A Leaf Blower Can Do a Lot More Than Clean Yards

Power tools designed for outdoor use can greatly reduce the effort that goes into general lawn care and maintenance. People everywhere have discovered the versatility offered by owning a leaf blower. These devices allow for easy clearing of large amounts of leaves in the fall, and saves a ton of time versus raking.

However, these powerful units can be used to clear light snow from sidewalks and driveways in the winter, clearing sidewalks and pathways of mowed grass in the summer, and can be used for drying puddles in the spring. Imagine getting four seasons worth of work out of other outdoor power tools. The force of the air coming through the powerful hand held marvel allows for a variety of tasks to accomplished quickly and efficiently, and never adds to mess like using a water hose or tears up the lawn like a rake. Utilizing the high speed air coming out of the blower can offer unique solutions to a variety of problems.

Generally, these types of lawn and garden tools are available in corded and cordless varieties. The corded varieties require the user to trail around with an extension cord long enough to reach all of the areas that need to be tended. Cordless models either use rechargeable batteries or gasoline to operate the powerful blower motor. While each type has advantages and disadvantages, the particular application and size of the area that needs to be maintained along with personal preference of the user are the factors that dictate which fuel source is the best. However, gasoline powered models commonly have throttle which allows for the force of the air to be changed; whereas, electric or battery operated models have one or two speed settings.

A leaf blower has many different possible applications. Many of these different uses are not readily apparent and rely on the creativity of the operator. This is one outdoor power tool that really does have limitless possibilities. The use of high speed blown air to clean or dry sidewalks, driveways, yards, and flower beds offers a great alternative to the back straining hand blistering manual methods of raking and sweeping.

In addition to using time more efficiently, this particular tool offers a non-abrasive solution to a wide variety of ground surfaces. As always before purchasing any power tool, take safety precautions as well. Eye protection is very important as use of this particular tool results in flying debris. Always exercise caution when working around anything that has the potential to be damaged by any flying material.

Retirement Planning - Should You Pay Off the Mortgage? 5 Factors to Help You Make the Right Decision

Should you pay off your mortgage when you retire? Lots of people think that no mortgage at retirement is the way to go. Unfortunately that's not true for everyone. Having a mortgage can lower your tax, increase your cash flow, and diversify your assets. But consider these 5 factors before you make that important decision:

1) If you are still able to write off the interest on the loan then I would recommend that you keep the mortgage because you still get the tax advantage of the interest deduction. If you are in a high tax bracket at retirement, this would be a savvy move.

2) If you don't have enough interest deductions to itemize on your taxes then pay off the balance if you have the money to do so and only if those funds are making less than your mortgage interest. For example, if your cash to pay off the mortgage is making 4% and your fixed rate mortgage is 7%, then pay off the balance with the cash.

3) Even though your mortgage is paid off, it is a good idea to make a monthly payment into cash reserves set aside especially for maintenance on your home. Just because the mortgage is paid off doesn't mean you can let that large investment sit without repairs.

4) A common mistake is for retirees to refinance a high interest fixed loan for a lower interest fixed loan. When you refinance, the interest and principal is amortized over the life of the loan and in the beginning you will be paying mainly interest. But if you had your loan for over half of its life, then you are paying down principal not interest which is a good place to be when you are on a fixed income.

5) You don't want all your eggs in one basket, so why own a home with no mortgage? If you do, your largest asset may be your home and if it goes down in value, then most of your net worth will too.

Your individual circumstance will tell if it is the right thing to pay off a mortgage before you retire. By understanding the tax implications of your decision and how it affects your cash flow and your portfolio, you will feel better about making the right decision for you.

The REAL Cost of Not Having a Business Plan

As the saying goes, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" and as business owners if you run your business without having a clear strategic business and marketing plan in place, then you're destined to fail... sounds harsh, I know, but if you don't know what the goal(s) are, how can you plan to get there?

And it is this lack of planning and being clear on your goals that causes so many small businesses to fail.

But today, I want to look at this from another angle, and share with you the very REAL cost of not having a business plan in place... and it's probably something that you don't even think about!

I talk to many business owners who tell me that they want to create a product, launch a new program, put together a teleclass series, or add a membership site to their existing offerings, but for many that's about as far as they go. They know they'd like to add this new income stream but, for whatever reason, don't go any further with their ideas.

And really it all comes down to not understanding how their inaction is affecting their business... in other words, the REAL cost of not having a plan in place, whether that's a full-on business plan or a simple plan for implementing that new income stream.

So, let's take a look at the following two goals to see what effect this inaction has on your bottom line. (And I should say these are two very real scenarios.)

Goal 1: To Create a First Level Info Product

Problems with implementing this goal:

Don't have a clear idea for what the product should include, or only have a vague idea (lack of research). Don't know in what format to offer it, e.g. eBook, ecourse, digital download, physical product (again, lack of research). Don't know how to set up the systems to automate the buying process via your website - so you can make sales year round. Don't know how to set up a product launch.

So, with all these issues, nothing gets done, but...

What is the REAL cost of not doing this?

Product Price = $97 (a good first level price point)

Sales Goal = to sell four items per week (very doable with the right promotions and follow-up sequencing)

Weekly Sales: 4 x $97 = $388

Annual Sales: $388 x 52 = $20,176

In this case, not having a clear plan of action for creating and launching your first level info product is actually costing you $20,176 in lost revenues!

Goal 2: To Create a 12-week Group Coaching Program

Problems with implementing this goal:

Not sure what the components of the program should be, e.g. teleclasses, video, workbooks, private forum etc. Don't know how to set up the systems so that people can register for the program and automatically receive their materials. Not sure how to set up a program launch.

What is the REAL cost of not doing this?

Program Price = $497

Spaces Available = 10 participants

Frequency = 2 times per year

Program Sales: 10 x $497 = $4,970

Annual Sales: $4,970 x 2 = $9,940

In this case, not having a clear plan of action for creating and launching your group coaching program is actually costing you $9,940 in lost revenues!

And if you do go ahead and create a plan to implement both projects, that would mean an increase in annual revenues of $30,116.

So, you can see when you don't have a plan in place it costs you more than lack of focus and overwhelm, it actually costs you thousands of dollars in lost revenues!

Your Action Steps For This Week:

1. What's your next income stream idea? Using the formula above, calculate how much it's costing you in lost revenues by not implementing.

2. Decide on a launch date for your income stream, and then work backwards in planning out all the steps. Create a clear week-by-week action plan.

3. If you need my personal support and guidance to implement your new income stream I'm here to help.

(c) 2011 Tracey Lawton

College Students - How Speed Reading Benefits You

You're a college student trying to juggle your on-campus job and three weeks worth of reading for required classes you need in order to graduate. When tackling the near-impossible philosophy, comprehension becomes a rather important skill to possess. As you face two novels in one week, the ability to run through two books at a faster rate in a short amount of time is priceless.

When you enter training to learn how to speed read as a college student, you will cultivate skills that make study sessions much easier to accomplish. Once you graduate, this technique will also help you later on in whatever additional studies or career you choose to pursue.

Numerous reading interpretation and comprehension skills are taught in an array of speed reading programs and software that aims to make studying in college much easier. When college students are able to prioritize the text they must read before a heavy test, they can increase the speed at which they complete their studies. It is important to assess what part of the reading material is more significant than the rest. This works as a successful prep for tackling a large chunk of reading matter in a shorter period of time.

Speed reading is an incredibly valuable skill, allowing college students to save a lot of time and energy in an atmosphere that often brings about many distractions and interruptions. As a college student, being a slow reader hinders your progress in the classroom, and takes time away from completing outside activities and other school pursuits. When a student learns how to read at a faster pace and better comprehend material, they will gain a competitive edge in the classroom that continues beyond graduation.

When it comes to learning how to speed read as a student, below are the top three reasons to seek out a decent speed reading program:

1) Saves Time

One of the largest benefits speed reading skills give college students is more time. When you have mastered the art of speed reading, you will finish a book in half the time (in some cases - even less than half the time) it takes to finish books at an average pace. Speed reading helps a student learn that it isn't always necessary to read whole materials to get the main idea. Some reading is easy to skim, making it effortless to absorb essential pieces of information.

2) Increase Your Love of Reading

Many people falter in the reading department because they dread it so. If you are more open to the idea of reading, your overall experiences will become better and more fulfilling. Instead of approaching the concept of reading a lot of material as boring, train your mind to view reading as opening new doors and enhancing your intellectual capacity.

3) Higher Grades

Speed reading greatly helps students by not only improving their rate of reading, but also promoting the attainment of higher grades. With a great deal of information to tackle, speed reading really comes in handy and allows some to push farther in their grades, which often comes in the form of improved comprehension.

Comparing Cheap Quad Bike Insurance

Comparing cheap quad bike insurance can be a time consuming task. Some insurance providers may fail to offer protection for these bikes and instead concentrate on the car and caravan owner. If you want to compare quotes with special insurance providers then looking for your coverage online may often save you a great deal of time and allow you to get competitively priced insurance.

So what might you expect to find in a standard insurance policy for your quad bike?

Your insurance may of course provide protection for the usual variety of events that may happen. Your quad bike may be protected against theft. It may also be insured in the event that a fire took place and your bike was destroyed or damaged. Depending on the provider and the policy you choose to take out you may also have cover for a variety of events and features; however, you may have to check the small print to find out.

Your cheap quad bike insurance might provide insurance for both on road and off road use. You may have to drive along roads even if your main use of the quad is off road so this will need to be taken into consideration. If you mainly use your quad bike off the road and want insurance, some insurance providers will also give protection for so many miles commute on road.

Many owners take part in events and shows with their quad. If so, you will typically need to be insured for liability. This means that should someone get hurt and it was your fault, the third party may be eligible to claim on your insurance. It may also pay out if your quad should damage property. You may find that event organisers will not allow you to take part in events without liability insurance. You should also check the level of liability insurance as the payout may be limited.

You may want to check the benefits to find out if your policy may provide insurance for any accessories that you might carry on your quad bike. This might include your helmet and any tools for instance. Both of these may add up to a tidy sum of money if they were stolen or damaged and had to be replaced.

Usually when you take out an insurance policy for your quad bike the policy may cover more than one individual and if family members use the quad this means you do not have to take out more than one insurance policy. However, there will be a limit as to how many family members may be covered so do check this.

When comparing cheap quad bike insurance you should always spend some time going through the small print carefully. This is where you may find how much excess you may have to pay if you were to put in a claim on your insurance policy. This is the sum of money paid by you before the provider takes over the rest of the claim.

Americans Say Osama Bin Laden Is Not a Good Reason to Buy Life Insurance

This month, August 2006, the British government foiled a large terrorist plot to blow up liquid bombs on commercial airline flights between Great Britain and the United States. The United States Government including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) followed suit by raising the Terror Alert Level to High or Red level. The increase in the Terror Alert Level caused many changes in the way Americans conduct their lives, especially in the travel sector. One area that remained unchanged was the demand for life insurance. Sy Alter, President of Spectrum Direct Insurance Services, Inc., owner of AmericanLifeDirect.com "The World's Fastest Life Insurance Policy" wasn't surprised by this at all. "When it comes to buying life insurance, people fear not providing for their families, when it comes to terrorism, a different fear is at work." Mr. Alter has sold insurance for over 30 years and when polling his current clients on their reasons for purchasing life insurance, has never had one client reply that they sought coverage due to terrorism.

When President George W. Bush and the TSA implemented new regulations for carry-on baggage on commercial flights, no longer allowing liquids, gels or lotions on any flights, it caused a ripple through the economy. Travelers are checking more luggage and bringing less on board with them. Food Service providers at airports are seeing a huge drop in demand for their services as airport security requirements no longer allow travelers to board with food or drinks. The situation has been so serious that many citizens are postponing or canceling their flights, choosing not to put themselves in what could possibly be harms way.

Ordinarily you would think there would be a link between the public outcry for security and the private need for life insurance, but that is not the case. When the 9-11 tragedy struck and national security became among our biggest concern, personal financial security like that available to everyone owning life insurance did not increase. Even five years later, with terrorists like Osama Bin Laden still unaccounted for, and terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and Hezbollah still operating around the globe, life insurance buyers do not list terrorism as a driving force in their purchase of a life insurance policy.

If terrorist plots don't drive the sales of life insurance, what does? "Life Insurance purchasers tend to cite three main reasons driving their purchase of Life Insurance." stated Sy Alter. "The most commonly cited reasons to purchase insurance are due to marriage, starting a family or purchasing a home. Life insurance is a personal financial decision, so where insurance is concerned, fear of terrorist activity is not a factor." The conclusion is that Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists around the world may dictate what we can take on our flights, but not whether we buy life insurance.