Generate Profit from Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking has gone a long way. What was once a simple hobby has today turned into a multi-bilion dollar business. With the increase of global demand to preserve mmories in the most beautiful and unique way, scrapbooking has today become one of the most popular and succesfull businesses, the majority of which are home-based small enterprises. Statistics estimate that the scrapbooking business in the United States--on of the fastest growing homes industries in the country--is now generating an annual income of US$2.25 billion. And the number will most likely increase every year.

The market for scrapbook is growing exponentially. Weddings, the birth of a child, and travelling are three of the most popular events that end up in scrapbooks--and people are willing to pay a hefty sum to have professional scrapbook artists do it for them. With around 2.3 million weddings in the US alone, there's already a huge market in the States for scrapbook business.

But why confine yourself to the US? With the advent of digital scrapbooking, your market is the world! Japanese, Koreans and Chinese are currently demanding better and unique ways to manage their photo albums. And with millions of the travelling around the world every year, that demand will only grow in the near future. At the same time, the works of American scrapbook artists are gaining popularity in East Asia. Tap to that market, and you will be on your way to having a seriously successful business. And you can do it from home!

Now understand one thing: setting up a small business in no get-rich-quick-scheme. It entails commitment and preserverance. But having said that, running a scrapbooking business from home is not exceptionally hard either. Most of scrapbook artists already have a 'client base,' i.e. their friends and families. Many of you have probably scrapbooked for your friends for free. To get started, you can utilize that network that is already available for you.

If and when you decide to start your scrapbooking business, the first thing you need to do is find information. It may take several days and a little amount of capital to do this, but it will be worth it. There are resources out there that would probably cost you up to $100, but you'll get the answers to your most pressing questions. How do I charge? What do my clients expect of me? Is there any legal issues I should attend to? How do I manage my time? Get the answers to these questions and you're ready to go.

So if you're a scrapbooker, you might want to seriously consider making money from your hobby. Scrapbooking can be turned into profits. Thousands of people have realized this. So make up your mind and start taking action. $2.25 billion worth of industry--and you have the opportunity to take a slice of the pie.

Author: Amanda Ryan

About the author:
Amanda Ryan is a proud owner of a small scrapbook and greeting cards business. She runs a website providing resources for others who wish to turn their hobbies into profit at Hobbies into Profit

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Make Money Online For Free - Fantasy Or Reality?

If you've attempted starting any business in the bricks and mortar world, it wouldn't take you long to acknowledge and agree with the famous saying, 'It takes money to make money.' On the other hand, if you browse the internet exploring the various money making avenues that are available, you will be astonished to find that you can actually make money online for free. Here are just 2 of the many online opportunities that are yours for the asking and you do not have to invest a single cent of your savings to get started.

Become an Affiliate Marketer to Make Money Online for Free

All you need in order to start earning money through affiliate marketing is a website of your own. Once you've launched your website, you can simply place advertisements of products and services you trust onto your website. You get paid every time visitors to your site click on those advertisement links and purchase something from your affiliated sites! It really is as simple as that. There is no start-up cost and you could potentially earn an extra monthly income in excess of a thousand dollars.

Read Emails?

While this may sound like an absurd idea, there really are companies that will pay you to click on links found in emails sent to your inbox. While each click will not earn you very much, you will earn a penny or maybe two for each link that you click on. Over time, depending on the number of links you click on, this could quickly add up to a substantial amount. And all this without any more effort than it takes to move your mouse a few inches and click!

Both affiliate marketing and getting paid to read emails are excellent ways to start raking in cash online with no investment. Perhaps the best thing about both of these methods is that neither of them takes up too much of your time. You couldn't ask for a better deal!

Author: Fabian Tan

About the author:
Fabian Tan is a well-known Internet Marketing expert and the author of the popular 59-page Report:
'Murder Your Job: How To Build Cash Sucking Autopilot Businesses In 30 Days Or Less!'
Head over to http://www.MurderYourJob.com to get your FREE copy now!
Also, quickly download his FREE 'Explosive Traffic System' report that shows you how to generate 10,000+ unique visitors per month at no cost! => http://www.ExplosiveTrafficSystem.com

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Tax Free Cash at Your Door Steps...

Human beings always want the best this life has to offer - from fast cars to the big houses, by the beach, and the fine wining and dinning. But all these things all have one thing in common - they all require cash and lots of it. That is why humans wake up In the wee hours of the morning to go and endure long hours at some place maybe also someone horrible that they don't like in the aim of making money in order to gain financial independence

Cash gifting is one way you can make money that is tax free, risk free and you don't have to break a sweat doing it. You see ever since time immemorial human beings have been exchanging gifts with each other. This helps in improving the lives of each other, for instance back in the early days people used to help each other in the building of communities, like the pastoralists whenever they move to a new area they used to help each other in building each others houses by offering the gift of each others labor. Thus going to accordance to this the concept of cash gifting came about.

By cash gifting you can make money that is tax free, while you are at the comfort of your home easily. Just by introducing four other people to the cash gifting community you are on your way to gaining financial independence and to start living your dream. Out of the four members you have introduced the second person and onwards will start earning you money, the first person goes to the person who introduced you and the same will happen to the second, third and fourth person on your case to you. The first person they introduce will automatically come to you to make money for you.

Pledges

Each person has an option of cash he or she can cash gift they are $500, $1500, $2500, $3500 up to $7500 being the maximum amount you can contribute. Each amount has its own share of benefits $7500 being the highest in benefits which include the full profit of your moneys worth which still keeps growing by the day, a website with tracking software and knowledge of how to market yourself.

Like this the advantages have to be at top such that, the members who have contributed $7500 doesn't lose the pennies as some other member has contributed much more amount than him. If you start gifting cash, A splendid life will be yours and thus you can make a huge bank balance.

Cash gifting is the best way to opt if you wish to earn tax free cash and become financially independent. Thus give strength to your income and make a better living.

Author: Sergio Duarte

About the author:
Sergio Duarte is one of the leading cash gifting experts from USA. He wishes to improve his lifestyle by an effective online marketing. Sergio had a great experience in a couple of years and feels cash gifting as very lucrative and easy way to earn. Log on to RiskFreeGifting.com/128843 to know more and become financially independent.

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Concrete Overlay is the Best Option to Makeover a Basement Floor

When it is time to resurface your basement floor, cleaning and prepping the cement base is your first priority. Your choices are many when it comes to flooring options, but a concrete overlay is ideal.
Ready to tear up that old carpeting in your basement? Perhaps you have suffered damage to your basement, or maybe you are just ready for a makeover. Many basements come with pre-installed carpeting, and due the nature of a basement, it can become moldy or over time, or due to a flood. Additionally, carpeting can hold dust and other allergens. Whatever the reason, if it is time to remove that carpeting and resurface your basement floor, here's how to get started, and a few flooring options to choose from. When the old carpeting has been removed you will be left with a dirty gray concrete slab. Before moving ahead with any other kind of flooring, the surface must be cleaned and prepped. For floors that are in fairly good condition, an acid wash may be the best option. The acid will clean the surface of the concrete and open up the pores of the concrete. Another method is to grind off the old surface of the concrete. A shot-blast or bead-blast machine, a floor grinder, or concrete polishing machine can be used. This type of work is best performed by a professional concrete contractor. Regardless of how you choose to prep the floor, you will then be left with an ideal surface on which to build upon. One option is to apply an epoxy coating, like those frequently used on a garage floor. However, this is not ideal as a basement does not have the proper ventilation required for this finish. Hardwood is another option but unfortunately, the natural moisture of a basement will cause the wood to expand and contract, which will make the floor buckle. Vinyl or linoleum tile could be used, but again, the moisture will present a challenge, affecting the adhesiveness of the tile and also causing warping. Ceramic or concrete tile is a more viable option - you could even install a heat mat underneath for warmth. This is expensive, but quite a treat if it can be afforded. Possibly the most inexpensive and desirable option is a concrete overlay. This may be called a skim coat and is a very thin layer of fine concrete. This can be colored and there are plenty of creative options for a durable yet aesthetic concrete floor. Acid staining can be used to create a unique variegated finish that resembles marble, stone, wood, or even leather. Stencils or masking can be used to create a design or mimic the look of tile or wood. You can also install radiant floor heat under any concrete finish. A professional concrete contractor can offer consultation and show you all the options available to you. When it is time to resurface your basement floor, cleaning and prepping the cement base is your first priority. Your choices are many when it comes to flooring options, but a concrete overlay is ideal. This concrete resurfacing method is easy to clean, breathable, and mold-resistant, and may the best option for a basement floor.

Author: Olivia.Rodriguez

About the author:
Helen Walker. ConcreteIdeas.com is the premiere site for all things concrete. Find expert information and skilled concrete contractors for all your concrete resurfacing work.

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) Momentum Indicator

The MACD is a great trending indicator that can be used for many daytrading strategies. A bullish market is indicated by the faster-moving average crossing the slower-moving average on the way up. A bearish market is indicated by the faster-moving average crossing the slower-moving average on the way down. On top of that, the MACD has different periods for the fast- and slow-moving averages. The typical default MACD periods are 8, 17, 9 or 12, 26, 9.

The MACD is based on three moving averages, however, they essentially show up as being only two lines. The 8 - period and the 17 - period moving averages are combined to form the faster-moving average line. The 9 - period exponential moving average forms the slower-moving average. In your daytrading strategy, the MACD moving average lines can be read for three pieces of information to give you the buy and sell signals you need for successful trades.

The first type of buy and sell signal you get from the MACD is called a breakout. This breakout is signified by the faster-moving average crossing the slower-moving average. If you were to examine a MACD chart, you would see a few places where this is happening. Like we talked about earlier, when the faster-moving average line crosses the slower-moving average line on the way up, you've got a bullish signal. Conversely, when the faster-moving average line crosses the slower-moving average line on the way down, you've got a bearish signal. That's a breakout. There are some traders who will enter or exit a trade based when the line crosses, however, keep in mind that by doing so, you could limit potential profits and take on additional losses.

The second type of buy and sell signal we can get from the MACD is to test for support and resistance. When you're day trading stocks, you might be told to trade on the cross, but here is something you can add to your strategy instead of just blindly trading at the cross. What you can do is check to see if the indicator lines are moving in the same direction and test the indicator line as being a support or resistance line after the cross.

The last type of buy and sell signal we can get from the MACD is divergence information. When the fast- and the slow-moving average lines move away from each other, the mound on the chart expands. As these lines draw near to each other, the mound shrinks. That is called divergence. Divergence is an important day trading tip that can strengthen your position on a trade if read correctly.
Using the MACD is a good way for experienced day traders to get an idea of when to buy and sell based on averages that give you a logical reason to buy or sell at a particular time.

Author: Nicci Barnes

About the author:
If you enjoyed this article, please go to www.NicciAndLee.com for more wealth creation strategies and techniques. Learn from those who have been there and done it at http://www.NicciAndLee.com

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

5 Internet Home Business Ideas For Creating More Profit

As the World Wide Web is growing, it became very usual to spend money on the internet. The Internet that used to be considered a risky place to pull out your credit card for any reason is now becoming more a way of life and we can see more and more people using the internet to buy products than going to the retail store. It is safer than it used to be and it is also easier and simple.

If you own an internet home business this fact can only do you good. As the economy continues to weaken around the world, successful Internet home business owners are making more money than ever. This article will give you five ideas to keep in mind that can help you create more profit if you have your own Internet home business.

1. Selling information products. You can sell information products at a high profit margin. Even if your home business is not built around information products you can still earn money from selling them.

You can find information products on every niche you choose to sell, and if there is no information product you can create it by yourself and earn more money. Affiliate programs are the best place to find information products to sell. ClickBnak, for example is a good place to find many information products to sell with high commission.

2. Focus on providing a high value information product. You will soon find there are many information products available online today and most of them are poor quality and no good. If you put your emphasis on selling quality products you can sell them for a higher price, and your repeat customer base will always be there.

3. Think big in terms of what your Internet business can do. Always aim for more. No matter what the type of your internet business right now you can grow it, be more successful and be more profitable.

Even a retail store in a country town can create a home business thanks to the Internet. All you need to do is add more products to your product mix, and then market them using the World Wide Web.

4. Don't wait for success to find you. On the Internet if you are waiting you are going backwards. The meaning of this is that you should be updating your internet business on a regular basis. Adding new content to your website is very important when it comes to selling information products.

Learning more ways to promote your Internet home business is very important way to creating more profit. Once you have an established of information products you are selling your profit will grow as you sell more, because you're developmental costs will not increase.

5. Have a back end of products you're selling as well. Once you have an established customer base is much easier to continue to sell products to them.

This is five internet home business ideas for creating more profit. Just start an internet home business in any niche that you want and your business can make more money on the Internet today if you only follow these five ideas.

Author: Tanny Lahav

About the author:
Join Tanny Lahav's internet home business training newsletter and learn how to make money online with more internet home business ideas.


Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Happy Entrepreneurial New Year

As we look forward to the dawning of a new year,many people are apprehensive about what they see.Unemployment is at a 14 year high and going higher.Tremendous wealth was lost as the stock market declined to lows not even seen after the tragedy of 9/11.The global financial markets are in disarray and huge banking and financial institutions have either gone out of business or required a bailout.And then of course the worlds largest Ponzi scheme blew up, and cost investors over $50 billion, causing thousands of investors to lose everything.Happy New Year.

But for entrepreneurs seeking success and wealth,2009 might well become their best year ever.The growing financial firestorm that is sweeping the worlds economies presents a perfect storm of opportunity for people who understand how to capitalize on it.Never before in the history of mankind has it been so easy to become an entrepreneur,and to retire in total abundance and financial freedom as it will be this coming year.

The internet has spawned more millionaires in the past 5 years than in the entire history of mankind to date.The internet,arguably mankinds greatest invention ever,connects billions of people all over the world.They go online to research any topic under the sun,to share information with each other,to find entertainment and relaxation,and to conduct business.The internet is a vast and dynamic global marketplace that brings the world directly into your living room.

By finding the right opportunity, internet entrepreneurs can replace their current income in as little as six to nine months.There are turnkey businesses that set the stage for extremely fast growth and dynamic long-term success. Most importantly,because of the tremendous wealth that flows throughout the internet as billions of people conduct business every day, many legitimate online business opportunities are completely recession proof.Internet entrepreneurs are guaranteed a job and an income for life.

Getting started is easy.Simply go online and research legitimate online business opportunities.Find one with a proven track record of success,run by a professional and accomplished management team,and that provides turnkey training and support that will be with you every step of the way.Do your research now and find the right opportunity.Launch your new enterprise in January,and 2009 might well be your best year ever.Happy New Year with the right mindset,its nowhere as bleak as it might look.

Author: Brian Vierstra

About the author:
Brian Vierstra is a business coach and mentor based out of Thornville,OH, that assists serious entrepreneurs in building a profitable online business with multiple incomes streams. For more information and to contact Brian visit:
www.Brian4Wealth.com

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

The Real Estate Licensing Process

There is no doubt that a career in real estate can be very advantageous, as well as exciting. Of course, in order to obtain a career in this field, the first thing that you will need to do is go through the real estate licensing process. This does not need to be difficult, as long as you have a good idea of what it is that you will be facing. Here, we will take a closer look at some of the most important things that you should know when it comes to real estate licensing.

One of the things that you may be wondering about is what type of requirements there are for you to be eligible for real estate licensing. For starters, you need to be of at least eighteen years of age. You also must have graduated from high school, or have obtained a degree of equivalency, such as a GED in order to go through the real estate licensing process. Before you can take the exam that is required for real estate licensing, the first thing that you will need to do is learn more about what other requirements your state has prior to the real estate licensing process.

Most states will require you to take a course, or some form of training before you will be eligible to complete the real estate licensing exam. These types of real estate training courses are often offered by community colleges or real estate schools. You should be able to find one within your local area. It is important to make sure that you learn about all of the state requirements beforehand. Completing them is the first step of the real estate licensing process, as you cannot continue the process without these requirements.

Once you have completed all of the requirements of your state, the next thing that you will need to do is find a test center which offers real estate licensing. The cost of this examination will vary according to where you live, but it is typically around a hundred dollars. Keep in mind that is necessary for you to get your real estate licensing done from the state that you are planning on working in. For example, if you are planning on working as a real estate agent in California, you would not want to get your real estate license in Washington.

In order to prepare yourself for the real estate licensing examination, it is important to make sure that you look over all of the information that you learned in your real estate classes. It will also be very beneficial for you to buy a real estate licensing test kit, which will provide you with a good idea of what types of questions you can expect to see on the real examination.

Keep in mind that if you do not pass your real estate licensing test the first time, it is quite okay. You will be able to take it again, but you will probably need to wait a certain period of time. Once you have actually passed the real estate licensing examination, you will be ready to find a job with a reputable real estate agency to work for. While you may have to spend money, time and hard work to get through the real estate licensing process, you will find that it is well worth it in the end.

Author: Nicci Barnes

About the author:
If you enjoyed this article, please go to www.NicciAndLee.com for more wealth creation strategies and techniques. Learn from those who have been there and done it at http://www.NicciAndLee.com

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

PAID ONLINE SURVEYS

Paid Online Surveys: Sit Home, Relax and Make Easy Money!!!

Paid online surveys are really simple. Corporations rely on consumer opinions when designing their products and services, and market research companies are willing to pay you for that valuable feedback.

Survey is a market research tool. It gathers opinion from consumers on the given aspects of a product under survey and defines the verdict. The trade needs this tool for picking up vital leads to plan new venture, business expansion, product betterment, merger, diversification etc. Therefore, by participating in the paid online surveys you are working at your own pace from the comfort of your own home, voicing your honest opinion. Paid Online surveys are a great way to earn extra money while providing quality feedback that will help influence new products and services.

Surveys paying $10 are easy to come by and just doing 3 or 4 of those a day puts you over $1000 per month. Your earning potential depends on the number, type and duration of the surveys you get. Some companies pay you cash for each survey you take which may range from $1 to $50 or more.

Paid Survey Companies offer you cash and prizes in exchange for your time for giving your opinions. Companies are always on the look out for improving their products and services to earn better profits. Before launching a new product or improving an existing product, they need to know about consumer preferences. Online surveys are an easy way for collecting consumer opinions to guide these companies. You will be rewarded for the time you spend for completing the surveys.

In Paid online surveys if you take a $10 survey, you get paid $10. By contract and by law, they have to pay you. However, after you have proven yourself with some of the survey companies, you will start getting $25 surveys for online surveys. You have to show to them that you are reliable and a good observer. It's also affected by your demographics.

Some Paid Online Surveys are targeted only to women, to residents of particular areas, or people of certain age. To make sure you qualify for more Free Paid Survey and to maximize your earnings, you should register with many legitimate Paid Survey sites.

Paid online surveys are notified by email regarding an ongoing survey. The survey invite email contains a link which you can click to reach the survey page and start completing the survey. Wherever you live whether it's in the US, UK, Canada, Australia or elsewhere in the world, there are paid surveys available online. Make sure your opinion counts and get paid to participate in online paid surveys.

Author: Sunil S

About the author:
Sunil S. is a successful Corporate America professional turned Internet Entrepreneur. He generates income online from 6 different revenue streams including Google Adsense, affiliate and referral marketing, vendor ads, e-products and paid online surveys.
How to Make Easy Money from Home
http://www.easyextramoneyonline.com


Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Do You Have What It Takes To Succeed In Earning An Income Online?

Do you have what it takes to really succeed in earning an income online?

This is a winning question and it is one that several individuals ask themselves all the time.

The real secret to earning an income online is being able to realize that there really is no secret at all. Many people out there have become fortunate by receiving inheritances, through investments and even real estate. But for the average person, they must follow a well planned process.

One thing you must know about earning an income online is that nobody succeeds in becoming wealthy overnight. You need to put together a solid plan of action combined with motivation and desire for you to find success in your new business opportunity.

These days too many individuals are out there seeking out various ways to market their opportunity and are not actually spending enough of time marketing it. You need to put together a daily marketing plan that will consistently drive the traffic that you need to start making sales that will put money in the bank for you.

If you are new to earning an income online, it is essential to only focus on a few methods that you know actually work and once you have mastered that, you need to progress to more advanced strategies.

Technology has enabled almost anyone to be able to reach out to more prospects in a short amount of time than even traditional marketing methods of the past. One thing you must know though is that learning how to effectively earn an income online by marketing does take some time to comprehend in terms of marketing and advertising.

People who understand and know how to put their offers in front of targeted prospects who are actually searching for what they have, are the individuals earning a substantial income online. Too many people become easily frustrated when they first begin and that is actually why they give up and quit with their chosen opportunity.

One thing that you must realize is that you can actually build an auto pilot system that you can earn an income online with regargless if you are present or not. There are many bogus systems on the market and this is something you need to be aware of, but there are several of them that actually do work if properly utilized. These are referred to as auto pilot marketing systems or marketing funnels.

A marketing funnel is nothing more than a website that is setup that when people come to visit, have the option of opting in and filling out a simple form to learn more about your opportunity. They are given the choice of joining or not. You can even provide them with the option of calling you directly with their specific questions if you choose.

Having a good solid marketing funnel in place is critical if you plan to earn an income online on a full-time basis. The majority of people will not sign up the first time they visit your website. You need to have a good auto responder that is connected to your website that provides you with the opportunity to continue communication with your new prospects and keeps them up-to-date and informed of what you have to offer.

Author: Marybeth Angiolelli

About the author:
Marybeth Angiolelli, is an internet marketer who has been helping individuals create a full-time income from home based on their resources for the past three years. If you would like information visit her website at http://www.receiveabundancetoday.com or call 866-554-0057.

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

6 Reasons to Keep Marketing, Even During A Recession

You can't go anywhere right now without hearing about the economy. Food and gas prices are increasing, and although most of us aren't running huge banks or trying to balance the federal budget, the stress of the current economic downturn is certainly trickling down to the point that we can feel it. But one of the last things that we want to do in the middle of a rotten economy is slam on the brakes of our own businesses, you know, just in case things get worse. Instead, one of the best things we can do, for our business, for our own sanity, and for the economy, is to step on the gas. Continue your inbound marketing efforts, publish articles that others will find relevant and helpful, and keep networking. Here are 6 reasons why you shouldn't let the current economy keep you from focusing on your inbound marketing efforts.
1. Time Over Money. The good thing about inbound marketing is that it requires you to invest far more time than money. So take the time to work on your inbound marketing strategy and you won't have to spend a dime.
2. Let People Find You. When you're focusing on inbound marketing, you're trying to make yourself visible to potential customers who will be interested in what you have to offer. You want people to come to you, so the first thing you need to do is to find out where they are. What forums do they frequent? Which blogs do they comment on? What social media sites do they use? When you answer these questions effectively, you can show up where the people are and motivate them to look at what you have to offer. As mentioned previously, this is a time-consuming effort rather than a money-consuming effort. What do you have to lose?
3. Look At Your Competitors. Marketing experts say that, during this recession, businesses will be spending more on online marketing than on traditional marketing. If your competitors are investing their time and efforts into inbound marketing, you can't afford not to do the same.
4. Measure Everything. Successful inbound marketing is easy to measure. You can quickly tell where your leads came from, where your customers found you, and the efforts you made to which they responded. This kind of information is invaluable. Use it to help you figure out what's working and what isn't. Do more of what works. Do less of what doesn't.
5. Always Improve. The information you receive from analyzing your marketing efforts should show you exactly where you need to improve. If you're not using this information to improve your efforts, then you're wasting your time.
6. Look Toward the Future. Marketing experts have proven time and time again that the best way to ensure a successful future is to continue investing in your business during tough times. You may not have much money to spend right, now, but that doesn't mean your marketing efforts should come to a grinding halt. Be persistent. Keep plugging along. When things start looking up again, you'll be ahead of the game.
When the money's tight, our natural instinct is to stop spending, of course. Resist the temptation to sit on your hands. Years of research shows that cutting back on marketing when things are looking grim puts companies at a distinct disadvantage when things start looking more positive again. Take your cue from Rupert Murdoch, who continues to invest even when everyone else has thrown in the towel and decided that there's nothing else to do but wait it out. And even if you don't have piles of money sitting around, you can still invest a great deal of time in your marketing efforts. Find out where your potential customers are hanging out and engage them where they are. Spend some time figuring out where your efforts give you the greatest return on investment and make whatever improvements are appropriate. You'll be glad you did in the long run.

Author: Seomul Evans

About the author:
Seomul Evans is a SEO expert with a leading Marketing company specializing in Video Search Engines and a contributor of marketing articles

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Surviving Tax Season for Small Businesses

You're still reeling from the holidays and just when you think you can take a breather, boom - it's tax time. Your palms start to sweat and your stomach starts to churn. You ask yourself if you've saved all the appropriate receipts and numerous other scraps of paper you need for filing. There's a lot to account for if you have given to charity, done errands for the boss in your car, had investment gains or losses - and even more if you have a business. You need all the backup you can get to do your taxes correctly.

If you're single, renting, making less than six figures working a regular job and just have a business 'on the side,' you're probably good to go for doing your own taxes, at an online service or the old-fashioned fill-out-the-forms method. If there is anything you are unclear about, however, it is probably a good idea to go to an H&R Block office or another tax preparer.

More business, more tax forms

On the other hand, if you're a small business owner there are a few things you must do in order to prepare for tax season. First, unless you are the only employee and you run your business from the house, you should hire an accountant or CPA, someone qualified (and licensed, or 'enrolled') to do the preparation and who is knowledgeable about tax laws. Next, make sure you have all your documentation. Keep in mind the IRS can audit you, so take the time throughout the year to make separate files for your business and personal paperwork. Keep every receipt, note every mile driven and write dates on everything.

Frankly, you should give some thought to what is called 'tax planning.' This is the way to ensure that you have deductions that are beneficial to you, such as retirement plans and other strategies that will help reduce your tax liability. You should plan your business operations with taxes in mind. It involves much more than simply keeping good records and looking for deductions. You may need to do some research here, or call on a professional financial planner of some kind, to organize your business in such a way as to minimize taxes. And the bigger your business gets - when you go from sole proprietor to partnership and on to incorporation - you will have more planning to do, more forms to fill out and, probably, plenty of reasons to get some professional help.

Common sense things

Try to get your taxes done on time. Waiting to do your taxes can be costly in fines, even with an extension. Don't put it off, because hurrying through a business return on April 14th is a surefire way of making a mistake. It is wise to be ahead of the game and do your taxes early, just as it is wise to seek the counsel of a reputable tax professional to advise you on where and how you can save yourself from making tax blunders.

If you're having trouble finding a good tax professional, ask! You should seek referrals from your trusted colleagues and business acquaintances. Get a few names and then check them out yourself. Interview those individuals and see if you like the way they do business, then go from there. Word of mouth is often the best way to make a great connection. However you decide to handle your business or personal taxes, make sure you do things honestly, on time and with your documentation in order, so you will feel comfortable signing on that most important bottom line.

Author: Jeff Parrack

About the author:
1040-Tax Extension will file your online tax extension with the IRS and guarantee that the IRS will accept your application. Visit us online for automatic extension on your individual tax return.

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.

Few Golden Rules of Business Forecasting

1.FORECASTS ARE ALWAYS WRONG : -The truth remains - no one can forecast with 100% accuracy. The trick is to establish your targets for forecast accuracy for the various products / product groups you need to forecast and work to achieve those targets.alternate units and in dollars. Always store the information at the lowest level and provide for the needed flexibility.
2. FORECAST ACCURACY MUST BE MEASURED :- Many companies do not measure accuracy of their forecasts. You know the very simple rule - nothing gets improved until you start measuring it. An objective measurement of forecast accuracy should be established to help improve forecast accuracy and also to plan for some contingency (may be safety stock) against the potential forecast error.

3.USE AGGREGATE FORECASTS WHERE YOU CAN :-Aggregate forecasts are likely to be more accurate than detailed forecasts (for example, forecast of total number of Panadol tablets that will be sold is likely to be more accurate than the forecast of how many '12, 24, 50, 100, 500 Packs' of Panadol will be sold). Hence examine how forecasts are really used and where you can, use aggregate forecasts instead of detailed forecasts.
4. THE FURTHER OUT YOU FORECAST, LESS ACCURATE THE FORECAST WILL BE :-However, as a minimum, you need to forecast demands for any product to cover its cumulative lead time and if you import raw materials, the cumulative lead time can easily add up to 3 to 6 months. However, have you ever considered ways of reducing your lead times? Reducing lead times will help you reduce the horizon over which you rely heavily on highly accurate forecasts resulting in more accurate plans.
5.ESTABLISH DIFFERENT DEMAND STREAMS :-Depending upon situations, you may want to break your target markets into streams (e.g. major retailers, small shops, direct sales etc) and forecast for each stream / customer group separately.Also you need to break your demand data into base sales and promotional sales. As a general rule, one should forecast base business and plan for promotional activities.

6. IDENTIFY FORECASTING UNITS / LEVELS REQUIRED :-Marketing considers market segments they plan while sales considers categories they control. Both these functions prefer to plan in dollars while production elects to plan in units. Ultimately for planning purposes, you need to develop a forecast by product in units; however, your forecasting system should be flexible enough so that it can aggregate forecasts/actual demands to different levels of details in
7. INVEST IN A FORECASTING TOOL :-It is amazing to me that many companies will employ highly intelligent, highly paid executives to
spend their time gathering sales data for them to massage it in a Lotus or Excel Spreadsheet to develop a forecast - a process that takes a few days. More often than not, they spend 95% of this time gathering data and 5% of the time in evaluating results.Investing in a simple but effective forecasting package can free up valuable time of your key managers to do what they are paid to do, Not only that, you will see marked improvement in the results from your forecasting process.
8.MAKE FORECASTING A PROCESS :-Too many managers think that a solution to their forecasting problem is to buy a forecasting package, load in history and drop the calculated forecast into the Master Schedule. No matter how much you invest in your solution, the best any forecasting program can do is evaluate history and extrapolate into the future.

This should be considered just a starting point. An effective forecasting process must include

� Analysis of items with low forecast accuracy
� Review of forecasts generated by any forecasting package
� Adjustments for special factors such as promotion and price changes
� Input from people as close to the ultimate customer as possible
� Documenting underlying forecasting assumptions and
� An effective management review and communication step
9.DEVELOP A COMMON LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING :-Do not make assumptions that everyone understands how forecasts are generated and used. It is important for all people involved in the forecasting process to clearly understand the whole process, where they fit in it and what their contribution does to the entire forecasting and planning process. This may require sound education and training, an area very often sadly and badly neglected.

Author: Dinesh

About the author:
Unfortunately most companies are struggling to develop accurate forecasts and this issue often creates friction between the Sales and Operations Planning /marketing group and the Planning Scheduling System /manufacturing group in many companies.

Article source: Free Business Ideas Articles.