Making Your Money Work For You - And Not The Other Way Around!

Most people spend their entire lives working hard for someone else. What most people do not realize is that there is a better way. How about if instead of you working every day for your money, your money worked for you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?

This is the concept known as passive income. Passive income is just what the name implies. It is income that comes to you with no actual labor expended on your part.

Once you understand the concept of passive income, you are well on your way to financial freedom. Of course, there are many ways to generate passive income and achieve your ultimate goal of financial freedom.

You can use various real estate investment properties to purchase rental properties. The income you generate on these properties is a type of passive income. Likewise, the income generated on stocks, bonds and other investments can be classified as passive income.

However, the best way to generate passive income, day in and day out, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, is to start your own internet business. Using proven strategies, you will be amazed at the huge amount of passive income just waiting for you on the internet.

The internet is truly your key to financial freedom, and it show you how to achieve the financial freedom you deserve. No one ever got rich working for someone else. Start on the road to financial freedom today.

Austin Texas Apartment Prices Drop For Fall 2008 - How to Find a Good Apartment Deal in a Bad Market

Summer is finally over and Apartment communities that maintained 90-100% occupancy levels throughout the summer have now been bombarded with new fall and winter time notices to vacate. Apartment communities pre-lease apartments based on their notices to vacate which are usually given 60-90 days out from the resident's move date or lease end date.

Most long term tenants are being pushed out of their apartments with rental increases up to $200. Many of my clients recently call me discouraged stating that they have been a perfect resident for 5 years or more and dont understand why their aparmtent community is so anxious to "stick it to them" when it comes time to renew their leases.

The first question I ask them is how much they are paying currentlly ie; a client we'll call Leslie that I am helping move currently. Leslie told me that she is paying $625 for a 740sf apartment in a community she has lived at for 5 years, the apartment community is only 7 years old, and they want to raise her rent to $725. The first thing I told her was that the community wanted to raise her rent $100 due to the fact that since she leased there 5 yrs ago the market had completely changed. Unfortunately the only people that view long term occupants at an apartment community as an asset are the occupants themselves.

The truth of the matter is that Leslie and many others around Austin whom of which have been exemplary tenants are being viewed as a loss to their apartment communities. With a shortage of available apartments in Austin the market has changed. For example 5 years ago in South Austin you could get a nice apartmnet at an A class property for between 6-$700. Now you cant even get near an A class property in South Austin for less than $900 and that would be for a 1 bedroom apartment. Availability pushes pricing. If a guy has 50 apartments available they lower prices and offer up a massive upfront concession ie; 1 month free 2 months free etc. But when a management company looks down and sees that they are 96% full which has been the case most of this summer and historically most summers then their rates rise to the market rates (the highest rates they can charge for a particular unit). Long term residents are being viewed as a loss and therefore pushed out.

The good news is that in the last two or three months there have been at least twenty new apartment communities open. There are also at least 100 more on the horizon. This type of news and the historically slow fall and winter months are forcing apartment communities to drop their prices and drop them fast. There are at least twenty communities that I can think of right now that have dropped their prices $50-$75 in the last month from August pricing to compete with the new properties that have opened or are opening up in their vicinity.

For example the Wyndhaven apartments on Wells Branch. For years wyndhaven was only one of two A property options in the Wells Branch area. Their smallest 1 bdrm apartment 630sf was going for $769 a month. Then comes the Verde Oak Park apartments that opened a month or two ago right next door. The day Verde Oak Park opened their doors Wyndhaven went to $679 on the same floor plan. It still didnt help them though Verde Oak Park has a similar square footage for $710 Brand New Never Been Lived In! Then they were offering two months free upfront. Well if you average out the two months free over the lease term which was 13 months (aka a prorate) $1420 is the total concession or (special) divided by the minimum lease term which was 13 months equaling $109.23. The $109.23 is your average monthly concession. You then subtract the $109.23 from the monthly rental rate. $710 minus $109.23 equals $600.77 a month for 13 months. Plus these apartments contain granite countertops, washer and Dryer etc and are BRAND NEW and have NEVER BEEN LIVED in.

So, yes rental rates are dropping dramatically with the rise of new communities you just can't be fooled by upfront numbers anymore. My advice is that you always contact a Real Estate professional regarding the procurement of leasing transactions for the consumer Texas Real Estate Agents/Realtors are always 100% FREE. And recommended. Yes rates are higher but if you look past the first picture of the rate being $710 when you're pricerange is $650 and you end up at Wyndhaven which is over ten years old and a much lesser quality class A property at $679 then the only one to blame is yourself. With the newer communities trying to fill up their properties they are offering great upfront concessions that will bring the rates back down.

You should always contact an apartment locator before looking at apartments on your own. If that apartment locator dosent find you the best deal available and you are not happy enough to move in then they dont get paid that is your insurance.

Ballet Dancers and Nutrition Information

Let's face it. If you are overweight, or politicaly incorrct FAT, then you should lose some weight. Dancers are constantly working out, taking class, performing somewhere, so naturally they are thinner than most people. But not the very young students who are in the age group between 7-14. Yes, there are many in that group who are chubby, overweight and just plain FAT.

There are about 3500 calories in one pound of body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. In order to lose 2 pounds of weight, create a calorie-deficit of 7000 calories, and so on.....

Easier said than done. Good eating habits help lose weight. It helps the dancer achieve the energy needed to dance. So what is the magic formula you ask? There isn't one! YOU as a dancer, have to find the one-and-only-one-way to stay fit. If you are 7 or 8 or 13 years old you may not know how to do this, but your PARENTS can help you providing they know something what a dancer needs at that age group. If not, there are many resources, books, nutritionists, friends they can talk to find out all the information needed for the would be ballerina.

Over the years as teachers of ballet, my wife Anne and I have seen children of all ages, different shapes and sizes, thin, too thin, fat, and chubby in the ballet class. And as they all grow older making progress in their dance training, some of the girls do lose weight, some not. The ones who do arrive at a certain age, weight, height, physical strength, they are the ones who have a better chance of making the "cut" (an expression used in show-biz) at a dance audition. They are the ones who get into a dance company, the others don't.

So please future ballerinas, try to learn more about nutrition. You will enjoy learning about what is really good for you and hopefully will help you dance better.

If you like to read up a bit more on Nutrition go to http://www.ballet-feetfirst.com/Pointeshoe-Nutrition.html and don't forget to find out more information on other websites and in books.

What You Should Ask Before Buying a Franchise

Buying a franchise means putting big dollars on the line, and, for better or for worse, your success doesn't entirely depend on you - the quality of the company behind your franchise also matters. It is therefore important to learn as much as you can about the parent company before you make an investment.

Consider asking the following ten questions:

1) Is it a "package franchise" or a "product franchise"? The majority of franchises are "package franchises" - businesses such as fast-food restaurants, muffler shops or motels that come complete with a laid-out business model covering everything from financial controls to hiring guidelines. "Product franchises," on the other hand, include businesses such as car dealerships and gas stations that exist primarily to distribute the parent company's goods. Understandably, product franchise owners have more control over how they run their businesses than package franchise owners.

2) Does the business lend itself to the franchise model? For example: fast-food businesses greatly benefit from their associations with the brand name and products of the franchisor. Don't take it for granted that this holds true for another kind of business, such as, for example, a car wash.

3) Take a look at the offering circular: What does it say? According to the Federal Trade Commission, franchisors are required to provide prospective franchisees with an offering circular that contains basic facts about the company. Be sure to read the UFOC document; it contains invaluable information about the firm's legal history, business experience and other franchisees.

4) What is the number of franchisees in the organization? The more franchisees there are, the more successful and established the business is. Be aware, however, that if a firm's other franchises are located near yours, you could end up competing with a nearly identical business.

5) What's the franchise fee? According to the International Franchise Association, 95 percent of franchise fees were less than $40,000 as of 1996. However, you could end up paying more for a franchise affiliated with a blue-chip national chain.

6) How much will you end up paying in royalties? Generally, franchisors charge royalties equal to 3-6 percent of each franchise's revenues. However, some firms charge much more, and still others charge flat fees on an ongoing basis.

7) How much money will your business bring in? Usually, the parent company's projections are optimistic. Franchisees may have different opinions, however - the UFOC will tell you how to get in contact with them.

8) Are these people you can work with? Franchising is a long-haul kind of commitment, and quite expensive, too - so you'd better get along with your bosses. Visit the company's home office, regardless of how far from you it is, and ask other franchisees about their experiences with the parent company.

9) How is the franchisor going to help you? A franchisor may negotiate a lease, select a site for your business, advertise for / interview prospective employees, finance the franchisee fee or equipment costs, get business licenses, or provide other services. What will your franchisor do for you? Get it in writing.

10) How legitimate is the franchise company? Occasionally, franchisors will try to bilk new entrepreneurs. Look to other franchisees, the FTC, and the Better Business Bureau to determine just how legitimate your franchise company is.

Top Seven Mistakes Writers Make and What to Do About Them

Writers often get stuck because they make assumptions about writing, finishing, publishing, and promoting their books. A recent client confessed that he thought a book was just too big a project. Using professional, respected information, writers can finally realize their book dream. 1. They postpone writing their book. I don't know an author who is sorry they wrote a book. They only wish they had written it sooner. Speakers can expand a talk; coaches can expand how-to articles; business people can share tips and short information pieces. Everyone put out a salable, respected book. They sell well today-on the Internet, at back-of-the-room, and can be a great boost to your credibility as a professional. 2. They write chapter one and other chapters before investing marketing time in the essential "Seven Hot Selling Points," one being writing the book's thesis. The thesis evolves from answering what one major challenge or problem your book will solve. If the author can't answer his potential buyers question "Why should I buy your book?" clearly, quickly and concisely, he won't sell many copies. Another advantage of writing the thesis before writing the chapters is that the writer will write more focused, compelling copy, saving time not going off track or writing two books under one cover. The thesis for Time Management for the Creative Person, by Lee Silber, is "Offers right-brain strategies for stopping procrastination, getting control of the clock and calendar and freeing up your time and your life." 3. They think they have to be an expert, great writer, or do mountains of research. Write books on subjects you have passion for, and want to learn more about. As you research, interview, and write, you become the expert. Rough out what questions your readers will want answered; organize them in categories, which can then become the table of contents and the actual chapter titles. Know your book's message is significant, and has readers who want and need it. 4. They aren't sure their book is significant enough to warrant their love, attention, and time. If your book shares something new, something unique, something useful, it is significant enough to be written. Think about your audience out there, what they want and need. Think about yourself too. We each need to share our gifts with others. If we don't, we stagnate, wither and stop the natural flow. Whether your book becomes a great seller or not, write it because you can. Expect rewards too. "Affluere" from the Latin meaning to flow, translates to affluence. The more you put your self into your book; the more rewards will flow your way. 5. They wonder if their book will sell. Plentiful markets or your preferred audience want your information. Whether you write personal growth, how-tos, business, or even poetry, your audience awaits your talent. When you stir their emotions with specific benefits, they will pay the price. Check out what is on the bookstore shelves, and on web publishing sites to see what's selling well. Self-help sells well, so do mysteries, parent/children, romance and sex. 6. They think they are alone is a long, difficult project. Use your friends and associates to brainstorm with you. Let them give you feedback on the title, thesis, and one chapter at a time. They become peer editors, and also will give you even better words and ideas than yours to help make your book dream a reality. Take a community college, teleclass, or adult school class in book writing and publishing. Research on the Web. Subscribe to newsletters on book writing, publishing, and marketing. When the time is right, hire a book coach. 7. They think publishing is too long, too expensive, and too difficult. With the eBook and Print Quality Needed (PQN) and Print on Demand (POD) printing technologies, an author can get their professional looking book out within a month, a few months, but definitely in less time than with traditional publishing. With coaching and other professional services for parts of the project, the author is already selling books before they are printed -and writing at least three times faster, at practically nothing to one-third the cost. One client, Daisy Williams, of "Some Daisies Do Tell" sold 100 copies before she printed through PQN. Think of the cash flow she created to invest in advanced marketing. Rethink your former assumptions about book writing. You can quickly correct them when you do a little more investigating.

2 Big Things Wrong With Backing Up Online

Online services are now supplying a way to backup your data 24/7/365.

Conceptually, it is the ideal solution for most active computer users because it takes the human element out - everything is handled automatically and there's no longer a requirement to plan to backup your data.

Even though online backup is a terrific service, there are several things you must take careful consideration of as you are setting up your account.

1. Very Slow Initial Upload - they don't tell you that

Initially uploading your data to the online backup storage company will be slow. In a world where everything is measured in milliseconds, waiting weeks for your online backup company to completely backup your data is unexpected and seems like an eternity!

The reason things happen so slowly for 2 reasons:

* Broadband - it is the not technological limitations per se, but rather broadband and the way it is administered.

The upload speeds are purposely slower than what you are used to with downloading data. What takes you a few seconds to download from YouTube will take a day with the asynchronous broadband protocol.

* Only upload when your cpu allows it - in other words, Mozy and Carbonite don't want to disturb your work so they work around what you are doing. Uploads only occur when they can be done without slowing down other things you are doing.

If you were to leave your computer on and alone - not working on it otherwise - your initial backup would happen much faster...not very practical though.

Subsequent backups happen super fast though, because your online backup storage company will only upload changes to files, not the whole file again.

2. Large files won't get backed up automatically - this is only in the fine print too

I said everything was automatic and that's right...however, if you have individual files that are very large (>2 GB) you will need to tell the online backup storage company to back those up - they will assume you don't want those backed up otherwise.

2 GB is a pretty large file but some pictures and emails with attachments can be that big.

Look through your documents and settings and see if any files you have are that big - just make note and specify any of those you want to keep backed up.

Online backup is a great way to take a load off your mind by automatically backing up your data!

Taking note of these 2 things will insure your online backup storage experience is everything you expect it to be.

Banner Advertising Tips - Involve the Audience

When creating banner ads, it is important to involve the audience in some way. Getting the customers attention is going to have to be the first priority when posting these types of ads. For this reason, there should be some way for the creators to make a banner ad that is going to stand out from the rest while still engaging the customer and making them want to click on the ad. Getting customers through banner advertisements is a great way to generate traffic for websites and if used properly, is going to create new business for sites.

One way to involve the audience is to think of creative games that can be played on the banner ad. Another way is to offer a multiple choice question that can be answered by the user to take them to certain pages of the website. These are just two ways to engage the customer and to get more clicks through on the website. Another way is to offer a discount to those customers who use the banner to access the website. This is probably the best way to involve the audience as everyone wants to save money and not many people are going to be able to pass up on a banner that offers these discounts.

There are many other ways that banner advertising can get the audience or customers involved and when they are involved they are going to use the banner to access the site. When click-throughs equal money, the more that are had the more money the website is going to generate. While getting the audience involved is important, it is also important to change up the banner ad periodically so that they do not get stale which is also going to involve the audience. There are many other ways to engage the customer and to get them involved with the banner advertisement program.

Creating a Niche Marketing Store

Niche markets pertain to customers of similar activity or hobby interests. Business entrepreneurs engage niche markets to forge meaningful, long-term relationships with their customers. A good business owner for a niche, marketing product or service knows the finest of details regarding their target consumer audience. Creating a niche, marketing store involves digging deep into the customers reasoning for enjoying the activity or hobby of interest. Business owners must truly understand the meaning of existence pertaining to their niche.

Business owners should promote their company through several mediums in order to obtain customer leads. Creating a niche, marketing store provides half the battle in securing profitable sales. The other half pertains to reeling the customers in and taking sales tactics from there. Product and service promotions require appealing to your target audience through mediums they use most often. If your niche gathers together monthly, you should figure out a way to attend these events. If your niche has a community forum or online form of communication, you should actively participate through exchanging emails, sending out newsletters or posting information about your company on the forums or blogs.

Creating a niche, marketing store requires a viable location for customers to easily and reliably access. If you choose to have your niche, marketing store to be located online, make sure to keep the website up and running 24/7. You should hire a web master or administrator to handle maintenance and repair issues concerning your website. The customer needs to feel your services stay available, reliably, whenever they require your assistance.

Creating a niche, marketing store requires selectivity when it comes to hiring customer service sales associates. Your customers need to feel they come first in relation to other business priorities. The customer service representatives hired on to your niche, marketing store should acquire excellent consumer related skills. Greeting the customer, foraging an immediate bond, friendliness and great service compliment a great customer service representative.

Niche, marketing store owners take pride in their products or services. Members of the management team need to be careful not to come off as arrogant. Members of the group of interest often predate the owner's membership or term of business relationships. Being talked down to doesn't sit well with potential customers. Creating a niche, marketing store requires confidence and knowing a great deal of information regarding your products and services. As a business partner, keep in mind the customer's right of passage in the group and how they might feel regarding challenges to their knowledge of the niche. Never come off as a know-it-all, but remain on the cutting edge of advances, events and new information flowing through your niche.

A niche, marketing store owner gains a good foundational relationship with the leader of a niche. Recognizing someone else as an authority allows you to obtain a reliable advocate within the group of interest. Being in with a voice of power gives your products or services added reliability by word of mouth testimonials. The relationship you form with a person of power within a group can open up many doors to prospective customers. Creating a niche, marketing store relies on leads to forage growth and development within the company.

Can A Slogan Be a Trademark?

Many different things can operate as a trademark: a logo, a symbol, a single word, a name, and even a slogan. A trademark can potentially be anything that identifies or signifies the source of the product or service. It must function to distinguish that product or service from other similar products and services. At its essence, a trademark is a tool used by a company to differentiate its products from others in the mind of the consuming public.

Companies sometimes want to get trademark protection for a slogan. For example, they may claim to have the "World's Fastest Tire-Changing Service" or "Best Shrimp in Texas." But such slogans can present problems in terms of trademark protection because they don't necessarily satisfy the two requirements for a trademark noted above.

If the slogan is merely informational or praises the product, it will most likely not qualify for trademark registration. When a slogan similar to the above two is used, it doesn't really function primarily as a source indicator. Having the "World's Fastest Tire-Changing Service" doesn't really tell you who is behind the service in the way that the Midas or Goodwrench logo on the front of the building does. It might be true that with time, a certain brand may come to be known as the fastest tire-changers, but that distinction is acquired and often only comes with long-term use. The slogan really functions more as a description of the service than as an indicator of the provider of the service.

Context matters as well. Slogans placed on clothing, for instance, can be difficult to present as proper trademark usage, because they often seem to convey a message rather than a source. Graphic tees with clever or humorous phrases likely won't qualify for federal trademark protection because the message is predominantly there for fashion purposes, not for source-indicating purposes.

Slogans used with services can be even more troublesome. Trademark Office rules state that "use of a designation or slogan to convey advertising or promotional information, rather than to identify and indicate the source of the services, is not service mark use." Another concern with service-based slogans is to avoid describing the product in the service. So, a home-cleaning business probably can't describe the speed of the mop. A bakery slogan trumpeting the aroma of their sticky buns might not pass the test.

There are a number of issues that can come up when attempting to secure trademark registration on a slogan. Bottom line: slogans can be a tricky area of trademark law and are worth some definite consideration - and probably a talk with a lawyer - before investing much time and money in one. You want to avoid spending a lot of money on a trademark that proves to be impossible to register.