Do you feel like your work incredibly hard in return for limited financial reward? Have your earnings stalled over the last few years? Do you wish you had more disposable income? Most of us would like to earn more, and there’s often scope to increase your income. Here are some balance-boosting tips you can try in the months to come. Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/pictures-of-money/17123251389 Ask for a pay rise Have you been on the same wage for as long as you can remember? Have you taken on extra responsibilities or put in overtime? If so, it’s time to ask for a pay rise. It’s fair to expect financial rewards if you’ve worked hard and you haven’t had a raise in a long time. Before you ask your boss, think carefully about what you’re going to say. You need to handle the situation in a suitable manner. Don’t go charging in…

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/mkhmarketing/8468995025 Is marketing a company or a product much harder now than ever before? Some would argue the case, but others would say that it is much easier to find a marketing style that suits your needs. With some platforms, tools, and tech to make your business more efficient than ever before, then surely it stands to reason that using the same tools and methods to improve a business from the interior will also work for the exterior, such as the brand and image. The best place to begin is by reviewing your marketing strategy. If you work in a small capacity, the marketing strategy is very easily overlooked or is considered to be a case of making some posters, quite the contrary. Breaking down a marketing strategy, you will see that there are fundamental cogs to keeping it spinning: The resources. Increasing visibility. Appearing on the right…

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Debt isn’t a bad thing in itself. It’s only when your debts start to sour – to become ‘bad debts’ – that things will quickly get problematic. There is, however, several ways to avert a looming financial crisis. Today, we’re going to explore everything you need to head off trouble at the pass and get your household spending under control. Let’s take a look at what you need to do. Acknowledge you have a problem The first step in getting back to financial security is to understand you have a problem. If you were to ask people with bad debts about the current state of their finances, there’s a good chance many will not have a clue. So, the first step is to look at your finances. Open up your current statements and confront things. Know your current balances on every card, and every account. Check your credit rating and…

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If you don’t fancy braving the cold, waiting in long queues or pushing through crowds this New Year’s Eve, you should consider throwing your own party to open the new year. It can help you keep the costs down when making your plans and you can keep things interesting by setting a theme for your festive gathering. Here are three ideas for themes to help you ring in 2017 with a bang. Great Gatsby Party Recreate the prohibition era by throwing a 1920s Great Gatsby Party. Ask your guests to follow a dress-code that can involve flapper dresses, cloche hats, silk pinstripe suits and braces. Transform your home into speakeasy, where the aim is to dance and have a good time. You want to create a secretive and intimate vibe so decorate your room with lush velvet fabrics and faux fur. Place a few lamps and candles around the room…

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The future… that’s a big, scary word isn’t it? Whatever your age, you are told that you need to plan ahead, and it can feel like that all you are doing is planning for some eventuality that won’t ever happen. There is a fact of life however, that we will all get to the point where we are too old to work, and we need to face retirement. There are a lot of people who simply cannot afford to retire, and you don’t want to be in that group of people. With the financial crisis which we are all still reeling from, there have been an influx of people that are starting their own business, or going freelance because it is a better (and uncapped) way to earn money. The pitfalls of going into business yourself is that you are not saving for your future. What can we do, as…

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Job security is one of the biggest concerns for the average American. No work means no money, and no money means no food on the table. Job hunting isn’t a pretty sight, and at times it can feel completely hopeless as we stare at our bank account being emptied with daily purchases and essential items. But hang in there and keep your spirits high. Everyone knows what it’s like to have no job. Struggling to get by is difficult, but knowing how to get through that rough period of time in your life is key to staying sane and keeping your stress down. Start Budgeting You need to save every penny you can, especially for emergency situations where you need a quick burst of cash. Start by listing every mandatory item. These are things like food, rent, insurance, and bills. Next, write down a list of luxury items. Things like…

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There’s a myth floating around in our culture about money and wealth that we need to address. That myth says that the richest people in our society got there either through sheer luck or through exploitation of others. The media constantly panders to this narrative. They lead with stories about the misbehavior of top business people, like Sir Philip Green. This then smears other wealthy people by association. It’s actually a rather abusive tactic. It takes agency away from all the talented, decent people, who have a shot at success. Think how many businesses haven’t been started because people believed the mainstream narrative. The wasted potential makes the mind boggle. The truth is that the fastest way to financial freedom isn’t to slug it out in a career for decades. It’s to take a risk on starting your own business, these days online. Value Your Time Over Money Online commerce…

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Considering branching out into the world of imports and exports? Before you do, it’s worth understanding exactly how it all works and more importantly, what could go wrong. When done correctly, imports and exports can significantly boost income streams and help you expand on a more global level. When done incorrectly however, they could cost you your business. So, let’s look at some of the best tips to ensure you get it right. Create an in-depth business plan As with anything, the key to success when dealing with imports and exports is planning. It’s highly recommended you come up with a business plan which highlights exactly where there’s a market for your product, how much it’s going to cost and how much profit you can expect to make. A well-constructed business plan will really help to simplify the process; particularly if you’re branching out into new markets. Get yourself an…

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You’ve probably heard lots of people talking about credit scores, but why are they so important? They certainly are important, and the best way to understand them is to look at their real-world impact. There are many things in life that will be impacted by having a credit score that is too weak or downright bad. Below, you’ll find out more about credit scores that the impact they’ll have on your life. So, read on to learn more. What is Your Credit Score? Credit scores are numerical evaluations that offer creditors and lenders easy ways to judge people who apply for credit or loans. So, when you apply for a personal loan, for example, the lender will look at your credit score when deciding whether or not to lend to you. The score shows them how likely or unlikely you are to pay back the money that you borrow. If…

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All business owners want to be sure that their business is operating in the most efficient way as possible. But with so many conflicting bits of advice out there, what is the best way to ensure that your business is operating in the most effective way as possible? Here are some top tips that are proven to help: Improve Communication One of the best ways to make sure that your business can operate at its most effective is by improving your internal communications. There are lots of different ways that you can do this. Firstly, it could be by hiring someone to manage all internal communications to make sure the whole company is aware of things going on in different departments to bring a more unified feel to your company. It could also be holding more social activities with the workforce so that they gel together more producing better relationships…

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