Money under your finger tips

We all know that there are lots of ways we can do to earn money through the internet. From the previous article, we discuss about making money through article writing. But aside from the article writing, there is also another effective way, it is through blogging.

Blogging is one of the most popular way of making money online. Though, perhaps, is the toughest way to earning money because it takes more time before your blog can attract traffic as well as to being recognized by the search engines. It is usual that for the first few months of blogging, you will get less traffic, but eventually after some regular updates, you will notice the increase in the volume of traffic you are getting. Hence, the start of making money with your blog.

Blogging takes patience

In reality, blogging can’t provide enough amount of money you can earn unless you know different strategies and techniques on how you can make your blog popular that can be reached out by many people all over the globe. To help you with these, here are some useful tips you need to consider when creating a money making blog.

It is very important to choose the right niche to make it a profitable blog. It can be about sports, technology, business or even about making money at home. Blogging has several various niches for you so all you have to do is to choose a profitable one so that you can earn money, you can use these to advertise products and services and earn a part from every sale you made out of your blog.

Since blogging is time consuming, you will need a lot of patience, and of course, updating your blog through creating interesting and informative articles according to your niche regularly. Once you lost your patience, you will also lost the successful of earning money online.

Find a niche

Another useful strategy that you can consider is to operate several smaller blogs in several niches. This way you can have more chances of earning bucks in several products that you will recommend to your readers. It can be possible for you to draw ten to a hundred visitors per day to a small blog base on the amount of competition in each niche which you create blog.

Once you know the secrets of a successful blogging, you will surely proved to yourself that this is a great way to get new money at home. Nonetheless, it is very easy to set up a blog nowadays that there are also platforms that allow you to create for free. And unlike other work which is tedious and boring, blogging is something that is really interesting and fun.

Clipping coupons are not limited to physical coupons at the grocery store any more. Coupons are available for redemption at many online retailers!

If you think about cutting back on your expenses when you are shopping, you should avail from the online coupons that help you save a considerable amount of money. Online coupons help you get discount on various items at online as well as actual stores.

Upon hearing of free coupons, I thought of the good old days when we used to cut them out of the newspapers or magazines and take them to the stores to cut back a few bucks. But in the recent times, free coupons are usually addressed to the Internet coupon codes that are to be used while shopping at online stores. Online coupons work the same way as the traditional paper ones. The coupons offered by websites are codes that help you get discount on many items such as groceries, clothes, shoes, gadgets, jewelery and many other products. Some of these codes are numeric or alphabetic whereas others are alphanumeric.

You can purchase many items online and get good discounts with the help of these coupons. All you have to do is search for a website that offers free coupons to get discount on a varied range of items. When you find such website, you can get all the great discounts offered by numerous online stores. You can choose the ones that give you the most suitable deals. Many of the discounts expire unexpectedly, so you should ensure that you are entering a coupon code that is valid at the time. You can find coupons at these websites along with the relevant information such as the actual discount available on products, the store where it can be redeemed and the date it expires.

Most of the websites directly link you to the website of the store when you click on the coupon. When you visit the online store through these websites, you automatically get a discount on the product you wish to purchase. You can click on as many coupons you like and check out the product on the website. The other kinds of coupons are printable coupons that you can get printed from the computer and avail the discount at an actual store, not the virtual one. You can take the coupon print to the store of the given company and save a considerable amount of money on each purchase.

Many online stores also give away free coupons as part of their brand marketing campaign. They want more and more people to visit their stores. Discount coupons, free coupons, freebies and giveaways are the incentives used by manufacturers to attract consumers towards their products. This way, they get consumers to try out their products and beat the competition with their counterparts. Some companies give discounts on services as well.

In order to mark their presence over the Internet, all the major companies use many tactics to attract new costumers as well as hold on to the existing ones. The online printable coupons and free coupons are the easiest way to achieve this. The discounts offered by the companies draw people towards the free coupons that let them purchase many products at low prices. If you really want to avail from the great discounts that are offered by many online stores, you should visit these websites regularly to get free coupons and save some bucks on each purchase.

To save money on various purchase over the Internet, you can search the Internet for websites that offer printable free coupons to get discounts on numerous products.

 
Credits to Gagan Singh for this article.

Since graduation, for almost two and half years, I have been making the biggest financial mistake of my life. I would always leave my chequing account at TD Canada Trust at either a zero balance or a negative balance (overdraft protection). I felt that each and every dollar left over from my pay cheque should go to pay my credit card balances and other debt that I had. The car loan, the student loan, the student line of credit, anything and everything I consider debt.

The Devil is in the Numbers

I hold TD Canada Trust’s Value account which includes only ten (10) free transactions per month and a $3.95 monthly account fee.

• Monthly fee: $3.95
• Overdraft Protection fee: $3.00
• Average monthly interest: $1.00-$2.00
• Other bank fees: $3.00

However, I also paid a $3.00 ODP (overdraft protection) fee to allow my chequing account to go negative and owe the bank like a revolving credit card. This fee was to protect myself from insufficient fund fees of $35 whenever my account didn’t have enough funds to cover recurring bills and miscellaneous withdrawals.

There’s another issue. I would normally keep a negative balance until the next paycheque came in which meant I was being charged interest everyday on the amount that I owe them. I averaged around $1.00 atleast for these interest payments and the last time I checked, the interest rates on overdraft balances run around the same rate as credit card interest rates which should be in the neighbourhood of about 20%. Add to that going over the maximum allowed of ten transactions per month and that’s another $2.00-3.00 of ‘other’ bank fees.

The total I would usually pay on my chequing account was $(3.95+3.00+1.00+3.00) = $10.95 per month!

That’s outrageous! That’s a cost of more than $120 per year! So how can we get rid of this totally unnecessary expense and pocket that sum instead? Keep the minimum balance required by your bank to waive the monthly fee! The minimum balance for my account to waive the fee is $1,000. However, since I do plan to keep a balance, I no longer have a need for overdraft protection so long as I keep a healthy buffer from the minimum.

Doing a quick calculation, that’s atleast $10/$1000 = 1% return per month on your $1,000 guaranteed. That’s almost like a 12% gain per year on a $1,000 investment. Compare this with the amount of return you’re getting putting the same amount in another investment vehicle such as a savings account or a GIC. You will not get a 12% return guaranteed anywhere else.

Stop paying those pesky account fees and if you have an ODP fee like I did, get rid of it. You’ll be saving more money starting today. It just makes sense!

While inflation has pushed the prices of most products to a sky-high level over the past decade, it has been enough to drain off the wallets of the middle-class consumers in the US. In fact, if you look back, you’ll find many inventions in the last decade that were made to help consumers save more money so that the national debt level could be brought into control.

Unfortunately, all such inventions have already been misused and irrespective of the money-saving technologies, the US has yet incurred the highest amount of national debt. With the debate over the raising of the debt ceiling hovering around the US government, it has become a necessity for all Americans to save money religiously and boost the US economy.

Though the debt relief services in America are trying their best to assist the consumers in reducing their debt burden, yet there is no such havoc response in the riding debt profile in US.

For more information on debt & credit please visit : http://www.creditmagic.org/

Tips for a fatter piggy bank this year

Have a look at the 5 sneaky money saving strategies that’ll help you secure a safe financial future.

1) Start a savings account, a high yield one

The biggest hindrance that bars you from saving money is not being into the habit of saving money. The best and the most effective way of getting into the habit of saving money, is to open a savings account with a reputable bank. As you deposit money from your salary into the savings account, you can gradually create a dedicated savings account. This is a certain way of achieving your financial goals and paying down your financial obligations as soon as possible.

2) Create a budget to restrain your expenses

Your very next step towards your money-saving endeavor would be creating a perfect, strict and frugal budget. Though it is a fact that Americans hate following a budget, yet it is a pre-requisite to leading a debt-free life. Rather than seeking help from legal debt relief services who’ll charge you hefty fees for their services, it’s better to follow a budget and keep a track on your expenses. Always try to keep a balance between what you make each month and what you spend. Make sure that every month, your income is more than your expenses.

3) Start contributing to your 401 (k) account

If your employer provides you with a 401 (k) account, make sure you contribute a portion of your gross monthly income to it. Not only is it a great way of saving money, it will also provide you tax benefits after retirement. This is the best way you can secure a safe financial future and lead a happy retired life. In case of a financial emergency, you may also withdraw money from the 401 (k) account and utilize it in meeting your emergency financial needs.

4) Reconsider your insurance coverage

You must be having your insurance policies and when you’re going through a credit crunch and are looking for ways to save money, stop to reconsider your insurance coverage. While you had taken your insurance policies, you might have been in a particular financial condition. Now, if your financial state has deteriorated, you must abort some coverage that you do not need. Review all your policies and check where you’re paying more or for no reason. Speak to your insurance lender and get that particular coverage cancelled to value your dollars.

5) Look for free stuff

If you’re an entertainment buff and you’ve misused your cards in buying tickets of concerts, you need to become a bit more responsible, now that you’re in danger. To cut down entertainment expenses, look for free shows in theatres; hunt for free events in your localities. This will help you satisfy your quest for entertainment and will also help you save your dollars at the same time.

Making minor but consistent changes in your everyday life will certainly help you boost your savings. Stop using your car, try carpooling instead. Stop eating out, make your own dinner and save those extra dollars to utilize them in paying off your financial obligations. If you think you can’t manage your debt on your own, get help from the legal debt relief services so that you do not find yourself buried in debt in 2011.

Thanks to grace for this guest post.

First Chequing Account: Royal Bank

My first ever chequing account was opened during the summer of 2003 when I started a part-time job at Toys R’ Us. It was the summer before the first year of University and the account was opened with Royal Bank (RBC) by my mom’s recommendation. It was also the closest branch to my home at the time.

Second Chequing Account: CIBC

Now Royal Bank wasn’t bad, but when I started attending the University of Waterloo, the most convenient bank located around campus was CIBC. Penny pinching was the norm as a student so I opened a student account there to save on ABM withdrawal fees and for convenience and decided to close the account with RBC. CIBC even gave me my very first Visa credit card with a $700 limit. I hold this very same card to this day, despite opening and cancelling a few other cards in the last couple of years.

Third Chequing Account: Bank of Montreal

Fast forward to my first co-op job with BMO Capital Markets. I was forced to open a chequing account with them to get paid so I opened an account and held both the CIBC and BMO chequing accounts concurrently for a few years. Now I don’t recommend holding more than one chequing account as I see no immediate benefit for splitting the cash between two accounts and shuffling them back and forth. Plus, you’ll be hit with twice the monthly and maintenance fees.

Fourth Chequing Account: TD Canada Trust

Shortly after came temptation with TD Canada Trust‘s iPod Shuffle promotion. TD offered a free iPod Shuffle if you completely switched over your chequing account and set up at least three direct deposits. This iPod was worth $129 I thought, so without hesitation, I signed up, transferred my BMO account, cancelled my CIBC account, and a month later, received my Shuffle in a white plastic, bubble wrapped envelope. At this point, I kept only the TD account and because I was a student, I had the Value Plus account for no monthly fee.

Sweet. Life was good, I thought.

The ill effects of the recent recession can be felt throughout the world and consequently, people are increasingly turning to brown bagging their lunch to save money. Think about it. It makes sense. It’s rational — it’s healthier and it’s cheaper.

Now, there used to be a time when I went out each and every day for lunch when I started work. Food around my work area would cost at least $7 and could go up to about $17. That’s monthly spending of roughly $140-$350 just on lunch alone! Even spending as little as $5 per day for lunch would mean monthly spending of $100. Put it in perspective. That’s quite a hefty amount and that’s not even counting your morning and afternoon coffee and muffin breaks.

I’m an avid bodybuilder and like many others in the gym, I try to watch what I eat. That’s not to say I don’t indulge in comfort foods like chicken wings, brownies, or cake once in a while but I try to watch my portions and cut out sugar and fat whenever I can. In fact, I’ve completely substituted my normal Pepsi or Coke with its diet equivalent. It’s an acquired taste, I always say.

So, here’s a simple lunch idea that’s high in protein, low in fat, cheap, and super easy to prepare. It takes less than ten minutes of your time to prepare at night or even the morning of.

The Money Monkey’s Super Simple Tuna Salad Sandwich

Basic Ingredients

• One whole can of chunk light tuna (not flaked) @ $0.75 per can
• Two cups of light mayonnaise @ $2.99 per jar
• Two teaspoons of relish @ $1.50 per jar
• Four slices of whole wheat bread @ $1.89 per loaf
• Splenda sweetener, or sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Open can of tuna and make sure to drain the water out
2. Once water is drained, mix all ingredients in a bowl
3. Add a pack of Splenda or sugar, and salt and pepper to taste
4. Spread tuna salad mix on bread, and pack

It can’t get any simpler than that. If you get tired of the same old taste day in and day out, try substituting the tuna with hardboiled eggs for a good egg salad sandwich. Also, don’t be scared to play around with the ingredients. Add some lettuce, sliced tomatoes, or onions for color and texture. I also found out that adding sliced apples in the mix adds a good amount of sweetness and crisp.

So there you go. Tuna salad sandwiches are cheap, gym-approved, and an easy way to save money and your gut. Make your body and your bank account happy! You’ve got no excuses.