Tax Reprieve For Spouses

The Internal Revenue Service just made it easier for some individuals to free themselves of liability for a spouse's tax debt. Last week, the IRS eliminated a rule that disqualified taxpayers from the "innocent spouse" relief program if more than two years had passed since the agency first sent collection notices to their spouses.

But there are some caveats. Read More

For more information on the innocent-spouse rule, see IRS Publication 971, Form 8857 or news release IR-2011-80

Five Reasons Why We Procrastinate and What To Do About It

Procrastination is something that most people do. There are things to do, important things and mundane things, and for some reason it is put off until the last minute. Is it the adrenaline from delivering at the last minute?. What amazes me is the people that make jokes about it and feel proud of their procrastination, the ones that pride themselves of being a world class procrastinator, telling everyone that sure, you could finish that project right now if you wanted to but (yawn) you’re just going to do it tomorrow. Procrastination in simple terms is when we put a task off until a later time, either due to carelessness or habitual laziness. The procrastinator postpones or needlessly delays accomplishing something –just because. Maybe they don’t start getting ready until it’s nearly time to leave or they move so slowly that by the time they should leave for the event, they’re still way behind schedule. Why do we let things slide until we’re in a time crunch and the deadline is looming and we’re not even CLOSE to being finished? Why do we procrastinate?

The behavior of procrastination affects almost everyone at one time or another in their life. However, for some it is a continuous habit, it is like part of their DNA, for others it may be a situational thing and doesn’t affect too many events in their life. Most of the times it is a choice, people put off things they don’t want/like to do. After pondering on the question, why do we procrastinate, I came up with five potential reasons.

1. Fear - No one likes to admit that they fear something, but fear might just be the reason you put off doing what you know you should do. For example the fear of failure. Fear is a paralyzing emotion. It has the ability to stop us in our tracks-literally.

2. Priorities - Many times we procrastinate because we don't think it is that important. We don’t place a high enough priority on the task at hand, it’s not vital and so it’s not worthy of you beginning that task. We know that the task needs to be done and we may already have decided that we are the one who must do it. However, we always find something else more important on our to-do list that keeps bumping that particular job back to the bottom.

3. Not Enough Information - Other times we do not act on a task, because we don't know enough to do it. Instead of asking (fear of rejection) we decide to put it off. You may procrastinate starting a project because you simply don’t know enough about the project/goal in order to complete the task.

4. Distractions - We have jobs, commitments and our lives are filled with noises and distractions which many times get us out of focus.

5. You Just Don’t Want To Do It - Everyone is faced with jobs in life that they simply don’t want to do. They’re either disgusting/mundane, like having to clean toilets, or they’re dangerous, like climbing up on the roof and cleaning the leaves out from the rain gutters. We put off doing the task at hand because we simply do not want to do it. Period. There is no underlying psychological reason for putting it off. It’s that recalcitrant two-year old in us coming out to say “I don’t wanna and I’m not gonna”.

How Can You Change This Behavior?

How are you going to stop procrastinating? Taking a good hard look at why you don’t file your important documents or wait to complete your tax return until the night before it’s due, or why you put off cleaning those rain gutters is the first step in learning how to change that behavior. Below are a few action steps to help you stop procrastinating. Not every tip will work for every person, so take what you can from this list and see what works for you.

1. Take an Inventory - Do you hear a little nagging voice in your head telling you that you need to do something? Can you see a visual in your head about the task you’re avoiding and are you feeling the physical and emotional consequences of what will happen if you don’t complete this task? Look at the clues that tell you just when and how you’re procrastinating and you’ll be able to see that you are indeed putting something off. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell when you’re procrastinating because you’re attempting to avoid thinking about it but if you piece together the clues you’ll be able to pinpoint your behavior in order to get a handle on it.

2. Learn How You Procrastinate - Do you think if you ignore the job at hand it will eventually go away and not bother you? I tried that once with a speeding ticket and nearly lost my license due to procrastination. Ignoring the problem/job won’t cause it to disappear in a puff of smoke.

3. Make Yourself a Productive Environment - For example, if you work from home, create a home office where there’s no distraction from your work. Sure, that baseball game is playing but you don’t have time to watch it because you have a deadline with a client. Removing temptation to do something other than what you NEED to do will help you put a stop to procrastination.

4. Throw Out Those Procrastination Myths - “I work best under pressure” That’s one myth that keep a lot of people from accomplishing their goals. Once you believe that you can only work under pressure, you’re giving yourself permission to procrastinate. This can snowball and create serious problems for you if you have several deadlines looming. “I can’t do this unless I have five uninterrupted hours” This is simply another stalling technique that master procrastinators use for telling themselves it’s ok to not start the project because they won’t have time to finish it. Hello? If you don’t start the task you’ll never finish it. "I can’t do this unless it’s perfect". The problem that most procrastinators have is that we are too hard on ourselves, demanding perfection where perfection is impossible. If you think you can’t start your term paper until you have THE perfect opening sentence, then you have once again given yourself permission to put it off.

5. Break Down the Job - You have a job to do and it looks like Mt. Everest. You could never, ever complete a job that big, so why even start? If that’s your mindset, then you probably won’t finish the job. In order to combat this kind of thinking, break the job or task down into small, manageable chunks. Your kitchen is a disaster, it’s too much for you to handle. Start on one end and clean off one counter. Take baby steps and soon you’ll see that the entire task has been completed.

6. Change Your Attitude - Often times we don’t begin something we have to do because we condition our minds to postpone the task. We fill our minds with the "pain" that the task will bring to us. With this behavior we give ourselves permission to avoid beginning the task at hand. We do not enjoy pain, thus avoid anything that will bring pain to us. When you hear yourself doing this, change your attitude. Be like the Little Engine that Could and tell yourself that you CAN do this, it’s not that difficult. It’s all a matter of mind over matter. If you think you can, you can.

7. Make sure you don’t over-schedule your time and under-estimate the time you’ll need finish a project - Did you know that world class procrastinators have unrealistic views of the time it takes to accomplish something? They will tell themselves that a certain task will only take three hours to complete, so you really don’t have to start it right this minute. What you may fail to realize is that other things can happen along the way to distract you and stretch that three hours into six and pretty soon you’ve missed that deadline. Starting now is a good best option.

8. Make a List - Making a list can also be a useful tool in helping you avoid procrastinating. Write down a list of what you need to accomplish. Put it in order of importance, highest to lowest. Next, start with number one and work your way down the list, checking off items as you go. Not only will this help you be organized, but putting those little check marks next to items you’ve finished will give you a mental boost and help you feel successful.

Basic human nature will always play a role in procrastination. Pleasurable activities are infinitely more enticing than painful or dull ones (pain-pleasure principle). We seek out what makes us feel good and attempt to avoid the things that annoy or bother us. Consciously determining why you procrastinate will help you change your behavior. Don’t expect to transform your habits over night, but do take small steps in the right direction and you’ll eventually get there. If you reward yourself for your little successes in this area, you just might make non-procrastination more pleasurable than full-blown-avoidance-procrastination.

Will vs Living Will vs Health Care Power of Attorney; Which one to choose?

Let me start by clarifying that a living will is not the same as a will. They have different purposes and they become effective at different times. A will is effective after your death, but a living will applies while you are alive. A health care power of attorney gives medical decision power under specific situations. Let me save you some time and tell you that as part of your estate planning you need them all.

A will is a legal document that you create during your lifetime.

1. become effective AFTER your death.
2. You can decide how your assets will be distributed after your death.
3. You appoint an executor who will be responsible for winding down your financial life.
4. You can appoint a guardian who will be responsible for caring for your children.

While the living will is also created during your lifetime, it serves a different purpose. The Living Will only becomes effective when the patient is unable to make decisions for him/herself. In other words, the document is only effective when the person becomes incapacitated. Before the living will is implemented, there must be a necessary and appropriate certification from a doctor that the person is truly suffering from a terminal condition or that he is permanently unconscious. With a living will you can accomplish the following:

1. Medical professionals will follow the instructions outlined in your living will.
2. You are able to outline your desires for certain treatment options and procedures (i.e. deciding whether you want to remain on life support)

Your health care power of attorney is effective when your doctor determines that you are not cable of making medical decisions. You may be unconscious, highly medicated, or otherwise unable to comprehend the medical issues at hand and communicate about them. Basically the health care POA covers the period in between the living will and the will.

It is important the proper planning for you elder care parents. You need to have the proper legal documentation to prevent medical dilemmas like the following:

1. If the person suffers from a heart attack, the living will is not yet implemented because the condition is not possibly terminal. The patient could still recover and decide clearly for himself. Unconsciousness in such a condition is also not permanent yet. The person could still be resuscitated, despite terms in a living will that he does not want to undergo life prolonging procedures. In other words, the medical professionals could still proceed to their main goal of saving the person's life or instantly reviving him. The living will would only take effect if in case ultimate recovery gets hopeless.

2. In situations when the person is unable to speak for himself but his health condition is not that dire, the living will still does not take effect. In such a case, the health care power of attorney becomes effective.

The care of your elderly parents is a serious matter and should be handle on time. You must talk to your loved ones about the care they want and how to handle those difficult medical dilemmas.

Six Productivity Killers

Due to the challenging times we are facing today, many small business owners are looking for productivity tips that can help them get more done. Today I decided to address an aspect that gets overlooked; Productivity Killers. Many times we waste time looking for the "new tool" that is going to "all of the sudden" make us more productive. However, we do not look closer to our own actions to determine the time leaks that are costing us hours of wasted time and money every day.

Small business owners wear many hats; office administration, marketing, sales, bookkeeping, etc. The amount of tasks to complete seems to be growing and they need to make more time for themselves and their families. The challenge for the small business owners is at time hard to accomplish and in some cases impossible. However, developing a reputation as the "go-to-person", the person who can be counted on to get things done is one of the best advertising you can have, and that can mean greater contracts, increased revenues and better opportunities. I suggest that you focus on looking and actively eliminate time leaks from your daily work schedule. This is the most effective way to increase your productivity and do more with less. Here is a list of six common productivity killers:

1. Lack of Planning - “Measure twice cut once” — English Proverb. Simple, if you don't know where you're going, any path will take you there. The problem is that many times the unknown path will not be the most effective one, many times causing you to have to do things twice or more. Stay focused by periodically re-evaluating your objectives.

2. Time Wasters - In today's society filled with gadgets and technology toys from Ipads to Iphones and Blackberries, we are constantly inundated with information and sounds that take our mind away from the task at hand. We are all guilty of this occasionally:

* Making unnecessary phone calls
* Visiting or talking with others in the office
* Spending more time getting organized than actually doing work
* Scheduling or attending unnecessary meetings
* Playing computer games or browsing the Internet
* Reading a magazine or book
* Taking an extra long break or lunch

Become aware of the way you are spending your time and be completely honest with yourself, identify the time wasters and start addressing them one at a time.

3. Disorganized Work Environments - Distraction is the result of scattered thoughts, chaotic surroundings, or lacking clarity. Many times the distraction is caused by the surroundings of your work area; your office view to a park filled with people walking their dogs or to a golf course. While having offices with beautiful views is great, they can become a distraction in our goal to accomplish our tasks. Bottom-line, when you are distracted you are not working productively. The best way to handle distractions is to find a quiet place where you can think, plan, and organize your thoughts by writing them down in an action plan (to-do list). Another major productivity killer is disorganized/chaotic work environments. This will drain you and make the best of entrepreneurs look unprofessionals in front of your customers. Did you know that disorganization costs the average worker at least one hour of productivity each day? Can you afford to lose five hours a week? Of course not! Keeping your desk, files, and work area clean and organized makes you more productive. You'll be more focused on the task at hand, find the things you need more readily, and feel more in control of your life.

4. Unreasonable and Demanding People - These are what I call "Productivity Vampires", just being around them sucks your positive energy, your plans towards accomplishing your goals, etc. They are demanding, irritable, needy people who constantly distract you from your task at hand. They are impossible to please; they focus on negative aspects of situations and events; they are constantly victimizing themselves; they find fault with things you do and say (because of course they do everything right); and they generally make you feel like you're constantly swimming against the current. The simple solution to this situation is to avoid them completely. However, if these people are your family members, co-workers or close friends, the situation becomes a bit more complicated. You cannot shut down your needy brother/father and move to a mountaintop somewhere to avoid them. This situation requires strategies for coping with them more effectively. One solution is limiting your time exposure with them (what I like to call "love them from a distance"). Second, try to get to the bottom of their behavior, they probably don't act that way just to cause you grief. In most cases, they have some deep-rooted emotional issues that make them miserable.

5. Lack of Delegation of Tasks - Whenever possible you should delegate tasks that another person can perform for you, which frees your time to address other areas of the business where your expertise is a must. The hallmark of a successful entrepreneur is the ability to delegate. You're not an expert at everything! Give the job to the real experts. They can do it more easily and cost-effectively, and you can get back to doing what you do best. Hire a bookkeeper to handle your accounting, instead of pretending that you can do the accounting for your business and never doing it. Hire a contractor to do the property remodeling, instead of you pretending that you can "save money" in your new rental property if you do it yourself or hire a bunch of cheap and inexperienced kids to do the work. Whenever in doubt, apply the Pareto's Principle- The 80/20 Rule. This rule states that 20 percent of your activities produce 80 percent of your results. So, in prioritizing your to-do list,determine which tasks are in your top 20 percent by assessing their value to your life. When you've identified the activities that generate the most income, you'll know which tasks to delegate.

6. Poor Health Habits - Most people do not consider their health in looking for solutions in improving productivity. Poor health habits can have a negative impact on your productivity. For example, lack of sleep/rest, and poor nutrition will drain your body of the needed energy to function at an optimal level! When you deprive your body from the needed fuel you end up feeling fatigued, cranky, and distracted. Therefore, you must make it a priority to get adequate sleep each night, schedule in time for exercise and proper meal-planning. Another aspect that need to be addressed is time for family, fun, recreation and personal time. I know that it seems counter-intuitive, but taking rest and recovery breaks during the day will make you
more productive than if you work non-stop.

As you read through the list above, be honest with yourself - how many of these productivity killers are currently affecting you today? If you relate to any one of the time wasters above, pick one that you feel would make a positive difference in your life and develop a plan of action for this week to start stopping that time from going down the drain. What other energy or time wasters do you deal on a daily basis? Share them, I would like to hear from you, what are the time wasters and how you were able to stop the waste.

Consequences of Not Raising the Debt Ceiling

Warren Buffett thinks that our government is playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette. While the country continues to struggle during our recent financial difficulties, our politicians in Washington continue stuck on their differences related to taxes and spending cuts creating a political impasse between Republicans and Democrats over what used to be a no-brainer: raising the statutory annual debt ceiling so the U.S. Treasury can meet the federal government’s ever-expanding financial obligations. With the deadline approaching both sides remain far from an agreement.

It is truly silly that our government continues to waste time on this matter, in past governments this would not have been such a long battle. For example, Congress raised the debt ceiling seven times during the George W. Bush administration. Now our politicians are using it as a hostage to get their way. Understand that the United States does not have to default on its obligations as long as we honor the interest on our obligation, the United States will be able to issue new bonds to replace those that come due without breaching their commitments. The Treasury itself still holds about $100-billion worth of mortgage-backed securities from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as close to $400-billion in gold that it could sell or swap with the Federal Reserve, to raise emergency cash.

Failure to raise the debt ceiling would not trigger a major crisis on a short term. However, in the longer term, any kind of U.S. default will create a lack of confidence among investors regarding our financial instruments.

Worst-Case Scenario

1. Congress doesn’t raise the $14.3-trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2.

2. U.S. Treasury is unable to make a $30-billion debt payment due on Aug. 4.

3. The U.S. credit rating is cut, and investors demand higher interest rates to hold U.S. debt.

4. The government is forced to pay billions more to borrow money.

5. Government spending is reduced, slowing the economy.

6. Consumers and businesses, forced to pay higher interest rates to borrow money, cut back.

7. Foreign investors flee U.S. securities, the dollar devalues, and inflation soars.

8. Stocks plunge amid a widespread loss of confidence.

What do you think we should do?

Attributes of Great Leaders

Today I am going to share with you something from one of my favorite books; the timeless classic book "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. It's an amazing reading; if you haven't read it, I highly recommend that you do when you get a
chance. One the subjects that is covered in this book is leadership.

Leadership is what sets you apart from the crowd. I believe that from this hard times we are going through new corporations will be forged, with new ideas, new philosophies. New leaders will be born and jumpstart this economy. However, what is to be an effective leader? Today I want to share with you 11 attributes of great leaders, as well as the 10 major causes of failure in leadership, as described by Napoleon Hill in Think & Grow Rich.

11 Attributes of Great Leaders:


1. UNWAVERING COURAGE

No follower wishes to be influenced by a leader who lacks self-confidence and courage. No intelligent follower will be following such a leader very long.

2. SELF-CONTROL

A person who lacks self-control cannot effectively motivate a group of individuals to a common goal. Self-control sets a mighty example for one's followers, which the more intelligent will emulate.

3. A KEEN SENSE OF JUSTICE

Without a sense of fairness and justice, no leader can command and retain the respect of his/her followers.

4. DEFINITENESS OF DECISION

A person who wavers in his decisions, shows that he is not sure of himself. He cannot lead others successfully.

5. DEFINITENESS OF PLANS

The successful leader must plan his/her work, and work her plan. A leader who moves by guesswork, without practical, definite plans, is comparable to a ship without a rudder. Sooner or later she will land on the rocks.

6. THE HABIT OF DOING MORE THAN PAID FOR

One of the penalties of leadership is the necessity of willingness, upon the part of the leader, to do more than he requires of his followers.

7. A PLEASING PERSONALITY

No slovenly, careless person can become a successful leader. Leadership calls for respect. Followers will not respect a leader who does not grade high on all of the factors of a Pleasing Personality.

8. SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING

The successful leader must be in sympathy with her followers. Moreover, she must understand them and their problems.

9. MASTERY OF DETAIL

Successful leadership calls for mastery of details of the leader's position.

10. WILLINGNESS TO ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY

The successful leader must be willing to assume responsibility for the mistakes and the shortcomings of his followers. If he tries to shift this responsibility, he will not remain the leader. If one of his followers makes a mistake, and shows himself incompetent, the leader must consider that it is he who failed.

11. COOPERATION

The successful leader must understand, and apply the principle of cooperative effort and be able to induce her followers to do the same. Leadership calls for POWER, and power calls for COOPERATION.


10 Major Causes of Failure In Leadership

Now let's look at the 10 major causes of failure in leadership... When it comes to leadership, it's just as important to know what NOT TO DO as it is to know what to do.

1. INABILITY TO ORGANIZE DETAILS

Efficient leadership calls for ability to organize and to master details. No genuine leader is ever "too busy" to do anything which may be required of her in his capacity as leader. The successful leader must be the master of all details connected with his
position. That means, of course, that he must acquire the habit of relegating details to capable lieutenants.

2. UNWILLINGNESS TO RENDER HUMBLE SERVICE

Truly great leaders are willing, when the situation demands, to perform any sort of task which they would ask another to perform.

3. EXPECTATION OF PAY FOR WHAT THEY "KNOW" INSTEAD OF WHAT THEY DO WITH THAT WHICH THEY KNOW

The world does not pay people for that which they "know." It pays them for what they DO, or influence others to do.

4. FEAR OF COMPETITION FROM FOLLOWERS

The leader who fears that one of her followers may take her position is practically sure to realize that fear sooner or later. The able leader trains understudies to whom he may delegate, at will, any of the details of his position. Only in this way may a leader multiply himself and prepare himself to be at many places, and give attention to many things at one time.

It is an eternal truth that people receive more pay for their ABILITY TO GET OTHERS TO PERFORM, than they could possibly earn by their own efforts. An efficient leader may, through her knowledge of her job and the magnetism of her personality, greatly increase the efficiency of others, and induce them to render more service and better service than they could render without her aid.

5. LACK OF IMAGINATION

Without imagination, the leader is incapable of meeting emergencies, and of creating plans by which to guide his followers efficiently.

6. SELFISHNESS

The leader who claims all the honor for the work of her followers, is sure to be met by resentment. The really great leader CLAIMS NONE OF THE HONORS. She is contented to see the honors, when there are any, go to her followers, because she knows that most people will work harder for commendation and recognition than they will for money alone.

7. INTEMPERANCE

Followers do not respect an intemperate leader. Moreover, intemperance in any of its various forms, destroys the endurance and the vitality of all who indulge in it.

8. DISLOYALTY

Perhaps this should have come at the head of the list. The leader who is not loyal to his trust, and to his associates, those above him, and those below him, cannot long maintain his leadership. Lack of loyalty is one of the major causes of failure in every walk of life.

9. EMPHASIS OF THE "AUTHORITY" OF LEADERSHIP

The efficient leader leads by encouraging, and not by trying to instill fear in the hearts of her followers. The leader who tries to impress her followers with his "authority" comes within the category of leadership through FORCE. A real leader will have no need to advertise that fact except by example -- sympathy, understanding, fairness, and a demonstration of expertise on the job.

10. EMPHASIS OF TITLE

Competent leaders don't need a fancy "title" to win the respect of his followers. People who make too much of their titles generally have little else to emphasize.

These are among the more common of the causes of failure in the role of leadership. Any one of these faults is sufficient to produce failure. I think we should study this list carefully if you want to become a leader in your career, business or field, and make sure that you are free of these faults.

Share your thoughts and let me know what you think about these leadership qualities. Do you agree? Do you have other qualities that are not mentioned here that we should consider?


Action Exercise

Pick one of these areas that represents a "weak link" in your
leadership skills and resolve to do something about it.


Have a great week!

Six Reasons Why You Should Set Goals

Today I want to share with you a couple of reasons why setting goals is important in the process of getting things done. I think all time management experts would agree with me that goals are a very important component of effective time management. Here I share six ways goals help you be more productive:

1. Goals help you establish priorities & decide what's truly
important - You can better choose how you are going to spend your valuable time ( a non-renewable resource) on and what you are NOT going to do at all (prioritizing).

2. Achieving worthwhile goals is a GREAT way to spend your time
"It's not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" - Henry David Thoreau

This is what sets apart great achievers from everyone else. Many times we find people busy doing things. What is important is whether your actions are helping you create the results you truly want in your business and your life (effective productivity)

Ask yourself; "Are my actions moving me closer to one or more of my important goals?"

3. Goals help you achieve better work/life balance - The key to a better work/life balanced life is to identify the key areas of your life (the
ones you think are most important) and to focus on one key area
each day/week/month.

4. Goals give you a target to aim for

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, author of the classic Psycho-Cybernetics,
said that human beings have a built-in goal seeking "success
mechanism" that is part of the subconscious mind.

Because of this mechanism we strive for ways to reach our targets (monthly sales goals, losing xx pounds before the 30 year high school reunion, etc). All you have to do to trigger this mechanism is set a target.

5. Goals help you concentrate your time and effort - It encourages you to focus and concentrate your time, energy, and resources on a single objective; even if it is just for a few hours at a time. This "laser type" of concentrated power can produce results that are much greater than those achievable through the diffused and unfocused energy many people use to get through their days.

6. Goals give you a roadmap and action plan - many times people fail in their projects because we feel overwhelmed by the several steps that we must accomplish to complete the project. However, if we break the large project into a series of smaller achievable steps and get to work on each piece one by one, we increase our chances of success.

"By the yard it's hard, but inch by inch it's a cinch!" - Brian Tracy

These are just a few reasons why you should set goals on a daily basis. If you have other suggestions/reasons for setting goals please share them with the rest of us.

I’m Out of Bed AND I’M DANCIN’!

Today's article is contributed by my good friend Mary Angolano Burrell. Starting with the month of July we will select a business and provide them additional exposure through our blog and newsletter. This is done for you free of charge, just for being a loyal reader and participant of our blog, FB group, and liking our FB page.

It is important to remember that in our pursuit to build wealth we do not forget our health. Many times we sacrifice our health in the desire to become wealthy, so later we spend our wealth in taking care of our health.

Please visit the link provided and become informed on how to improve your health and enjoy more of your life now!

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For 20 years, I experienced life-threatening health challenges.

My life was a continual train wreck. I weighed 225lbs, I wore size 20, and my skin was grey and uncomfortable to touch. My lips were blue. It was difficult to walk even the shortest distances.

Grocery shopping had to be done the first thing of the morning. The rest of the day was spent on the couch or in bed. I had monthly hospital lab workups with an immediate follow-up doctor's appointment plus extensive testing twice a year.

Troubling Prognosis

Eight years ago my doctors said all they could do was “keep me comfortable”.

The month before I started Isagenix, my doctor shot down lap band surgery. That same month, my family traveled to Japan without me. My doctor advised against me going. She felt the trip was too long and once there, no one knew my health history. Once again, my condition interfered with my family's plans.

Considering Alternatives

I decided I had to take off the blinders and look outside the box for anything that could improve the quality of my life. I began to blend allopathic practices with natural healing. My naturopath had me try cleansing programs but I was always unsuccessful. If I was able to ingest a product, it threw my system off so much I would end up in the hospital.

Enter Isagenix

In April 2005 Isagenix got this train on a new track. I released 48 lbs and 88 ½ inches WITH my doctor's supervision. My energy went through the roof. When my kids saw me pacing around the house with a feather duster they asked, "Dad what'd you do to mom?”

While cleansing the fat away I went from a size 20 to a size 12. My skin's rosy, I get to enjoy hugs. My lips are no longer blue. I can walk pretty long distances. AND I can even DANCE again. I look and feel fabulous!

My doctor was amazed!

She was seeing for herself the transformation that happens when Isagenix gets INTO you. She saw my rapid weight loss but was concerned about the possibility of losing lean muscle mass. When she saw that I’d actually increased lean muscle, she was so excited she ordered three 9-Day Programs…for herself, her husband and office manager.

After three days on Isagenix, she wanted it for her patients and asked if I’d coach them! It's been 2 ½ years and Dr. Goodman is still referring patients to Isagenix. I'm now helping to change lives…one person at a time.

I’m in the Book!

And guess what! My Isagenix Story is in Jack Canfield's book, “Chicken Soup for The Healthy Soul”!

A better quality of health is waiting for YOU. It's just on the other side of an Isagenix Cleansing and Fat Burning System!

Join Us TODAY!

Basics of Starting Your Own Home-Based Business

Starting a home business does not have to be tedious. In fact, there are many advantages in starting a home based business; tax deductions and sense of self-accomplishment to name a few. Having a home-based business will provide you the advantage of enjoying the fun of working in a home atmosphere and convenient schedule.

The move from a fully-equipped offices with office support to a home-based office can be tricky for many. Some struggle with what elements are essential and what can you outsource so you can effectively start, run and manage your business? A home-business is serious business and it requires lot of planning, dedication and effort. You must know how to manage time for work and family; it think home-based entrepreneurs must have more control of this area than traditional ones. However, your hard work and effort would be rewarded well.

Before starting work at home business, you should ask yourself the following:

1. Whether you would have the freedom to choose when and where to work?

2. Whether the home business would allow you continue your current job and work at home?

3. Would the business require publicity or gimmicks?

4. Would the home business require heavy investment?

5. Are there any risks in starting a home business?

6. Do you have complete training and support to improve the home business?

7. Do you have acquaintance with any successful home business owner who can help as a mentor to you?

If your answer is positive to most of the above questions, you can start work at home business. Another important consideration in starting a home business is to do what you are really passionate about. This is because of the fact that you can put greater effort without any difficulty because you really love it.

One of the aspects that is overlooked by many entrepreneurs is the back office support needed to make "working for yourself" work smoothly for you. If you overlook these areas can be devastating to your business. The good news are that there are inexpensive solutions available:

1. Accounting (invoicing, time tracking, estimates, and information storage):

Accounting if is not the most overlooked area of a business, it most be one of the top items when we review business and the reason why they get themselves in trouble or have to close. Please understand that without an accounting and bookkeeping department, it will be very difficult for you to understand the performance of your business, where are cash outflows going, and to make adequate adjustments in your business if needed. If you're good with numbers, you can do it yourself. There are several bookkeeping software available which are easy to install and manage.

However, what happens when you need to crank out that report for your new client before the end of the day? Many times small business fail not due to the quality of the products or services, but their lack of responsiveness to special requirements by clients and prospects (invoices, estimates, etc). This is when you should consider to have a good bookkeeper/CPA as part of your professional team. A good accounting professional can help you record and track your time as well as process your invoices, and generate special management reports and reports for third parties.

2. Merchant services

Even though you are operating from home, you may need to accept credit cards. If you have an e-commerce website, you can set up direct payment with a merchant services provider and bring it all online. Additionally, if you are offering some sort of consulting service like public relations consulting or business plan writing, many companies pay by credit card instead of invoices, so it's a good idea to have this as an option.

3. Web design, online marketing, and IT outsourcing

Do you want to start on the right foot with your home-based enterprise? In todays environment this area can no longer be ignored. Without the benefit of a brick-and-mortar location for customers, a website can be the best way to offer your services and get your name out to your target market. If you are tech savvy, once again you may be able to handle some or all aspects of this department. However, if you need help in this area you should not ignore it any longer and have as part of your professional team a marketing consultant that can help you with your corporate image (company logos, website design, blogs, e-commerce sites, SEO, PPC, etc). Many of them are part of our GCI Facebook group.

4. Internet, VoIP services and video conferencing

Working from a home-based business will require that you have a reliable way to stay in touch with your clients, suppliers, and business partners. A standard telephone connection is a great traditional option, but long-distance and international charges can add up quickly. Our world has become smaller, so it is not unusual for a small business to have clients in the United States, Canada, Australia, and India. Another area that you should not overlook is a steady/reliable internet connection. Today VoIP companies have improved their services and they are no longer a mystery. Many of them provide video conferencing, digital voice mail, hold music and more features that any home-business owner needs. Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that is internet-based, so you'll have an unlimited connection and lower long-distance charges than a standard phone system.

You can start work at home business if you want to enjoy the fun and freedom of working at home. However take the time to get an organized plan for your business. This helps you speed up and improve your home business success. Consider dedicating a room in your home for business purposes. Then arrange the essential things like a chair, computer, cabinet, phone etc. A comfortable chair is very important if you have to work for hours at the computer. Also consider filing the essential paper work in a cabinet. Keep your business and yourself organized!

What mistakes should you avoid in credit card consolidation?

You may go for credit card consolidation when you’re facing problems to manage your multiple bills and paying them off. To consolidate your credit card bills/debts, you can enroll in a consolidation program or take out a loan for the purpose. You can also opt for balance transfer method wherein you transfer your high interest debts into a low interest card. However, whatever option you choose, you should try to avoid the mistakes often committed by people while getting credit card consolidation help. Go through this article to know about 5 common mistakes and how you can avoid them.

1. Not consolidating all your high interest debts – When consolidating your credit card bills/debts, make sure you consolidate all your high interest bills. If you cannot take out an amount with which you can replace all your credit accounts, then make sure you consolidate all your high interest debts into one loan for which you need to make single monthly payments.

2. Closing all your credit cards at once – Closing all your credit cards may reduce your credit score to some extent. This is because one of the main components of your credit score is credit utilization ratio. So, when you close your credit accounts, the available credit limit drops thus increasing your credit utilization ratio and in turn, your score may get reduced by several points. So, when going for credit card consolidation, do not make the mistake of closing your credit accounts, once you repay them. Keep them open but don’t use them till you’re out of debt completely.

3. Not choosing the right consolidation company – Often people make a mistake by enrolling with a non-reliable consolidation company. To get professional help from a reliable debt/credit card consolidation company, always check BBB (Better Business Bureau) records to find out whether or not the customers are satisfied with the services provided by the company. Moreover, it is better if you get help from a company which has got high ratings from BBB.

4. Taking out new credit before repaying the existing ones – You will make a mistake if you take out new credit without paying off the existing ones. You should know that a consolidation program doesn’t cover any new debt. So, if you’ve enrolled in a consolidation program, do not take out new credit before you repay the existing ones. It holds true for consolidation loan and balance transfer method as well. Do not take out new loans before you pay off the existing ones.

5. Not checking how long the low interest rate is valid – If you opt for balance transfer method for credit card consolidation, you should always enquire how long the introductory zero or low interest rate period if valid for. This is for you to know that the interest rate usually gets much higher when the low introductory period ends. So, you’d have to make payments on much higher interest rate if you’re not able to pay back the loan within the low introductory rate period.

While getting help of credit card consolidation, you should address the real problem. Just getting help of consolidation will not help you solve your problems if you don’t learn to manage your money properly. You need to plan a suitable budget and follow it along with changing your lifestyle if required. Moreover, do not take out a number of cards as otherwise, it will become difficult for you to manage them properly.

Contributed by Kenneth Parkar

Debt Community Member

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