It may feel like the cards are stacked against you, with high unemployment, pay cuts, employers forcing workers to do more with less resources, increased taxes, and rising costs of living. But there is hope if you act smart and do not give in to financial pressures that seem to make life feel like a losing battle. There are ways to cut costs and increase your income, which is exactly what people need to do to get ahead of the game in today's economy.
When people feel hopeless about their financial situation, they tend to just give up; like an ostrich sticking his head in the sand. "I know... if I pretend the problem does not exist; then there is no problem, right?!" "Out of sight, out of mind..." so to speak. This is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing. Remember that Americans are strong and resilient people and when facing financial problems need to get tough, face the issue head on, and deal with it in the most aggressive and intelligent way, possible. How else do you think that America got to be such a great country? There are many ways to deal with a financial predicament; however the two most obvious ways are to cut expenses and increase revenues.
In order to cut costs, first it is necessary to take a closer look at all of the common monthly expenses that the typical household incurs. It is important for people to know their expenses, create a monthly budget, and determine monthly income before they can learn to be financially responsible. Financial responsibility is a key component of getting ahead of the game. See the following list that shows common household expenses.
Rent/Mortgage
Home Owners Insurance
Home Repairs
Groceries
Medical
Household Supplies
Clothing
Utilities - Nat. Gas, Oil, Electricity, Water, Sewer
Auto Loan
Auto Insurance
Fuel - Gasoline/Diesel
Auto Repairs
Phone, Cable, Internet
Cell Phones
Taxes
Credit Cards
Other Loans
Once a person has their monthly expenses organized on paper (not in their head; if a person is not willing to commit to paper and get organized, then they are going to have a really tough time winning the game), then it is time to look at each individual expense and begin to strategize ways to reduce that expense. Look at the following ideas to cut some of these costs.
Let's look at Automobile Insurance. Shop around to many different Insurance companies for a better rate. Even if someone can only save $10 a month, it's $10 bucks in their pocket to pay down debt, or invest.
If a person is having problems with credit cards, they are not alone. There are many agencies that will help them get a handle on their debt, reduce fees, interest rates, and rebuild their credit rating. However, I would recommend a person be cautious about the agency they contact because there are rumored to be some unscrupulous persons out there that will be happy to take people's monthly payments and pay nothing to the creditors. Consumer Credit Counseling Service is highly recommended and they are a non-profit organization, operating on government grants and funding. They help persons with credit problems turn things around and remove financial stress from their lives.
Here are some ideas on other ways to reduce expenses:
Switch from cable to satellite TV; cut coupons; shop around for better deals on groceries and clothing; make your own cleaning supplies; make your own gifts; super insulate your home from the cold; install solar panels and/or wind generators to reduce electricity costs; buy local produce and meats directly from farmers; repair your vehicle yourself with the help of a friend; make less unnecessary trips by car, be more efficient with your driving; keep your car's oil and air filter changed regularly, and inflate your tires to proper pressure; turn lights off in your home and only use what is necessary; do laundry at night after peak energy hours; refinance your home, if market rates are agreeable to this; call creditors and ask for better terms.
There are many ways to reduce monthly household expenses and hopefully these ideas will help provide motivation to think of even more. Reducing expenses are an important part of the equation towards getting ahead of the game. However, what is even more important is generating more revenue or income. Now let's focus on the discussion of ways to get ahead of the game by increasing income.
Perhaps cutting costs does not thrill you. Ok, that is understandable. Even though cutting just $350 per month is a boat payment or $21,000 in five years. Maybe it's not the most exciting subject, however generating more revenue or making more money is exciting, especially when it really starts to happen. Let's talk about ways to increase your income to help win the battle for financial freedom.
The second half of the discussion is generating more income and therefore is focused on different plans to make more money. I'm sure that since the inception of the internet, the epiphanic question to search engines was "How can I make more Money?" It is still today, one of the most popular searches on the internet and rightfully so; because the question needs to be answered to everyone who is having financial difficulties. "How do I make more money?"
It boils down to two distinct categories: Sell a Product, or Sell a Service. Anyone telling you "you don't have to sell a thing..." or "no selling involved..." is selling you. If you want to make more, then you will need to sell something, whether it's selling your products at a craft show or selling your service like carpet cleaning. You still need to sell, but don't get hung up on the word "Selling". Selling is merely the term we use to define: talking with people about what you can do for them to make their life easier or better. You can sell items on Ebay, Craigs list, Classifed Section, or on your own website. You can also sell items out of your garage or in a rummage sale. You may be surprised at how much money you can make having a garage sale; enough to pay off a debt or take a small vacation.
Here is a list of ideas for products that anyone can sell to increase their income:
Video Games
Cars
Houses
Dog Treats
Wood Crafts
Candles
Kites & Flags
Wholesale Products
Wooden Furniture
Crafts
Books
Solar Panels & Wind Generators
Worms & Bait
Tiki Bars
Clocks
Wind Chimes
Leather Crafts
Log Beds
Hot Dogs
Jewelry
Wood Pellets
Here is a list of services that anyone can provide to increase their income:
Restaurant
Car Wash
Carpet Cleaning
Window Cleaning
Photography
Lawn Care
Office Cleaning
Home Staging
Dog Training
Patio Installation
Writing
Painting
Video Game Beta Testing
House Sitting
Daycare
Catering
Battery Reconditioning
So it may feel some days like the cards are stacked against you, but don't give up. If you are smart about your financial situation, get a handle on your expenses, cut costs, and start a part time home business to increase your income; you can win the battle. Do not hide from your problems, face them head on and tackle them. Remember that Americans are strong and resilient people and get tough when faced with difficult situations. There are ways to cut costs and increase your income and that is exactly what people need to do to get ahead of the game in today's economy.
written by Author: Daniel J Goldsmith
visit: [101besthomebiz.com] to see unique ways to cut expenses and increase income.
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