Category Archives: Business
It’s remarkable to see that mainstream entrepreneurs have emerged at a time when the economy is going through financial crisis. This proves the notion that there is opportunity in adversity. This post examines how creating your business is one of the main ways of ensuring your financial security.
The buzz of micro-ecosystem
There has been a lot of innovation when it comes to minimizing the size of devices and expanding their capacity. Take smartphones for that matter or nanotechnology which is harboring a lot of potential ranging from healthcare treatments to use in the textile industry. This diversity shows the value created by making the access of technology easier.
You don’t need to come up with big ideas or massive inventions. Now, it’s the era of the micro-innovations or modification of existing technology to make it better. Smartphones or similar technologies have spawned off profit incentives. For example, app development is a massive business. Similarly, healthcare is now being defined by having better and bigger databases for treatment. All these factors indicate that there’s a looming opportunity in the micro-ecosystem.
Self-employment and being frugal-the connection
The philosophy is pretty simple. If you can control your cash, winning in business is a possibility. Since you are frugal, you won’t have the urge to spend unnecessarily. The element of research becomes important here. You have to identify a niche or an area which has not been maximized or used by existing entrepreneurs. This will allow you more room for growth. It was generally thought that entrepreneurs spend big to win big. However, safe play has churned out the best results for many.
Understanding consumer behavior
The advent of social networking as well as free access of data on the internet has allowed entrepreneurs to analyze the target market in a refined manner. These channels have created businesses, for which, the target market is entirely virtual. This means that the opportunity is always there for you to grab. A frugal entrepreneur has a potent mixture of caution and motivation to succeed.
He would opt for term life insurance for ensuring some financial security while he could possibly use his retirement saving to invest in a business. With the consumer behavior is changing over a period of time; it is quite possible to examine it closely. After doing so, prediction can be made as to which side the market would turn.
Previously, such statistics were decided or predicted by a team of analysts trained in consumer psychology, but now, if you engage on social media, you can know the interests of people in your interaction zone, and this is where you can go for the kill. This is how consumer tips for various products/services are made.
The Paradigm Shift
The global economics has shifted from huge corporates to a multitude of profit earning micro set ups. The works in microfinance landed a Noble Prize in economics a few years back. The way down the road is still clear for people who want to do their business.
The competition is there, but the cost of living is also on the rise day by day. The ideal alternate exists in the form of having your own business. The idea is that in order to save money, you need to earn money.
Editor’s Note: Saving money is good but equipping yourself with the right skills on how to make money especially from a passive income is better. Though I advocate for saving money as much a we can, I’m also promoting the importance of creating multiple streams of income. With the kind of career I have, the risk of being job-less is really high. This is because there’s no such thing as absolute income security in freelancing. You may have lots of clients now but you never knew what will happen tomorrow and the day after that. It’s always better to be prepared and have back-up income sources.
I’ve been really interested to learn how to buy stocks and earn from it. A fellow blogger tried to convince me like a few years ago to attend a seminar about it but I was not in the money-making frame of mind during that time. Now, I regret what I did. I should have attended that training and by now I would have been an expert in buying stocks.
Below is a guest article submission from Eddie Miller, the Chief Editor of BinaryPedia, the world’s leading binary options website.
What is passive income? What are the advantages of passive income? And how does someone make passive income? These are some of the questions that we aim to answer through this article.
Passive Income is a type of income that you make in addition to your day job, where money flows in with very minimal efforts on your part. Some people say that a freelance job is a type of passive income but it is not so, because a passive income job makes money even when you sleep! Unless any of your investments make money through that, they are probably not passive income. The stock market is a goldmine for people looking to earn a passive income. Through this article, we hope to make you better understand the concept behind earning your passive income through the stock market.
Stock market as a means
The stock market is a very viable option to earn a passive income. More and more people have been turning to the stock market so that they can earn an extra incentive on the side. Essentially, the stocks, which are basically the public’s invite to become shareholders in the company are issued when a company goes from being private sector to public sector. Here any member of the general public can buy shares in the stocks of a company.
In return, the company will issue dividends based on the annual income of the company, after retaining expenses. Therefore, the profit earned by the company will be shared among all the stockholders of a company depending on the percentage of stocks bought by each person individually. This means that your stock will be earning a certain amount of dividend every time that the profits of a company are declared. This, as mentioned, is a truly wonderful way to earn a passive income.
Note of Caution
It is also important to note that there might be times when your stocks will not earn dividends because the company might not always be earning a high profit. Also your earning will be highly variable and unstable because of the difference in earning for the company. Make sure to register your share before the record date of any dividend paying share that you might buy, as you might miss out on you dividend for a particular period if you register too late.
Now you know all there is to know about earning a passive income by buying stocks which pay dividends. You should know that like with any other investment, a certain amount of research must be done prior to your investment. Entering any such deal with a blind eye has a heavy potential for loss. The internet will usually help you decide if the company you are investing in has a high profit margin or if they are facing any hiccups. It should also give you an idea of the dividend percentage of the issuing company.
There are many online tutorials and tips that will help you with the same.
About the Guest Author
This post is written by Eddie Miller, a blogger, technologist, trader and the Man Behind BinaryPedia.com.
Photo above is used under Creative Commons License. Credit.
Note from the blog’s owner: Since I’m using both credit cards, I am allowing a guest post from www.businesscreditcards.com to be featured here in my blog. If you are planning to apply for a credit card account and would like to check which company is better, you may read first Eliza’s review about HSBC and Metrobank credit cards. - Empress Of Drac
Photo Credit: 401(K) 2012
Choosing the right credit card can be a bit tedious. Credit cards nowadays have so many features that vary from bank to bank, from provider to provider. Interest rates, rewards, special offers, and spending limits are just a few of the factors that a consumer should consider when they start searching for the perfect credit card that fits their financial needs. There’s a lot a stake with a credit card: choosing the right one can have a huge impact on your savings and spending habits.
I’d like to discuss credit cards available from two banks in particular, HSBC and Metrobank, each of which have tempting features for every type of customer. Let’s take a look at what each bank has to offer.
What you get from a credit card from HSBC?
HSBC is a bank operating on a worldwide scale. As such, it has a lot to offer for potential credit card owners. As part of a special introduction deal, people who sign up for a credit card through HSBC will enjoy a 3 month period without any interest incurred on purchases. After the initial 3 months have passed, cardholders will be responsible for a 17.9% APR variable on the subsequent balances from their purchases. There’s no annual fee for having a credit card with HSBC, so that’s good news.
HSBC offers a number of incentives that will appeal to the web-savvy consumer. A person with an HSBC credit card can view their balance and payment history online, making managing finances online easy and safe. Cardholders can even transfer balances between accounts with HSBC for nearly two years if they need to move money around. The bank also offers special holiday deals for its cardholders, including discounts at select stores and with certain online services, and even more discounts when you travel internationally.
What you get from a credit card from Metrobank?
Metrobank also has enticing features for their credit cards. Unlike the HSBC credit cards, Metrobank offers a variety of credit cards that suit specific lifestyles and financial habits. I’m going to examine the Metrobank Classic/Gold cards, as they appear to be among the more popular cards the bank offers to its customers.
The Metrobank Classic/Gold cards require an annual fee (Php1, 400 for Classic, Php2, 500 for Gold), but that fee is waived for the first year. Metrobank charges a monthly finance fee of 3.5% of the balance on the cards, and the cards require a minimum gross annual income which changes depending on whether you get the Classic or Gold model. Cardholders can view their payment history and pay balances through Metrobank mobile apps and online banking services.
The upside to the Metrobank Classic/Gold cards is that both operate with a built-in rewards system. Specifically, cardholders get one point for every Php20 spent, and they can use those points on anything from travel to dining out. Cardholders can spend their Metrobank card points to get cheaper flights, hotel prices, and meals at any number of destinations. It’s definitely a great card for traveling consumers!
Which is better?
It’s hard to say which card is better, as both have their own pros and cons. HSBC credit cards don’t have an annual fee and their interest’s rates are fairly low, but it doesn’t seem like they have a well-established rewards system. Metrobank cards have higher fees and tighter restrictions, but they have a great rewards system, particularly for people who want to travel and spend their money on luxury items.
Which card looks more enticing to you?
About the Guest Author
Note: This is a guest post by a fellow blogger, Carol Wilson.Tholon’s Top 100 List
This year, Tholons, a global outsourcing advisory firm, named Cebu number nine on its top 100 list of established outsourcing destinations. Cebu ranked higher than all other locations in the Philippines and most locations in India. Business process outsourcing has definitely become a huge part of the economy in Cebu and Cebu City in particular, and outsourcing in Cebu is only expected to grow over the next several years.
Foreign businesses are attracted to Cebu for a lot of reasons. Because the cost of living in the province is so low, businesses are able to save money when they hire Cebuano workers. Additionally, since Cebu is an IT and academic hub in the Philippines, Cebuano workers are appealing because many of them can perform complex business tasks. Businesses are also flocking to Cebu because most people who live there speak English and have a solid understanding of Western culture.
IBM, Canon, Hewlett-Packard, Infosys, Epson, Microsoft, Wipro, and Lexmark all currently outsource to Cebu, and the number of major companies who are realizing the value of working with Cebuano workers is steadily growing. There are presently more than a hundred businesses that provide outsourcing services in Cebu. Cebuano employees perform customer service and clerical duties as well as more complex tasks such as graphic design, programming, and medical billing and coding.
Tens of thousands of Cebuano citizens are now employed in the business process outsourcing industry. As new students graduate from Cebuano colleges each year, more and more highly educated and skilled young people sign up for work at outsourcing companies and continue to build the reputation of Cebu as a leading destination for business process outsourcing.
Unfortunately, Cebu does have some challenges to face before it can become the number one business process outsourcing destination, especially because the competition in many surrounding areas of Asia is fierce. Unfortunately, many businesses outsource to India because it is better known for its quality outsourcing companies than the Philippines. Additionally, occasional power outages in Cebu cause problems with the province’s ability to be productive and completely reliable. Cebu will have to work to continue to build its reputation as an outsourcing leader to make it to the top of the heap.
Outsourcing is definitely on the rise in Cebu, and it will continue to be on the rise. What’s uncertain is whether or not this lovely island in the Philippines will still be an outsourcing leader in ten years. Fortunately, Cebuano workers are talented and skilled enough to deliver the results businesses are looking for. So, the future seems bright for outsourcing companies in Cebu.
References: http://www.tholons.com/TholonsTop100/index.html http://outsourcing.ph/OutsourcingCebu.pdf http://www.welive2care.com/2009/07/17/business-process-outsourcing-industry-cebu/
About the Guest Author
Carol Wilson is a versatile guest blogger who primarily writes about global business trends and finance. When she’s not writing for sites like businessinsurance.org, she enjoys reading about politics and fashion.
This is a guest post by Rick Murphy, a finance expert writer.
If you are frantically looking for money saving ideas on Google and reading this article intently, this means finally realization has dawn on you and you are planning to create a strong savings plan. No matter why you like to save, for an emergency requirement or for a lavish holiday or for debt help, a strong saving certainly will help you restore your peace of mind and make you feel relieved. If you are looking for some easy ways of cutting your cost, the following points can help you out. Save more and ensure your financial freedom in the best possible way.
Save on grocery
You can save a lot, provided you start planning your meals for a week, beforehand. Start shopping in bulk and store stuffs in order to avoid wastage. Most of the grocery stores distribute weekly fliers, which clearly show the sale items and special items for the week. You can arrange for your family meal quite easily with least cost, by taking advantage of these discounted goods. Be methodical and disciplined and save thousands on your yearly grocery expenses.
If you are passionate about latest hairstyles and invest a lot to get your hair trimmed and stylized from a fancy salon and grooming services, then bills must burning a hole in your pocket. In order to reduce these unnecessary expenses, discard those expensive salons and start going to a beauty school. Beauty schools generally charge much lower rates for their services and offer quality service to the customers. Only the experienced students about to finish their degree course are allowed to serve the customers. These kids provide services like a professional but charge almost half of a professional’s fees.
Save the spare changes
In most cases, people just ignore the value of spared changes and keep them here and there casually. However, if you are a little organized and save those changes in a change jar, it can add value to your savings. Wait for at least six months and once the jar is filled, trade the coins in for cash. Make sure you save these amounts for a secure future.
Instead of wasting money on buying clothes from shopping mall or branded store, start visiting the consignment stores near to your locality. Consignment stores usually contain used clothes. Thanks to the consignment shops you can now wear clothes of renowned designers and at the same time save up to 80 percent on your clothing budget.
As soon as you get away with the addiction of drinking coffee or soda, you will be able to save both your health and money. Rather consider buying water filter, which is worth paying for.
If you use a thermostat, make sure you buy a programmable thermostat, which has the flexibility of regulating the temperature of your home time to time. By switching it on and off at the specific time, you can minimize the expense that you incur by leaving the thermostat on all day. Using this system will help you save more on your utility bills and energy bills.
Keep the aforementioned points in mind and save more to secure a better financial future.
About the Guest Author
Rick Murphy is a contributory writer associated with debtconsolidationcare.com. He holds his expertise in the Debt industry and has made significant contributions through his various articles.
I’m a returning and loyal client of Palawan Pawnshop. Do you want to know why?
I’ve already been to lots of money transfer services and most of them didn’t meet my expectations. Some have very rude clerks and others employed security guards who are not trained how to treat a customer properly. Others, on the other hand, have unnecessary rules that make the lives of customers difficult, to the point of ruining their day.
I believe that money transfer services, aside from the obvious responsibility of keeping and safely transferring their client’s money, have to be very careful in handling their customers during transaction process. Unfortunately, some of these money transfer service providers are doing the opposite.
Below are my reasons why I prefer Palawan Pawnshop over other Money Transfer Service providers.
5. They give reasonable consideration to customers – Compared to other money transfer services, it is only in Palawan pawnshop that I experience hassle-free transactions. They only need one identification card to check your identity and you are good to go. Others would ask you all sort of IDs and even require you to photocopy them for the sake of this and that. They are more concerned to the customers’ needs than just being paranoid of being faked by someone. Well, who would fake an identity just for the sake of getting PHP 500? I have this very bad experience in one local money transfer service that I blog in here.
4. Clerks and guards are customer friendly – I really, really hate going to these money transfer service providers who employed unfriendly guards and clerks. They have this annoying attitude of checking you out as if you are a thief. In Palawan Pawnshop, I am at ease doing my transaction because they are genuinely friendly and don’t have the habit of meddling with other people’s stuff. The guards also don’t interfere with any transaction if his attention is not needed.
3. Quickest money transfer – Once your transaction has been processed, it will just take a few seconds and your money can be claimed already. They have a centralized system that records all transaction in one database. Once you send money here from Cebu, it will automatically reflect in their system, enabling their branch, for example in Manila, to know that you transferred this amount of money. Your loved ones in Manila can then claim the money you sent.
2. Dual confirmation through texts – Once the transfer of money to a specific branch is done, you will receive a confirmation through text that your money has already been sent, and at the same time, the money receiver (i.e. your wife) will also receive a confirmation through text that someone has sent her money through Palawan and it is now available for claiming. Also, after your money has been claimed, your will receive another text, confirming that the money you sent has been successfully claimed.
1. Very affordable money transfer rate – Compared to other money transfer services, Palawan Pawnshop has maintained lower and more affordable rates. This is because in spite of promoting their services through very expensive advertisements, they choose to improve their customer service relations instead.
One thing that most businesses forget is that, their customers are their services’ or products’ best promoters. It’s a shame some are relying on their millions of pesoses TV ads, and celebrities who haven’t even used any of their services.
Photo Credit: BSP
Business Process Outsourcing has completely revolutionized the way entrepreneurs execute transactions in business. It has also engendered alternatives for industrialized countries that can now focus on reducing capital and labor costs. BPO has impacted different countries in different ways but its impact is more palpable in the third world countries that are focusing on raising their socio-economic development. This impact has generated the will to look at business process outsourcing as something ‘revolutionary’.
Does Business Process Outsourcing maintain Socio-economic Balance?
The issues of rising costs and cost cutting are increasingly becoming significant in a business environment. Thanks to the business process outsourcing that has revamped the revenue for third world countries. Industries over the time have been putting a barrier to draw a line between the rich and the poor and this is undoubtedly, a result of the age-old disparities that always exist in the social strata. BPO contributes big time by uplifting the status of the poorer countries and it’s also believed to trim down the income of the wealthier nations.
How Business Process Outsourcing enters Overall Development Picture?
Not many realize the benefits that business process outsourcing blesses third world countries with. There is no dearth of activists who take it to the streets and make hue and cry by demanding equality between rich and poor. These are the same people who want exploitation to stop and corrupt officials to step down immediately. This is how and when business process outsourcing manages to enter the real picture of overall development.
Even if admittance to this industry is based on certain qualifications, it can’t be denied how business process outsourcing has opened up doors for employment opportunities in the third world countries. Data entry, back end office, medical transcription and the count is on!
Business Process Outsourcing impacts Third World Countries But How?
And this is true regardless of the nature of work within this industry! Business process outsourcing has transformed the fortunes of the third world inhabitants. Labor has migrated from West to East. Now countries like China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and India can enjoy the benefits of industry level wages, without any risk of migrating abroad. Onshore process outsourcing is just a fraction of western commercial sector.
Future of Business Process Outsourcing in Third World Countries
Economists carry different opinions on the impact of globalization and outsourcing to the third world countries. Companies that belong to the rich companies are expected to intensify offshore process outsourcing in future – credit goes to amazing cost advantages! This process will benefit third world countries more; job gains resulting from outsourcing and earnings would cancel out the negative impact of the ‘brain drain’ in third world countries. Both the parties shall witness a more win-win situation in the upcoming years.
Arrival of process outsourcing is no less than a blessing in disguise for third world countries. Any objection to this will also lead to the erosion of future of first world countries. First world countries have the resources to open up jobs that third world countries can’t. For multinational corporations in the third world countries, outsourcing is a serious boost regarding short term gains with less negative effects and more promising positive impact. Business process outsourcing in future should be seen as a significant part of poverty reduction strategies on the global level.
About the Author:
Roxanne P. is a Freelance and Staff writer who writes informative & creative articles on SEO and Technology for various search engine optimisation company. Her expertise are in writing articles related to broadband only deals, SEO, Social media etc.