Improve Your Finances, Cut Back Where You Can

Market changes have forced a lot of expenses to go up. If you notice, your mortgage payments and other costs are not at the same level as before. For the ordinary consumer, this means less purchasing power and lower standard of living. Fortunately, you can fight back by knowing the tips and tricks in saving money. We have compiled five tips that will help you financially during tough economic times:

* Check your mortgage – most mortgage lenders offer an introductory offer. If you took advantage of this, make sure that you know when it will end so that you can remortgage in time. With the variable rate of as much as 8.5%, no one wants to make even one late payment.

* Save on energy expenses – previously, consumers weren’t that concerned about their energy bills. It was just something to be paid each month. With today’s harsh condition though, every penny counts. If you make a conscious effort to cut back, you might be surprised by the amount of savings you can keep each month.

* Lower your grocery bills – it is easy to get tempted on the grocery. By preparing a list and sticking to it, you can eliminate a lot of unnecessary expenses. In addition, using coupons and buying items that are really on sale can dramatically reduce your expenses.

* Phone calls – although landlines are no longer popular as before, some people still rack up expensive monthly bills. If this is the case for you, examine your pattern and implement strategies that will help lower it. For example, getting an affordable package will help or you can make less-urgent calls during off-peak hours. It is even better if you can manage to call using the VoIP technology instead.

* Gym membership – it is true that investing for your health is good. In fact, it is probably one of the best investment policies out there. However, if you have an expensive gym membership that you barely use, consider some alternatives. For example, look into the gyms that offer pay-per-trip programs. That way, you only need to pay for the times when you actually exercise.

These tips are just an overview of what you can do to save on your bills. There are many more ways to save according to your unique circumstance. In addition, combining effective investment practices with your saving strategies will help you attain better financial health.

:Author and entrepreneur Bernz Jayma P.

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Three Major Business Card configurations

Business cards have three major configurations. These configurations are used for certain kinds of custom business cards of different purposes. If you are a wise business man, you would do well to know these types of business cards. Using a combination of different configurations of these custom business cards should make your business networking task more effective since each has a specific area in which it can excel.

Simple 2-color cards:
The first configuration for business cards is the simple “two color” business cards. These are the most common type of business card out, and is the most widely used in most countries. As its name suggests, this kind business card has only two colors. You have the color of the paper stock or background of the card, and you also have the color of the text itself. The simplest setup here is the black and white business card, with a white background and then black text. However, other people have often tried to change the background color to different ones to stand out among other business cards. If you want a standard business card that you can give to almost anyone, and if you are just starting out in business card printing, then this configuration should be your best choice.

Full Color cards with images:
The next most common configuration are the full color business cards. Also called “four-color business cards” (which relates to the CMYK printing process), full color business cards offer one of the best looking business card configurations out there. This configuration is usually used if you want to place an image or symbol in your business card. This might typically be a logo of your business, or it might even be your own photograph. Regardless of the content however, these types of business cards are printed in the highest quality color printing to make those graphics look the best that they can be. Use this kind of configuration if you have a large printing budget and an eye to improve your business image. If you deal with and talk to a lot of clients, customers or investors, full color business cards are always a must.

Special Configuration:
Lastly, you can also have special configuration business cards. These are the cards that have custom aspects to them that you specify for a certain kind of purpose. For example, you can print extra information at the back of a business card like a marketing message or advertising slogan. Also, some people print calendars or something similar on their business cards as a way of adding more usefulness to them. These special configurations are usually best used by people that want to do more than just gain a business contact. Typically they would usually want to directly sell something, or they want to improve their company reputation or any other types of specific objectives.

As you can see, you can print business cards with certain kinds of configurations for a specific type of purpose. By knowing what your main purpose for business card printing, you should be able to produce the most apt business card configuration that fits your goals.

by : Karen Grahams

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