10 Smart Money-Making Ideas for 2013 and beyond

Despite the poor state of the economy, some people will make lots of money in 2012. You need to remember that not everyone these days is impecunious. What can you sell to people who still have money to spend? What service or product can you provide for them? Although some traditional money-making ideas may not pay off well in 2012, here are a few time-proven, affordable, and practical ideas that may prove to be exceptions:

1. Start and operate a useful club. The goal is to come up with a unique idea that provides benefits people would be willing to tap into. Possibilities include a food/personal products co-op, a self-defense/personal safety coalition, a board game competition club, a travel-for-less-as-groups association, etc. Clubs allow people to meet new friends, get products and services at lower prices, travel less expensively, and enjoy special privileges available only to the members. The club makes money by charging annual membership fees, selling its exclusive products & services, getting the support of corporate sponsors and from fees paid for special events, competitions, and activities.

2. Become a “picker.” Thanks in part to the now-popular TV show “American Pickers,” more people are considering this always-interesting, open-to-anyone profession. Ironically, used-stuff businesses fare better during harsh economic times. For buyers, it means saving money on things they might not otherwise be able to afford; for sellers, it means a steady source of products, customers, and, if done right, profits. The trick is to sell for more than what you pay.

3. Hunt for precious stones and gems. There are quarries and mines throughout the country where you reside (as well as caves, underwater caverns, and abandoned sites) where you can look for valuables. You pay a fee for the privilege of digging but usually get to keep anything you find. This idea requires that you educate yourself on the different stones and gems that may be found, keeping in mind that they generally look different when first unearthed than they do in jewelry store shelves.

4. House-sit for empty property.Buildings, condos and houses for sale (or for rent) may have to stay unoccupied for long periods of time. While unoccupied, empty property can easily become subject to arson, vandalism, illegal occupation, and burglary. More prevalent during bad economic times, burglars break into empty property to steal built-in appliances, electric fixtures, wiring, pipes, water heaters, paneling, flooring, central heating/air conditioning units, etc. You can help prevent this by moving into such property either rent-free (saving you money) or for a flat, agree-upon fee. Considering how bad the real estate market is, the rent-free option is probably the most realistic.

5. Become a blogger. Even people who never thought of themselves as “writers” have been making good money by blogging on the Internet. By writing short, informative, and entertaining articles/blogs for websites, electronic newsletters, landing pages, and the e-versions of established hardcopy publications, you can provide a much-needed, in-demand service.

Very creative and funny idea

6. Invent or create something new. Do you have an idea for a new type of food, a new recipe suitable for mass production? Maybe you or someone you know has an original recipe for a delicious cookie, pastry, pie, cake, sandwich, etc. Or maybe you can improve a product that is already out there. Apply for a patent for your idea, if you can afford the fees; otherwise, there are companies that will help inventors make their dream come true for a percentage of the profits.

7. Help people clean up, re-arrange, and get rid of old items in garages, basements, and attics. During hard economic times, people often want to get rid of extra “baggage.” Such emptied places may then be turned into rooms people can rent for storage or even to live in. You can also offer to run a yard sale on behalf of the client, either at their place or yours—the proceeds can either be shared or be counted toward the fee to be paid to you for the work you did. If you have handyman skills, you can also offer to fix, renovate, or upgrade the places you just cleaned up.

8. Run errands on an as-needed basis. Most people would love to have a personal assistant who can run errands (pick up clothes from the drycleaners, grocery shop, take children to sporting events, drop off packages, type up important letters, make calls, drop you off at the airport, answer your emails, be your personal answering service, etc.) for them, if they could afford it. You can make it affordable for them by charging one flat, per-hour fee, in addition to reasonable mileage fees if driving is involved. You can be available on a 24/7 basis (even though they only pay you for the time they use you), for a low fee being their chauffeur, secretary, answering service, shopper, researcher, delivery person, etc.

9. Get a good digital camera and put it to use. There are many Internet sites, publications, and individuals who are willing to pay good money for unique, special topic, well-taken, clear, and attractive photos. Ask professional paparazzi, if you have any doubts. A picture taken of celebrities (especially if they are where they are not expected), for example, can be worth a small fortune. Fortunately, though, other subjects/topics can also be profitable, especially if you can capture something rarely seen, amazing, useful to someone, or particularly beautiful to behold. The idea is to keep your camera with you at all times. Learn how to master it. Also, familiarize yourself with businesses/sites that buy photographs, paying close attention to their standards, photo-taking guidelines, and submission requirements.

10. Get a metal detector & go treasure hunting. This is perhaps one of the best all-time money-making opportunities. You will need to learn how to use your equipment well and with ease (which may require several months of on-the-job use); you will have to learn about and abide by laws governing this activity (making sure to always ask permission from property owners before digging on their premises); and you will have to invest lots of energy and time. The good news, though, is that there are metal detector models to fit every budget, there are always more things to find buried all around us, and there will always be land that no one has searched for buried treasure. Some of the things you can find include lost jewelry, old coins, Civil War relics, Native American paraphernalia, buried buttons and bullets from previous centuries, and hundreds of other now-valuable items.

Ten smart ideas that you can realistically put to good use, provided that you are willing to put in the necessary hard word, learning, and commitment needed!

Whatever you do, May 2012 be the year of success, happiness and prosperity for everyone!

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If Cash Is King, Money Is God

If Cash Is King, Money Is God


Connie H. Deutsch


"Cash is king," said my accountant.


"Cash is king," my banker nodded vigorously.


"Cash is king," agreed my attorney.


"Cash is king," chorused my friends and clients.


So, when did cash gain a status that is higher in rank than king? When did money become God?


When it comes to money, people tend to do strange things. It can be the ultimate test of one's integrity or the definitive measure of one's greed. And the interesting thing is that those who are at the low end of the scale seldom see themselves as lacking in character.


Many years ago, as part of the counseling I was doing for a group of people who were friends, I tried an experiment. I told them to play a game of Monopoly and to monitor each other's behavior. Then, they had to write down their findings and we would do some directed therapy during the next session.


There was a nice range of behavior patterns in this group. One man was very ruthless in business, another was codependent; one woman was a people-pleaser and a chameleon, and the other woman was a control freak.


Their notes on each other were very enlightening. The game mimicked real life. Once they got engrossed in the buying and selling of properties, they reverted to type. The ruthless man didn't care how he accomplished it but he went about methodically accumulating the best properties. The codependent man kept making excuses for him and letting him have the prime properties. The people-pleasing woman kept reminding everyone that this was just a game and not to take it so seriously and to please stop arguing, and the control freak wanted to be banker and to monitor everyone's holdings.



The outcomes of games are easily forgotten but real life situations are not. When someone cheats you out of money that is rightfully yours, most likely a kernel of anger and resentment takes root. But when this is a case of someone squeezing you dry, you either have to sink to their level or make a conscious decision to rise above it and walk away from the situation.


No one likes to be the victim of someone's greed and yet we see this in action everywhere we look. It starts at an early age: you can see children in the sandbox grabbing someone else's toys and the only thing that changes as they get older is that the toys become more expensive.


　


When people are starving and they steal a loaf of bread to feed their family, that is understandable. But when they steal to see what they can get away with, that is something altogether different. An individual might be able to get away with stealing small sums but when it happens at the corporate level and pension funds are wiped out, all hell breaks loose and people are shocked at the magnitude of the theft. But why should they be shocked when society has been turning a blind eye to crimes of a lesser nature?


You can always convince yourself that your need is greater than someone else's and therefore, you must take what isn't yours just to keep financially afloat. Although greed has continually been part of our culture it's still difficult to watch someone deliberately strip a person of his assets just because he wants what the other person has.


In most societies, money, or at least some form of currency with which to buy or barter goods or services, has been of the utmost importance. Whether the exchange rate is the number of camels or dollars used to finesse a deal, this has invariably been a symbol of a person's worth, a measure of his status. And greed has consistently entered into the equation.


During the best of times and the worst of times, the rallying cry of the rich and poor has been "cash is king." Now, however, with this downturn economy bringing out the worst in people, cash is no longer king. Money is now God.


Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/if-cash-is-king-money-is-god-5174089.html

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Forex trading, what the hype is all about

Forex trading, what the hype is all about 

Forex trading is all about making big money. Some investors have found it quite easy to make a large amount of money as the forex market changes daily. Forex, is the foreign exchange market. Online and offline you will find references to the forex market as FX as well. Forex trading takes place through a broker or a financial institution often where you are able to purchase other types of stocks, bonds and investments. 



When you are thinking about getting involved in the forex markets you should know you are sending money to be invested with other countries. This is done to prop up the investments of people involved in certain types of hedge funds, and in the markets overseas. The forex market could have your money invested in one market one day, and the next day your money is invested in another country. The daily changes are determined by your broker or financial institution. When reading your statements and learning more about your account, you will find that every type of currency has three letters that will represent that currency. 


For example, the United States dollars is USD, the Japanese yen is JPY, and the British pound sterling will read as GBP. You will also find that for every transaction on your account listing you will see information that looks like this: JPYzzz/GBPzzz. This means that you took your Japanese yen money and invested it into something in the British pound market. You will find many transactions from one currency to another if you have money that is scattered through out the forex markets. 


Forex markets trading by investment management firms are the companies you can trust with your money. You want to find a company that has been dealing with forex trading since the early seventies, and not someone just new on the block so you get the most for your hard earned money. It is important that you beware of companies that are popping up online, and often times from foreign countries that are stating they can get you involved in the forex markets and trading. Read the fine print, and know whom you are dealing with for the best possible protection. 


If you are interested in trading on the forex market, you will find limits for investing are different from company to company. Often times you will learn that you need a minimum of $250 or $500 while other companies will need $1000 or $10,000. The company you are dealing with will set limits in how much you need to open an account with their company. The scams that are online will tell you, that you only need a $1 or $5 to open an account, but you need to learn more about that company and where they are doing business before investing any money, this is for your own protection while dealing in forex trading and markets online.

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FOREX (Foreign Exchange Market)

FOREX (Foreign Exchange Market)

The foreign exchange market is also known as FX or it is also found to be referred to as the FOREX. All three of these have the same meaning, which is the trade of trading between different companies, banks, businesses, and governments that are located in different countries. The financial market is one that is always changing leaving transactions required to be completed through brokers, and banks. Many scams have been emerging in the FOREX business, as foreign companies and people are setting up online to take advantage of people who don't realize that foreign trade must take place through a broker or a company with direct participation involved in foreign exchanges. 


Cash, stocks, and currency is traded through the foreign exchange markets. The FOREX market will be present and exist when one currency is traded for another. Think about a trip you may take to a foreign country. Where are you going to be able to 'trade your money' for the value of the money that is in that other country? This is FOREX trading basis, and it is not available in all banks, and it is not available in all financial centers. FOREX is a specialized trading circumstance. 


Small business and individuals often times looking to make big money, are the victims of scams when it comes to learning about FOREX and the foreign trade markets. As FOREX is seen as how to make a quick buck or two, people don't question their participation in such an event, but if you are not investing money through a broker in the FOREX market, you could easily end up losing everything that you have invested in the transaction. 


Scams to be wary of 
A FOREX scam is one that involves trading but will turn out to be a fraud; you have no chance of getting your money back once you have invested it. If you were to invest money with a company stating they are involved in FOREX trading you want read closely to learn if they are permitted to do business in your country. Many companies are not permitted in the FOREX market, as they have defrauded investors before. 


In the last five years, with the help of the Internet, FOREX trading and the awareness of FOREX trading has become all the rage. Banks are the number one source for FOREX trading to take place, where a trained and licensed broker is going to complete transactions and requirements you set forth. Commissions are paid on the transaction and this is the usual. 


Another type of scam that is prevalent in the FOREX markets is software that will aid you in making trades, in learning about the foreign markets and in practicing so you can prepare yourself for following and making trades. You want to be able to rely on a program or software that is really going to make a difference. Consult with your financial broker or your bank to learn more about FOREX trading, the FX markets and how you can avoid being the victim while investing in these markets.

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The World Wide Forex market

The World Wide Forex market

Forex is a trading 'method' also known as FX or and foreign market exchange. Those involved in the foreign exchange markets are some of the largest companies and banks from around the world, trading in currencies from various countries to create a balance as some are going to gain money and others are going to lose money. The basics of forex are similar to that of the stock market found in any country, but on a much larger, grand scale, that involves people, currencies and trades from around the world, in just about any country. 

Different currency rates happen and change every day. What the value of the dollar may be one day could be higher or lower the next. The trading on the forex market is one that you have to watch closely or if you are investing huge amounts of money, you could lose large amounts of money. The main trading areas for forex, happens in Tokyo, in London and in New York, but there are also many other locations around the world where forex trading does take place. 

The most heavily traded currencies are those that include (in no particular order) the Australian dollar, the Swiss franc, the British pound sterling, the Japanese yen, the Eurozone eruo, and the United States dollar. You can trade any one currency against another and you can trade from that currency to another currency to build up additional money and interest daily. 

The areas where forex trading is taking place will open and close, and the next will open and close. This is seen also in the stock exchanges from around the world, as different time zones are processing order and trading during different time frames. The results of any forex trading in one country could have results and differences in what happens in additional forex markets as the countries take turns opening and closing with the time zones. Exchange rates are going to vary from forex trade to forex trade, and if you are a broker, or if you are learning about the forex markets you want to know what the rates are on a given day before making any trades. 

The stock market Is generally based on products, prices, and other factors within businesses that will change the price of stocks. If someone knows what is going to happened before the general public, it is often known as inside trading, using business secrets to buy stocks and make money - which by the way is illegal. There is very little, if any at all inside information in the forex trading markets. The monetary trades, buys and sells are all a part of the forex market but very little is based on business secrets, but more on the value of the economy, the currency and such of a country at that time. 

Every currency that is traded on the forex market does have a three letter code associated with that currency so there is no misunderstanding about which currency or which country one is investing with at the time. The eruo is the EUR and the US dollar is known as the USD. The British pound is the GBP and the Japanese yen is known as the JPY. If you are interested in contacting a broker and becoming involved in the forex markets you can find many online where you can review the company information and transactions before processing and becoming involved in the forex markets.

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Forex Trading - should you invest?

Forex Trading - should you invest?

Forex trading is all about putting your money into other currencies, so you can gain the interest for the night, for time period or the difference in trading money all around. Forex trading does involve other assets along with money, but because you are investing in other countries and in other businesses that are dealing in other currencies the basis for the money you make or lose will be based on the trading of money. 


Constant trading is done in the forex markets as time zones will vary and the markets will open in one country while another is near closing. What happens in one market will have an effect on the other countries forex markets, but it is not always bad or good, sometimes the margins of trading are near each other. 


A forex market will be present when two countries are involved in trading, and when money is traded for goods, services or a combination of these things. Currency is the money that trades hands, from one to another. Often times, a bank is going to be the source of forex trading, as millions of dollars are traded daily. There is nearly two trillion dollars traded daily on the forex market. Should you get involved in forex trading? If you are already involved in the stock market, you have some idea of what forex trading really is all about. 


The stock market involves buying shares of a company, and you watch how that company does, waiting for a bigger return. In the forex markets, you are purchasing items or products, or goods, and you are paying money for them. As you do this, you are gaining or losing as the currency exchange differs daily from country to country. To better prepare you for the forex markets you can learn about trading and purchasing online using free 'game' like software. 


You will log on and create an account. Entering information about what you are interested in and what you want to do. The 'game' will allow you to make purchases and trades, involving different currencies, so you can then see first hand what a gain or loss will be like. As you continue on with this fake account you will see first hand how to make decisions based on what you know, which means you will have to read about the market changes or you will have to take a brokers information at value and play from there. 


If you, as an individual want to be involved in forex trading, you must get involved through broker, or a financial institution. Individuals are also known as spectators, even if you are investing money because the amount of money you are investing is minimal compared to the millions of dollars that are invested by governments and by banks at any given time. This does not mean you can't get involved.  Your broker or investment advisor will be able to tell you more about how you can be involved in forex trading. In the US, there are many regulations and laws in regards to who can handle forex trading for US citizens so if you are searching the internet for a broker, be sure you read the print, and the information about where the company is located and if it is legal for you to do business with that company.

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Can You Make Money as a Fashion Designer?

Can You Make Money as a Fashion Designer?

Do you have a love for fashion?  If that love includes designing your own clothes or fashion accessories, like handbags, have you ever thought about making a living as a fashion designer?  When it comes to being a fashion designer, many individuals feel that it is a dream of theirs that just isn’t destined to become a reality. While this is sometimes the case, it doesn’t always have to be.  With the right willpower and the need to succeed, you can easily make money as a fashion designer.


When it comes to making money as a fashion designer, many individuals believe that they can only be successful if they see their designs on the runways in New York or Paris.  While this would definitely help, you don’t have to be a famous, well-known fashion designer to make money as one.  Did you know that you can make money as a fashion designer making your own clothes right from your own living room or home office?  You can and if you would like to know more on how you can go about doing so, you will want to read on.


As you likely already know, many fashion designers start out with simple drawings on paper.  Many have the dream of turning their drawings into real pieces of clothing or fashion accessories; therefore, many do so.  What is nice about making a living as a fashion designer is that you have a number of different options. For instance, if you were just starting out small, to see how your designs would sell, you can not only be the designer, but the maker as well.  If you would like to hire assistance, either right away or after your business took off, you could do as well.


If you are interested in starting your own fashion design business, you will want to think about having your own online website. In fact, many fashion designers sell their products exclusively on their own online websites, not in some big fancy fashion store.  Of course, if your fashions take off, you could later choose to do so if you want.  If you also want to sell your own fashions locally, you may want to think about renting some business space.  If you carefully choose your space, you cannot only have a sales floor, but you may also be able to have a warehouse where you can make and store your fashions.  This ideal if you are interested in running both an online fashion store and a storefront one.


If you have been interested in being a fashion designer for a while now, there is a good chance that already have some of the many supplies needed.  For instance, you probably already have a large selection of drawing materials, a sewing machine, and likely even a collection of fabrics.  If that is the case, you will find that the startup costs associated with getting your fashion design business up and running are minimal.  For many, it is the cost of starting a business that poses the biggest problem, but it may not necessarily be a problem for you.


Of course, when it comes to running a business, even just a small one, you need to remember to abide by all local, state, and federal laws.  For more information on running a small business, like a fashion design business, out of your home, you may want to think about speaking with your local government officials.  If they cannot assist you, they should be able to point you in the direction of someone who can.

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