Saturday, August 31, 2013

How to Teach Your Teens About Credit Cards

As the world becomes more complicated, you have the responsibility to guide your children the best you can. One of the most trying subjects to teach your kids about is how to appropriately manage money. More specifically, teenagers develop great interests in the almighty credit card. Credit cards are not to be taken lightly at any age, but especially during adolescence. How can you educate your teens about the use of credit cards?
 
These strategies will help them learn to use credits cards responsibly:
 
1. Ask where the money will come from. Insist your teens know specifically where they'll get the money to pay off the credit card charge before they charge anything.
 
2. Encourage responsibility. Explain that your teens are responsible for paying their credit card bill on time. In addition, require them to pay off their credit card balance within 30 days. Discuss how interest charges and other fees work and that paying such fees is like giving away their money for nothing.
 
* Take care to listen to how your teen takes part in this discussion. If you determine your teen requires more maturity or understanding of the information, avoid giving them a credit card and explain briefly how you arrived at your decision.
 
3. Consider starting with a limited balance credit card. Have your teenager save money until a certain amount accumulates, like $100.00. Then, accompany them to your banking institution or a store to obtain a pre-paid card for the $100.00.
 
* Even though your teen paid for the card with their own money, it's a good idea to tell them to make every effort to stretch out their use of the card. A benefit of this method is that your child saved the money up front before actually charging items.
 
* They can, therefore, understand that the credit card balance is tangibly their own hard-earned money. The downside of this method is it may not teach your child the responsibility of charging only what they can pay off within the next month.
 
4. Provide a credit card to replace weekly allowance. Consider converting their allowance to a monthly credit card balance. This method allows them to learn about credit card management.
 
Consider this example:
 
* You normally pay your teen $30 cash weekly allowance. When they turn 16, state you'll now provide a credit card rather than the $30 cash weekly. Explain that they can charge up to $120 per month (4 weeks times $30 equals $120) as you'll pay up to that amount monthly to cover their credit card purchases.
 
* Stress that if they charge over $120, they must come up with the difference to pay off any balance over the $120 when the statement arrives.
 
* If they charge over $120 for the month and are unable to come up with the difference, they must surrender the credit card until they pay you the difference owed (even though you'll go ahead and pay it off to avoid monthly fees).
 
* Using this method to teach your teen how to handle credit cards is a helpful lesson in managing their money with limited funds. Your teen learns to limit spending to stay within their means.
 
Teaching teens how to handle credit cards is challenging. The good news is that if you start early with your kids about how to earn, save and spend money, they'll easily progress to understanding the above concepts with your help and guidance.
Praise your teens' efforts when they manage their finances and credit card issues well. You'll build their confidence for the future when you teach them how to handle credit cards wisely.
 
 
Best of success to you... Reggie Cochran

Want Momentum?

Momentum to achieving your long term goals is created by setting small goals that you can accomplish quickly. The key is to complete many small goals on a daily basis. Not only will you achieve your long term goals quicker, you will feel more successful along the way.
 
 
Best of success to you... Reggie Cochran
 
 

Easy Marketing Tips For Your Home Based Business

Your home business success depends upon your promoting it as thoroughly as possible. There are many ways to market your home business idea, and they do not have to break your bank. One of the first actions you should take with your home business idea is to make business cards and a professional letterhead. These are an affordable and easy way to remind others about the presence of your home business idea. ( I will provide future training on the art of creating an AWESOME business card)
 
Next, you will want to network with as many people as possible. Begin to share your business with friends and family, making sure they all have business cards to give away to others they are in contact with. When promoting your home business, do not stop with friends and family members, as this is where many make their first mistake. Be sure to try to expand your network of potential clients as much as possible, sharing your business with anyone you come into contact with. One good way to do this is to join civic organizations, go to trade shows, be involved with parents and committees at schools, and participate in any other type of community involvement that may help promote your home business idea.
 
Another inexpensive and effective way of promoting your business is hanging flyers and business cards on community bulletin boards such as in grocery stores, etc. If you are on the lookout for these types of public bulletin boards, you will find them in a lot of places, and they can be an excellent and easy way of spreading the news about your home business idea.
 
Also, you can have the name, slogan and phone number of your home business idea painted on the side of your vehicle. This is very easy advertising! If you are nervous about painting your vehicle to advertise your home business idea, there is also the option of a removable magnetic sign. Do be aware that if you use these methods to advertise your business, you may need to make changes in your insurance policy or your registry with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
 
Sponsoring a contest with some type of prize is another way to easily and effectively promote your home business idea. (more training coming on contest in future articles)  If you work smart to make the most of everyday opportunities, you will find that getting the word out about your home business idea can be relatively easy and quite affordable.
 
Online marketing like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube & personal free blogs like www.blogger.com is also a must in todays world to share your business, product / service with others. There are many great free resources on the net that will help you get set up and started with each of these. www.MentorsClub.com Mentors share a lot of great tips on how to make your online marketing a great success.
 
Best of success to you... Reggie Cochran

 

Friday, August 30, 2013

Eating Healthy While Eating Out

When you eat at home, you know what you're getting. Head to a restaurant, and it's another story. The ingredients, method of preparation, and portion size can easily add excess calories to your diet. Restaurant menus have so many choices and are often full of unfamiliar terms. Is a food fried or baked? Does it come with a sauce or dressing? If you're not careful, you won't know answers to these questions and more until you ask them.

Before heading out to dinner tonight, here are some tips to enjoy a healthy meal.

So Many Options
When considering what to choose from dozens of options, you can easily become overwhelmed. Just as easy is to be tempted by the unhealthy choices. Thankfully, most restaurants these days include healthy options on their menus and label them accordingly.

For your main course, choose chicken, turkey, ham, or fish over beef. If it comes with a sauce, avoid creamy or cheesy sauces and go with a tomato or vegetable sauce. Additionally, try to include a salad, fruit, or steamed vegetable, and go sparingly on dressings, cheese, salt, and butter. Instead of chips, fries, or fried rice, choose boiled rice or potatoes. Need some extra seasoning? Leave the salt and butter alone. Instead, reach for some fresh herbs or lemon. And if the meal comes with bread, choose a whole-grain option and go with a sherbet, sorbet, or fresh fruit if you can't say no to dessert.

Food Preparation
Menus are often vague when it comes to the way the food is prepared. If you're not sure or the menu doesn't say how the food is prepared, be sure to ask. Remember—restaurant foods are full of fats, as fats help keep the food moist and yummy. To play it safe and to avoid excess fat, choose foods that are grilled, boiled, steamed, stir-fried, or poached instead of fried, baked, or battered. Also, take control of your food destiny by asking that your meal be prepared with olive oil instead of butter or other fats. When your salad arrives, opt for oil and vinegar rather than dressing. Or have your dressing on the side so you can limit the amount you use.

Terms to watch for include "lightly breaded," "wrap," "baked," and "vinaigrette." These may all sound healthy but may are deceiving. Foods that are lightly breaded are often deep-fried. A wrap may sound like a good option, but two slices of bread may have fewer calories than a 10-inch tortilla. Baked sounds better than fried, but it could possibly mean the food is baked deep-dish style and contains high-fat, creamy ingredients. While baked salmon is a good choice, baked lasagna is high in fat. And though vinaigrette dressing sounds healthier than a cream based dressing, it is mostly oil, so order it on the side.

Portion Control
Not only do portions keep getting bigger, so do the plates that hold them! With so much food sitting in front of you, it is sometimes hard to resist the temptation to eat it all—especially when you paid so much for it. To avoid the temptation to eat unhealthily large portions, split or share the entree, then choose a soup, salad, or extra side. If you know you'll get too much food, go ahead and ask for a to-go box when you order. That way you can divide the food as soon as you get it, so you won't have to stare at the extra food as you eat.

Know What to Look For
Knowing what to look for on a menu and what to avoid will help you choose healthier, low-fat options. If you find that your diet is lacking fruits, vegetables, or whole grains when you eat out, make up for it when you eat your other meals at home. Remember that healthy eating is only half of the battle when it comes to losing weight
Adjust Your Mindset
Eating out should be a luxury, not an everyday affair. If you find yourself choosing at restaurants more often than you'd like—especially if you're eating all the wrong foods, cut back on your eating out ways and watch your calorie intake drop instantly!
 
Best of success to you... Reggie Cochran
 
 
 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Is your body language hurting your business building?

Even when you don't say a word, other people can still learn a lot about what kind of person you are and what you are thinking and feeling.
How do other people do this? By studying your body language.
 
The term body language refers to the messages you send out with your body gestures and facial expressions. Some body language experts claim that only about 7% of our messages to other people are communicated through the words we speak. The rest of our messages are conveyed through our body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions.
 
During your entire life you have been sending messages to others through your posture, gestures, and facial expressions. When you were an infant, before you learned to speak, people were peering into your little baby face, looking at your gestures, and listening to your little cries and gurgles, trying to decipher what kind of mood you were in, and what you were trying to say.
 
And you have been reacting to the body language, voice tone, and facial expressions of the people around you all your life, even though you may not have been consciously aware of it.
 
What sorts of messages are you conveying to others with your body language? Does your body language encourage other people to approach you? Or do you subconsciously warn them to stay away?
 
Take a moment to think about how you usually stand or sit when you are with other people. What are you doing with your hands? Where are you looking with your eyes? Does your face express interest in the people you are with, or does your face stay a tense, stony mask? When you are sitting or standing, do you usually cross your arms across your chest? If this is your typical way of standing or sitting, how do you think other people interpret this posture?
 
Did you realize that most people will subconsciously interpret your arms crossed in front of your chest as a signal that you don't want anyone to approach you? Only the bravest souls are likely to come forward when you adopt this posture.
 
If you stand awkwardly, with your chest slumped forward, your shoulders drooping, and your eyes avoiding everyone else, people are likely to decide you are very depressed or completely lacking in confidence. They may fear that trying to talk with you will be an awkward experience.
When you stand awkwardly, you do not project any sign that you are confident in yourself, or that you have any interest in the people around you. Instead you look like you are trying to disappear.
 
No matter how desperately you want someone to come over and befriend you, if your body language projects awkwardness or disinterest in others, it's not very likely that many people will try to start a conversation with you.
 
If some body language signals can frighten people away, are there signals that will encourage people to come forward and approach you? Yes, you can look much more approachable to others if you adopt body language that is open and non-threatening.
 
Whether you are sitting or standing, aim for a posture that is upright and alert, yet relaxed. If you notice that your chest or shoulders are slumping, straighten up.
 
Become aware of the way you are breathing. Does your breath move in and out smoothly? Or does it move with jerky little stops and starts? If you notice that you are holding your breath, or breathing in a shallow, jerky manner, this is a sign of anxiety. When you breathe shallowly, you have to breathe more often, which can increase your appearance of nervousness. Consciously tell all the muscles of your body to relax. Use your abdomen to help you breathe smoothly and deeply. Let the bottom part of your lungs fill up with air as well as the top.
 
What are you doing with your hands? If you get nervous in social situations, you may feel that no matter what you do with your hands, it's the wrong thing. Many people who cross their arms in front of their chest are probably doing so at least in part because they don't know where else to put their hands. You should never cross your arms in front of your chest unless you really don't want anybody to approach you. That is the message this gesture sends out.
 
If you want to look open and approachable, keep your arms at your sides, or put one hand in your pocket. If you want to hold something in one hand, keep your hand at the side of your body, and not in front of you. Holding your arm in front of your body can be seen as a signal that you want to defend yourself against other people.
 
Stay aware of and focused on your surroundings and the people around you. If you find yourself tuning out your surroundings, you will start to focus too much on your negative inner sensations and thoughts. This can quickly increase your anxiety to a very uncomfortable level.
 
What sort of facial expression should you have if you want people to approach you? In most cases, a gentle, pleasant smile should do the trick. Too much of a smile that never softens can look forced and nervous. A pleasant smile with a twinkle in your eyes will convey to other people the impression that chatting with you will be a pleasant experience.
 
Business Building is all about building great relationships. You can say the right words, but your body language can have the person you are talking with, here something entirely different. So always be aware of whether your body language is helping or hurting you. If you are not sure of what others think of you.... ask. Go to someone who cares about you and will be honest. Then pay attention to what they tell you. Hey... its a key to success that does not cost you anything but your paying attention to yourself. So... go ahead... take advantage of it :  )
 
 
Best of success... Reggie Cochran
 

4 Tips For Home Business Success

There are many ways to help ensure the success of your home business. Even something as simple as your frame of mind can determine whether or not your home business will be successful. Here are a few tips to help make your home business live up to its potential.
 
First, in keeping with the idea that a positive outlook helps your home business, remember that not everything is as bad as it seems. When things with your home business are not going well, or you feel frustrated and discouraged, continue on. Perhaps there is a new sale for your home business, or some other bit of positive encouragement right around the corner.
 
Second, remember that you can do almost anything that you set your mind to do. With smart work and determination, your home business can be all that you've dreamed it would be. Don't let people or problems discourage you or get you to let go of your home business dreams. At the same time, don't sit idle and expect your home business dreams to happen without your help, either. Your smart work, tenacity, and determination can cause your home business to prosper in all the ways you've hoped.
 
Third, it is important to remember not to let your pride get in the way of what you want to accomplish as a home business owner. Build bridges with your home business customers and other colleagues by admitting when you are wrong, making up for mistakes, and doing whatever it takes to earn their business. Additionally, in your home business, it is important to share credit with any other business partners or colleagues that have been part of something positive. Carrying out these good home business practices will keep you in good standing with your customers and business associates
.
Fourth, remember to write down the goals for your home business. It is a proven fact that a home business, or any other venture, will get much farther toward the goal if it is written down. Make a home business plan for yourself. What do you hope to accomplish in your home business within the next year or two? What about five years from now? How can you make that happen? This is beneficial to your home business, not only by causing you to remember your original intentions, but also by helping you to break down your hopes and dreams into smaller pieces of a home business plan.
 
Best of success to you... Reggie Cochran
 

Not your Fault.. But Your Choice!

We can't always help being broke or having bad things happen to us... but we can control how we react. This includes how happy we are, how clean we are and whether we do something positive to change the bad situation we are in.
 
Your Success is Your Choice. Your Happiness is Your Choice. Your Cleanliness is Your Choice. So today.... Make The Right Choices that will lead you closer to being healthier, wealthier & wiser than you are right now : )
 
Best of success, Reggie Cochran

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The average American spends over 35 hours a week (yes... a WEEK) in front of a TV set. Imagine how much better off they would be if they spend just an hour a day on self improvement activities & education.

My partners and I have created one of the best kept secrets in self improvement that anyone with internet access can benefit from 24/7.

Watch this very short video and then visit www.MentorsClub.com for more videos & information.

Best of success... Reg
www.facebook.com/reggiecochran
www.reggiecochran.com
www.mentorsclub.com
www.chucknorris.ws



Free "National____ Day" Publicity?

One way to make a name for yourself by declaring a National ___ Day. (You fill in the blank) plan out your "day" events and then contact the media. Play it right and you might even get picked up by the big media players.
 
Tips: Don't just be creative, be outrageous. If your product is peanut butter, don't simply declare it to be National Peanut Butter Day, make it National Walking On Peanut Butter Day and get a group of people to walk or race across it without falling. Or maybe National Peanut Butter Painting Day. Then hold an art contest filled with paintings created with Peanut Butter only.
 
Make it fun and above all make it memorable and interactive. Is your product copiers? Make it National Photocopy Your ___ Day and hold a contest for the best one. If your product is building websites? Make it National No More Ugly Websites Day and activate a dozen new profit and non-profit websites at once in front of the media. Your product teaches people about blogging? Hold a National New Bloggers Day and do a live webinar in which you teach a thousand people how to start their first blog right there in real time.
 
And if you can donate proceeds to a charitable cause, you're even more likely to get media attention. So go for it. Be a little crazy and above all just have fun.
 
Best of success to you... Reg
 
 
 

Are you being controlled by...?

If you find yourself being controlled by negative thoughts, pay close attention to what you are watching, reading & listen to. You are probably letting a lot of negative data into your brain. Remember.. YOUR success starts in YOUR mind. "garbage in.... garbage out"
 
Best of health, wealth & happiness to you... Reg
 

Thanks for helping us reach #1 Best Seller status!

I want to personally thank everyone who helped make "Think & Grow Rich Today" a #1 Best Seller : ) http://www.prlog.org/12193156-business-expert-dr-reggie-cochran-hits-amazon-best-seller-list-with-think-and-grow-rich-today.html
 
Blessings, Reg
 

How do YOU see YOURSELF?

If you don't see yourself successful, important, worthy (insert your own word here) no one else will. You reap what you sow. That especially includes the way you think about yourself, see yourself & act. Remember... See It! Say It! Be It! Best of health, wealth & happiness to you.... Reg