Often you read in finance books to automatically save 20% of your paycheck and that’s that. Though it’s a good theory, not everyone makes enough money to justify losing 20% to a savings account. So how can you save money even on the tightest income? By getting a little savvy…

Don’t Eat Out

Eating out is the easiest and biggest expenditure anyone can cut. Not only does it cost money to eat there, but the gas to drive there costs money too. Start cooking at home and for the cost of one meal (even at a fast food establishment) you can easily create two meals or three snacks.

Brew Coffee at Home

One freshly brewed latte at Starbucks is the cost of a can of coffee beans and filters at the grocery store. So skip the lattes and start brewing some coffee at home. Need that extra jive? Then save the money each day you would have spent at Starbucks for one month and purchase your own espresso machine.

Buy Generic Products

There is nothing wrong with generic products. In fact, many major manufacturers are the same company that makes the generic product for grocery stores to carry. Ever notice the phrase “compare to”? That’s because what is in that generic product is the exact same as the name brand. So why pay twice as much for the same thing?

Pay Bills on Time

A late bill means a late fee. Some companies charge up to $100+ for late fees. How can you save money when you are paying additional money to a bill? Avoid paying bills online or through phone services if they charge a fee. A stamp costs under $1; therefore, any fee over that is not worth the added cost on the bill nor your budget.

Price Check and Comparison Shop

When buying large ticket items such as furniture and electronics, don’t buy the first one you see. Shop around and do a little price comparison. Have a smart phone? Most likely you can download an app for price checking and comparison shopping right there in the store.

Grocery Shop on a Full Stomach

Grocery shopping in a hurry or when you are hungry is never a good way to save. Not only will you not price compare, but you will buy on impulse due to hunger. Shop when you have the time and you are not starved.

The Rip It energy drink is a tasty beverage that not only gives you fuel to face the day, but also costs a lot less than most other energy drink conglomerates. If you go to the store and pick up a Red Bull or Full Throttle, expect to pay $2 or more. That’s not the case with Rip It where the average price is a very reasonable $0.99. Believe me, that’s a deal; especially since it comes in a large 16 oz. can.

The ingredients in Rip It aren’t anything surprising–caffeine, b-vitamins, and taurine. It’s your standard energy drink formula. Though, there isn’t much of an aftertaste. This can be good or bad depending on the individual. Some people hate aftertaste, so they’d love Rip It, while others like to have that energy drink taste resonate in their mouth. Those unique individuals probably wouldn’t enjoy Rip It every much.

It comes in multiple flavors, the most popular being citrus. However, my personal favorite would be berry (i.e. Power flavor). It’s eerily similar to Hawaiian Punch, but with a massive dose of caffeine.

If you’re living on a strict budget, but need that extra kick of energy, the Rip It energy drink is definitely something you should consider purchasing. It’s good to have this alternative to the higher-priced energy beverages like Red Bull and Monster. I hope Rip It will influence its competitors and we’ll see a price drop in the energy drink market. They need to realize that if they want someone to consume their drink everyday, they need to make it financially reasonable. I know it sounds like I’m whining over spending $2, but that adds up over time. Of course, some people spend $3-5 a day on Starbucks, so I may be way off base. But those Starbucks people are upper-middle-class Lexus drivers making six-figures, so they can afford that daily price. I, on the other hand, am a writer, so I need something cheaper.

A strong, compelling brand is significantly important as the battle for clients heats up day by day. Be watchful as you build your brand. A brand is a promise of the quality your client will receive. As you prepare your brand, maintain consistency across all of your communication as this will prevent confusion for your clients.

Incorporate these powerful ideas as you build your brand.

1. Spend time researching your target market. Avoid seeking to become all things to all people. To generate a effective brand you must you have to understand what your prospective clients are looking for. Pinpoint on your target market and analyze their specific needs. How are you meeting those needs?

2. Research your competitors. Are other suppliers meeting those needs? Examine your offerings to those being offered by others in your industry. Is there an aspect that the challengers is ignoring?

3. What do you do better than the rest? What is your specialty? Does your brand communicate your competence? What makes you distinctive?

4. What are you actually selling? What you sell is much different than what you offer. Walmart offers a wide wide selection of goods, some of which have been discounted as loss leaders. What Walmart actually sells however is a friendly, one-stop shopping experience for the whole family. You can purchase a cup of coffee at McDonalds but most would rather to go to Starbucks despite the fact that Starbucks coffee costs a good bit more. Although Starbucks offers coffee it sells a comfortable, attractive site in which individuals may get together and converse. Discover and incorporate what you actually sell in your branding concept.

5. Create captivating value propositions to communicate these benefits, results and solutions your product/service produces. It is beneficial to contrast between features and benefits. A feature is a specific attribute or aspect of your product such as size, color, potency, options available, etc. A benefit is the advantage a client enjoys from the use of your product such as relief from pain, convenience, less stress, cleaner home, etc. Effective, compelling brands are built around v p. As you work to fashion your brand consult the book POP- Stand Out in Any Crowd by Sam Horn. Sam is a master at the art of creating ‘purposeful and pithy’ branding statements.

6. Be novel. Is your brand eye catching? According to Dr. A.K. Pradeep in his book The Buying Brain “Our brains are trained to look for something brilliant and new, something that stands out from the landscape… ” As new clients look at your Facebook page or website, are they engaged or bored by the ‘sameness’. Be unique. Chose appealing colors, uncluttered layouts and upbeat music.

Your brand is the focal piece in your company’s marketing and communication strategy. It is not about getting your clients to choose you over the competition. It is about getting your prospective buyer to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem. By defining your brand you generate the foundation for all other components to build on.

Title and Author: Success Magazine – Review

Synopsis of Content:

Darren Hardy brought Success Magazine back to life in 2008 and has done a fabulous job of it. Success is the oldest more or less continuously published success magazine in the United States. It was founded over a century ago by Orison Swett Marden.

The modern version of Success is a greater value than the older versions. In addition to a lot of great content each issue comes with a CD containing interviews with successful people, authors and experts. As just an example the April 2011 issue of the magazine contains articles by or about Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, Seth Godin, Derek Jeter, Jack LaLanne, John Wooden, John C. Maxwell, Mel Robbins, Tom Hopkins, Barbara Weltman, Drs. Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz, Robert Bloom, former President Jimmy Carter, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Alexander Hamilton, and many others who are achieving success.

The magazine includes regular features on how to stay organized, how to help teenagers succeed, what books to read, and many other things that can help most anyone in their search for success, financial and otherwise.

Each issue is dedicated to a theme, the April issue is about Leading Change and how to Inspire and Focus a team.

If you want to stay on top of trends, learn how others succeed in life and in business and increase your general knowledge of how to become more effective there is nothing better you could do than read this magazine.

Readability/Writing Quality:

Success is well written and professionally laid out. The copy editing is good; I’ve yet to find a typo. Articles are mostly short and concise although each issue contains at least one or two in depth articles with good content.

Notes on Author:

There are many authors for this magazine but the Editor, Darren Hardy is notable for creating the standards and the vision for the reincarnation of this American tradition. Nothing may be more American than the idea that anyone can be successful. Hardy not only subscribes to that belief he lives it and publishes it monthly.

Three Great Ideas You Can Use:

From just the April 2011 Issue:

1. To be an effective leader you need to understand and follow the late John Wooden’s advice that you must first lead yourself and achieve genuine self discipline. (John C. Maxwell)

2. Learn success from Howard Schultz of Starbucks: grow with discipline; balance intuition with rigor; innovate around your core; find new ways to see; don’t embrace the status quo; listen with empathy; and many more. (John H. Ostdick)

3. The key to reinvention and success is to have that rare skill of actually getting things done. You must create outcomes that people will want. (Seth Godin)

Publication Information:

Success Magazine is published monthly by Success Media of Lake Dallas, Texas. It is copyrighted by Success Media.

Rating: Success Magazine is the best of its kind in the world today. It sets the standard for publishing in its area. The author of this review is a subscriber but has no other financial relationship with the magazine.

Wearables are getting more common, especially as mobile payment devices.

Various payment apps are integrated into wearables to make mobile banking and payment much easier. We now live in a world where we no longer need our cash or cards in order to make physical purchases.

Here we list the best wearables that enable contactless payment, which is increasingly becoming the norm both in online and offline transactions.

If you’re not interested in contactless payment, at least check out the aesthetic side of these devices.

They make cool workout companions and stylish add-ons to your everyday get-up.

Go check ’em yourself, for you might just change your mind.

Samsung Gear S3

No need to carry your credit cards every time you go when you can have Samsung Pay, the Samsung payment service, on your watch.

Samsung Pay is compatible not only with Samsung smartphones, but also with other Android devices.

For UK shoppers, though, Samsung Pay has not arrived yet, but there are hopeful signs it would be on its way this 2017.

Apple Watch

Apple has Apple Watch on which you can set up Apple Pay. If you have an iPhone, you can add your debit and credit cards to it as well.

Apple Pay can be used in the UK and the US and is growing in popularity.

For those who might want to opt for PayPal, watchOS 3 doesn’t support it yet but iOS does support the PayPal app. That could be an alternative for those who have an iPhone.

Microsoft Band 2

Fitness buffs love the Microsoft Band 2.

However, only those who are living in the US can take advantage of its mobile payment feature at the moment.

It can be used to make a purchase at Starbucks, however you will need the Starbucks app installed on it.

Jawbone UP4

Moving on, we have the Jawbone UP4 fitness tracker.

This device can be connected to your American Express card so that you can make contactless payments at any shop that accepts American Express cards.

The cool part is that you don’t need to have a smartphone to hand to make it work.

Lyle & Scott bPay Jacket

Now now, wearables aren’t limited to watches; there’s Lyle & Scott bPay jacket.

Lyle & Scott together with Barclays have come up with a mobile payment system which is built into the jacket’s cuff sleeve.

You read that right. At the point-of-sale terminal, just swipe the cuff of your sleeve at the card reader and you’re done.

And because it has bPay, which you can link to your debit and credit cards, you can use it to make contactless payments in the UK.

2017 looks to be a good year for wearables which are fast becoming an integral part of mobile payment and shopping.

So there goes our list of wearable devices designed not only to simplify contactless payments, but also to revolutionise 2017 m-commerce.

Let us know what devices you currently use and which ones you think will have the biggest impact in eCommerce in 2017; we’d love to hear your thoughts.

People often write to me on how to set up a coffee shop in their church or next door to their church. Seems like a great idea and great concept. And everyone loves coffee. How easy could it be. And it will build fellowship and worship. But here are the mistakes one can make in setting up a church coffee shop or any coffee shop. And since you may be making a huge investment – some study and time should be sent.

Your Coffee shop investment will vary greatly depending on your chosen location and existing conditions. Some churches buy a coffee maker for $ 100 and the shop is open. We are excluding them. The coffee shop equipment that you will need will be approximately $ 12,000 to $ 15,000, or $ 150 for a simple top of the line coffee maker. Plus then the remodeling cost, decor, signs, furniture, fixtures etc. may range from $ 40,000- $ 400,000. Some churches have invested from a low of $ 3,000 to $ 220,000 to set up their church coffee shop. As an comparison, Starbucks invests on the average of upwards of $ 300,000 plus to open one of their shops. And hopefully your church is getting volunteers to help.

Here are the most common mistakes I see in setting up a church coffee shop – off the church grounds.

1. Starting to spend your money and your time without first determining if your project makes any business sense in the first place. And if your goal is to build worship then the numbers will not tell the whole story. But many coffee shops are also looking to have it break even or as a fund raiser for missions or children.You will not learn that from your friends, relatives or your coffee / equipment dealer!

2. Choosing the wrong location – if you are not visible, hard to get to, or in the wrong demographic area, you do not exist and probably will have very little business! The main reason for Starbucks success is the locations! And use your church to market and cross brand and use your church base to build your coffee shop.

3. Naming your shop with a name unrelated to your coffee business – you are driving along and notice a shop called Dottie's. Would you stop there for a cup of coffee if you did not know what it was? So do not get too cute or too themey – let people know what you are doing – serving coffee.

4. Not knowing which design or layout or how to design your work environment for speed and efficiency of operation – but also your design must allow and convey the right environment. Small groups and bible studies? and how do they interact with your other customers.

5. Having a menu that is too short or too long and confusing, the wrong food or no food or not focusing on items that matter the most. The food must match your theme and your coffee must match your crow and purpose.

5. Music and what type of music and when is it played. Does it set the environment or not used at all. Do you use bands to draw crowds or drive off customers.

6. Poorly trained employees with no idea on how to prepare coffee and espresso based drinks properly and promptly. Not enough employees? Do you use volunteers? How much can you afford? And lastly what are your hours of operations?

7. Trying to do too much. Coffee shops environments are made over time with the right blends of service; worship and people. Not try and force the issue.

Ready to start? Plan and pray and spend some time picturing your coffee shop 1 year from now. How does it feel and smell and sound? Who are your customers and what are they saying? Pray some more.

Tazo tea was founded in 1994 by Steve Smith. Steve ultimately sold the company to Starbucks in 1999, and today you can’t walk into a Starbucks now or even many convenience stores without noticing Tazo tea. You can buy Tazo tea in a variety of different flavors. All of which will fall under one of the following four categories: black, green, oolong, or white. All of them come from the tea plant, Camellia sinesis. They differ in the way the leaves were processed. Each variety contains caffeine unless it specifically states that it does not, however you can reduce the amount of caffeine in your regular tea: Simply pour boiling water over your tea and infuse it for 45 seconds then pour off the water and brew it for a second time. Tazo has an array of decaffeinated teas including the following flavors: Brambleberry, Lemon Ginger, Simply Red, and Wild Orange.

Tazo products are certifiably kosher by the Kosher Supervision of America. You can find the KSA symbol of certification on any Tazo packaging. Tazo products are also gluten free minus the following varieties: Green Ginger, Tazo, Honeybush, Lemon Ginger and Tea Lemonade. Tazo has recently become a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP). The ETP is an alliance of tea packers who are working together to improve the sustainability of the tea sector. ETP aims to improve the lives of tea workers and ensure that tea drinkers can be confident that the tea in their cup has been produced in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.

Tazo is based in Portland, OR. Each year they give out grants to local groups selected by Tazo employees. Tazo also offers in-kind donations to non-profits that meet certain tax requirements. They focus on giving to organizations that support AIDS outreach, education, arts and literature, the environment, diversity and children’s issues.

Toss the fruitcake and candy canes! For years the idea of giving or receiving a food item has had people appalled and aghast. But there is no need to turn up your nose at the thought! Giving perishable gifts at Christmas time is a common holiday tradition that can actually be enjoyed by giver and receiver. And, sending fruit baskets, pies, or cakes has always been a part of the holiday season. Though the thought of the perishable gift has largely been scoffed at, there are several gifts people still love to receive from this semi-taboo category. Take this list for a whirl and do not be surprised with how many compliments you receive. For every rule there is an exception, and with gifts this delectable you will be glad to be the rule-breaker.

1. Gourmet Coffee – Ditch your grocery store brand and head for the specialty stores to make this gift a hit. You may even need to travel a little bit farther than your local Starbucks, but do not lose your head! Gourmet coffee sets and accessories are prized in today’s caffeine-driven world. The aromatic flavor of freshly ground coffee beans invigorate the spirit and enliven the mind with a gentle lift. Some studies are even suggesting that a little bit of coffee daily helps awaken the brain enough to aid in prevention of age-associated memory disorders. What’s not to love? Try creating your own gift set with flavor infused coffee, agave syrup, and a reusable ceramic “Not A Paper Cup” styled coffee mug.
2. Specialty Tea – Tea has gained a huge revitalizing movement in the past few years. Specialty tea stores can now be found in many malls, with all variety of accessories from strainers to tea-for-one sets. No longer the prime choice for the English, a specialty tea gift basket is now a coveted holiday gift. When making your tea selections, be sure to combine different tea varieties (white, green, black, or red). Great accessories include infusers, tea-specific travel mugs, and honey dipped spoons.
3. Chocolates – Truffles, fudge, and decorated delights! Chocolates that thrill your eyes as much as your taste buds are the perfect treat for the holiday sweet tooth. A delectable variety and a beautiful box are everything you need. Not everyone has the time to bake, and very few have the skill to make cookies and candies look like little professional masterpieces. Go to your local chocolatier and delight yourself with treats in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. With the right ribbon wrapped box or package, this gift is a coveted choice!
4. Wine – Aged to perfection, a good bottle of wine brings an entire meal together, as well as the people sharing it. With a bottle of wine as your accompanying gift, you will never be empty-handed. The best part is that the bottle need not be opened and shared immediately, but it can be if desired! Go the extra mile and include a few accessories with your bottle to make the gift a complete package. Consider aerators, wine glass charms, decorated stoppers, and easy-open corkscrews as accents to the perfect glass of wine.
5. Cookies – No doubt you made an incredible assortment of cookies for the holiday season. Save your waistline the trouble of expanding, and offer some of your delicacies as gifts to neighbors and coworkers. They make the perfect, thoughtful gift without adding any extra effort onto your plate. This is the ideal gift for sharing with acquaintances, as opposed to close friends. A decorated plate wrapped with colored plastic wrap and ribbon can be adorned with a sampling of the many delicious cookies your family baked this year.

When you are planning to set up your own coffee shop or a café, do have a look at the feng shui of the other coffer shops in your area.

It has been your ambition to own a coffee shop. You know that the earnings from this business can be good but there is stiff competition from the established players. How have the successful brands done it?

You could do the basic research

• Look at the existing coffee shops or café or bars.
• What type of coffee do they use.
• What other products do they serve – cooked or freshly prepared?
• What is their unique proposition?
• How the business is operated – staffing levels.
• The marketing and publicity.
• The physical areas where the other outlets do good business.

Have you looked at the finer details of the locations (feng shui) of the most successful brand of coffee shops? Like Starbucks?

Many of their stores are located near cross roads or inter-sections. These coffee shops do not have doors flushed with the front wall. They are at all sorts of different angles. In fact, they have highlighted this in their publicity.

Also, look at where the cash till is placed relative to the main door. Also look at how the quiet areas for the customers are and also the areas where the busy areas area.

There is a reason why they are in that position. This is about internal design and you could call this feng shui. There must be a reason why the Starbucks coffee shops do so well.

Secondly, if you look at the intersections or cross roads in any city, you will find that there are more successful coffee shop (including café or bars) than the straight road with no junctions.

(c) Copyright – Dr Michael Oon. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Actually skipping your lunch to help you pay off your debt is just one small example of what you can do to help you pay off your credit cards. See, let’s say you are in the habit of eating lunch every day outside. You are spending about $7 a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month.

That ends up totaling about $35/week and $140/month. In a year that is $1,680! Just bringing your own lunch from home can literally cut that in half!

What are some other daily tasks that we do that can help you start saving more money and paying off your credit card?

– No bottled water

– Carpool

– Use Coupons

– No Starbucks

There are of course many things you could do to help you pay your credit card off, but let’s evaluate just these for a few minutes.

If you start getting water filters instead of bottled water, that can save you almost $1.50 a day! Most people will end up spending about $2 a day just buying bottled water, whereas the filter would really cost you less than $.50 a day! So, that means over $360/year.

If you start carpooling, you will cut your average gas bill in half. The average person spends about $40/week in gasoline bills. If you start carpooling, you can save $480/year.

If you start using coupons, we estimate that you will save about $20/week in grocery bills. That means that you will save another $480/year.

Now, how about you stop wasting money at Starbucks every morning! You can instantly start saving about $3 a day just by switching to home made coffee or just going to 711! That means a total of $720/year.

So, in total, if you can just make a few small changes in your lifestyle and avoid wasting money on needless things, you can easily save $3,720 a year! Given the average American salary, that is actually more than 10% of the salary of the average American!

Look how much money you can save when we barely even started…