Hi guys, today I am going to tell you about a nice way to make some extra cash by writing about your opinions about basically anything. You will notice from time to time that I write about goods and services in addition to my regular posts. These are sponsored articles that companies pay me to share with you.

One of these companies is called PayingPost.com. Basically, after you sign up and get your blog approved, you login and look under Open Opportunities. You then find one you are qualified for and reserve it. Once you do, you have six hours to write and post the blog with the specified conditions, and report it to them. Payouts vary depending on your Alexa ranking and blog traffic.

Blogging has come a long way in the last few years. For the first time, it was easier for people to find and identify bloggers with similar tastes and subscribe to their opinions. On the flip side, people have been able to create a new profession by blogging for a living. Depending on your audience, you can make a nice livable income by just writing your opinions.

That is where sites such as PayingPost.com comes into the picture for people who want to advertise on blogs. It is a bridge between advertisers and bloggers. It is simple to use and they have a nifty new layout as well. Clear and concise, no unnecessary filler web content. Just the way I like it!

So if you want to make money blogging, be sure to sign up for PayingPost.com. The great thing about blogging is you can make as much or as little money as you would like.

Okay guys, see you in seven!

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Hello guys! Sorry for the late post this week, but I had to head up to Alaska and pick out my turkey (that’s a Senator Palin joke, guys). Just kidding!

With a decrease in buyers as of late, people have had to make their wares (house) more attractive to potential buyers. People are no longer overlooking the minor details, and nit pick on the smallest problems. Therefore there has been a trend of refreshing of homes, or remodeling projects in all areas.

Here are some tips that hopefully will come in handy when you do decide to hire a contractor.

1. Get at least three written estimates. Chances are you got a high quote and having two more to compare it with is just good sense. In this market, you may be able to use the lower two to leverage a better price with the contractor you like best.

2. Get references and call to check on the work. If possible, go by and visit earlier jobs. This is just good sense. you want to be able to examine and preview the goods or workmanship before you buy. It’s also a good idea to check with previous customers.

3. Check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for complaints. If nothing else, they keep records of any disciplinary actions or suspensions that your potential contractors have received in the past. You can also check to see if they are bonded or even licensed! Although I have to warn you from personal experience, a contractor has to do something really really bad to have a black mark put onto his record.

4. Be sure that the contract states exactly what is to be done and how change orders will be handled. Don’t leave anything up in the air. It is better to get things straight and clear before any work starts. You don’t want someone to tear down your roof and stop while it rains because you guys could not come to terms with something minor like who pays for the paint.

5. Make as small a down-payment as possible so you won’t lose a lot if the contractor fails to complete the job. I always like to structure the last final payment to be as much of the total contract price as possible. That way, I hold all the leverage.

6. Be sure that the contractor has the necessary permits, licenses, and insurance. You don’t want to get sued later, after you sell the house, by the new owners, and find that you have no one to file a cross-complaint against.

7. Be sure that the contract states when the work will be completed and what recourse you have if it isn’t. Also remember that in many instances you can cancel a contract within three business days of signing it. Please check with the local laws in your area though. I usually put in a penalty clause, such as a $100 per day charge for delays in completion. Keeps the contractors on time. Of course, if there are extreme circumstances, I always have the option of waiving it.

8. Ask if the contractor’s workers will do the entire job or whether subcontractors will do parts. It’s good to know who exactly is working on your property. As with the above tip, if there are subcontractors, you need to get their information, in case you are ever sued. More cross complainants.

9. Get the contractor to indemnify you if work does not meet any local building codes or regulations. This may be a bit difficult. By human nature, no one wants to be liable for anymore than they have to be. So, I suggest you write it right into the contract. If they complain, choose another contractor!

10. Be sure that the contract specifies the contractor will clean up after the job and be responsible for any damage. Don’t give them the final payment until the site is clean. You have no idea how much throwing away garbage costs at the dump. Simple rule, you make the mess, you clean it up.

11. Guarantee that materials used meet your specifications. I always like to purchase my own materials. Especially the simpler, smaller things such as light fixtures and what not. That way I know exactly how much is spent. Some contractors buy cheaper products and still charge you for the more expensive ones to make a few bucks.

12. Don’t make the final payment until you’re satisfied with the work. Period.

I don’t have anything against contractors! Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think all of them are bad, or think ill of them as a group. I am merely sharing some tips on how to protect yourselves when hiring a contractor to work on your home. Hope you can use some of these! See you in seven (or fewer, this week).

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Well, it’s been another week. My, how time flies. This just goes to show you folks, make every moment count! Don’t dilly dally on anything. This is also the last segment of my How to Sell in Any Market Series. You want any more, you’re going to have to hire me! In any case, let’s not dilly dally, and get right to it!

Important First Impressions
Although there are no concrete statistics to support this, you guys would not believe the amount of sales that have been blown by minute details. Like what? Like unkempt lawns, cluttered closets, unpainted front doors, hard-to-work locks, blown light bulbs, bad colors, stains, unlit areas and bad smells.

Spend time on the little things! I can’t stress that enough. Double up on your gardening, keep things cleaner than usual. Take serious control of your pets during this period. It will pay off in the long run.

The Right Kind of Repairs
However, yes I know, I tend to contradict myself, it is important that you don’t be tempted to make improvements prior to listing without consulting your Agent. Some upgrades will not yield any real increase in value, while others may increase property value substantially.

You don’t want to put in a swimming pool in your yard in San Francisco, for example. Not only will it not increase the value of your home, you won’t get back the cost of putting it in. However, getting a permit for converting an office into a bedroom, would be a worthwhile task. Not only will the value of your property go up, you only need to make a few minor changes to do it, such as putting in a closet and paying for the apllication fee.

Not Giving the Sales Effort Enough Time
You should never give too little time to what is inherently a long process. Homes may take 3-6 months to sell, in any market. Well, more like 7-10 months now. Estimate how much time you have before you need to sell and then plan ahead to allow extra time. You don’t want to be forced to accept a disappointing offer.

Sit down with your Agent and go over a weekly plan. Meet often and stay in touch. With the market as volitile as it is, it always good to meet and refine your weekly plan.

Screening Prospects
One of the best reasons for hiring an Agent (me) is his (my) ability to prequalify a prospect financially before valuable negotiation time is lost. More importantly, your Agent (me) may discover when a prospect has an ulterior motive for shopping homes, other than purchasing.

Basically, let me do all of the leg work for you. I can toss out the lookie-loos, and make sure that the people I bring to your house, actually wants to buy it. Or for that matter, CAN actually purchase it.

You Can Make a Difference
The top agents in the industry report that sellers themselves are responsible for at least one out of ten sales! You can network your business and personal friends, you can hand out fliers at your place of business and elsewhere, and you can keep the house in move in condition. Your Agent should be ready to hand you all sorts of assignments to make the team effort successful.

Testing the Market
I know I have said this before but this is something I have to stress. Never put your property on the market, unless you really want a sale! Don’t waste my time or yours. Get ready for a professional sales push when you list with a great agent (ahem, me). If your plan harbors some indecision, resolve it before you list, because success is every great Real estate Agent’s objective!

Well, that’s it for me folks! Please keep all of these things in mind next time you want to sell your house. See you in seven. I’ll come up with more things to help you save money.

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I am sure you have heard a number of bigwig money-making gurus spout this nonsense before and have thought nothing much of it. But it is true, in order to save or make money even, you have to spend it. Hey, with the way the current economy is, it doesn’t hurt to consider a few counter-intuitive options!

Spend Money
Like I said, and I’ll say it again, just so you can get used to it: if you want to get the most for your money, you are going to have to spend it. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they are trying to get their finances in order is to stop spending money altogether. This is a big mistake. What’s Newton’s law of motion? “A body that is in motion, stays in motion.” This can be similarly applied to the flow of money. You are not going to make any money unless you spend it.

So what do I mean? Consider this, not all spending is the same. Of course, you should limit unnecessary and frivolous purchases, but spending on essential upkeep, preventive measures and items that will save money in the long run is vital for getting and keeping your finances in order.

For example, scrimp on stuff such as routine car maintenance and energy-saving bulbs, and you could pay for it in the long run. When things go wrong with cars, especially with that European hotness you have tucked away in your garage, it could end up costing you big. And with rising electricity and energy costs, switching to the new bulbs could save you a pretty penny in a little less than a year! Haven’t been going to the dentist to save on health insurance? Boy howdy, that root canal is going to hurt, physically and financially! Okay, okay, enough. You get the point.

Don’t Stay Home in Front of the Idiot Box
Yes, yes, staying at home watching television is cheaper than going to the movies. I know, I know. Or is it? While staying home is certainly less expensive than going out with your friends, it isn’t likely to improve your financial situation significantly. Remember Newton’s law of motion? Since when has sitting money ever made anyone rich?

Here’s what I suggest. Instead of staying home, bitching and lamenting that you can’t afford to go out, take the initiative. Sign up for some classes at the local community college to improve your job prospects and learn new cost-cutting skills so that next year you don’t have to sit at home thinking about the things that you want but still can’t afford. Who knows, you might just meet your future business partner at one of these classes! You know what I mean. If like minded people work together, things are going to progress much faster. So, if your goal is to get rich, having similar minded people with you, working on the same thing, will get there faster.

Don’t Buy The Cheapest
This is almost the same as what I was talking about earlier with the scrimping. Cheap rarely means what you think it means. It actually means, cheap, not best value. To get the most out of your hard-earned money, you must think value rather than price. A car that is inexpensive, but costs a lot to drive and needs frequent repairs has less value than a car with a
higher price tag but costs less to run and maintain.

For example, for those of you in the know, I love the 1992-1995 BMW 8 Series car. It had a price tag of around ninety thousand dollars when it first came out. However, now you can pick one up for merely eight thousand dollars! Why don’t I get one? Because of the complex V8 or V12 engines. They are expensive to maintain and require a lot of maintenance. Instead, what should I get? You guessed it, a Honda Civic (or something comparable). This concept of buying value over price can be applied to anything and will mean that you rarely buy items which are the least expensive.

Don’t Buy Things That Are on Sale
Much like things that are cheap, things that are on sale are rarely the best value. In fact, it is usually the opposite.

There are two major problems with most items on sale: they are often something that you really don’t need, and there is something wrong with them.

If it’s not something you’d buy even if it weren’t on sale, it’s a purchase you shouldn’t make. Do you really need thirty pairs of 50 cent underwear or that gigantic jar of mayonnaise? When you find something on sale that you do need, don’t buy it without looking at other options. If you need the item and there aren’t better options, then buy away.

Also, things that usually go on sale are things that have gone bad or are about to go bad. Ever notice the specials menu in restaurants? No, it’s not what the chef has fresh for the day, it’s food that’s about to go bad, and they need to move it! While I can’t say for certain that all restaurants do this, but it make sense doesn’t it?

Alright, that’s all the time I have for this week folks. thanks for joining me again and see you in seven!

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So, you step into your local financial institution the other day, hoping to get a loan. You’ve got a nice down payment, a decent credit score, this should be cake, you think. Like a lot of self employed, or independent contractors, you’d be in big trouble now. The bank needs to see verifiable income for the last few years. Oh crap. All those cash jobs and other income you’ve been getting don’t help.

So, what to do? In economic downtimes, I like to get a temporary job, just so I can keep the flow of money going. I don’t need a six figure salary job, just something worth my time to tide me over till my next big investment matures. So, on to the point of this week’s rambling.

The first step in any job search is to send out your resume. It is the most important document in any job search. I am going to show you how to properly showcase your accomplishments, contributions, and results, and instead of just spouting the job description of each position you’ve held; ie, the biggest mistake.

Here are my top three tips:

1. Think Bigger Picture

When preparing your resume, don’t bog the reader down with details of your day to day tasks. Trust me, if you are interviewing for an administrative assistant position, your interviewer already know what one does. He or she doesn’t want to see a resume that only says you can type and answer a phone. You have to go beyond that to point out your specific strengths.

State the bigger picture. What did you do and how did it serve the organization as a whole. Going back to the administrative assistant position, consider how successful the person you supported in the past has gotten and how you helped him or her do his or her job better. What role did you have in his or her successes? Those are your accomplishments you should highlight.

2. Be Specific

Focusing on your accomplishments rather than your specific responsibilities will help keep your resume concise. Remember, you’ve got a maximum of eight to ten seconds to wow the person skimming your resume.

First make sure you’ve got the basics. Where have you worked and how long have you worked there? If you were given a long snooty sounding job title, cut it and keep it short. No “Maintenance Engineers,” just Janitor.

Given the time you have to catch a recruiter’s eye, a focused, accomplishment-driven resume is the way to go. Don’t load up on peripheral stuff, it’s too hard for a hiring manager, and you’ll likely get skipped over.

3. Don’t Just Punch the Clock

I know in the beginning of this post, I made it sound like you should just get any old job for the time being. Yes and no. This is America. I want my cake and eat it too. Find a job you can enjoy for years. you never know how the economy will turn out.

Many potential employers will ask, and you will have to answer: what have you done in terms of enhancing the position or the company you previously worked for. If you can’t answer, and you and your employer deserve more.

Look for other opportunities in which you can contribute and grow professionally and you’ll enjoy a more rewarding career. And you’ll have a more successful resume.

Well, that’s it for this week. Hopefully, you can take something away from this dissorganization…

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