Ya' Know What Yur Doin' Thar If You Don't Know the Nuts & Bolts of Your Business, You Might Stumble

When I was in high school, the corner drug store that had survived the depression, was purchased from the Greek owners by a gentleman by the name of Frank. Frank became a good friend, and I kept track of what he was doing.

While the Greek family was waiting for Frank to take over, they changed the way they did business. In the past, they had watched every penny and kept the local school kids in order as to not bother the other customers. At the end, they gave out free ice cream and relaxed their operation. That was their way of saying "goodbye."

Frank took over and I think that maybe he thought the school kids and those playing the pinball machine were his main source of income. Gambling was illegal, but Frank paid out in cash for the number of games won. Cheating was easy as ABC, so Frank often lost.

The store lost money by people stealing, Frank being too generous, and the fact that older customers went up the street a few blocks to another drug store.

Frank had to sellout.

Frank started an automobile repair shop next. He hired a mechanic and sat at his desk waiting for customers to come in. He might have made it if he had been a mechanic himself. He was not a mechanic and the mechanic doing the work could not bring in enough income to pay them both.

Frank's plan was to have a several mechanics to support the operation. Too little business and Frank's lack of knowledge in automotive repair done him in. He was broke and would have to find a job working for somebody else. I don't know what happened to Frank after that, but I'm sure it was not in fulfilling his dream to run a profitable business.

When I was a kid, I watched several businesses started just after WWII fail in our neighborhood. The problems were not always in not knowing the business fundamentals. Often, it was just underestimating the market. But businesses fail everyday of the year because of a lack of assets. Those who start businesses know this. What some of them don't know is that:

"Assets are Not Only Financial".

"An asset is something of value. Something detrimental is a liability. A lack of knowledge is a liability.

The first step in considering a new business is to list and evaluate your assets AND LIABILITIES. Any short comings must be rectified (fixed) before you get too involved.

Home Business Tip: Don't jump too quickly into a new deal if you lack knowledge of the required everyday operations

A Tippy from Flippy: Find the information you need by simply asking those in the business. Also go to local, state, and federal agencies to learn more. And don't forget the Chamber of Commerce and local financial institutions.

Keeping Up with the Jones': In business, it's best to stay ahead of the Jones. Taking care of every aspect of the business will do the trick. But if you slack off, you Will slack off!

Fiddle Dee & Fiddle Dum: Did you write a good business plan, one you are proud off? Tear it up and write it again. When it doesn't look so great because you have identified all of the risk, then you are on your way to either resolving the risk or dumping the project. That is what a business plan is for.

Can't Ya' Get Goin'?: Must be too small a carrot. Start over!

All Things Come: It's not always what you have in your pocket that brings you success, it is wisdom to recognize your assets and liabilities.

Life Success Quotation: Great men sometimes end up in the gutter. Some get up and get going again. Others give up and die in oblivion. The difference is in recognition of ones own capabilities and opportunities.

Business Success Quotation: Seek the advice of others, but you must evaluate the speaker. If you don't, you may be led astray. The answer you have been looking for may not be the right answer. Push on!

From the Eye of the Potato: You need to know the details of your business to succeed.

John Taylor Jones, Ph.D., engineer and author of books and novels (http://www.tjbooks.com), was a vice president of research and development of a Fortune 500 Company. He was a college professor at one time, teaching engineering at Iowa State University. Jones has a dozen web sites at last count. At his e-commerce site, http://www.bookfindhelp.com, find many books, kits, and newsletters to get the information and needed loan sources for many home- and office-based businesses. You can contact Dr. Jones at: tjbooks@hotmail.com.

[tags]home business, start a business, finance a business, small business, conserve money[/tags]

Winning the Game of Retirement

Consider yourself an athlete in the sport of investing. Physical endurance is important when it comes to the sprint, however mental poise will see you through the long run. An investor can have the most reliable information available, but with the absence of emotional control, you may fail to reach the goal.

You should strive to be the Tiger Woods of investing and when you reach the eighteenth hole, your score is based on the portfolio's value. Upon retirement, you will know your ranking. At this time, the more desirable position would be that of team owner, not peanut-tosser.

It is in the world of sports, you may find relevant ideas for retirement planning. There are no guarantees when it comes to investing in stocks, yet you may want to consider the following attributes shared by champions.

The first step in developing your portfolio is to put together a team of all-stars. Forget the minor league players, you need the Sammy Sosa's and Randy Johnson's to fill your roster. Relieve the players with weak relative strength versus the index and keep the ones with strong relative strength. If you are unaware of these changing numbers, contact an investment professional knowledgeable in this area.

Next, limit yourself to the number of players allowed on the field. In football, for example, your team may only have eleven players on the field while the play is live. Your team is penalized for too many players. This seems to be a difficult rule for many investors. As a coach, you may have drafted a college superstar who turns out to be a professional dud.

Do not allow your self- esteem to keep the player in the game. Analyze your back-up players and be aware of the time remaining on your retirement clock.

Although it may be emotionally difficult to pull the stock, keeping it may limit your overall score. You should always focus on long-term fundamentals without neglecting short-term reviews (ie: annual updates). This does not mean you become a speculator of stocks; you just position yourself as the number one draft picker.

If resources do not allow for adequate diversification, or if you are new to investing, consider hiring a manager. In other words, find mutual funds suitable for your investment risks, time horizons, and goals. Your batting average is no better when you hit a home run versus a single. It may be more exciting to post a high slugging average, but even Babe Ruth struck out now and then.

Another point worth noting is to keep your winners. Unless you can find a better player for that position, let your winners carry you to a championship. John Elway did it for the Denver Broncos in 1999 at age thirty-eight. Remember, we pick our starters because we believe in their abilities to outperform. Still, it is vitally important to monitor your holdings. You may one day decide to retire a player who does not fit into you overall game plan. Until that time, remain focused on the goal line and block out the noise of the market.

In the game of rugby, players advance the ball forward while pitching it back to another player. The idea here is to look forward, but never forget what the past teaches us. Players may come and go, but victory never loses its appeal. We all look for success in our investment portfolios and a time to take home the gold. Keep a positive attitude and dedicate your resources to winning the game of retirement.

Wardlaw's belief is that familiar life elements best illustrate practical investment strategies; not typical investment jargon. With that philosophy, the author assists financial planners/advisors, brokerage firms, periodicals, and other investment information syndicates create informative and entertaining articles. For comments and questions, please contact the author at tools2invest@yahoo.com or visit http://www.tools2invest.com

[tags]sports,finance,investing,retirement[/tags]

Why You Should Pay Yourself Before You Pay Your Creditors

Got bills? We all do. But, who do you pay first when after you deposit your paycheck?

Most people pay their bills first, and play with what little is left. Sometimes, they'll put a small amount into a "savings" account, which might earn all of 2% interest.

Is this you? What if I told you that you should be paying yourself first, and not into a savings account, but a "wealth account?"

Only read the rest of this article if you want to become wealthy.

Why? I intentionally became a millionaire before I was 35, and now I teach others how to become millionaires. One of the first things I tell them is to pay themselves first, putting the money into a special account called a wealth account.

Investing - in yourself and in building assets - should be your first priority

Millionaires make investing a priority. They pay themselves first into this special wealth account.

I call the payment you make to your wealth account your Wealth Account Priority Payment (WAPP). As the name implies, this payment is a priority, comparable to your mortgage or rent, bills, or any other priority expenses. Your WAPP should be a specific, set amount, and paid consistently, come rain or shine. Most of my clients make their WAPP monthly.

The concept of paying yourself first is often misunderstood. I've even heard financial advisors confuse this with putting money into savings. I've seen others tell people not to start a Wealth Account if they are in debt. None of this advice will support and create lasting and ever-growing wealth.

If you want to be a millionaire, you have to act like one today. And all millionaires use something similar to the process I call The Wealth Cycle™. It's a process in which the money you make is invested in a way that makes you more money. (I explain this concept in detail in my book, The Millionaire Maker). The investing aspect of The Wealth Cycle is crucial to its success.

Pay yourself before you pay down your debt

Now this may sound counterintuitive, but I don't care how much debt you have. You still need to make your Wealth Account a priority. Here's the 10 second lesson from the millionaire maker:

You make money, put a portion of that into a wealth account. Your wealth account is used to invest in money-making assets. Then, pay what you can towards repaying the debt. In the mean time, the income from your investments grows, getting you out of debt faster! Once the debt is paid, you still have the income from the investments.

What's important is not the amount of your WAPP. The key is a) starting it immediately, and b) getting in the habit of making it. If you are barely making ends meet every month, make your WAPP only $10. Or even 10 cents, if need be. Then as your income increases, raise the amount of your WAPP accordingly.

Once you have gathered enough money to pursue a lucrative investment - and believe me, some times all you need is a just few thousand dollars - then you seek out a wealth coach, a mentor, and other specialized professionals who can guide you on choosing the best investment for your needs. And you'll soon see just how quickly you can build wealth when using the Wealth Cycle.

Think of it this way: every month you don't make your WAPP compounds into days you're not creating wealth. Which means you'll stay in debt longer. Or simply keep the status quo. Isn't it time you took control of your financial future?

Wealth building is possible for anyone who learns and uses the right skills at the right time. Loral Langemeier literally creates millionaires, and she does it using a well-honed and tested system that anyone can learn. Creating sustainable wealth does not need to remain a mystery! Order your copy of The Millionaire Maker today: http://www.themillionairemakerbook.com

[tags]wealth building financial strategies profits finance investment money growth[/tags]

Where Did My Paycheck Go

Pay Yourself First

The typical scenario is that you get your paycheck. After you recover from the shock at how little is left after taxes, you proceed to divvy it up among all your outstanding bills, intending to put whatever is left over into your savings.

But there never seems to be anything left over and your savings don’t grow.

A better plan would be to pay yourself first. Don’t let the money get into your hands.
You might find that you actually begin to grow your savings much quicker this way.

If you work for an employer with a 401K plan, the first thing you should do is to fund it to the max. If you can’t afford that, at least put enough in to get the full matching contribution form your employer.

This investment is made before taxes. Your investment is larger and with the employers contribution grows quickly.

Next have a brokerage or mutual fund company debit your banking account monthly. This money should first go into an IRA – if you have five years or more to go to retirement, make it a Roth IRA.

Next have a few dollars more be debited to go into a no-load, low cost mutual fund. The younger you are, the more aggressive your choice of fund can be.

After that is done, then figure out how to pay your bills and living expenses. If money is tight, cut back on your living expenses and use the extra money to pay down your debt.

Start with the lowest balance first. Once that debt is paid, take the amount of money you were paying on that debt and add it to the payment on the next lowest balance debt. Continue doing this and you can be totally debt free within 5 to 7 years.

Another version of this method is paying the highest interest rate debt first. The principal is the same, you just see more progress with the first method, although it could be more costly based on how your debt is distributed.

(If you don’t believe me, get the premier version of Microsoft Money or Quicken and use the “Debt Reduction” module. You will be shocked at how much money you will save and how fast you can eliminate debt this way.)

The idea is to scrimp at the expense of your current lifestyle, while leaving your savings to grow and you debt to shrink.

I know many of the people reading this will scream that this is an impossible plan.
But it is quite doable with a little will power and the ability to delay gratification for a while.

The problem is that if you don’t do this, your future might turn out to be very bleak.

For more financial planning articles, visit http://www.credit-yourself.com/financial-planning.html

Chris Cooper, a retired attorney, and his wife Aileen, who has an MBA in Finance, provide personal financial planning advice at Credit Yourself – http://www.credit-yourself.com

[tags]debt reduction, saving and investment, financial planning[/tags]

What's Your Cappuccino Factor

You’ve got a secret. It may be a small one but it’s lurking there. It follows you around and you hardly even notice. How do I know? Because we all have one. We all have something that we hardly even think about because it’s become a regular habit.

What is it for you? A Medio Latte to give you that kick start every morning? Or a Grande Skinny Cappuccino for that extra zing in the late afternoon? How about that White Chocolate and Raspberry Muffin that you just have to have at eleven o’clock? Or even a copy of the latest celebrity gossip magazine, a bar of chocolate or a pack of cigarettes. If you can find a small habit that you’d be willing to change for the sake of your financial future then you’re away. Let’s call this your Cappuccino Factor.

How much do you spend each day on your Cappuccino Factor? Is it ฃ3? Is it ฃ5, ฃ7, or even more? Whatever your figure is, it could make a huge difference to your financial lifestyle and your financial future. Try this little experiment. If you’re good at maths you can do this on paper otherwise you might need a calculator. Take the amount of your daily Cappuccino Factor and multiply it by 6,214. This will give you the amount you would save at a 10% interest rate over 10 years if you stopped your Cappuccino Factor habit and invested it instead.

If you multiply your Cappuccino Factor by 23,034 then you’ll have the amount you could save in 20 years. You will immediately see how much better off you would be by simply cutting out one or two of these unnecessary luxuries.

If you could save ฃ5 a day at 10% for 40 years, you’d have ฃ959,152. Imagine that, just under a million pounds. And think about the fact that it only takes a couple of Cappuccinos a day and you’re wasting that much money over the same period. That’s a whole lot of coffee. Enough to retire on.

Now I know that you’ll already have a little bit of a challenge when you think about cutting out your daily treats. And you may initially start to feel that you’ll be depriving yourself. Sometimes it does feel a little bit uncomfortable to change, but if you start with something small, like this, that you can handle then you pave the way for making even bigger changes.

If you can put your mind to something as small and simple as forgoing an expensive cup of coffee each day then you start to break one habit and build another more positive one. This sends a message to your brain that says “I’m ready, willing and able to change”. Then your subconscious mind will quickly decide to help you and you’ll find your willpower and determination begin to grow. All from this simple first act.

Do you really think it will make you feel any less special? Will it really make you feel any less loved? Will you be any less significant if you stop this one habit? Or have these things just become habits that don’t even give you any real pleasure any more.

Make a decision today to cut down on your Cappuccino Factor and start saving the money that you would have spent. Calculate how much you will save in a month, a year or ten years and think about what you could do with that extra money. Look for the best rate of interest you can get using one of the online comparisons on the internet or look into the returns on managed funds. As you start to save more you’ll find better places to put your money, after all it gets a lot more interesting when you’ve actually got money to invest.

It’s been shown that it takes 30 days to make a habit, so just start now and see how fast your money begins to grow. Then you can start building greater habits on top of this one.

Financial detox (http://www.financialdetox.com) helps you to take control of your finances. Financial Detox provides easy, step by step guidance for your financial literacy. You can become confident and at ease with your money. Financial Detox gives you the structured support that you need to be in charge.

[tags]Financial, money, million, finance, retire, Detox, lifestyle, save,[/tags]

What's Stopping You From Making a Profit

Numbers! Don't have the right sales volume? Costs to high? Competition driving prices down? There are a lot of numbers you can point to. Certainly, you can't control all of the factors impacting your numbers. But, most of the things you'll list are really just symptoms - not the cause. What's really stopping you from making a profit?



My experience from talking with hundreds of small business owners indicates several causes for them not making the profit their business is capable of. In come cases, the owner hasn't made an active, dedicated, daily action decision to "make a profit". Others, don't know enough about their numbers to know where to make the changes in their business activities to increase their profitability. Still others, perhaps most, want to increase their profitability, know their numbers, but don't know what to do on a daily basis to create more profitability. Finally, action is required to make a business as profitable as it can be and deserves to be.



No decision leads to less profit. Keeping up with the daily demands of running a business can get in the way of making clear cut decisions. You start your business with the best intentions. Your goal is to make a living (that's not profit) and, ultimately, make a profit - a return on your investment. Somehow, once the day gets launched all bets are off. Not renewing your decision to make a profit every day may be stopping you from making a profit. Don't let a busy day get in the way of making a profit.



No numbers leads to less profit. I trust you have a set of financial statements. And, your statements break out the numbers in the categories impacting your bottom line. If not, STOP. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, go directly to Jail. This isn't about Monopoly money. It's more serious than that. If you've got the statements, use them. Use them to impact today. Don't just review them on "Monday Morning".



No knowledge leads to less profit. You can not know all or be all. However, there is no lack of good, solid, "how to" information available to you. Action is required to access the information, absorb it, formulate a plan, implement the plan and continually adjust your plan. Where most fail is in "learning and doing".



Optimum profit comes from action. Perhaps your business is profitable and you don't have a clue why. Don't be too excited. What's stopping you from making the profit you and your business are truly capable of? Make a decision. Know your numbers. Make it happen

Don Osborne is the author of The Profit Puzzle - a website to help you envision, plan, start, run and grow your small or home based business. The Profit Puzzle Directory links small business articles, books, courses, products, services, websites, blogs, and software covering objectives, management, finance, personnel, marketing, operations, production and resources. Use BizBuzzLink to easily share your links and quickly build your own knowledge network.

[tags]small business, home based business,finance,financials,budget,profit[/tags]

What Is A Lawsuit Loan Cash Advance

What Is A Lawsuit Loan Cash Advance?

Did you know that if you're involved in a personal injury lawsuit that the cards are stacked against you? Most of the time you'll have to settle for much less than you are legally entitled to because you won't have the financial ability to hold on long enough for your attorney to get the most money for you.

Knowing this, your opponent, usually a large corporation with a battery of defense lawyers, will "starve you out" and, finally, offer to settle for pennies on the dollar.

You won't have a choice because you may be off work with bills piling up and your mortgage falling behind.

We've all known people, either friends or relatives, who have lost everything trying to wait for their settlement to come through.

Good News

A lawsuit loan cash advance can come to the rescue. A lawsuit cash advance requires no credit checks or income verifications. You don't have to make monthly payments. It's due as a lump sum when you receive your settlement.

Lawsuit loan cash advances are made on a portion of what the lender reasonably expects you'll be able to settle your case for. Typically, it will be 10%-15% of that amount.

While the repayment rates on these kinds of loans are much higher, you can understand that the risk is extremely high for the lender. One reason is that if you don't win your case, you don't have to repay the cash advance.

Some of the common types of lawsuits that can qualify for a lawsuit loan cash advance are: Accident, Breach of Contract, Civil Rights, Class Action, Construction Negligence, Legal Malpractice, Motor Vehicle and Passenger Injury, Medical Malpractice, Pharmaceutical, Product Liability, Trucking, Workers Compensation and Wrongful Death.

There are several companies who offer these types of loans and it might pay you to check a few before deciding on one. Another alternative is to use the services of a lawsuit loan broker such as http://www.lawsuitloancash.com. They have access to most all of the reputable lenders and it won't cost you anything to deal with them because their fees are paid by the lender as a percentage of the loan amount.

If you or someone you know are involved in or contemplating a lawsuit, you might want to check out the lawsuit loan cash advance as a fallback measure prior to letting yourself fall behind the 8-Ball.

Jim Roman is a consumer awareness writer and he enjoys living in Nevada with his lovely wife of 42 years. He is an avid water sports enthusiast and enjoys the beach, golf and in the winter, snowmobiling.

[tags]lawsuit loan cash advance, lawsuit loan cash, lawsuit loan[/tags]

What Do You Need to Know About Business Greats

Great men are born once in a while. Men are great not because they are born with some attribute of greatness but their deeds make them great and remarkable individuals in history. Such people thus are not born overnight it takes one’s whole lifetime to achieve that success and fame that one only dreamt of. The article throws light on some of the great men who brought revolution in the business world. Their achievements not just brought tremendous credit to their name but are largely beneficial to the multitude.

• The Tobacco Industrialist Washington Duke (1820-1905)- the personal life of this farmer from North Carolina was a sad story for both his wife and son died of the same disease. Adding to the disaster, his cotton crop too failed at the same time. Btu Duke did not let this stop himself from proceeding in life. His life was full of struggle he even became a prisoner of war during the Civil War. Finally the big break that changed his entire life came when he manufactured the popular product ‘tobacco’. The Union Army that was staying in the North Carolina had a great liking for tobacco. Duke’s manufactured tobacco which came to be known as ‘Pro Bono Publico’ was a brilliant sensation that won the heart of all the tobacco lovers very soon. Later Duke also manufactures cigarettes under the name of his company W. Duke, Sons and Company which too was a big hit.

• The inventor of the reaper Cyrus McCormick (1809-1884) has his own place in the B-world. McCormick was the son of a blacksmith who had influenced and helped the people of Shenandoah Valley with his exuberant skill in making agricultural devices. The father made the reaping machine that the son modified extremely and took it to places. The McCormick’s designed inventor was a huge success at his birth place and even when he went abroad. McCormick went to Chicago in 1847 where he opened a factory named the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The factory scaled new heights despite massive competition. McCormick’s device that he had invented and built drastically shrunk the labor and time required to produce grain. Where in 1830 it used to take 20 hours to harvest an acre of wheat, it took just one hour to do so in 1895…all thanks to the great mind behind it- McCormick.

• The industrialist Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) needs no introduction in the business market. He was a man who had strived hard against poverty during his childhood. He worked as a bobbin boy and as a telegrapher and also as a superintendent for the Pennsylvania Railroad. His petite savings that hye invested in oil, iron and steel during the Civil War fetched him a turning point in his life. in 1880 Carnegie had brought a lot of companies under the Carnegie Steel Company. By 1990 this company produced a fourth of all the steel in United States. Known to be one of the richest men of the world then, Carnegie believed that rich men act as trustees to their wealth and they must administer it in the favor of the public.

• Thomas Edison (1847-1931) perhaps is unknown to none and has his own coveted place in the history. Edison was the man who had about 1100 inventions in his name that have unbeatable use in the world today and then. The man who spent few hours in school, worked as a railroad newsboy was the first to start of a publication typeset and printed on a moving train. The other inventions added to his list are an electronic vote recorder in 1868, quadruplex telegraph in 1874, phonograph, light bulb and a Dictaphone to name a few. But many of these were mere improvements on what a team or so had manufactured and at times he helped others in creating devices. For instance the Dictaphone, working motion picture system that synchronized pictures with sound and the stock ticker were prepared by others under the help and guidance of Edison. He also formed a company that later became General Electric.

• Apart from these the glorious men like George Eastman, Henry Ford, Madam C.J Walker, Joseph Pulitzer and many others have made significant contributions that has greatly helped mankind every now and then

Mansi aggarwal writes about business greats .Learn more at http://www.businessgreats.com .

[tags]finance, business, leaders, history, industry[/tags]

Wealth Building in Four Steps

First, a definition of wealth. I'm not talking about a wealth of friends, or interests, or experiences. Those kinds of wealth are wonderful, definitely. But right now, I'm talking about money - lots of money.

Exactly what "lots of money" means is subjective, but let's say that when your annual income becomes your monthly income, you're playing in the wealth ballgame.

Wealth building, for the most part, involves four financial aspects:

* Growing a cash machine

* Allocating assets

* Spending planning

* Managing/eliminating Debt

*Growing a Cash Machine*

This is the most important aspect of the wealth building foursome. In fact, it is the foundation for the other three areas, whose sequence depends on the nature of your particular cash machine.

Your cash machine is an incorporated business, which is ideally based on leverage of your existing skill set. For example, say you are an automobile mechanic. That's a service. How can you leverage your skills so that you have a business that makes money while you sleep? (The definition of a cash machine).

Here's a scenario: People buying used cars come to your shop for inspection before they buy, and you realize that many of the things you check during your inspection, the consumer could easily check for themselves. You teach a class at the community college and you package the hand-outs you've created for the class. Make them into an ebook, hire a marketer, and voila' you have a cash machine.

That's simplified, but you get the idea. Wealth builders are generally entrepreneurs. Think of something similar you could do with your skill set, and grow a cash machine.

*Allocating Assets*

With the income from your cash machine, plus all your other assets, create a comprehensive plan for your assets to work for you. You've heard the saying, "Stop working for money and get money working for you."

If you haven't already put a team together to grow your cash machine, with asset allocation a team becomes critical. You'll need advisors to set up an incorporated business for your tax strategy as well as asset protection. And, you'll want a financial advisor to help create your overall plan.

One of your most important assets to allocate is time. Millionaires "hire" time. Invest in building yourself a team of experts and support personnel. In addition to expert advisors, hire bookkeepers, housekeepers, assistants, etc.

*Spending Planning*

When the cash starts rolling in, a common mistake is to allow spending to keep pace with the increased income. This makes for a cushy lifestyle, but isn't part of a good wealth building plan.

When you create your spending plan, it should reflect your personal priorities. It doesn't need to be restrictive (like a budget). Think of it more like a framework for financial decision-making that serves your long-term interests at the same time providing resources for you to enjoy the present.

*Managing/Eliminating Debt*

Once you've got your cash machine going, turn your attention to arriving at zero consumer debt: credit cards, mortgage, etc.

However, not all debt is bad. Sometimes, you want to leverage someone else's money. Buying income real estate is an example of such a time. But for the most part, a focus on minimizing or eliminating debt is a sensible part of any wealth building plan.

The ultimate goal of wealth building is financial freedom - when your passive income supports your lifestyle, and you work because you choose to, rather than because you have to. Use the wealth building foursome to lay the foundation of your financial freedom.

Lila Norden is a business and financial consultant. Lila offers valuable information to help you make decisions about your business growth and financial development. Visit Lila's web site FCI Money.
Additional articles by Lila are also at Yes Investing and F-Com Finances

[tags]wealth,finances,money,income,business,financial,success,wealth building,debt,financial freedom,asset[/tags]

The Three Levels Of Money Consciousness

If you are wishing for more prosperity or desiring wealth, it requires attention and knowledge on multiple levels. There are three levels of consciousness to transform your relationship with money.

In the "real" external or outer world, we must gain and understand financial knowledge. We educate ourselves about income and expenses, investing, taxes, and the importance of savings. We read books, watch television programs, attend classes and learn about the stock market, planning for retirement, how to ask for a raise, how to cut our taxes, and managing money. Here is where we develop skills, acquire tools, and use our experience to make sound decisions. At this level, it is our lack of knowledge and skill most likely to trip us up.

We also must understand our feelings, thoughts, beliefs and values around money, prosperity, wealth, poverty, and all that entails. From early childhood we have absorbed lessons, true and untrue, and developed beliefs about money from parents, school, friends, the media, our religions and our cultures. Our values around money, wealth, work, poverty and other money-related issues were also formed early on. We are still absorbing messages about money, especially in the western cultures where money is "king". Your unconscious beliefs or values can negatively or positively affect your ability to choose wisely. Making these beliefs conscious and determining whether they are still useful to you may enable you to make better choices and have what you desire. There are many tools and techniques available to bring these beliefs to light including simple ones like asking yourself questions about what you believe and why.

The last way we affect prosperity is through our spiritual practices and understanding. It helps to learn about the spiritual laws governing prosperity and abundance in our lives. These include having clear insight into who you are, and your place in the world. It includes understanding the interconnectedness of all living things and the planet. For many of us, having clarity and congruency, living an authentic life, understanding the laws of attraction, and being in touch with our inner spirit or self (sometimes called higher self are necessary steps in transforming our relationship with money. And most importantly, having intense gratitude for all we already have.

Mary Anne Fields is a Personal Coach, Trainer & Speaker specializing in the areas of life transitions, your relationship with money, simplifying your life, preparing for retirement and living your dreams. For more information about Life Unfolds, see http://www.lifeunfolds.com.
(713) 528-5971
maf@lifeunfolds.com
Join the Life Unfolds mailing list. Receive free monthly newsletter, free report "85 Ways to Be Happier Now!" and access to resources that help you live a life that matters!
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[tags]personal finance, debt, cutting expenses, tracking money, prosperity, spending, money flow[/tags]