few even make millions of dollars at it. You've seen them on television, winning or losing upwards of a million dollars on the turn of a card. Looks easy, doesn't it? They don't look so tough on TV; I bet any decent poker player (like me for instance) has a good chance of beating them on a lucky day. So maybe you could simply plunk down $3,000-$25,000 per tournament entry fee, or get a backer, join the World Poker Tour, win a few tournaments and get rich! Or maybe, in reality, the average amateur poker player has a snowball's chance in hell of getting rich that way.

Invest and get rich

If you can't inherit wealth, can't marry it, can't work for it, can't win it, can't steal or deal it or can't gamble for it then maybe you can invest and get rich. There are 2 good ways to invest and get rich; the real estate market and the stock market.

According to historical data, over time, real etate goes up a average of 10% a year. So getting rich in real estate tends to take a long time. And also requires a large down payment. Hard to get rich quick that way.

On the other hand, the stock market can be a good way to get rich. Stocks can go up dramatically over a relatively short period of time and make you rich but you have to have the money to invest and you have to pick the right stocks at the right time.

To recap how to get rich:

1. inherit it
2. marry it
3. work for it
4. win it
5. steal it or deal it
6. gamble for it
7. invest for it

These are the top 7 easiest and quickest ways people can get rich. How will YOU do it?

Become a Millionaire From Home!

Alan Korber is the creator and publisher of the successful Korber Strategy, a simple easy-to-understand stock market investment strategy that can pinpoint stocks likely to go up 50%-100% in the next 12 months. His website is akorber.com

7 Ways To Motivate Yourself When Studying A Foreign Language.

Motivation is a tricky thing, isn't is? If you are one of the brave souls trying to learn a foreign language by yourself you'll be sure to run out of motivation some time. This is a collection of my best tricks to help you complete what your started.

Track you progress.

Make a chart or find a calendar. Mark you chart every time you finish a session or have studied for a set amount of time. Place your chart in a place you can't avoid. Make a commitment to look at your chart every day. This seems simple, but it's incredible how much it helps your motivation.

Don't overdo it.

Learning a new language isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. If you start out full of fresh energy it is important not to burn it all at once. Limit you study time to one lesson or one hour a day. After you have reached your daily goal - Stop. That way you conserve motivation and energy for the nest day. Portion you energy to last. This allows you look forward to your next lesson and finish the race strong.

Get support.

Online or off-line there are groups who share your goal. Join an online forum or find some similarly minded people in your community. You will find that there are other people who are going through what you are going through. Some will even have been through it. Your support group will keep you going when you want to stop. Not to mention all the good advice, moral support and fun you will have.

Visualize you reason.

Get real clear on why you are learning a new language. Make at picture in your head of what will be different in your life when you reach your goat. What will it get you in the end. Great travel experiences, a promotion, new friend or something else? Find a picture in a magazine or online to represent your goal. Make sure that you look at it every day. Post it on your bathroom mirror, place it on your desk or hang it by your bed. Make sure you look at it every day.

Get a goal buddy.

Keeping you motivation high on your own is though. If you find somebody with the same goal grab the opportunity to ask if they want to partner with you. This can work even if you don't share goals. Just encourage and push each other to succeed. Having someone to answer to and who answers to you adds a whole other layer to your motivation.

The one minute trick.

You know those days when you can't find a glimmer of motivation. Do a one minute effort. That's right. You can find the energy for just one minute, can't you. Just get started with the intention of working for 60 seconds. Once you start, it you will keep going. This works like magic.

Set mini goals.

There is a trick to doing this right. Think back to a time when you quit something before you reached your goal. How long did you work on it before you quit? Your mini goal is to keep going half as long. When you get there give yourself a reward. Go watch a movie, eat a nice meal and pat yourself on the back. Then decide on your next mini goal. This will ensure that you never reach your quitting point.

Plan your rewards.


Split your large goals into smaller goals. If your language program is 30 lessons long you can plan a reward after every 5th lesson you finish. Write out a plan and decide what the reward will be after every smaller goal is reached. Rewards can be anything you like, big or small. Make your reward a small celebration!

Get a coach.

Learning a language by your self can be a lonely adventure. Even if it's just once a month a session with a language trainer or tutor will boost your motivation big time. This is will also show you that your skills are growing and that your progress is real. Check your local newspaper or college for adds. Nothing is better than finding a native speaker of your language who is willing to coach you.

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com
Kris Lunde is a personal performance expert. His passion is to help others learn to speak a new language. For language home study he recommends Pimsleur

15 Ways to Leave Your Job

Diplomacy is defined as "tact and skill in dealing with people." While it's always a good idea to be diplomatic in all your personal and business dealings, it's especially important when you are resigning from a job. The world is much smaller than we sometimes think, and with all the company mergers, consolidations and acquisitions, it's best not to burn bridges.

When you're leaving a job, it's not the time to finally give an irritating co-worker a piece of your mind. The co-worker or supervisor you've despised could wind up as your boss somewhere down the career road.

Here are a few tips to take into consideration before you announce your resignation.

1. Always use professionalism and courtesy in announcing your intention to leave the company.

2. Advise your direct supervisor first. Then tell colleagues and department staff.

3. Don't boast to co-workers about your new position, salary, office or company car. Instead, thank them for their support and friendships and exchange contact information to stay in touch.

4. Write a professional letter of resignation. No need for lengthy explanations, you can simply state that you are resigning from your position to pursue other interests or opportunities. Whether you loved or hated your job or your supervisor, the outcome should be the same: a brief, respectful letter stating your intention to leave.

5. Give your employer advance notice so that they can begin to make arrangements for your replacement. Generally acceptable notice is two to four weeks. Work with your current and future employers to set a time frame that works for both them and you.

6. Offer suggestions for your replacement by putting your supervisor in touch with colleagues you know and respect. Share resumes of qualified candidates or recommend a valued co-worker for your position.

7. Finish the job. Don't leave projects half completed. Provide a list of projects and review what can or needs to be completed before you depart.

8. Don't leave your desk or office in disarray. Take a day to organize your materials for your successor.

9. Offer to train your replacement. This may require that you come back for a few hours or a day once you leave the company. If you leave before a replacement is hired, make yourself available to answer questions in person or over the phone.

10. Don't disappear. Avoid short-timer's attitude and stay an active and contributing member of your team during your last days at work. Work hard and do your best to leave a good and lasting impression.

11. Avoid naysayers and don't badmouth the company. Once others know you are leaving, they may seek you out to share their feelings of discontent. If you want to leave on good terms, don't be associated with disgruntled or unhappy employees.

12. Use your exit interview time wisely. Regardless of what you are told, this is not the time to trash your boss or your boss's boss. If you haven't discussed your concerns about work situations in the past, don't use the exit interview as an opportunity to reveal them for the first time.

13. Negotiate your exit package wisely, but don't be greedy or overly demanding. Politely ask for what you deserve, such as payout of unused vacation time, pro-rated bonuses, etc.

14. Leave the company assets behind. Don't walk off with supplies to outfit your new office. Unless you brought something from home or paid for that stapler with your own money, leave it on your desk.

15. Don't send boastful or sobbing farewell e-mails. If you choose to use e-mail to notify colleagues that you are leaving, provide your contact information -- these people are part of your network.

CareerBuilder.com

15 Ways to Teach Kids About Money

Introducing Kids to Money Money gives people -- both young and old -- decision-making opportunities. Educating, motivating, and empowering children to become regular savers and investors will enable them to keep more of the money they earn and do more with the money they spend. Everyday spending decisions can have a far more negative impact on children's financial futures than any investment decisions they may ever make. Here are 15 simple ways to help educate children about personal finance and managing money:

1.As soon as children can count, introduce them to money. Take an active role in providing them with information. Observation and repetition are two important ways children learn.

2.Communicate with children as they grow about your values concerning money --- how to save it, how to make it grow, and most importantly, how to spend it wisely.


3.Help children learn the differences between needs, wants, and wishes. This will prepare them for making good spending decisions in the future.

4.Setting goals is fundamental to learning the value of money and saving. Young or old, people rarely reach goals they haven't set. Nearly every toy or other item children ask their parents to buy them can become the object of a goal-setting session. Such goal-setting helps children learn to become responsible for themselves.

5.Introduce children to the value of saving versus spending. Explain and demonstrate the concept of earning interest income on savings. Consider paying interest on money children save at home; children can help calculate the interest and see how fast money accumulates through the power of compound interest. Later on, they also will realize that the quickest way to a good credit rating is a history of regular, successful savings. Some parents even offer to match what children save on their own.

Allowance and Spending Decisions

6. When giving children an allowance, give them the money in denominations that encourage saving. If the amount is $5, give them 5-1-dollar bills and encourage that at least one dollar be set aside in savings. (Saving $5 a week at 6 percent interest compounded quarterly will total about $266 after a year, $1,503 after 5 years, and $3,527 after 10 years!)

7. Take children to a credit union or bank to open their own savings accounts. Beginning the regular savings habit early is one of the keys to savings success. Remember, don't refuse them when they want to withdraw a portion of their savings for a purchase--This may discourage them from saving at all. You can also introduce children to U.S. savings bonds. Bonds are still a good value, costing one-half their face value and earning interest that in some instances will be tax-free if used for a college education. Perhaps more importantly, when given as a gift, bonds will not be spent immediately, reinforcing saving and goal-setting lessons.

8. Keeping good records of money saved, invested, or spent is another important skill young people must learn. To make it easy, use 12 envelopes, 1 for each month, with a larger envelope to hold all the envelopes for the year. Establish this system for each child. Encourage children to place receipts from all purchases in the envelopes and keep notes on what they do with their money.

9. Use regular shopping trips as opportunities to teach children the value of money. Going to the grocery store is often a child's first spending experience. About a third of our take-home pay is spent on grocery and household items. Spending smarter at the grocery store (using coupons, shopping sales, comparing unit prices) can save more than $1,800 a year for a family of four. To help young people understand this lesson, demonstrate how to plan economical meals, avoid waste, and use leftovers efficiently. When you take children to other kinds of stores, explain how to plan purchases in advance and make unit-price comparisons. Show them how to check for value, quality, repairability, warranty, and other consumer concerns. Spending money can be fun and very productive when spending is well-planned. Unplanned spending, as a rule, usually results in 20-30 percent of our money being wasted because we obtain poor value with our purchases.

10. Allow young people to make spending decisions. Whether good or poor, they will learn from their spending choices. You can then initiate an open discussion of spending pros and cons before more spending takes place. Encourage them to use common sense when buying. This means doing research before making major purchases, waiting for the right time to buy, and using the "spending-by-choice" technique. This technique involves selecting at least three other things the money could be spent on setting aside money for one of the items, and then making a choice of which item to purchase.

Buying Smart

11. Show children how to evaluate TV, radio, and print ads for products. Will a product really perform and do what the commercials say? Is a price offered truly a sale price? Are alternative products available that will do a better job, perhaps for less cost, or offer better value? Remind them that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

12. Alert children to the dangers of borrowing and paying interest. If you charge interest on small loans you make to them, they will learn quickly how expensive it is to rent someone else's money for a specified period of time. For instance, paying for a $499 TV over 18 months at $31.85 a month at 18.8 percent interest means the buyer really pays about $575.

13. When using a credit card at a restaurant, take the opportunity to teach children about how credit cards work. Explain to children how to verify the charges, how to calculate the tip, and how to guard against credit card fraud.

14. Be cautious about making credit cards available to young people, even when they are entering college. Credit cards have a message: "spend!" Some students report using the cards for cash advances and also to meet everyday needs, instead of for emergencies (as originally planned). Many of those same students find themselves having to cut back on classes to fit in part-time jobs just to pay for their credit card purchases.

15. Establish a regular schedule for family discussions about finances. This is especially helpful to younger children--it can be the time when they tote up their savings and receive interest. Other discussion topics should include the difference between cash, checks, and credit cards; wise spending habits; how to avoid the use of credit; and the advantages of saving and investment growth. With teenagers, it's also useful to discuss what's happening with the national and local economies, how to economize at home, and alternatives to spending money. All of this information will be important as they take on more responsibility for their own financial well-being.

http://millenniummommy.blogspot.com/

7 Practical Ways to Earn More by Working Less

Here is a great article on how to work more productively, courtesy of Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach.

The motto of my coaching business is Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life! This is something every business owner wants, but they often feel it's too difficult to achieve.

Too many of us have been programmed by the employee mindset of working hours for dollars. Employees get paid by the number of hours they put in. Entrepreneurs get paid based on the value they create for others...whether they're actively working or not.

Here are 7 practical steps to begin on the road to earning more by working less.

#1 - Hire a Personal Assistant

Quit trying to be a one man (or woman) show. Even if you're currently a small business of just one person (such as a home business, life coach, or real estate agent), you can't do it all yourself.

Hire someone to help you with the routine tasks of answering emails and phone calls. Have them do secretarial work. Figure out what parts of your current work can easily be handled by someone else. Either hand it to a staff member or outsource it.

#2 - Eliminate the Time Vampires

Quit wasting your time. That short call you had to answer became a 30-minute delay. The email you once answered for a non-client has produced 10 additional emails and help requests from the same person ... who still hasn't purchased. That individual who stopped by your office for a quick word with you is still here after one hour.

Try putting an egg timer on your desk and remind yourself every call or contact needs to get to the point within the next 3 minutes.

#3 - Quit Working On Your Weaknesses

We're told to acknowledge and work on our weaknesses to be a well rounded person. Forget about it! Acknowledge your weaknesses, but quit trying to work on them. Build a team and hand off responsibilities where you're weak.

Concentrate on your strengths and giftings. You do what you do best. Hire out the rest. If you're horrible at writing, hire a copywriter. If you don't like administrative paperwork, hand it off to someone else who's qualified.

#4 - Raise Your Prices

I've helped many businesses develop their unique client focus. In a few cases, they were one of the lowest cost options. Yet this is NOT the unique client focus I prefer to have. It's the most difficult one to build a business on.

I'd much rather see you use one of the other 17 ways to develop your uniqueness in the marketplace. You'll often find that by raising your prices and focusing on a more upscale market segment, you'll eliminate many of the time consuming problems of your business.

#5 - Work One Less Day a Week

If you want to make more money, work one less day a week. It sounds crazy, but it has been proven time and time again. If you're currently working 6 days a week, drop to 5. If you're working 5 days, drop to 4. By removing one day from your schedule, you'll be forced to focus more on the days you're working. You cut the garbage out and get down to business. You'll quickly find that a lot of the things you used to think were essential weren't needed at all.

#6 - Take Time to Plan

Plan the schedule for your next day in the last 5 minutes of the day. Plan your schedule for next week on the last ten minutes of your last day of the week. Take out one day every quarter to plan the next 90 days for your business. This is only a small investment each day, but it pays huge dividends for what you accomplish. Of course you can purchase a time management course, but this is the simple basis of planning your time.

Decide on the essentials that must be done in the coming period. And always plan time to work on your business instead of just in your business.

#7 - Hire a Coach

It's so easy to keep following the status quo. I'm sure you've heard that one definition for insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. If you want to earn more while working less, you have to make some changes.

And the absolute best way to make these changes is bring in someone from the outside. They have a different viewpoint and experiences in helping other entrepreneurs just like you. A good business coach knows how to ask the right questions to help you discover exactly how to transform your business into a profitable business instead of just a low paying job.

Terry Dean is the president of MyMarketingCoach. Discover the 10 Key Strategies Any Business Owner Can Use to Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life in a special free report by going to My Marketing Coach.

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Copyrighting: 3 Quick ang Easy Ways To Perfect Your Writing Style

As a writer and editor, I’ve come across a lot of documents that someone asked me to “look over and tell me what you think.”

Overwhelmingly, I have the same reaction to most: Way too long. Way too stiff. And way too boring.

Nowhere was this more rampant than in a recent gig I had at monthly magazine. I was charged with editing material that had been submitted by business people writing “expert articles.” For the most part, the subject and content manner was fine. But the prose usually made me want to stick a chopstick left from the lunchtime Chinese takeout in my eye. It would have been a smaller headache.

What was wrong with the prose? It was full of jargon, long words, and had about as much spark as stereo instructions. And they were hard to read.

For examole, one article from a vet on common cat sicknesses read like an excerpt from a veterinary school textbook—full of words that I couldn’t even understand, much less check for proper spelling.

Others were full of language like this:

“I felt that it was necessary for me to examine the situation to see what could be done to rectify it. It was determined that a full diagnosis was necessary in order to properly determine the necessary
course of action.”

Swear to you, I’m not making this up. Read this thing out loud…is this
something anyone would say in daily conversation? And I saw this repeated over and over and over…


Arrraagghh!!!

But this plague of bad writing can be cured. The prescription for readable writing style is simple. All you have to do is look at your piece (or better yet, give it to someone else to read) and honestly answer three, simple questions:

1. Can this exact same thing be said in fewer words?
   
2. Is there any repetitive language?
   
3. Could I say this sentence out loud to someone and not sound like a robot?
   
4. 
   

That’s it! Don’t believe me? We’ll try it with our “necessary course of action” sentence. Take the same thought, check to make sure it’s not repetitive (words or message), cut a bunch of words
and write it like you’d say it daily conversation. It might end up like this:

“When I first saw the patient, it was obvious we’d need a full-diagnosis to know what to
do next.”

Doesn’t it say the exact same thing? But it’s a lot shorter and a lot easier to read. And that’s the key to connecting with your reader.

So when you’re writing anything for public consumption, these three, simple guidelines will help make your writing better and more powerful.

Try it and see!

http://waidwrites.wordpress.com

Top Ways To Improve Your Social Skills

Improve Your Social Skills:

If you are looking for a way to improve your social skills, there are many resources available that will assist you in refining your social skills and improving the way you communicate with others.

It's not only possible to learn how to improve your social skills; it's easier than you think.

Imagine how much simpler your life would be if you could rid yourself of nagging self-doubt and have confidence knowing you can handle any social situation.

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to excel at socializing? Learning how to improve your social skills will give you the ability to know what to say in any situation and be the type of person others love to be around.

You can develop the skills needed to start a conversation with anyone you encounter, deal effectively with awkward situations, accept rejection gracefully, and win the approval and appreciation of all that you encounter.

You will be able to read the body language of others, effectively solve problems, and develop the ability to diffuse sensitive situations with seemingly little effort.

In the process of learning how to improve your social skills, your self-esteem will soar and your confidence will reach an all-time high.

Here are 6 great tips you can use today:

1. Awareness of your own interaction with other people is the first step in improving your social skills.

Learn to identify which types of situations make you uncomfortable and then modify your behavior to achieve positive results is a critical step in improving your social skills.

You can learn to become aware of behaviors in other people that prompt you to respond in negative ways and modify your own behavior to turn the situation into a positive experience.

2. You must accept responsibility for your own behavior and do not fear apologizing for errors in judgment or insensitive actions.

Asking others for honest feedback about the way you interact with others can be very helpful. Accept the negative feedback along with the positive and make changes accordingly.

3. Your non-verbal communication is equally as important as the things that you say. Positive body language is extremely important in your interactions with other people.

If your words and your actions do not match, you will have a difficult time succeeding in social situations.

4. In order to learn how to improve your social skills, you must become and great listener. You must fight the urge to respond immediately and really listen to what the other person is trying to communicate.

Offering suggestions or criticism before you are certain of the other person's intent can only lead to frustration for both parties.

5. Improving your social skills is a process and cannot be accomplished overnight. Trying to improve or change too many things at once will be counter-productive.

You will become discouraged and overwhelmed if you attempt to change your entire personality all at once. Choose one or two traits at a time and work on those over a period of time. Learn to take advantage of your personal strengths and make a positive impact on others.

6. Maximize your positive personality traits and use them in your interactions with others. Good communication and great listening skills are the most important tools you can use in improving your social skills.

You can learn how to improve your social skills by developing excellent listening skills, learning to resolve problems and conflicts, understanding body language, and accepting responsibility for your own negative behavior.

Determination and self-awareness will make your desire to improve your social skills a reality.
Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report:10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

5 Great Ways to Motivate Yourself

Category: Motivation
Motivation is a key to success. If you are a motivated person, then you will very likely be success in everything you do. In fact, research shows that motivation is the key behind the expert minds. People who are motivated will be very successful in their learning process. And so will in other areas of life.

The problem is, it’s not easy to be motivated, let alone be motivated for the whole day. There are times when challenges and problems strike us and make us feel bad. Or maybe there is no real problem, but we just feel that our energy level is low throughout the day.

Well, don’t let this happens. Be motivated and energized throughout the day ! Here is how:

1. Rise early
   I don’t know about you, but for me, rising early is a kind of magic. It makes me feel more enthusiastic and energized throughout the day. Maybe it’s because by rising early I can start the day fresh without having to rush on everything. I would have more time to be prepared mentally and physically to face the day.
2. Pick “quote of the day”
   Pick your favorite quote in the morning and keep it in mind throughout the day. Of course, the quote should be something that motivate and inspire you. Then speak out the quote to yourself throughout the day, especially when you think that you need extra motivation. This way, it will be easier to get rid of negative thoughts because you always have something positive to say to yourself.
3. Find the positive side of everything
   One main cause for losing motivation is thinking negatively about the events which are happening to us. Every time you think negatively about something, you actually lose a part of your energy. Do it for the whole day and you will feel very exhausted and even intimidated.
   So find the positive side of everything. There must be something positive we can get from everything that happens to us. If your effort end up in failure for example, then you know that you can learn something from it. And learning is a positive thing. If you must do something boring, just think of a useful thing you can get from it. There is always positive side on everything, so focus on it and not the negative one.
4. Focus on giving
   Contributing to others is always motivating. It works for me. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because by doing so I become less focused on my own problems. It doesn’t mean that I run from the problems, it just means that the problems seem less daunting and intimidating. Why ? Because I’m not just thinking about myself.
   Also, there is something about giving that gives you extra happiness. Brighten someone else’s life today and somehow your life will also be brightened.
5. Decide to be a winner
   It is your decision that makes the difference between winning and losing. Nothing can make you lose if you don’t allow it to do so. So decide to be a winner. If you decide to be a winner then you will be tough and brave when facing all challenges throughout the day. You will not let problems overcome you. Instead, you will go out and conquer those problems ! You are the winner, so who can resist you ?

15 Ways To Get Really Motivated

7 Easy Ways To Stay Motivated

http://www.lifeoptimizer.org

10 Ways to Score Points with Your Boss

Following years of in-depth field research, I thought that I would share the following pointers as to how you can work to develop your career and ensure that you get noticed by the powers that be in your company. These pointers are by no means foolproof but, with a little imagination, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can reinvent yourself with the absolute minimum of effort.

Though these pointers are very much tongue in cheek, I think we could all think of a colleague who we could probably relate a number of these points to - I certainly know I can….

1. Have a Passion for Your Job.

Try telling the boss that you could do a better job than them on account of the fact that you cannot help but have noticed that they seem to achieve very little in their role. Explain how you feel that perhaps this is not a role best suited to them and that how, in your modest opinion, you feel that they are letting the company down. Just so they know that you are being genuine, discuss possible alternative roles with them outside of your present organisation that have significantly less responsibility. You could even give them a list of job sites they might like to visit.

2. Take Ownership.

I the unlikely event that you mess-up, assume full responsibility for hiding any relating evidence and, for bonus points, use the situation to show initiative. For example, instead of hiding the evidence in your filing cabinet why not slip it into your manager’s cabinet whilst he’s at lunch?

3. Be Customer Driven.

Be honest with your customers, tell them that they can get a cheaper deal/better service elsewhere and, if possible, provide them with the relevant contact numbers and/or web address. To gain additional points, try disassociating yourself from your company completely and apologise for the fact that they have no doubt had to sit on the telephone in a queue for four days listening to the same piece of music for a product/service that ultimately you wouldn’t touch with a bargepole.

4. Deliver More Than You Promise.

Always promise significantly less than you know you can deliver. That way you can still impress without overly exerting yourself.

5. Develop a Healthy Belief in the Impossible.

Try to convince yourself that you will eventually be offered the dream job you have set your sights on and that you are only treading water in your present role.

6. Polish Your Writing Skills.

Pick on one of your colleagues at random and then write them an email assassinating their character whilst employing as many adjectives as possible.

7. Ask Questions.

Ask your boss whether he actually intends to do any work today or whether he only delegates everything for an easy life and to cover the fact that he probably couldn’t even do your job anyway.

8. Be On Time.

Make it clear to your employer from the outset that you have always been at least half an hour late in every role you have ever taken and then turn up at twenty-five minutes past nine having pre-crumpled your shirt in the stairwell and grossly misaligning your tie. For the full effect slap yourself about the face a few times so you genuinely look like you have completed a marathon and then sit at your desk lambasting the state of public transport.

9. Develop Your People Skills.

Pick a member of the opposite sex from your team at random and then spend at least six months making their life a complete misery. Then, at the next office party, set your sights on getting off with them whilst explaining to them that you consider yourself to be wholly misunderstood by everyone you come across. Even if they let you get to first-base you’ll be able to pat yourself on the back knowing that at least one person in the office no longer thinks you’re a complete dork.

http://nexus404.com