What To Look For In A Toyota Car

When you’re buying your next Toyota, there are many things to consider to get the most out of your purchase. Owning a Toyota can be a great thing as it can save you money on gas, look great, and have a great hold but you’ll need to know what to look for first.

First you should look at the mileage. If you’re looking for a new car an excellent way to make sure you’re going to have the best car you can get, you’ll want to make sure it has low mileage. You can get different kinds of mileage at all kinds of used price points but it’s important to remember to find the lowest you can while also concentrating on the issues your car might have.

You need to look at the car history of your car and that means that looking at a lot of different cars and asking a lot of questions. It may also means buying a car history on the car to make sure nothing big has happened to it. This is especially important if you have had a recent flood or disaster in the area in which you’ll be buying the car.

Next you’ll want to look at the features the car offers. Almost everyone these days prefers to have music and gps capabilities in your car so that driving is a more enjoyable experience, so you should definitely make sure your new Toyota has everything you want.

As you can probably tell if you’ve read this article, research is one of the most important factors in getting a new car. Used or otherwise. This means that you’ll need something to research on. Shop Newegg for excellent prices on computers and laptops which can aid heavily in your purchase of your new Toyota.

The Best Online Business for 2013 Part 2 of 4

Welcome back for Part 2 of our online business 2013 Blog series.  We hope you liked Part 1 and, without further ado, here’s Part 2 and more great online business ideas that you can use this year to start your own online business. Be sure to come back soon for Part 3.

  1. Online Marriage coaching.  Today sadly over 50% of all marriages end in divorce, indicating a very big need for this service. If you have experience in this area and tips / advice that will help a struggling couple to work things out you could become quite comfortable.
  2. Start an Online Survey Company and create, conduct and post surveys for companies that need the data but haven’t yet taken the time to do it themselves.
  3. Power Point Presentation creation services are very valuable.  Who hasn’t had to sit through a truly horrible PP presentation?  If you’re a PP expert you could make some real money as many people today need the services.
  4. Open an Online Interior Decorating service.  If you have an eye for colors, fabrics and styles you may be able to turn that into a great online business.  If you can create sample designs and sell them online for affordable prices people may start using you to decorate their homes.
  5. If you love candy and have a knack for finding the truly special or unique an Online Candy Specialty Store may be the next best thing to a sweet tooth in your future.
  6. Local Travel Guide services, especially if you live somewhere exotic, different or special, may be your 2013 ticket to online success.  Be a personal tour guide and sell your services to people from all over the world who want to see what your neck of the woods looks like.
  7. Custom gifts are very big these days and, if you’re a gifted arts and crafts person who loves to create unique packages you may find that there are a lot of people out there who envy you and use you to package their special gifts, especially during big holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s, Mother’s day and even birthdays.
  8. Children’s custom book writer.  If you’re a gifted writer what would be better than a book that star’s the child of one of your clients?  You just need their name and the names of some of their friends, their favorite things and places and you’re off. To the bank!
  9. Digital Scrapbook and Photo Album services could be just the ticket for you if you’re great at scrapbooking and love to help people keep their memories and share them with loved ones.  This is a service that many people would truly love.
  10. EBay and other online selling tech support services would be an excellent idea if you have the experience yourself with eBay or another online selling tool.

The Best Online Business for 2013 Part 1 of 4

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur but you don’t know where you should start there are literally hundreds of businesses that you can break into online today, many with an extremely low start-up cost that can be done right from home using a laptop or other computer.  With that in mind this 3 Part series gives you a look at some of the best. If you are keen on starting an online business in 2013 start here. Come back soon for Parts 2 and 3.

  1. Affiliate marketing isn’t new by any means but it’s still a very viable way to make a living online.  It’s also one of the easiest online businesses to start by far and requires practically no overhead at first. 1 caveat; if you’re not a good salesperson or you don’t particularly like selling this may not be for you.
  2. Virtual assistant.  Many people feel that there are already enough VAs on the market but they’re wrong.  There are plenty of niches that you can explore that will give you a competitive edge.  Do what you like and find people that like the same thing and you’ll be set.
  3. Copywriting services for niche companies.  If you have a certain set of skills and experiences that lend themselves to niche copywriting there are still plenty of opportunities out there.
  4. Ghostwriting services can be niche also and, if you have a particular writing style, you may do well with this one.
  5. Graphic design seems to be chock full of competitors but again a niche may just serve you well here. You may even want to launch your own online graphic design firm that specializes in your niche.
  6. This one may not make you rich but it could pay the bills nicely.  An online beading service with video tutorials about beading techniques may prove very popular.
  7. Vintage clothing, much of which you can get for nothing down at the thrift store, is very big these days.  Find them, clean them up and sell them online using eBay or a Yahoo store.  If you’re really good at picking out great vintage clothes you’ll make money and get paid to shop.  Yay!
  8. Start an online research company.  Yes, if you have a computer anyone can search for info online but the fact is that it takes time and energy.  If you offer a service to do it you may be surprised how many people will seek your services.
  9. Online business consulting is growing by leaps and bounds and is very viable.  If you have a specialty that few others share you can take that specialty online and help others.
  10. Life Coaching is an excellent way to earn a living and, as with many of the other choices above, it helps to have a niche here also. Dating, clothing, procrastination problems, organizational problems and many more things are out there that people need help with.  Help them and earn a living online at the same time.

Writing is a Release

The ability to write effectively and creatively isn’t always a God given talent, sometimes it takes education and hard work to really excel at it.  I will say that the various forms of writing offer a creative outlet that allow us to live out fantasies, release stress, and even at times earn a living.  Consider the article you are reading right now, this is my form of creativity, and while it is second a job it does bring in additional income.  You are quite lucky when you can align a creative outlet, hobby, and profession all in one.  I find that writing courses are a great way to cultivate the writer inside of you, and they are often times very affordable as well.  Now let’s consider some of the other forms of writing that you perhaps have never considered.

Journalism is something I long aspired for, I read the daily newspaper and often admire how the writers can form eloquent sentence.  However, when I went to college I opted for a business degree instead, but this is perhaps why you see my interest in blogging coming out now.  To think that journalists create articles almost weekly that are read by thousand, or perhaps even millions of people.  To be able to carry that level of influence can be quite appealing.

Play writing is something I never really had a flare for, but I did attempt it in a creative writing class when I was younger.  Some of the greatest pieces of art have come in the form of play writing.  Consider the many works of Shakespeare, universities around the world involve his play writing in their annual curriculums.  This could be an interest and a talent that you weren’t even aware that you had.

Lastly, writing a novel is another interest of mine.  I have long debated taking on this task, but even I know my limitations.  Personally, I could vastly benefit from taking a writing class or two to sharpen my literary skills.  Writing a novel takes a certain level of skill and patience, it certainly isn’t a task that can be completed on a whim.  This not only involves writing itself, but also the collection and collaboration of ideas to make a concise and cohesive story come together.

Regardless of your choice of writing style I want to make clear that additional education and classes can benefit your endeavors far more than you may realize.

Starting an Online Business Venture: Part 2

In Part 1 of this 2 Part series we looked at the basics of setting up an online business.  In Part 2 we’re going to examine some of the more detailed tasks that you’re going to need to accomplish before you can ‘open’ your online business and start making a living (or at least some extra income) online.

As with Part 1 most of these Tasks can be accomplished using online service providers that already have the templates and tools that you’re going to need to get started.

Online Payments need to be set up so that, obviously, you can sell your products and collect the revenue from those sales.  When you set up your website most service providers already have a template for setting up your virtual cash register and ‘shopping cart’ so the only task you have is to connect that page to an online cash / payment service company.  One of the biggest in the world is PayPal and there is also Google Checkout, both of which will do just fine.

Both of these will allow you to start small and then increase and expand as your business grows, keeping overhead to a minimum while you’re still small and getting a foothold online.

One of the most important aspects of selling online is building ‘traffic’ to your site.  Let’s face it, without people coming to ‘see’ what you have to offer you’re not going to make very many sales. Building traffic means setting up SEO, using keywords, buying ads and making sure that you rank high with the major search engines.

Honestly there is so much that is included in creating Traffic to your website that it can’t be covered in depth here.  A good suggestion would be to use an online service provider at first until you have a better idea of how to create traffic on your own.

Once you have people coming to ‘visit’ your website you’re going to need a method to deliver your product. There are quite a few of these service providers online and, of course, if you make the product yourself there’s always the USPS and companies like FedEx and UPS.

Creating an email customer list is essential for targeting repeat customers and essential for your growth.  Using landing pages and giving away great information is a great way to do this. As with all of the other tasks there are service providers online that can help you with this task but suffice to say that it’s one of the more important that you have.

Finally there’s tracking your growth and offering what your customers want.  If you track what is going on well you will begin to see subtle changes and be able to react to them and be ready with the products and services your customers want when they want them.

Good luck in your online endeavors and remember to always keep abreast of the ever changing internet and the even more ever changing needs of the consumers who you wish to sell to. In no time you’ll be a seasoned vet who’s writing about how to do these things also.

 

Starting an Online Business Venture: Part 1

Today more than ever there are countless opportunities to start an online business and make money from home. The biggest question isn’t always what you’re going to sell (there are countless things to sell including products and services) but where to start.

Rapidly changing technology has made it easier than ever to have your own website and domain name and to set up everything from a landing page to a payment page.  It’s also gotten much cheaper to do all of these things than it was scant years ago.  Websites like Mighty Deals and 5 Minutes will help you set up the website and propagate it with all the tools you need to get started. There are many other tasks that you must also accomplish when starting an online business, including;

Know your way around the Internet.  If you still don’t know the difference between a tweet and an office suite it’s time to take an internet course online.  Social media, branding, SEO, search ranking and many other concepts that may seem foreign now will need to be learned and used if you want to be successful online.

Register a ‘domain’ name. Your domain is your online address. It’s the place where your customers will ultimately come to see, ask about and, hopefully, purchase your goods and services.  There are a number of places online where you can register and purchase your domain name, including onr of the most well-known, GoDaddy.com.

Rent ‘space’ on a web-hosting site. Like a brick-and-mortar location, a web host will rent you space on their server so that you can host your website. Most will actually sell you your domain and rent the space, allowing you to finish 2 tasks at once.

Design your new website.  This sounds difficult but today there are numerous service websites online that will help you (for a fee of course) to easily design a fully-functioning website with only a small amount of effort.  Of course if you have no clue how to even use a computer you still may need some help but sites like 5 Minutes.com give you access to powerful website design tools that can help you immensely.

If your main site will be a Blog (as an affiliate marketer, for example) there are plenty of Blogging sites on the net, the most popular of which are WordPress  and Blogger. They will help you set up and publish your Blog and, from there, you will be able to recommend your viewers to the services or products that you wish to promote.

This should get you started.  Check back for Part 2 of this 2 Part series for more helpful Tips and tasks that you will need to be a successful online entrepreneur.

Becoming Financially Stable

Basic personal finance management doesn’t require advanced expertise. With just a moderate amount of logical thinking and some smart money management ideas, you can simultaneously stay within budget and add to your wealth.

Although you may not realize it at first glance, there are considerable potential savings involved in buying a home. If you buy, you need to pay for a mortgage, maintenance, property taxes and insurance each month, but you will own the property. In renting, you are paying a monthly bill for something that never becomes yours.

It is a good idea to add some type of foreign intrigue to one of your investments. No load mutual funds greatly reduce the expense involved in buying individual foreign stocks.

Make sure you have adequate health insurance coverage. Everyone gets sick eventually. This is why it is imperative to make sure you have quality health insurance. Doctor, hospital and prescription medication costs can total thousands upon thousands of dollars. Bills of this nature can ruin you financially without health insurance.

When you need to improve your credit, clear up debt first. The best way to be debt free is by paying off your credit cards and any loans, and you will need to do some cutting back. Prepare meals at home and limit expensive entertainment outside the house. Packing your lunch can save you big bucks. If you want to get out of debt, you’ll need to reduce the amount you spend.

Some people spend $20 to $30 each week in lottery drawings hoping to ‘win it big.’ Instead, invest that same amount of money in a savings account. This is a better option because it will grow over time versus being wasted on a gamble.

Allow your profits to run in Forex. Be careful not to let them run too much, however, as this can be a risky strategy. It is important not to push it too far and know when it is best to take your profits and stop trading.

To get a better idea of what will happen to the markets you invest in, keep track of international news. Many Americans don’t pay attention to news outside of the United States, but this can be a mistake if you trade currencies or have significant investments. The more you know about the world around you, the better prepared you will be to make informed decisions regarding investments and the market.

Rewards credit cards can serve many different benefits. This particular applies if you are great with paying off your monthly balance. Rewards cards offer incentives like cash back, airline miles, and other perks when you use it. Make a short list of cards with rewards you like and compare them in terms of reward points per dollar spent.

Make sure you stay on top of your credit score. It is terribly important to maintain a high credit score in order to get low interest loans and credit cards. If your credit score checks out to be low, you could be at risk for being denied housing or cell phone plans. Be wise when using your credit in order to maintain a high credit score.

Consider changing to a checking account which is free, or one which carries no service fees. Check out the banks in your community, and don’t forget to also look for free accounts available online or through credit unions.

As this article has shown, you have the capability of raising your net worth, living within your means, and achieving a healthy and enjoyable financial state. If you combine your common sense with the beneficial financial advice presented in this article, you can devise a budget that’s easy to maintain, decrease or eliminate your debt, develop a savings plan, and gain control of your personal finances before they gain control of you.

Avoiding Personal Finance Pitfalls

Maintaining your personal financial situation is a difficult and sometimes confusing process. Using a lot of planning and records for your finances can make it easier later. Online banking can make it easier to track your funds, but you still must make an effort to track it manually.

 

If you are planning on going out on pay-day weekend, it is a good idea to put some money aside on Thursday and not spend anymore than that. When you get paid Friday, just leave it alone. Doing this will ensure that the money is all there on Monday, when you may be far more likely to exercise greater discipline.

 

If you’re planning to buy a vehicle or a home, you need to initially improve your score when it comes to credit. You can positively establish yourself with a creditor by taking out a modest loan and paying it back promptly, or try obtaining a few credit cards and paying them regularly. Pay more than you need to on every bill you have.

 

Discuss your financial picture with those you love. This will help them understand why you are not going out with them as much. It is easy for friends to assume the wrong thing when you make excuses about going places, simple because you cannot afford it. Keep your friends and be sure to let them know about the things that are happening in your life.

 

Financial mistakes happen but you should do your best to learn from them and to not repeat them. One bounced check may be forgiven by your bank. If you talk them, they may waive the overdraft fee. This is a one-time courtesy that is sometimes extended to people who keep a steady balance and avoid overdrafts.

 

Make use of a flexible account for spending. This money is not taxable, which translates into big savings.

 

Avoiding debt as much as possible is one of the fundamentals of keeping a tight grip on your personal finances. A loan is appropriate for buying cars and homes. But you should not charge your credit cards for everything.

 

In order to get the most out of the property that you own, take steps to control the cash flow in to and out of it. Keep track of all your cash receipts and expenses to assess your investment’s performance each month. You must have an established property budget.

 

You can save money on bedding by buying covers, pillows and sheets at bargain stores. The materials at these stores are of the same quality as more expensive materials, but you can save money on them, and it can save you time to go to one store rather than going to different specialty shops for each piece. If you do the research and find the best prices, it can go a long way to helping with your personal finance goals.

 

Set aside a portion of your income to protect against unforeseen emergencies. An emergency fund will provide you with a cushion to enable you to survive unforeseeable financial hardships like long term illness or job loss. You can make saving more easy by using this automatic deduction directly into your savings account.

 

Don’t try to save money by putting off needed maintenance. If you see a minor problem now and don’t fix it, it will become a major problem later. The small expenses associated with maintaining your home or car are minimal when compared to what it will cost you to make any major repairs.

 

By knowing how much money you spend each month, you put yourself in a better position to take care of unexpected expenses, while also avoiding any bank fees or overdraft charges. You can feel positive about your finances when you take an active role in managing them, rather than relying on a financial adviser or a bank.

Epic Fail – Wishin’ and Hopin’ and Prayin’ for a Viral Video

Turns out you can’t manufacture a viral video.

Well, I mean, you absolutely can make a viral video but you can’t make it a viral video.

The other day, I threw out a hypothesis that I could turn a simple video into a viral video by simply asking my readers and the video’s viewers to Digg, Stumble, Reddit, Tweet, Facebook, email, and blog the video. Seems simple enough, right?

Turns out, asking your readers and viewers to do this stuff does have an effect: the video ended up getting about 5 times as many views as most of my other videos. The problem was, that still ended up being only 150 views, far less than the 5,000 or whatever that I wanted.

(As a side note – yes, I realize 5,000 views does not constitute a viral video. However, for me, that would have blown my mind.)

So, what’s the moral of the story?

I think I proved my point that you get a lot further by telling your readers and viewers what you want from them as opposed to beating around the bush. However, as has been stated many times before, you can’t make a video become viral, it just sort of has to happen.

What are your thoughts? Post your comments below.

Make This Video Go Viral – Seriously, Do As You’re Told

Over my time running The New Business Blog, I’ve given a lot of advice on how to make more money online. (While I’m no Yaro Starak or John Chow, I’d like to think I have been successful enough to be taken as a reputable source.)

Without a doubt, the single most important piece of advice I’ve given is to straight up TELL your visitors what you want from them. Don’t ask. Tell!

So, on that note, I’ve decided to do a little experiment. I want to see if I can make a simple, yet stupid video go viral, simply by me TELLING everyone that’s what I want them to help me do.

The video is nothing more than me TELLING everyone who views it that I want their help in making the video go viral. Now that you’ve viewed it, help me out by embedding the video in your blog, posting it on Twitter and Facebook, voting for it on Digg and Reddit, Stumbling it, and emailing it out to your friends and family.

Think if it as taking part in a 21st century social experiment. Look at you, you little groundbreaker!

Back to the moral of the story – the reason you tell as opposed to ask is simple – you can never assume that you have been clear enough with your potential customers. If you ask, you leave room for interpretation. If you tell, room for interpretation is gone.

Look at the following two examples:

Of the two, which one do you think is more likely to get you a sale? The first one, where I’m asking if you’d like to learn more while not giving you clear direction on what to do next, or the one where I tell you exactly what to do and what’s going to happen after you do it?

Sure, the second one might come off as a little bit pushy, but since most buyers have to be coaxed and told what to do, you’re probably doing them (and your bank account) a favor by narrowing down their options.

Ok, so, again, go back up to that video, and share it with every person under the sun in every way you know how. I want to get the video up to 50,000 hits, so make sure you do your part!

(How awesome is it going to be if I don’t fall completely flat on my face and this actually works?!?)

What are your thoughts on this post? Do you agree? Think I’m a nut? Leave your comment below!