Business

How do gyms and health clubs work?

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The title may sound like a silly question, but a little more thought begins to trigger all sorts of concerns in your mind about the possibilities regarding running a gym facility. There is a lot going on behind the scenes of running such clubs. But, you will find some essential elements that occur with each one.

a business plan

First of all, it is very important to remember that although a ‘sports health club’ seems like the place you go to work out and relax, it is still very much a business at its core. To be a successful business you need a business plan. The business plan for a gym consists of several aspects that define the way the company will operate, but mainly it describes the fact that a gym offers a service to its clients, for which they pay for the service month to month. Foundation. These monthly fees fund the business and help predict future financial success.

A franchise or a chain?

Once a business plan for emerging gyms has been established, the next step is to determine if the business will create facilities to operate on its own, or if the gym brand and business plan will be sold as one element of a franchise. . This is a major decision that should be decided early on as it will have a significant impact on said business.

A franchise is useful for a new health center that wants to expand its brand as quickly as possible, with the least expensive capital investment required. The investment will come from the franchisees, who wish to participate in the business, and will also carry the brand of the health center and adopt its business plan.

A gym chain is a likely approach for companies or large groups of investors looking to start a gym business. They are the sole owners of the business and make all the profits while making all the required investments.

Marketing and publicity

The marketing budget for a new gym chain or franchise should be large enough to fund sizable initial marketing campaigns. Promotions are run to entice new customers to come and sign up for the club, with the possibility of lower membership fees so you can undercut your competitors and consequently spark interest in the gym you are joining. is creating.

Competition for gym facilities is on the rise, so you need to make sure your advertising campaign is imaginative.

Available services

The services offered by gyms should be hospitable in nature. Customer service is at the forefront of any business that handles and provides services directly to the customer. Whether or not you’re a start-up gym or one looking to retain customers, you need to keep this in mind.

There are many different types of services that a gym can offer its members. Things like weight rooms, spa areas complete with saunas and massage therapy, fitness facilities, and even a cafeteria with healthy food. The purpose is to make this business a comprehensive health and fitness center.

With a facility of this size offering so many services to its clients, it is understandable that you need a large staff. You’ll need everything from fitness trainers to front-desk workers. As a result, personnel expenses are one of the largest long-term costs for the business.

Home Kitchen

Constitution of Granites and Marbles

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With the variety of stone options offered to consumers and homeowners, it can be confusing to choose the right stone for your needs. For example, with the vast list of California countertop options, one may somehow find it difficult to choose one for their home. Since the countertops that California offers are elegant and attractive, you need more information about them to make the best decision among Bay Area kitchen remodeling options. And for that, we include information about granite and marble here to help you better understand these stones and be able to choose the exact stone for your needs.

For granite, it is an igneous rock that forms from magma and can be found 10 to 50 kilometers underground. This is what gave granite its hardness, as it is one of the hardest minerals in the world, second only to diamonds. That is why granite is used in buildings and other construction applications as it can withstand the abuse of nature and the elements, and the ravages of time. Granite also has strong heat and weather resistance, in addition to its resistance to chipping and scratching. With those qualities in mind, granite is a great choice for kitchen use and also for outdoor applications like barbecues and exterior countertops. Its heat resistance also makes it a great choice for fireplaces.

Marble, on the other hand, is a metamorphic rock that is primarily made up of calcite, or a crystalline form of calcium carbonate. The main advantage of marble is its appearance, it gives an elegant and classy look to any surface it is placed on. This is why sculptors place a high value on marble, and some of the greatest sculptures the world has ever seen are made from marble. The disadvantage of marble is its softness; Compared to granite, marble is more easily damaged. It is also susceptible to acids, so more care is needed with marble. Marble can be used for kitchens, bathrooms, countertops, and tiles.

Hopefully the information provided here can help you decide which stone to get. If you are in California, you have many California countertop options, especially for kitchens located in the Bay Area. The Bay Area marble offerings are some of the best in the state, and the Bay Area granite kitchen options are the same. With the information mentioned here in mind, you can better choose which stone option to get and for which application.

Auto

Artificial intelligence: a reality check

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is the new black, the new shiny object, the answer to all marketers’ prayers, and the end of creativity. The recent emergence of AI from the arcane halls of academia and the back rooms of data science has been fueled by stories of drones, robots, and self-driving cars being undertaken by tech giants like Amazon. Google and Tesla. But the hype outweighs the day-to-day reality.

AI has a fifty-year history of mathematical and computational development, experimentation, and thought. It is not an overnight sensation. What makes it exciting is the confluence of big data sets, improved platforms and software, faster and more robust processing capabilities, and a growing pool of data scientists eager to exploit a broader range of applications. The prosaic everyday uses of artificial intelligence and machine learning will make a bigger difference to the lives of consumers and brands than flashy apps hyped in the press.

So consider this AI reality check:

Big data is messy. We are creating data and connecting large data sets at an extraordinary rate, multiplying every year. The growth of mobile media, social networks, apps, automated personal assistants, wearable devices, electronic medical records, self-reporting cars and appliances, and the upcoming Internet of Things (IoT) create tremendous opportunities and challenges. In most cases, there is considerable and lengthy work to align, normalize, fill in, and connect disparate data long before any analysis can begin.

Collecting, storing, filtering, and connecting these bits and bytes to any given person is complicated and intrusive. Compiling the so-called “golden record” requires considerable computing power, a robust platform, fuzzy logic or deep learning to link disparate data, and adequate privacy protections. It also requires considerable skill in modeling and a cadre of data scientists capable of seeing the forest rather than the trees.

One on one is still aspirational. The dream of personalized one-on-one communication is on the horizon, but it remains an aspiration. Triggers are the need to develop common protocols for identity resolution, privacy protections, an understanding of individual sensitivities and permissions, the identification of tipping points, and a detailed chart of how individual consumers and segments move to through time and space on his journey from necessity. to brand preference.

Using AI, we are in an early test-and-learn phase led by companies in the financial services, telecommunications, and retail sectors.

People’s Choice Award for Predictive Analytics. Amazon trained us to expect personalized recommendations. We grew up in line with the idea that “if you liked this, you probably like that”. As a result, we expect our favorite brands to get to know us and responsibly use the data we share, knowingly or unknowingly, to make our lives easier, more comfortable and better. For consumers, predictive analytics works if content is personally relevant, useful, and perceived as valuable. Anything less than that is SPAM.

But making realistic and practical predictions based on data is still more of an art than a science. Human beings are creatures of habit with some predictable patterns of interest and behavior. But we are not necessarily rational, frequently inconsistent, quick to change our minds or change our course of action, and generally idiosyncratic. AI, which uses deep learning techniques in which the algorithm trains itself, can help make sense of this data by monitoring actions over time, aligning behaviors with observable benchmarks, and evaluating anomalies.

Platform proliferation. It seems like every tech company is now in the AI ​​space making all sorts of claims. With over 3,500 Martech offerings plus countless legacy systems installed, it’s no wonder marketers are confused and IT technicians are locked in. A recent Conductor survey revealed that 38 percent of marketers surveyed used Martech 6-10 solutions and another 20 percent used 10-20 solutions. Cobbling together a cohesive IT landscape in service of marketing objectives, perfecting the throttling of legacy systems and existing software licenses while processing massive data sets is not for the faint of heart. In some cases, AI must work around installed technology platforms.

Artificial intelligence is valuable and evolving. It’s not a silver bullet. It requires a combination of skilled data scientists and a powerful contemporary platform driven by a customer-centric perspective and test-and-learn mindset. Operated in this way, AI will deliver much more value to consumers than drones or robots.

Digital Marketing

Top 5 Social Media Marketing Apps

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Every online marketer recognizes the power of social forums. It can make or break a business. But with so many social media channels, how do you take advantage of these platforms?

Whether you’re a fan of Apple, Android, or Windows, there are plenty of apps with different features that can help you organize multiple accounts. Plus, these apps are smart enough to show you information about trends, the latest practices, and how people are responding to your messages.

To help you optimize your social media marketing strategies, we have listed 5 of the best apps for social media aggregation.

1. Hoot Suite.

Hootsuite – A social forum management platform serving over 15 million users worldwide. It is available in five versions: Free, Pro, Team, Business and Enterprise. HootSuite is fully integrated with most social networks, allowing you to manage your activities on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn accounts in one simple dashboard. The app has a simple and intuitive dashboard with advanced filters for the workplace. Some other Hootsuite features include:

1. A support service for inquiries.
2. A wise guide. It shows you how to schedule a post, add a social network, check keywords/mentions, share content using Hootlet, and social networks.
3. Social media courses where you can learn the basics of social media marketing.
4. Hootsuite Forums allows you to connect your Facebook or Twitter page to this forum.
5. 30-day free trial for the Hootsuite Pro plan
6. Provide support for the WordPress blog.

2. Social outbreak

Sprout Social is a SaaS service with three core functionalities: engagement, publishing, and analytics. As a social media aggregation tool, it aims to promote communication between people and a company. Monitor social conversation, get things done, and manage a portfolio from a single platform. The app has features such as:

1.Intelligent inbox
2. Cooperation
3. Publication
4. Mobile
5. Analytics
6.Monitoring
7. Account Structure
8. Discovery
9. Reports
10.Social CRM

These features are available on the dashboard and are divided into six sections: Source Dashboard, Task, Messaging, Reports, Discovery, Publishing & Scheduling, and Integrations. The topic area lets you know where you stand with your prospects and customers, as well as allowing you to build your presence on social media platforms.

3. Shock absorber

Buffer is social media integration software used to schedule posts, text, images, and photos to your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts.

The app is available in four different plans: an individual plan that is free, Awesome, Small, Medium, and Large. The application is web-based and allows you to create, schedule posts, and update your entire account with a single click. The app has a browser extension and integrates seamlessly with Chrome, RSS, and WordPress.

Additional Buffer features include:

1. RSS feed support
2. Connectivity features
3. Team collaboration
4. Analysis and information
5. Statistics Comparison
6. Share social profile
7. Support for iOS and Android
8. Multiple posts and tweets
9. 2-Step Account Login
10. Share media format
11. Custom programming
12. Informative Social Analytics
13. Profile Management
14. Standard buffering
15. Agency/business planning
16. Statistics Comparison
17. 14 day trial for each plan

4. Brand watch

While other social engagement tools are for sharing and managing content, Brandwatch is more of an analytics tool. It listens, monitors and collects data from the Internet, social media platforms, product reviews, blogs, news about what people are saying about your service or product and offers a large amount of data for analysis and sentimental analysis.

Brandwatch sentiment analysis eliminates spasm and unnecessary messaging. It can also integrate with HootSuite and Spreadfast, allowing you to use data in those apps.

5. Social boost

As a social media aggregator, SocialOomph allows you to manage all your accounts on one platform. It has free and paid version. The free version allows you to manage up to five Twitter profiles, while the paid version allows you to unblock other platforms like FB, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Tumblr. It’s easy to manage, enables URL shortening, has a keyword search feature, and tracks the clicks you get on each URL.

In addition, the paid version offers contact suggestions and allows you to link many Twitter accounts, manage blogs and RSS feeds, perform social updates by email and has filters to discard unnecessary messages.

Relationship

Creative computer virtual doll games for girls

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Fashion games are growing in popularity year after year. Most of the web games are flash games. Flash dress up games are exciting games with an intuitive interface. The types of themes for Flash games can range from fighting arenas to children’s themes, so they can suit all tastes. Barbie Flash games will definitely keep everyone glued to their seats as they enjoy a wonderful reality that includes fantastic surprises and fabulous adventures. When you or your children search for dress up games on the web, you will surely find many game websites. You can quickly find thousands of entertaining web portals that host free dress up games on the internet and many of them also include advanced options to make all children happy. Every boy should be satisfied, so don’t worry if your girls like some special games.

Barbie computer games have been popular since the late 90s, so many children have just learned about this type of entertainment. The online gaming industry is still in its infancy this time. The interesting thing about Flash games is that these games are mostly free. Her daughter can play them in the web browser or download them directly to her Windows system. There is no difficult task when it comes to the installation process on her computer. But you should know that children should be very careful, because dress up and cooking games are so much fun that they can become very addictive.

There are many girls in the world who would like to become a coder and create a wonderful world. But in this area of ​​expertise, the developer will surely need a lot of artistic skills. Several games are developed using Macromedia Flash. They are usually free to the general public. Anyone with an interesting idea could message the programmer and help him code a more exciting fashion game. So if your kids have an idea, why not contact a programmer? This is like any other area, there is certainly a guy who would develop what the players want to see.

In most cases, websites contain numerous online Barbie dress up games, many of these games are good, while others are based on less interesting themes. Just as an example, dress up games can be a really fun way to dress up your Barbie. One interesting thing is the fact that boys often assume that virtual doll games are meant for girls. However, many kids like to play and get excited about dress up games, especially if these games involve historical characters.

Dress up and cooking games, which are being specially designed for girls, most often include dressing up a cute little doll for a certain party, or, for example, for a walk. Barbie Dress Up online games can also be called educational as long as they can give kids a lot of knowledge about colors. Most dress up games will allow you to create Bratz or Barbie dolls from scratch; for example, children will select their eye color. Wouldn’t that be the best way to spend your daughter’s free time?

Health Fitness

It’s Not What You Think It Is: Whole Wheat and Fruit Juices Contribute to Overweight

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For most of us, we have been more oriented towards healthy foods than unhealthy ones. As is traditionally known, trans unsaturated fats, carbohydrate-rich foods like high fructose corn syrup, and many other foods are actually major contributors to the rapid weight gain that leads to obesity. We always check the labels of every food we buy in grocery stores or supermarkets, which gives us more confidence that these foods we eat are healthy for us. But in reality this does not mean that these foods are healthy according to their declared nutrition label.

Most of us follow this trend, but in reality there are many foods that do not mean what the label says and these foods may be your favorites or you eat them on a daily basis. Generally these are foods that make you fat, it is proven that those foods that we think are healthy actually contain high amounts of carbohydrates and fats that make you more overweight. For this purpose, there are two types of food that should be viewed; You may be surprised by this revelation or have doubts about it, and these two referenced foods are whole wheat products and processed juices.

Wheat products are believed to be health foods, but they are actually involved in the category of fattening foods. The reason for this has something to do with the adaptation of the human digestive system to the digestion amounts of wheat and the human wheat diet. There is this large percentage of the human population that is intolerant to gluten in grains and wheat products, with those with full-blown celiac disease being the most sensitive. The introduction of wheat as a food in the human diet only dates back thousands of years, such that wheat as a food in the human diet has never been in large quantities in the last eighty to one hundred years, which actually it is a small period of time in comparison. to the early traditional diet. This traditional diet of the human digestive system refers to the actual diet of meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds for the past thousand years that has developed over several hundred thousand years than wheat and grains.

In most cases, eliminating wheat from the diet for about two to three weeks results in rapid weight loss, which makes a big difference in the weight loss process. In addition, body fats are also lost quickly, thus helping to eliminate headaches, indigestion problems, and sometimes even skin problems. Among the most common wheat products that we consume on a daily basis are breads, bagels, muffins, cereals, crackers, pastas and many more.

The next type of fattening food to look at is fruit juices. Yes it is! Most of us are convinced that fruit juices are non-fattening foods, but there are actually some types of juices that are involved in making us fatter and leading to overweight. The two types of fruit that are considered the main fattening culprits are apple juice and orange juice, which is common in Western diets. The reason is that these fruit juices contain a large amount of carbohydrates which, if taken in excess or consumed in excess, will contribute to rapid fattening that leads to overweight.

However, this premise does not mean separating the fruit juice from the puree and leaving behind the other healthy components such as fibers and other valuable components of the fruit. In relation to eating fruit juice, there is a difference when eating the whole fruit; this is because whole fruit helps to lower the blood sugar response, while fruit juice does not. Also, processed fruit juices are more fattening than unprocessed ones, so next time you need to be careful about the foods you eat and make sure they are healthy for you.

Legal Law

Reduce Your Property Tax Bill: A New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep

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For many, the start of a new year signals a time to make some kind of change in their lives and become more like their ideal self. For others, January marks the time to make a different kind of change, one that’s much easier to do: cut your property tax bill. The tax appeal process in New Jersey involves a number of steps and using an experienced property tax attorney to guide you through the process will make your New Year’s resolution much easier to follow.

Since New Jersey’s tax appeal season is toward the beginning of the year, lowering your property taxes is a perfect New Year’s resolution. By the end of January each year, all New Jersey homeowners are supposed to receive their annual assessment. That’s the little green card that comes from the tax assessor’s office. Since all properties within a particular municipality in New Jersey are taxed at the same rate, it is the assessment that differentiates one homeowner’s tax bill from another and is the true measure of whether a property is being taxed equally. fair or not The period in which an evaluation can generally be appealed in New Jersey is from the time the evaluation is received through April 1 (May 1 if there was a reevaluation or reevaluation).

The first step in understanding if you’re paying too much tax is understanding how your property is valued.

In New Jersey, your appraisal is the value your property was appraised for at the time of the last appraisal. Although the amount at which the municipality values ​​your property changes from year to year, your appraisal generally remains the same. Each year, each municipality in New Jersey is assigned an “equalization rate,” which is intended to reflect the current value of properties in a particular municipality relative to their value in the year of assessment.

You can find your municipality’s compensation ration by calling your city tax assessor or county tax board. It can also be found on the New Jersey Division of Taxation website. The “average ratio” is the percentage of the “true value” that is considered to be your assessment. In other words, divide your appraisal by the compensation rate to get the actual value of your property. This is the number your assessor is actually using to calculate your property tax, not your assessment.

For many people, the decision of whether to appeal their appraisal is easy once they realize the actual value of their property. For others, especially people who have owned property for a long time and haven’t been thinking about buying or selling, the question of whether to appeal an assessment is less clear.

Here are several general rules to keep in mind when deciding whether to appeal your assessment:

  • As your appraisal ages and your match ratio gets lower, there is a greater chance that your appraisal has drifted from the actual value of your property.
  • Conversely, when an equalization rate rises above 100% because property values ​​have fallen (as they have in recent years), that means that, on average, properties are overvalued in those municipalities. The property owner still has the burden of proving that his particular property is overvalued, but an average ratio of more than 100% is a good indicator of overvaluation.
  • When you live in a development or neighborhood where properties are very similar and prices have dropped significantly, your individual property value may have dropped and your appraisal and equalization rate may not have kept pace.
  • Whenever a property has unique characteristics that make it very different from those nearby, lowering the appraisal is often warranted. For example, a very large older home in a neighborhood of smaller newer homes will often be assessed as a larger home with the characteristics of the surrounding areas. In fact, such houses tend to be more difficult to sell and often warrant lower appraisals.

The next step in the process for individuals is to decide if they want to work with an attorney in this process. While corporations and other legal entities must be represented by an attorney under New Jersey law, a sole proprietor may represent themselves. However, there are very good reasons to consider retaining one:

  • Many attorneys work on a contingency basis, so there are no legal fees unless your taxes are reduced. There are certain fixed out-of-pocket costs paid by the property owner, but the attorney receives a percentage of the tax savings if, and only if, the appeal is successful.
  • An attorney working on a contingency basis must provide a free consultation and do their own independent investigation to determine whether an appeal is likely to be successful. If an attorney doesn’t return calls and take the time to tell her why she thinks her appraisal should be lowered, that’s a sign to look elsewhere.
  • Above all, there is the convenience of having an experienced professional handle your case. You don’t have to worry about any of the rules that can be burdensome and, frankly, arbitrary. (For example, property tax appeals may be dismissed if the petition is not on legal paper.) You do not have to testify at a hearing, which is often unfamiliar and uncomfortable for the landlord.
  • Many people believe that they will get a better result when they are represented by an attorney. This added savings year after year more than offsets the attorney’s fees.

Take, for example, the case of Stephen and Rachel Pineles, who decided to appeal the appraisal of their home in Essex County, New Jersey, in 2010. “My town hadn’t had an appraisal in over twenty years and my appraisal was outrageously high compared to the actual rate. value of my home,” said Stephen Pineles. “Hiring an attorney to handle the property tax appeal was definitely the right decision for me. I didn’t have to worry about anything. Initially, the tax assessor offered a reduction that was quite low. In the end, my attorney negotiated a much better settlement and my property taxes were reduced by over $3,700 or nearly 30% of my tax bill.”

As with anything else, there is some risk of appealing your assessment. In New Jersey, if your case is unsuccessful, you will not get your out-of-pocket costs back. Also, under New Jersey law, your appraiser has the right to argue that your appraisal is too low. However, this right is limited to cases where your property is undervalued by 15%. If your property’s appraisal divided by the equalization rate is $100,000, the appraiser can only argue that the appraisal should be increased if he or she can prove that your property is actually worth at least $115,000. If your attorney has done their research well and has determined that there is a good case for lowering your appraisal, it is unlikely to happen.

As the new year begins, in addition to some of the tougher goals and changes people contemplate, it may be worth considering trying to lower your tax bill. It could be one of the easiest and most profitable resolutions you make.

Lifestyle Fashion

How to save money on beauty products

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One glance down the makeup aisle and you’re automatically drawn to the mystical fragrances and vibrant packaging. Before you know it, you’ll be walking away with new products and a hefty bill. We know you love your beauty products and deserve to be pampered. But don’t worry, here are some tips that will allow you to be the beauty queen without breaking the bank!

1. Beware of sales!

Black Friday deals are great, but you can find huge discounts on your favorite brands all year long! Most stores have a newsletter announcing discounts and sales, often giving you a special discount online that isn’t available in the store. So go to the websites of your favorite beauty stores and sign up for their newsletters.

2. Let your multitasking talents shine

You may not realize it, but most of your beauty products can serve more than one purpose. Dab your liquid lipstick on your cheeks and blend to save money on blush. Instead of compact highlighters, invest in liquid highlighters, mix a few drops with your foundation or bb cream for a dewy finish when the matte finish is out of style. Be creative and save money. This is the perfect gift for girls.

3. Go to the pharmacy

For someone who is addicted to high-end brands, shopping for makeup and skincare at a drugstore might sound horrible, but most drugstore brands are priced at a fraction of your beloved high-end brands. and they offer products with incredible quality. Avoid investing in high-end products that you need to replace a lot, like mascaras, eyeliners, and compacts, or products where you want a wide variety, like lipsticks.

4. Get beauty box subscriptions

You can save a ton of money with beauty box subscriptions, especially if you opt for the ones that offer full-size products instead of samples. Sample boxes can’t give you the same value for money as full-size boxes.

5. Use coconut as a makeup remover

There is no need to waste your money on expensive makeup removers and wipes. Coconut oil can easily remove stubborn waterproof makeup. Not only is it an affordable option, but it’s also good for your skin, brows, and eyelashes.

We hope these tips help give your wallet some TLC and make it look as glamorous as ever without going north of your budget plans. Subscribing to a beauty subscription box is how one can get all the products in a very small amount. This is perfect for those girls who don’t want to use one product for many uses.

Pets

Questions for Siamese cat breeders

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Siamese cats are a wonderful breed to have in your home – they are great with children, don’t often scratch people or furniture, aren’t known to chew on electrical cords or other household items, and are a beautiful animal to show someone. your friends and guests When making the decision to buy one, you should ask different Siamese cat breeders a few questions, to ensure that you are making a good investment, rather than buying trouble for yourself.

1. Ask for references. Most people don’t buy an exotic breed of animal without doing their research, and the best thing you can do is ask Siamese cat breeders for references from current and past customers. If the breeder seems put off by your request, or needs time to get them together, be careful. Most breeders will be ready to apply and have a list available for you and other potential clients.

2. Ask to see the cat’s certification and/or the parent’s certification. Most health problems are hereditary and if Siamese cat breeders do not have documentation to prove the cat’s family history: You may have costly health complications in the future.

3. Ask about guarantees. A quality breeder, who cares about his reputation, will offer you the guarantee that the cat will be free of hereditary diseases. Considering he’s paying well for a special breed of feline, rather than picking one up at the animal shelter, a guarantee should be a must unless he gets a hefty discount.

4. Ask what treatments the cat has had. All kittens need to be dewormed and receive their scheduled vaccinations. Any good breeder of Siamese cats will already be ahead of the required vaccination schedules.

5. Ask for recommendations to care for your new cat. An expert breeder will be able to quickly educate you on how to care for your cat and will offer themselves as a resource for information throughout your cat’s life.

Real Estate

A poor man’s guide to investing in real estate

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Real estate investing is not just for the rich! You’ve probably heard the old saying “It takes money to make money.” Well, I’m telling you, a person with no money and no credit equipped with the proper knowledge and knowing how can do this the same way. This article covers how YOU can do it and what steps you need to take to make it happen.

Many people believe that you have to be rich to invest in real estate, like Hilton or Donald Trump. Or they think you need to save thousands of dollars for a down payment, like when you buy your home. Both thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth. You don’t need to save thousands or come from a rich family. All you need is the knowledge, people, and tools available to help you succeed.

There are things you need to have in place when investing in real estate. We will cover those things and it will only cost you a little money, time and possibly lunch.

EDUCATION GROUPS YOUR TEAM A MARKETING ACTION PLAN

EDUCATION: Now, this “Poor Man’s Guide” isn’t going to suggest that you spend tens of thousands of dollars like you would to go to college, but keep in mind that education is key. Staying with the theme of this article, we understand that money is not a surplus, so we suggest you go to your local bookstore and get a basic real estate investing book so you have a foundation to build on. Don’t assume you already know everything there is to know about investing in real estate, but be willing to learn. The web is a source of knowledge and information from which you can gain insight and further your education in real estate investing. I STRONGLY suggest that a person spend a minimum of a year educating themselves before attempting to transact. Cost: $50 (some books), 1 year (study time)

GROUPS: Groups cover many aspects but we were going to focus on two groups. Group One, the groups of people you are with in your daily life. These people are your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Anyone within these groups who tells you “you will not succeed investing in real estate” may kill your dream. I suggest not talking about dream killers about investing. Get new friends to be around. People who will be positive, encouraging and supportive in your new quest to make a dramatic change in your life personally and financially. Group Two, groups like your local Real Estate Investor Association (REIA) or any local group that invests in real estate that you can work with, network, learn and build the relationships necessary for your business be successful. Cost: friends (maybe), build relationships (time)

YOUR TEAM: To build your team you need to develop yourself and your social skills. There are many members of your team that will be required to be truly successful and avoid many of the pitfalls along the way. Its value far outweighs the time and money spent (possibly lunch), rather than trying to do it alone. Starting your team should include but not be limited to.

1. A real estate agent (with experience working with investors) – Real estate agents who have worked with investors understand what you are looking for and what you are trying to do. 2. Mortgage banker/broker (with experience working with investors): Develop relationships so you can have a source of financing for your buyers in the future. 3. Contractor/Handyman: They can provide you with the estimated cost to repair the properties. 4.Title Company (with experience working with investors) – They are familiar with creative deals and can help you with the best way to close a deal. 5. Lawyer/legal adviser: Preferably one who specializes in real estate law, have them review all the documents that he will use in his business. 6. Mentor – Learn and model yourself from someone who has been down this road before, your mentor may be a potential investor for you. Cost: time, lunch (maybe)

A PLAN: Your plan should be the foundation of your investment. Your plan should consist of the real estate niche you will invest in and how you will achieve your goals. Write down your investment goals from small to large and the steps you plan to take to get there. Your mentor should be able to help you design an investment plan for you. cost: time

Marketing: As a “Poor Man’s” real estate investor, it is understood that you need to get the most out of your investment. So I will mention three marketing budgets to get you started, they will be the $100, $300 and FREE marketing budgets.

1. $100 Marketing Plan – for $50 you can order some bandit signs that say I/we buy houses with your phone number. In many cities these signs may be illegal, so I suggest spending $50 on a prepaid phone and listing that number on bandit signs so the authorities can’t trace them back to you. Go online to one of the many card companies where you can get 250 to 500 business cards for free. If possible, get them in bright yellow, pink, or orange by simply typing again I/we buy houses with your number.

2. $300 Marketing Plan – This is the same as the $100 plan but double the amount of bandit posters plus go to your local print shop and have them print you 1000 to 5000 1/4 flyers. page in those bright, attention-grabbing colors, again indicating that you buy houses. Post these flyers anywhere allowed.

3. FREE Marketing Plan – Best of all, visit an online business card site and order the business cards just like the $100 marketing. Place dummy ads on online ad-supported sites and other similar sites to build your list of potential sellers and buyers. Network, network, network, let anyone and everyone know what you’re up to from your neighbors, hairdressers, friends, family, co-workers, bartenders, waiters, and anyone you might feel could use your services or put you in touch with someone. who needs your services. Cost: $100, $300 or FREE

ACTION: This is the moment of truth and the most difficult for many who want to invest in real estate; taking action. I know and understand that when you get to this point you chicken out, negative thoughts start popping into your head (what if, what if, what if) and you need to stop them in their tracks. Take what you spent a year learning from books, online, your mentor, your team members, and your REIA group and put it into action, so you can see the potential in this business, and more importantly, the potential on yourself. When I take action, I often see new investors trying to make that BIG killer deal early on when they don’t even have a firm grip on how to make a deal. May I suggest that you try to earn some money, not all the money at once? His and the old saying where I’m from……. A Fast Nickel Beats A Slow Dime.

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