7Nov
What tax records must I keep?

Are you concerned about the amount of time you need to keep your personal income tax records? Taxpayers are sometimes required to file these documents when the government reviews or audits a filed return or is trying to levy or collect taxes. In addition, these documents are required by creditors, communities of owners, other interested parties that have requirements to determine before granting someone the right to use money or extend credit to obtain property and for any other transaction that these documents deem necessary.

Keep your income tax records indefinitely. Attached records, income documents, and deduction source information supporting financial evidence generally must be kept for six years. In general, the time limit for the IRS to assess taxes for a given tax year is three years after the due or filing date of the tax return, whichever is later, except in cases of fraud or understatement. substantial income.

The IRS goes back more than three years when it determines that more than 25% of gross income is not reported on a return, it considers it a material understatement of income and the collection period can be extended to six years. Also, the IRS has no time limits and can collect taxes at any time when no returns have been filed for a tax year. That’s why it’s necessary to keep your records for circumstances like these.

Holding on to forever tax returns and other important source documents for six years should be enough. Nobody really knows when the IRS will try to go back to previous years and try to collect taxes. When tax returns are filed electronically, be sure to get a paper copy of the return from the accountant who prepared/filed your return.

Property records must be kept until the property is sold. The tax effects of operations carried out this year may be affected by purchases made in the past. These purchase documents must be kept until the property is sold. The following are some common examples:

The house was purchased in 1976 for $50,000. An additional $15,000 was incurred for renovations in 1993 and the house sold this year for $200,000. To calculate the profit from the transaction, cost information must be available. (for example, purchase price plus renovations). In the event the IRS disputes the return, the purchase and cost documents must be filed with the IRS. In this example, keep the records for six years after the due or filing date of the tax return, whichever is later.

Some taxpayers have gains that qualify for the home sale exclusion, which allows certain homeowners to exclude up to $500,000 of gain from the sale of a home. Even if this benefit applies to you, records related to the home purchase and improvements must still be kept. The benefit may not be available in the future and it is impossible to know how much the house will be worth in the future.

There may be cases where the new property bears the cost of the old property. In this case, the records of the old property must be kept for up to six years after the sale of the new property. Let’s say a business car was purchased in 2010 and is now a trade-in for a new business vehicle in 2015. When the new business vehicle is sold, any gain or loss is based in part on the business vehicle’s purchase records. . Therefore, records must be kept for six years after the due or filing date of the tax return, whichever is later.

Longer record retention periods also apply to investments in stocks owned in a small business, mutual funds, stocks, etc. In the cases of these typical investments, when dividends are reinvested, each dividend reinvestment is a purchase. Therefore, beginning with the year the investment is sold, records must be kept for six years after the due or filing date of the tax return, whichever is later.

For damaged and stolen property, the calculation of the casualty and theft loss deduction is determined, in part, by the cost of the damaged or stolen property. Having the records to support the cost of these properties is important to support your basis. Therefore, beginning with the year of loss, records must be kept for six years after the due or filing date of the tax return, whichever is later.

For married people where separation or divorce becomes a possibility, You must ensure that you have access to any tax documents related to you that are held by your spouse. Better yet, make copies of these tax documents as access to these documents may be difficult later on. Both spouses are responsible for joint returns.

Electronic record storage – This can also be practical and easier. The time required to keep the electronic versions is the same as for the paper versions. Always back up your electronic tax records.

Damage or loss of records – Consider keeping your most important documents in a safe deposit box. Also consider keeping important records in a convenient central location.

Sometimes records that are lost or damaged can be reconstructed. For example, the CPA firm may provide copies of these damaged documents, as they are required by law to keep copies of tax returns for a period of three years. We recommend keeping copies of returns and source documents electronically.

In addition, other people/businesses who have helped you with the purchase or sale of property keep records. For example, he purchased mutual funds from a mutual fund company; The company can help rebuild the costs of mutual funds.

Regardless, it’s still the safest course of action to keep copies of documents in the safest place possible, as you can never be sure whether third parties have actually kept records of the documents you need. This article is an example for illustrative purposes only and is intended as a general resource, not a recommendation. We hope this article has been useful.
7Nov
Organizing your kitchen cabinet

The kitchen is one of the most important places in the house since it is where you prepare delicious and nutritious meals for your family. Keeping this area organized is essential and one of the ways you can start doing this is by tidying up your kitchen cabinets. The various kitchen accessories you will find in your cupboard can be overwhelming at first, but if you know the basics of organizing things, it will be a piece of cake.

Deciding what your kitchen should look like is perhaps the best way to keep cabinets organized and accessories in place. This will give you the freedom to choose the design, size and shape of the cabinets that you are going to use for the kitchen, so that later you will not have difficulties to accommodate and rearrange tools and accessories.

When considering organizing your kitchen cabinets, first identify which items should be kept and which items should be thrown away or given away. Find items you don’t use at all and put them in a separate box. Then organize frequently used accessories in such a way that you can easily access them. Those that are used only once in a while or for special occasions should be placed in the back of the cabinet.

Remember that kitchen accessories come in different shapes and sizes. Items that are lighter to carry and easier to move can be placed in the upper cabinets, while heavier items, such as large pots and pans, should be stored in the lower cabinets. Also, be sure to place items exactly where they need to be placed and close to where you usually use them. That way, they will be easier to find.

For breakable items and items that can be dangerous to children, be sure to hide them where children cannot reach them. Knives, for example, should be kept in drawers where only you can find them. Glass items, on the other hand, can be stored in either the top cabinet or the bottom cabinet, as long as you keep the cabinets properly closed.

Your family’s safety is your number one consideration when organizing not only the kitchen but other areas of the house as well. In case your kitchen cabinets are not big enough to hold all the kitchen accessories you have, you can consider buying a plastic file cabinet or drawer.
6Nov
The simple way to market any business

You’ve no doubt heard of the KISS principle: “Keep it simple, stupid.” Or as I like to say… “keep it simple, dumbass.”

KISS has been around the block several times. In fact, it was a design principle observed by the US Navy in the 1960s.

The phrase was coined by aeronautical engineer Kelly Johnson. It’s good to note that Johnson was the lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works (makers of the Lockheed U-2 and SR-71 spy planes).

Although the acronym has been used primarily by the US military, namely the US Navy and US Air Force, it is also used by civilians, businesses, and many other groups.

Heck, I bet you’ve used it a couple of times yourself.

We all tend to overcomplicate things, myself included.

But I prefer easy any day and twice on Sunday. When tackling any problem, my number one rule is to start with the basics first (is it on? Is the lamp plugged into the outlet?)

And you’ll be surprised how effective the simple way of doing things can be. After all, you can always complicate things later if you want.

You’ll be pleased to know that “simple” also works in marketing your business! Truth be told, simple has gotten me very, very far in marketing my business.

Let me explain…

The three pillars of good marketing

IT’S OKAY. Let’s break this down into, you know, layman’s terms. You can easily and simply market any product or service if you examine the 3 pillars of marketing.

But before I go into details, I have to give credit where credit is due. While I’d love to think I’m a marketing and advertising genius, truth be told, I’m just scratching the surface here.

What I have learned came from the true geniuses of the game. The guys who discovered it and have been in the marketing trenches for decades.

With that said, what you are about to learn comes from Dan Kennedy’s Marketing. I recommend that you get your hands on any book, show, or live event that I host. It is nothing less than pure gold.

IT’S OKAY. Get on with the show. The pillars of good marketing are:

Message

market

Media

Let’s talk briefly about each one.

Pillar 1. Message. This is the “what” you tell your prospects or customers. It is the communication part of the equation of good marketing. If you get it wrong, your efforts won’t necessarily fail, but they will suffer greatly in terms of results and sales.

Keep in mind that even if you have a great message and you pitch it to the wrong market, it will fall on deaf ears. And you’re wasting marketing bullets… time, money, and other resources.

Pillar 2. Market. He is the “who” you want to sell to. It is the group of people most likely to be interested and willing to buy your stuff. These are the prospects you are communicating with and who will receive your sales messages (sales letters, print ads, landing pages, etc.)

So your mission is to match your message to the right market using the right media.

As you know, privacy is essentially dead these days. Therefore, obtaining the names and addresses of almost any target market is a fairly simple process.

Mailing lists come in all shapes and sizes today. If you know which market you want to go to, chances are you can find a list. It’s just a matter of contacting a listing broker and describing who you’re looking for.

For example, if you’re looking for people who are at least 7 feet tall, drive a BMW, live in South Carolina, and subscribe to Psychology Today, you can get that list. It may not be a very big list, but it still exists.

Pillar 3. Media. This is the delivery system. It is the vehicle in which your message travels. Think: magazines, newspapers, newsletters, social networks like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the list seems endless.

The best way to select which media to use starts with the market. Are you targeting people over 65? It is very likely that they do not use social networks as their primary medium.

Yes, they may very well have a Facebook account, but this is not their primary means of communicating or keeping in touch with others.

They read the local newspaper and use their cell phones regularly. They probably listen to the radio and watch television.

But the only way to really know is to ask your customers and prospects.

How to target your market

A popular way business owners use to target their market is by geographic location.

With geographic marketing, you choose your market based on a specific location, for example, businesses within a 10-mile radius. This is a very simple way of choosing your targets, but it’s like dropping flyers from a plane and hoping one lands with the right person.

Yes, a bit of a stretch, but with a few simple tweaks, you can make your geo-marketing more effective. And you can do this using…

… Demographic targeting. Demographic targeting consists of selecting people by age, gender, how much money they have, whether they are conservative or liberal, or what religion they are, single or married, etc.

Next, you have the psychographics. Psychographics deals with the behavior, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles of clients. It is useful when segmenting your market. This can be very powerful (and effective). Furthermore, it allows you to customize your marketing messages based on the market segment you are targeting.

Hey, you could combine all three. And many of the cloud-based programs like Adobe Marketing Cloud, Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketing 360, and more do just that. You can also check out some of the open source solutions.

Again, you don’t have to be all “techie,” just make sure you have details like their contact information and carefully track how much they spend, what they buy, and how often. Simple with Excel.

Of course, you could go very deep into this topic, but keeping the “simple” approach, suffice it to say keep good customer lists, learn what your potential customers want, and become the “go to” company that meets their needs. .

So the next time you launch a new marketing campaign, consider the ideas presented here. If you’re tired of flushing a lot of money down the advertising toilet and want more profitable results, I encourage you to give me a call. Have questions about this article or would like to see a topic covered? Again, just shoot me a line. I am always happy to help.

Yours for further answer,

Edition E. Massey
6Nov
Current economic crisis (rescue or purchase)

Lately, it seems like we’re living history every day. Not since the Great Depression has the United States seen such turmoil in financial markets. What started in the subprime mortgage industry has now bled to death on Wall Street.

When investment houses that have been around since the Civil War close their doors, it’s a sure sign that something has gone terribly wrong. First Bear Stearns, then Lehman Brothers, and then Merrill Lynch and Washington Mutual.

We all can’t help but be a little taken aback by what’s going on. But while I and others have pointed out that the markets are only going through a “correction,” you may be wondering, “Denise, how much correction do we need to make?”

Obviously a big one. Too much slow money for too many people who can’t afford it is a sure recipe for disaster. Now is the time to pay the price.

Some analysts are even comparing what is happening now to the stock market crash of 1929. However, there is one big difference between then and now: we are not even close to being in the same economic hole our great-grandparents fell into. back then.

Case in point: The $700 billion bailout (or is it a buyout?) that lawmakers are debating at the time of this writing is a giant sum of money, the equivalent of which was not available in 1929.

Today, we are better prepared to handle such challenges as they arise, in part because we have learned from history. When the Great Depression started, there was no backup. The United States government was in a much more “hands-off” position than it is today.

While some like to argue that it’s a good thing for the government to stay out of the free market, new and upcoming legislation promises to bring at least some security back to the US economy. The time to argue from the political principle is over. Something has to be done and, thankfully, our leaders are finally stepping up to do something about it. The question is whether these leaders will help the problem or make it worse, only time will tell. As of this writing, they still haven’t been able to put it together.

After four (or more) years of unsupervised lending, exotic lending, predatory practices, and the ensuing subprime collapse, the government is finally taking steps to intervene before it all falls through the cracks.

Of course, many wonder why Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke didn’t do something before this mess happened. While it is true that no one could have predicted how serious the consequences would be, it is obvious that when banks start handing out mortgages like candy, something is wrong.

Two or three years ago, every time I heard a mortgage ad on the radio touting low numbers for adjustable rates, I cringed. I was wondering how long this could last. During the boom, it seemed like we could never run out. We are now undergoing a major reality check.

So what does this mean for the average real estate agent? First of all, the media is wrong. It’s not a ransom. It is a purchase.

A bailout is when you give a corporation money while forgiving its debt. A buy is when you enter to save the day, but there is an asset to trade.

The latter is what the United States Government proposes: to provide funds to take over mortgages on real estate. Real estate is assets. Therefore, by definition, this is a purchase.

Based on my own personal experience with the markets, I think the government would do quite well with this deal. Think about it. They step in, take over the loans that are in trouble and refinance them to a lower rate. It is a win-win situation.

Ultimately, there is always money to be made from mortgages. Even if the government restructures these mortgages, we all know that real estate is still the best long-term investment.

Which I think will be the harbinger of the “great real estate appreciation of 2012.” Real estate will go back up. It’s always rebound. It always will. And all the major factors point to it increasing anyway: population, immigration, migration, an affluent community of older people, higher divorce rates, and people living much longer than before.

Personally, I would like to see all the corporate executives who led failed companies down this horrible financial path denied their bonuses. How can a CEO get a $22 million bonus when he has bankrupted the company and left the shareholders with the stock market? For me, this is one of the most important parts of the mess to clean up.

So only time will tell how long it will take for our leaders to get this right. What is certain is that something must be done!

And remember that when consumers get nervous about Wall Street, they tend to invest their money in real estate. So don’t jump to conclusions and think that the housing market is going down with Wall Street, it is the housing market that is going to get our economy where it should be.
6Nov
Gain weight loss with healthy and nutritious weight loss tips

Nowadays, in this fast-paced and developed world, everyone is busy and has a hectic schedule throughout the day, so they lack time to think about their diet and its positive or negative impact. When one suffers from any physical problem or becomes excessively fat or obese, one begins to worry about what to do to lose weight quickly. Well, you have to keep in mind that losing weight is not possible overnight. It takes some time and depending on your focus and consistency, results are seen faster or slower.

Also, the amount of weight loss varies from person to person and there are several factors that work in conjunction with a diet plan or exercise program. If you want to lose weight in a natural and healthy way, you must introduce some changes in your lifestyle and eating habits. Try to focus on your diet and make it nutritious, reducing the content of fats and carbohydrates. The most important advice is to avoid filling your stomach and, on the other hand, you should not go hungry either. To make a sensible and effective weight loss program, you can consult a dietitian who will provide you with precise measurements along with what to include and what to avoid in your daily diet.

Today, people feel that the calorie shifting diet works and you can see that too. However, if you are following this diet, you will have to make a chart and stick to it, which can be difficult or annoying for most of us. So it’s a great idea to eat what you want, but keep portions small and just avoid fried and junk food. By taking some precautions you can avoid gaining weight and then if you add some exercise program to your daily routine, you will also reduce the accumulated fat in your body. If you want to lose weight fast, you can train with a different plan, which includes eating plans and a vigorous exercise program recommended by any specialist.

The weight loss tips for those who want to go on a diet is that they can opt for a high protein diet, which is well tested and advised by experts and they indicate that a high protein diet helps to lose weight faster. The reason behind this is that protein keeps you fuller for longer hours and since you don’t feel hungry, you don’t have any cravings for snacks. Therefore, there is no addition to the calorie count between meals and this also helps you to reduce fat easily and quickly. Whatever the method, the main intention of anyone who wants to lose weight should be to achieve the goal in a healthy way. Just a little awareness and alertness on your part will help you lose weight and maintain your health as well.
6Nov
Energy Abuse: Can Someone Energetically Abuse Another Person?

If asked to talk about what abuse looks like, they might say this is what happens when someone is humiliated, beaten, sexually exploited, or emotionally invalidated. When something like this happens, it will be clear that someone is not being treated in the right way.

At the same time, although all these behaviors are expressions of abuse, it would not be correct to say that it will always be clear that this is the case. One reason for this is that if someone has been mistreated for a long time, they may have gotten used to being treated this way.

The rule

Thanks to the time they have experienced life in this way, the way they are being treated will no longer register as abuse. And, if they have been treated this way practically since they were born, it may never have occurred to them that they are being abused.

If this is really what happened, they probably would have come to believe that they were worthless. Being treated poorly as an adult will make you feel comfortable on a deeper level.

more exposure

Fortunately, abusive behavior is being talked about more and more in the media, making it easier for people like this to realize what’s going on. Therefore, no matter what kind of abuse someone is experiencing, there is no need for them to put up with it.

Becoming aware of this is the first step, while the second step will be for someone to change your life. Help is there, they just need to seek it out and do whatever it takes to move forward.

Another type

The above mentioned relates to the type of abuse that can be seen with the naked eye, however, there is another type of abuse that cannot be seen. Or, to be more exact, it can be seen, but a different sense is needed to grasp it.

This type of abuse is also something that can be detected if someone is in tune with their feelings. The type of abuse being talked about here relates to energy and how energy can be taken away from them.

a subtle process

When this happens, you may not be aware of what is happening, and if there are people around you, they may not be aware either. However, once they are no longer around this person, they may feel that something is not right.

In fact, one could end up feeling completely drained. If they were to think about what they have been doing, it may be difficult for them to understand why they feel this way.

an isolated incident

The person who ended up taking your energy may have had a bad day or may be going through a difficult time. If this is the case, it will not be normal for them to take on other people’s energy in this way.

They will be low, so they will get a lot of energy from others to try to get up again. It would be easy to criticize someone like that, however, there are likely to be times in almost everyone’s life when they fall down and can’t produce their own energy.

the energy vampire

Someone like that is then going to be radically different from someone who is perpetually out of touch with their own life force and therefore needs the life force of other people. For them, taking energy from others and giving very little in return will be part of who they are.

They will not be able to get energy from within, so the only way they will be able to have enough energy to live is by extracting it from others. The people they go in with are usually going to get sucked into them and it may take a while for them to get up again.

the same position

When it comes to the people you spend time with, these people can be off most of the time. That is unless, of course, these people are the same as them, which may mean they won’t be affected in the same way.

These people will be dead inside, so there won’t be much they can do to each other. As for people who are not energetically dead, they can be in a very low place after spending so much time with someone like that.

Lifeless

These people will continually be de-energized and one will have nothing to give them. So there would have been a point where these people were full of life and now they could be like a zombie.

The sooner someone like that realizes what’s going on and seeks help, the sooner they can come back to life. It’s hard to say how long it will take for your energy level to go from red to green.

Awareness

It would be easy to say that one can end up with an ‘energy vampire’, but this would paint him as a victim. If one has a tendency to break up with people like that, it can show that they have bad boundaries, are out of touch with their inherent worth, and don’t have a strong sense of self.

By being this way, it will be difficult for them to get a sense of what another person is going through and the impact their being has on them. Also, if one is emotionally numb and out of touch with their body, it is also going to be a challenge for them to consciously know what is happening to someone else.

If one can relate to this and wants to be more insightful when it comes to who they let into their life, they may need to seek outside support. This is something that can be done with the help of a therapist or healer.
6Nov
collection of canes

A walking stick is a device used by many people throughout history up to the Middle Ages and perhaps beyond. For the Celts, it was of primary importance. In ancient times, they were used as a weapon to defend against threat or on offense. Some were even made to conceal some type of blade, such as a sword or knife. Swords, once an important Celtic symbol, fell into disuse due to newly developed weapons that could reach greater distances, such as pistols and cannons. Swords, once a Celtic symbol of status and wealth, were used less and less and the next best thing to replace them was a Celtic staff. In fact, they became so popular that everyone went out of their way to buy one to add to their wardrobe accessories. In addition to its value as a decorative accessory, it fulfills part of the function of the sword as a weapon. Many types of wood were used to make them, but in older times the wood chosen was of great importance!

The wood, along with the Celtic symbol design, on the staff represented the person and who they were. For example, some have a compass on the handle for the astronomer or sailor, and others may be engaged in a country hobby, such as fishing, golf, animal husbandry, merchants, farmers, chieftains, or horseback riding. . Of course, the Chieftains, high-ranking warriors, would have elaborately decorated staffs. Most likely they were buried with them. Many are adorned with items that match a person’s personality or mood. They may also reflect the season or a person’s individual power animal or family crest or totem. Later they still reflected the profession, like the English Bobby.

Religious men, such as the Druids, also used walking sticks, or canes, to show their position originally. The type of wood the Celts used for the wand or staff showed how high the rank of the druid was: 6 years of school for Vate, 12 for a bard and 18 for the druid and about 20 years. Later the staff was adopted by the Christian faith and used by bishops, archimandrites and abbots. They even adopted some of the colors, although over the years this was dropped. The religious leaders carried a darker wood and the canes were straight, not curved like a candy cane. They used silver as a hilt at the top and a metal cap at the tip. The staff used by the leader like the Archdruid or the Christian leaders was made of plain wood and had absolutely no decoration. The staff was given only in Initiations of both Druidism and Bishop rites at the beginning of their service. No one else had the right to wear it until one of the same rank as you was going to give it to them. Any wands or items turned in for that particular sect and service were returned when you finished that service, or passed on to the new person who took over. As you can see, canes vary in both size and shape. The works of art, and sometimes even the beauty of wood alone, have led to the popular hobby of collecting them! The Celts are still elaborately carved with Celtic symbols, Celtic symbols burned in wood, painted or plain. Some would display the hereditary insignia or the totem of the tribe or clan!

Canes can be used to walk over rough terrain, to reach difficult places, or to clear desert foliage, make a path passable, and prevent injury. They are great to use or harness to gain momentum to go up steeper hills, or to avoid a fall, or go slower downhill. They are essential, in my opinion, to undertake any outdoor adventure, as they can save a life when crossing a body of water or avoid falling into a hole and testing the ground or ice.

When you buy one from an online store, it’s good to put on a hand strap when you take it home. Most cane makers will drill this hole and add a leather tie for you at no or minimal additional charge. You’ll want this if you’re going anywhere so it can go around your wrist and you won’t lose it in an accident. Also as a handle on the larger ones called Staves, some may have a special grip where you place your hand for comfort. As a general rule of thumb, buy a cane 3 inches shorter than you are. The bigger and stronger the man, the bigger and stronger the cane.

What are Nordic walking poles? This term is used to tell you that there are two poles, like ski poles. You’ll want at least two types of canes, one for cold climates, like winter in Canada, and one for warmer climates. A winter cane will have a metal ribbon attached to the bottom instead of the rubber tip. Some are made so that the bottom becomes two styles, so you don’t ruin interior floors. These come in a set! They are winter canes. The Norse lived in a rugged world, and sometimes the weather was unpleasant. These Nordic walking poles are all the rage in Europe nowadays! They are becoming more popular in the US and Canada as the world becomes more health conscious. Buying a cane and pedometer, and putting them by the door, will remind you that you need to finish your 10,000 steps a day. Walking with two poles of the correct length dramatically reduces stress on the knees, hips, and back.

Stick collecting is a great hobby for those looking for something to collect. Its value will never decrease and there are many types: vintage, modern and hidden compartments such as hidden swords, hidden pool cues, hidden liquids (these are called drinkers!) or compartments to hide gems, smoke or matches. for the survival campfire and the money. No matter what the reason, this is an investment that can’t go wrong. All canes are great conversation pieces, as well as some having absolutely stunning designs – carved, painted, or wood burned.
6Nov
Arbonne – A Home-Business-Hopper Review

So what is a Home-Business Hopper, you ask?

Well, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a hopper like so:

jump by
Pronunciation:
Èhä-pYr

1 a: one that jumps b: an insect that jumps; specifically: an immature jumping form of an insect.

And that’s how I imagined. (well, not really like a bug, but like a hopper)

An ‘immature leap way’ from one home business to another. I’m sure there are a lot of ‘hoppers’ out there and I honestly think there should be a support group for all of us recovering MLM addicts! Hahaha.

Through all the headaches of which company was going to make me a ‘millionaire’, I think the more I looked, the more I got into debt.

My first encounter with the entire ‘Home-Business’ world was with Arbonne.

Arbonne is a Swiss skin care company that has everything from face washes, cosmetics, baby care products to weight loss, nutrition and detox products.

My Arbonne Journey:

My friends call me one day and ask me to go get a cup of coffee. I love coffee and I love my friend, so of course I agree to go. While we’re in the cafeteria, he tells me about this ‘botanical-based products’ company called Arbonne that can change our lives and make us rich.

Now, I have to share with you a little about myself.

I love being pampered, I love organic stuff, spa stuff… Anything that is “pretty” and makes this world a better place. Arbonne was all of this, plus it had the ‘I can strike it rich’ factor built in, so of course I had stars in my eyes.

Needless to say, I joined. They had a $39 fee to join (not bad). And they even had a special offer where you get $700 worth of stuff for only $350! wow! That’s unbelievable… That’s like doubling my money. What a deal!… However, what am I going to do with all those things? Oh, don’t worry Jazz, you’re going to be rich, remember?

I did ‘spa parties’ for my friends which, to be honest, made me nervous. I didn’t get a ‘one time’ sale. My first two months with Arbonne, all I could eat, drink, breathe and taste was Arbonne. Man, I got obsessed. He hated that feeling. Meeting that monthly quota was really very difficult. And every time she went out with a friend, all she could think about was when was the right time to slip them the ‘Arbonne Opportunity’. 80% of the time, I didn’t even hear a word they were saying…

Man, was I a selfish horrible friend or what?

That was not the way I wanted to live and although I love, love, love the products. (The best eye makeup remover…ever!) I realized that the sales were not for me.

And that was it. My ‘I’m going to be rich’ was shattered…..Until now. (I realized after my many dream breakers)

I was really impressed with this DSA approved company. And I will continue to buy some of their products. If you decide to try Arbonne, buy in bulk because shipping is so expensive.

(DSA stands for Direct Selling Association, by the way, and chances are, if a company is with them, they know they’re doing the right thing and not a scam.)

There are many Arbonne success stories out there and it very well could be for you. I just wanted to share with you my first MLM experience. There are many more of my previous home business reviews to come.

Please stay tuned.

Here is my advice:

Follow the Peace. Deep down, you will feel which company is right for you and your family.
There was one company I had instant peace about and yet because of all the ‘loud voices’ of home business hype. I started my ‘hopper’ journey… Which got me absolutely nowhere.

Now, I am following my own advice and following the peace. Because of my focus… NOW, I am seeing results. Man, I feel fine.

I figured it out and now I found something that works.
6Nov
What are the relationships between land fund managers, local governments and planning authorities?

There are formal and informal ways by which investor-financed developers achieve changes in land use. But community relationships and flexibility are also important.

From an investor’s perspective, real estate fund managers are the professionals with the skill set necessary to grow assets that are earmarked for real estate development. Ideally, they make the calls that are needed to buy land at a low price and resell it at a much higher price – the higher the better.

It is about more than intelligent and strategic physical development. Key negotiation skills are required of the people who guide these alternative investments through the process, starting with negotiating the initial purchase price of the land. But of equal value is the function of negotiation and management of the planning license.

Local planning authorities (LPAs) are critical to the land value appreciation formula. Most work objectively, trying to meet the needs of their constituents with appropriate and manageable growth programs. But their decisions are not made in a vacuum: there are several means by which they determine whether or not to approve a land use change:

• Formal – It is up to the local planning authorities to have an established development plan, with which changes in use must be complied with. This requirement is emphasized by the National Planning Policy Framework, which published new requirements in 2012. There, the NPPF stipulated that LPAs establish a development plan to promote net housing growth in a relatively short period of time. This requirement was raised to enroll local municipalities in the cause of increasing the housing stock, a critical national need.

• Informal: Sadly, only around half of the towns and cities in England and Wales have developed their NPPF-mandated plans by mid-2014. Among those that do not, the process necessarily follows what the developers propose to the authorities. Those authorities may reject proposals for various reasons, however, it is logical that they are predisposed to a positive review of such proposals due to the critical housing situation. This is where real estate fund managers need to be resourceful and convincing in communicating the benefits of the particular development they are proposing.

• Community involvement – The Town and Country Planning Association advises that community involvement be at the heart of planning results. Certainly, when there is a well-organized opposition group that opposes community development, it can be loud and powerful. But experienced land fund professionals should be able to identify shared goals, and make adaptations and adjustments to development plans, which create alliances within those communities that can at least bring balance to the discussion.

As government agents, planning authorities strive to find a consensus while respecting divergent opinions. Similarly, investment groups work to identify common ground so development can eventually move forward.

People considering land as an investment should seek an independent financial advisor to discuss two factors. One is the perspective of real estate investment itself, and the other is determining how real estate and other forms of real assets influence an investor’s unique wealth portfolio. Medium-term relative returns on investments based on land use (typically 18 to 60 months) are part of that consideration.
6Nov
Creating a Facebook business page is easy

If you want an attractive Facebook business page, here’s what you need to know:

1: Don’t confuse company pages with personal profiles.

If you create a personal profile for your brand instead of a Facebook business page, you’ll miss out on content creation tools, analytics, and paid promotional opportunities.

Worse yet, people will have to send you a friend request before they can interact with you.

2: Do not create a ‘professional profile’ associated with your business.

Let’s say you have a personal profile on Facebook and want a second profile for professional reasons. This is against Facebook’s terms of service and could get you in trouble.

3: Choose a friendly and attractive cover photo.

This cover photo takes up most of the space above the fold of your page, so you’ll want a high-quality image that grabs and holds your visitors’ attention.

You might consider hiring a professional to create this image for you.

Keep the words in the picture short and to the point.

Faces work well to hold attention and bright colors are good too.

4: Use a profile photo that is easy to recognize.

It could be your logo or your headshot if it’s the face of your company.

Being discoverable is important to being found and liked, so choose your image carefully and then use it consistently.

5: Complete your ‘About’ section.

This is no longer visible when visitors land on your page, but it is still one of the most clicked elements when they want more information about your business.

Enter your overview, company information, your story, or whatever fits your business.

6: Add a call to action button.

This is a great way to drive traffic to your website and build your list. Your call to action button could be for visitors to watch a video, sign up for your list, etc.

7: Post frequently, but not too much.

If you don’t post for months at a time, then your business doesn’t look professional. Hell, you don’t even seem to be in the business anymore.

But if you post non-stop, you will probably annoy people.

It’s a matter of finding that middle ground, and that can vary from business to business.

8: If you have time to respond, let fans message you privately.

It’s a great idea to allow your customers and fans to send you private messages; this can result in better customer service, fewer public complaints, and even more sales.

However, if you don’t have time to reply to these private messages, it would be best not to enable private messaging.

9: Monitor your page and respond to comments promptly.

You can monitor and respond to comments using the ‘notifications’ tab at the top of the page.

10: Pin important posts to the top of the page.

As you post, the oldest posts are removed and buried. But there are times when you want a post to stay on top, even after you’ve published new posts.

You can pin one post at a time and use it to promote events, offers, and announcements.

11: Post visual content to your timeline.

Photos and videos are up to 40 times more likely to be shared on social media, so take advantage of this fact and share a lot of visual content.

12: Consider using live video.

People typically spend more than three times as much time watching a Facebook Live video as they do recorded video.

13: Use Facebook targeting tools.

You can target certain audiences with personalized updates. Target by age, gender, relationship, location, etc., and then send highly targeted messages to those groups to get a higher response.

14: Promote your page. Much.

Create an ad to promote your page, choose your target audience and choose your budget. Make sure your ad is directly targeting your ideal customer and give it a try.

15: Measure your success.

Drill down into your Page insights to track Facebook-specific engagement metrics. Analyze and adjust as needed.

It may all sound complicated, but you will quickly understand everything here.