Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Saving Companies Money and Healthcare Costs

The Resilience FormulaAnyone can argue the accuracy of the Millions and Billions now purported spent each year by business and healthcare on stress-related illnesses and workplace absenteeism. Nevertheless, whatever the correct number is… it’s BIG! …and it is, in the Billions! In a new global economy where every cent is crucial to corporate survival, governments and business can no longer affor. . .

What To Do If You’re Being Audited

Audits are regularly issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). There are two main reasons why an individual or business may be audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Random audits are not as frequent as they used to be; however, they do still exist. The majority of audits ordered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are because they noticed a large mistake or they feel a taxpayer i. . .

Finding a Home Loan with Bad Credit

If you have a poor credit history, it can be frustrating and seem impossible to find an affordable home loan. However, it is possible to find lenders that will accept your credit history, subject to fees and a number of conditions. You can also put in some effort toward getting home loan approval, even with a poor credit history. The following tips provide suggestions on how you can best work t. . .

Facts About Warehousing Your Trade Show Exhibit

The Warehousing function plays a critical role in insuring the successful shipment of trade show exhibit properties in and out of the trade show exhibit house. The department’s primary role is to inventory the customer’s properties, pull and load out designated trade show trade show exhibits for shipment to show site, receive the customer’s properties into the facility, inspect crates for damag. . .

How To Overcome The Biggest Challenges Of Working From Home

Ahh... the entrepreneur's life... Many imagine that working from home is like being a Hollywood superstar: working leisurely in your pajamas, eating bon bons, and cashing paychecks you write to yourself. While managing your own business can be a life long dream, your business can also take over your life if you let it. Here are some tips for how to overcome the biggest challenges of working fro. . .

Guidelines for Energetic Meetings

Everyone has a unique perspective of what constitutes an "energetic meeting." Some may believe that an energetic meeting must be lively and fast-paced; others may believe that a meeting is energetic when they leave feeling energized and uplifted.Regardless of your own personal viewpoint of energetic meetings, you can increase the likelihood that your meetings will be more satisfying by encourag. . .

Cheap Loans – For The Borrowers Fixated On Low Cost

Finance market is at peak reaching for new heights. Increasing number of lenders in the finance market has opened a new dimension for the borrowers to take advantage of borrowing money at competitive interest rates. Each lender wants to grab more and more number of borrowers and thus offer infinite number of loan options and that too at cheaper rates. Cheap loans are the latest addition in the . . .

Four Payment Methods

Today’s electronic world pushes the envelop further. With the advent of online trading systems such as eBay, many new forms of payment have flourished. First of all, on eBay, the mode of payment depends on the agreement between the buyer and the seller. Most often, the seller will specify his or her desired payment method. In these cases, the seller often has primacy in the decisions regarding . . .

Health Insurance – Know Your Facts

Approximately seven million of us have health insurance in the UK, for the most part it's provided by employers as a benefit. Consequently, most people take health insurance for granted and don't really look at the policy documents. That means that they don't really know what's covered, and what's not. If you think that health insurance will cover all your health costs, you're unfortunately wro. . .

Making Money Through Multi Level Marketing

Making money through multi level marketing is another way to increase your earnings. For people who would want to conduct business from their home, owning their time and write their own paycheck without creating their own product? MLM will work. If you have good leadership skills a self-starter and a hard worker where selling and promoting products does not give you shivers, MLM will work even . . .

A Lesson At The Flea Market

For those of you that don't know, I started my business 9 years ago at the flea market. I think back of all the fun that I had and when I started selling off odds and ends that I had around the house.After being there for a while I noticed something quickly, that I could buy certain products from the "newbies" who were coming in and then throw it on my table for more $ and voila a valuable less. . .

Acting Smart With Your Credit Card

Whether you own a credit card that offers reward points, a credit card with a low ongoing APR or one with a 0% APR intro rate, it helps – and pays – to act smart with your credit card usage. If and when you own a credit card, it’s not just simply a matter of swiping and paying off bills. There are ways to maximize the promotional offers and rewards of your credit card and we’re here to teach yo. . .

How To Choose The Right Accountant

An accountant is a professional who keeps track of the financial records of a business or an individual. There are a number of individuals and businesses who use the services of an accountant all year round. There are other individuals who only hire an accountant to help get all of their finances in order before their tax returns are due. There are millions of accountants located all around the. . .

Make Money In Your Underwear With Passive Income

Every online dream begins with the vision of opening your email box and “like magic” the money comes rolling in. It’s true -- building a passive income is your key to earning more money without working harder. While it’s unlikely you’ll earn millions overnight, building a passive income is a smart way to supplement your existing income. Here are some ideas for how you can build an automatic inc. . .

Helpful Tax Tips For Federal And State Tax Returns

Each year there are millions of Americans who prepare their own federal and state tax returns and even more individuals have their taxes professionally prepared. Whatever choice a taxpayer makes there are a number of important tax tips that everyone should know. A W-2 or 1099MISC is needed to accurately prepare a federal or state income tax return. There is always a chance that a taxpayer may m. . .

Sales Tax: What It Is And How It Is Imposed?

A sales tax is a tax that is placed on the purchases of goods or services. The federal government does not have a national sales tax. Qualifying products or services are only taxable by a particular state government. Each state has the ability to impose their own sales tax rate. At the current time Oregon, New Hampshire, Montana, Hawaii, and Delaware are the only states that do not impose a sta. . .

The Real Gold Mine

Financial security is something we all strive for, well most of us anyway. Some people are perfectly content living paycheck to paycheck and claiming their house is their savings. Part of me wishes I could be that relaxed to have such a laid back view of things.For those of us that do want to have some level of financial security we try to save and invest our money at any opportunity. Some peop. . .

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Tax Software

Each year millions of Americans have their taxes prepared by a professional tax preparer. Having tax returned professionally prepared reduces the likelihood of errors being reported on a tax return; however, professional tax preparation is often expensive. For this reason there are a large number of individuals who are making the decision to file their own federal and state tax returns. While i. . .

Profits By Selling Resell Rights Products

Resell rights come in many forms and sizes. They can come in large packages with many products bundled together and offered for an almost suspiciously low price. Or they can be offered on a single product for a four-figure sum. There are also different types of rights offered allowing you to do different things.Basic resell rights only give you the right to sell the product. You cannot claim th. . .

Pamper Me Please! - Self Care For The Busy Entrepreneur

Why am I doing this? I just feel like I can't focus today! I feel like I'm not enjoying my job like I used to. What's the matter with me? I NEED A BREAK!!!!When you are CEO, head nurse, mommy, head of janitorial services, and chief crafts coordinator, life can leave you a little weary sometimes. As a business owner YOU are your most valuable resource, so it makes sense to take care of yourself!. . .

Credit Cards: Low APR vs 0% APR

Mano y mano, which one is better do you think – a credit card with low, ongoing APR or one that offers 0% APR as an intro rate?There are so many types of credit cards that offer all sorts of promotions and rewards that it’s definitely hard for a consumer to pinpoint which one would best suit their wants, needs and present financial situation. If, however, you’ve already managed to reduce your c. . .

Recipe for Business Success in 2006

Deb Clifford, founder of Inspired People in the Greater Hartford Area, predicts Blue Ribbon businesses will find the recipe that blends the best ingredients in the proper amounts in 2006. The food metaphor seems fitting for this year’s people predictions. It is the holiday season. Folks can relate to cooking.How was your holiday meal? If it was delicious …congratulations. If it was less th. . .

Should You Consider Home Refinance, or Not?

With interest rates at all-time lows, many people are considering whether or not to refinance their home loan. Generally speaking, if you bought your home with a higher interest rate loan, have an excellent credit history and always pay your bills on time, refinancing your home loan might be a sensible option. However, regardless of your initial situation it always pays to do a little research,. . .

Rapid Refunds Rapidly Take Your Money

At tax time, most Americans find themselves expecting a refund. That's no surprise, as most people have too much money withheld from their paychecks. It would be a simple matter to adjust the withholding so that the amount of money withheld is roughly equal to the amount of tax owed, but most people are content to get a refund check every spring.Until relatively recently, when a taxpayer had a . . .

How to Get a Government Home Loan with Low or Moderate In...

The government provides loans to those individuals who have low to moderate income for permanent residence in rural areas. To qualify for these government loans is not that hard and the restrictions are small.The Federal agency that provides the loans for housing is: Rural Housing Service, (RHS)Their main objective is to assist very low, low-income, and moderate-income households so that they c. . .

Debt Consolidation Scam Claims Repayment UnnecessaryDebt ...

Most Americans have a problem with debt; the fact that the average household owes nearly $10,000 on their credit cards makes that pretty clear. And with interest rates and minimum credit card payments rising, consumers are finding their bills harder to pay each month. In years past, those who cannot repay their bills would often resort to filing for bankruptcy.But last year's Bankruptcy Abuse a. . .

3 Easy Ways To Brand Your Small Business Name

Not everyone has the ability to spend millions on advertising and become a household name. Especially when you’re just starting out, but you do want customers to remember your brand first whenever they think about a product you make. So how do you brand yourself like Coke, Nike, Yahoo, KFC, or Dell? Here are 3 easy ways to put your brand in the minds of your customers.1. Brand your small busine. . .

Credit Card Penalties

What’s the thing that seems to always happen every time you are finding it difficult to meet your credit card payments? You get slapped with a penalty fee. These fees or penalties seem to always happen just at the very moment you need them least. Someone once described a banker as a man who will lend you his umbrella, and then ask for it back as soon as it starts raining. This seems typical of . . .

What Is Company Fraud And How Do You Stop It? (Part 1 Of 2)

Did you know that it is very likely your company is a victim of fraud? In fact, it's probably happening right now! Fraud takes many forms - some obvious and well known, others subtle and unmarked. This two-part article sheds some light on the topic. Part 1 helps you determine whether your company is vulnerable to (or, indeed, already a victim of) fraud. It discusses fraud in further detail and . . .

How to Generate Permanent Passive Income Streams for Life

Last week, I traveled to beautiful San Diego for business and spent the day in a hotel restaurant that overlooked the harbor. With laptop in tow and cell phone in hand, I worked, without hassle.As the sun set, I took a stroll and it occurred to me that technology and the crazy pace of our world has caused us to work 24/7. Life's way too short for that.But, Passive Income holds the answer.Passiv. . .

Give Your Home Business 6 Months To Develop

I have seen it all too often.Online Job seekers sign up for an Business opportunity and a Month or two Later they quit.I have seen some quit the same Day!You need to give your Home Business time to develop.I say this for several reasons.It might take a little time for you to decide what you want to do to make money on the internet. Why? Because most marketers who are new bounce from one busines. . .

9 Ways to Increase Cashflow for Small Business Growth

Cashflow Idea No. 1. Use ‘cashflow’ sales checklists.For sales people, get them to ask every single customer to make another ‘add-on’ purchase with the one they’ve already made. A great way to do this is to have a shopping ‘checklist’ of what the customer could buy. Cashflow Idea No. 2. Use ‘cashflow’ payment checklists.For your administration team. Have a checklist of your customers and when. . .

The U.S. Department of Justice looking into SDL's acquisi...

On January 26, 2006 we heard that the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) started a preliminary inquiry into SDL's July 2005 acquisition of Trados. We spoke with a person in the DoJ's Anti-Trust Division who told us that they had had come across news of the acquisition and felt they should look into it. At this stage it does not mean anything except that the DoJ wants to make sure that there were . . .

Are Your People On A Chain?

I am finally reading “The 8th Habit” by Stephen Covey. It seems to be a great book so far. One of the nice things about this book is that it includes a website that has short videos about some of the topics, so you can watch the video and then go back to the book which makes the learning experience much better. One of the videos makes the comparison of how a leader “manages” his prize huntin. . .

What Is Company Fraud And How Do You Stop It? (Part 2 Of 2)

In the first article of this series, I defined fraud, discussed how it can occur in a company, and provided some real-life examples of when and how it has occurred in the corporate world. (To read the first article, visit inlogik.com/12530+0+free-articles.htm.) In this - the second - article, we get down to nuts and bolts; how do you minimize fraud in YOUR company?There are two main steps requi. . .

One a Penny, Two a Penny, Hot Penny Stocks...

The peddlers of hot penny stocks today peddle their wares much like the hot cross bun streetsellers of the 19th. Century. They don't exactly hawk their wares round the shopping malls crying out “Get your hot penny stocks tips here”, but telemarketers and professional rumor mongers are making sure that you get their message loud and clear. The message is the same – buy my stock – it's just the. . .

Do You Really Need A Customer Database?

For over 20 years I have worked as an independent IT/Business consultant for some of the most prestigious organisations in the world including companies like Telstra, BHP, BMA Coal, Suncorp Metway and many many more. But it still astounds me, that there are still companies out in the market place, even to this day, that still don’t value the need for a Customer Database. In some cases, they d. . .

Don't Let Credit Card Fraud Lead Your Dance

Consumer worries about credit card fraud have resulted in numerous protections being created. A consumer whose credit card is wrongly used by another generally has one hundred percent protection. If your personal credit card is stolen and used by an unauthorized party, the card issuer is usually able to refund all lost monies and will have your account corrected within days if not hours.This c. . .

Credit Card Minimum Payments on the Rise

The minimum payment on next month’s credit card bill could be almost double what you were required to pay this month due to the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. How will higher credit card minimum payments affect your family’s finances, and can your mortgage advisor help you avoid financial hardship or even bankruptcy through cash out refinancing, a second mortg. . .

UK Consumers Start Clawing Their Way Out Of The Financial...

Another year ended, and another round of UK debt statistics. CreditAction has just announced the latest summing up of the personal debt situation in the UK. Their figures show that the end of 2005 has seen the total level of personal debt rise to an astounding £1,158bn, an increase of £100bn compared with the same time last year, and this debt is increasing at a rate of £1m every 4 minutes.Th. . .

Advantages Of Time Management

The advantages of time management include reducing stress, gaining time, reducing avoidance, while promoting reviews and eliminating cramming. Another advantage is that managing time helps us to stay motivated while we avoid procrastination.The trick to successful time management is setting up goals that work, while having an awareness of those goals and prioritizing your list of goals. When yo. . .

How Do I Build A Winning Business Plan? Part 1

Using sample business plans and their structure, along with studying as many business plan examples as you can, will provide you with the necessary framework to consider your business from every possible angle.Starting or running your business without a business plan is akin to being a human without a skeleton!Not only will using a sample structure highlight any areas you haven't fully thought . . .

You Haven't Earned the Right to Sell to Me!

How often do people try to sell us something before we have expressed an interest, have a desire, or are in the market for what they have? It seems the standard for many salespeople is to try to sell to anyone and everyone regardless of the interest level. When someone attempts to sell us something before we have expressed an interest, the initial thought may be, “Why would I buy from you? You . . .

Expo To Help Americans Realize Their No. 1 Goal: Owning A...

From television commercials to websites to expos and conferences, the call to become an entrepreneur is loud and clear. And it's no surprise. According to the latest research, owning a business has been cited as the number one goal of Americans today. Approximately 62,000 small businesses start up on a monthly basis nationally, according to the Small Business Administration. Small business is a. . .

The Secret To Finding The Best Mortgage Loan

As you apply for a home loan or look to refinance your home, it is important to understand your situation and how it will be affected by the type of loan that you will be applying for.But first, it is important to find out why you need the loan. For instance, do you need it for a home loan.The next step is to do your research in order to escape the headaches and hassles that plague the home loa. . .

Balance Transfer Disasters

There has been a rapid growth in the availability of zero per cent rates in the credit card industry. These have been caused by the combination of very low national interest rates, and the injection of fierce competition from American lenders such as Capital One. The UK credit card industry is now recognised as one of the most sophisticated and competitive credit card markets in the world. One . . .

How to Get Your Husband to Back Your Home Business Idea

"Please -- Pretty Please!! I really, really want to do this." From the sounds of things you'd think a parent and a child were in "one of those" arguments. But it's really a wife trying to persuade her husband to let her work from home. Getting your husband to back your home business can, at times, be as hazardous as those black diamond ski slopes.This past week there has been a very active disc. . .

Why Are Duopolies So Competitive?

Duopolies can be surprisingly competitive. If you remember that the price of a product or service is determined solely by the highest losing bid price and the lowest losing ask price, you’ll realize why a duopoly can be so competitive. A large number of inefficient competitors will have almost no affect on prices in the long run unless someone (either a government or a group of idiotic investor. . .

Life Insurance Report From Lifesearch Females Buying Prot...

In 1999, just one in five of LifeSearch’s customers were female, however, figures for 2004 and 2005 so far show that the number has now increased to 39%.With more than 150,000 lives covered, the information represents a large number of customers and shows that many more females are thinking about their protection needs.Commenting on the reasons for the increase, LifeSearch Policy Adviser, Linda. . .

Disney Credit Cards

You can turn your daily purchases into a fabulous Disney vacation. Bank One offers a new Visa Disney credit card that provides you and your family with great Disney rewards in exchange for making your everyday purchases using your travel credit card. You could turn your credit card debt into a fun-filled vacation or even valuable Disney merchandise. What could be better? Simply use your card at. . .