Category Archives: Personal Finance and making money.

Gain Experience with the Cisco Design Certification Exams

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Become certified in one of the most popular and useful areas that Cisco has to offer. The design pathway can be mastered by becoming an associate, professional, or expert. Hands-on skill experience and knowledge of network design is required; prior to taking the exam, it is highly recommended that participants take advantage of the numerous training resources available through Cisco, along with the comprehensive practice exams offered by http://www.testslive.com/.

The Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) certification can be attained by passing the 640-864 DESGN examination. Although no prerequisites are required, knowledge from the CCNA and CCNP levels of network switching will appear. The certification will validate the ability to design network infrastructures (switched and routed) and technologies. Obtaining the CCD Professional certification is only possible by passing three exams: 642-874 ARCH, 642-902 ROUTE, and 642-813 SWITCH. Each will cover specific information; advanced network design concepts and fundamentals will be assumed. The internetwork expert certification requires a passing score on the CCDE written exam and practical exam.

Exam information can be found under each certification area in the Learning section of the Cisco website. Earning any of the above exams is a major benefit when confronting employers. A Cisco certification is a strong representation of proper knowledge within the IT profession, and having one in possession can be the one thing that earns you a high-status, high paying job. Train, study, experience, and put your knowledge to the test with a design certification exam.

Promotional Gifts: Giving Your Business Great Rewards

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We’ve all received one at some point; that free branded pen, the pad of paper that you jot down all of you meeting notes onto and not to forget, that free mug you make your first coffee of the day in.

But have you ever stopped to think about the purpose behind that free promotional gift you’ve been given?

For businesses, promotional giveaways are an important part of the promotional mix, acting as extremely effective marketing tools.

Extremely versatile, they can be given to all types of customers, from clients and media contacts, to even a company’s own employees.

From items such as pens, calculators, calendars, mouse mats and pencils, these promotional mechanisms aim to create a lasting positive image of the brand or company for the recipient, in return, create lasting financial rewards for the business.

Still not entirely convinced? Well, here are 5 reasons why promotional gifts can help to boost your business.

1. Increase Brand Awareness

Promotional gifts can help to significantly increase brand awareness, if of course, you get them right.

For this reason, it’s vital that promotional items are of high quality, durable and useful, in order to keep the brand message at the forefront of your customers minds. After all, the more someone sees a brand message, the more it sticks in their mind, therefore the more likely they’ll continue to investing time (and money!) into it.

The most successful promotional gifts support your company where other mediums can’t reach, such as the office. Think stationary, or choose items available from Ideas By Net that are commonly seen throughout the workplace, such as mugs, coasters and USB flash-drives. This will ensure your message remains a prominent feature of your customer’s desk for months, if not years.

However, get it wrong and your gift could backfire, leaving a lasting image for all the wrong reasons. Think carefully about how your chosen item portrays your business. Stay away from the more ‘tacky’ items when wanting to impress an important client.

2. Increase Sales and Influence Purchases

Add increased brand awareness together with a bit of gifted goodwill and naturally, you’re bound to start seeing an overall increase in your sales and profits.

Promotional giveaways are a powerful form of ‘added value’. Generally, customers who feel that a company is giving more value for money are more likely to spend more.

They also hold the ability to generate future leads and curiosity. For new customers, promotional gifts act as incentives in wanting to find out more about a company they’ve seen a lot of, and help to direct people to a website who are keen to discover what available products a company has to offer.

For existing customers, it is common for people to become more receptive to a company that offers a gift as a small ‘thank you’ for their custom. Tactics such as these help to encourage repeat business and help to see an overall improvement in long-term sales.

3. Save Money

Believe it or not, investing a little time and money into promotional gifting can in fact help your business to save money. Why? Because they help to promote your company at a much lower cost than traditional advertising techniques.

As the British Promotional Merchandise Association has found, ‘promotional merchandise can deliver a higher return on investment. The cost per impression for a mug is £0.001, a mid-range pen £0.001, a calendar £0.004, a USB stick £0.005 and an umbrella £0.003. With an average cost per impression of £0.003, these figures compare extremely favourably with the cost per impression of other media.’

4. Improve Image and Perception

Promotional gifts also act as a powerful driving force in influencing perceptions. In every day-to-day life, all over the world, presenting someone with a gift or present is seen as an act of goodwill, kindness and generosity. By also adopting this into your business strategy, you too can make your customers feel valued, creating positive perceptions of your company.

5. Improve Company Morale

Promotional gifts have also been proven to enhance the morale of a company’s employees, thus helping to increase employee productivity.

By providing gifts on events such a company’s anniversary or by giving them as symbols of appreciation, employees will instantly feel like they are a key part of the organisation.

When a company strives to take that extra step to include employees in the marketing plan, it benefits the company in the long term by ensuring positive perceptions of the company start from within.

This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer. Ella specialises in writing about money-making schemes, for both businesses and individuals. 

 

 

You Are Awesome | Book Review

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Craft has had a huge resurgence in recent years. The craft industry is big business. In fact the U.S. craft and hobby industry was worth $29 billion in 2011. But to talk about money takes away the beauty of it. As pay packets dwindle and the cost of living keeps spiraling, people are finding out how joyful it is to make your own things. Whether that be jewellery, clothes or furniture. Which brings me to the book in question: You Are Awesome.

I love everything about the book. From the design, the craft projects, the weight, the author, the concept.

You Are Awesome is a collection of 21 simple craft projects for adults and children with a fresh, contemporary edge. It was written by Abbey Hendrickson who writes the excellent blog, Aesthetic Outburst. This book is hours of entertainment. The concept is that you are awesome (yes, you are) and that you should make the things in the book and give them to someone else who is just as awesome. The step-by-step craft projects are easy and range from a cross-stitched screendoor to a laptop toy made from a cardboard box.

This beautiful book makes a great present, for yourself or anyone else.

Following on from the well received State of Craft, published by Cicada in 2011, You Are Awesome is a beautifully packaged little book that will appeal to advanced hobbyists and curious craftnovices alike.

Buy You Are Awesome: 21 Crafts to Make You Happy

Abbey Hendrickson writes a blog called Aesthetic Outburst documenting her life in an old farmhouse in rural New York. In between DIY disasters, childcare catastrophes and cultural consumption, Abbey makes some fantastic and funky craft projects, which she sells through her Etsy shop. You Are Awesome is a collection of 21 clearly explained step-by-step craft ideas by Abbey Hendrickson. The projects are deceptively simple to make, but have a contemporary freshness that will appeal to seasoned crafters and novices alike. Each one captures the warmth and humour that Abbey herself radiates and which makes her blog so popular. There is nothing more rewarding than making things yourself. Things to live with and things to give to people you love. Let’s revel in the joy of handmade. Crafting is awesome!

Payday lender Fined

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A payday lender has had to pay a fine of more than half a million pounds and has had it’s licence revoked. The Lender fell victim to fraudsters impersonating thousands of people to take out loans.

MCO Capital, under the name Help Loan and Balance Loan, had failed to carry out adequate identity checks, found the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

The OFT said that Its failures made it vulnerable to fraudsters, who used the personal details of more than 7,000 people to successfully apply for loans worth millions of pounds.

And that MCO Capital then caused “unnecessary distress and inconvenience” by writing to people to collect the debts, even though it knew they might not have actually borrowed the money.

The OFT has imposed a £544,505 financial penalty on MCO Capital and revoked its consumer credit licence, which it needs in order to trade.

The lender said in a statement: “MCO Capital is disappointed at the decision of the Office of Fair Trading and is studying the adjudication that it takes very seriously.

“When we have had time to fully consider the decision of the OFT will we be in a position to decide our next steps, which could include lodging an appeal. MCO continues to trade as it is fully entitled to do so whilst a decision regarding a possible appeal is being made.”

Lenders must carry out appropriate identity checks under the Money Laundering Regulations, to make sure they don’t accidentally help money laundering and terrorist financing.

Pay Less For Your Prescriptions.

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Check if you qualify for free prescriptions

People in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland all have free prescriptions. People who live in England are not so lucky. However, if you are on some benefits, are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months then you will be entitled to free prescriptions. Check with your pharmacist.

Use An Alternative

Check that the medicine you have the prescription for is not available over the counter. It could be cheaper to buy it without the prescription. A lot of commonly prescribed medicine is available over the counter.

Prepay.

You can get something called a prescriptions prepayment certificate. It covers all of your NHS prescriptions for a certain period.

For example, if you need four prescriptions in a three month period, you would be better off buying a three-month certificate which costs £29.10. You can get these from the NHS Prescription Pricing Authority website nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1127.aspx or call 0845 850 0030

Ask Your Doctor To Buy in Bulk

You can ask your doctor for a single prescription to cover a certain amount of time. It is not well known but this means that a 1-3 month prescription would only cost £7.65. Instead of buying four different prescriptions over that time, which would cost £30.60. Talk to your doctor about prescription charges and how you can save money.

Other ways to save on medical bills it to take out temporary medical insurance. Your health is the most important thing in life so invest in it as much as you can.

Five Steps to Losing Weight and Debt in the New Year.

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MMI offers practical advice for losing weight and debt in the New Year.

Every New Year, shedding weight and debt is at the top of the list for millions of people resolving to change for the better. According to a recent Times Report, these two are also among the most often broken resolutions.

While experts have offered numerous techniques and strategies for losing weight and paying down debt, the fundamental lifestyle change remains consistent for both – consume less.  Financial stability begins with spending less than you make, followed by paying more on what you owe.  Losing weight begins with consuming fewer calories, and becoming more active.

If you are among the millions vowing to finally achieve a healthy waistline and a healthy bottom-line, consider the following five steps:

  1. Make the commitment.  When considering any lifestyle adjustment, the first step is to decide – are you ready to make the commitment to do what it takes to improve your health and financial wellbeing?  Are you ready to accept responsibility for changing your situation?  Do you believe that you can and will change the way you make decisions about food and money? It isn’t until you can truthfully answer yes to these questions that you will be ready to face the challenges of creating a healthier physical and fiscal life.
  2. Create a plan.  Creating a budget and a meal plan starts with tracking – tracking expenses and tracking calories.  Consider carrying a pocket notebook for noting every penny spent and calorie consumed.  Review your results and look for areas where you should and can make cut backs.
  3. Develop SMART goals .  One of the most important pieces to being successful in these areas is to set clear goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, rewarding and trackable.  Remember to create short-term, or milestone, goals as well as a target accomplishment.  If your ultimate goal is to become debt free, celebrate when you pay off 25 percent.  The same goes with weight lost. If you aspire to lose 50lbs., acknowledge every 5 to 10lbs. as an accomplishment.
  4. Eliminate temptations.  Once you have a clear calorie and spending budget outlined, remove any obstacles that may hinder your success.  Don’t carry your credit cards in your wallet and don’t keep high calorie sweets in the house.  Leave your cards at home in a safe place and only take them out when you have a planned purchase and payoff strategy.  The same applied with food temptations.  If you know you’re going to be in an environment where you’ll be tempted to indulge, eat a light snack before you leave the house.
  5. Stay flexible. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see the pounds or debt melting away as quickly as you had hoped.  Change doesn’t happen overnight, and there are no quick fixes. The important thing is to remain flexible and committed. If you aren’t meeting your goals, revisit and adjust your plans as often as necessary.

Remember, you are human and set-backs are inevitable.  However, if you are truly committed to doing what it takes to meet your goals, you can accomplish anything.  To learn more about staying committed to your New Year’s resolutions, visit MoneyManagement.org and down New Beginnings , one of MMI’s free eBooks.

How to Get Out of Debt and Avoid Fraud

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Be careful with credit counseling agencies that don’t always deliver what they promise

More than one and a half million people file for bankruptcy every year. Many people fall behind on their bills because they’ve lost their jobs, suffered from a long-term illness, or because they were unable to manage their personal finances properly.

Fortunately, there are many resources out there that can help you put together a plan to pay off your debt, including credit counseling agencies.

Signs Your Finances Are in Trouble

You don’t have to be close to filing for bankruptcy to realize that you are in financial trouble. These are some signs that you might have too much debt:

* You are frequently late on your payments
* You are close to your credit limit on your credit cards
* You use your credit cards to make payments on other cards
* You find it difficult to save money
* You’ve been denied credit recently

How to Get out of Debt

To get out of debt and set your finances straight, carefully analyze your income and expenses. Make sure you:

* Make a budget and stay within its limits.
* Figure out your total debt and also what you owe to each creditor, your monthly payments, interest and payment due dates.
* Prioritize repayments, focusing first on things such as your mortgage, rent, and utilities.
* Make a repayment plan for each creditor and determine how long it will take you to pay off the debt. Make sure to review your credit card statements, as they will include information about how long it will take to pay off your balance, per new credit card laws that went into effect in 2010.
* Don’t incur any additional debt.

How to Choose a Credit Counseling Agency

Consider a credit counseling agency if your debt is too much to handle. These companies offer workshops on how to manage your money and advice on how to administer your debt. They can also help you create a budget and even negotiate your debt with creditors.

Many of these companies are nonprofit organizations, however be careful, as some charge excessive fees for their services and others might not even deliver what they promise. Consider these important suggestions before choosing a credit counseling agency:

* Pick a counseling agency that offers several services. This will help you avoid organizations that promote only certain services.
* Avoid credit counseling agencies that charge you for simply providing information, or agencies that demand a percentage of the amount that you are supposedly saving. Ideally, you should request the cost of their services in advance and in writing.
* Stay away from agencies that ask you to stop making payments on your debt or ask you not to contact creditors.

The Department of Justice has a list of credit counseling agencies that are approved to provide pre-bankruptcy counseling.

SOURCE GobiernoUSA.gov/USA.gov

Who To Notify When You Move House

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Moving house is stressful at the best of times, so here is Frost’s guide to who to notify when you move.

Friends and Family.

TV Licence.
Your TV licence only covers you at your current address and won’t move with you automatically. Update it at tvlicensing.co.uk or by post.

Driving Licence.
Update it online at direct.gov.uk. Your Vehicle Registration documents will have to be returned to the DVLA. They will then send you a new one with your updated details.

Council Tax.
Tell your local council when you move out, and when you move into your new home. That way you will be billed correctly.

Mail.
You can get your mail redirected online at royalmail.com or by going to your local post office. It takes five working days so give the appropriate notice.

Doctor and Dentist
Search for practices near you new home by going to NHS.uk and entering your post code. You will have to register with the new practice

Financial Service Provider.
Banks.
Building societies.
Store Card companies.
Insurance companies.
Savings and investments.
Pension company.
Credit card company.
Do this as soon as possible. You don’t want your financial details going to strangers.

Magazine and other subscriptions.
Let them know as soon as possible. They usually need a month’s notice.

Utility Provider
Water
Gas
Electricity
Phone (and mobile phone)
Request a final bill before you move and tell them the date. Take a reading from your old home before you leave and at your new one when you move in. Just in case.

Cable/Internet providers.
If you are sticking with your provider let them know your new address straight away to minimise disruptions to your service.

Electoral register
You will need to register to vote in your new area. Go to aboutmyvote.co.uk and print off a form. Fill it in and send it to your local electoral registration office.

Finally, make sure you have signed the contract for your new home before changing things. Just in case things go wrong.