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Monday, 19 March 2012
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Thursday, 15 March 2012
What to Look for When Choosing a Stock
In a previous post, I outlined the reasons why to avoid any type of investment (besides the purchase of an asset) other than a stock. But that post deals with more of why not to invest in a mutual fund or, to a lesser extent, an index fund. Stocks truly are where it's at, particularly if you have 5 or more years that you are able to invest your money.
General Perks
Stocks provide the greatest opportunity for growth without a significant amount of risk. If you are smart about your investment, and only review it once per year, then you will avoid the emotions that most investors ride and suffer from. Each investor knows the basic principals of buy low, sell high - but despite this, millions of investors pulled their money out of the market when it dropped 20%, 30%, 40% and 45% in the great recession a few years ago.
Knowing What to Buy
Over the years of investing, I have learned that the greatest asset to any investor is research. I fully utilized the skills that I gained through journalism and applied them to stock market. In the olden days, a time that I fortunately wasn't around for, investors had to pour hundreds of hours into searching the details of their stocks. The average investor was at a huge disadvantage because those who were relatively close to the company received the quality of information any investor should know before buying. The average Joe would have to wait for reports in newspapers, but a large amount of that information wasn't useful.
Now, once you open an online investment account, you have 20 years or more of information about the stock's performance and you can look at financial reports from up to 5 years ago. If you want to go further back, you can request the information from the company's public relations officer.
Type of Information for Which to Look
I will get into more detail about the exact process in a week or two when I start looking to see where I want to put my money. But, in the meantime, start thinking about the company's chart. Look at the stock's past performance and line up the opening price to where it is now. Move a ruler down at the top half until you get a rough estimate of the growth (This will be in line with the opening price, but lower to consider the stock's downtimes). Look at where the ruler is lining up with the price in a year, 2 years, 5 years and 10 years from now. Is this where you would like the price to be when you sell your stock. Consider the length in which you want to put your money in the account.
Next, you should only look at stocks with a track record dating back to about 3 years ago.You may miss a lot of gems this way, but those company's stand a much larger chance of losing your money.
Look at the gains over the past five years. If the company has increased profit by 10% or more, then it is worth keeping on you list.
These are just a few of several tips when choosing a stock. More information is to come.
As usual, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to include your commentary below. Happy Investing!
General Perks
Stocks provide the greatest opportunity for growth without a significant amount of risk. If you are smart about your investment, and only review it once per year, then you will avoid the emotions that most investors ride and suffer from. Each investor knows the basic principals of buy low, sell high - but despite this, millions of investors pulled their money out of the market when it dropped 20%, 30%, 40% and 45% in the great recession a few years ago.
Knowing What to Buy
Over the years of investing, I have learned that the greatest asset to any investor is research. I fully utilized the skills that I gained through journalism and applied them to stock market. In the olden days, a time that I fortunately wasn't around for, investors had to pour hundreds of hours into searching the details of their stocks. The average investor was at a huge disadvantage because those who were relatively close to the company received the quality of information any investor should know before buying. The average Joe would have to wait for reports in newspapers, but a large amount of that information wasn't useful.
Now, once you open an online investment account, you have 20 years or more of information about the stock's performance and you can look at financial reports from up to 5 years ago. If you want to go further back, you can request the information from the company's public relations officer.
Type of Information for Which to Look
I will get into more detail about the exact process in a week or two when I start looking to see where I want to put my money. But, in the meantime, start thinking about the company's chart. Look at the stock's past performance and line up the opening price to where it is now. Move a ruler down at the top half until you get a rough estimate of the growth (This will be in line with the opening price, but lower to consider the stock's downtimes). Look at where the ruler is lining up with the price in a year, 2 years, 5 years and 10 years from now. Is this where you would like the price to be when you sell your stock. Consider the length in which you want to put your money in the account.
Next, you should only look at stocks with a track record dating back to about 3 years ago.You may miss a lot of gems this way, but those company's stand a much larger chance of losing your money.
Look at the gains over the past five years. If the company has increased profit by 10% or more, then it is worth keeping on you list.
These are just a few of several tips when choosing a stock. More information is to come.
As usual, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to include your commentary below. Happy Investing!
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
How to Make Money on the Stock Market
In today's post, we will be focusing on gearing up to invest in the stock market. As you may already know, this blog is focused on tracking my Road to $100,000. One way I am going to accomplish this goal is by investing in the stock market. While I have averaged about a 60 per cent return in the past, I have since sold all my assets to become involved in real estate. I since went back into journalism two months ago and have been getting back on track to saving $100,000. I am more mentally equipped and I can use the information I learned about investing five years, or so, ago to propel my savings at a faster rate.
Getting Started in the Stock Market
Since pulling approximately $20,000 out of the stock market in the last year, I have hit a financial low. However, since returning to journalism, I have managed to pull myself out of about $3,000 of debt and save nearly $2,000, all in 2 months. Mind you, only about 60 per cent of this money was saved from my journalism job, the rest is through online writing and subletting my apartment.
Anyway, when I had about $20,000 invested (60 per cent was accrued interest over about three years), I reviewed my holdings once every year or so. This is because instead of getting caught up in the highs and lows of the market, and becoming extremely emotional (any investor's greatest enemy), I looked at each stock practically. Reviewing your stocks once every year or so requires you to update your knowledge on an annual basis. And by "knowledge," I mean technical knowledge. You see, investing is completely based on market research. There are at least 10 steps you should look at in each stock, and I'll go over these at a later date.
Read Read Read
I will break down for you in a future blog the exact steps I take before buying a stock. To give you an idea, you want to compare the annual profit growth of the company in question. If the company grows at a rate less than 10 per cent per year, move on. To give you an idea, I looked at every NYSE, Dow and TSX stock available each time I reviewed my holdings. After I narrowed my field to stocks priced between $5 and $20, I was left with about 200 to review. Of these, I picked 7.
So far, I have explained a couple of the indicators I pay attention to -- price and growth. By reading investment books, I managed to boil down a formula that works. It is from the book "The Motley Fool Investment Guide," and my style completely matches that what is explained in this book. You could read every book out there, but it will just confuse you. The Fool's Guide is all that is needed. Each year, when you review your stocks, read this book again.
Timing is Key
The time in which you make your move into the stock market is everything. I rarely pay much attention to what is going on with the world politics, such as the issue in Greece. However, when the problem was at its peak, in October 2011, I did pull some stocks out of the market. I anticipated people would begin to freak out and think the entire market would collapse, again. However, the issues in Greece wouldn't hold the stock market down for long -- because even though Greece is struggling, the nation is tiny when you compare it to the world economy.
Timing can also mean personal timing. I will have $2,000 saved at the end of the month. That means I can get a margin account and double that money to $4,000. But it's too early for me to invest. You want to have about 40 per cent of your holdings in large-cap companies and the rest in medium-cap stocks. This means, you should have around $5,000 to invest before you get into the market, and that's only if you plan on securing a margin account, which will double your holding to $10,000. With $10,000 to invest, you can buy 5 stocks at $2,000 each. I would recommend owning at least 7, however, but if you know you will have money coming in shortly, then you might as well put that first chunk into the market. I expect I will be investing in June if I save $1,000 per month.
Stay tuned to get tips about each step on the way to choosing a stock. I will then consolidate the steps together so you can follow them while choosing stocks.
Tip of the Day: Buy the Motley Fool Investment Guide and follow the strategy for choosing stocks, or continue to read my blog posts for a consolidated version.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to comment and I'll do my best to answer. Also follow this blog for the latest information. Happy investing! Btw, I think it's sad that I'm the only one following my blog... please follow me, lol.
Getting Started in the Stock Market
Since pulling approximately $20,000 out of the stock market in the last year, I have hit a financial low. However, since returning to journalism, I have managed to pull myself out of about $3,000 of debt and save nearly $2,000, all in 2 months. Mind you, only about 60 per cent of this money was saved from my journalism job, the rest is through online writing and subletting my apartment.
Anyway, when I had about $20,000 invested (60 per cent was accrued interest over about three years), I reviewed my holdings once every year or so. This is because instead of getting caught up in the highs and lows of the market, and becoming extremely emotional (any investor's greatest enemy), I looked at each stock practically. Reviewing your stocks once every year or so requires you to update your knowledge on an annual basis. And by "knowledge," I mean technical knowledge. You see, investing is completely based on market research. There are at least 10 steps you should look at in each stock, and I'll go over these at a later date.
Read Read Read
I will break down for you in a future blog the exact steps I take before buying a stock. To give you an idea, you want to compare the annual profit growth of the company in question. If the company grows at a rate less than 10 per cent per year, move on. To give you an idea, I looked at every NYSE, Dow and TSX stock available each time I reviewed my holdings. After I narrowed my field to stocks priced between $5 and $20, I was left with about 200 to review. Of these, I picked 7.
So far, I have explained a couple of the indicators I pay attention to -- price and growth. By reading investment books, I managed to boil down a formula that works. It is from the book "The Motley Fool Investment Guide," and my style completely matches that what is explained in this book. You could read every book out there, but it will just confuse you. The Fool's Guide is all that is needed. Each year, when you review your stocks, read this book again.
Timing is Key
The time in which you make your move into the stock market is everything. I rarely pay much attention to what is going on with the world politics, such as the issue in Greece. However, when the problem was at its peak, in October 2011, I did pull some stocks out of the market. I anticipated people would begin to freak out and think the entire market would collapse, again. However, the issues in Greece wouldn't hold the stock market down for long -- because even though Greece is struggling, the nation is tiny when you compare it to the world economy.
Timing can also mean personal timing. I will have $2,000 saved at the end of the month. That means I can get a margin account and double that money to $4,000. But it's too early for me to invest. You want to have about 40 per cent of your holdings in large-cap companies and the rest in medium-cap stocks. This means, you should have around $5,000 to invest before you get into the market, and that's only if you plan on securing a margin account, which will double your holding to $10,000. With $10,000 to invest, you can buy 5 stocks at $2,000 each. I would recommend owning at least 7, however, but if you know you will have money coming in shortly, then you might as well put that first chunk into the market. I expect I will be investing in June if I save $1,000 per month.
Stay tuned to get tips about each step on the way to choosing a stock. I will then consolidate the steps together so you can follow them while choosing stocks.
Tip of the Day: Buy the Motley Fool Investment Guide and follow the strategy for choosing stocks, or continue to read my blog posts for a consolidated version.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to comment and I'll do my best to answer. Also follow this blog for the latest information. Happy investing! Btw, I think it's sad that I'm the only one following my blog... please follow me, lol.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Adsense Approval
Google Adsense is a massive tool to help those who are blogging earn money. When I started this blog about a week ago, I thought I would maybe make a buck or two per day with Google Adsense. After receiving approval early this morning, I noticed that by the end of the day, two people had clicked on my Google Adsense ads, earning me my first $1.61 from my blog. This was an amazing feeling and so I called my mother to share the good news. She of course had no idea what I was talking about. I read somewhere that you can expect to receive about $1 per day from each blog you have. So, if you are able to keep traffic up on 30 blogs, you'll make about $900 per month. That about covers my goal of saving $1,000 per month. However, I believe I have found an even better way to make money online than by simple Adsense ads.
Micro Niches
There are still some micro niches out there that haven't yet been overly saturated. Take for example a pool niche that I have discovered. The website, which is in its infancy and is called myundergroundpools.com, will sell all things related to pools. I will post on the website and link to it, driving up its traffic. But I have another advantage here: I am able to sell ebay.com and amazon.com products on the site. I can also find pool supply companies to advertise. Each time I make a referral to another site and a purchase is made, I get a cut. It's amazing what you can discover and the unexpected roads that arrive after diving into a topic. As if I'm not happy enough about making the $1.61 today, but I also have a lot of potential revenue from this micro niche. Now I just have to bring traffic to my site and I'll be all set. I intend to share the entire process with you.
Finding a Micro Niche
An amazing resource that I've been using to investigate each niche is called Market Samurai. This tool allows me to see how many people search the key work on Google per day, how many sites are competing for that business and how strong the competing sites are. If I analyse a keyword and it shows that the Top 10 on Google are strong, based on their page rank, whether they are pay for Yahoo, if the key word appears in their URL, how long they've been around, how much traffic they have and several other factors, I can determine whether I want to build a website that caters to the product. I then set up a blog and away I go. I am using Wordpress for this and it appears to have better features than Blogger, which is what I am using for this blog, so we'll see. I also bought my own domain, so I can sell it later if I want -- I read that you can sell your domain for about 10 times its monthly earnings. It also protects you from randomly being shut down.
Tip of the day: If you set up a blog, look to buy your own domain and set up a market niche.
As usual, if you have any questions, please comment and I'll be glad to answer them.
Micro Niches
There are still some micro niches out there that haven't yet been overly saturated. Take for example a pool niche that I have discovered. The website, which is in its infancy and is called myundergroundpools.com, will sell all things related to pools. I will post on the website and link to it, driving up its traffic. But I have another advantage here: I am able to sell ebay.com and amazon.com products on the site. I can also find pool supply companies to advertise. Each time I make a referral to another site and a purchase is made, I get a cut. It's amazing what you can discover and the unexpected roads that arrive after diving into a topic. As if I'm not happy enough about making the $1.61 today, but I also have a lot of potential revenue from this micro niche. Now I just have to bring traffic to my site and I'll be all set. I intend to share the entire process with you.
Finding a Micro Niche
An amazing resource that I've been using to investigate each niche is called Market Samurai. This tool allows me to see how many people search the key work on Google per day, how many sites are competing for that business and how strong the competing sites are. If I analyse a keyword and it shows that the Top 10 on Google are strong, based on their page rank, whether they are pay for Yahoo, if the key word appears in their URL, how long they've been around, how much traffic they have and several other factors, I can determine whether I want to build a website that caters to the product. I then set up a blog and away I go. I am using Wordpress for this and it appears to have better features than Blogger, which is what I am using for this blog, so we'll see. I also bought my own domain, so I can sell it later if I want -- I read that you can sell your domain for about 10 times its monthly earnings. It also protects you from randomly being shut down.
Tip of the day: If you set up a blog, look to buy your own domain and set up a market niche.
As usual, if you have any questions, please comment and I'll be glad to answer them.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Ways to Make Money From Home
So far in this blog, I have set out to you why I intend to save $100,000... to live my dream. My dream is freedom. I've also posted a bunch of random articles - which I won't do again - to drive up the content on my site. All the material was articles that I had rejected when writing for Demand Media. By having articles on my site, I am more likely to be approved by Google AdSense and I can start making money from my blog, though I'm not sure the amount I will make will be enough to make a dent in my $100,000 goal. However, I am still waiting to hear back from Google. They said they would approve or reject my blog for AdSense 6 business days ago and they said they'd respond within 4. Oh well, I guess I can be patient for a little while longer. The last several articles, however, have been into the financial insights that have helped me save and earn interest on my investments.
Other Income Sources
Since starting this blog, I have discovered a potentially better way to make money. I stumbled upon a free web series called www.thritydaychallenge.com. It has taught me an incredible amount of information for free. Instead of simply making money on AdSense from this blog, which could take a while, I have decided to find a niche market and advertise products for that niche site. Don't worry, I will continue to operate this blog (to my faithful readership of 0, so far). In the affiliate programs I can secure a percentage of all sales that I refer to places like EBay.com and Amazon.com. Currently, I have registered my domain name and I am in the process of building a website through Wordpress. You may notice that this blog is Blogspot, but I want to use both to compare which I like the best. Apparently Wordpress has more tools. I am spending a considerable amount of time figuring out how exactly to make the site work by taking the "Thirty Day Challenge", and I have given little time to anything else.
When I take a break from the website and decide to commit the time to something else, I am helping students edit their essays. I find this work by advertising my service on Craigslist. Last week I made $100 by editing one essay. I also write for a company called Interact Media, where I write about 5 articles per week and get paid around $6 per article. They are usually very quick and easy to write. But I haven't written there in about a week because I've been focused on my new niche website.
I am also subletting my Vancouver apartment and earning an extra $150 off that.
The Point?
The point of me telling you this is that you can find numerous ways to make extra money on the side. This blog is not only designed to monitor how I am saving, it's also to help you meet your financial goal. I am a writer, which allows me the benefit of writing online content and making money. But I didn't know how to make a blog, though I've done that. I also found out how to make extra money by keeping my apartment. What is it that you can do on the side to make your money? I've found that you have to be willing to become immersed in whatever it is. I am fortunate that I really enjoy writing and building websites, so I have learned a lot in the last couple weeks by working constantly on it after my regular 9 to 5.
Tip of the Day: Figure out what it is that you are good at, so you can make money on the side and save for your goal.
Other Income Sources
Since starting this blog, I have discovered a potentially better way to make money. I stumbled upon a free web series called www.thritydaychallenge.com. It has taught me an incredible amount of information for free. Instead of simply making money on AdSense from this blog, which could take a while, I have decided to find a niche market and advertise products for that niche site. Don't worry, I will continue to operate this blog (to my faithful readership of 0, so far). In the affiliate programs I can secure a percentage of all sales that I refer to places like EBay.com and Amazon.com. Currently, I have registered my domain name and I am in the process of building a website through Wordpress. You may notice that this blog is Blogspot, but I want to use both to compare which I like the best. Apparently Wordpress has more tools. I am spending a considerable amount of time figuring out how exactly to make the site work by taking the "Thirty Day Challenge", and I have given little time to anything else.
When I take a break from the website and decide to commit the time to something else, I am helping students edit their essays. I find this work by advertising my service on Craigslist. Last week I made $100 by editing one essay. I also write for a company called Interact Media, where I write about 5 articles per week and get paid around $6 per article. They are usually very quick and easy to write. But I haven't written there in about a week because I've been focused on my new niche website.
I am also subletting my Vancouver apartment and earning an extra $150 off that.
The Point?
The point of me telling you this is that you can find numerous ways to make extra money on the side. This blog is not only designed to monitor how I am saving, it's also to help you meet your financial goal. I am a writer, which allows me the benefit of writing online content and making money. But I didn't know how to make a blog, though I've done that. I also found out how to make extra money by keeping my apartment. What is it that you can do on the side to make your money? I've found that you have to be willing to become immersed in whatever it is. I am fortunate that I really enjoy writing and building websites, so I have learned a lot in the last couple weeks by working constantly on it after my regular 9 to 5.
Tip of the Day: Figure out what it is that you are good at, so you can make money on the side and save for your goal.
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Why to Avoid Mutual Funds
My experience with the stock market began with an analyses of mutual funds. I read the book "The Wealthy Barber," which was great at teaching me the importance of saving at a young age and watching my money grow - the book suggested that almost anyone can save at least 10 per cent of their income by erasing unneeded expenses such as coffee from Starbucks and eating out, as opposed to dining at home. This was a great lesson at the time, but the book recommended putting my money into mutual funds. This is a long road to making money on my investments and there are much better options available.
10 per cent average
Since its creation in 1923, the S&P 500 has increased by an average of 10 per cent per year. The average mutual fund increases at about 10 per cent per year, but you have to pay the fund manager about 2.5 percentage points of your earnings. However, if you choose to invest in an index fund, which follows the stocks on an entire exchange and is even more diversified and secure than a mutual fund, you will average about 10 per cent and you don't have to pay the 2.5 per cent MER (management expense ratio) fee.
Mutual fund boundaries
Mutual funds are also much worse than an index fund or regular stocks because the mutual fund company is only legally allowed to invest up to 5 per cent into one stock. This means they need to find at lest 20 stocks worth investing into. After you know my formula, which has earned me an extremely high rate of return, you won't be able to find 20 stocks worth buying in Canada or in the U.S. This is because the formula that I use, cuts down risk and increases reward by choosing a select group of stocks, consisting of about 8.
Types of investments
You have your GIC's, bonds, treasury bills, etc., these sometimes don't even keep up with inflation, but they are great if you want extreme security. However, if you have a bit of time to ride the highs and lows of the market, you should at least invest into an Index fund - definitely not a mutual fund - and ride the market wave. But, once you learn a formula, which I will teach you, that can virtually guarantee top market return, you will be wondering why anyone invests in Index funds, and you'll definitely wonder why they bother with mutual funds.
Tip of the Day: Banks do a great job at selling people on mutual funds, but it is only because they make 2.5 percentage points (on average) off your investment.
10 per cent average
Since its creation in 1923, the S&P 500 has increased by an average of 10 per cent per year. The average mutual fund increases at about 10 per cent per year, but you have to pay the fund manager about 2.5 percentage points of your earnings. However, if you choose to invest in an index fund, which follows the stocks on an entire exchange and is even more diversified and secure than a mutual fund, you will average about 10 per cent and you don't have to pay the 2.5 per cent MER (management expense ratio) fee.
Mutual fund boundaries
Mutual funds are also much worse than an index fund or regular stocks because the mutual fund company is only legally allowed to invest up to 5 per cent into one stock. This means they need to find at lest 20 stocks worth investing into. After you know my formula, which has earned me an extremely high rate of return, you won't be able to find 20 stocks worth buying in Canada or in the U.S. This is because the formula that I use, cuts down risk and increases reward by choosing a select group of stocks, consisting of about 8.
Types of investments
You have your GIC's, bonds, treasury bills, etc., these sometimes don't even keep up with inflation, but they are great if you want extreme security. However, if you have a bit of time to ride the highs and lows of the market, you should at least invest into an Index fund - definitely not a mutual fund - and ride the market wave. But, once you learn a formula, which I will teach you, that can virtually guarantee top market return, you will be wondering why anyone invests in Index funds, and you'll definitely wonder why they bother with mutual funds.
Tip of the Day: Banks do a great job at selling people on mutual funds, but it is only because they make 2.5 percentage points (on average) off your investment.
Friday, 9 March 2012
How to Turn $100,000 into a $20,000 Income
Some people might look at $100,000 as a lot of money, but not something you could retire on. However, by opening a margin account, your bank will lend you $1 for every $1 you put into the account. So, when investing $100,000, you can double that to $200,000 between your portion and the bank's.
Average Market Return
Since the creation of the S&P 500 index fund in 1923, which monitors 500 U.S. stocks, the average increase has been 10 per cent per year. So, any average investor that puts their money into a stock blindly will most likely make 10 per cent per year. Are you beginning to get the picture? With the previously mentioned $200,000 invested and an average market increase of your stocks at 10 per cent, you will bank $20,000. That's enough to live on if you're not greedy.
Bank's Share
The bank will take about 1.5 percentage points of the portion that they lent you. However, you are still left with a nice $18,500 profit. But if your stocks decrease, you are in a situation that the bank dubs a "call," where you owe them money for the amount your stock has decreased. In other words, the bank's money is secured by the portion that you put in. If your stocks lose 50 per cent, you will need to use the 50 per cent of your portion, or in this case, $100,000, to pay the bank back and you are left with nothing. However, even during the great recession recently, the average stock's decline was at about 45 per cent. And if you know how to invest, which you will if you continue to read this blog, you will not lose that much if a similar recession is repeated.
Lesson of the day: Figure out how much you need to live comfortably each year and then save 500 per cent of that to invest. In my case, I need $20,000 per year, so I will save $100,000 so that I can earn my annual goal.
As usual, if you have any questions, please comment and I'll be sure to respond. Happy saving!
Average Market Return
Since the creation of the S&P 500 index fund in 1923, which monitors 500 U.S. stocks, the average increase has been 10 per cent per year. So, any average investor that puts their money into a stock blindly will most likely make 10 per cent per year. Are you beginning to get the picture? With the previously mentioned $200,000 invested and an average market increase of your stocks at 10 per cent, you will bank $20,000. That's enough to live on if you're not greedy.
Bank's Share
The bank will take about 1.5 percentage points of the portion that they lent you. However, you are still left with a nice $18,500 profit. But if your stocks decrease, you are in a situation that the bank dubs a "call," where you owe them money for the amount your stock has decreased. In other words, the bank's money is secured by the portion that you put in. If your stocks lose 50 per cent, you will need to use the 50 per cent of your portion, or in this case, $100,000, to pay the bank back and you are left with nothing. However, even during the great recession recently, the average stock's decline was at about 45 per cent. And if you know how to invest, which you will if you continue to read this blog, you will not lose that much if a similar recession is repeated.
Lesson of the day: Figure out how much you need to live comfortably each year and then save 500 per cent of that to invest. In my case, I need $20,000 per year, so I will save $100,000 so that I can earn my annual goal.
As usual, if you have any questions, please comment and I'll be sure to respond. Happy saving!
Thursday, 8 March 2012
The Importance of Budgeting
The main idea behind this whole blog, if you don't know by now, is to track me saving $100,000 -- and by doing so, maybe you'll be able to observe a few pointers that will help you save.
The most important thing my mother ever taught me is the concept of budgeting. Without a budget, you don't have a clue about what is actually going on with your finances. My mother taught me how to budget by using Microsoft Excel. I found the program extremely helpful and it added up each of my general expenses very efficiently. However, after buying a new computer that didn't have Excel, I reverted to a leather journal to document my spending. I can't imagine switching back to Excel, as I love my journal.
Before we break down the exact categories, I must tell you that you need to first create an income that exceeds your expenses. This is fundamental to saving money. If you have more expenses than what you make, then you will rely on credit and you will go into debt. Seems simple, but tell that to millions of Americans, and Canadians, who are in debt.
So, now that we have established an income that exceeds our expenses, you must create categories for your bills. I have very general categories because I am a bachelor who doesn't have many unusual expenses.
My expenses are as follows:
Food ($200),
Miscellaneous ($100),
Gas ($50),
Internet ($20),
Car Payments ($290),
Car Insurance ($140),
Presents ($20),
Clothes ($20),
Vacation Fund ($0),
Car Maintenance Fund ($0),
Hair Fund ($5),
Phone ($75),
Student Loan ($30) and,
Rent ($700).
Total: $1,700.
You might notice that I have a very low miscellaneous account. This is true, but if you set some money aside each month for normal miscellaneous expenses, such as hair, vacation, car maintenance, clothes and presents, you will have fewer miscellaneous expenses. This can also help you keep your expenses consistent, rather than having a lump sum come out of the account for say, car maintenance. You might also notice that several of my accounts have no funds committed to them. This is something I am working on and I hope to dedicate more to these funds when I get a pay raise in two months. I can also dedicate to the hair fund, for example, one month, and then switch to vacation the next.
Next is net income. I earn from my job $1,017 every two weeks. I am slated to start getting paid semi-monthly beginning in April. This month is nice because I get three paycheques. So I can multiply $1,017 by 26 and then divide by 12 (months) to get my monthly income of approximately $2,200. I can then assume that if I follow my budget, I will save $500 each month ($2,200 of income - $1,700 expenses). However, I am subletting my apartment in Vancouver and making a profit of $150, for monthly savings at $650. Are you with me? However, I have challenged myself to save $1,000 per month so that I can have my $100,000 withing six years (after opening a margin account and assuming 10 per cent interest, which I will get into with a separate post). So I need to come up with another $350 per month. Where can I find this money? Online! Because I am a writer and soon to be professional blogger, I can earn $350 per month, if not more. So far this month, I have earned another $120 from writing online content -- and I am waiting to start making money with this blog, if Google Adsense will ever get back to me.
Where you can find the extra revenue to meet your goals depends on your skills. I'm a writer, but you may be a musician who is able to teach guitar. I'm also exploring opening a pie business and should have that running by May. I already have a spot on the local TV channel for a cooking show.
So, there you have the basics of budgeting. Please comment if you have any questions and I'll be sure to answer. Happy Budgeting!
The most important thing my mother ever taught me is the concept of budgeting. Without a budget, you don't have a clue about what is actually going on with your finances. My mother taught me how to budget by using Microsoft Excel. I found the program extremely helpful and it added up each of my general expenses very efficiently. However, after buying a new computer that didn't have Excel, I reverted to a leather journal to document my spending. I can't imagine switching back to Excel, as I love my journal.
Before we break down the exact categories, I must tell you that you need to first create an income that exceeds your expenses. This is fundamental to saving money. If you have more expenses than what you make, then you will rely on credit and you will go into debt. Seems simple, but tell that to millions of Americans, and Canadians, who are in debt.
So, now that we have established an income that exceeds our expenses, you must create categories for your bills. I have very general categories because I am a bachelor who doesn't have many unusual expenses.
My expenses are as follows:
Food ($200),
Miscellaneous ($100),
Gas ($50),
Internet ($20),
Car Payments ($290),
Car Insurance ($140),
Presents ($20),
Clothes ($20),
Vacation Fund ($0),
Car Maintenance Fund ($0),
Hair Fund ($5),
Phone ($75),
Student Loan ($30) and,
Rent ($700).
Total: $1,700.
You might notice that I have a very low miscellaneous account. This is true, but if you set some money aside each month for normal miscellaneous expenses, such as hair, vacation, car maintenance, clothes and presents, you will have fewer miscellaneous expenses. This can also help you keep your expenses consistent, rather than having a lump sum come out of the account for say, car maintenance. You might also notice that several of my accounts have no funds committed to them. This is something I am working on and I hope to dedicate more to these funds when I get a pay raise in two months. I can also dedicate to the hair fund, for example, one month, and then switch to vacation the next.
Next is net income. I earn from my job $1,017 every two weeks. I am slated to start getting paid semi-monthly beginning in April. This month is nice because I get three paycheques. So I can multiply $1,017 by 26 and then divide by 12 (months) to get my monthly income of approximately $2,200. I can then assume that if I follow my budget, I will save $500 each month ($2,200 of income - $1,700 expenses). However, I am subletting my apartment in Vancouver and making a profit of $150, for monthly savings at $650. Are you with me? However, I have challenged myself to save $1,000 per month so that I can have my $100,000 withing six years (after opening a margin account and assuming 10 per cent interest, which I will get into with a separate post). So I need to come up with another $350 per month. Where can I find this money? Online! Because I am a writer and soon to be professional blogger, I can earn $350 per month, if not more. So far this month, I have earned another $120 from writing online content -- and I am waiting to start making money with this blog, if Google Adsense will ever get back to me.
Where you can find the extra revenue to meet your goals depends on your skills. I'm a writer, but you may be a musician who is able to teach guitar. I'm also exploring opening a pie business and should have that running by May. I already have a spot on the local TV channel for a cooking show.
So, there you have the basics of budgeting. Please comment if you have any questions and I'll be sure to answer. Happy Budgeting!
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Road to $100,000: UpdateOkay, I know the title of this post isn't ...
Road to $100,000: Update
Okay, I know the title of this post isn't ...: Update Okay, I know the title of this post isn't very clever. And, really, how long can I go on by simply titling my posts "update?" Just...
Okay, I know the title of this post isn't ...: Update Okay, I know the title of this post isn't very clever. And, really, how long can I go on by simply titling my posts "update?" Just...
Update
Okay, I know the title of this post isn't very clever. And, really, how long can I go on by simply titling my posts "update?" Just this once.
While I have posted 20 or so articles on this blog that don't really have anything at all to do with the "Road to $100,000", they are actually helping me to get to my goal. By posting a bunch of articles that I have had rejected from online freelance sites such as Demand Media, I am able to convince the peeps from Google that my blog is worth a damn. If they can see that I'm not illiterate and I'm taking this blog seriously, they will allow me to post adds on my site, which is a necessary step to make any sort of money at this. Google has, "partially approved" my site for adds. I was told via email that I would be fully approved or disapproved by tomorrow (Thursday). Once approved, I can start finding other ways to drive traffic up on my site and get revenue, which will help me achieve my $100,000 goal and I can start living my dreams.
The next step for me would be to figure out how to make a gadget that keeps posted the amount of money I have saved to my $100,000 goal. That would likely keep people interested in my site and I would keep pushing toward that goal. Furthermore, I figured out how to add a donate button to my site. So, if you want to donate -- while it might seem that it's in self interest -- please do so. The money that I save now will help me to focus my efforts on helping the less fortunate. Because, by working every day, and all day, I really don't have much time than to fend for anyone but myself -- though I am seriously thinking of buying an accordion for a local man who was beat up and his accordion was smashed. He came into the newspaper today and told my editor his story. Poor homeless guy was in love with his accordion and now it's smashed to bits.
I will be more focused and specific with my future posts, but there is so much to say right now. I must say, that since last time we spoke, I have made some progress on the $100,000 front. I am now out of debt from my recent stink with real estate that consumed about $20,000 of my money and paid off about $1,000 in commission. I get three pay days this month, and I'm anticipating having saved a total $2,000 toward my goal. I still have three weeks to go, so we'll see where I'm at then.
Lesson of the day: noodles will help you keep your food budget on track. And you can add healthy food to it too, like vegetables. My favourite is broccoli.
Okay, I know the title of this post isn't very clever. And, really, how long can I go on by simply titling my posts "update?" Just this once.
While I have posted 20 or so articles on this blog that don't really have anything at all to do with the "Road to $100,000", they are actually helping me to get to my goal. By posting a bunch of articles that I have had rejected from online freelance sites such as Demand Media, I am able to convince the peeps from Google that my blog is worth a damn. If they can see that I'm not illiterate and I'm taking this blog seriously, they will allow me to post adds on my site, which is a necessary step to make any sort of money at this. Google has, "partially approved" my site for adds. I was told via email that I would be fully approved or disapproved by tomorrow (Thursday). Once approved, I can start finding other ways to drive traffic up on my site and get revenue, which will help me achieve my $100,000 goal and I can start living my dreams.
The next step for me would be to figure out how to make a gadget that keeps posted the amount of money I have saved to my $100,000 goal. That would likely keep people interested in my site and I would keep pushing toward that goal. Furthermore, I figured out how to add a donate button to my site. So, if you want to donate -- while it might seem that it's in self interest -- please do so. The money that I save now will help me to focus my efforts on helping the less fortunate. Because, by working every day, and all day, I really don't have much time than to fend for anyone but myself -- though I am seriously thinking of buying an accordion for a local man who was beat up and his accordion was smashed. He came into the newspaper today and told my editor his story. Poor homeless guy was in love with his accordion and now it's smashed to bits.
I will be more focused and specific with my future posts, but there is so much to say right now. I must say, that since last time we spoke, I have made some progress on the $100,000 front. I am now out of debt from my recent stink with real estate that consumed about $20,000 of my money and paid off about $1,000 in commission. I get three pay days this month, and I'm anticipating having saved a total $2,000 toward my goal. I still have three weeks to go, so we'll see where I'm at then.
Lesson of the day: noodles will help you keep your food budget on track. And you can add healthy food to it too, like vegetables. My favourite is broccoli.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
What is Hubspot?
With the onslaught of numerous technological advancements, people are asking, "What is HubSpot?" The marketing software has revolutionized Internet marketing since its creation in 2005. Its users are based mainly in the United States and has grown from an estimated 1,400 in 2009 to more than 3,600 in 2010.
Concept
HubSpot software provides users an Internet advertizing mechanism by using inbound marketing, which focuses advertisements on being found by a potential customer. In other words, the advertisements that are viewed are related to the page in which the Internet user is browsing. The concept centers around the idea that the advertiser earns their placement on the webpage. For example, the advertiser could provide information that relates to the website on which the user is browsing. This is in contrast to outbound marketing, which focuses on advertisers paying for their advertisements and issuing press releases, for example. Popups fall under the category of outbound marketing because they interrupt potential customers, rather than allowing them to find the advertisements and then click on them. One of the software's founders stated that the inbound marketing is in contrast to the strategy that has advertisers "buy, beg, or bug their way in."
The software also aims to be more effective at enticing clients to click on ads.
The products created by the HubSpot software assists customers in using and measuring Internet marketing techniques such as social media, search engine optimization and blogging. The tools used to measure the productivity of each technique include a keyword grader, which allows the user to use keywords that are common and not used very often by the company's competition.
The link grader helps the user compare and assess the authority and number of the inbound links that are generated on the search engine results page.
The page grader provides suggestions on the length of the title used by the advertiser, as well as the tags and images.
The website grader compares the websites for search engine optimization qualities and the software provides suggestions for improvement. An advanced and paid version of the software provides trends and various other features that aren't included in the free version.
Controversy
The software was under heat when its website grader program was criticized for giving misleading results that was claimed to be less superior than human analysis. Users asked questions like "What is Hubspot to claim that they can streamline the collection of data previously collected by people?" Others, however, have touted the system, saying it is far superior to human data collection.
Value
So, what is HubSpot to an advertiser? Well, two studies at MIT Sloan School of Management shows a much larger return to a company using the technology. The company has published multiple success stories about companies that have seen considerable growth in sales after using the software. Other studies have detailed a favorable return on investment by using the HubSpot methodology.
The success has gone so far as to earn the software the placement on the Lead411's Hottest Boston Companies list.
The software was also noted in the SaaS and Enterprise category for an "AlwaysOn East Top 100" company.
In 2010, HubSpot was the recipient on the "TiE50 Award," and it was given the BtoB Social Media Marketing Award in the same year.
History
The company was founded by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah when they met at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004. The pair went on to incorporate HubSpot in June 2006.
The company was initially supported by General Catalyst Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Salesforce.com, Google Ventures and Matrix Partners.
With the onslaught of numerous technological advancements, people are asking, "What is HubSpot?" The marketing software has revolutionized Internet marketing since its creation in 2005. Its users are based mainly in the United States and has grown from an estimated 1,400 in 2009 to more than 3,600 in 2010.
Concept
HubSpot software provides users an Internet advertizing mechanism by using inbound marketing, which focuses advertisements on being found by a potential customer. In other words, the advertisements that are viewed are related to the page in which the Internet user is browsing. The concept centers around the idea that the advertiser earns their placement on the webpage. For example, the advertiser could provide information that relates to the website on which the user is browsing. This is in contrast to outbound marketing, which focuses on advertisers paying for their advertisements and issuing press releases, for example. Popups fall under the category of outbound marketing because they interrupt potential customers, rather than allowing them to find the advertisements and then click on them. One of the software's founders stated that the inbound marketing is in contrast to the strategy that has advertisers "buy, beg, or bug their way in."
The software also aims to be more effective at enticing clients to click on ads.
The products created by the HubSpot software assists customers in using and measuring Internet marketing techniques such as social media, search engine optimization and blogging. The tools used to measure the productivity of each technique include a keyword grader, which allows the user to use keywords that are common and not used very often by the company's competition.
The link grader helps the user compare and assess the authority and number of the inbound links that are generated on the search engine results page.
The page grader provides suggestions on the length of the title used by the advertiser, as well as the tags and images.
The website grader compares the websites for search engine optimization qualities and the software provides suggestions for improvement. An advanced and paid version of the software provides trends and various other features that aren't included in the free version.
Controversy
The software was under heat when its website grader program was criticized for giving misleading results that was claimed to be less superior than human analysis. Users asked questions like "What is Hubspot to claim that they can streamline the collection of data previously collected by people?" Others, however, have touted the system, saying it is far superior to human data collection.
Value
So, what is HubSpot to an advertiser? Well, two studies at MIT Sloan School of Management shows a much larger return to a company using the technology. The company has published multiple success stories about companies that have seen considerable growth in sales after using the software. Other studies have detailed a favorable return on investment by using the HubSpot methodology.
The success has gone so far as to earn the software the placement on the Lead411's Hottest Boston Companies list.
The software was also noted in the SaaS and Enterprise category for an "AlwaysOn East Top 100" company.
In 2010, HubSpot was the recipient on the "TiE50 Award," and it was given the BtoB Social Media Marketing Award in the same year.
History
The company was founded by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah when they met at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004. The pair went on to incorporate HubSpot in June 2006.
The company was initially supported by General Catalyst Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Salesforce.com, Google Ventures and Matrix Partners.
The Social Supply Chain Explained
A supply chain is the flow of goods from the manufacturer to the suppliers and then to the customers. The chain includes the capital that is required to manage and to distribute the goods. But a social supply chain goes further by including social data, interactions and networking.
When a product is released in a specific area, studying social the potential customer base allows the distributor to assess the demand. For example, if a product is released in Florida, researchers can determine the demand by studying the social factors in the community. However, when a product is released to the general public, human trends are analyzed to help realize demand.
When completing a social supply demand analysis in a nearby region, a company will use the social supply chain analysis to determine whether the product will sell in another state. The information attained can be used to change the supply chain to address the demand. For example, if the company sells tires -- and it realizes the demand in a northern state -- the company could sell the tires but change them to winter tires or all seasons. Based on the information provided by social data, the company is able to change its product and other factors such as advertisement and distribution.
The social data can also be used to convince a company not to do business in a particular area. For example, when the area in which you want to deliver your product is too far away, the company can determine that the location shipment costs that are too high. However, the information about the time delay can cause the company to alter its production so that the delivery is still profitable. A company could send larger shipments of a product to the area to compensate for the increased transport costs because shipments per package are cheaper when in bulk.
The ability to hear feedback is another aspect of a social supply chain. Feedback mechanisms allow companies to cater to the specific needs of the public. This can be completed through Internet or mail-in surveys and telephone calls. When a company receives a lot of consistent information about their products, it will alter them to meet the wants of its buyers.
The social supply chain allows distributors to communicate directly with their customers through social networking. Website such as Twitter and Facebook allows the company to post promotions directly to its customers' accounts.
A supply chain is the flow of goods from the manufacturer to the suppliers and then to the customers. The chain includes the capital that is required to manage and to distribute the goods. But a social supply chain goes further by including social data, interactions and networking.
When a product is released in a specific area, studying social the potential customer base allows the distributor to assess the demand. For example, if a product is released in Florida, researchers can determine the demand by studying the social factors in the community. However, when a product is released to the general public, human trends are analyzed to help realize demand.
When completing a social supply demand analysis in a nearby region, a company will use the social supply chain analysis to determine whether the product will sell in another state. The information attained can be used to change the supply chain to address the demand. For example, if the company sells tires -- and it realizes the demand in a northern state -- the company could sell the tires but change them to winter tires or all seasons. Based on the information provided by social data, the company is able to change its product and other factors such as advertisement and distribution.
The social data can also be used to convince a company not to do business in a particular area. For example, when the area in which you want to deliver your product is too far away, the company can determine that the location shipment costs that are too high. However, the information about the time delay can cause the company to alter its production so that the delivery is still profitable. A company could send larger shipments of a product to the area to compensate for the increased transport costs because shipments per package are cheaper when in bulk.
The ability to hear feedback is another aspect of a social supply chain. Feedback mechanisms allow companies to cater to the specific needs of the public. This can be completed through Internet or mail-in surveys and telephone calls. When a company receives a lot of consistent information about their products, it will alter them to meet the wants of its buyers.
The social supply chain allows distributors to communicate directly with their customers through social networking. Website such as Twitter and Facebook allows the company to post promotions directly to its customers' accounts.
Telecom Management: The keys to managing telecom services
Telecommunications management is undergoing a restructuring in the corporate environment that is anticipated to integrate additional technologies. This makeover is initiated by the joint efforts of telecommunication and computer technology, which has launched growth in telecom data service offerings.
A telecommunications management network (TMN) handles the architectural framework of the telecoms system, interfacing the network with computer systems and providing various management functions at various levels. The computer-integrated system allows management to relay information to various operating systems, networks, computer systems and through communication equipment. The TMN provides control of the information flow and the service operations.
Various TMN systems are available for purchase, each with its own benefits and pitfalls, but there are key aspects to the telecom management that will set up a system that eases the use of telecommunications systems.
An effective TMN controls an array of customer-oriented services, such as telecard, phone assistance and customer network services.
Customers are provided with contact information, handing a magnitude of transaction that include providing and ending services, eliminating accounts, billing, error reports and quality of service management.
The system also allows users to manage interactions with service providers, while interfacing with other administrations and private operating agencies.
Interactions between services, such as the workforce and network management are also vital. Verbal communication is one priority of telecom management, but in an age where technology dominates many aspects of the corporate environment, the integration of various applications is important to accomplish an efficient network of management platforms.
Many of the earlier management platforms required the applications to be in the same telecom management domain, but new TMN systems allow users to support an application program interface that provides automatic connections to the management while allowing location transparency.
More recent telecom management strategies have called for a readjustment to a more user-oriented and service-oriented experience. This leads to a shift in the ease of use for the user, rather than a more complicated and technical format. The strategy could ease the management of the services and put more onus on the users for managing their own accounts. The shift focuses on streamlining management relating to how the service is provided to customers, which management responsibilities are still vital to providing the level of services offered when the network was sold, and how the service is set up. For example, does the company selling the service allow the customer to set up their own telecommunications network.
Delegating management responsibilities to the customer frees up staff to deal with responsibilities relating to the delivery of ever-evolving services. Growth of global computer and telecommunications management has demanded more company time, and has taken away from time available to assist customers in their day-to-day telecom management.
Much of the evolution in the services centers around the integration of multiple technologies. For example, telecommunication, computer, fax, printer and television services are constantly being integrated. Companies are using blue-tooth devices to management their telecommunications. This full integration leads to less clutter and time saved. But it can also lead to complications in managing the services, due to the highly technical knowledge needed for delivery.
Stakeholders in the development of streamlined telecommunications management are working on a framework that encompasses multiple technologies for effective delivery of products.
While the technologies introduced by telecommunications companies are evolving, the need to effectively integrate each evolution without affecting the delivery of existing services is expanding. Each new device must be aligned with existing technology for easy access to the overall telecommunication system in each business. This integration has already been demonstrated by many computer companies that release new gadgets that are compatible with their existing products.
Telecommunications management is undergoing a restructuring in the corporate environment that is anticipated to integrate additional technologies. This makeover is initiated by the joint efforts of telecommunication and computer technology, which has launched growth in telecom data service offerings.
A telecommunications management network (TMN) handles the architectural framework of the telecoms system, interfacing the network with computer systems and providing various management functions at various levels. The computer-integrated system allows management to relay information to various operating systems, networks, computer systems and through communication equipment. The TMN provides control of the information flow and the service operations.
Various TMN systems are available for purchase, each with its own benefits and pitfalls, but there are key aspects to the telecom management that will set up a system that eases the use of telecommunications systems.
An effective TMN controls an array of customer-oriented services, such as telecard, phone assistance and customer network services.
Customers are provided with contact information, handing a magnitude of transaction that include providing and ending services, eliminating accounts, billing, error reports and quality of service management.
The system also allows users to manage interactions with service providers, while interfacing with other administrations and private operating agencies.
Interactions between services, such as the workforce and network management are also vital. Verbal communication is one priority of telecom management, but in an age where technology dominates many aspects of the corporate environment, the integration of various applications is important to accomplish an efficient network of management platforms.
Many of the earlier management platforms required the applications to be in the same telecom management domain, but new TMN systems allow users to support an application program interface that provides automatic connections to the management while allowing location transparency.
More recent telecom management strategies have called for a readjustment to a more user-oriented and service-oriented experience. This leads to a shift in the ease of use for the user, rather than a more complicated and technical format. The strategy could ease the management of the services and put more onus on the users for managing their own accounts. The shift focuses on streamlining management relating to how the service is provided to customers, which management responsibilities are still vital to providing the level of services offered when the network was sold, and how the service is set up. For example, does the company selling the service allow the customer to set up their own telecommunications network.
Delegating management responsibilities to the customer frees up staff to deal with responsibilities relating to the delivery of ever-evolving services. Growth of global computer and telecommunications management has demanded more company time, and has taken away from time available to assist customers in their day-to-day telecom management.
Much of the evolution in the services centers around the integration of multiple technologies. For example, telecommunication, computer, fax, printer and television services are constantly being integrated. Companies are using blue-tooth devices to management their telecommunications. This full integration leads to less clutter and time saved. But it can also lead to complications in managing the services, due to the highly technical knowledge needed for delivery.
Stakeholders in the development of streamlined telecommunications management are working on a framework that encompasses multiple technologies for effective delivery of products.
While the technologies introduced by telecommunications companies are evolving, the need to effectively integrate each evolution without affecting the delivery of existing services is expanding. Each new device must be aligned with existing technology for easy access to the overall telecommunication system in each business. This integration has already been demonstrated by many computer companies that release new gadgets that are compatible with their existing products.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Safe Sleep Aids for Babies
Much like adults, babies have quirks
when it comes to sleeping. One baby will suck his thumb to help him
sleep, while another will only need her blanket. Some babies sleep very
well without the need of assistance, but others require all the help
they can get. Prescribing sleep medication for babies doesn't address
the cause of the sleep problem, according to Dr. Richard Ferber. Experts
recommend other, natural sleep remedies.
Position
A baby should be placed on her back
for sleep, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Babies with a
medical condition may require a different sleeping position. According
to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development, infants suffering from symptomatic gastro-esophageal
reflux should lay on their backs. Babies with airway malformations
aren't as hindered as the aforementioned infants when laying on their
stomach. It is important to consult a pediatrician before you decide
which position to put your baby in if she has a condition.
Regularity
You can help your baby by providing a
regular sleeping schedule and routine, according to Baby Center. This
is best for babies between three and 12 months old. Though the baby will
often wake up at irregular hours and require feeding, you can keep him
on a routine as much as possible by burping him before bed every night.
You can also help him sleep by blocking off lights and a creating a
quiet room . He may require a night light.
Swaddling
According Baby Center, many infants
younger than three months feel most comfortable when they are swaddled,
which means they are somewhat tightly wrapped in their blanket with
their arms at their sides and the blanket tucked underneath their back
and feet. This is intended to mimic the security of being in a womb.
Swaddling is particularly effective at getting to sleep a newborn,
specifically younger than one month, Baby Center notes. Absorbing many
nighttime startle-reflex jolts by swaddling the baby can help reduce the
number of times he wakes up.
Comfort
The comfort many infants and babies
find in thumb sucking is an acceptable way for them to fall asleep.
However, according to Family Gentle Dental Care, thumb sucking is blamed
by dentists for tooth misalignment. Some babies do grow their teeth as
early as a few months old, so you should be aware of your child's tooth
development before you allow her to suck her thumb. She might also find
comfort in a pacifier, though that can fall out of her mouth at night.
Infants and many babies younger than one year won't be able to put it
back in their mouth.
References
- Family Gentle Dental Care: Thumb Sucking [
- Baby Center: Sleep Aids for Babies [
- Pediatric Views: Dr. Richard Ferber; June 2006 [
- American Academy of Pediatrics: A Child Care Provider's Guide to Safe Sleep; Safe Sleep Practices [
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Are There Any Babies Who Should Be Placed Prone for Sleep? [
Grilling Information for Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts
You need to observe a few guidelines to
achieve the best grilled boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Grilling
the meat is a bit different from cooking chicken with the skin and
bones in. For example, boneless chicken takes less time to cook.
Boneless and skinless chicken breasts are easy to eat and can be put on a
bun to make a chicken burger, or it can simply be served with your
favorite side dish.
Chicken
Knowing where to buy your chicken is
one of the secret to delicious grilled meat. Much of the skinless and
boneless chicken breasts in regular supermarkets is watered down, which
means the density of meat is altered by added water. You can tell this
by the pale color and flatness. The best chicken is more voluminous and
pink. Find the best chicken in municipal markets and on farms, as well
as at many grocery stores that have more recently come into the
mainstream focus on free-range and organic-fed chicken, which produce
prime skinless and boneless chicken grilling meat.
Marinate
Marinating your chicken will prevent
it from sticking on the grill. Chicken that is marinated overnight will
also have the best flavor. Putting the chicken into a casserole dish
and covering thoroughly with marinade before sealing it with plastic
wrap and putting it in the fridge will give you the best results. Black
bean or teriyaki sauce are among the most appropriate sauces when
grilling meat because of their dark flavor that blends well with smoke
from a grill.
Grill
Preheating your grill for several
minutes before putting on the chicken will help you gauge the amount of
time needed before you flip the poultry over. An heated grill will also
decrease the chance of the meat sticking. You can also decrease the
likelihood of sticking by coating the grill with cooking spray. Skinless
and boneless chicken breasts are particularly lean, so there is little
fat to liquify on the grill and provide lubrication.
Cooking
Using metal tongs to place the
chicken on the grill will help you avoid burning your hands. A closed
grill will help the meat cook faster. It will require approximately four
minutes on each side if you are cooking on a hot grill. Close the lid
to decrease the cooking time by about a minute on each side. You can
tell when to flip it by looking at the sides of the meat. If they are
white more than halfway up the sides, then leave it for another minute
before flipping. Always slice the meat open in the middle to see if it
is white all the way through. This indicates that it is cooked. You can
also use a meat thermometer, which should read at least 165 degrees
Fahrenheit at the center of the thickest portion.
References
Role of Women in Greek Tragedy
Women are depicted as villains, victims
and heroes in Greek tragedies. Though women were considered
insignificant to men, female characters are featured in many of the most
famous Greek tragedies, according to Richeast.org. These characters
give clues to historians about how women were perceived and treated in
Greek society. The tragedies were a common theme in ancient Greek
theater.
Villain
The character Clytemnestra is a
noted Greek villain who murders her husband and his mistress in the play
"Agamemnon". She took her husband over a crimson carpet that resembled a
"sea of red blood" and then killed him in a bath. She is a brutal and
treacherous woman with a "man's heart". Others in the play fear and hate
her. Clytemnestra is also considered a victim because of her difficult
past. For example, to win a war, she sacrificed her daughter to appease a
goddess.
Heroine
Antigone, in the tragedy "Antigone",
buries her brother despite a Creon law that forbids her to do so. Her
brothers killed each other in war for their father's throne. One of the
brothers is permitted by Creon law to be honored and buried, but the
other is not. Antigone is so devoted to honoring the unburied brother
that she is killed because of it. The act is a symbol of family loyalty.
The audience is left to wonder if people should show loyalty first to
their government or to their family.
Victim
In the play "The Women of Troy",
Cassandra is depicted as a victim after successive tragic events. For
example, she refused her body to the god Apollo who then curses her with
the ability to see into the future. This is a curse because no matter
what she sees, no one believes her. Her prophesy that Troy would be
destroyed was ignored. When the battle of Troy was taking place, she
looked for refuge in the Temple of Athena where she was raped.
Heroine, Villain and Victim
The character Medea in the play
"Medea" is a hero, villain and a victim. She is a witch who is also the
daughter of a sorcerer and her grandfather is a god. The narrative is a
play on the roles of men and women. Medea followed her love interest,
Jason, to Greece from her foreign land. When he falls in love with
another woman, Medea murders her own children and then sends the
mistress a poisonous dress to get back at Jason.
References
How Can I Be in a Pepsi Commercial?
Landing a role in a Pepsi commercial
will take a lot of perseverance and excellent timing. Many of the actors
who get work take whatever roles they can get, some of which are parts
in Pepsi commercials. Most commercials are shot in Los Angeles, New
York, Vancouver and Toronto, respectively, so you will likely have to be
in one of those cities to get a role. After landing an audition, you
could be the next Pepsi commercial star.
Step 1
Hire someone to take your headshots.
Tell the photographer you are trying to find an agent to represent you
for Pepsi commercials. This will help guide him as to which shot to use
as your main photo. Smile in the photos, as Pepsi commercials often
feature people who are smiling.
Step 2
Complete one or more commercial
training courses. Complete one or more audition courses. When practicing
lines, use scripts from actual Pepsi commercials to get you more
familiar with their style of acting.
Step 3
Write a resume that includes you
height, eye color, hair color, weight, training, experience and special
skills. Submit this to agents along with your headshot.
Step 4
Wait for a response from an agent
who will either ask you to come in for an audition or choose to
represent you immediately. Wait for your agent to call you for an
audition from Pepsi.
Step 5
Attend the Pepsi auditions and then
wait for a callback. If you are chosen for a callback you will have to
audition again. The casting director may require you to audition more
times after that.
Tips
Don't tell your agent that you only
want to act in a Pepsi commercial. He will likely think you are not
serious about acting. Instead attend every audition he sends you to and
hope that he sends you to a Pepsi commercial audition.
It is necessary that you get the auditions through your agent because Pepsi will not audition actors who aren't represented or who cold call them.
It is necessary that you get the auditions through your agent because Pepsi will not audition actors who aren't represented or who cold call them.
References
Cultural Beliefs of the Afar Tribe
The Afar tribe live in a 143,000 square
kilometer region in Djibouti and Ethiopia. This area is often referred
to as the Afar Triangle. The barren landscape is sparsely freckled with
lava streams and saltwater lakes. Approximately 1.2 million Afars lived
in Ethiopia in 2007 and another 96,000 lived in Djibouti in 2009. Afar
people say they are descendants of Arabs.
Lifestyle
Afars are nomads with a simple
lifestyle focused on survival. A daily routine consists of tending to
livestock and studying religion. Muslim beliefs dominate the culture,
although the beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox Church are also practiced.
Afars tend to roam the valleys and rarely stick to one area but will
spend more time in an area if they find water in a dry season. During
the rainy season, they travel and collect rainwater. Building housing is
uncommon and any structure is temporary.
Classes
Afar society consists of two clans
-- the "reds," called Asaimara and who are the nobles and the "whites"
who are the commoners and are called Adoimara. These clans existed
entirely at times in separate territories, but they are usually mixed
today. The Asaimaras were given territorial rights among the clans when
they were living together, while the Adoimara had grazing rights. Now,
both are intermingled and don't divide their roles. Though the majority
of these two clans are now joined as one, some have decided to live
independently of each other.
War
The Afar have long fought with their
neighbors, the Esa Somali, Ittu, Enia Galla, Wallo, Yaju, Raya Galla,
Issa and Saho, who also occupy the same area of Africa. Afars are
considered by these tribes as being fierce and determined to battle. The
Afar fighting and political unit is called the mela, which means tribe.
From 1991 to 1994 the Afar people fought with the Issa government, who
claimed control over Djibouti, for authority as the main ethnic group in
the nation. Hassan Gouled Aptidon, the Djibouti president at the time,
restructured his government so the Afars and Issas were both given
territory and governing rights on the land.
Food
Nomadic pastoralism, a form of
livestock herding where the animals are moved periodically to find new
areas to graze, is the main form of subsistence for the Afars. The
livestock consists of sheep, camels, goats and the odd cattle. Some of
the Afars that live on the coast also fish. This makes for the Afar a
high-protein, meat diet, though dairy is also on the menu. Afar people
also hunt for meat. They trade agricultural products with farmers, or
they steal them.
References
How to become an Amateur Radio Operator
Amateur radio, or ham, operators have
opened to themselves to a new line of possibilities, broadening their
communication scope into an entertaining world of radio frequencies. A
license is required in the United States to operate on these
frequencies. Three classes of licenses are available for you to choose
from, each giving the operator another level of privileges and
broadening their scope even more. The technician class is the entry
level license, the general class gives extended frequency privileges and
the extra class gives privileges to all levels of amateur frequencies.
Step 1
Buy the home study materials to
prepare for your test offered at http://www.arrl.org/arrl-store. Order
"Now You're Talking." The National Association for Amateur Radio highly
recommends the book for studying to pass your exam.
Step 2
Find the nearest license exam
location in your area by visiting
http://www.arrl.org/finding-an-exam-session. Enter your ZIP code, city,
state, area of residence (you will be offered a list to choose from),
country and day you want to write the exam.
Step 3
Study the materials offered in the
Ham Radio License Manual that is offered at the National Association for
Amateur Radio. This material will provide you with information about
how to transmit without breaking the law. Set aside between two weeks
and two months to study. Familiarizing yourself with the study material,
which will cover operating your radio and the laws that restrict its
use.
Step 4
Fill out an exam registration form
found at
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/VEs/Print%20ARRL%20VEC%20session%20registration%20form.txt.
Include the test date, time, your sponsor if you have one, address of
the test side, your name, phone number, email address and home address.
Email the form to vetests@arrl.org.
Step 5
Attend your exam. The exam required a
fee of $14 in 2005. Bring a photo ID, 2 other forms of ID, calculator,
two pencils with erasers and pen.
Step 6
Wait for your Certificate of
Successful Completion and then file paperwork you receive in the mail
with the Volunteer Exam Coordinator either in person at the exam center
or by mailing to the address indicated on the paperwork. You will
receive a call sign in a few days, which will give your frequencies that
you can operate under.
Step 7
Purchase a ham radio that fits into
your desired operation. For example, do you plan to be fixed or mobile?
If you want to communicate from the road, then pick a radio that is
portable and with a long battery life. Most radios will be able to
function on the frequency you have been given, though choose a larger
antenna and a long range if your frequency range is narrow.
Step 8
Turn your radio to the frequency you
have been given. Choose a new frequency if the current one already has
people talking. Speak into the radio by pressing the corresponding
"speak" button. This is also called keying your mic. Wait for someone to
respond.
References
- The Natioanl Association for Amateur Radio: Exam Practice [
- QRZ.com: How to Become a Ham. [
- The National Association for Amateur Radio: What is Ham Radio? [
- Athens Amateur Radio Club: How to Become an Amateur Radio Operator [
- Hamtalk.org: Choosing a Radio [
- Hamuniverse.com: How to Use Amatuer (Ham Radio) Repeaters [
Resources (Further Reading)
How to Hide Butternut Squash in Foods for Children
Convincing your kids to eat their
vegetables can be about as difficult as getting them to brush their
teeth. If you have a garden and grow butternut squash, or you just like
the taste and you purchase it from the store, you might need to find
ways to disguise or hide the sweet vegetable in your child's food.
Disguising the squash and putting it in food that your kids like will
have them eating the vegetable in no time.
Step 1
Chop the squash in to small pieces
and put it on a pizza. Place the squash on the crust first and then
cover it with tomato sauce. Place other ingredients on such as
pepperoni, tomato and green pepper. Top it off with cheese and then bake
it in the oven to let the cheese melt and cover the squash.
Step 2
Place the cooked squash in the
blender with yogurt and ice cream. Blend the ingredients and scoop the
mixture into a bowl. Serve the mixture over granola and serve for
breakfast.
Step 3
Roll a piece of whole wheat bread
with a rolling pin. Blend the cooked squash in a blender. Scoop the
pureed squash on the bread. Place sliced meat on top and a slice of
cheese. Roll the bread and ingredients together.
References
How to Ask a Girl Out if You Are Afraid of Getting Rejected
Try approaching asking a girl as if you
are building a fire. The girls you meet are the kindling, the spark is
the connection between you and the girl, and blowing on the fire is you
asking the girl out. But without the spark, you will be disappointed
every time. Many guys make the mistake of asking a girl out right away,
which works for some; but to avoid rejection, you must learn to read the
signs.
In Person
Step 1
Talk to the girl. Get to know her a
little and let her get to know you. Read any signs that she might be
interested in you. For example, she may smile a lot and ask you
questions. If she is responding to you abruptly, then you should stop
here and look for another girl.
Step 2
Tell her about what you are doing in
the next couple hours. Say, "I am going to the market, if you want to
join me." An open-ended question like this will make her feel at ease
and it isn't exactly asking her out, so you can avoid any pain if she
says "No."
Step 3
Get to know her a bit more if she
comes to the market, or wherever, with you. Ask her about her job,
school or her hobbies. Listen to her intently and allow her to speak
until she is done. Respond to any question she might have, which is an
indication she might be interested in you, or at least that she has
social skills. If she doesn't ask you a question, tell her something
about yourself that relates to the conversation, such as about your
employment, school or hobbies.
Step 4
Inch a bit closer to her to see
whether she moves closer, stays put or moves away. If she moves closer,
she almost certainly likes you; if she stays put, she may like you; and
if she moves away, she might not like you.
Step 5
Use the signs in Step 3 to determine
whether to ask her out on a date. Physical contact is a major
indication about whether what you have is more than friendship, so use
physicality as an indication about whether to ask for a date. Ask her to
do something fun with you, such as get ice cream at the beach.
Online
Step 1
Write a short message asking her how she is doing. This can be over a social networking site or though email.
Step 2
Wait for a response. If she responds
and asks you a question back, she is indicating she wants to keep the
communication going. If she doesn't respond, stop here and move on.
Step 3
Write a slightly longer email
answering her question and then ask her another question to indicate
that you want her to respond. Make this message about one paragraph. If
she doesn't respond, stop.
Step 4
Wait for her response and then see
if it is longer and if it asks you another question. At this point, it
is clear that she is interested in you, perhaps in a romantic way. Stop
if she doesn't respond.
Step 5
Ask her to hang out with you. Keep
it simple or ask her to a movie, where you can spend time together but
don't really have to talk. Movies rarely have a chance to be awkward and
time available for conversation is so short that it is difficult to dry
up.
References
How to Measure a Kid for a Baseball Bat
An appropriately-sized baseball bat
could mean the difference between your child striking out and hitting a
grand-slam home run. Finding a baseball bat that could put your child at
the top of her game requires careful measurements of both her height
and weight, but you still need to consider her skill level. Regular
replacement of baseball bats is necessary for your child to grow into a
sport touted as "America's Favorite Pastime."
Step 1
Position your child so that he is
standing straight against a wall on which you can make a pencil mark.
Draw a mark at the top of your child's head.
Step 2
Place the end of a tape measure at the bottom of the wall. Measure to the mark and take note.
Step 3
Weight the child. Write down the child's height and weight when determining the baseball bat size.
Step 4
Give the child over six feet a 34-inch bat -- use a 33-inch if he weighs less than 161 pounds.
Give him a 33-inch bat if he is between 5-foot-6 and 6 feet -- use a 34-inch bat if he weighs more than 180 pounds.
Hand over a 32-inch bat if he is between 5 feet and 5-foot-6 -- use a 31-inch if he is under 121 pounds.
Four-foot-9 to 5 feet should use a bat between 30 and 32 inches -- use 32 inches for kids over 150 pounds, use 31 inches for kids between 91 and 151 pounds and use a 30-inch bat for less than 91 pounds.
From 4-foot-5 to 4-foot-8, use a 29- to 31-inch bat -- use a 31-inch bat if he weighs more than 131 pounds, use 30 inches if between 61 and 131 pounds, use 29 for any weight under 61 pounds.
From 4-foot-1 to 4-foot-4, give him a bat that is between 29 and 31 inches -- 151 pounds and up should get 31 inches, from 91 o 150 pounds use 30 inches and under 91 pounds gets a 29-inch bat.
From 3-foot-9 to 4 feet, use a 28- to 30-inch bat -- 30 inches if the child weighs over 121 pounds, 29 inches if between 81 and121 pounds and use 28 inches if under 81 pounds.
From 3-foot-5 to 3-foot-8, use a 27- to 29-inch bat -- 29 inches if weighing over 100 pounds, 28 inches if between 70 and 101 pounds and 27 inches for under 71 pounds.
From 3 feet to 3-foot-4, use a 26- to 27-inch bat -- 27 inches if over 60 pounds and 26 inches if under.
Give him a 33-inch bat if he is between 5-foot-6 and 6 feet -- use a 34-inch bat if he weighs more than 180 pounds.
Hand over a 32-inch bat if he is between 5 feet and 5-foot-6 -- use a 31-inch if he is under 121 pounds.
Four-foot-9 to 5 feet should use a bat between 30 and 32 inches -- use 32 inches for kids over 150 pounds, use 31 inches for kids between 91 and 151 pounds and use a 30-inch bat for less than 91 pounds.
From 4-foot-5 to 4-foot-8, use a 29- to 31-inch bat -- use a 31-inch bat if he weighs more than 131 pounds, use 30 inches if between 61 and 131 pounds, use 29 for any weight under 61 pounds.
From 4-foot-1 to 4-foot-4, give him a bat that is between 29 and 31 inches -- 151 pounds and up should get 31 inches, from 91 o 150 pounds use 30 inches and under 91 pounds gets a 29-inch bat.
From 3-foot-9 to 4 feet, use a 28- to 30-inch bat -- 30 inches if the child weighs over 121 pounds, 29 inches if between 81 and121 pounds and use 28 inches if under 81 pounds.
From 3-foot-5 to 3-foot-8, use a 27- to 29-inch bat -- 29 inches if weighing over 100 pounds, 28 inches if between 70 and 101 pounds and 27 inches for under 71 pounds.
From 3 feet to 3-foot-4, use a 26- to 27-inch bat -- 27 inches if over 60 pounds and 26 inches if under.
Tips
A longer bat will improve her hitting
ability, so if she is stronger than most children for her size, then
increase the length of her bat by 1 or 2 inches.
After batting with her new equipment, she may find that she can handle a larger size -- the size can increase as she becomes more skilled.
After batting with her new equipment, she may find that she can handle a larger size -- the size can increase as she becomes more skilled.
References
Angry Feelings Activities for Kids
The way a child handles her anger can
either make a situation worse or better. Throughout childhood people are
learning their limits and they have yet to accept many of the realities
of life. This can make them very angry, but there are ways to control
this emotion.
Managing Anger
Instead of getting angry and lashing
out at others, practice admitting when you are angry and then figure
out how you can become pleasant again. Identify the source of the
problem and ask yourself how you are going to make the situation better.
If there is no evident solution to the problem, find somewhere that you
can be alone and think about a plan to address the issue. For example,
if your teacher gave you too much homework, talk to your parents about
it and see if they can help.
Quick Fixes
Several techniques can help you
overcome your anger and put you back on track. For example, count to 10,
talk to a friend, hug someone you know, exercise, draw a picture
expressing your anger, play music and sing along, put a pillow over your
face and scream into it, think happy thoughts or play a game. These
exercises can help you take a time out and think more rationally to come
up with a solution to the problem.
Discussion
After you experience the anger and
have mitigated the negative feeling, talk to a peer, parent or other
adult who you can trust. Tell them why you were angry and ask for their
guidance. They may tell you that being angry is completely normal and
you had every right to be upset. You can ask for advice on how you can
handle anger and if you dealt with the feeling in the right way.
Child Anger
According to Dr. Richard Niolon,
children should be allowed to get angry. The emotion is a normal part of
being a human and expressing the feeling is needed for mental health.
Children often become angry because control of their world is limited to
the decisions made by adults in their lives. This creates a helpless
feeling that can be frustrating for kids and lead to bursts of anger, or
prolonged anger in some cases.
References
How to Remove Yourself From the Consideration for a Job
When removing yourself from
consideration for a job, you want to be as forthcoming as possible in
order to ensure that the potential employer would want to see you again.
Circumstances may change and you could find yourself looking for a
position with the same employer in the future. In other situations, the
impression that you make with the person could affect you in the field
you are practicing if the potential employer discusses the way you
handled removing yourself from consideration.
Step 1
Phone the potential employer and
tell them you no longer want to be considered for the position. Be
prepared to answer why you've changed your mind. Thank them for their
consideration.
Step 2
Email the potential employer and
tell them you no longer want to be considered for the position if you
don't want to have a conversation with the person. Let them know why you
have decided to be removed from the running and thank them for
considering you.
Step 3
Visit the potential employer to add a
more personal touch if you would rather see them in person. A personal
touch is especially important if you know the person well and don't want
to leave any hard feelings. You may also visit in person if you have
already gone through an extensive screening process and the company has
invested a lot of time in you.
Step 4
Log onto your account at a place you
have applied if you have only submitted your application. Follow the
options on the screen. Each company will have a different process for
removing your application, but many are straightforward and will usually
have an option to access your account, view the jobs you have applied
for and then remove your application from consideration.
Step 5
Consider how you would want the
candidate to withdraw from the job if you were the potential employer.
Often, the way you withdraw from a job depends on how far along the
hiring process you are. For example, if a person agreed to an interview
and then decided they didn't want to go, would you, as a potential
employer, want the person to go to the interview and waste your time,
when they know already they wouldn't take the job even if offered?
References
Teaching Children Routines
Instilling routines in your child can
take them from being lazy and passive in life, into being driven and
productive. The moment your child was born, you were called into action
to raise your kid in the best way that you know how. By following a few
strategies, you can raise a routine-oriented child.
Family Meeting
Every week or so, your family can
get together to discuss the roles and responsibilities of each person in
the household. This is a good way to teach children routines, which can
become particularly essential in households with many people. When
everyone knows his duty and expectations for contributing to the home,
children will be more inclined to stick to their routine because they
feel a sense of duty. Housework is one of the main topics of discussion
at the meeting when developing a routine in hopes of running an
organized home.
Structure
Telling the children when they fall
out-of-line can help them develop good habits that form into their
routine. When children are expected to behave in a certain way through
the establishment of a routine, they will often not be as inclined to
complain about their tasks because their actions will become automatic.
For example, if the child is expected to do the dishes every night after
dinner, he will be more likely go to the kitchen and do them
immediately without complaining. He will also become more efficient at
the task and won't find it as difficult.
Lead by Example
Developing a routine yourself will
set a good example for your kids to follow. Children are particularly
swayed at a young age, so showing the child your routines from when they
are a young age will help them to be disciplined later in life when the
tasks they perform become much more crucial. For example, right now
your child might be getting into the habit of brushing her teeth every
night before she goes to bed. Brush your teeth with her for several
weeks, or until she is able to do it without you by her side
Parents
Developing routines in your children
can also help you as a parent to stop nagging your child. A disciplined
child doesn't often need reminding of what has been instilled in him
through the development of routines. You can also schedule your own
routines to fit in with your children's routines, because you know when
you will have free time to attend to your needs. You will also be free
from having to constantly make decisions for your children.
References
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