Business

Top 10 Ways for Pet Bird Owners to Save Money

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Especially in this economy, everyone is looking to save a little cash wherever they can. As we all know, keeping birds can be expensive! We did some research and put together what we call the ‘Top 10’ ways to cut spending and make your money go a little further.

  1. DIY Toys: You don’t have to be an “expert” in the field of toy making to create a design your bird will love. Some projects don’t require any tools and can save you a lot of money, especially if your bird quickly goes through the toys. Simple toy ideas include turning leftover household items—bottle caps, washed pill bottles, paper towel rolls, and cardboard boxes—into a birdlike Disneyland. My birds like nothing more than a nice roll of paper towels to wrestle with or a cardboard box to explore.
  2. Buy in bulk – If you have more than one bird, you can dramatically cut costs by buying your food and other items in bulk. Instead of buying those 5 pound bags of food for $10 each, buy the 25 pound bag for $50! Of course, prices will vary depending on the provider, but buying in bulk has been shown to be easier on the wallet. Don’t you think you’ll be going through all that food anytime soon? Parrot food can be frozen for maximum freshness, simply repackage into airtight containers or bags and throw in the freezer.
  3. This not only applies to food, but also to toys. Many online sellers offer discounted toys if you buy a certain quantity or more. One of my birds goes through grooming toys like it’s nobody’s business, so I shop online through a popular seller and get 5 at a time, saving a lot of money in the meantime.
  4. Make your own food. You know it’s true, they say you can make food in your kitchen for less money than eating out. For birds that is also true. Instead of buying pre-made bird bread mixes, for example, you can easily go out and buy the basic necessities for less than the cost of a bread mix. The more you end up with twice the amount of mix you would normally buy, effectively cutting your costs in half.
  5. Recycle old toy parts. Some toys have a shelf life of mere minutes. However, many birds will get bored with a toy before it is completely demolished. Removing the aforementioned toy once the bird is bored and taking it apart to reuse on other toys is a great way to save. Most toys, even those destined for destruction, have reusable parts, from a plastic chain to the metal quick link. I have a ‘junk bin’ so whenever my birds bite a toy, I take the toy out of the cage, take it apart and throw the reusable parts into the bin. When I want to make a toy, I look in the container to find the parts I need.
  6. Shopping around. Take advantage of the wonder that is the world wide web and check out multiple stores before making your big purchase. You’ll often find products cheaper online than at your local store, and you can take advantage of free shipping deals to stretch your money even further.
  7. Cage lining. What do you use to line the cage? If you use any type of pre-cut, store-bought cage liner, consider switching to newspaper. Can’t get the newspaper? I bet one of your neighbors does. People will gladly donate their old newspaper once they are done reading it. Better yet, if you have a large herd, call your local newspaper and ask if you can ‘trash dive’ into their recycling bins. Often newspapers are printed and have multiple stacks of newspapers that contain errors, so they just throw the newspapers away for recycling. Take advantage of those ‘mistakes’ and line the cage, for free!
  8. Learn from others. You don’t have to go out and buy a stack of bird books to gain knowledge. Take advantage of the many online resources available. You can access web forums to chat with other bird owners, informative websites to learn about anything from species to nutrition, and even e-books. If you’ve heard of a great book but don’t want to buy it, head to your local library. Libraries will often have a large number of books available to you through interlibrary loan.
  9. barter. If you know other bird owners, make friends and take advantage of what others have to offer. Are you going on vacation and need a bird watcher? See a trusted bird friend who will care for your birds while you’re away, in exchange for future bird care services from you. Bird owners are eager to help and always willing to lend a hand. Birds of a feather must stay together, you know.
  10. Your bird doesn’t need 3 of everything. Remember that when you find that new product that you simply ‘have to have’, sit down and evaluate it. How is this new and improved toy different from toys stored or hung in the birdcage? Will this item really improve your birds’ quality of life or make things easier for you in the long run? What elements is this object made of and can it be replicated by you at a lower cost?

Consider the source. Just because an item is marketed specifically for ‘birds’ doesn’t mean you can’t buy that item elsewhere and at a cheaper cost, simply because it’s on the isle of dogs! I have found many toys wandering around the cat island from my local pet store. You can even find toy parts for a lower price at your local craft store, such as Michaels, then they are often sold at pet stores.

Home Kitchen

10 quick tips for home remodeling

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(1) Identify your needs: Take your time to recognize the requirements and come up with the easiest and most cost-effective solution.

See if you really need another bathroom, or some upgrades to an existing one might do the trick.

Determine your budget and talk to your partner, if any, and start transforming your home into the space you’ve always wanted it to be.

(two) Self-analysis and Research– Collect ideas, inspirations from home improvement magazines or just browse the web.

Stay away from expensive construction. If you can upgrade or convert an existing room, do it.

(3) render a design: Make a sketch, use graph paper and measure the room you are building/converting. This will help better express your expectations to Construction service providers.

(4) Talk to multiple contractors: Find home remodeling service providers in your region.

Ask your friends or neighbors who have done home renovation work before, talk to them about their experience with their contractors.

Make an appointment with these contractors, discuss your plans and calculate the total construction cost.

(5) Choose a contractor: Finally, look for a contractor who will turn your ideas into reality, obviously within your budget. Estimate each part of the construction changes in your house.

Show them your design plans, get an idea of ​​how they work, and most importantly, make sure you can work seamlessly with the company or person you hire.

It is important to develop a good relationship with your contractor, as you will be working closely with them.

After choosing a reputable contractor, ask them to recommend an architect. Contractors work with architects all the time and will be familiar with those who work locally. Go with your contractor’s opinion, as the relationship between architect and contractor can make or even break a project.

(6) hire an architect: If you’re looking for simple updates to your home, contractors can do it themselves. Replacing fixtures and finishes like cabinets, flooring, paint, or lighting are contractor jobs.

However, if you want to reconfigure the walls or change the overall floor plan, an architect is what you need.

The architects will give you a unique, critical and connected vision of your project.

(7) Hiring a design-build company. An alternative to not hiring an architect or contractor is the design-build company. These design-build firms are companies that keep both designers and contractors on staff, thus blending the design/build process and improving communication.

If you don’t have a contractor in mind, design-build is a rising trend. These design-build companies specialize in small projects like home renovations and construction.

(8) Rates Location: Once you’ve hired a contractor, architect, or design-build firm, it’s time to make a written estimate of the cost of the job, including labor and materials.

Don’t settle for the lowest bidder, because price is not necessarily quality.

(9) set deadlines: Once you have agreed on cost and fee issues with your contractor and architect, you will be presented with a contract specifying the completion dates for your project.

The contract will have all the details of your project, for example provisions to complete before the rains start or at least complete the roof before the rains start.

(10) Read the contract carefully. Once the contract is prepared, understand it well. agree to all of its provisions before signing. You may also consider having a lawyer review the contract with you.

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The (un)impressive life of fake Instagram influencers

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Tales from the Crypt of Online Marketing #11

Why You’ll Never Get Millions Of Instagram Followers (Unless You Fake It)

Are you like me and can be impressed quite easily? Or does Shania Twain’s song “That Don’t Impress Me Much” sound like her typical anthem?

Perhaps it was the way I was raised that made me appreciate certain accomplishments. We didn’t have much growing up, so the seemingly “rich” kids in the neighborhood were always impressing me with their Etch-a-Sketches and Lite-Brites, my brother and I could only dream of having!

Even now, I am impressed when I see new neighbors moving in with a Tesla and going on cruise vacations a couple of times a year (long before Covid anyway).

It amazes me to see people and companies win prestigious awards.

I am in awe when I go to the gym and witness incredible resolve of people building their strength and endurance.

The list goes on.

But then there are social networks.

I was impressed when I saw someone with thousands of followers. I’d think, Wow, that person must really know what he’s doing! See how many people want to learn or be entertained or inspired by them!

But not so much anymore. (Cue Shania.)

The other day we saw a social docu-experiment on HBO called “Fake Famous.” You’ve seen? It is revealing to say the least.

In it, they conducted a research study to see if they could create Instagram influencers from virtually unknown people.

And it was terrifying to witness how easily they were able to do that.

It all came down to building a false facade of illusions to give your account the impression of being successful. Even renting a luxury jet on a studio lot somewhere and taking photos pretending they were somewhere exotic.

This is where she really is:

Or use a paddling pool filled with rose petals and take tight shots of just your head floating on top… giving the illusion of relaxing in a luxurious spa.

And apart from these fake photo shoots, there is the buying of followers, likes and comments.

These fake influencers went from a few hundred followers to tens of thousands in a very short time.

Every single one of those followers was fake.

I like fake.

Fake comments.

All fake.

But what makes this so insidious is the fact that it worked.

They started receiving offers left and right to take a picture with a brand’s product and in return, they get the product for free. Everything from designer sunglasses to portable toilet bidets. One day I will tell you the story of my first encounter with a bidet. One of the funniest days of my life!

The more fake followers, likes, and comments they had, the more free stuff they got.

And they also became more popular. Suddenly they were being invited to fancy parties and weekend trips.

Interestingly, the more this happened, the more legitimate followers they had as well.

Thousands of real people would follow them because they see someone who gives them the impression of having “made it”. Someone who evokes envy and fantasy about what life is like on the other side and wants to feel like they’re a part of it all.

And do you know what makes this false scenario even more insidious? No one is motivated to stop it.

  • Fake influencers get a lot of rewards for little effort along with a few hundred dollars to buy their way into this world of influencers.
  • Brands that use influencers to sell their products are enjoying increased sales for all the legitimate followers these influencers are amassing.
  • Instagram is benefiting from increased users and ad dollars spent by brands promoting influencers using their products.
  • And of course, let’s not forget the people who create and implement the fake profiles that follow these influencers and make more money from the likes and comments bought.

I would say that the only loser in this scenario is us.

Those who are impressed by what we see published by these influencers.

Those who buy products because an influencer endorses it. I mean, it has to be good then, right?

The ones who look at those influencers and wish we could live a life like that.

Sure, not all “influencers” are fake. There are many well-respected individuals who have built their personal brand through hard work, exceptional brand positioning, and careful posting strategies. I mean, by God, Oprah wasn’t going to buy her 19.3 million followers, was she?

And I am impressed by them.

They are the ones I follow and from whom I learn. Those who have legitimately earned their influencer role. That’s what I want to be when I grow up.

And you? Do you see through the fake influencers or have you been blown away by the life they have presented to the world? Are you trying to model them to build your business like they have? Has this article changed your mind or are you excited to try it out and become an influencer yourself?

I would love to hear your opinion below.

For the success of your business,

Suzanne

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

  1. Tales from the Crypt of Online Marketing Vol. 10 cautions that before he starts comparing his business’s social media presence to someone else’s, he doesn’t know the whole story. Read on our blog: Playing the dangerous comparison game on social media
  2. Documentary on Netflix: The Social Dilemma.
  3. Book: Under the Influence: How to Fake Your Way to Get Rich. Instagram. Uncovering influencer fraud, selfies, anxiety, ego, and mass delusional behavior. Photographer Trey Ratcliff exposes the clever tricks social media influencers use to buy their way into the lucrative multi-billion dollar world of social media brand sponsorship, world travel and free merchandise. He meets these fake “influencers”, with seemingly glamorous lives, but no real influence on social media, who fraudulently cheat the system by buying likes, comments and followers.
  4. Book: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say “yes” and how to apply this knowledge. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous evidence-based research coupled with a three-year study program on what moves people to change behavior have resulted in this highly acclaimed book.
  5. Book: How to win friends and influence people. For over sixty years, the sound, proven advice in this book has lifted thousands of now-famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.
Digital Marketing

How to successfully influence people

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To achieve exceptional performance and productivity from your staff, you must work on your power of influence. It’s a fact that leaders who are good at influencing get things done faster and with minimal effort. When you become a positive influence for your people, you will notice a change of mentality among them, as they will feel highly motivated, enthusiastic about their work and take on their responsibilities. Reaching this state is no easy task and will require you to develop the following three skill sets.

Know your destination before you start your journey

The influence is intangible since it depends a lot on the way people think. The way a person thinks will drive their behavior, which in turn affects their feelings. As a leader, you must be influential in your thinking so that you can change the mindset of the people you lead. An example of this is the late South African President Nelson Mandela. When he was released from prison after 27 years on fabricated charges, his main intention was to unify the nation that had been marginalized on racial grounds. To do this, Mandela committed South Africans to appreciating each other through sport and other activities in order to eliminate any form of mistrust and misinformation between his people of different racial backgrounds.
To have this kind of influence requires that you have a clear aspiration of where you want to go and why you want to go there. Once you are clear on this, you need to work on your empathy to understand what your people want and how you can sync this with your own aspiration. You can achieve this by building a relationship of trust with the people you lead, so that they see you as someone who is always there for them through thick and thin. Once your people trust you, they will follow you wherever you want to go.

Focus on your ears not your mouth

The Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium said: “We have two ears and one mouth, so we must listen more than we say.” The power to influence is based on your power to listen objectively and sincerely. When you listen to what your people have to say, you are inadvertently building a meaningful long-term relationship. Also, when you start to listen, you will also create buy-in for your ideas, as your people are ready to listen to you in turn, and in this process, you could synthesize their views with yours and work towards a win-win situation. win that benefits everyone. . This will then decrease the conflicts that stifle productivity and efficiency. Entrepreneur and billionaire Richard Branson is a big advocate of listening and he succinctly said, “Listen, take the best. Leave the rest.”

Learn to persuade like Aristotle

The last set of skills to be a good influencer is to master the art of persuasion. The difference between these two seemingly interrelated words is that influence is more about building relationships, trust, and achieving long-term goals, while persuasion is more about being transactional, competitive, and achieving short-term goals. As a leader, you sometimes need to take this position that the circumstance you are facing will require you to come up with a quick plan of action that will not allow you to negotiate with and influence your people. This is where you need to work on your power of persuasion. However, if you have implemented the above two skill sets, persuading people to achieve your short-term goal would not be a problem.

Aristotle, in his work ‘Rhetoric’, identified three important factors that you should focus on when you want to persuade someone. He calls this: ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional), and logos (logical). Fundamentally, what this means is that the first thing you need to persuade is by using your respectful, honest, and credible character (ethos). The next thing is to persuade by appealing to their emotions by giving them an imaginative impact of how they will benefit if they do what you are asking of them (pathos). One caveat here though is that this can be subject to abuse and as such you need to be careful in considering the latter factors which is to persuade by appealing to their intellect by giving them the relevant facts and figures which allows them to make a decision on whether they would want to go with you or not (logos). As long as this is done with credibility (ethos), you will successfully achieve your end result.

Ultimately, as a leader, you are in charge and how your people perceive you is largely based on how positively and passionately you can influence them. This is when you leave a lasting legacy.

Relationship

How to effectively potty train your child

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Many parents experience the challenge of potty training their little ones. It can get frustrating most of the time and the child can get bored with the routine that most parents use. But this should not be because there are some strategies that can teach your child to go to the bathroom effectively.

For new parents, particularly mothers, the right age for a child to be potty trained can vary. Many experienced mothers would advise you to potty train your child at least when she is 1 year old or before 2 years old. Again, it varies and usually depends on how your child will respond to the training and how she manages it.

The first thing you should do is see if your child is ready for potty training. An inquisitive child under the age of 2 may show signs of interest in what adults are doing, so take this opportunity to explain to your child where the poop and pee go. Once you’ve established his interest in this topic, you can apply the “sit down and change him” technique, which is essentially sitting him down for every diaper change.

The next thing to do is to use bounties for every job well done. This is in conjunction with training him/her to go to the bathroom when necessary. Giving your child an upbeat praise will train his mindset that potty training is a good thing and he will receive praise and rewards for doing it.

As much as possible, don’t give your child options by asking “do you want to go to the bathroom?” Instead, tell your child directly that “it’s time to go potty” or “it’s time to sit down.” Do this at the beginning of your potty training with your child so you don’t get confused.

Remember that complete potty training does not have to last more than 3 weeks. Be sure to tell your son that every time he needs to poop, urinate, or change diapers, he should get her attention. Let your child know that she can use her favorite nursery rhyme, her dance, or anything upbeat to signal that it’s potty time. This can make potty training fun and your child will enjoy the experience instead of getting bored, frustrated and stressed.

Once your child has established an interest and has done initial potty training, you can put underwear on him. You can make her sit every hour. Although some people make their kids sit down after every 30 minutes, at this rate your child will get tired and training sessions may no longer be fun.

You can also take your child’s potty with you when you are out or traveling. Potty training can be done while you and your child are traveling, so when he/she needs to go, you can stop and let your child go directly into your vehicle using the portable potty.

Don’t worry about accidents because they happen especially during the first few days. Just keep practicing the routine and always praise for trying and reward for doing the job right. Be patient and encouraging because this can really help your child learn to go to the bathroom in a proper and timely manner.

Health Fitness

7 Foods to Avoid to Ease Brain Fog

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“The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food be your medicine.” – Hippocrates

It is essential to understand that food reflects how we feel and this is especially true for those struggling with brain fog (depersonalization) and other anxiety reactions. Some foods fuel the system and help maintain stable levels of serotonin and blood sugar. This leads to an acute feeling of well-being. Other foods do the exact opposite, often triggering anxiety, panic attacks, feelings of brain fog, and even phobic reactions. That’s why it’s important to know which foods will work for you and which foods to avoid if you’re experiencing anxiety reactions.

Foods to avoid:

1. Sugar: Sugar will temporarily induce pleasant sensations in the brain and body, but over a short period of time these feelings will subside and collapse, leaving the individual feeling confused, anxious, irritable, hungry, and lethargic. Anyone who has struggled with anxiety or brain fog will find that sugar is their number one enemy. It will also disrupt sleep patterns and exacerbate feelings of OCD and panic attacks. Giving up excessive use of sugar provides such dramatic relief that this in itself demonstrates the fact that sugar is detrimental to anyone suffering from mental fogginess and anxiety. Remember that chemical sugar substitutes are just as harmful.

2. Alcohol: Alcohol is known to many as “liquid sugar” as it has the highest glycemic index. It will temporarily lift your spirits, but you pay a high price for this fleeting illusion. Alcohol also affects blood sugar levels, feelings of well-being, serotonin levels, and produces feelings of intense brain fog, anxiety, sleep disruption, irritability, and an inability to maintain stable blood sugar levels the day after for drink. One often experiences spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels the next day as the body attempts to restore stable blood sugar levels. This results in discomfort and increased brain fog along with a plethora of anxiety symptoms for anyone who has experienced this effect.

3. Caffeine: Unfortunately, caffeine, found in a multitude of substances, is a very difficult chemical to tolerate if one is sensitive to brain fog and anxiety reactions. It speeds up metabolism, increases heart rate, creates irritability, improves anxiety reactions, and is found in many foods that we normally eat. Yes, we all know that coffee and tea contain caffeine and it is essential to replace these beverages with decaf versions, but there are some decaf brands that still have a degree of caffeine. Some coffee shops that offer decaf substitutes have tested their decaf and some still rate high on the caffeine chart. Your best test is how you feel after using these brands. Trust me, your body will alert you. Also, herbal teas are, for the most part, caffeine-free, but there are many that are. Take a look at your green teas and be sure to select those that are decaffeinated, as even small doses of caffeine will have an effect on a sensitized body. Chocolates also carry a load of caffeine, some more than others. Avoid dark chocolates as they are higher in caffeine.

4. Certain food additives: Sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol are chemicals used to sweeten foods and products that we often use on a daily basis. They are found in beverages, desserts, cereals, mouthwashes and toothpaste. Not only do they create mental fogginess and anxiety issues, but they also upset your stomach and add to your IBS symptoms, even if you’ve never experienced IBS in the past. They are best avoided because they have no benefit for people with brain fog or anxiety.

5. Low-Fat Products: Anytime you see “Low-Fat” on labels, you know that fat has been replaced by SUGAR. This is easily recognized by reading the labels of all low-fat foods. Don’t be fooled by “low-fat” claims because the fat-replacing sugar will do a good job of adding fat to the body, and in some cases more than the original fat.

6. Healthy Juices: Juices are delicious and often provide high levels of vitamins, essential for good health, especially vitamin C. That’s why I’m not saying avoid juices altogether, but suggest adding water to your breakfast 100% juice and by doing so, you will avoid the huge sugar rush associated with this product. You’ll still reap the benefits of juice without the side effects of excess sugar.

7. Healthy Snacks: Read labels carefully. Most of these “healthy snacks” contain much more sugar and chemicals than you want to eat. For years, people ate products like low-fat granola bars and rice cakes, believing they would keep a good figure and feel healthy too. Not true. Your blood sugar levels spiked and so did your feelings of brain fog and panic.

There are so many “clean” foods one can get that help maintain a healthy mind and body. Furthermore, it is essential to learn how to use protein to produce balanced and stable blood sugar levels. One is really able to choose the way one wants to feel once one learns the basics of good nutrition, especially for feelings of brain fog and anxiety condition. Shop smart by directing your cart to the market peripheral. This is where all the fresh food is placed. Avoid those middle aisles filled with processed and refined foods.

Eating right, along with learning to think right, will give you the benefit of removing all feelings of brain fog and anxiety reactions.

Take the time to learn what foods work for you. It’s worth the effort because you deserve to feel your best. It is your choice and by doing so you can create a clear mind and a body that remains calm and relaxed. It’s always your choice, so take responsibility for your good health by learning the natural path to a greater sense of well-being.

Lifestyle Fashion

What do you know about your nails?

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First things first, do you know what your nails are made of? Our fingernails and toenails are made up of a protein called keratin, which is essentially just a bunch of dead cells. Keratin is also found in our hair, scientifically speaking our nails are actually just modified hair, which is pretty weird if you stop to think about it. The reason cutting our nails and hair doesn’t hurt is because the cells are dead, bird feathers and horse hooves are also made of keratin.

Surely you have heard the myth that our nails continue to grow even after death. Yes, that is not true. They can’t keep growing because they’re dead, and dead cells in a dead body won’t keep them growing! The reason this myth became so popular is that when we die, the skin around the nails shrinks, giving the illusion that the nails are growing.

Bet you didn’t know this, fingernails grow faster than toenails AND men’s nails grow faster than women’s! But women’s nail growth exceeds men’s during pregnancy, most people believe that women can grow such long and luscious hair and nails during pregnancy due to prenatal vitamins, but that’s not really true . It’s all thanks to hormones.

Typing or excessive movement of the fingertips does not necessarily guarantee long and healthy nails, but it can help speed them up. The more movement and tapping you have at your fingertips, the better your blood flow, which can help you increase the rate at which your nails grow. But beware! The more movement and tapping you put into your nails, the greater the risk of damage and breakage! Which could take you back two more steps than the one you took.

Finally, the nails have no sensation. That’s right, no nerve endings at all, now I’m sure you’re sitting there thinking, but wait, I’ve felt something once or twice before I swear! Hanging nails are the worst! And have you tried ripping off your dangling nail? When I do that I feel like my whole finger is on fire! The nails extend deep under the cuticle skin and the nerves around the cuticle. Our brains integrate the sensation of force from the nail tips and cuticle as a complex and enhanced perception of pressure, so it may seem like our nails are covered in nerve endings, but they’re not!

Pets

How to Hold a Garage Sale to Raise Funds for Your Nonprofit

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Looking for fundraising ideas for your nonprofit club, organization, school, or team? How about we organize a garage sale?

Garage sales, tag sales, rummage sales, garage sales. Whatever you call them in your part of the country, we’ve all been to them, and we all know that people love finding a bargain at a garage sale. Some nonprofits hold an annual “spring cleaning” garage sale. Or, your club could also hold a sale twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Members of your organization can save things throughout the year and accumulate many items to donate to the cause. Most members are usually very happy to get rid of their unnecessary items.

Anyone who has ever held a garage sale knows that it takes a lot of planning and work, but the rewards can be substantial. Your club should plan well in advance and allow about a month to collect all the donations and prepare for the sale.

Tips for a Successful Garage Sale Fundraiser

before sale

Check with your city to find out if you need a permit to hold a garage sale. Ask if there are any regulations regarding when and where you can post signs to advertise your garage sale. For example, some cities prohibit posting signs on utility poles.Announce the sale to the group. Tell them when and where it will be held and when and where to drop off donations. Decide if the price of the items will be set by the person donating them or by the organizers. Designate a person in charge of receiving donations and choose a place to store donations

Advertising- Plan your advertising well in advance to place classified ads in your local newspapers. Send press releases to your local newspaper and radio stations. Post flyers in public places such as supermarkets, libraries, bookstores, schools and churches. The night before the sale, put up billboards and street signs announcing your sale. Be sure to remove signs and banners after the sale.Contingency plans – It is better to plan to make the sale in any type of weather. Try to hold the sale indoors or under tarps. You will have advertised and contracted the services of your volunteers for a specific day. If you have to cancel your sale due to weather, you will have lost your publicity and your volunteers may not be available for a later date.

Garage Sale Item Prices – The price must be in round numbers. This will make pricing and selling much easier. You can buy pre-made price tags at office supply stores or make your own on a printer. Generally speaking, items in good condition should be priced at one-third of their retail price. Of course there will be expectations. For example, you might want to price hardcover books at $2.00 a piece, no matter what the retail price is. Or, you may want to price CDs, DVDs, and tapes at $2.00 each. You must group like items together during the sale and sell them all for the same price unless otherwise stated.

Necessary supplies – Tables, chairs, umbrellas, extension cords, coat racks, boxes, plastic bags.

the day of the sale

Have as many volunteers available as possible. You’ll need people to help shoppers and keep things running smoothly. You will need people who will take the money and provide security. You may want to offer to deliver items if your group has access to a willing person with a truck. Please note that “marugadores” will appear, so try to be ready to sell an hour before the advertised start time. To attract vehicle traffic, you can have volunteers hold signs on nearby streets.

Have a departure table with chairs for your volunteers to sit at. Have plastic bags, boxes, scissors, a yardstick, tape measure, and wrapping supplies like newspaper on the table. and tape Make sure you have access to electricity so shoppers can try on items. Display valuable items, such as jewelry, at the checkout table to prevent them from being stolen. You can use a cash box or fanny pack to store money. A fanny pack is recommended for safety reasons. Make sure your money is never left unprotected. Have plenty of change in small bills at the beginning and throughout the sale. No doubt you will receive many twenty dollar bills. Take only cash, unless you are willing to accept a check from someone you know.

If the sale is taking place at a personal residence, take precautions against theft by buyers. Never let buyers into the home and make sure outside items not for sale are not stolen. Pets must also be confined. As your cash accumulates throughout the day, bring it inside to keep it safe.

Selling tips to maximize your sales and raise more money

Let your buyers know that your garage sale is a fundraiser. Make sure your signs say what you’re raising money for. You may want to make a display board at your tee box that provides information about your organization and cause. Have your volunteers wear your club’s t-shirts or uniforms, if you have them, so buyers know who’s working the sale.

Decide in advance whether you will haggle over prices. Expect your buyers to want to haggle. You may want to tell buyers that you can’t drop prices until the afternoon. Let your buyers know that your garage sale is a fundraiser and tell them how the money the sale raises will be used.

Additional ways to earn money during a garage sale

Have a donation jar at your departure table to collect donations.

Hold a raffle for a special item. You can display the actual item or a picture of the item you are giving away. Sell ​​tickets throughout the sale and have the raffle drawing at the end of the sale. However, sell raffle tickets for a raffle that ends at a later date.

sell baked goods, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, soft drinks, coffee, tea, bottled water, candy, etc.

Sell ​​products your organization has produced such as cookbooks, calendars, CDs, t-shirts or other spirit items.

Sell ​​fundraising products like cookie dough, chocolate bars, wrapping paper and more. There are a wide variety of items available from fundraising companies that clubs and non-profits can sell to raise money.

In addition to raising money, garage sales are a great way to raise awareness for your cause and your nonprofit. Who knows, you might even recruit new members during your garage sale.

Real Estate

Avoid dealer status when moving house

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Any investor who sells more than one or two properties a year will run into the problem of being labeled “dealer status” by the IRS for tax purposes. This is extremely dangerous stuff. Tradesmen, like real estate agents, are considered self-employed and are subject to the 15.3% self-employment tax. Worse, a dealer can’t pay taxes in installments when he uses owner financing. All property tax must be paid in advance, even if full payment has not yet been received.

The most important factors the IRS seems to use in determining whether or not someone is a real estate broker are the frequency of property sales, the number of properties sold in a year, and whether there is continuity in the process to suggest that selling properties is the actual intent of the business. If the properties are held for more than a year before they are sold, this may also contradict the consideration of an investor’s activity as that of a “dealer”.

There are several ways to handle a significant number of transactions per year and still maintain the tax advantages of being an investor rather than a trader:

1. Invest property through a limited partnership, self-directed IRA, Coverdell Education Savings Account, or individual 401k plan. In a limited partnership, only the general manager will be considered a distributor. Trusts and various types of self-directed savings and retirement accounts are considered passive investments and these plans do not involve active participation in a business.

2. Form a joint venture agreement with an active investor or broker who will essentially create a “done for you” investment strategy for buying and selling wholesale. That joint venture partner may well be considered a “dealer,” but as long as you or your entity do not hold title, they will not be directly involved in any change of ownership activity.

3. Place each property in a separate LLC or trust and transfer the LLC or trust instead of the property within the entity.

4. At a minimum, be careful to separate your wholesale fix-and-switch business from other business activity, such as your “buy-and-hold” operations or any dealings that involve an installment sale.

Planning how to finance and maintain your property can be just as important in determining the success of your real estate investment as the actual selection of properties you decide to purchase. Having the brand with distributor status could cost you a lot of time in the long run. Make sure you’re dealing smart!

Shopping Product Reviews

Types of subplots – Novels

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There are many types of subplots used in novels. Some types of subplots include a romance subplot, political subplot, macabre, art/environment subplot, historical subplot, path of thought subplot, and character subplot. A subplot is a short story that is told throughout part or all of the main plot. There is no limit to the number of subplots there can be, but there are limitations to how well authors can maintain such plots. There are a few key subplots that almost every story uses.

romantic subplots
These are subplots that provide great filler moments throughout a novel, especially when experiencing writer’s block. Romantic subplots can be copy plots of other romantic scenes, so they’re great additions to the main plot when you’re having a hard time continuing.

political subplots
Almost all the books use this game of politics within their story. The only novels that cannot use this are those intended for a reading age that is too young to understand the intricacies. These subplots are great for filling in big gaps if you’re having a hard time connecting sections of the main plot.

In a political subplot, a character explores the politics or social situations around him. This can range from how horribly a teen parent reacts to a situation, to a war room meeting where everyone discusses what is supposed to happen. While politics generally means dealing with some form of government, political subplots deal with environmental hierarchies.

macabre subplots
You know that show that plays the same cheesy line during a mysterious investigation, or how a novel spends a pointless amount of time describing the intentions of a bad person? This is a macabre subplot, and it tends to be quite useful at the beginning of fantasy novels. Good examples of novels that begin with macabre subplots are JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and JK Rowling’s Harry Potter.

Harry Potter even keeps the macabre subplot and brings it into the main plot.
A ghoulish subplot carries its own horror fiction story, but is useful for one aspect of the main plot. This is not to say that a description of how the killer killed a victim is a subplot, but if that description is used to identify the difference between two different killers, then the description becomes a macabre subplot.

Artistic/environmental subplots
These subplots are unique in that they use the environment as if it had a story of its own. These subplots are very difficult to create and even more difficult to maintain. They require an artistically attuned mind to describe how the environment has a story of its own. The subplot can be so subtle that the reader doesn’t notice it.

historical subplots
These subplots are extremely short and are helpful when bringing in a new character who normally wouldn’t have been there. These subplots refer to something that has already happened but is unknown to the reader. Most of the time, the historical subplot is introduced using words like two hours before or in the meantime. These subplots are often deeply tied into the main plot.

Path of Thought Subplots
When you have nothing to write and when all other subplots seem useless, the Path of Thought subplot is your savior. This is where you take the reader’s attention away from the story to explore a character’s thought process of everything that is happening or will happen.

character subplots
These subplots are extremely difficult to maintain without losing focus on the main character. They are usually found within stories that use an auxiliary character’s past tense to describe otherwise illogical actions. A character’s subplot is a small story behind a character or a sub-main plot that is heavily intertwined with the main plot, such as a mother’s opinion and a daughter’s opinion.