Saving Money

1. Save money by not idling your vehicle. For every 10 seconds of idling, it uses more fuel than restarting your engine. Every 10 minutes of idling costs about 1/5 of a liter in fuel. So if every driver in Canada reduced idling by 5 minutes a day, it would save 1.8 million liters of fuel.

I know the cost of gas is higher in Canada so I have based my figures on fuel costs for Canadians. They also use more fuel during the winter months by letting the vehicle idle more while it warms up before you drive. For those who are not familiar with metric, a gallon is equal to 4.546 litres.

Car emissions also create smog, acid rain, climate change and air pollution. It has been stated that in Canada, 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions are from vehicles.

In some communities and cities, they have "Idle Free Zones" to encourage the reduction of unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. This should especially be done around schools and parks where more people congregate outside to enjoy the fresh air.

We can also improve our health and the lives of others by reducing the car emissions. Children and senior citizens are especially vulnerable to asthma and cardio-respiratory illnesses.

When you idle your car it delivers zero klms per litre. Too much idling is also not good for your engine because it isn't working at high efficiency. The fuel doesn't get completely combusted so it leaves the vehicle with dirty spark plugs and contaminated engine oil.

2. Save money at home by getting a leaky faucet fixed. One faucet can waste up to 11,000 liters a year. That would be equivalent to 55 full bathtubs! What is more annoying than the constant drip, drip, drip of a water tap. So fix it and save money.

Also an energy saving shower head can reduce your water consumption by as much as 1/3. Maybe even set a timer so that showers only last 10 minutes instead of 20 and you will save twice as much money.

Check your insulation in your home and give it an update. Even a small room that is not insulated can lose a significant amount of heat increasing your heating bill and sending your energy savings through the roof. Even drafty electrical outlets can cause cold air to seep in. These outlet insulators are very cheap and it just takes a few minutes to install.

Did you know that even your television and DVD player consume energy when they are in standby mode? Many electronics such as DVD players, home theaters, stereo, flat screen, media, CD players, etc all use power even in the standby mode so you may want to buy a single power bar that you could switch off in between times when you are not using them.

3. Here's a bright Idea. You could replace five bulbs with qualified compact fluorescent lights and thus reduce your electricity bill by at least $30. per year. The good thing is that fluorescent lights can last up to eight times longer than incandescent bulbs. Just think you will save yourself time and energy not having to replace the bulbs so often especially those that are high up in the ceiling that you have to use a stepladder to reach it.

4. Time for new kitchen appliances? The EnerGuide label shows you how much electricity the appliance consumes compared to other similar size units. Of course, the lower the number, the more efficient the appliance. Just remember, the cheapest price is not always the best deal. In the long run, you will be paying for higher energy consumption for many years which will cost you more money. Instead, buy your kitchen appliances wholesale or on sale but get one that is energy efficient.

The fridge is one of the highest energy users in the home. Make sure you adjust your temperature settings so that the fridge is not too cold and your produce freezes. There should also be a setting for the freezer and you should adjust that too so that your ice cream and other freezer items are not too cold. A good reminder too is that you should clean the back coils of your fridge by vacuuming and washing down the back of the fridge area at least once a year. A fridge can use from 85 - 100 kWh. A microwave will only use 10 - 30 KWh. A clock will use about 4 kWh and a coffee maker will use between 4 - 8 kWh.

A crook pot is an excellent energy saver and you can put your whole meal into a pot, and it will be done in about 4 to 6 hours. These kitchen appliances are an ideal way to save you time and money. When you get home, your meal is ready.

5. A scooter is an economical way to get around in your town or city. It saves you money on gas and is great for the environment. Many of them have a basket or place to carry something should you wish to stop at a store to pick something up. They vary in prices, styles and comfort. They are easy to drive and convenient to store. There are electric scooters and gas scooters. There are also scooters for children that are fun and safe to use. It is advisable to purchase a helmet for safety and their protection.

6. GPS - Saves you time and money. Have you ever been lost? We like to do a lot of traveling throughout Canada and the United States. Sometimes we have maps that are old and sometimes the map doesn't show all the streets or all the details. Recently we had to drive to Edmonton, Alberta for a funeral. We had never driven in Edmonton before but we had a GPS and what a difference. We just put in the address and it instructed us on ever turn and we never got mixed up once. What a stress reliever and it sure saved us time as we had a schedule to meet. Compared to the anxiety before of not knowing where you are going, if you are lost, or are you heading in the right direction. Needless, to say it was a much more pleasant trip. For recommended GPS navigation system.

7. Save money by not putting everything on credit. The credit cards are just so handy to use but the interest you pay on them is astronomical. If you need to buy furniture or more expensive electronics, just put some money aside for a few months and then when you have enough saved, purchase the items you need.

Try to pay down your debt first and have a goal to live debt free. You might have to check with different banks to get a cheaper mortgage rate. If you are paying your mortgage once a month, try paying half of that amount every 2 weeks, and you will notice that you are saving yourself more money. It doesn't hurt to shop around for cheaper rates of insurance, credit cards with lower interest rates, buying vehicles that are more economical on gas.

Set yourself some goals to pay off your loans and look for areas where you can save yourself even fifty dollars a week. If you saved $50.00 a week, over a year that would help you to have an extra $2,600 to put towards your debts and dropping the amount of interest you are paying.

Many people set up a budget and then it is easier to see where all your money is being spent and how you can adjust your spending habits. Also when you buy electronics or gifts, don't forget to buy wholesale instead of retail and save yourself even more money.




About the Author
Sharon Wittmeier, Manager of Buy Electronics, a Wholesale Electronics Store. Lowest prices on Electronics, digital cameras, DVD, videos, car audio, alarm clocks, Ipods, CD players, cell phones, mp3, wii, Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, scooters, RC cars, media, LCD, Flat screen, kitchen appliances, GPS, stereo, home theatre. Visit our website http://www.webshoppingdirect.com for some great deals today.

Finance management does not come naturally to most people. In fact most people have never been taught how to manage money. It can be quite an art, and one that's well worth learning. In the current 'downturn' or 'recession' it's more important than ever to understand how to manage your finances effectively.

The best ways of avoiding getting into debt are:

1. Keeping accurate records of all Money Transactions.
Years ago it was considered a good idea to make a note of all the incoming and outgoings (credits and debits) that happened each month. A 'little black cashbook' was all that was necessary, costing a very few dollars down the local stationary store. Noting everything coming in on one page, and on the facing page everything going out - and using one page for every month. It's not rocket science, and it does make sense. At least you can easily see at a glance what's happening, and where perhaps things have gone a bit awry, in time to correct it before it gets out of hand. These days it's easiest and most convenient to do all this on the computer. (Recommended Money Management Software: You Need A Budget Pro - Personal Finance Software Program)

2. Don't become addicted to the Keeping-up-with-the-Joneses Syndrome.
There are certain kinds of folk out there who 'must have' everything that their neighbours have, even though it's not essential, or even necessary in most cases. Why do they do this? Because they have a feeling of insecurity. Possessions make them feel secure. Jo Bloggs down the road gets a new car, and these people feel the urge to do the same, no matter that the down payment (let alone the repayments) will cripple them. The sad thing is that Joe Bloggs down the road who is setting this bad example to everyone else is probably mortgaged up to the hilt and is reeling from the debts he has incurred - but he gives the impression that these fancy possessions are all his!

3. Avoid living Beyond your Means.
It's a very easy thing to do, to start living beyond your means, and then it's extremely difficult to stop again. Everything is so readily available on credit - much too easily available. We've seen what can happen when people buy a house they can't afford, then other things to go in that house, the luxury holidays, the clothes, and so on. Then the kids start wanting stuff their friends at school have; they 'must have' those trainers, the latest 'GameBoy', the designer label clothes, etc.etc.

4. Are you considering getting Divorced.
It's a sad fact of life that people do get divorced, and this incurs extra expenses. In fact recently there has been a massive increase in couples opting for counselling to try to stay together, in order to avoid the costs of a would-be divorce.

5. It may be Christmas, but try to avoid Impulse Shopping.
It's been said that impulse shopping is an addiction. A friend of mine has a pathological weakness for impulse shopping. However this is a controllable handicap, and with just a few changes it's possible to escape from its clutches.

• Always take a list when going shopping, and stick to it - no extras.


• Don't shop when you're feeling hungry.


• Always look for the 'own brand' of goods on the supermarket shelves - they are excellent value.

It may not be easy, but it is possible to put into place some form of control.

6. Use Credit Cards sensibly.
Practically every consumer in the country has, and uses, a credit card. Very nearly every retailer now accepts credit card payments. However, many people cannot control their credit card limits, so once they reach their maximum limit on their card, they then open another card account, go to the maximum limit on that one, and then open yet another card account, and so on. The interest charges on credit card accounts is so high as to be prohibitive, and yet many thousands of people jump in and keep on buying without a single thought about how they will pay their accounts. The truth is, when used cautiously credit cards are a very convenient way to pay, and if the balance is paid off at the end of each month, they will incur zero interest charges.

So what do you do if things get so bad all you really want to do is hide away?

• Do you ignore phone calls? Don't - they might be important.


• Do you leave those brown envelopes unopened? This really won't help. The best thing would be to tidy up and sort all your unpaid bills and get advice to help you start your repayment process.


• Check your hobbies. Do you have a gym membership? Do you actually GO to the gym on a regular basis? If not, cancel your membership. That's a great saving straight away. Sure you can still go jogging through the park, there's no need to feel deprived.


• Magazine subscriptions. Have a look and see what's going out from your bank in the form of Standing Orders - can you cut back there? There may be things you really don't need, so it's worthwhile checking.

The answers may sometimes be painful but in the end the wounds will heal. There are ways around all this, but you do have to search for them yourself.

About the Author:

Maggie Gee is a UK based Internet marketer, offering help for the real beginner. She is specialising in Article writing, and is never very far from the keyboard. If you found the above article useful, find more information at: http://www.wizco.co.uk/finance/index.html For more info on help for the Real Beginner please visit: http://www.newbieplace.co.uk

With all the recent news stories surrounding the economy, how can an online business give themselves a brighter future?

The following Top 5 tips focus on how businesses can work smarter to survive these tough times. If anything, these simple steps just highlight where you can cut back on the fat and make your businesses learner, meaner and ready for the battle ahead.

1. Work Smarter
   Advertising on search engines such as Google is a great way of encouraging online traffic to your site, but simply doing it is half of the work. Indeed, constant monitoring of your online activity is the key to creating an optimised well oiled form of advertising. Therefore, check that you are getting return on your investment and that you are generating enough revenue to justify the advertising spend. If you are not, then perhaps cancel any poor performing campaigns or alternatively lower your spending. Furthermore, it may be a good idea to review all pages - including your landing pages - you are sending customers to. This is in addition to optimising your content to ensure you are meeting the needs of your visitor; otherwise they will just bounce away.








2. Quick wins
   The online world can change on a daily basis and a lean company that works efficiently is vital when keeping up with the changes. So, take time out with just yourself or key staff, and re-review your internal processes. It can have surprising results, such as realising new opportunities, streamlining a process or noticing gaps that need to be filled. In fact, it could be an hour or two well spent if you end up saving money, as well as potentially making some.



3. Relevant marketing
   Now's not the time to waste your money with too much broadcast communication. Where you can, try to ensure that you are marketing the right products, with the right messages and to the correct audience. For example, if you are sending promotional emails, ensure that if they click-through on any links, the landing pages are relevant, or you may run the risk of losing your audience. Once more, it can prove beneficial to test your messages, including the subject line and the promotional messages in the email, as well as the landing pages. It is therefore good to know that there are free tools out there to help you perform basic A/B tests to more complex arrangements. Test with a small group and just build upon your experience; it can make all the difference to the bottom line.




4. Advertise for free
   As unlikely as it sounds, it is possible to advertise for free. Writing press releases and articles are a great way of raising your profile and directing traffic to your site. There are a plethora of free press release websites and portals that let you share any new related stories, which can help you to distribute your message as soon as possible. But make sure your release is newsworthy and interesting, otherwise it can come across as chest beating and boring, which as a result will lead to no one paying attention to your message.Furthermore, why not consider the latest social media channels? If it is relevant to your target audience, it may be a good idea to promote your brand on social networking sites by displaying a profile page, or alternatively create an attention grabbing video and upload it onto a suitable social media website. As it goes, it is important to be as creative as possible to help stay ahead of your competition.



5. Hug and hold
   Increasing your customer base should always be at the forefront of your mind, but existing customers are worth their weight in gold. If you have customer data at hand, it can prove a lot cheaper to advertise to existing customers rather than attracting new ones. As such, encourage repeat orders from them but if it's proving too difficult, why not test an incentive with a small group, such as money off your next purchase.

In fact, from performing such a tactic it is possible to benefit any type of product you are offering, whether it be furniture, display stands, or your everyday convenience products. In addition, you can use those customers to help further build your customer base. For example, try a member get member scheme, offering customers a reward for recommending you.

Either way, from following such important tips, it is possible to reduce the affects created by the recent economic difficulties, whilst also creating new opportunities for your business; regardless of the type of business you own.

About the Author:
Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.