May 2022

Your Mystery Shopping Business – How Much Money Can You Make?

Mystery Shopping companies send “mystery” shoppers out to dine or shop at their client’s business. The shopping company then provides the client with a report on the shopper’s experience. Shoppers love it – they get free meals, merchandise and some income. Clients love it – they get to see what their customers are thinking and experiencing. As the owner of a mystery shopping company, you would love it – you’d make a very nice steady income.

Owning a mystery shopping company is a great business model for a number of reasons:

– Costs nothing to start.

– Unlike many other business models, you don’t have to buy merchandise, and hope someone buys it.

– Once you make a sale to a client, you usually provide reports on an ongoing basis. This equals a steady income on one sale alone.

– It’s vital to the financial health of a business to know what their customers are thinking and if they will return. A mystery shopping program provides this valuable information.

How much money can you make as the owner of a mystery shopping company?

Let’s start by determining the expenses for a single mystery shop. These are basic costs to consider: shopper fees, report verifying and editing, an outside automation service (if you want to automate a lot of your processes), phone, office (if you work outside the home), web hosting. You could also use the services of a scheduling company to schedule shops if you’d like.

As a general rule of thumb, all these expenses should add up to anywhere between $5 to $20.

And, again, the beauty part of this business is that most of these expenses are only incurred in the process of doing a report. If you work out of the home, then costs would be almost nothing. As to ongoing web hosting, charges $25 per YEAR, and that includes your domain name!

So, as a conservative example, let’s say your expenses per report are average to high and they are $15 per report. I own a mystery shopping company. Just so you know, the last time I figured out our expenses, which includes an outside office, the total expenses were $9 per report. That means a whole lot of profit per report.

But working with the $15 a report cost — let’s say a range to charge might be anywhere from $35 to $50. With a $15 report cost, let’s consider charging $45 per report. Again, these figures are just for the sake of this article. There are a whole lot of other considerations before determining what to charge.

If expenses are $15 per report, and you charge $45 per report, profit equals $30 per report.

Now, let’s multiply, using the following examples.

– Client #1. We try to do at least 2 shops per month per location. Let’s say this client has 3 locations. That equals 6 shops per month. At $30 profit per shop, you would make $180 from just that one client. And remember, once you get a client, you don’t have to keep selling them. The work automatically goes on unless you have a different agreement with the client.

– Client #2. Maybe this client has 5 locations that you shop twice a month. That equals 10 shops a month at $30 per report profit. That’s another $300 per month.

– Client #3. Maybe this client also has another 5 locations that are shopped twice a month. This would equal another $300 per month.

From 3 clients, your profit would be $780 a month. Since, in this example, you are paying someone to edit your reports (that’s part of the expenses), your time is freed up to do mostly sales. These numbers would skyrocket.

In this business, 3 clients is barely getting started. I have one competitor (who is a friend) who told me he has around 800 clients, most of whom have only one location. While he has to enlist the help of a scheduler and editor, his income is still extremely healthy.

You can make even more money by being a little creative

I have frequently had clients mention to me they wanted more reports than they originally signed up for. After all, these reports can actually become addictive to your clients. Plus, they can use the report scores for any bonus program they have.

An example of this is a client we had many years ago who had 7 stores. They wanted 1 shop per month per store. Once they saw the value of the reports, within a year, we were doing 4 shops per location per month. That was 28 shops per month. The profit, after expenses, was very nice! 28 x $35 (our profit) = $980 …

Save Time With Smart Shopping

“The average person uses time to buy money. The rich uses money to buy time.”

Save Time With Smart Shopping

Don’t you agree that time is money? Most people would spend their lives earning money, in essence exchanging their time for money. But, how can you save some time, with smart shopping?

In these times, work schedules, family and social commitments, and ordinary errands seem to occupy every minute of our week. Fortunately, we live in a time where there are numerous shopping options that let us purchase exactly what we need in a very time-efficient manner.

Mail Order

One of the best ways to purchase what you need is by mail order. Nearly every store has a companion catalog that sells most of the goods available in the store. Clothes, household furnishings, specialty foods and drinks, and gardening supplies are just a few of the things that you can order over the phone and have them shipped directly to the door, eliminating several weekend errands.

While mail order has been around for a long time, the Internet phenomenon has exploded during the last five years or so. There’s very little that you can’t order on the Internet. Books, CDs, clothes, household and kitchen furnishings, and pet food are just a few of the items that can be purchased online.

Both shopping venues can save you money because you may not have to pay sales taxes, depending on what state you live in. If you purchase a minimum amount of goods, you may receive free shipping.

Speciality Shops

If you have a gift to buy, especially for someone who lives out of town, the Internet or a catalog is a particularly good shopping tactic. You can look at numerous specialty shops in a matter of minutes, which will save you a lot of time compared with driving from store to store. You can have the present wrapped and shipped, further making it a time-efficient way of shopping.

If you aren’t technologically oriented or just need to shop for ordinary items, find out if our local retail store will let you order items over the phone and have your purchase delivered. Often, drugstores provide this service, because they have older customers who may not be well enough to come into the store for their purchases. Grocery stores and specialty stores such as pets stores are some other places that may offer delivery.

Conclusion

With the time you have saved from shopping, you can now used this ‘new found’ time to do other things which you love, but never had the ‘time’ to do so. So, go on as you can now meet up with your long lost friend, play with you dog, or play the Playstation with your family!…

Maternity Coats Specialist Comparison Site Saves Time and Money Whilst Pregnant

Shopping for maternity clothes whilst being pregnant can take its toll. Walking around those busy high street shops with the risk of getting knocked, it can be tough going also when you are pregnant as you will become tired very quickly. Shopping online can not only save you time, but also save you a lot of money. One item in particular in the cold weather is a Maternity Coat or Jacket. With the help of a specialist Maternity Coats comparison website, you can browse all the UK’s leading retailers products all from the comfort of your own home. Because you can view all the products in 1 place, this also takes out the hassle of trawling through lots of retailers websites. This is great for pregnant shoppers, after all, they will need all the time, rest and money for pre- and post- pregnancy.

Buying online doesn’t have to be a worrying process or a hassle. These days most retailers websites are safe and secure and delivery is really good and often free. Sometimes they even offer free returns. Look out for these special promotions also updated on the comparison site.

Maternity Shopping online has seen a huge growth over recent years, especially as pregnant women are becoming more internet savvy and buying online because of the huge benefits to not going round busy shops and catching germs especially during those winter months. Even the snow has helped increase online exposure.

Maternity Coats come in various styles to suit different fashions and most of the Coats and Jackets are designer to fit around your bump unlike any normal Jacket. It can be quite difficult to find a decent winter Coat and because of the Maternity Coats comparison site specialises in Maternity Coats and Maternity Jackets, they have the biggest range you will find online for the UK consumer.

The website makes it easy to shop and compares which stores stock these particular products. You can shop by style, price or retailer and then you will be taken to the retailer page for more product details. This means you buy your product from a recommended safe online shop. The best comparison sites offer a good range from a the leading online retailers at the best prices available online. Also the better comparison sites also will keep you updated with any latest merchant promotions, sales and discount codes available to help save you even more money. Often these may include exclusive codes specifically for the specialist site.…

Protecting Yourself When New Car Shopping

Shopping for a new car can be an intimidating experience. With such a wealth of safety technologies and optional extras available today, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. In this vulnerable state, the influence of a pushy salesperson can encourage potential buyers to spend well beyond their budget, potentially putting them into a trying financial situation. To avoid this possibility, there are a few things you should do before ever stepping onto a dealership lot.

First, it is essential to clearly understand your needs in buying a new car, and your budget. This can help to immediately focus your search, eliminating the need to look into a number of different models. With a clear budget in mind, you can also prevent the possibility of overspending in the face of an aggressive salesperson. After determining your needs, take to the internet to research different vehicle types that suit them. On your own, you can afford to look with great detail into a number of different options, making a careful comparison without the pressure of having to make a decision right away.

As you begin to narrow down your search, start looking into more and more detail at the kinds of options you can find on suitable vehicles. Take note of different engine options, as well as exterior and interior extras. By performing this important introductory research, you will not be caught off guard when faced with a complicated list of available options. Continue this process until you can confidently narrow your search to a handful of choices. Write these choices down, as well as their different optional extras. With this list in hand, you can now make your way to the dealerships, armed with the knowledge needed to avoid intimidation.

When speaking with a salesperson, be sure they know that you have a clear picture of what you are looking for, and that you are on a set budget. Do not allow anyone to entice you into looking at vehicles that you have not researched, and do not allow yourself to consider options that exceed your price range. Stay on point, investigate the vehicles that you have come out to see, and test-drive them if you feel that they might be the right one for you. If in your in-person search you determine the options you’ve researched to be insufficient for you needs, feel free to ask about other options, but do not make a final decision until you can conduct your on research.

Once you’ve completed the necessary background research and are satisfied with your in-person test drive, you can make a confident purchase that you know will meet your needs without sinking you into debt. By establishing clear boundaries for your search, you can prevent the possibility of becoming overwhelmed and making a bad decision that will reverberate for years to come, and instead look forward to years of enjoyment out of your shiny new car.…

Shopping For a Plus Size Dress

Over 60% of the women in the United States are plus size today and yet while researching this article I was amazed at the general lack of genuine information available on the web. I hope that I can help to fill this void for you with this article.

The first and most important step in plus size shopping is your measurements. You should visit a store and have your self measured by a professional. Write down the measurements and the sizes recommended for you in many different brands. While you are there it wouldn’t hurt to check the prices on items that they carry to compare against the deals you find online.

Now let’s start from the top and work our way down from there. If your neck area is a problem you can go with a dress that has a high neckline. Another good remedy for this is to wear a scarf. You need to avoid chokers. A nice long necklace is perfect here. It adds nice vertical lines.

If your breast are nice you can also go with a lower cut neckline, here you just want to show a little cleavage which will help to detract attention away from your neckline. You do not want to show to much however.

The cut on the back of the dress will depend on your body. If you have a fatty back you do not want to have a low cut back.

Another area to watch is the arms and shoulders. If you have saggy areas under your arms, you will want to go with a dress with sleeves. A good trick to improve the shoulder area is to wear padded shoulders.

Now we get to the area that most women are concerned about. The belly, bottom and hips. Remember that a tight dress will highlight these areas. Try for a dress that flows out from just below the breast area. If your belly is a problem but your hips are fine you can try a dress with a dropped waist. This will disguise your belly.

The length of the dress will be determined by your height. If you are shorter you should try for a dress that goes to just below the knees. Taller women can wear a full length dress.

Do not be afraid of colors! If your dress fits you properly you can wear any color that you want. Try out different colors and see what you think. If you feel attractive in a colorful dress then you will look attractive as well.…

Get Online Shopping Deals

Of course you want online shopping deals, the only problem is you don’t know how to find them and you don’t know whats legit and what isn’t.

That’s okay because you aren’t the only one that gets confused. After all the internet is a very big place and it is a very easy place to get scammed if you don’t pay attention.

The last thing any of us want especially when it comes to our money is to get scammed out of it. We just want the bargains and savings that are available.

When it comes to online shopping deals it is usually some sort of coupon that we are talking about. It is usually a coupon that is in the form of a code that gets entered at the time of purchase to give us a percentage off of our purchase.

I have personally seen discounts from a few cents to a few hundred dollars and have heard of discounts up to a few thousand on some big ticket items. Could you imagine a couple thousand dollar savings on something like a boat or a car.

The trick is to join established sites that supply coupons to people looking for online shopping deals. When you use the coupons off these sites you can almost be sure the codes will always work. These sites have people working 24 hours a day to maintain and keep the codes current and working. Any codes that aren’t working are taken down almost immediately.

You can take your chances on the no bodies but then you take a great chance that you wont be happy with what you get. You see most people start out with good intentions but soon realize that running a site that offers coupons and codes do take a lot of time and commitment.

The other thing you need to really watch for are the people who try and sell you the codes. Please don’t ever buy coupons or codes because I guarantee they are the exact sane codes you will find on the up to date sites. The difference is lots of times the codes you pay money for will be expired and all the money back guarantees will not get your money back.

At the end of the day its all about everything you save by being an online shopper and what you are willing to do. Things have changed a lot over the years and now the world caters to the people looking for online shopping deals.…

Espresso Maker Shopping Considerations

Stopping at the local coffee shop for a latte or cappuccino can cost anywhere from three to six or seven dollars depending on the size of the coffee and what type of drink is ordered. This can add up to a hefty sum of money over a week or two. The numbers of coffee shops that continue to thrive are proof that many people are spending huge amounts of money on coffee. However, there are many people choosing to spend the money on a home espresso maker and save money in the long run.

Home espresso makers have become the kitchen wish list item on gift registries and Christmas lists. As the price of the espresso maker for home kitchens has come down it has actually becoming a purchase that can save money in the end by preventing coffee shop stops every day of the week. There are some things consumers should take into consideration when shopping for a home espresso maker to insure their purchase is not in vain.

One of the first things to consider is counter space. Espresso machines are typically very large machines that have a huge footprint and take up a good deal of space. Home espresso makers come in smaller sizes but in the same aspect may lose some of the features. Knowing how much counter space is available before shopping for an espresso maker will keep this from becoming an issue.

How the machine operates is another important consideration when buying an espresso maker for the home. Espresso machines in coffee shops require skill and training. Individuals who want to make a latte before rushing off to work aren’t going to want to fumble around with a complicated gadget in order to get their drink. Today’s home espresso makers are available in fully automatic versions that require little more than adding the water and coffee while the machine does the rest of the work.

Features are an important consideration when choosing a home espresso maker. A quality maker should have, at the very least, a milk frothing attachment. The milk frother is important in making lattes and cappuccinos. Without the frother, milk will have to be steamed in some other fashion or the espresso machine will only be good for making espressos.

There are other added features that can be found on home espresso machines. These are not necessary features but add to the ease of operation and at the same time increase the cost of the machine. These extras include coffee bean grinders, size selectors for the espresso brewer, temperature adjustment controls and automatic dosers for measuring the coffee into the brewer. These features are not required to make espresso; however, they do make the process easier in the end.

Espresso shopping can be fun and confusing at the same time. There are many features to choose from, some of which are necessary and some of which are extras that won’t change the flavor of the espresso simply the process used to make it. Consumers should explore all of these options when making their decisions.…

5 Tips For Shopping For a Used Car on eBay

Shopping for a car and using eBay as tool is similar to other online shopping methods. There are some key differences to be aware of before you click that bid button.

First and foremost, you need to be aware of shipping costs. Auto auctions, like any other eBay auction, will have a tab or other button to click on to get a shipping estimate for your prospective purchase.

It may be less expensive to pick your new vehicle up at its location.

When you’re shopping for a vehicle on eBay you need to be more specific about the type of car you’re looking for and conduct your own research on other consumer reports type websites.

Contact the seller. You should be able to get more information about the vehicle and maybe even a video walk around of the car.

Google search for the seller’s non-eBay website. Any reputable dealer will have a website and surfing around on it will give you more insight about the type of establishment you’re looking to do business with.

Look for a no obligation guarantee. If you get there to buy it or send a third party inspector to evaluate it and it is not a vehicle (for mechanical or cosmetic reasons) you want to purchase, you need to be able to say “no”.

Most reports available online have nothing but positive things to say about the experience and value of purchasing a used car or truck on eBay.

Once your homework is done and you feel confident about the seller, you get to bid with confidence. The screaming deals and rush of a bidding war will make winning a vehicle on eBay a car buying experience you’ve never had before. Maybe even one you’ll want to repeat every time you buy a car.

Just don’t get too excited over the bidding wars. After all if you pay too much for a car, you’re the only one to blame and no one wants to drive home in a car kicking themselves for that one last bid.…

How Much Can I Afford For My New Home?

When considering purchasing a new home, it is important for people to have their finances in order. There are many tools out there, like online mortgage calculators, to help people know where they stand. However it is very simple to figure out how much you can afford for your new home.

The first step in deciding what can be spent on a new home is figuring out a monthly payment. It is important to base this number on current earnings, not what you think you will be earning five years from now. For the most part, a mortgage payment that is equivalent to one week’s net salary should allow you to pay the mortgage comfortably and still be able to make the rest of your bills.

Everyone should always get a free credit report before applying for a mortgage or even looking at homes. There are plenty of online sites that offer free credit scores. This will allow buyers to fix any unforeseen problems with their score before applying for a mortgage. Paying bills on time and paying off as many charges as possible will help to raise a credit score.

Figure out what kind of down payment will be put on the home. The higher the payment, the less the mortgage will cost. There is usually a minimum of at least 5% for the down payment for people with good credit. Each person’s particular financial circumstances make a difference when calculating the down payment. Try talking to a mortgage broker to get an idea.

Though it may be a bit of a headache, shopping around for mortgage brokers can help save a lot of money. Just like any service or product, it is important to shop around for the best deal. There are different rates with each lender and shopping around will ensure that the best rate is secured. When looking around, offer each broker a copy of the credit score and a preferred down payment estimate to see what the rates would be based on those numbers.

Before even seriously considering the purchase of a new home, everyone should have a full and complete understanding of their finances and what is feasible as far as the purchase of a house. It may take a bit of inquiring, but shopping for credit scores and mortgage rates will help buyers to be prepared when making an offer. With these helpful hints, it is easy to figure out how much you can afford for a new home.…

Penis Extender Shopping Guide: 3 Tips to Make the Best Decisions!

You may not believe it, but a lot of men are terribly embarrassed by the size of their manhood. Granted, most of them will probably never admit it. How do I know then? It’s quite simple actually. Just look at the amount of male enhancement products available in the market. These products promise to increase your size easily and quickly. The truth is: penis extender is the only proven formula. So how do shop for a quality extender? Read on as we share several tips to help you make the best decisions:

#1. Fastener material: this factor is extremely crucial as you will be wearing the extender for at least 5 hours a day. Most extenders consist of a base coupled with a “fastener”. The base is wrapped around the penile shaft, and the fastener pulls the tissue to promote penile growth. There are two types of fasteners: the plastic strap and the noose. The plastic strap is not recommended because it can slip off easily and causes uncomfortable feelings (slight pain). On the other hand, the noose is made of silicon. This type of fasteners allows for better comfort and durability.

#2. Does it include spare parts? Granted, there’s no one size fits all extender. You may find that the product doesn’t fit properly. It may be too long or too short. You will want to check the warranty policy and find out if you can get a replacement easily. As well, check if you need the spare parts and extra accessories, including comfort straps, gauze pads, foam pads, extra noose and rods.

Note: If you can’t decide on the spare parts, talk to the company preventative. You can check if the have an 800 number or a online discussion board for support.

#3.The Price: this is a good indicator for the quality of the product. Generally speaking, you can what you paid for. I find that the pricey extenders usually works better, and provide better options than their budget counterparts.…

Meet Your Goal and See Your Dreams Fulfilled by Learning How to Make Money Online

An additional income is always a pleasure. The cost of living has increased and to make ends meet, as well as to enjoy the pleasures of life all, of us strive for money. One of the simplest and easiest ways is to make money online.

The internet is used not only for entertainment and news; this is one of the most viable solutions to make money. It gives you details of when, how and where to mint money. People have varied interests and skills. You need to identify your skills, aptitude and attitude. Once you realize it, you can surf the internet and choose your preference mode to increase your wealth.

Various websites gives us different job opportunities. There are simple jobs as, you can earn as you click an advertisement or you could just fill in forms and make an earning. You can even host your own website and do online marketing. Online business and online shopping is one of the most revenue generation methods. You may be good in marketing, but do not have a product of your own. That is not a problem; you can do online marketing for your colleagues and other manufactures and other products and enhance your earnings. An online data entry job is also good method to make money online.

When a product is launched in the market, the manufacturers would always like to have the views of the consumers. You can participate in surveys and for each survey that you participate; you earn points and generate revenue. This is a simple and fast method to make money online.

You could increase your standard of living by working from any place in the world. All that is required is a computer with an internet facility. You can earn from the comforts of your home and yet have your dreams fulfilled. You need not travel and manage to reach your office on time, then rush back to your home and finish the rest of the home chores. You can make money online with all comforts and simultaneously address your house and your children also.…

Having An Online Shop – Do You Rent A Shop Or Build It Yourself?

Many start-up businesses will often have to think about when they will build their first site for their business. This could be for simply promoting your site or allowing your customers to be able to purchase your goods through your site. This process allows you to hold less stock in place for your business and is a less expensive option that having a physical shop front.

An easy option for less experienced businesses in the world of e-commerce is to rent an e-shop. This means that the website does not actually reside through our computer at all but rather the computers of the company that you are renting the e-shop from. When any sales are made then you will be notified by email, they are generally done via PayPal or WorldPay.

The costs involved with renting an e-shop vary greatly. Generally speaking it comes down to the number of products that you are selling and the amount of web space that you require. They can range from fifteen dollars a month to a hundred dollars per month. At the lower end of the scale you would be restricted to selling just a handful of products. At the top end you could have your own comprehensive catalogue of products available to buyers with photographs and a searchable catalogue.

The downside of renting an e-shop is that you will not be able to customise the site to your liking. Sometime the host may let you change a few items. This means that if you wish to expand your online empire in the future you could be very limited and you may have tied yourself in.

There are various design templates and wizards available now to help you with the process of constructing your site. It is then transferred into HTML code so that you can then amend certain details such as the footer colour or adding certain scripts to enhance your site, for example you could have a script that add a PayPal button, or an online shopping basket.

With the rate that e-commerce is currently growing in the western world, it is inevitable that many sellers are choosing this options to trade as their first choice. Think about it, you have minimum overheads. With a physical shop you have to employ staff and pay bills such as gas and electric. The better your online store stands out from the crowd the better chance of a success you will make with your e-commerce endeavours.…

My Shopping Genie – Legitimate Opportunity Or Not?

My Shopping Genie was founded in 2007 in Dallas Texas by David Freed. An Entrepreneur that has a solid track record in the direct sales and Network Marketing Industry. The Executive team have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Internet Marketing, Finance and Business.

Lets talk about the actual product. My Shopping Genie is a free downloadable application that is used to find the ‘best deals online’. For instance anyone that has this software searching on Google, Amazon, eBay or local stores for a particular product or service will be directed to the merchant that is offering the best deal right now. So who would actually use this? Well apparently 64% of the people that shop online go from site to site to do price comparisons when looking for the best deal. So the software would be a great time and money saver if it actually does what it is supposed to do.

After doing my research on this application I found that for the fact that this software is free and is pretty accurate in finding the best deals online. My Shopping Genie is a real game changer! People are naturally going to click when they find what they are looking for and regardless of whether they buy, someone is getting paid. ” I mean why not”, Google made Billions last year so My Shopping Genie seems to put this technology that they have in the consumers hands.

This brings me on to the next subject which is the compensation plan. I have explained that the application can be given away free to anyone with Internet access. So every time someone clicks a link to take a look at pricing, Even if they do not buy, the distributor gets paid. There is also a binary team building compensation plan which means you can show others how to give away Genie applications to others that want to save time and money shopping online. Distributors pay a one time fee of $199 and $29 per month to have the ability to give away the application and sign up other distributors.

There are a number of other cycle bonuses and Team Building Bonuses for distributors that really want to ramp up their income. Overall with the global expansion of My Shopping Genie and the business model that they have developed. I believe it to be not just a great tool for Internet Shoppers but a great way to make income from what people are doing anyway.…

How to Grocery Shop for a Full Week’s Worth of Weight Loss Foods in Only 15 Minutes

If you are seriously interested in losing weight, you have no doubt done some research on which foods are right for a healthy eating plan, and you may have even purchased an online weight loss program that includes a section on how to eat for optimal weight loss.

However, though you may have a good idea of which foods to eat, I would be willing to bet that no one has really touched on the topic of actually shopping for the right foods. So before you can start chomping away at the right foods for fat loss, you first have to actually learn how to buy those foods.

Over the years I have developed a few techniques for getting in and out of the grocery store very quickly (sometimes in under fifteen minutes) and without stuffing my shopping cart full of crap that will make me fat. This article is designed to simulate a trip to the grocery store, where I’ll take you through a series of steps to ensure that you leave with a cart full of healthy, fat burning foods, and the knowledge of where they are located in the store so you can get in and out quickly, fill up on great belly burning foods, and avoid as much temptation as possible.

Follow these techniques, and there is no reason why you cannot accomplish a full week’s shopping trip in about fifteen minutes.

Technique #1: Fill Up and Plan Accordingly

One of the quickest ways to ruin a trip to the supermarket is to go hungry and without a plan. If you forget to do these two things, you might as well skip the market altogether and head right to the bakery, because your chances of making it through without being overcome with junk-food temptation are slim. Trust me, I’ve been ‘s not pretty!

So anyway, what I like to do right before I go shopping is sit down with a small snack – maybe and apple, a small handful of nuts, and some natural peanut butter – and write out a list of what I’ll need at the store. Once you get used to doing this, the whole list writing process should not take more than five minutes. Now we’re full and we’re equipped with our best weapon against temptation – a shopping list!

Technique #2: Live Around the Perimeter

Ok, what do I mean by that? What I mean is that 90% of the foods that we want are going to be found along the perimeter of the grocery store. If you take notice, the produce, fresh meat, and fresh nuts are all located along the sides of the store, not hidden within the aisles.

Technique #3: Save the Aisles for Last

Only once your cart is stuffed full of all the fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fresh nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy products that you will need for the week should you venture to the inside parts of the store for your cooking oils, whole grains, and spices. Just be sure to save this part of the trip for make it quick (to limit temptation, of course).

Technique #4: Don’t be Afraid to Buy Prepackaged or Frozen

Hey, I understand that often we don’t have the time to prepare fresh vegetable dishes, cook fancy filets, or concoct intricate dressings, side dishes, and spreads. So if this is the case with you, don’t be afraid to buy frozen fruits and vegetables, prepackaged hummus, or a bag of frozen chicken breasts, etc.

If you can buy fresh most of the time, great! If not, no big deal. It is more important, especially as you are starting out, that you simply focus on getting adequate fruit and vegetable intake, eating lean meats, and limit your intake of sweets and junk foods. Once you tackle this, then you can begin focusing on buying and cooking more fresh meals.

I usually buy a few packages of frozen mixed vegetables and peppers each week, just in case I am in a hurry and need to throw down some extra vegetables or pack them for the road.

So there, you have it. If you go to the store with a list in hand, remember to spend most of your time around the perimeter, and save the aisles and frozen section for last, there is no reason why you can’t fill up on a full weeks worth of healthy weight loss foods in fifteen minutes.…

Voucher Codes Explained

Shopping online can be a fairly complicated process dependent upon what the shopper is looking for and where they are looking. The variety in price alone can sometimes prompt many hours of searching just to find the right deal for a specific item in terms of price and reliability of the site involved with the sale of said item.

Discount codes can help alleviate some of the stress that occurs when shopping online. These discount codes, sometimes referred to as voucher or promo codes, are granted by websites to allow a discount on a given product similar to clipping coupons and using them in a real world setting.

Sometimes these discount codes are offered solely on the home website for a particular business entity. Other times they are offered on specific websites that serve a niche role online focusing on bringing a prospective buyer and a current seller together for a mild profit. The first situation is good when a shopper is interested in buying directly from a retailer they have searched for specifically. However, the second situation is usually the better one to locate online when shopping in general.

Discount codes on such sites are usually culled from several; sometimes several hundred to a few thousand, online sites and sources. In the larger examples of these sites the shopper can find almost anything they are likely to ever need at an excellent discount.

As an example; someone is interested in taking a trip to Japan from somewhere in England. To get from their home location to Japan and enjoy the trip they will need to pay for travel costs, lodging costs, and entertainment costs once there. Voucher codes exist specifically for reasons like this. They aid in acquiring new business for existing companies while giving the customers an excellent deal and reason to continue working with that company.

The trip they have planned out initially will cost them ten thousand pounds total. However, before they make these plans they do some online bargain shopping and find a site that has a section specializing in travel. They find out that their air travel company of choice is offering a fifty percent discount to anyone purchasing a ticket through this specific promotional code. A three thousand pound flight is now a fifteen hundred pound flight.

This is not all, however. The would-be traveler locates another code for a hotel close to the one they were considering and realize that they can get a room upgrade over their original one for the same price as what they were going to buy before. While this does not save money it does gain them more use of money they are prepared to spend already.

Finally, they locate a few codes to several popular tourist venues in the area of Japan they are going to go to allowing them to save another fifty percent total. In the end they end up saving three thousand pounds total and have a better overall living and vacation arrangement than before.…

Saving When Buying Clothing

Clothing is among the basic needs of man. However, clothing has become more than just a need for protection from the elements. It has become a statement of self and personality, culture and style.

However, clothing trends change frequently. They change as frequently as the seasons do. If you’re going to keep up with every trend that comes along, you may end up spending more than you originally planned.

It doesn’t matter if you go with a lesser known brand or with a famous designer brand. Purchasing clothing, accessories and shoes can eat a lot of money in your budget if you do it constantly. You have to find a balance between your shopping frenzy and your budget. Otherwise, you go into the red.

Plan your wardrobe. Include your family’s wardrobe in the planning. Make sure that your clothes coordinate with each other. Don’t buy a top that won’t match with anything you already have. It will only mean the purchase of another pair of bottoms. Instead, learn to mix and match your clothes and accessorize so that they look different each time.

Take care of your clothes. With proper care, your clothes can last longer. Too frequent washing can cause clothes to fade more quickly and thus, look old faster.

Learn to sew. You don’t have to be able to sew like a dressmaker can. You do need to learn to sew back a button that’s been ripped off or a very slight tear. Patch holes with a fancy looking applique.

Dry your clothes on the line as much as possible. Dryers can put much greater wear and tear on your clothes. If you want your clothes to last longer, especially those that are stretchy, dry them on the line. You also use less energy this way. You save money on clothes and on your energy bill.

Check the outlet stores and malls. They carry branded items but sell them at fabulous discounts. You may find your favorite brands there and save a lot of money.

Buy clothes that you can use for various occasions. Don’t get stuck with clothes that you can only use once. That would be a waste of money. Why not borrow instead? Or rent? You should plan your wardrobe carefully so that the money you spend on clothes goes a little farther.

Buy during sales. End of season sales often offer shoppers a lot of items that are heavily discounted. Retailers want these off their shelves to make room for the new season that’s coming in. To move the old stock quickly, they will give the clothes at bargain basement prices usually.

Buy second hand. If you haven’t tried doing this before, you should now. You can get clothes that are still in very good condition at a fraction of the price. You can even find designer brands!

All in all, you can save a lot of money on clothes if you plan your wardrobe properly, shop carefully and learn to accessorize imaginatively.…

3 Ways Ecommerce Solutions Can Boost Your Traditional Store

Ecommerce solutions is proving to be a popular method for traditional brick and mortar companies to grow and expand. More and more offline stores are finding that having an online presence can prove very beneficial, both as a means of increasing revenue and well as brand building.

Here are three of the main reasons why ecommerce solutions are so attractive to merchants.

Low Cost Of Expansion

The conventional way of expanding a business would be to open up a new branch at a new locale or buy up a competitor. Though, there is nothing wrong with this method, it does use a lot of resources.

Ecommerce solutions not only affords you the opportunity to expand your business, it allows you to do so at a relatively low cost. Most ecommerce software subscriptions cost less than $100 a month in monthly subscription fees. And this are the ones that come with all the bells and whistles, as well as customer support. For those of you who are more tech savvy, free or open source ecommerce solutions is an option.

Bigger Market

The best selling point of ecommerce solutions is the fact that, if you choose to, you can sell your products worldwide. You are no longer restricted to just a specific location or medium.

Most ecommerce software now come with special shopping apps to allow people to shop on your Facebook page. People can also shop direct from their mobile phones with the help of mobile shopping apps. If marketed properly, your sales could increase at an exponential rate thanks to these new online shopping avenues.

Having a bigger market also means you could enjoy better economies of scale when sourcing products because you would be ordering in larger quantities. You could then choose to sell at the same price and enjoy larger margins or pass the savings over to your customers.

Open 24/7

Another way to increase revenue is have your store open 24/7. However, this is not always possible or feasible for various reasons. For one, no one really shops for shoes at 3am so keeping a conventional shoe store open night and day would be counter productive.

But, if you have an online version of your conventional store available, you do not have to worry about this because when one part of the world sleeps, the other part is awake and ready to shop.

The best thing about having ecommerce software working for you is that you do not have to pay it overtime fees. You do not have to hire an extra person just to run your web store because it is so easy to run and it does not take up much time to do so, save for the beginning part, of course. All it requires is just a little training for anyone to run an online store.…

Men’s Winter Coats – Advice From A Fashion Expert

How can you stay warm this winter while still looking cool? We’ve put together a guide with some tips about which coats are hot right now. Starting things off is the aviator. This is a coat that is designed to keep pilots warm while they’re flying, so you know it’s going to be great at keeping you warm on the ground. It looks especially good in black leather or tan suede, but there’s a whole host of varieties you can choose from to get the one that’s right for you.

If you’re after a longer coat, then the trench could be ideal for you. Ranging from knee to ankle length, these coats are tailored, meaning they look fantastic on everyone and their classic cut means they’ll never go out of style. Leather is a popular fabric for trenches but wool is also great for those cold nights. Go with dark colors such as midnight blue or grey so you can wear your coat with anything, making it value for money as well as timeless.

Perhaps, though, you’re not the kind of guy who likes tailoring, in which case, the duffel coat is a wonderful alternative. It’s definitely warm, and it’s loose fitting means that you can wear it over anything without feeling restricted by the fabric. A key feature of duffel coats is their toggle buttons, which look fantastic buttoned up against the cold, helping you look stylish while keeping out the chill. Wear it over anything for instant winter style.

Another coat that provides effortless winter style in an instant is the military coat. These coats are smart and look brilliant in dark blue and grey. They can be short jackets or floor length greatcoats, but no matter what, there is bound to be an option to suit you. This is one of those coats that is versatile enough to be worn by everyone and their close fit means they look instantly smart over any outfit while still keeping you warm on those cold days.

OK, so coats don’t suit everyone’s taste. Maybe you like to layer up and throw a lighter jacket over the top, or prefer a more casual style. If so, then the denim jacket is a great option. They come in loose styles or as a more fitted option, which is brilliant for achieving the smart-casual look. Denim is one of those fabrics that goes with everything, so you won’t have to worry about coordinating. Again, go for a dark-colored coat to avoid clashing and you can’t go far wrong.…

Ten Checkpoints for Safe and Secure Online Shopping

Here are ten checkpoints that online shoppers can use to decide whether a particular online merchant is legitimate and a safe place to buy from.

Check whether the postal or street address or phone number is easy to find on the home page.

Businesses that fail to list a contact address on their home page may have a good reason for not doing so. But its hard to think what that reason might be. Certainly any business that is serious about offering after sales service and/or support to its customers will publish its contact details, including a phone number, in a prominent location.

Look at the About Us, Contact Us, and Delivery pages.

A reputable online merchant will usually have these three specific pages on its website. The About Us page typically details further information on the identity of the merchant, such as information about the owners of the business. The About Us page will also often provide a short history of the business. Many companies will display their official business name and registration number on the About Us page.

Information on delivery, including details of carriers used to ship orders, and how long it will take to deliver, are standard features of a reputable online site.

So too is a Contact us page providing full postal and street address, as well as phone and email details.

Check the registered business details with a relevant government agency.

Government agencies that register and monitor businesses can sometimes be a good source of background information. That’s because most countries require a business to be registered for tax purposes.

However in many countries there are different types of business, such as those which are incorporated ( i.e. companies) and those which are not.

So searching for information about a business can be difficult if you don’t know what type of registration is involved.

In Australia searching is relatively easy because every business is require to have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN).

Both can be searched online. A good place to start is the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website.

Look up whois information for the domain name.

A free Internet service known as WHOIS provides details on the domain name license-holder. For top level global domain names ( i.e. the ones that mostly end in or ) the service is available at Internic.

For Australian (i.e. ) domain names the WHOIS service is provided by a company called Ausregistry.

Privacy Policy or Statement

In many countries it is a legal requirement that a business protects the personal and private information of their customers. Or at least there are restrictions on what a business can do with that information. A Privacy Policy or statement will usually indicate whether the business plans to share your private information.

Security

Many online businesses secure their order or payment page with an encryption certificate. This ensures that the data in your online order or payment is encrypted as it travels across the Internet. You can always tell whether a certificate has been installed because the web page address will start with https instead of just http.

Some online shops may also display a security seal or symbol. Sometimes known as a trust mark, the seal is a readily visible indicator that the site has passed or completed an audit or assessment from a specialist security group or company. It gives online shoppers added assurance that the site is a secure place to shop and do business. The government-backed Better Business Bureau in the US, for example, operates a trust-mark program.

Payment

Online businesses should tell you how they are going to process your payment and, particularly in the case of credit-card backed transactions, tell you what business name will appear on your statement. Where credit-card details are collected by the business, they should be protected by up-to-date security, storage and handling processes such as those outlined in the Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard (PCIDSS) standard. For more information on the standard go to

Refunds

For physical goods, i.e. those being delivered by a freight or courier company, there should be a clear statement of the circumstances under which you can return goods, and who will pay for the return freight.

Help

Whether it is there primarily to help you locate information about the business, or whether to help you figure out how a web-site works, there should be a Help page, often known as an FAQ page (Frequently Asked Questions)

Government resources

There are a number of federal and state government agencies that help monitor online and Internet businesses. Some have web-sites and or publications that help educate consumers about shopping safely online. Others provide complaint services.

In the US the Federal …