3 FINANCIAL MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE

 Recently, a woman asked "Should I take your ‘Creating a Blueprint for Financial Success' workshop?" It was a great question. She had no debt and was curious if the workshop would benefit her.

My answer was "yes!"

The following story explains the reasons for, "If I have no debt, why should I bother learning about financial success?"

The answer lies within three common financial mistakes:

1. Maintaining the Status Quo
The first mistake is maintaining the status quo. We tend to do the same thing we've always done and complain when we get the same results. Dan Kennedy, consultant to millionaires says the following about predicting personal income:

"In one year's time I can tell you how much money you'll have, if you'll provide me with the following information:

1. The balance in your bank account today.
2. An analysis of how you spend your time in an average week.
3. A list of the books and recordings you've read and listened to in the last month.
4. Some information about the five people you hang out with most.
 For 90% of the population the answer is "The same." In one year's time you will have the same amount of money that you have in your bank account today.

I share this story to inspire you. Whether you have debt or not, do you want to do more than just maintain your current financial state? If so, then it is important to take action and expose yourself to new ideas and concepts. Otherwise, why would you expect your financial situation to be any different one year from now?

2. Inconsistent Actions
People falsely believe that if they've made one really good financial move that they've done enough. For example, they open a retirement account and continue to invest the same amount year after year without re-evaluating, or they start an emergency savings account and put a small one-time lump sum of money in it. I teach people that the secret to making consistent progress lies in taking bite-size steps towards financial success. Consistent action over time creates success.

Focus on Progress Not Perfection. Regardless of your financial situation the important thing is to make consistent progress. As long as you're making progress then you are moving in the right direction.

3. Not Working as a Team
Whether you're in a relationship or not, this concept holds true. You have to work as a team with your spouse. Many couples believe their "systems" work fine. I often hear, "Oh, we're fine! I pay the bills and my wife balances the checkbook."

Well, I'm glad everything is just fine, I think to myself. But how much of your system is based on mutual discussion and working together as a cohesive financial team?

If you aren't working on your finances as a team, you're missing out on a connecting and life-changing process.

For people not in a relationship this concept can also be applied on an individual level, are you working as a "team" with yourself? Are you supportive, positive and taking consistent steps to improve your finances? Notice your internal mindset and belief systems. Do you feel pessimistic or optimistic when it comes to improving your finances? Remember, financial success begins within.

Are you making any of these mistakes? If so, make today the day you change them!

TIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

In your busy, daily life, time management is important, and productivity is at a premium. So doesn't it make sense to multi-task whenever you can? Who wouldn't want to be doing two things in the time it takes to do one?

Well, actually ... multi-tasking is often exactly the opposite of what you need to be doing when you are pressed for time. In fact, multi-tasking actually works against you when you're trying to accomplish tasks that require focus.

Tests performed by the American Psychological Association in Washington, DC have conclusively proven that every time you shift your attention form one task to another, you lose some ground. And as your tasks become more complex, or if a task is unfamiliar to you, it's even harder for your brain to make the transition back and forth between tasks.

And the more often you move from task to task, the more time you lose, and the more stress you create for yourself (which then also diminishes your efficiency and effectiveness).

Multi-tasking can be dangerous, too. Consider the sort of multi-tasking that we see so often now on our highways where a half second of delay or inattention can literally kill you.

The bottom line? The good news is that there are ways to increase your productivity that work in harmony with how your brain functions. Here are 2 Time Management Techniques Work Better Than Multitasking:

#1: Task Templates: Create step-by-step templates to help you complete complex but repetitive tasks. Using templates for speedy reference, you don't have to waste energy or create unnecessary stress for yourself by trying to rely on your memory or reinvent the wheel.

So, jot down projects that need templates as you think of them. And try storing your templates on your computer. That makes them easily accessible and allows you to tweak them as needed, over time. The more you work from templates, the more uses you will find for them, and your productivity will soar!

#2: To-Do Lists: Lists are a great way to identify your tasks. You can keep them manageable when you prioritize in advance and clearly label those priorities. Remember, reduce tasks to small, workable chunks so that your lists are stress-relievers rather than stress-creators!
Only include what you can realistically accomplish each day. Use a master list for the more comprehensive list of tasks. And be sure to set aside some time at the end of each day to review and adjust your lists.

Multi-tasking can be tempting, but in reality it hampers your productivity rather than enhancing it. Instead of multi-tasking, learn to use these 2 powerful time tools in your daily life. Incorporate them into your routine. I think you'll be pleased with how you are able to create more focus and productivity with templates and to-do lists.

So start improving your life today by making the most of your time and energy -- the tools are in your hands!

LISTENING SKILLS

I recently came across some research that confirmed what many of us in the profession of educating sales people have known for years: That purchasers would be "much more likely" to buy from a sales person if that sales person would just "listen" to the customer. (1) The survey found that some of the worst offenders were experienced sales people.

Listening is one of the four fundamental competencies of a professional sales person, and yet, the profession is, in general, so poor at it that most customers remark on our inability to do it well.

Wow! If there is anyone I wouldn't want thinking I was a poor listener, my customers would be towards the top of the list.

Why is listening such a powerful sales competency? In my book Question Your Way to Sales Success, I describe a number of reasons. Here are a few.

First, it is our primary way of digging beneath the surface of a customer's needs and uncovering deeper and more powerful needs and motivations. That makes it a primary tool -- of which the skillful use separates the master sales people from the mediocre. For example, it doesn't take any skill whatsoever to pick up an RFQ, a set of blueprints, or to write down a list of what the customer says he needs. You don't have to be a master listener to do that. But to dig deeper and uncover deeper issues, that takes the ability to listen.

Here's an example. In a routine sales call with a regular customer, the customer says, "We're thinking of going to X product. What's your price?"

Lots of sales people would look up the price and provide it. There. Job done.

The master would hear the words "Thinking of going..." and dig a little deeper. "What makes you interested in that?" he says.

The customer replies: "Well, we're looking for a solution for a problem with our widget production line, and one of the key operators mentioned it as a possibility."

"I see. What sort of problem are you having in that production line?"

"An abnormally high reject rate."

"I may have some other solutions. Can I talk to your production manager?"

I don't have to take this scenario much further to make the point. A visit with the production supervisor could very well result in a deeper understanding of the problem and the development of an alternative solution with a whole lot more gross margin to it. The master sales person, exercising excellent listening skills, hears opportunities where many sales people don't. Listening is the primary tool for digging deeper and uncovering deeper and more significant issues in our customers.

But that's not all. When we listen, we send a powerful message that we care about the other person. Conversely, when we don't listen, we send the message that our agenda is far more important than the customer's trivial ideas and issues. That makes effective listening one of the all-time great relationship-building devices.

From a sales person's perspective, the more we listen, the more different positions, motivations, opinions and nuances we are able to understand and accommodate. The wiser and more capable we become. Since we are able to understand an ever-growing panoply of positions and opinions, we are able to feel a rapport with more and more customers, and move closer to a consensus position with them.

Listening positions us as a consultant, not a peddler, in the eyes of the customer. Ultimately, listening provides us our competitive edge.

So, how do we do it better?

Here are two specific techniques to help you improve your listening effectiveness.

1. Listen constructively.

Think of "constructively -- construction -- building." We need to listen for things upon which to build. Listen for opportunities, problems, opinions, etc. on which we can build our solutions.

One way to do this is to plant a couple of questions into our mind before every sales call. These are questions for which we want to gain the answer. You could, for example, say to yourself before a sales call: "What is the one thing that is this customer's most pressing challenge today?" And, you could ask yourself, "On what basis will this customer make the decision to buy or not?"

By planting those questions into your mind, you sharpen your sensitivity to what the customer says, enabling you to listen more constructively to the customer's conversation.

2. Discipline yourself to build the habit of responding to your customer's comments.

Here's how we think the sales interview should go.
a. We ask a question.
b. The customer answers.
c. We ask another question.

When you exercise the habit of responding, you change the format. Now, it goes like this:
a. We ask a question.
b. The customer answers.
c. We respond to the answer.
d. We now ask another question.

Notice that we have intervened in the process with something we call a "response." A response is a verbal or non-verbal signal that we send to the customer that we are listening, and accepting what the customer says. It flatters the customer, makes him/her feel good about answering, and encourages him/her to answer in more depth and detail.

Here are two powerful responses:

A. Select one or two words out of the customer's conversation, and repeat them back to the customer, nodding your head.

Here's an example. You ask the question, "Which of these challenges are most pressing for you?"

The customer responds by talking for a few moments about his challenges. When he pauses, you say, "back orders" and nod your head. "Back orders" was one of the issues he talked about. You just repeated it, and nodded your head.

That's a powerful response because it shows the customer that you have listened to the point that you have captured and repeated one of his main thoughts. That feels good to the customer and conditions him to answer the next question with even more depth and detail. Just as importantly, since you were focused on finding a key word or two to repeat, you had to listen to the customer's conversation! This technique forced you to listen more effectively, and made the customer feel good in the process.

B. Summarize and rephrase what the customer has said, and repeat it back to him.

This is similar to the one or two word techniques discussed above, more intense. When the customer has finished answering your question, you say something like this: "Let me see if I understand you correctly. In other words, what you are saying is..." Paraphrase and give him back your understanding of what he just said.

Like the prior technique, this is a powerful tool because it forces you to listen, it engages the customer, and it seeks agreement. Using this a couple of times in the sales interview will make the customer feel good about you, ensure that you understand him, and create an atmosphere of agreement.

Ultimately, your ability to listen more effectively evolves out of your discipline to apply some of these techniques regularly and methodically. If you are going to listen more effectively, you must first make the commitment to expend the effort to do so.

GET WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE

You were born to win, but to be the winner you were born to be, you have to have a clear plan to get there. This means having specific goals that you are shooting for.

Goals make us accountable, and lots of people avoid setting them for that reason. There are many good reasons for becoming a goal setter, and here are just a few of them.

Six Reasons to Set Goals
1. Goals bring the future into the present, and the present is the only time we can take action.
Setting goals makes it possible to do something today to create the future you want.

2. If you don’t plan your time, someone else will help you waste it.

3. People get twice as much done on the day before they go on vacation, because they plan (set goals) and prioritize what they intend to do.

4. Goal setters make more money than people who don’t set goals. Those with goals programs are also happier and healthier and got along better with the folks at home.

5. Goals keep you focused on the things that really matter and help you avoid wasting time on things that are unproductive.

6. Setting goals gives direction and purpose to all that you do.

Now you might be thinking, “How do I know what goals to set, and how do I know they are the right goals that get me where I want to go?” I have a proven seven-step process you can apply to your goal setting, and if you follow each step correctly, you will create goals that are tailor-made for you and what you want to achieve.

The Seven Steps of Goal Setting

1. Identify the goal.
If you don’t identify a target, you will never hit it. When you identify a goal, it means that you write it down and describe it clearly. If you want to have specific success, you must have specific targets. A goal “to increase my annual income” or “to spend more time on my spiritual life” is not specific. A specific goal would be “to increase my current income by 20 percent” or “to read the entire Bible.”

2. List the benefits: what’s in it for me?
Once you identify a specific goal, you need to list the benefits you will receive when you reach that goal. We only do the things we want to do and are willing to do. If there are no personal benefits, your motivation for completing the goal will be diminished.

Remember that changing your life is not always easy, so understanding what’s in it for you is vitally important. Don’t skimp on this step!

3. List the obstacles to overcome.
There might be some rough spots on your journey as you work to achieve your goals. Many of them can be anticipated, and if you can anticipate something, you can prepare yourself in advance to overcome it. So think it through and make a complete list of all the things that can prevent you from being successful.

4. List the skills and knowledge required.
Knowledge gives us the power to accomplish things we would not otherwise be able to do, and skills give us the tools to take advantage of our knowledge. There is a direct relationship between knowing and doing, and successfully accomplishing your goals will require that powerful combination. For example, if your goal is to increase your proficiency on the computer, you will need to know specifically what the computer can do for you (knowledge). Then, the skills you will need to be successful must be identified. These skills might include learning to type on a keyboard with two hands instead of finger pecking. This would trigger setting another goal of learning to type! Never forget that knowledge and skill will be required to successfully complete any goal.

5. Identify the people and groups to work with.
We do a better job when we have the help of others. They can help us with knowledge and skill and can offer valuable advice we need to be successful. So when you set your goals, always consider the people and the groups you can work with that can help you be more successful.

6. Develop a plan of action.
This is the most critical step, and it involves thinking through the details of how you will achieve your goal. In my younger years I was thirty-seven pounds overweight. I had put that weight on one bite at a time, and I was going to have to lose it the same way. That required a plan! I wanted to lose my weight over a ten-month period and that was the first step of the plan. Thirty seven pounds sounds like a lot, but when you realize it’s only 3.7 pounds a month over a ten-month period it sounds a lot better. So, I planned to lose 3.7 pounds a month for ten months. Then I included a daily running and exercise plan in the goal, as well as a diet that would limit my caloric intake. With those details planned, I clearly knew how I was going to have to live each day to be successful. I prepared diligently to succeed. I stuck to my plan (which means I never made the first exception), and ten months later I had lost thirty-seven pounds.

Success would have eluded me had I not planned the details of what I would do each day to reach my goal. In this case, reaching my goal may not have changed the world, but it surely did change my world.

7. Set a deadline for achievement.
In the example above, you notice I gave myself ten months to lose the weight I wanted to lose. I had a great reason for setting that deadline—all goals need a completion date to be effective. I was in the process of writing my first book, See You at the Top, and I had ten months left to complete my book by my goal date when it struck me that I was not a good example of the very things I was teaching. Nobody who saw me was going to believe a word I said, because I was not taking care of my health. There was no way an overweight fat boy could effectively tell other people how to change their lives without first changing his own! My integrity was on the line . . . so I got help and made my ten-month plan.

If you don’t set a deadline for completing your goals, you will not be accountable to yourself or anyone else. If you are not accountable for your goals, you will not achieve them.

Don’t think of goal setting as a tiresome activity that requires you to do things that are difficult. The real benefit of having goals is what you become by reaching them. When you successfully complete your goals, you change specific things in your life. I can tell you factually that your life will be radically changed for the better, and the person you become will be highly successful in all that you do.

MARKETING WITH ATTRACTION

This week, I was reminded of a quote from one of my mentors,
Thomas Leonard, who observed that, "People love to buy
things, but almost no one wants to be sold."
Thousands of people are eager to buy what you sell. They
want the benefits, the convenience, the comfort or prestige
that you can provide. Human beings are an "acquisitive"
bunch. We want stuff!
Of course, consumerism can be abused, but buying and selling
is the process that creates the life (and the lifestyle) we
all want. The "desire to acquire" goes deep, and its a good
thing.
So, if you aren't making as many sales as you would like,
let me suggest that the problem is not with your customers,
but with you. The problem is likely one of the following:
1. Not enough potential customers know about you or that
your product could enrich their lives. This is a marketing
problem, and as a business leader it is your job to solve
it. Let people know! Get out there and get in the game!
2. Or, the other possibility, is that you’re trying too
hard to "sell."
Personally, I have a deep-seated aversion to being "sold"
anything. But people are eager to buy benefits! They buy
solutions to their problems. They buy things that make their
lives better, easier, simpler, healthier or more
comfortable. They buy stuff that makes them happy. And they
buy from people they know and like and trust.
If enough people "know and like and trust" you, they will
listen when you offer a product or service that will make
their lives better. If they "know and like and trust" you,
they will flock to your door and you'll make all the sales
you need.

DO YOUR CUSTOMERS LOVE YOU?

Here's a question: Would you rather have 10,000 customers
buy your products once, or 500 customers who were raving
fans? I hope the answer is obvious!
Advertising and marketing make it possible to sell your
products around the world, and getting customers to try your
service once is a relatively well-defined science. You can
hire experts on marketing and branding, and consultants to
"target" your niche and refine your message.
What you cannot buy (at least not in the same way) is
customer loyalty. You buy customer loyalty and repeat
business with extraordinary customer care--not customer
"service," but honest, extreme caring for your customers.
Fortunately, this is not difficult or expensive.
Caring for your customers means working with them to solve
their problems and achieve their goals. It means listening
to them, and responding. It means the old boundaries between
"seller" and "buyer" break down and we work as a team to
achieve win-win results that enrich us both.
Recently, a friend and I compared notes about two local
businesses. Bob talked angrily about a company that refused
to provide service, a refund or credit when it's product
failed to meet his needs. Then we talked about another local
vendor who has a reputation for always going the "extra
mile." Guess who we'll do business with next time?
A few dozen customers, well taken care of, can make you
rich. Never, never, never forget that!

THE ENDGAME TO SELLING

In golf, there is a saying that, "You drive for show, but you putt for dough." In selling, you prospect and present for show, but you overcome customer skepticism and gain commitment for dough. How would you rate your ability to answer objections and get the sale? This is the true test of how good you really are as a salesperson.

The True Test of Selling

This is perhaps the most stressful and challenging part of the sales process. It's where the rubber meets the road. It is your ability to answer the questions that the prospect puts to you and overcome his natural reluctance to make a commitment that wraps up the sales process. It is also the part of the sales process that salespeople dislike the most and which customers find the most stressful.

Plan It in Advance

The end game of selling must be carefully thought through and planned in advance so that you are thoroughly prepared to bring the sales conversation to its natural conclusion at the earliest and most appropriate moment. Fortunately, this is a skill, like riding a bicycle or typing with a typewriter, and you can learn it through study and practice.

Handling Objections Comes First

Handling objections and closing the sale are two different parts of the sales process but they are so close together that this chapter will discuss them as a single function. Just as there are reasons why people buy a product, there are reasons why they don't. Often answering an objection or removing an obstacle is the critical element in making the sale. You can answer the objection and close the sale simultaneously.

Make It a Reason to Buy

Objections can be turned into reasons for buying. Just as there is a primary reason for buying a product, a hot button, there is a primary objection that stops the person from buying it. If you can emphasize the one and remove the other, the sale falls together naturally.

Smaller Products Versus Larger Products

In selling smaller products or services, where you can prospect and make a complete presentation in the first meeting, your approach to closing will be different from that required if you are selling a larger product in a multi-call sale that stretches over several weeks or months.

Ask For the Order

In the shorter, smaller sale, the prospect knows everything necessary to make a buying decision at the end of your presentation. Your aim should be to answer any lingering questions and then ask for the order. In the larger sale, you may have to meet with the prospect several times before the prospect is in a position to make a buying decision. You will have to be more patient and persistent.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, prepare yourself in advance for the endgame of selling by anticipating anything the customer might offer as a reason for not buying. Be ready.
Second, look for the hot button, the reason the customer will buy, and press it. Meanwhile, find out his major reason for not buying and remove it.

3 ESSENTIALS TO REACHING YOUR GOALS

What are the ESSENTIALS for you to reach your most important
goals?
There are ESSENTIALS that you must master to be a loving
spouse, a successful business person, a great parent, and a
valued friend. Define and master the essentials in each area
of life that is important to you.
Here are three ESSENTIALS that are common to success in
many, many vital areas:
1. Tools. Whatever you are trying to achieve, your success
will be much greater if you have the right tools. Learn the
skills, acquire the software, buy the hardware, and
understand the standards for success in whatever you are
trying to achieve. The right tools make every job easier.
2. Talent. Too many people try to achieve something for
which they do not have the required talent. As a basketball
player, even John Wooden could not have taught me much. I
have no gift, no talent or instinct for the game. As
exercise on a Saturday afternoon, sure I can throw a ball
around. But my talents lie elsewhere. A modicum of talent
is a key essential for success!
3. Time. This is another term for persistence. Too often
we want "over-night" success and fail to invest the time
required to achieve success. Very few Olympic medals are
won by people who practice in their "spare time!" Whether
you are building a website, raising children, or studying
for a degree, it will take time. Lots of time. If you won't
(or can't) devote the necessary time, you may be setting
yourself up for frustration. And failure.
There are generally three to seven ESSENTIALS for success
in any given endeavor. People who enjoy one success after
another take time to analyze and digest the fundamentals.
Study people who have done what you are trying to do!
Analyze their strengths, their strategies, their tools
and their skills. Master the essentials, then simply do
what must be done and you will inevitably get the results
you seek.

PROSPECTING, PRODUCTION AND PROFITS

Most small businesses reflect the personality of their
owner, and that is both their strength and, too often, their
weakness. Specifically, some entrepreneurs love to sell more
than they care about details of production, while others
focus so much on perfecting their products, they starve for
customers.
The key is balance.
If you are not prospecting every day, your business will
eventually stall. Yes, repeat sales and word of mouth are
vital, but in the end, business grows because new customers
hear about you and decide to buy. As Mary Kay Ash said,
"nothing happens until somebody sells something," and you
can't sell without prospecting.
Marketing, promotion and publicity are essential, and some
business owners relish this part. It comes naturally and
they love it. They naturally go "where the action is."
Networking comes easily to them, and selling is "the name of
the game.” Good for them!
Except when they neglect the details of delivery. In the
end, what you sell has to be produced, packaged and
delivered on time, on budget and in excellent condition.
Some sales people forget that, and it comes back to haunt
them.
Other business owners get caught up in the operational
details, forgetting that if the phone doesn't ring, no one
is going to buy their magnificent goods and services.
The key is balance.
You need prospects in order to sell, and you need superior
production in order to deliver. When the two are balanced,
profits soar.  

8 MONEY SAVINGS TIPS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT

Here are 8 uncommon money saving tips. Try them all or pick the ones you think would work best for you in these tough economic times.

Money Saving Tip #1
Get Excited About Saving Money
The first step is to get excited about saving money! Learn about the benefits of being frugal. Perhaps even learn how to become frugal yourself. Just ask any frugal person. Most of them will enthusiastically give you all the reasons why and then give you 10 ways to save money.

Money Saving Tip #2
Chart Your Monthly Expenses & Create a Budget
You can find many ways to save money once you get visibility of where your money is going. You cannot do this until you chart all your monthly expenses. This means making a list of every place you spend money during a full calendar year, and beyond if necessary to account for everything.

You can do this by creating a personal budget on a spreadsheet or a sheet of paper. Once you have all your monthly expenses listed on the left and your expenditures entered into each month of the year, you can look for ways to reduce your expenses. In cutting expenses on things that you have control over, researching items for possible rate reductions, and negotiating lower prices on other things you are in effect creating a personal budget.

Money Saving Tip #3
Shop for Better Insurance Rates
It's a good practice to shop for better rates on your health, auto, and home insurance every couple of years. Some of you are going to immediately become concerned about how things will play out with your agent. If you found out through your research that you are paying much more per year with your current agent than what you could get with another reputable company, would you allow blind loyalty to stop you?

Once you shop around, learn more about your options, and then give your agent the opportunity to look for ways to reduce your premium; s/he may meet or exceed what you discovered during your research.

One of the best ways to reduce your insurance rates significantly is to increase your deductibles. If you haven't been in an accident in 10, 20, or even 30 years, you've spent a lot of extra money for the so-called peace of mind of having a low deductible. If you are a careful driver who rarely if ever gets into an accident and you have enough money in the bank to cover a higher deductible, you should look at increasing your deductible.

When it comes to health insurance, changing your deductible is a completely different matter. It all depends on your age, health, medical needs, career status, and financial position. It's important to check rates every couple of years, however, as premiums and coverage can change significantly between companies.

Money Saving Tip #4
Shop for Better Telephone & Cable or Satellite Television Rates
Telephone and television services are very competitive industries. Consequently, they are constantly changing their rates and offering new packages and specials. It's worthwhile to do a little research to find out if you're getting the best deal. Some companies offer a lot of free stuff just for switching over to them, so sometimes it won't cost you anything to make the change. You've got to ask the representative about current specials when you call though. And don't be afraid to ask them how they can sweeten the deal if you are switching from another company or setting up service for the first time.

There are many ways to get much better long distance rates than landline telephone companies' offer. There are 1010 numbers, Internet based telephone service providers, and even prepaid long distance cards that offer good deals.

I used a 1010 number for many years without any problems. I think the rate was 5 cents a minute plus a small connection fee and taxes. When you make a long distance telephone call using a 1010 number the charges are added to the bill of your existing landline telephone service provider.

Money Saving Tip #5
Eliminate Premium Telephone, Television, and Internet Services.
How many of the extra telephone services, like call waiting and caller ID, do you really need or use? Look over your telephone bill and drop the services that you don't really need or use. And do you really watch all 900 television channels?

Cable Internet providers often try to sell you on upgrading your service to a "faster speed" on the basis that it will greatly enhance your online experience. Those faster speeds only benefit you when you are downloading or uploading a file and how often do you do that? When you are just surfing the Web doing normal things like processing email, reviewing your bank balance, paying your bills, buying a product, posting comments, or working on your website(s) there will be little if any noticeable difference with the higher speeds. So why pay extra for it?

Money Saving Tip #6
Shop Dealerships for Vehicle Maintenance & Repairs
It is often assumed that factory authorized dealerships charge the same amount for scheduled maintenance, repairs, and even accessories. This is not true. The amount dealers charge for scheduled maintenance can vary significantly. The amount they charge for repairs and accessories can vary greatly!

When you need a scheduled maintenance, repair, or accessory, call around to at least three (3) dealerships in your area even if one of them is a considerable distance away.

Also, only allow the dealer to do what is recommended by the factory as shown in your owner's manual. Also, do not automatically agree to "dealer recommended" additional services. In most cases, you do not need them. Your service advisor may use various tactics to get you to do these extra services, so be on your toes. And don't be afraid to ask questions.

Money Saving Tip #7
Shop for Better Rates on Regular Services like Drying Cleaning, Hair Care, & Vehicle Wash
We all get into the habit of doing business at the same places. The problem is sometimes new businesses open or old ones remodel that offer much better prices, products, and services than the store or individual we've been using for years!

Most of your research can be done by telephone. Just call each of them and ask for their price on the services you regularly buy.

Money Saving Tip #8
Shop for Better Rates on Professional Services
Many people would never consider comparing the fees they are being charged by their dentist, medical doctor, accountant, or lawyer. As the years go by and their fees gradually increase, your dentist or other professional may become the highest priced provider in your entire area.

Also, do not automatically agree to their recommended treatment or service plan. Always ask them to tell you about all the other less expensive options. Then ask them as many questions as you want. Remember, doctors, dentists, and other professionals are business people too.

Choosing a less expense option does not necessarily mean that you will get an inferior treatment or service. It may be just as good or it may suffice for now and meet your current financial situation.

I hope you find these money saving tips useful.

8 TIPS TO HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT CAREER

Looking for new career ideas? Are you feeling frustrated in your job, but just don't know what else to do? Have you got a good idea of the kind of work you don't want but not a clue about what you do want?

Read on to find out about 8 ways you can explore new career ideas and come up with the elusive answer to your career change challenge.

One of the main reasons people struggle with career change is that they fail to think outside the box. Their ideas are really just more of the same. Here are some ways to help you to begin to think laterally. Start by looking inwards and then focus outwards too.

1. Skills.
Don't just look at the skills you have gained at work, but consider what you do in your spare time too. What talents have you been able to grow through your interests and community work? How could you use these in a job?

2. Interests.
Given that many people fall into jobs in an unplanned way, take time now to think about what you really enjoy doing. Go right back to when you were a kid. What really gave you a buzz? What jobs would allow you to feel that same excitement?

3. Achievements.
What have you done that you are proud of? Again, not just at work. Maybe the part you played in putting on a local drama club production gave you a real sense of satisfaction. What does that suggest about the kind of work that would be satisfying for you?

4. Personality.
Just what makes you tick? Do you know what kind of person you are? Being in a job that fits your personal style is like wearing well-fitting shoes. What kind of work would allow you to feel truly at home?

5. People watch.
Take a look at the people around you, both friends and casual encounters. What jobs are they doing? Look at parts of their job, not the whole thing. What aspects of their work appeal to you and what do you think you would dislike? What does that tell you about the work that would be right for you?

6. Work shadow.
If you have a few ideas that sound interesting, then see if you can fix up to volunteer somewhere where you can get an inside view. Or shadow someone for a day, for an hour or even just meet up with them for coffee and a chat and then pick their brains and dig below the surface of the job to find out more about what is involved. Check whether it would be worth investigating further.

7. Be a career researcher.
Just watch the world with job seeker eyes. There are 100s of jobs out there that never appear in any careers encyclopedia. Be alert to the jobs referred to directly or indirectly when you are reading the paper, watching TV or listening to the radio. See if you can identify a dozen new career ideas every week that you never realized existed before. One of these could be just what you are looking for.

8. Turn off your inner censor.
Just for a while switch off the 'yes, but' voice in your head. Allow yourself to explore ideas uncritically. Open your mind to the enormous pool of possibilities out there and look for something that really captures your enthusiasm. Just what would you do if anything was possible? Once you feel inspired, the 'yes, but' responses are much easier to challenge.

So what are you waiting for? Start exploring today!