Survival+
Structuring Prosperity for Yourself and the Nation
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This is a guest post by Brian Garvin, a commenter here on OutOfYourRut.com. He runs an online business so I asked him to write a post describing what it is he’s doing to make that happen.
If you’ve worked in the Brick & Mortar world for any length of time, chances are you’ve picked up a skill that could be applied to the internet to start your own blog. Basically an Authority Blog is a large, content based blog lots of other bloggers and the Internet Community at large visit and respect as one of the larger blogs in that particular niche.
Most people think of Authority Blogs as being run by just large companies, but that’s not the truth. In fact many single people are running some of the largest Authority Blogs in some of the most competitive industries, such as Internet Marketing, Real Estate, Forex, Health & Wellness and Dating. So the main question to be asked is if building this type of blog is right for you. We’re gonna go over a list of questions you should answer. Answering the questions below will determine if setting up a blog is right for you.
Continue reading How to Make Money with an “Authority” Blog →
By Kevin M
Right now a lot of people are either unemployed, underemployed or working in a career or job where promotion opportunities are close to non-existent. In such times, thoughts often turn to cutting a new path by starting a new business.
Many of today’s business models are based on the Wall Street principle of OPM—Other Peoples Money. Whether through the sale of stocks, bonds or by obtaining bank financing, large companies and well publicized start ups seek to open new ventures and expand through leverage.
But what works (sometimes at least) on Wall Street can often be business poison to the would-be small business owner.
Continue reading Should You Borrow Money to Start a Business? →
By Kevin M
Just about everyone has stuff sitting around the house doing close to nothing, but some of it could put some money in your wallet, or better, your bank account.
On an otherwise uncommitted weekend, convince yourself you’re moving soon, and will need to pare down your collection of gadgets and baubles to the smallest pile possible, by picking out and removing the items you can most do without. Then clean them up, figure out about how much you might sell them for through a variety of channels, and store them away in a safe secluded spot so that they don’t blend back into the trappings of your life.
That being accomplished, it’s now time to figure out the best way or combination of ways to sell it all. There are a number of ways to do this, but three prominent ones come to mind:
Continue reading Earn Income From Selling Your Stuff →
By Kevin M
Over the past week I’ve been writing about the often negative consequences of various jobs and income situations. Today’s post is on the same topic, but it centers on my own personal experience with a job I probably would have been better off if I’d never taken it.
When ever someone has financial problems, there’s a strong tendency for others to suggest “why not get a part time job?” As well intended as that advice may be, I’m here to report that such advice isn’t always the way to go. Some jobs can actually cost more than they bring in…
A few years ago, in the middle of a time of significant financial distress, I took what I thought was a part time job with a local newspaper doing delivery.If you haven’t noticed, the days of the newspaper being delivered by neighborhood kids is long gone and being performed entirely by adults in cars.
On the surface, it looked like a perfect situation: an income of over $1000 a month for early morning work. I’d be done by 6:30 or 7 in the morning, so it wouldn’t interfere with my regular work. Or so I thought!
But some jobs can’t be fully understood until you’re actually in them.
Early morning meant 2:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Toward the weekend it was even earlier; 2 a.m. on Friday, 1:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. If I came in for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon to assemble the Sunday ad supplements beforehand, otherwise there was no point even going to bed Saturday night – I’d need to be at the shop by midnight!
If you’ve never been involved in newspaper delivery, you probably have no concept of the magnitude of getting the overstuffed Sunday edition of your familiar major metropolitan newspaper delivered to your doorstep each week.
Continue reading Some Jobs Are NOT Worth Having →
Income sources you’ll be Richer for NOT having tried – Part 3
By Kevin M
In the previous posts in this series we’ve covered the implications of TV infomercials as well as real estate, insurance and car sales as a means to overcome a career- or financial crisis. All of these efforts are an attempt to create a new career or income stream based on enterprise. Today we’ll take a look at some financial “tactics” that rely little on enterprise but heavily on luck.
If your career or financial situation are under stress, that which seems improbable during more prosperous times, might start to look as if it may be “worth a shot”. And while the thinking behind such a belief actually makes sense at some level, the near inescapable reality of life is that when we absolutely need Lady Luck to smile upon us, she’s usually on vacation! Moral of the story: luck is not a career or financial strategy!
Continue reading Gambling, Investment Schemes and Other Empty Wells →
The Big Three Sales Careers: Real Estate, Insurance and Car Sales
By Kevin M
Sooner or later every person who finds him- or her-self in a tough financial situation or career crisis tries their luck at one of the Big Three Sales “Careers”. Let’s face it, we all see ourselves as something of an expert in real estate and cars, and it goes without saying that “everybody needs insurance”, so with our winning personality, good looks, exquisite taste in fashion and superior people skills, how could we possibly fail?
And who doesn’t have a friend who has friend who made it big real estate (or insurance or car) sales? No matter the self-hype and industry dog-and-pony shows going in, most people don’t make it. In fact, many never make any money at all.
These are easy entry fields; the credentials to enter are often no more complicated than acquiring a license by passing a relatively easy exam and paying a small fee. Getting in is pretty easy, that’s the hook; staying there and making a living at it is the central issue.
Continue reading Income Sources You’ll Be Richer For Not Having Tried – Part 2 →
When money gets tight Get-Rich-Quick infomercials start to make sense
By Kevin M
Ever Watch Late Night Television?
When money gets tight and the bank balance drops and you start experiencing sleepless nights, there’s a temptation to throw caution to the wind and try things you wouldn’t ordinarily do. In one of your sleepless nights, you may be drawn to the late night infomercials parading what we can politely call “income opportunities”.
You probably know them all: strike it rich in day trading, rags to riches in real estate, endless internet profits, become a millionaire in auctions, and on and on. I’m sure somebody, somewhere is making it big in these ventures, mostly the people who make the infomercials no doubt, but there’s more risk in these programs than the $199 membership package (“reduced from $399 only if you call right now!”) you ordered on the shows 800 number.
But beyond standard infomercial fare, there are also common sales fields and investment schemes that can look to be just what we need in a dark moment–and we’ll talk about those in subsequent posts. If you’ve had experiences with any of these, now is the time to share them!
Continue reading Income Sources You’ll Be Richer For Not Having Tried – Part 1 →
By Kevin M
“Everyone” is one of those absolute words we should generally stay clear of, but I’m violating conventional wisdom, sticking my neck out and saying everyone needs to have a blog!
You can beat me up for violating protocol, but before you do, consider the seven reasons why I’m making such a bold declaration…
1. To CONNECT with the rest of the world, 21st Century style
There are nearly seven billion people in the world and most of us connect with a handful who we’ll connect with in any meaningful way. With a blog we can add hundreds or thousands more—do you think there might be some value in that?
A blog is the cornerstone of finding like minded people in a world that seems to be pulling apart socially even as it gets more crowded. Though it often seems that people are the nexus of our troubles, we can’t overlook that they’re usually the source of our solutions as well. After all, who couldn’t use a few more friends, a few more intelligent opinions or a few more business contacts?
Most of the people we’ll meet through blogs will live in another part of the country, or another part of the world, but that’s pretty stinking exciting, wouldn’t you say?
Continue reading 7 Reasons Everyone Needs to Have a Blog →
The Economy is Choking on Cost Containment
By Kevin M
The other day, my wife called our prospective health insurance carrier, trying to get our plan initiated. She was greeted by voice mail and immediately placed on hold. Once she did get a live voice, she was placed on hold two more times, only to find that our paperwork was “still tied up” somewhere in oblivion. The first two representatives she spoke with were clueless about our case, the third promised to follow up and get back with us. We’re still waiting.
Here’s a curious point: until this paperwork issue is resolved not only do we have no coverage, but the insurance company has no revenue stream from us.
Stop and let that sink in. You’re a business owner or manager, and your company has problems. Costs are rising and need to be contained. Staffing, perhaps your biggest single expense, needs to be pared in order to improve the bottom line. Technology is brought in to eliminate payroll. Your customer is now “greeted” by voice mail instead of another human being, then routed through a telephone labyrinth of numeric multiple choices in the hope of finding the right person, the one who can help with their problem. Often, as in our situation above, that person is never found.
Question: what is that inconvenient arrangement doing to that other crucial component of your bottom line–your customers and the revenue they bring to your business?
Continue reading Is Voice Mail Killing the Economy? →
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