Spend Wisely and Save Money

 

A supermarket’s pet food aisle in Brooklyn, New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia. The average familyís grocery bill is usually one of the higher numbers on the family budget. There can be an enormous difference in what each family spends on their groceries, depending on many factors, such as whether they buy name brand, more meat, etc.

The good news is that this allows for a large amount of savings if we decide to be frugal with our shopping. Following a few simple tips will have you well on your way to saving a few bucks.

1.) Make a meal plan. You’ll know exactly what you need from the store before you go.

2.) Watch for specials and coupons in store newsletters, and plan your meals around them.

3.) Make a list and stick to it. If its not on the list, then just don’t buy it.

4.) Never shop when you are really hungry. That way you wonít be tempted to buy things that you don’t need.

5.) Shop alone. Count on your bill being higher when you bring your spouse or children.

6.) Only buy things you know youíll use. For example, if your family doesnít like broccoli, donít buy broccoli in the hopes that theyíll eat healthier this week.

7.) Keep your eyes on the items on the bottom shelf where the prices are lower.

8.) Buy store brands when the quality is the same. Most of the time, it actually is the same product in a different package.

Clothes for poor people (Photo credit: Maarten Utreg)

It is pretty easy to be frugal once you realize how much money youíre actually saving with these simple steps. Keep a log of your grocery bills, so you can see how much of a difference you are making. Have you ever noticed that the things you buy every week at the grocery and hardware stores go up a few cents between shopping trips? Not by much…just by a little each week but they continue to creep up and up.

• All it takes for the price to jump up by a lot is a little hiccup in the world wide market, note the price of gasoline as it relates to world affairs.

There is a way that we can keep these price increases from impacting our personal finances so much and that is by buying in quantity and finding the best possible prices for the things we use and will continue to use everyday… things that will keep just as well on the shelves in our homes as it does on the shelves at the grocery store or hardware store.

For instance, dog food and cat food costs about 10% less when bought by the case than it does when bought at the single can price and if you wait for close out prices you save a lot more than that. Set aside some space in your home and make a list of things that you use regularly which will not spoil. Any grain or grain products will need to be stored in airtight containers that rats can’t get into so keep that in mind.

Grocery Store Green Bell Peppers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Then set out to find the best prices you can get on quantity purchases of such things as bathroom items and dry and canned food. You will be surprised at how much you can save by buying a twenty pound bag of rice as opposed to a one pound bag but don’t forget that it must be kept in a rat proof container.

You can buy some clothing items such as men’s socks and underwear because those styles don’t change, avoid buying children’s and women’s clothing, those styles change and sizes change too drastically. Try to acquire and keep a two year supply of these items and you can save hundreds of dollars.

How to Create a Funding Plan for Your Organization – For Dummies

goal (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

 

1 of 9 in Series: The Essentials of Finding and Applying for a Grant

Laying out a funding development plan is the first step to becoming proactive in grant seeking and grant writing. Both non-profit and for-profits organizations can benefit from a good plan for getting funding. Here are the parts of an all-purpose funding development plan:

Mission statement: A mission statement tells funders your purpose or vision for being a structured nonprofit or for-profit organization. The mission statement should include the name of your organization, its structural status (nonprofit or for-profit), the year it was formed, and its purpose (reason for organization).

Make this statement clear and impactful, reflecting your vision. If you already have a mission statement, maybe it creates more confusion than clarity. Take a long look at your existing mission statement and ask yourself whether you need to rewrite that statement.

Assessment of funding needs: What programs and services do you want to offer? Where is the funding coming from — internal or external sources? Ask and answer questions about your organization’s financial strengths, as well as its financial weaknesses. Also, consider what funding opportunities are available to your organization and what threats to funding your organization faces.

Funding goals: How much money do you need to raise from external funding sources for each program or service?

Your goals should be global and futuristic; they should describe where you want to be when the grant money runs out.

Funding objectives: What benchmarks do you want to set to assure that you reach these funding goals?

Your goals can’t stand alone. You’ll never accomplish anything if your goals aren’t supported by objectives. Objectives act as benchmarks or reference points; they’re measurable steps that must be taken in order to achieve your goals. And every goal must have at least one objective.

Action plan: What are the annual tasks, over three to five years, that must be completed in order to make your funding development plan a reality?

In the action plan part of your organization’s funding development plan, you need to sort your funding needs into categories of for each program or service that needs external funding or grant monies.

Monitoring and evaluation of funding objectives: How can your organization track and prove that the project’s measurable objectives were met and at what levels? What are your evaluation tools?

You need to determine how your organization will track and evaluate your funding plan’s objectives. In this part of the funding development plan, make sure to mention who’ll conduct the monitoring and evaluation activities and who’ll see or review the evaluation findings or reports.

After you write your funding development plan, stick to it. Before writing any grant requests, first make sure that the grant fits into your plan. Be organized, stay focused, and follow your funding plan’s road map to success and stability.

 

 

 

 

 

Source : How to Create a Funding Plan for Your Organization – For Dummies.

Conserving Money While in a Tough Economy: Is It Possible?

Piggy bank china (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Recession is a phrase that floods most people with concern and poor thoughts. A recession is another word for a ‘tough economy’. It’s a time historically poor for growing finances, a period of time capable of significantly diminishing your dollar’s value pretty fast. Economic Downturns have been said to also instantly raise the expense of a standard lifestyle. During times like these, people often ask, ‘How can I continue to save during an economic depression?’ The response is: By simply intending to! If you’re creative and need to be clever you can change things. Here are some strategies you should implement to save money during a tough time:

 

Plan your purchases.

By planning your purchases, you’re effectively planning your expenses. This will help eliminate the danger of impulse buying and unnecessary spending. Try to look at the bigger picture when it comes to your basic needs.

Plan for a week’s worth of groceries, for example, so you’ll have an idea of which items you truly need (and want) and which items you can do away with. To make sure that you maximize your planning efforts, consider incorporating items on sale into your planning. If there are foods on sale that week, such as, why not plan your week’s menu using what’s on sale?

 

Implement operation ‘S.P.’

SP is Short for Spending plan. If you want to be capable of saving money through a financial downturn, it is crucial to encourage and use willpower with you and your household. Utilizing your plan as a guide, write a monthly spending plan then adhere to it. If you decide to override it, you really should have a very good explanation for that. Or else, don’t override your monthly budget.

 

Look for great buys and special discounts.

Keep an eye on stores for periodic sales. You will spend less money by shopping for items on sale than for their normal price ranges. While in a recession, it’s just smart spending to look before you buy. Also, look at various retailer and classifieds promotions. Ask for alternate buying choices, if one option is outside of your budget. Grab store rebates and discount coupons too. Take into account shopping at discount outlets also. Every dollar you do not pay out is a greenback you save.

 

Buy in volume.

The goods in your home that are typically in use like paper towels, cleaning supplies, your favorite foods etc., you should look at buying in bulk. Numerous stores offer you items in bulk, meaning you will save funds in the end when you invest in mass quantities of your choice rather than paying for single merchandise.

 

Wait on buying larger expenditures.

A good way to decide if a purchase can wait is to think about it first, when you cannot pay for it out right without regret then, do not buy it. Instead you can plan when to buy it. Case in point, you only have adequate funds for a deposit on a new flat screen but have to use money from your charge card just to buy it. In the meanwhile you will not actually have enough cash money to buy the t.v. for at least 10 weeks. Why go into debt when your goal is to save money? This gift can absolutely wait honestly! Wouldn’t you agree that it’s not a good idea to make a spend without proper resources? Why feel guilty about what you buy. Basically wait until you can really afford what you want or plan out a way to get it later. The worst thing you can do while in a tough economy is not only failing to save but also falling into financial debt.

 

Prevention is the cure.

Just think, there are a number of things you do in your home that are wasting your hard earned dollars every day. Utilize simple measures like restoring and preserving your property and home appliances. Use good quality equipment and cut down on pointless use are capable of doing amazing things for your wallet.
Bring in more money.

 

Now, if after all your attempts to save, you still haven’t saved enough, don’t allow recession get you down. Remember this too shall pass. Sometimes your best efforts won’t be enough. It could be because you didn’t make enough money. Never ask for a raise when you’re feeling desperate or defeated unless you can handle the answer of yes or no after you ask. Also don’t be surprised if you find yourself waiting even longer for a promotion just because you stepped out on a limb and asked at the wrong time. Its alright to take a risk too, since you’ll never know until you ask, right?

 

Alternately if you don’t want to risk asking or waiting for a raise you can opt for a side job, take on extra working hours, or even offer your ability as a freelance worker. The additional money you will earn, coupled with your tough economy-motivated cash-conserving plan, will allow you to continually save money until finally, the challenging times are through.

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Time Management: A Proven Blueprint of An Absolute Winner!

where does the time go (Photo credit: cmcbrown)

 

Life is full of blissful opportunities that give us a fair chance to get better each and everyday. I know you may be saying ‘yeah right’. Just wait, I’m sure you’ll agree with me after you hear a little more. Trust me, its not the easiest task to get into a routine for most people, i get that. I know all about the challenges that come with having to choose to do what most of us want to do but most people want the structure and benefits of a routine only without doing the work on the front end.

 

There always has and will be a simple way to do almost everything. Now one key to getting into an assassin proof routine is to first INTEND IT! I’ll say it again, its easy to create a routine, but you have to do some prep work to put it together first. All routines start with a great idea! Its well known that all people have the same choices to improve themselves at any given time in life, but only if they want to of course.

 

In short, we are the only ones who are responsible for our actions. Obstructions will come and go along the way. The most amazing thing is that we have a choice to do better at anytime and that challenges will come as well. Just think about it, when these life altering situations come, we know we have another great reason to make a real change in our lives and for the better too.

 

Do you think time management will be hard? It will be whatever you make it. I know your schedule is in hyper overload mode plus there is so much going on in the midst of your life. Just hear me out now. Answer this for me: Do you get out of the best fussing and falling all over the place, wishing that you could do something else? Do you gulp down coffee and other stimulants its your last cup of water, only to find that you don’t have any energy in the end? And when you do feel energy, it feels more like an adrenaline rush before a race than real sustainable energy. Hey we have all been there or someone of us have at least.

 

Take a deep breath and know this, You don’t have to rush to do anything. Its time to take your time back and start living balanced and fruitfully. Do you often wish you could be more organized, only your brain isn’t doing what you had planned for it to do for you, when you need it to? If this is you some of the time, even if its only YOU once a month its time to make a change. Its time to take to the bridge, To move a mountain and master this thing!

 

You can do this time thing, contrary to what somebody may have told you.  Trust me when I say this… You Don’t have to like organization or schedules to get into the Art of Personal Time Management.  You just don’t. I know you’re probably thinking ‘why should I do anything that I’m not interested in?’ I hear you loud and clear! That’s some of the best logic but that’s not what we’re doing this for. It’s not about logic and comforting our ‘likes’. It’s about one thing and that’s all! YOU want something different. So you gotta change the game to make scoring possible, otherwise you may never get to the next step on your latter of accomplishments. Is it safe to say that you would enjoy a more efficient day? Alright now, let’s talk about how you can get there.

 

Planning has never been considered a fun thing to do, at least not for the majority of the world anyway. However I’m going to show you why planning is easier than you ever thought it was. Planning is fun, it can be if even it’s not now. Trust me on this,  once you see the benefits of a well thought out and executed plan you, that’s it! You will enjoy the fruits of your labor that much more. Once you have a list of what you want to do better or more efficiently, the next step is to get to work on how you’re going to complete this.

 

Allow me to give an example: For instance if you want to make a simple change like: get to work earlier, you have to plan a new routine to do it. I know you might be saying to yourself…’But why would I want to do that, get to work early?’. I know you may think I’m crazy by now but hear me out.

 

If getting to work early was one of your goals, say to yourself: That’s easy! Now measure the pro’s against the co’s to motivate you that much more! Benefits: The early employee gets all the good stuff. I know you’ve heard the phrase ‘the early bird gets the worm.’ If you’ve ever gotten to work early, you know the perks completely outweigh the negative feeling you may have had about going to work in the first place. Still don’t think I’m serious? Be honest now, could you use a few more hours on the job? I mean to make extra money and to get stuff done. Yes!? OK then here’s how you do it.

 

First you need to decide how early you want to get there. Also work out what you will actually do once you get to work to pass the time as well. Time is money so there is no reason to plan on the fly when you can plan in advance. The Art of Personal Time Management is all about moving step by step.

 

Plans are subject to changing. Its true, all plans you make can and will change in the future for whatever reason. You can have a plan A and B. And if the situation calls for it then whip out your trusty plan C. Whatever you do, you have to do something. So back to the example. You want to get to work early so you can get a running start on all your work. So here’s a way to sketch out your routine: Decide what to wear, pick it out and lay it out. What skills do you use at work? Now, what will boost or balance your skills for work..in advance? Make sure you plan to get enough sleep, maybe you want to get up within enough time to workout and then maybe eat before you start working or eat when you get to work. Most importantly you will absolutely want to leave your home early enough to get through traffic and into your office smoothly and safely.

 

As you visualize the potential of accomplishing this. Take a good guess on how much time it will take you to do it. Remember you can always revert to one of your secondary plans B or C, if you need to. But what exactly is a routine anyway? Let’s see it how it’s defined: Routine: A sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program. Other ways to describe what a routine is: regular – ordinary – usual – customary – everyday.

At first, it may seem boring and uneventful to get into a routine. But trust me it’s just the opposite of that. It takes great determination to get to the next level in life. And your routine is one way to revolutionize your efforts to getting things done thus getting to the top of your game faster than ever before!

 

One last tip i want to mention about routines is that your brain is ONLY needed to process why, how to do something and how long it will take to get to get to the next level in your life or project. See once you start your routine and after you allow your brain to do its processing work you can safely ignore it while you’re following your already ‘well thought out’ time management system. Don’t get caught up in the details. Move on swiftly to finishing exactly what you started.

 

The problem that most people run into when they re-think decisions they have already made and entertain the thought to do something different from their original agenda. We all know our brain is just a tool to process information and carry out micro detailed super-duper important bodily processes.

 

The problem with thinking about the already- well- thought- out- plan is stopping what one had started. If you stop a routine you may just fall back to the point you started from. So don’t stop without a damn good reason, in fact don’t stop at all..just pause if you need to for a day or so. Planning is a life-long skill that you will always benefit from! Don’t let your dreams fall through the cracks just because the body or brain doesn’t want to complete or do something we want it to do. You Don’t have to follow your thoughts, EVER.

 

If we want the ultimate success for us, we have to follow through no matter what it takes to get there! Let me ask you one more question…You trust yourself don’t you? I know you said yes, so I’ll say this: If you trust yourself then trust your freakin decisions and respect them to the utmost. Be steadfast! You deserve the best! So give love to yourself by staying focused. If you want it all, you have to give it your all. Bliss and balance to you. What are some struggles you’ve had while trying to stay on your routine, time management game? Please share your thoughts and experiences. Thank you, now go forth and get it done already 🙂

Moon Meditation Testimonials

 

 

1.    I was getting ready to head out and start my day. After careful deliberation of what to eat, and going with the better choice of fruit, nuts, water and green tea as opposed to a pattie from the caribbean store I walked to the light rail.  I left my home feeling and looking my best, asking God to fill me where I feel empty and show me the way.

There was a lady who had a pleasant spirit and we struck up a conversation about her stray cats that she feeds. When I asked her if she was as kind to people as she was to her cats, she said yes and I believed her. She was such a giver, she even gave her drugs away when she was an addict…15yrs in recovery now.

She said I looked like I did really good, kind unique things and asked what I did. I didn’t really know what to say because my life is in a transitional space and so many things in my present seem unsure. I now where I’m going, but the intermediate path has been very blurry.

On the train, out of no where..she told me she saw me making genius sculptures, and I had on these beautiful funky african clothes with long locks doing good things in the world.

This is exactly how I see myself in the future, and a year ago a friend gave me a intuitive reading saying the exact same thing.

So this must be Gods way of telling me I’m on track.

~Anonymous

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2. Ok the work from last night is working..i saw some signs of that today..wanna hear more? ok here it is: was on the train today, before i got on the train i asked a sista a question then something said ask the brotha next. so i asked him what direction he was going and how long had he been waitin; since it was so chilly outside this morning. i also asked him, when the train would show up. we ended up chit chatting and he needed some health advice, motivation etc. he knew someone who i needed to get with for something i’ve been looking for when i go out of town..he said the guy is his best friend..i was like WOW really?! yes, he said. sooo then he said the guys phone was off and he would call him and pass my information on whenever his phone came back on. i said ok..then to top that, he carries my bag on the train to the block not far from my home and when he got home he called me and said he already got in touch with his best friend faster for me because he wanted to help me and his best friend would call me monday. he thanked me for being so kind.and i told him if i get to work with his best friend i will do some healing work for him free… thats ♥ the law of attraction is live and kicking!

-Anonymous

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3. With great joy i would like to introduce my business partner Wilfred Rawventure Campbell to Bliss Returned and The Law of Attraction University this brother was born to heal and teach on the methods of Bliss and Loa and we used LOA to bring together this business team! If you don’t believe the Law of Attraction works just look at this team.. We are blessed to have this destiny to nurture the world together with all of you! ♥

~ Sereda

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4. LOA testimony!!!! I wanted to be trained by a Psychic/Medium development…done this summer! I wanted to do more traveling this year…been to NY, Puerto Rico, Atlanta and DC this year. I wanted to meet Amma, and she’ll be in my home town in a few days after I get home!!!!! YAY me…I BE MANIFESTING!!!!

~Anonymous

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Are You Attracting? Ask The Million Dollar Question!!

Are Your Money, Resources and Opportunities Vanishing?

What are you thinking and saying daily that has shaped  your life into its current state? Are you living in a situation  you do not want to be in? If yes, you can make a change now!  Since words and thoughts have as much  power as we give them.  Thoughts and words are energy  just as everything else is. Make a point to honestly observe  the words you say. Are you saying words like: you hope so and so does not happen like this or that or  I do not like this and I will not stand for that? Whatever you pour into the universe is what you get. Look no further than your thoughts.

Oftentimes, when you get on the phone or meet with a friend or family member. You may also have a tendency to talk about the elements of your most unwanted situation multiple times, and with great passion. If that’s not enough to un-manifest,  you speak about stuff you don’t want. To top it off you describe every detail too. If you think back you may notice how you  even repeat the words too. And passionately as well!  This is a simple example of how you attract what you  do not want.

If your conversations were focused on the details of what you Want, you would send positive  energy into to the universe as you chat about anything. If you look at your life now and ask yourself, what do you see the most of in your life? Is it what you want or the opposite? Just to be sure of what you are manifesting, ask yourself a couple of questions for clarity.

One question to ask is: what do I talk about the most? No matter what your answer is, It was those thoughts and feelings that attracted your current situation to you. Are you now ready to do something different? If so, you came to the Right place. In this space we only energize the things we want.

You must understand that its OK to feel a little funny when you notice the patterns in your life. if you are attracting what you do not want especially. Who knew thoughts and words were so deep? Now you do! Now you can do something about it.You are not alone in this. However it is important to make a change once you see the patterns in your life for what they are. Do better each and every time. You have the power to choose to do that. Consider this your wake up call to empowerment. Challenges are simply lessons to measure your personal growth, success and overall well-being.

A client called me with a story about how they were seeing all the things in their life that they did not want to see? They said it was as if the universe had targeted them personally and wanted to punish them for something by adding all kinds of disharmony to their life, I assured them that they were not alone with this level of concern. But the question and the answer to that question came so easy.  Next, the client answered the million dollar question which was: What do you talk about the most?

The client said “I say I don’t want a married man trying to date me!”,  Then she said, “Alright what is it that I am doing”. I replied, How often do you say those words?” The client did not wait to answer. She said “yes I say that all the time. Because I just do not want it.” Then, she got silent. Immediately she saw the pattern of like attracts like in her life (code name) for #Law Of Attraction.  Now,  she knew once and for all that it was her words and thoughts and she had  personal control over the process.

Ask yourself the million dollar question. And take a good look at your actions. Write down what you see. Then if you do not like what you have attracted. Throw it back and Re-write it baby!

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Law Of Attraction Testimonials

Comment: Don’t sleep on vision boards…they work! 

Response: SO TRUE!!! I made a vision board last year and half of the things I put my mind to or on the board happened for me!!! In a matter of months! Whatever you put into the universe will definitely come back to you! 🙂 Making a new one for 2012!

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This is something that I used to do..when I first found out about law of attraction. On one side of the paper I would say I wanted something… An example of something that I said that worked. I said Universe I want a part time job that doesn’t have me working on the weekends that is in my field( early childhood education), and is near all the bus lines or something better now. On the other sideof it I wrote I work part time with no weekends in my field and all the bus lines go past my job or something better now. So I wrote it in present tense like yes I have it but allowing the universe to give me extra by putting “or something better now” I ended up getting a job that was downtown working with abused children…worked part time no weekends..not even on Fridays and all the bus lines went into that area ♥

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Kind of a testimonial.. one day I was walking home from school (in college) and I said money is really needed money is rightfully mine, money come at the present time, money must come for my problems and troubles to cease money must come for my mind to be at peace. No faster than I finished saying that..this guy comes out of nowhere and damn near runs me over with his bike.. and as I look down..20 dollars appeared!

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wow…it’s a long story but here goes…I have had “stinkin thinkin” in regards to my relationship, my children, my career, money, my appearance etc….I got depressed and discouraged….THEN…I really made a point to intentionally think on good things, what I wanted and NOT what I thought I had…this group has been a BLESSING!!!! So I “focused” and began to read the various posts and affirmations, I would write down what I want on index cards a carry them even to bed and the shower. I also said how grateful I am for having these things…I started to youtube some of Abraham Hicks videos etc etc. because I hit a major inspirational roadblock in my relationship. My significant other and I had been very disconnected and I felt like because this is an area that has always derailed me in the past I would “focus” on it. Nothing changed…it got worse. Then I asked for the air to just be cleared and I was even willing to move out. Yesterday I guess a friend of mine sensed something was wrong and asked if she should come over for a “pow-wow”…she did…we came to the conclusion that I need to be loving ME how I desire to be loved. I need to focus on what I want and even make a short/longterm goal list. As we were talking, my BF interjected (which is NOT like him) and for the next four hours she mediated a “relationsip cleansing session”…now what does that have to do with my career? Well his biggest issue with me was a financial one…he wants to see me doing well and being prosperous and making ME happy because he feels that I have lost my FOCUS etc. etc….(among other things) So I made my list and exactly what i want and I have gotten calls all day for business (I am a licensed Nail Technician with a mobile nailcare service)…I feel like my emotional cleansing…re-focusing…support

of you all (whether you knew it or not)… the law of attraction – my purposeful thinking and visualization and everything else has unblocked my ability to manifest the goodness I was desiring…and the funny thing is that this is all very new to me and I don’t know if I understand it completely…but it’s changing my life… – blessings and thank you for listening! ♥

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ok the work from last night is working..i saw some signs of that today..wanna hear more? ok here it is: was on the train today, before i got on the train i asked a sista a question then something said ask the brotha next. so i asked him what direction he was going and how long had he been waitin; since it was so chilly outside this morning. i also asked him, when the train would show up. we ended up chit chatting and he needed some health advice, motivation etc. he knew someone who i needed to get with for something i’ve been looking for when i go out of town..he said the guy is his best friend..i was like WOW really?! yes, he said. sooo then he said the guys phone was off and he would call him and pass my information on whenever his phone came back on. i said ok..then to top that, he carries my bag on the train to the block not far from my home and when he got home he called me and said he already got in touch with his best friend faster for me because he wanted to help me and his best friend would call me monday. he thanked me for being so kind.and i told him if i get to work with his best friend i will do some healing work for him free… thats ♥ the law of attraction is live and kicking!

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So today I’m on the bus wet angry and smushed (the early bus never came the I was on was way beyond capacity..) I’m thinking of all the reasons Im mad and feeling self righteous in my anger..then I thought why not think of things that are positive and what you want.. So I get to work and the line to get in.the building is almost out the door…so now I’m late..LOL…I’m not a patient person..so now I’m..surprisingly calm…I figure this must be an exercise in teaching me peace and patience. When I thought about what I could focus on to be positive I thought of this group..thank you, you.guys are rubbing off on me.

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I was meaning to share this sooner. Many more great things have happened since, but here’s an except that’s ready to go.

I was getting ready to head out and start my day. After careful deliberation of what to eat, and going with the better choice of fruit, nuts, water and green tea as opposed to a pattie from the caribbean store I walked to the light rail. I left my home feeling and looking my best, asking God to fill me where I feel empty and show me the way.

There was a lady who had a pleasant spirit and we struck up a conversation about her stray cats that she feeds. When I asked her if she was as kind to people as she was to her cats, she said yes and I believed her. She was such a giver, she even gave her drugs away when she was an addict…15yrs in recovery now.

She said I looked like I did really good, kind unique things and asked what I did and I didn’t really know what to say because my life is in a transitional space. I now where I’m going, but the intermediate path has been very blurry.

On the train, out of no where..she told me she saw me making genius sculptures, and I had on the beautiful funky african clothes with long locks doing good things in the world.

This is exactly how I see myself in the future, and a year ago a friend gave me a intuitive reading saying the same thing.

So this must be Gods way of telling me I’m on track.

_______________________________________________________________________________

The LOA works. I made a decision, before I started focusing on some particular thing that I wanted to manifest in my life, that I was gonna just become acclimated to the idea of universal abundance. I began by repeating certain affirmations (some from a LOA group) that helped to attune me to a higher frequency. I practiced (and still practice) being aware of my thoughts and emotions because I feel that needed to be mastered to some degree so I will be prepared for my desires manifesting. It has been a few months of concerted effort, but it’s beginning to pay off. My son’s father, who owes about $20,000 in child support arrears, began paying again. I’m in the process of writing my next book. Yes, I said next. I’m a published author, but that book was written by a woman who lacked the confidence to even promote her own book. To make a really long story really short, I am thankful that my journey brought me to this place. From here, the Universe is the limit… which is limitless… so… yeah… 🙂

MORE TESTIMONIALS TO COME! IT’S AMAZING ISN’T IT?!!

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The Powerful Law of 2: Intention & LOA!

The Law of intention blended with the law of attraction is one ingredient you may not of tried before. The use of both laws together makes a huge difference in getting what you want, possibly half the time in most cases.

Did you know Law of Attraction is already working in your life? Don’t believe that? You do believe in gravity and the wind, yes? You can’t see them but you do experience their effects.

The Law of Attraction is just the same.

You don’t really ‘see’ gravity or the wind, but you, like me, know those two things exist. The Law of Attraction is working 24×7, every day of the year, constantly attracting to you good things in your life or not so good things. The Law of Attraction affects everything, whether you believe it or not.

My question to ‘you’ is: “Are you really working the law of attraction with full intention?” If not yet, you will very soon. What are your top 3 desires? Keep this question and the answers in mind, better yet jot them down.

The key to intention is to be informed first on how to do something then you can intend on choosing to do differently than you have before. Here are some characteristics of people who are in alignment with the power of intention:

These people never rely on luck. They decide to do something, then they make it happen.

They never think about what cannot happen. Instead, they focus on what will happen.

They focus their thoughts on only what they want.

Sound familiar? If not soon this will be a second language to you!

You don’t have to believe in the gravity to see it work. The law of gravity is always working. Drop a pen on the ground and you will have an instant reference point that gravity is real. The belief you had about it at first, will be good for a few seconds then you will watch the pen fall on the ground at the same speed no matter how many times you drop it on the ground. A law is made one because it always works in a calculated way. The law is something you can put your money on. You can place a bet on it. It is always working. The law of attraction is a sure thing just as the law of gravity is.

Become aware of, and choose carefully, the things you give your attention to. Where you place your attention is where your life will grow.

You may not want to hear this, but everything you have (or don’t have) has been attracted or repelled into or from your life by YOU.

The Law of intention blended with the law of attraction is one ingredient you may not of tried before. The use of both laws together makes a big difference in how well the your wants manifest. The difference is simple. You are naturally using the law of attraction. The question is not: “How can I get the law of attraction to work” but “How can I get the law of attraction to fulfill my desires?” Intention that is it! Make it deliberate. It will happen!

What were your top 3 desires again? They might be closer than you think… Is is important to realize that you are already manifesting, and doing a very good job of it. Once you have come to terms with that realization, then the next step is to adjust your thinking.

As your thinking begins to transform, so will the possibilities of you achieving your goals. The law of attraction with intention begins with the right “mindset”. Letting go of those conflicting thoughts and cultivating new positive ones, about you and your place in the universe is where it all starts.

A simple way to begin this process is to become aware of your what you are holding in your mind, in other words what are your thoughts? Begin to pay attention to what you are thinking about the internal things you are saying. When those words and thoughts become negative, shift your thoughts to focus on positive vibrations instead.

If that is difficult to do, find something to distract you, it could be something as simple as starting a puzzle or getting into a hobby. You could read some affirmations, quotes or a book that reminds you of positive things.

Once you get into the routine of ignoring the negative thoughts, it will become easier to replace them with positive ones.

Here are the characteristics of people who are connected with the Law of Intention:

These people expect success!

They never rely on luck.

They Decide to do something, then do it.

The focus is on what will happen.

Thoughts are on only positive goals.

They helps others become great.

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Avoid Dreadful Marketing Ideas

Don’t Let Your Prospects Slip Away!

What a great article. The writer made some good points. I’ll add my two cents to the mix.

The following marketing landmines masquerade as quick fixes. When the business chips are down, each of these worst ideas pops up to look like a good solution. Don’t be fooled. Make sure every new idea soars above every single idea on this list.

1. Fight bad business with good advertising.

Here’s the scenario: Business is down, so the owner points fingers at the economy and the competition and decides to run ads to overcome the problem. But the economy and the competition likely aren’t the culprits. Business is down because customers have defected — and new prospects haven’t been converted — because the company‘s product or service is lacking.

Running ads before improving the offering will only put a spotlight on the problem. In the words of advertising legend Bill Bernbach, “Nothing kills a bad product like a good ad.” Instead, fix the product, polish the service, then run the ad.

*There is no use in illuminating the problem. The solution is simple. Hire a qualified person to do the job. Trying to cut corners by using family, friends and random people will lead to a messy marketing situation. Do not skip the step of checking the looking over the testimonials and track record for success the companies you want to hire. Check with other clients to get feed back. The right marketing strategy will take a deeper look into the target market, but will also look at the results of past to current marketing ideas. They will compare them to the effect the ads should have on supposed to have on the audience. Some ideas should be implemented at another time in the year. Timing is everything! Carefully observe results after you hire a qualified company to market for you. Try out the campaign, if nothing happens up to the target date, extend the campaign for a longer period or stop all forward movement and replace with a new strategy. Why waste valuable time  showing ads no one is interested in. Might as well put out the best in time than bad ads over night.

2. Run kitchen sink ads.

A kitchen sink ad is like a kitchen sink argument in that every point — every feature, every idea, every department’s viewpoint — is tossed into the mix in an effort to get more bang for the buck (a truly awful phrase that deserves its own place on the list of worst ideas). The result is a jam-packed ad featuring a long list of product bells and whistles but no clear focus and no attention-grabbing consumer benefit to seize and hold the prospect’s mind.

Take aim instead: Know your best prospect and what need that person seeks to address. Then stop that person with a headline that highlights the promise of your most compelling benefit, backed by copy that proves your claim with facts.

3. Portray the customer as a fool.

Trying to be funny or grabbing attention by showing the customer as an inept bumbler wandering through life in search of your solution is hardly the way to win customers and influence buying decisions.

Form a sincere relationship with your prospect instead of poking fun at the very person you’re trying to influence.

*Customers want respect. They know what they want. It’s up to you to give them the best you have to offer. Not all customers are into comedy. Assuming you know a customer is a recipe for no business success. Better off using a formula that is known to work for grabbing attention. Research, research, research.

4. Save the best for last.

It happens in presentations, sales letters, and ads. Businesses wait to divulge the greatest benefits of their product until the last minute, thinking that prospects will be sitting on the edges of chairs in rapt anticipation.

Not so. If your opening doesn’t grab them, they won’t wait around. Four out of five people read only the headline, they listen to only the first few seconds of a radio ad, and if the first impression of a personal presentation is weak, they tune out for the rest. Eliminate slow starts and lead with your strengths.

*Keep your copy hot. It’s true people look and if you lose them once, you may never get them to look at what you are showing again. Always present your business ads if its your last shot. After all it might be. Best to play it safe if you want your business to stay off the bench. Aim high!

5. Change your logo often and dramatically.

And while you’re at it, change your Web site constantly. And your advertising tagline, too. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s what happens when businesses let media departments, freelance artists, employees, and others create materials without the strong parameters of image guidelines to ensure a consistent company image.

If you want prospects to trust that yours is a strong, steady business (and you do!), show them a strong, steady business image.

6. Build it and trust they will come.

Sorry, but consumers aren’t just sitting around waiting for the next new business, new Web site, new branch outlet, or new event to come into existence. They need to be told, reminded, inspired, and given reasons and incentives to take new buying actions. When you build it, build a plan to market it.

*Marketing is all in business, some businesses say. If a customer does not know you exist they will never come to your business. Marketing is like modeling. Showing off your business does not have to be a hassle either but plan to or plan to have slow traffic at best.

7. Move fast: If you snooze you might lose.

This is irresistible bait for businesses that operate without a marketing plan. They don’t know their own objectives and strategies, and so any tactic sounds like a fine idea.

As a result, when a proposal comes in from an ad salesperson, an Internet businessopportunity promoter, or even from a company that wants to merge or partner, the business owner is all ears, fearful that this might be an opportunity too good to pass on. Often, the idea comes with a quick deadline or the threat of involving a competitor instead, leading straight to a hasty decision.

Remember what they say about the correlation between haste and waste.

8. Think people will care that you’re under new management.

Or think that they’ll care that We’ve doubled our floor space, We’ve added a new drive-up window, or any other self-congratulatory announcement that produces similarly low market enthusiasm. To move the spotlight off yourself, add a customer benefit. Turn We’re celebrating our fifth anniversary into We’re celebrating our fifth anniversary with five free events you won’t want to miss.

Remember, prospects care most about what’s in it for them.

9. Believe there’s a pie in the online sky.

Contrary to rampant belief, the opportunities of the cyber world aren’t just ripe for the picking. The chance of opening a Web site and instantly winning business from distant new prospects is as likely as opening a toll-free line and immediately having it ring off the hook with orders.

To win your slice of online opportunity, invest time and money to drive people to your site.

*Marketing is a time-consuming full-time job but it is extremely important to the likelihood of all businesses. The more prospects see you in action the more they are to trust your brand. Longevity and strategy are two keys to having an online enterprise.

10. Believe your customer is captive.

Reality is, your customers know they have other options.

If they’re standing in front of you, and you turn your attention to answer a phone, they notice. If you offer new customers a better deal than current customers enjoy, they notice. If you spend more time and money courting new prospects than rewarding business from current clientele, they most certainly notice and in time will begin to disengage from your business as a result.

Realize that customer loyalty is the key to profitability, and that earning it is a never-ending process.

Source: Barbara Findlay Schenck

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Over Spending 101: Make That Change

Cut and Paste Your Money

To stop the waste. Money is something that touches most aspects of your life. You can’t avoid money — just like you can’t avoid food. Making bad decisions about your food intake can ruin your physical health, just as making poor money decisions can devastate your fiscal health. Fortunately, the body can take a lot more abuse than your bank account or credit report. Maintaining good credit health takes an ongoing investment of energy, time, and persistence.

Awareness and acknowledgment are the first steps to improving your spending habits. If you become conscious of your own tendency to spend money without thinking, you can make better decisions with that awareness. And most likely, if you knew you were making reckless, thoughtless decisions that could negatively impact your future, you wouldn’t do it either.

So take a minute to ask yourself: Do you overspend? Maybe the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Or maybe you feel that you don’t overspend, or at least don’t do it regularly. You can always make the choice to change bad habits. First, you have to assess the situation and make an honest call. Once you see a change should be made. It is up hill from there.

Don’t pay for it with a credit card. You end up paying for it twice before it’s over. Cash is king and a better negotiation tool.

Need New Shopping Habits?

Shopping can often feel like a drain on your finances. To keep your shopping trips from turning into a super spending frenzy, plan and think about how you can spend your money more efficiently.

Go in with a game plan.

Only go shopping for outfits. Pieces that match take less time to pick out. Don’t shop for everything on one day.

Don’t buy overly processed, prepackaged foods. The more packaging and processing involved, the more it costs you. Reduce packaged and processed items.

Buy whole foods, in their natural state, when possible. These foods include fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products.

Processed food may look cheaper but it will cost you big in other areas.

Research prices on the internet.

Looking online can save you mega time. Ok let’s not forget about the money you can save too. Instead of walking into the mall or any store because you have the ‘money spending urge’; incorporate some structure. You have a cool phone or a paper and pen. Write down your priorities. Then schedule when to buy them and research where to pick them up from too. You will find that waiting a few days or a month will take away the buying itch as well.

Sometimes we want something because someone else has it and that is the only reason. To test the need for new merchandise its a good practice to test yourself by slowing down your normal habit of buying simply because you see and want something.

With weekly menu planning, you’ll be able to list only those items you’ll need for the meals you’ll be cooking. This will cut down on impulse shopping and on discarding unused produce and other food items you forgot to use.

If you’re limiting your fat intake, buy fresh eggs and throw away the yolks; which is fattening. This approach costs you about half as much as the reduced-fat egg substitute in a carton and is fresher, without additives, preservatives, or food coloring.

Recycle. Reduce trash. Minimize your use of paper towels, disposable plates and cups, disposable diapers, plastic shopping bags, and so on. Instead, reuse cloth towels and use cloth diapers. There are even reuseable pads on the market too (non-disposable items are cheaper and environmentally friendly in the long run), and durable plates and cups, use your own  shopping bags in the market.

Over the course of a year, simply reusing these items can save you serious money.

Reduce the number of items you buy by sharing or renting certain appliances that you may only use a couple of times.

“We can change our lives anytime we want to. We have unlimited choices~”