InCredits

While managing your budget can be bothersome, not handling your budget can can put you in to further in debt if you are not mindful. The benefits that come from managing your budget properly not only saves you money but help relief some of your stress over debt. Always keep in mind that a budget is principally a program for your monthly spending. A budget, like any program, requires some level of management to get a successful outcome. The way I oversee my budget, for instance, is by focussing on maintaining information organized and controlling my expenditure.

My main focus is on coordinating the info in my budget. For instance, I keep an eye on recurring expenses like utilities, auto and mortgage payments, insurance, and the like. I can very easily lose track of my spending without organizing my budget. By knowing what expenditures repeat every month, I have an instant hold on the minimum amount of money I have to put aside each month before I spend on other things I can monitor a little more such as entertainment, clothing, and holidays.

To make a financial advancement, I make sure that I monitor my spending closely in my budget. A genuine measure of progress is putting money into a savings account or paying down debt. However, if I over spend, the contrary is true because instead of saving money I will use debt to help me cover the monthly expenses in my budget. Clearly, giving in to the tensions of budgeting can have expensive consequences for my finances, especially if I am not able to pay down my debt.

There are two gains for controlling and organizing my budget: First, I save money by avoiding unneeded expenses. Second, my finances are headed at reaching financial goals. Essentially, by not buying things I do not need, I am actually freeing up money that I can either use for something else or save. The extra money can also be useful in paying off debt or keeping it for a holiday. In addition to having extra money, it will also allow me to yield longer term financial goals like saving and investing for retirement or paying off my mortgage or student loans. With my budget being organized and moderated, not only does my financial position become more healthy but successfully managing my budget reduces the stress that often comes with being in debt.

If you’re reading this article, you are probably looking for a way to get control of your finances. Developing and committing to a monthly budget has always been one of the best ways to do this. A sound budget is an essential tool for managing money, one that has allowed me to live well even on limited funds. Organising my monthly budget is one of the most important things I do every month, and it has allowed me to systematically meet all expenses, grow my savings, and control debt.

I map out my budget for the coming month on about the 20th of the current month. This gives me a better view of my spending in the coming month. It’s not a good idea to produce a budget after getting paid because, too often, that flush feeling of receiving a paycheck leads to nonessential and impulsive spending before the paycheck ever reaches the bank.

I start my personal budget by listing all the disbursements that must be paid on time like, mortgage repayments, utility bills, insurance payments and motorcar loans. These are the critical things that I must pay to keep a comfortable roof over my head. I like to pad these essentials to make “money back” after paying the bills and, if costs increase out of the blue, I’m always covered.

Next, my budget is subjected to a list of discretionary things I need to cover but could live without if absolutely needed. An example are monthly savings deposits, credit card repayments and donations. Don’t get me wrong, some of these things are also important, but in case of emergency they can be excluded. By giving credit card companies the maximum instead of the minimum, I keep my credit score high and my debt low.

My budget will not include the cost of living such as food and entertainment. These expenses get covered by what’s left over and that’s that. Some months involve lots of beans and rice, slow-cooker meals, free or cheap entertainment, and only one inexpensive piece of clothing . This strategy of overseeing my monthly budget has worked out very well over the long term as long as I observe it religiously.

Handling my family budget can often be very tough, not managing it properly can put me in to further debt before I realise it. The gains from looking after mybudget correctly not only save me money but help to relieve some stress I have concerning my debt.

There are many things in life that regulate me financially, but nothing impacts my finances more than my household budget. There are not many people today who have learned how to budget and this can lead to many financial problems, including debt. Many of us think that creating a budget was too complex, this is the main reason why we get in to trouble. Actually, creating a budget does not have to be difficult at all; it is as easy as writing down what we spend and keeping up with it every month. By practising this habit, we do not spend more than we have.

It is important for me to keep in mind that my budget is simply my plan for my monthly spending. Just like any plan, mybudget does call for me to oversee it to keep it working correctly. Preparing information was the first step in producing my budget. I keep track of expenses like car loan repayments, utilities, car insurance policy, groceries, etc. If I do not organise mybudget, I can easy find myself in debt. It is essential for me to know how much I require on expenditures each month.

I see two benefits with keeping up with my finances through my budget. First of all, I am able to save money on unnecessary expenditure. And secondly, I can keep myself from going into unnecessary debt. When I spend my money wisely, I buy only things that are required and I free up money that I can use on something that I want or can save it. With the spare cash I am able to save, I have the option of putting it aside and investing.

My hair loss treatment journey began the day I started to notice my thinning hair and my bald spot becoming bigger. I would spend hours and hours looking for ways to comb my hair a particular way to hide my hair loss. I started to wear more and more caps on the weekends as I went out with my wife, friends or family. Walking in to work every morning was a difficult experience without my hat on. You change the way you think when you are experiencing hair loss. It is so true that you never know what you have until you lose it. That can be true about your hair loss.

As I looked in the mirror I began to treasure every one of the hair strands I had left. It was as if with each string of hair I lost, so was a small part of my confidence gone as well. A friend of mine had been experiencing the same problem as me. Yet recently he seemed so much more relaxed and I noticed that it was as if his hair was growing back. I didn’t wanted to bring it up but after a while I decided to ask. It was then that he recommended to me Advanced Hair Studio. With just a few treatments my friend John had not only regrown his hair, but his self-confidence as well. After seeing what Josh has attained from Advanced Hair, I made up my mind to pay them a visit.

I have to admit that I was a little skeptical at first. But within a few weeks the results were obvious. Not only on my head, but in my behavior. I started to lose the hats on the weekends and I quickly started to feel better about myself. My wife who has been complaining about my lack of interest in our relationship began to notice the change in that department as well. It is amazing how just a few visits to the Advanced Hair Studio had begun to change my life as a whole. I always felt as if the first thing people observed about me was my bald spot. Now, I am not terrified to look people in the eyes again as I have my full set of hair back.

Advance Hair Studio has not only given me back a full set of hair, but a big part of my confidence as well. If you are suffering from hair loss I highly recommend them as it has done so much for me in just a few months of treatments. Don’t let your self-assurance continue to be lost with your hair.

Me and my family never imagined the indestructible Belinda Utsinger, my high school BFF, would wear lace front wigs. Her trademark long black hair flowed in sync with her femininity. But surprise surprise. She remains known for her hair. Not many in town think to notice that she lives confidently wearing synthetic lace wigs. Guess it’s no secret anymore.

As blossoming ladies in Arizona, we always stole the spotlights to every dance. In our twenties her women’s hair loss started acting up and her hair wouldn’t be the same. I suggested some synthetic wigs. Even so balding was no big deal to her. Even on bad days she fearlessly unveiled her innate beauty.

At our university’s roller hockey tournament, we taunted the players until her beau purposefully launched the little ball (or whichever thing that is) at the crowd. With quick reflexes she dove for the ball when her hat jumped from her head, revealing her thinning hair. Totally upreturbed, she lobbed it playfully back to the field. She’s that kind of girl.

But, everyone has insecurities. One time she invited me over for a mid-day lemonade chat, when she quietly confided that she would rather make do with a shorn head as a statement. She missed her natural hair too much to think about women’s medical wigs, even if she knew it was a good idea. She then miss invincible grew embarrassed and asked that I it was silly. I had to oblige.

I couldn’t drop it. Shortly after, I IM’d with her about settling the wig issue. Eventually the two of us arrived at the perfect solution: we’d buy each other wigs We have a knack for making online wig shopping fun.

The both of us were amazed by the possibilities. We never imagined that synthetic wigs are so confidence inspiring for a lot of people. These synthetic wigs brought out her youthful spirit. I pieced together a completely modern ensemble around our wigs. We do it all together, and that will surely endure. Last Christmas she thanked me for the wig, and confessed it fosters a lost identity in her life. It’s my pleasure to witness my best friend float about as light as a feather. She’s a better person, with the same confidence.

Are you one of those folks that needs to figure-it-out all the time? Are you one of those Law of Attraction students who catches yourself saying things like, “I wonder how this is going to come to me?” or, “What do I need to figure out so I know what to do next (to manifest what I desire)?”
Attention Law of Attraction Students!

Stop trying to figure out where/how/when your manifestation is going to come! It’s not your job!

Here’s a great tool that will help all of you ‘figure-it-outers’ reduce your need to figure it out. Those of you who are thinkers need to see it or know it before you can fully accept that The Law of Attraction exists and is working in your life. You need proof before you can STOP being a sceptic. Ideally, if I could show you a test tube with Law of Attraction ‘proof’ inside it, or a Petri dish with Law of Attraction growing in it, that would be all the proof you’d require. The Law of Attraction does provide us with proof, however, it’s not found in test tubes and Petri dishes.

One of the best tools for getting the proof you need is to begin recording personal evidence of every coincidence or every ‘out of the blue’ experience that happens to you. HINT: Every time you use the words or phrases: serendipity, coincidence, synchronicity, every thing is falling into place, and out of the blue—you are actually gathering your own proof that The Law of Attraction is working in YOUR life!

Folks who are thinkers and ‘figure-it-outers’ simply need this gathering of evidence to reduce their scepticism. Scepticism or doubt produces negative vibrations. More doubt attracts more negative vibration, and as we all know, The Law of Attraction is working in every moment to match our vibration and bring us more of the same, whether wanted or unwanted. Doubt slows down the speed of the delivery of our desires. It’s important to reduce that negative vibration; the less doubt or scepticism we have, the faster we manifest.

Proof does just that! Gathering proof through keeping a log and recording each personal experience of The Law of Attraction reduces doubt for the sceptic. Gathering proof replaces those negative vibrations with the positive vibrations of knowing that The Law of Attraction is indeed working for you, the thinker!

If you are a sceptic, a thinker, or a figure-it-outer, start your log of evidence today. By the time you have logged 7 or 8 personal experiences of The Law of Attraction working in your life, you will be well on your way to knowing through evidence and proof, that The Law of Attraction is working in YOUR life! Enjoy the relief of letting The Law of Attraction arrange, figure it all out, and bring you your desires. It is the recording of evidence and the celebrating of proof that will raise your vibration. Practice using this great tool. You’ll be giving more attention to your desires, doing more allowing and speeding up the delivery of your manifestations.

Michael Losier, a Law of Attraction Trainer and author, supports people in understanding and practicing the Art of Deliberate Attraction, so they can have more of what they want and less of what they don’t. Michael has been applying the principles of Law of Attraction for many years and enjoys a wonderful and rewarding life in the city of Victoria, BC, Canada. He facilitates a number of in-person Law of Attraction seminars as well as Teleseminars to a worldwide audience.

For more articles by Michael Losier, Teleclass information or to purchase the book, Law of Attraction, The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don’t, visit http://www.LawOfAttractionBook.com.
© Michael Losier 2004. You may include this article in your ezine or on your website or distribute it to others, provided you include the copyright statement and the bio information tag line found at the end of this article.

I recently spoke to a group of sales professionals at the end of their training conference. The attendees had participated in many learning sessions over a two day period – most of which were product related. I was scheduled to speak after dinner and I was somewhat concerned how attentive they would be by this time.

Fortunately, in the days preceding, the company had structured the entire program to create energy, excitement and to foster a sense of team enthusiasm. They had a theme and encouraged their vendors to incorporate the theme into each of their individual presentations. They awarded prizes for the team with the most energy and highest level of participation, and by the time dinner was served, the group was pumped. They were excited. And they were highly motivated and charged up. When I left that evening, I knew that these individuals would bring a renewed energy and drive to their work place. I was also confident that the company would see a definite increase in their sales in the weeks to follow.

It reminded me how motivational a conference, training workshop or corporate gathering can be. It reinforced the importance of participating in sessions like these on a regular basis, if for no other reason, but to ignite our own personal motivation.

Running a business is tiring, stressful and challenging. Small business owners are required to wear many hats, often at the same time, while executives of large organizations often have more problems and politics to manage on a daily basis. It is not uncommon for the business to drain our energy and motivation, regardless of how much we enjoy the business. If you do not take time to recharge your batteries and refresh your perspective it is easy to find yourself frustrated with your business.

That is why it is imperative to have a personal motivation plan in place. This means taking advantage of opportunities that will help you maintain your motivation. Here are few suggestions to help get you started.

Attend a personal development workshop. Identify an area in your business or personal live that you would like to improve. At the beginning of each year, I determine what types of programs I want to attend and begin looking for them. I find that these sessions give me a short break from the daily grind of my business and help me see things from a different perspective. Training programs, night courses, or weekend seminars that focus on a specific topic can give you a much needed boost in your energy.

Join a Master Mind group. Meeting with other like-minded people can help you see your business from a different perspective. An effective group will have between six and eight members from a variety of industries and will usually meet several times a year. If you have the right chemistry between members, these meetings will not only help you improve your business, they will also motivate you to try new approaches and market your business differently.

Exercise. I am an avid runner and have completed two marathons and several half marathons. I occasionally find myself in a position when I cannot run for a period of time due to illness, injury, or the demands of work. Without fail, I notice a decrease in my personal motivation during these times. Regular exercise helps your body work more effectively and efficiently. Although I usually catch myself thinking about work related issues during my runs, I often notice that I develop more creative solutions when I am exercising.

Read or listen to motivational material. Instead of reading the daily newspaper with breakfast or coffee in the morning, try reading inspirational material instead. A well-written book that offers sound advice is more motivating than reading about the latest market declines. Listening to motivational tapes or CD’s in your car for one hour everyday can actually give you the equivalent of a university degree in a few years time.

Take time off. It is not a badge of honor to state, “I’m too busy to take time off.” In today’s fast-paced business world, it is critical to take time off for vacation and rest and relaxation. Even a long weekend away from your business can be restful. A true vacation also means completely avoiding email and voicemail. Yes, you will have hundreds of messages to deal with when you return, but you will have a renewed focus and energy to do this.

Lastly, associate with positive people. I have made it a point in the latter part of my career to distance myself from negative individuals. They drain your energy, will not support your goals and desires, and do little to motivate you. On the other hand, positive and optimistic people will uplift your spirits and help you through challenging times.

© 2004 Kelley Robertson All rights reserved.

About The Author

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.” For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine. Kelley@robertsontraininggroup.com

A caring lady named Dorothy had enjoyed a rewarding life as a nurse. She lived at the same skilled nursing facility where she had worked most of her life. At 83 years of age, Dorothy had a very important purpose to fulfill, she knew what it was, and she was unstoppable.

Dorothy was one of the most good-humored and memorable people I had ever met. Each day, she would bring cheer to those she spoke with. She traveled the hallways in her wheelchair, stopping at friends’ rooms to tell a joke or offer a cheerful, “Good Morning!”

She would often alert caretakers if a resident was having trouble. She even cheered up the staff members when their day wasn’t going well. Her “pep talks” were timely, entertaining, and effective.

Dorothy’s cheerfulness and empathy for others had an inspiring influence on those around her. If one of the residents was ill, Dorothy would stop by their room with get-well wishes. She often remarked, “I still work here, even during lunch!”

Dorothy had a spirit of Achievement that wouldn’t quit. The same can be true for us–the spirit of achievement can remain strong for life. Whether we dive into ambitious projects or simply bring a smile to others, there will always be ways to enrich the world. One’s purpose can be fulfilled throughout life, in many places, and in many ways.

Achievements don’t need to appear spectacular to be priceless. Somewhere right now, the smallest act of kindness is enriching someone with strength, love and inspiration.

Today, you can bring meaningful change to someone in your unique way, fulfilling your special purpose. Taking systematic, purposeful action, raises the limits on what we are able to accomplish. In this way, we not only achieve goals; we strive for those things we were meant to achieve.

When we know, without a doubt, our reason for living, we can stretch our abilities and accomplish what we can imagine. Best of all, we can continue to fulfill our purposes throughout life.

Marvin J. Ashton (1915-1994) wrote, “Do not doubt your abilities. Do not delay your worthy impressions. With God’s help, you cannot fail. He will give you the courage to participate in meaningful change and purposeful living.”

Consider these questions:

What accomplishments, thus far, are you the most proud of in your life?

What are the greatest gifts you bring to others through the work you do now?

What do you want to achieve that you have not already achieved?

What is the greatest passion in your life, and how could it make a difference in the lives of others, now and throughout your life?

May you be blessed with the rewards and abundance that a purposeful life and a life-long spirit of achievement will bring.

© Copyright 2006 by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a professional life success coach, motivational author, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career and personal life. Get the next issue by visiting http://www.AchieveEzine.com.

I received an email the other day from one of our customers. “Please help. I am desperate. My life is a mess. I have read your book, The Initiation. I think it’s true what you say, but nothing is working for me.”

Of course, I responded. It was more than a plea for help, it was a challenge.

So we got into some back and forth emails, questions and answers, clarifications and finally this firm suggestion from me.

“You absolutely must change your habitual way of doing things and thinking about things. Otherwise you are going to continue to get the same results.

“Philosophy, self-help books and all other educational material is ONLY GOOD IF IT IS APPLIED to the way you live your life. It does no good gathering dust on your bookshelf or even bouncing around in your head. It is the application that produces results, not the information.”

“Ok. I am prepared to change. What should I do?” is what I get back from him.

So, I made a simple list of things to do every day. Maybe 1 hour’s worth of extra activity. Likely less.

What I get back is amazing. First there is a list of reasons why half the things I suggest cannot be done by him. Then there are questions about why I think it necessary to do the other things on the list. He thinks that they are a waste of time. And, besides which, he certainly has no extra time in the day. He is already overworked and does not spend enough time with his wife.

Now, I already know from our previous emails what his days look like. He spends about half his evenings sitting on the couch with his wife, watching TV. So I write back and tell him his excuse about no time does not wash. He should take some of his TV time and start making his life work better. He replies that he is unwilling to give up any TV time because that is the only time he and his wife have together and he’s not willing to give that up because their relationship is already in trouble.

I am tempted to quit right then and there. I mean this guy either just does not get it or he is playing me along like some fish he has hooked. Maybe he’s just another emotional vampire. I’ve seen enough of those over the years. Maybe if I was a psychotherapist, I’d look forward to dealing with this kind of nonsense, but…

So, I write back one last time. Maybe I can shock him…

“Ok. Here is how it is for you…

“You are a prisoner. You have built the walls that hold you captive yourself. You have locked the only door and you have quite plainly told me that you have thrown away the only key…your willingness to change.

“Even if I came and forced the door open, you’d refuse to leave your safe little jail.

“So quit pretending; quit crying for help. Until you decide to break free from your self-imposed chains, no book, no bell and no candle will help you.”

This is what he replies with, “I knew that you were a fake. You only pretended to know the answers.”

I relate this now because I think that each of us has some of my friend in us. We are habituated to feeling, thinking and acting in certain ways. We are not always pleased with the results we end up with, but we absolutely refuse to consider that what we are and what we do produces the results we are getting. We refuse to change and we blame the world for the way things are.

This is not a new theme. It bears repeating though, because our habits come back to haunt us time and time again. We are imprisoned by our addictions, our habitual way of being.

We go to a seminar or read a book and are inspired to make a little change in attitude or thinking process. Suddenly life seems better. Then some guy cuts us off in traffic or the stock market drops 500 points or it rains on our parade and we are back to thinking and acting the same old way. And, strangely, life seems to be tough again.

All that positive thinking stuff is just BS you tell yourself and anyone who will listen. I tried it and still got &#@* on. Somehow it doesn’t occur to us to notice that we have returned to our previous habits. The ones we had already decided to change. Like the junkie who wears long sleeves to hide the needle scars, we clothe the proof of our returned habits of non-productive thinking, feeling and acting in excuses and diversions, in blame and justification.

Fundamental change occurs only when we make the firm and irrevocable choice to change who we are and what we do. Conditional change does not work. You can’t do “I’ll try it out; see if it works and then decide.” or “I’ll take this path only until I come to a fork in the road.”

Tools for transformation are like all tools. They don’t work because of their pretty packages. They don’t work because you own them. They don’t work because somebody else says they do. They work because you use them and they work only when you use them. When you stop using them, they stop working.

We don’t expect an electric drill to drill holes when it is sitting on the work bench; but somehow we expect that little change of heart or change of mind we had promised to make yesterday when we read that self-help book, to be still working today even though we have put it back on the shelf and went back to watching TV.

Your life is what you make it. It can be a mess or a masterpiece.

“There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently.

We still have to prove our worth anew each day: we have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday. But when we have a valid alibi for not achieving anything we are fixed, so to speak, for life.

Moreover, when we have an alibi for not writing a book, painting a picture, and so on, we have an alibi for not writing the greatest book and not painting the greatest picture.

Small wonder that the effort expended and the punishment endured in obtaining a good alibi often exceed the effort and grief requisite for the attainment of a most marked achievement.”

Eric Hoffer

© Leslie Fieger. All rights reserved worldwide.

Leslie is the author of The DELFIN Knowledge System Trilogy: The Initiation, The Journey and The Quest plus many more success publications. He also the co-author of The End of the World with Hugh Jeffries and Alexandra’s DragonFire with his daughter Ashley. Subscribe to his free and ad-free eZine at http://www.ProsperityParadigm.com or http://www.LeslieFieger.com.

Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright.

When I think about my professional life and my personal life, I consider them extremely balanced. Having been a business owner for a few years, I have learned to set boundaries, limit work hours, and practice self-care.

Lately, however, I have been reading so much on this seemingly hot topic of work/life balance for business owners, and I’m surprised to note that not much of it rings true for me. I am by no means suggesting that balance isn’t important and necessary — yet following prescribed steps to get it seems regimented, as opposed to natural and free-flowing.

Some of the suggestions in these articles seem “forced” (my least favorite “tip” is “create a schedule and stick to it no matter what”) and probably can make a person feel more stressed than balanced at times. Balance, for me, is feeling comfortable, feeling good in one’s skin, and truly enjoying both aspects of life (work and home). Balance should come naturally.

My own twist on the whole work-life balance concept is simple — listen to and trust your intuition, and be flexible.

Intuition can have different meanings for different people. Quick definition for intuition: Insight. Synonyms include: discernment, divination, feeling, foreknowledge, funny feeling, gut reaction, hunch, innate knowledge, inspiration, instinct, intuitiveness, penetration, perception, perceptivity, premonition, presentiment, second sight, sixth sense.

Life is ever-changing, never predictable, and can easily thwart your balance “plan of attack”. If you’re so caught up in forcibly trying to create balance with schedules and structure, what happens when good old “life” gets in the way?

I am, however, a firm believer that the following strategies (in connection with intuition) are helpful practices in creating balance, and just make sense for any business owner:

Practice self-care.
Whatever makes YOU feel good, whether it’s exercising, sleeping in, or getting a facial. It’s important to take care of YOU.

Delegate.
If housework is eating up too much of your time and interfering with balance – hire a housekeeper. If you’re spending too many hours each week entering financials – hire a bookkeeper.

Set and stick to boundaries.
If you don’t want business calls after 5:00 p.m. – turn your ringer off.

Most importantly — listen to your intuition and be flexible.

I am a very organized, scheduled person. However (and this is a big “however”), I’m also very flexible. I listen to my intuition and trust when it tells me to make some changes in a day’s schedule because I need to practice self-care to boost my energy level. The opposite holds true as well. On days I’m revitalized and energized, I might tackle projects that were intended for later, or work longer days. And it’s all just plain old “okay”.

To me, balance isn’t scheduling a work-free evening, then feeling energized to work late, followed by feeling guilty and stressed because I didn’t stick to the schedule. Again, I encourage work-free time, yet I trust my intuition, my feeling, to guide me — not just my schedule.

Here is what helps me to naturally create and maintain my work-life balance:

- I trust my intuition

- I listen to what my body tells me

- I am flexible

- I understand it’s “okay”

- I know the work I’m doing is good and makes a difference

- I let go of any guilt

Don’t let the “balance experts” dictate how to create your own balance. Balance is an individual, unique aspect of a business owner’s life. It should be created naturally and should make you feel comfortable and content.

Donna Toothaker is an expert Virtual Assistant and founder of http://www.1stva.com. Donna specializes in providing marketing and administrative support and services to Professional Speakers and Life and Business Coaches. To discover how 1st VA can help your business – visit http://www.1stva.com