Make Money with Your Brain

5 Ways to Work Out at a Fitness Center for Free

Suzanne Wells — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:35:00 +0000

A gym membership is considered a luxury in today’s economy. But if you find working out a home, jogging along busy streets, or walking in circles around a track are not working for you, here are some strategies for working out at a gym for free!

1. If you are in the military and near a base, work out there. The drive to the base may be a little inconvenient, but you don’t have to pay dues to use the fitness center.

2. Check out free offers in the mail. Some gyms offer a free 1 week or 2 week trial. Take advantage of these! I get offers from Lifetime Fitness, Bally’s, Fitness 19, and LA Fitness on a regular basis. You may also be able to go online and print a free pass. If you live in a busy metropolitan area, you can work your way around to many different clubs.

3. Do you have friends living in an apartment or condo? Some have a workout room. Figure out a way to partner with friends who have access to a fitness center in their apartment or condo complex.

4. Another perk for those in the military and their families- the YMCA Outreach program. To qualify for a free membership at a YMCA participating in this program, you must be a family member of deployed National Guard or Reservists, family of active duty or relocated deployed active duty.

5. Negotiate. Smaller independently run fitness centers may be willing to negotiate. Rather than paying for a membership, you may be able to work on trade such as cleaning the gym, working in the child care room, working the front desk, or helping with sales and marketing. It never hurts to ask.

Money Making Ideas During the Recession

Suzanne Wells — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:01:16 +0000

As the economy remains slow, people are seeking money making ideas using their computer. A good way to bring some cash in during a recession is by putting recession-proof items on eBay for sale. During a recession, the majority of people begin to drastically change their comfortable and expensive habits. Some of these habits include dining out, going to movie theaters, and taking vacations. An easy solution for saving a few pennies is to watch DVDs from the comfort of your own home and start eating food from your own kitchen more often. Ideal items to sell online are those that can make life at home simpler, such as certain canning and barbeque tools for the kitchen. Other items that could take the place of going out to see movies or spending money on such methods of entertainment would be board games or video games that the whole family can enjoy. (Click here for eBay selling tips on The eBay Coach Blog.)

During a recession, saving money is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Providing information products online is a great way to encourage spending less money and engaging in do-it-yourself type projects at home. ClickBank and e-Junkie are two sites that provide you with helpful information about these products. Posting information products on a blog or website of your own allows you the opportunity to earn affiliate income by putting them up for sale. If you prefer eBay, your information must be delivered via CD.

Recession-proof books are a big hit with the online crowd. Certain books that promote living simpler by spending less, surviving an economic crisis, and starting a home business are of interest to frugal Americans. Books that discuss money making ideas are also great. Amazon is an excellent site for this type of selling; there are absolutely no fees until someone purchases the item. You might have books lying around your house that you can sell now. Garage sales, thrift stores or even used book stores are also affordable places to browse for books to resell.

If you and your family already have a frugal mindset, why not create your own information product? Write an eBook about how to save money on groceries, how to save money on gas, or how to shop for clothes at a thrift store. Be creative! Someone out there may be searching for what you write about.

The current recession could be the opportunity you are looking for to make some money if you sell your items in the appropriate niche. Take a look around your home for money making ideas. Your trash could be someone else’s treasure and they will actually pay you for it!

Government Financial Assistance for Small Business Owners

Suzanne Wells — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:22:21 +0000

Small business owners and entrepreneurs can find government financial aid if you know where to look. This process can be confusing and exhausting since the programs are not advertised and the eligibility requirements are not clear. Here are a few ways to get government financial assistance for your small business.

1. Find a mentor. Find someone who knows how to work the system and guide you though the process. This is a case where who you know is more important than what you know.

2. Contact the Small Business Administration (SBA). This government agency exists to provide information, assistance, and help small businesses grow and prosper. Public and private organizations partner with the SBA. These agencies can helpful resources to entrepreneurs including information on Federal Assistance programs and grants. The SBA is not a lender, but assists small businesses in finding funding.

3. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and network with the members. You will make valuable contacts who can steer you in the right direction. You may find small business owners who have “been there, done that” and can hand you a road map. (Click here to find your local Chamber of Commerce.)

4. Be persistent. You won’t find funding overnight.

Free Conference Call Utility on Skype

Suzanne Wells — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:08:02 +0000

I have become addicted to Skype and everything it can do. I spend about 5 hours a day on the phone long distance with domestic and international clients and Skype is free for Skype to Skype users so that is one reason I love it. You can also make a free conference call on Skype.

To use the free conference call feature, set up a group of users by clicking on their names in your contact list on the left. You can also create an impromptu conference call by adding people to the call once it has started. You will get a message to either end the current call, or add a user to the call.

Skype allows users to make free conference calls worldwide. If your associates and colleagues are not on Skype yet, you can purchase a subscription for unlimited usage to North America for only$2.99 a month. You do not need to have a video camera to use the audio portion of Skype, so don’t let that intimidate you. I do not use my webcam during trainings because it is distracting to the client and I would rather the client focus on the screen. Skype has a screen sharing feature where one user can share his screen with the other and both callers can collaborate.

Click here to find out more about Skype and join the VOIP revolution!

Money Saving Tip – 5 Ways to Save Money on Air Travel

Suzanne Wells — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:48:38 +0000

Summertime means traveling and unfortunately, air travel and all the related expenses are not cheap. Here are a few money saving tips to help you cut those expenses in the air.

1. Leverage the power of the internet and book online. You will save the fees associated with telephone bookings and charges at the reservation counter.

2. Pack light and carry it on. Avoid the fees for checked baggage by packing light and carrying your baggage on board with you. If you are staying with family or friends, consider shipping your stuff via Fed Ex or UPS to your destination a few days before you leave. This is a great money saving tip if you have kids or a large family and want to avoid the luggage fees.

3. Read the travel agreement carefully. Make sure you read the fine print and pay attention to any hidden fees.

4. Bring your own snacks. Avoid the expensive airport and airline foods. Pack trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, and other snack foods that travel well.

5. Take advantage of credit card rewards. Charge your travel expenses to your credit card with the best rewards program.

Homeowner Insurance – How to Get a Free Roof

Suzanne Wells — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:09:52 +0000

Do you know what is happening up on your roof? Do you climb up there to inspect the condition of the roof? Your roof could have hail, wind, or storm damage. If you have homeowner insurance, you may qualify for a brand new free roof.

First, check with your insurance company to determine your deductible – the amount you will have to pay out of pocket.

Look on the inter net or in your local phone book for roofing companies or a contractor that offers roof inspections free of charge. Most roof inspections are free.

Set up an appointment for the inspection. Verify that the inspector will take photos of the roof so that you can prove the damage to your homeowner insurance company. You must have proof that damage exists.

If hail damage is present, it looks like small pings or little dots in the roof shingles. The surface of the shingles can also be worn away by repeated hail storms. Wind damage looks like loose shingles, gaps in the shingles, upturned edges, or edges of the shingles that have detached from the roof surface.

The roofing contractor will be able to tell you if your roof is damaged based on these conditions. If damage is found, call your homeowner insurance company and file a claim for your roof.

Your homeowner insurance company want more details. They will ask you questions about the damage and send an adjuster to your home. Often, the adjusters won’t climb on the roof, so have those photos ready! Be prepared to argue your case.

Trade Show Exhibits – Great Place to Get Free Stuff

Suzanne Wells — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:34:53 +0000

I live in Atlanta, a big trade show city. We get trade shows in all shapes and sizes – bridal shows, baby fairs, health expos, computer shows, and even pet expos. The is no cost to attend many of these expos and you can literally walk around the trade show exhibits and get all kinds of great freebies.

Pay attention to your local newspaper and television for upcoming trade shows and expos. If admission is not free, it still may be worth going. If it is $10 to get in the door of a good trade show, you can easily offset that fee by all the great freebies you will get.

Bring a something to carry your freebies in. I’ve seen people bring rolling suitcases just so they can fill them up with free loot. Be prepared to carry your treasures back to your car.

After you get into the show, visit all the trade show exhibits, even if they don’t really interest you. Their freebie might be a coupon for another item, or they might be handing out a neat promotional item that you can use – like a coffee mug or a nice pen. Some companies give away food or beverages.

Enter giveaways, drawings, and contests for prizes. Advertisers are collecting names for their mailing list so be aware of that. You may win a prize at the trade show or get coupons or free offers in the mail.

Take the time to complete or participate in surveys or focus groups. Some will give you with a gift card or free item in exchange for your time. Yes, this is bribery. I have scored some nice gift cards for spending five minutes taking a survey.

If you go to baby or childrens expos, take the kids. The vendors will have a kids area with fun things for kids to do. Trade show exhibitors love handing out things to kids.

Visit the trade show exhibits on the last day. The vendors won’t want to pack up everything and carry it back to their vehicle. Ask the vendors if they have anything they want to give away. You can score some serious stuff this way. Sometimes the vendors just leave extra items behind and you can help yourself.

Saving Money Online – Collective Buying Power

Suzanne Wells — Sun, 16 May 2010 19:10:29 +0000

Have you heard of the new way people are saving money online by using collective buying power? The site is called Groupon and here is how it works.

Every day, Groupon will post a new deal. It may be a discount on event tickets, a discount at a trendy restaurant or bakery, or a special price on a service like dry cleaning or a facial at a spa. The way Groupon states it, “Each day we feature something cool to do at an unbeatable price.”

If enough people sign up to do the deal, then the deal is on! If not enough people sign up, then no deal. That is what collective buying power is about – a group of people have to take the deal to get the discount.

Saving money online through Groupon is easy. Click here to sign up, it is free. You will receive emails announcing new deals. If you like the deal, click the “buy” button and you are done. The deal usually doesn’t expire for several weeks or even months, so you have plenty of time to use it.

Lower Utility Bills – 6 Ways to Cut Summer Electric Bills

Suzanne Wells — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:52:59 +0000

It is getting hot here in Atlanta. Pretty soon, we will be into a long stretch of 90 degree days. And then the electric bill gets scary from all of the air conditioning usage. Living in the South, we have learned ways to conserve the cool air inside the house and lower utility bills. Here are a few ways to cut summer utility bills.

1. Avoid adjusting the thermostat. Adjusting the temperature up and down requires more electricity.

2. Avoid using the stove and oven. These two appliances heat up the kitchen and the air conditioner has to work extra hard to cool it down. Focus on using the microwave, outdoor grill, and small appliances like a George Foreman grill or crock pot.

3. Cover the windows. You can buy inexpensive room darkening shades at WalMart. These are a great investment for the windows in your home that face to the West and get the scorching afternoon sun. Window film is another good option.

4. Use ceiling fans, box fans, and oscillating fans. You can stand warmer temps when the air is moving. Stagnant air makes you feel hotter.

5. Lower utility bills by using a dehumidifier. Humid air is sticky and uncomfortable. Look at WalMart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowes for reasonably priced dehumidifiers.

6. Arrange your day with the afternoon heat in mind. Line dry clothes if possible to avoid using the dryer. Do outdoor chores in the morning or evening before it gets hot so you don’t rush back in side and want to crank up the air.

Click here for more easy ways to lower utility bills.

VOIP Systems Slash Your Phone Bill

Suzanne Wells — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:37:46 +0000

Vsoice over internet protocol such as Skype and Vonage, is the latest development in phone service. This technology works through your computer by a regular phone with an adapter attached to the computer, or with a mic and speakers.

Skype is the best known of the VOIP systems. The Skype service is free. You will need either a headset or a mic and speakers. I use Skype with many of my consulting clients. The service is free between Skype users – even international calls are free. There is a screen sharing feature so you can show the person you are talking with whatever you want on your screen – websites, tutorials, photos, whatever. May businesses are going to VOIP systems because of the reduced cost and efficiency.

Skype is fun for personal use, too. If you have a webcam integrated, you can see the other person on your screen. It can be kind of creepy at first, but once you get the whole family on Skype, it gets fun.

If you cancel your landline plan, which is an average of $48, you can save $576 a year. Skype and other VOIP systems do not have 911 capabilities, so keep that in mind. Click here to check out Skype and see if it will help you save money on your phone bill.