4 Money Saving Tips For Busy Moms

Being a mom has never been easy and doing it in an apprehensive economy makes it all that more difficult. It's a tough balancing act to get the kids everything they need, save a little money, and keep within the family budget, and that's before life throws one of its little unexpected surprises at you.

Here are some smart mom tips to save time and money between shuttling the kids around, taking care of the household chores, and running the 101 errands you have to do every day.

1. Shop online instead of hitting the malls and strip stores. Do some preparation ahead of time and you can save some real money. Signup for your favorite store's newsletter and they will e-mail you usually 48 hours of so before a sale and let you know what the best bargains and deals are going to be. Most offer online coupon codes, in-store coupons and other promotional money-saving tidbits. You probably wouldn't have learned about them unless you were signed up for the newsletter.

2. When you're shopping for more expensive items price comparisons can save you a bundle. There are several online price comparisons sites. You could do a Google search for "price compare product" and come up with half a dozen good possibilities. It can also pay-off to shop for the product at several different company online stores. Look around the page for discounts and coupon codes to save even more. Don't be in a hurry to buy because you can almost always find a cheaper price if you look hard and long enough.

3. If you do a lot of in-store shopping you should know that iPhone has a free app to scan product bar codes. All you have to do to use this little money-saving gem is point your iPhone camera at a product bar code. A few seconds later you'll get a description of the item and maybe as many as a couple pages of listings of online stores that are selling the same item at a cheaper price. Because you have the proof in your hand maybe you could even get a discount at the store that would match one of the online prices.

4. Many stores accept competitor coupons, expired coupons, and coupons that you can print off the Internet. You will not know unless you ask. its shopping wisely and it doesn't hurt. The worst thing that can happen is that you save some money.

If you can stretch the budget a little bit, all the better.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3897575

SWOT: Assessing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

The definition of a SWOT analysis according to Wikipedia is: "SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective."

When a SWOT analysis is done on an organization, both internal and external factors are reviewed. During the internal assessment, the organizations Strengths and Weaknesses are examined in depth. The external assessment reviews Opportunities, external to the organization, that the business can take advantage of and external Threats that might impact the organization as it does business.

An organization's Strengths are areas that the organization should capitalize on. Maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses can only be done when the business is aware of what they are. Examples of an organization's strengths are: a new product has been released and is bringing in higher than expected returns, all branches are integrated with software that enhances communication between the branches and creates one unified bill for its clients, or quality statistics far exceed industry standards. Examples of an organization's weaknesses might include: The inventory storage facility is not big enough, the executive team is maturing and eighty percent of them plan to retire in the next three to five years, or technology is outdated.

As the organization works on developing its strategic plan, it will take both the Strengths and Weaknesses into account. In the above examples, it can capitalize on the higher than expected returns and possibly plan for more research and development, or invest some of the returns on expanding or rebuilding the inventory storage facility or investing in new technology. It might utilize its quality reputation or even its convenient unified billing in future marketing. Finally, a succession plan should be determined and resources allocated to developing future leaders.

As mentioned earlier, the external assessment reviews Opportunities, external to the organization, that the business can take advantage of and external Threats that might impact the organization. Examples of external Opportunities might include the following: the nearest competitor went out of business, road construction was recently completed and new traffic flows go directly in front of the business, or new legislation was recently passed that will favorably impact the business. Examples of external Threats might include: postage rates may be going up, a large non-competing manufacturing organization recently opened that is impacting your labor pool, or interest rates are likely to increase within the year.

While developing the strategic plan both the Opportunities and Threats must be taken into account in the planning process. In the above example, several strategies can be developed. One to attract the customers of the competing failed business and another to develop a marketing plan to take advantage of the new traffic flows and new legislation. It may also look at alternative shipping methods, methods to improve efficiencies to deal with labor shortages and a plan to deal with higher interest rates.

Performing the SWOT analysis allows the organization to plan for possible problems and diminish the possibility of being blindsided when either such internal or external events occur. It also allows the business to capitalize on its internal strengths and take advantage of external opportunities.

5 Easy Tips To Gain New Business

Fed up with spinning your wheels and chasing one system after another? If you're looking for clarity, focus and hands-on results, use these 5 coaching tips to gain new business-fast.

There's a lot of great tips out there for presenting, selling and winning new business. But sometimes...it just feels like you're chasing your tail trying one thing after another. How can you land on something that works...and yields repeatable success?

My coaching clients often ask me for tips to gain new business. When we sit side-by-side, we brainstorm specific actions that build on individual strengths. While we can't dive into such detail in this post, here are 5 essentials that consistently attract new business.

Tip 1. Be Authentic
Much like dating...be yourself from the first encounter. Speak openly and naturally so that clients understand your business and your style. If you start out in a genuine and real manner, it's easy to keep going.

Authenticity is your strongest asset. Why? Because there's only one you. When prospects and clients get to know you...they'll rely on your open and honest style.

Tip 2. Use Your Strengths
Last week I coached a gentleman who was terrific with metaphors. He was off the chart in coming up with stories, examples and anecdotes. But he was trying to present dry data without any emotion. Guess what my advice was?

Use your strengths. There are plenty of people who would give an arm and a leg to whip up metaphors so quickly and easily. Go with that.

Now of course, if your strength lies somewhere else-use that. If you're a wizard at the whiteboard, grab a marker and show your sketches. If you're a master at words, spell out your message so everyone gets it.

Tip 3. Simplify Complex Stuff
Life can be complicated. Business solutions are often complex. But your presentation must be simple. Simplify complex concepts, processes and procedures.

Make the complex stuff-simple.

The fastest way to do this? Show a single sketch. Draw while the audience watches. Keep it profoundly simple to draw and simple to understand. Oh. One more thing. A simple drawing on one page sends a message to your clients and prospects. It sings out: "we make the complex stuff simple."

Who doesn't want more of that?

Tip 4. Show A Compelling Story
There's no shortage of data. But there is a drought on powerful stories. Why are stories so important? They are easy to understand, easy to get...and easy to retell.

The best story of all? One you can tell and show with a visual sketch. My clients always love stories that combine Tip 3 and Tip 4. Here's a few examples:

• 3 Steps To Success
Show three steps and fill in the blanks while you draw the story.

• Before and After
A classic. Show before and after photos or icons.

• The Big Aha!
Show the shocking fact, quote or statistic.

By keeping your story simple and easy to understand, your clients and prospects instantly get the point.

Tip 5. Connect The Dots
You wouldn't believe how many people forget this tip. It's easy to understand, really. You're immersed in your presentation and business value. You know your data inside and out. It's easy to forget that your clients are seeing your presentation for the first time.

Connect the dots. Show how your product, service or solution will add value for your client. Spell it out. Be direct. This isn't a time to be bashful.

Ready to win results? For the best approach, use these 5 tips to gain new business-fast.

Emotional Eating: You Can't Stop It, So Use It!

Did you have tuna, egg whites and spinach blended with flax oil for breakfast? No?

You're not alone. For those us living in the developed world where food is in plentiful supply, rarely do we eat for just nourishment and sustenance.

So if we're not eating for the logical reasons we should be, why are we eating?

If you've ever eaten something for the taste, as a celebration, as a commiseration, because you were angry, lonely, stressed or even just plain bored.... you are one of many people whose eating habits are ruled by their feelings and emotions. You are an Emotional Eater!

If you've ever avoided eating something and felt good about not eating it, you're ALSO an emotional eater.

You see, we should not view our food as a reward or punishment... and neither should we judge ourselves as good or bad for what we have or have not eaten.

How did you become an emotional eater?

You develop your relationship with food from the moment you start to eat and are able to 'ask' for food... and the people around you at this time in your life are a big influence too.

Were you ever rewarded for good behaviour by a biscuit?

Were you ever punished by not being allowed to have any sweets (or even dinner!)

Did you family celebrate successes with a big meal with all the trimmings?

No-one intends to do it, but very often our relationship with food is damaged when we are very young by those closest to us. We learn that food is a reward! We attach feelings of self-worth, success, comfort and achievement to eating, in particular, to eating 'treats'.

Unfortunately, like most quick fixes, the gratification derived from comfort eating is soon followed by a sense of guilt and feeling like a failure, which triggers low mood - which in turn triggers the need to comfort through eating.

There seem to be a lot of 'fixes' for emotional eating out there... but can they really work?

After all, emotions and food are inexorably linked in our everyday life, from when you feel good for NOT going into McDonalds for a big mac meal to how nice it is for your significant other to buy you chocolates or take you for a nice meal....

So if someone says they can get you to quit the emotional treadmill be very skeptical... chances are they're not just going to stop you eating, they're going to have stop you feeling too - and who wants that? Life is for living and enjoying, feeling the highs and the lows and connecting with people. Feelings and emotions are great!

We can, however, work on our emotional eating and fine tune it to our advantage... just like someone who loves dance goes and takes dancing lessons to become a better dancer, we can do some homework on our eating patterns and become better eaters!

Emotional Eating Re-work Step One: Spice up your life!

Make sure you have enough rewards, enjoyment and comfort in your life before you even think about food. Despite what you may think, we have a limit on how much comfort and reward we need in order to feel satisfied, and hey, you're not a BAD person, are you? Why not simply work some rewards into your life as a NORMAL thing to have... that way you won't be left with any food swallowing voids. If there is a void, it means you didn't get enough of what you needed and the person in control of that? YOU!

Here are some examples... have a weekly massage, try a new treatment every week at the beauty salon, go to the cinema, have a day out, get a taxi home, leave your washing at the launderette, see your friends, make something, get a hobby, get a pet, get a pen pal, buy some new makeup....

You'll be able to think of many more things that relate more closely to what is a treat FOR YOU. Make a list and take action now... from you list, how many of those things can you do: daily, once a week, once a month?

Now set to work and get them scheduled! Book appointments, write them in your diary, shop for anything you need, make the phone calls.

You must do this now, or straight after reading this article, or old habits will take over and you'll go and sit on the sofa with a tea and a biscuit. Believe me! Unless you do it now, you won't do it!

Emotional Eating Re-work Step Two: Plenty of fish in the sea!

Or plenty of other food that could go in the cupboard. Maybe you can't have the food you're currently in love with, but there are many others that are just as good... and good for you too!

The second thing you can is realize that it's ok to eat for pleasure, but it's not ok to fill your precious, only-get-one-so-must-look-after-it body, with junk.

Take a pen and make a list of your top 10 comfort foods, things you eat when bored, alone, tired or stressed, happy or sad. You know what they are!

(Only 10!)

Now write another list of 10 things, these items are to be foods that you like, AND that are good for you... for example, strawberries, dark chocolate, dried fruits, cashew nuts etc.

If you need to, imagine you are walking down the aisles of your local supermarket and use this to help jog your memory of the thousands of foods there are out there.

Keep going until you have 10. Really work on this list!

Once you have your ten, make sure that you have them available in your cupboards at all times. Never let them run out! Go shopping immediately or order them online!

The items on your first list, your top 10 junk items, are not allowed in your house. You may bump into them when you're out and about, but that's ok. Just not at home!

Now when you need a 'comfort treat', you'll need less of a boost because you're already treating yourself like the special person that you are with other non-food delights... and when you do go cupboard searching, you'll find foods that are GOOD for your body as well as good for your soul...

... and emotional eating has now become less of an enemy and food is once again something you can feel free to enjoy!

Joanne Milsom is a leading Personal Trainer and Diet Coach who has helped thousands of people achieve their goals over the last decade. She is the author of the book Dumbells Are A Girl's Best Friend and creator of The 8 Week Diet Programme.

How To Eat A Low Calorie Diet And Stay Healthy

Many diets work well; however, they are hard to stick to. Plenty of people from all ages and around the world have tried and failed because they focus exclusively on target with regards to fast weight loss, in addition, to their health. If you are hoping for an easy weight loss, you are heading for a disappointment, you need to find the correct diet that suits you and commit yourself.

The majority of quick diet plans are likely to be insufficient also unhealthy for you. A large amount of people wish to burn off fat quickly also conserve an excellent physical appearance, they just don't fully grasp the damaging outcomes as well as health concerns that may crop up through intensive, fast diet plans.

For this reason, you should follow a healthy and balanced diet program as well as incorporate frequent exercise into your normal routine. Listed below are the good and negative factors associated with a low-calorie diet.

How can I lose weight fast?

There are a number of low-calorie diet plans on the market. Their methods to shed weight is through meticulously counting the number of calories you eat throughout the entire day. These types of diet plans are designed for the average person, with little physical activity, and suggest you take no more than 1200 calories a day, to loss weight. Therefore, it is important to eat four times a day.

What can I eat?

The biggest benefit from low-calorie diets is that you can eat almost everything from the following list: fruit, vegetables, poultry, fish, lean meats, beans, eggs and low-fat products. It is easy to make a variety of tasty meals and snacks, if you do not go over your 1200 calories a day. Also it is very important to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day.

What are the drawbacks?

The drawback with this diet program is that you need to count the number of calories in each meal and snack. This implies working together with calorie charts as well as planning menus on a day-to-day basis, analyzing food products, weighing food items then calculating the number of calories.

These types of diet plans can be difficult to acquire all of the essential nutrient elements if they are not planned properly. Another negative result associated, is the fact that your body could switch into starvation mode if you eat less than 1200 calories, then, unfortunately, you stop losing weight because your body starts to retain body fat.

Where can I find the right diet plan?

If you are considering losing weight, you'll need a personalized diet just for you. The ideal solution would be a healthy and balanced low-calorie diet plan to reach your ideal weight loss. Also, it is really important to keep track of your progress each week. So you will also need charts to write down all the information. An other essential thing you will need is a daily menu, filled with tasty meals, which are easy to prepare. You will also need to have regular exercise.

Remember, once you have reached your goal, and finish your dieting plan, don't fall back into your old eating habits or you will recuperate all your weight that was lost and maybe a few extra pounds.

A great idea would be to treat yourself to something special once a week; eat your slice of pizza or what ever you might crave for. But if you really want to shed excess weight and keep it off, you will have to change your old eating habits for a healthy diet plan a long with regular exercise for good.