Everyone Can Start A Business!

Someone asked me what is the fastest way to set up an online business. Well, it's pretty fast if you can find a supplier company that supports your venture all the way from the very beginning.

I know of a company that supplies Wholesale Designer Sunglasses that does just this. It does not matter if you do not have a large capital, CTSWholesalers.com will support your venture as long as you have the business spirit.

Really, at replica wholesale designer sunglasses selling from $10 per dozen, how much capital does one need to start a business retailing sunglasses? Wholesale sunglasses are sold by the dozen so you can have a wide variety of stocks in your inventory without too much holding cost.

This is one of the things I like about CTSWholesalers.com. Other wholesale companies need you to buy by the dozens to qualify for wholesale price but CTSWholesalers.com will sell even if you only want to buy a dozen.

Indeed, everyone can go into business!

Baby Stroller Rain Covers

I was searching online for baby products for my friend's baby's first month party. I wanted a unique gift that both stands out and is practical for daily use.

Coincidentally, I came across the online store of Sasha Kiddie Products which specializes in jogging, baby car seat and baby Stroller Rain Covers and the number one online seller of sun protectors.

I think a baby stroller rain cover would make a great gift for my friend. There are many leading brands to select from and I like the usability of the product which can be easily attached to the stroller and its easy maintenance. These are the factors that I always look out for in gifts, especially when the gift is for a baby.

Moreover, I am delighted that these high quality baby stroller covers carried by Sasha Kiddie Products are very affordable and that makes my decision in going to a baby stroller cover all the easier to make!

Marc's Mother's Day Flowers

My friend, Marc asked me what is the best gift to send to his mother for Mother's Day as she will be touring the United States in May. I told him the best is to send her fresh Mother’s Day flowers which he can conveniently buy online from an online flower shop. It will be hassle-free since his gift could be delivered on the same day to her.

On the other hand, if he is not so keen on flowers, he can also buy a plant or perhaps a gourmet gift basket would be more suitable.

I still believe it is the thought that counts, and I am sure that no matter what gift Marc decides to buy for his mother on Mother's Day, it will still be much appreciated.

Marc was so happy with my suggestion that he wants to buy his mother a bouquet of exotic fresh flowers!

Macecraft Software's jv16 PowerTools

Recently, I was having problems with my computer. It was sluggish and difficult to load and I have no idea what was wrong. I hate to face with these problems and I cannot afford to have my computer down so it stresses me out.

My friend recommended me Macecraft Software's jv16 PowerTools, a quality Windows utility suite that he says can help me clean up my computer easily and get my Windows optimized in a jiffy.

Luckily, I was able to download a trial version and true enough, it helped me clean up my junk and now my computer is running as fast as it should once again. What I like about the software is its user-friendliness and intuitiveness. Having a non-technical mind, this ease of use is what I look for in ever program.

Macecraft Software's jv16 PowerTools normally sells at $29.95 but the good news is that with a discount code (I love discount codes!) found at http://www.macecraft.com/set_discount.php?code=blog83 you can actually save 20% off any Macecraft Software product, including jv16 PowerTools.

Do check out the software and you would be amazed at the features that are available.

Cheaper Than Free

People never fail to amaze me. I thought I have seen all angles of greediness with people ordering freebies time and again from my WebStore which I have highlighted a couple of times on the blog. The times I have published the orders are just a fraction of reality.

Today, though, I received a champion order. Check out the screenshot below:

~*~ Click on image to enlarge ~*~

Once again, I have hid the identity of the "buyer". I am so very tempted to reveal the information should it happen once more. This fler, wants them cheaper than free. if you check the remarks.

I don't dare imagine what is cheaper than free? Negative?

AZCentral's "Chow and Tell"

I am an avid reader of AZCentral since it was introduced to me last year. Recently, I am delighted to find that they have a new column called "Chow and Tell". Being a food lover myself, I really enjoy reading about their food excursions where there are new phoenix restaurants featured regularly.

I find it interested to read of AZCentral's team of experts going to the streets and bring us the low down on restaurants according to themes. To be honest, the images alone are mouth watering enough, without reading the reviews. AZCentral's "Chow and Tell" is indeed Phoenix, Arizona's ultimate dining guide which everyone should consult before hitting town.

I am so proud that I know more about hot dining places in Phoenix better than my friends in Phoenix! They should log on to AZCentral more often!

Ocean Fan, Leader in Solar Energy Comfort Products

Earlier this year when my friend's family was planning to build a large house, which we call a bungalow here, I asked him if he will have it solar powered. Since the house is so huge and will be consuming a lot of electricity, wouldn't it be more logical to use solar energy? He said no, because solar energy technology is still not up to par, according to him. I believed him simply because he is an engineer and should know better.

Well, lo and behold. Today, I came across Ocean Fan and who says solar energy is not advanced enough to power our homes?? I need to show him this site if only to tell him how wrong he is.

Ocean Fan has been a major player in manufacturing and supplying solar energy comfort products since 1977 and since then has continued to bring us improved, quality solar comfort products from fans to lighting.

With great innovation, Ocean Fan, the leading supplier of all things solar, has made progressive engineering improvements on its vast selection of products for home and industrial use while keeping prices low. It is a shame that my friend, being an engineer, does not know about this!

43 Must-Know Tips for Every First-time Home Buyer

I came across an article entitled 43 Must-Know Tips for Every First-time Home Buyer. As a potential first time home buyer myself, I find the list very comprehensive and relevant to today's home buying and selling market. Honestly, I did not know that there are so many factors to consider in home buying. I had thought that as long as I am able to budget my income and expenses, I would be save but according to the article, there are many hidden aspects to home buying that I should find out before committing to a home.

For one, I need to know who the real estate agent really represents, the Buyer or the Seller and whose rights he protects and who should be responsible for his commission.

I like the points about furnishing the home that will save money in the long term. I always believe in practicality and paying for something that may cost more now but more durable and will not go out of fashion. This article even has insulation information which I find useful.

I believe that I will put this new found knowledge from this article when I am financially strong enough to make my first home purchase.

The Booming South Boston Real Estate

Warren, my friend, was looking to invest into real estate. According to his extensive research, now is the best time to purchase a home. Well, he is very prudent with his money so I guess he is most probably right about the timing invest in real estate.

He said that one of the more popular places to buy a home is in Boston. Take a look at the South Boston real estate. It is practically booming. Warren's friend, who is attached to a leading realtor, told that since the inception of the company in 2002, they have been enjoying tremendous sales thanks to the rapid development of the city.

Warren says that he is very excited with the chance to get into the real estate market at this still early stage. He has already made plans to view a few properties when he is in Boston early next month. Well, I am as excited as him!

When Credit Card Problem Occurs

Many times, people face problems using their credit card while paying for purchases online. Well, this can be easily solved. If you are an active online shopper, it is better to let your credit card issuer know that you will be using your card to pay for your online purchases.

If they knew beforehand, they will not keep blocking your payment. Of course, this may seem like a hassle, but it is only a security measure that your credit card issuer has taken due to the high cases of credit card fraud.

Maybank is known to be very vigilant in suspending credit card transactions. If you are a Maybank credit card holder and you would like to use it online, just let them know.

Public Bank is also very vigilant. They will call you up as within minutes of you charging your card if the amount is more than a thousand Ringgit. Well, all safety measures are very good for the customers so do not think of it as being troublesome to you.

Best Priced Furniture

I went furniture shopping with a friend last weekend. She wanted my opinion and to be frank, none of the furniture shops that we went to had anything interesting enough for me. In the end, she was tired of searching and just bought what she wanted from the next shop, although I told her it was just plain uninspiring furniture.

I knew there I can shop for better furniture at more attractive prices online and true enough, I came across Best Priced Furniture, an online furniture store that caters to the home and office.

Now, furniture here really stand out. I especially like the unique designs of kids furniture. When I was furniture shopping, I thought of buying a book case and a computer desk. I am glad that they are available at Best Priced Furniture in a wide variety and at great discount prices too.

Dallas Website Design Services

Two days ago, I published a post on the blog asking how to build a website. A reader has kindly introduced me to a Dallas website design company. He said that this company not only designs website professionally but also offers web hosting, custom graphics and logo creation, content writing and what I especially need for my etrading business: search engine optimization, e-commerce and internet marketing solutions.

I thank him very much for recommending me a full service web design and internet marketing company. Although I had wanted to set up a personal homepage on the new domain that I bought, I would not mind having another revamp on my online store.

From past experiences, a new layout always brought in fresh sales. Perhaps I should give this a go!

How To Build A Website?

I am stumped. Surprised that I run an online store and don't even know how to set up a basic website? Well, for my online store, I took the easy way out and had it set up for me.

This website that I am planning to build is actually a personal homepage, a non-commercial site just for fun. Did I mention already that I can in fact host up to five domain names on my current hosting package? So I do not have to incur extra expenses. Lucky for me. Since this is just for fun, I don't want to waste money in buying another hosting package and besides, it is more convenient to host everything under one roof, albeit a little more risky.

So what to do now? This will be my new project after changing the layout of the blog. If you think that I have too much free time on my hands, it can't be farther from the truth. But since I have already bought a domain name cheaply, I might as well do something with it, right?

Vision POS Leader in POS Systems & Products

Every retailer knows that a reliable retail pos system is very important in tracking sales data of each particular outlet and for the company as a whole. Tracking sales data and making decisions from there is where a company can make or lose millions of dollars in sales.

Recently, retail giant Aeropostale and Regal Entertainment Group, a major movie company, engaged the services of Vision POS to overhaul their retail point of sale systems over a two year period.

These companies are only two of the latest to join a whole list of large retail corporations to have used the services of Vision POS.

Vision POS is a leader in point of sales systems and POS products. However, not only does Vision POS provide excellent end-to-end service but at a lower cost too due to its refurbished equipment. Using refurbished equipment is actually very environmental friendly and cheaper than using new equipment.

Vision POS is able to help companies like Aeropostale and Regal Entertainment Group without costing a bomb.

SEO More Than Meta Tweaking

I was searching online for ways to improve the search engine rankings of my online store when I came across Customer Magnetism, a company that provides search engine optimization services.

According to the company, search engine optimization is more than just tweaking of meta tags and content. Moreover, it is a waste of time and money if we were to engage the services of companies that charge us cheaply but are not able to deliver us the desired results. Therefore, it is important to check the track record of companies that offer these services.

What I like about Customer Magnetism is after the first year is up, they will offer their clients renewal plans at a fraction of their initial first year cost so that these clients can continue to have the website monitored by professionals and maintain the new Page Rank at a more affordable rate.

Developing Emotional Intelligence

Last week, I wrote about participating in a friend's appraisal. He later told me that it is the best way to develop Emotional Intelligence with 360 degree feedback . That's why he needs to have himself accessed by people who know him well and who has worked with him before to provide him with honest feedback using this non-partial system.

He said that nowadays, the job market is so competitive, he needs to have an edge over other job seekers and with a well developed emotional intelligence, he believes he will be more than a step ahead of his contemporaries.

Check out the press release on Appraisal360.

Imagine that you lived on your own in the world and you were the only person to give you feedback. It would be a bit of a lonely life and you wouldn't learn much.

The fact is that the only real way to assess your emotional intelligence is to get feedback from people who know you and the way you interact. Developing the emotional intelligence of your workforce is good for business. It's the vital quality that underpins good teamwork, good industrial relations and makes the difference between having an inspired workforce and an average one.

Just imagine a contented workforce which ran smoothly and efficiently with a minimum of fuss. Using 360-degree feedback as part of your appraisal and development process you can bring some serious benefits to both your business and your people. People gain much better self awareness by learning how their colleagues perceive them.

People generally like 360 degree feedback. They take things less personally and are more likely to take on board what's been said. It helps people understand how their behaviour influences both their own personal effectiveness and how they impact the smooth running of the organisation. It improves communication within the organisation and encourages a more open culture where giving and receiving constructive feedback is the norm. It is a very powerful driver for change both for individuals and organisations as a whole.

The Appraisal360 system has no setup costs and is targeted at Employers, HR Professionals and Individuals.

More information at:
http://www.appraisal360.co.uk/Emotional-Intelligence-Homepage-66

Guide To Better Business Blogging

When I first started this blog, I was a newbie with no knowledge of blogging. My main aim was to promote my business and provide an online newsletter to my customers. As time goes by, my blog has evolved into a semi-business blog. Business actually covers a very broad spectrum and e-Commerce is after all, only one tiny aspect of it.

Last week, I spent time reflecting on how to make my blog better. Of course, the first step is to use a better layout which I have spent time searching for to no avail. So far none caught my eye until I had to fully customize one.

The other point is to write better. Of course, writing style is very subjective. Some people may like it, some may not but generally, not many people like to read business blogs unless he is in the trade himself.

Coincidentally, I came across a guide called Guide To Business Blogging where you can download for free from http://www.theblogstudio.com

This version, released in February, 2007 is an updated copy of the original guide. This 18-page guide is a wealth of information that any business blogger should get his hands on. At the end of the guide, the author says that blogging is a wonderfully rich experience and I have to agree with him wholeheartedly.

Unique Personalized Wedding Favors

I met my friend Carrie last weekend and she asked for my help in preparing wedding favors for her wedding next month. I stupidly agreed not knowing that there is not much time left to prepare. So I decided to shop online as it will save time and is less of a hassle.

The Knot Wedding Shop is one of the largest online retailers of wedding supplies and novelty items. To my delight, there are many unique personalized wedding favors to choose from that are affordable and well within Carrie's budget.

I am happy to know that The Knot Wedding Shop is able to accommodate our late order too. I have been told that Carrie is not the first bride to shop for wedding favors at the last minute!

Monetizing Websites

As you know, I have fully monetized my blog but I feel there must be better ways than publishing sponsored posts, selling text links and publishing contextual ads. Moreover, I have other websites and there is only a limited way for me to monetize them.

I came across a a series of videos called Visitor Sense that gives a comprehensive guide on How To Turn Sites Into Money. I am really excited that there are so many more opportunities available and from the long list of testimonials the strategy disclosed in the videos seem to work very well for them.

I am pretty sure that an investment of $47 will be money well spent if I am able to fully turn my sites into money making machines in just a few hours. If you are trying this method as well, do let me know your results!

eBay Bug Or What?

A few days ago, two of my items were won by a member on eBay Malaysia. The strange thing was that I received email notification for them but these two were not listed on my SOLD ITEMS page. Imagine if I did not receive the email notification, which happens more often than not, AND the items that have been won are not displayed on my Seller's dashboard, wow, what a miscommunication that would cause.

A miscommunication like that would of course jeopardise my reputation and as an etrader, online reputation is very, very important.

One thing that I am afraid of as I trade on eBay is phishing emails. Believe me, it is too rampant for comfort. So when I received the email notification of items won and seeing that the two items are not listed on my SOLD page, I was a little worried.

I went to the main eBay website to check and luckily, my items were indeed listed as WON. Phew ~ got me worried there for a while! I guess there was a bug on the local eBay or something. Anyway, hope it will be rectified soon.

Digital Scale - A Seller's Handy Tool

Since I ventured into ecommerce, I have thought of buying a digital scale so that it would be more convenient for me to quote an accurate shipping rate for my Buyers. I need a reliable and accurate digital scale because I do not charge extra but only what is imposed by my regular shipping company. Having a digital scale at home would be most convenient. However, the prices have put me off from buying one so far.

A fellow trader told me about ScalesEtc.com I was happy to note that there are so many types of scales available at affordable prices. Now I do not just want digital scales, but rather one of the digital pocket scales.

A digital pocket scale will allow me the flexibility of weighing my items wherever I wish. The size is also just right for me and at a price of under $60 with lifetime warranty it is an investment worth my money.

If you are also an etrader like me, selling from home, you will know that having a digital scale handy would save you a lot of runaround.

Hassle-free Projector Rental

My friend, Paul's office was supposed to make a presentation to a client that was coming from another state. They were very nervous because it was a huge architecture project that they just have to clinch after spending hours working on it. The big moment has arrived for them to showcase their creativity.

To make things worse, they found that their projector wasn't working properly! Paul panicked and went searching for a projector hoping to loan one from neighboring offices but they also have presentations to make and could not accommodate him.

Finally, he went online to search and came across Projector123.com that specializes in projector rentals. This company knows the exact needs of a business consumer and was very helpful towards Paul. Most importantly, they delivered the projector when they say they would.

Paul made the presentation on time and managed to clinch the deal successfully. Luckily there was a sweet ending after all the drama.

Professional XP Icons

I was actually browsing the internet trying to find cute icons for my upcoming website when I came across IconPlant.com, a website that specializes in XP Icons for software developers, webmasters or people preparing multimedia presentations.

I am sure you are familiar with the icons on your Windows XP. If you like them, you will like these on IconPlant as well. Check out the screenshots I took. There is always just the right icon for you no matter what industry you are in.

I must say these XP icons are of very rich looking and professionally designed. The artwork is brilliant and original. For such high quality icon packages, I am surprised that they come affordably priced. I have seen other websites selling something like that but their prices have put me off from browsing further.

Furthermore, it looks like IconPlant.com is having a sale right now so their icon packages are even more well worth our money.

I am a noob when it comes to anything technical so if I were to buy, I would gladly welcome the great support that they give to their customers. Before I make a final decision, I am glad that I am allowed to download sample icons for free so that I can really check them out. You should check out IconPlant.com as well!

New Layout!

Yay! I finally gotten down to changing my layout! Phew, that was a lot of work and took me a few hours to complete it to my satisfaction! I first made a post about that I need new layout on 20th March, 2007 and it took me less than a week to get it implemented. I guess this is a new record for me, the procrastination Queen. But what the hey, it was Sunday and Sundays are meant for us to fool around and not work!

Check out the original template and see the amount of customization I made. The original template was made by an Italian designer by the name of Cristina and can be found HERE.

I had in fact spent a week searching for free Blogger templates online but none was up to my expectation, unfortunately. I was already familiar with L’Amour earlier, so I thought I would get the layout but change the header image, courtesy of Vladstudio, and the color scheme.

And to top off my day, not only did I change the layout of this blog, I also changed the layout of FreebieLand. It was originally pink and now it is blue! I'm so proud of my work! Check it out too, will ya?

Professional Flash Templates

Since my purchase of a new domain name two weeks ago, I have spent much time online searching for beautiful flash templates for my new ecommerce site. I had hoped to find a free template but none of them caught my attention. I guess it is true that good things don't come free.

I came across Flashtrue.com and I must say that there are so many attractive ones here I do not know which to buy! The flash templates sold on TrueFlash.com are really professional looking. What I like about it is that for an average price of $60, it comes with so many goodies including professional logos, web elements, 25% discount from Proposalkit.com, free hosting 25 GB space for a year and many more with a total value of $295.

I guess I will have to really spend more time selecting the best flash template for my new website!

No. 1 On Google Search

I am so happy to share with you that the keywords "Merci Intimates" which I am selling, returns my eBay listing at the top spot on Google Search. It is indeed a moment to be proud of.

Search Engine Optimization is very crucial even in individual auction listing. Can you imagine coming up at Number One among all the thousands of webpages with the same keywords?

This is a cause for celebration even if that Merci Intimates set is still unsold. But I am confident that all will be fine eventually.

Check out the screenshots of Google Search results and my listing on eBay. You can compare the item number. Oh hey, they are the same! Yay!

TimeTrex Press Release

Soon after Paul adopted the free open-source Time and Attendance software of TimeTrex for his company, we received a press release from them. Paul fully agrees that using this software for staff management has been cost effective.

He is so satisfied with the performance that he told me once he gets the hang of using this essentially web-based software, he may even consider upgrading to its professional version where more features and support are available.

Of course I do think Paul should get the upgrade if only for the support, since he is not a very tech savvy guy!

New Open-source Time and Attendance Web-based Package Launched

Westbank, BC, Canada, 03/12/2007 - TimeTrex, unique new open-source software moves web-based time and attendance and payroll into the 21st century.

It's time to toss those punch cards out. TimeTrex's unique, open-source time and attendance and payroll system integrates a number of crucial features into one easy-to-use, web-based package.

"Organizations can often cut significant costs by making their time and attendance and payroll systems more efficient and cost-effective," says Mike Benoit of TimeTrex. "TimeTrex does just that, and best of all, its standard edition, in the true spirit of the open source movement, is absolutely free to download."

TimeTrex features integrated employee scheduling, attendance, job costing, and payroll functions. It has hardware support for iButtons, biometrics, proximity cards, barcodes, and mobile devices. Apart from time management, TimeTrex comes fully integrated with a powerful payroll processing system, available at the click of a button.

Being essentially web-based, TimeTrex allows secure and easy access to its interface from anywhere in the world. By streamlining employee time and attendance functions, the software allows companies to concentrate on their revenue-generating core competencies.

TimeTrex has been designed to suit small and large businesses, with one or more locations. TimeTrex's standard edition is free to download for an unlimited number of employees. Quotes for its professional edition are available on its website.

"Its many flexible features, combined with its open-source nature, make TimeTrex a one-of-its-kind software," says Benoit. "TimeTrex frees up labor and capital, so you can devote your resources to the challenges of growing your business."

Sellers, Verify Payment Receipt First

It is surprising that there are still Sellers who are trusting enough to ship an item out before verifying payment receipt. Personally, I always verify it first then only pack and ship. In the early days, I pack the item as soon as it has been won, but I was made to wait for ages for payment which never arrived, and the item still wrapped, that I changed my way of doing things.

I understand that sometimes it is not easy to verify payment despite having online and phone banking. I have experienced system breakdown on Maybank2u which made me go to the bank physically to check.

Sometimes my buyers make payment to my other bank account with CIMB, which does not have online banking facilities and I also have to go and check physically.

In such cases, I would wrap the package first, then off to the bank to verify payment receipt and then to the post office if payment is already in.

There are sometimes people who take advantage of the Seller's trust by asking for the package to be shipped first, but that shouldn't be the way. If both parties follow the proper procedure, there will be less misunderstanding.

Mortgage Blog Find

Today, I came across a mortgage blog that is an engaging read. I sometimes do read mortgage blogs but mortgages can be a rather dry topic that's why I am not a regular reader of any mortgage blogs. However, Mortgage Low Down is written differently. Upon discovering the blog, I found myself reading article after article. That's why I mentioned that the blog is engaging.

It is great to see Mortgage Low Down participated in a blog carnival recently on home improvement. The strange thing is that there are ten participating articles but there are no comments, not even from the writers of the articles. I believe the writers should be encouraged to comment on Mortgage Low Down.

Also, because I enjoyed reading this blog, I found myself looking for the "About" page but there is none so I could not find more information on the authors. Randomly, I could see at least three writers so perhaps it would be a good idea to have a column for the authors which upon clicking on their names, will take us to articles written by each particular author, although I noticed that the older articles have no author stated.

Apart from these small issues, the blog is fine.

Online Petition Against Skyhobby

It is disheartening to read that the Skyhobby case on Lelong.com.my has dragged on for two long yeas. Isn't that enough time for full refund already? I think nobody wants their goods anymore when the technology is already two years old. One of the victims reported that he recently received MYR100 from Skyhobby as partial repayment. GOSH! I think Lelong has to enforce a better repayment plan for victims of Skyhobby so that they can receive their full repayment sooner and not receive that sporadic MYR100.

Lelong.com.my is a business entity that is based solely on trust from both Buyers and Sellers. Having such a huge con case on their hands that has dragged on for such a long time without an ending in sight is not going to do their business any good. The sooner Lelong.com.my takes action to safeguard buyers, the better off they will be.

By the way, a victim of Skyhobby has started an online petition at PetitionOnline.com. So far, there are only twenty five signatories and we know that the number is way higher than that!

If you are or know of anyone who is a unfortunately a Skyhobby victim, please let your voice be heard. The online petition against Skyhobby can be found HERE.

Related posts:
To All Victims of Skyhobby
Skyhobby in the News
In the blink of an eye ....

Open-Source Employee Management Software

I went to visit my friend at his office last week. It was a long promised visit that I finally managed to fulfill. When I was there, I was surprised that his office is still using the old employee punch card system. His company runs 24 hours and the staff are on three eight hourly shifts, so you can imagine the chaos in keeping track of staff scheduling and attendance.

I told him that he should upgrade his system where all new offices are already adopting. Employees are no longer tracked using spreadsheets or punch cards because of computerised technology like TimeTrex, an open source payroll, Time and Attendance management software.

I showed him the website of TimeTrex where we could view a demo of what the software could offer. This software is essentially web-based so employee tracking could be done online anywhere in the world. Besides, this new system will save a lot of man hours, resources and of course money for the company because everything is computerised.

Paul was very happy to know of this free software. He told me that he will implement it in his office as soon as possible and this will surely bring down his cost for the year.

Big Paw Designs Online Store

As an animal lover myself, one of the places I love to go to is pet stores and even when I am online, I always check out online stores that are dedicated to our furry companions.

Today, I discovered a unique gift store but the gifts here are for pets! Big Paw Designs really understands that all pet owners want the best for the pets. One of the ways that we can show them is to adorn them with charms and jewelry and to provide them with other material things to make their lifetime with us more comfortable.

I had a great time surfing Big Paw Designs and I think these accessories are not only great for our own furry pals but also make great gifts if we have friends who love their pets just as much as we do. It is very endearing to the pet owner if you get something for her beloved pet!

I thank Big Paw Designs for coming up with such a unique idea selling high quality, pet-safe accessories for us to pamper our dogs and cats!

Keeping Stocks Fresh & Updated

Many people are afraid to venture into business because of the many unknown issues. One issue is the sourcing of products. I have always stressed the importance of finding a reliable supplier that can offer you the best prices without compromising on quality. This is important because we do want our customers to keep returning to buy from us, don't we?

From research I made on online trading, one of the best selling products currently is sunglasses that are comparable to brand name designs. As a trader, we would want to get them cheaply so that we can resell at a good profit margin to make our time spent nurturing the business worthwhile.

Wholesale Sunglasses from CTSWholesaleSunglasses.com are sold from $10 and above per dozen. If you can sell them at an average price of $10 per unit, you will gain the other eleven units for free.

Another important factor to keep our customers coming back is the ability to keep our stocks fresh. I believe this can be easily achieved with the over three hundred styles available from CTSWholesaleSunglasses.com

I think if one wants to go into business, there is nothing much to worry about with the backing of CTSWholesaleSunglasses.com because apart from providing us with the products, they also have great ideas for us to implement that will ensure our profitability.

World Racing Forum

A few readers were surprised when I wrote about my interest in motoracing some months ago. Well, I do admit that not many girls are into this. I am only a bystander though, and not a racer myself. Perhaps it is my fear for speed if I were the one behind the steering wheel that is the root cause for this fascination for motorsports.

Today, to my delight, I came across a very active Formula 1 Forum. At first, I thought that this is just another forum but the banner stood out and it caught my attention. Of course, I just had to register myself.

I signed up pronto and was able to jump in and start posting on my favorite topics. I like to participate in polls and discussions with like-minded people and I managed to do that in the World Racing Forum. It is exciting to engage in intelligent chats with people from all corners of the world and having a fun motorsport discussion experience is a daily affair. In short, I was welcomed warmly to the forum.

This forum is different from other similar forums due to its great diversity of different motorsport discussions from Formula One to World Racing to Suprebikes and even virtual racing.

Being a member of the fastest growing motorsport community, I am also able to upload and download images and videos to share with fellow members. Moreover, as a collector of all things motorsports, I find the trading section of the forum where we can buy and sell motorsport merchandise particularly interesting. I can't help but check out the section every time I log in for new merchandise.

I could play WRF Prediction, Fantasy and BATracer Leagues all day long with fellow members and the competition makes playing all the more interesting.

There is a wonderful sense of community here that every motorsport lover should join. If you are an auto racing fan like me, you MUST check out the World Racing Forum and be a part of this wonderful community. Sign up now and get your avatar gallery. I bet you will also, like me, enjoy your time at this refreshing ad-free forum.

Lelong's Notice To Sellers

Lelong Administrators have issued a notice to all Sellers on their platform, especially IC Verified and Store Members, to change their passwords. This is especially important if you have a Lelong account that has the same User ID and password.

It is never wise to use the same User ID and password for any account on the internet, let a long something as important as a trading account.

As an added measure, it is best to use a password that is secure, by adding in digits to your letters. An alpha - numeric combination, though not hack-proof, is not as easy to crack as a solely alphabetical password.

If you have a non-secure password, change it now.

Romance With Russian Women

A couple of my customers told me that they are not able to support my business for the time being as they have broken off with their girlfriends. They also expressed disappointment that local girls are not what they seem. Well, what can I say? I am a local girl myself!

I told them that since they are already disenchanted with finding romance successfully here, they should look abroad and where better than finding love with Russian women?

The world knows that Russian women are generally very beautiful. The good news is, not only are they beautiful externally, they are also beautiful in their hearts with deep-seated traditional values that place the family above herself and her career.

I told them to check out LoversPlanet.com for the whole database of Russian and eastern European women and I am sure they will find the love they have been seeking.

New Small Business Mavericks 2-Tier Affiliate Program

I previously wrote a post on Small Business Mavericks. Well, they have just announced an affiliate program that offers 35% commission on all products sold. I must admit I a pretty excited about this program as I have searched for a good affiliate program almost six months ago to no avail. Some pays too low and do not pay second-tier commission whereas Small Business Mavericks will pay a 15% commission for every product sold by my down line.

I need to further supplement the revenue generated from my blog and I was not successful in finding products that really suit the theme of my blog. Well, that was until Small Business Mavericks launched its two-tier affiliate program recently.

I think the two products by Small Business Mavericks; How to Use E-mail to Skyrocket Your Sales Without Burning a Hole in Your Pocket! at $49 and How to Get Massive Publicity on a Shoestring Budget! at $39 are perfect for my blog. Besides, at those reasonable prices, it will not be too difficult to sell.

My Live Signature

Last week, I discovered a website that offers a free service that enables me to personalize my emails and I believe this will enhance my relationship with my customers. At least, I feel that signing off my emails with a live signature exudes more warmth and has a human touch.

Check out MyLiveSignature.com for relatively simple steps to animate your handwritten signature, like me. Generate the code and embed it into your email messages, blog posts, forums, social portals and anywhere your creativity takes you.

When I first used my live signature, I received feedback from my customers who told me that they are pleasantly surprised to see my live signature as if I was signing off my email right before their eyes. Many wanted to know how I managed to do this.

It is not a trick, I assure you. Get Your Live Signature Now and you too can impress your friends.

A Place For Creative Minds

What I like about the internet so much is the sense of community even though we are from all corners of the world but bonded by our common interest. Being online most of the day and night for work and play, I have registered with quite a few online social networks. Humans need companionship after all, even if it is only virtually.

Today, I came across a Dating Site For Creative People at TheWhole9.com. Not only is this a dating site, though. This site also serves as an venue to network, socialize, make friends, display our creative work, sought collaboration for our projects and also solicit jobs! In short, this is the virtual place for artist to see and be seen.

For members who would like to "do the town", there are plenty of recommendations from The Whole 9's in-house experts. Staying in but have no idea hw to spend the time with your loved one at home? Then you should meet Mannix. To find out who this lovely guy is, hop over to The Whole 9 now!

When The Ringgit Is Open To Foreign Trade

That is the time when Paypal will open its facilities to Malaysians. This is what I think. On one hand, it will be good to have Paypal open to us and we will be able to initiate direct withdrawal to our local bank account. On the other hand, such a move will open the Ringgit to the big bad world outside and market forces which may be unkind to it.

Therefore, when the Ringgit is once again a freely traded currency, we may or may not enjoy a good Ringgit - US Dollar exchange rate.

Maybe with an open Paypal facility and a lower exchange rate, it will be still better than what we are getting now? At least people will not be risking their Paypal funds to unscrupulous people who claims that they are able to trade Paypal funds with local currency. Either way, Please Let Us Withdraw Our Paypal Funds easily.

AutoCity101.com: Free Car Classifieds

This morning, I just wrote about supporting a website in order to raise funds for charity. Just now, I discovered another website that is set up to generate revenue which will be used towards setting up an orphanage network which will have its first home in Mexico.

The website is AutoCity101.com and although there are many Used Cars For Sale, this is not an ordinary used cars classifieds.

Users of AutoCity101.com are free to list,sell, buy or browse for cars. The need not pay a dime to use the site and in fact, everyone is encouraged to make use of this free service.

Revenue that is generated through advertisements and sponsors will be channeled to Natalia's House, according to owners of AutoCity101.com, Christian and Stephanie Sanchez.

It would be great if more and more people visit AutoCity101.com and support them in whatever way we can so that they are able to set up their orphanage network as soon as possible.

Floorzbuzz.com For Beautiful Tiles

I was invited to my friend's housewarming party over the weekend and I was mighty impressed by his interior design and finishing touches.

His rooms seemed brighter and more spacious but I know they aren't exceptionally large. I asked him what did he do to cause such an effect. He said the effect was caused by Iznik Premium Travertine Tile flooring.

He told me that he purchased the tiles from Floorzbuzz.com so the prices were very reasonable and he could use their tiles for almost every room. And thankfully so because he really loved the tiles offered by Floorzbuzz.com, especially Iznik Traventine and Accents Glass Tiles.

Malaysia Eases Foreign Exchange Rules

It was reported in Business papers on 21st March, 2007, that Malaysia has eased foreign exchange rules and the Ringgit strengthen more from that. Well, that may be good news to people who have to remit money out of the country, either for purchases or for their children's tertiary education overseas, but for etraders who do more international business than local, this is not so good.

Of course, on the whole, it is better to have a stronger Ringgit and having the Ringgit at 3.47 to a Dollar currently compared to 3.8 to a Dollar is better when we are sourcing for our products overseas.

On the other hand, people who sell local products to overseas of course would prefer the Ringgit at 3.8 to a Dollar. I would too. But I guess to be able to gain from the exchange, we can't complain too much. At least it is better than ten years ago when the Ringgit was only 2.6 to a Dollar!

Shop & Save With BondRewards

I have actually joined a lot of programs that promised me great point rebates but I do not actually like points because I would need to accumulate for a long time before I can redeem anything!

A friend, who is known as the financial wizard among us, told me that the best reward programs that I could join are those that rewards me with cash rebates. He also told me about BondRewards where I would be rewarded with US Savings Bonds just by doing my usual online shopping.

I find this one of the best reward programs and Bond Rewards in fact pays three times more on the average than other similar sites.

Join Bond Rewards now and Get your free savings now!

Who Still Believes in HYIP?

Are there still people naive enough to participate in High Yield Investment Programs? I guess there will always be suckers as more and more new people have internet access.

I myself lost US$100 a few yeas ago to a scheme that I don't even remember the name of. I participated because I gave in to a friend's persistent request for me to be his downline. I said OK, he can have the commission if he wants it.

I wouldn't say US$100 is a small amount but I participated knowing full well that I am risking my money and there may not be any returns at all. True enough, not even a month after I registered myself, the company was busted as a ponzi scheme. I am not the only one who lost money, although those who have joined in the early days would have already cashed out their profits and the money that was still tied up was just a fraction of their principal.

Yes, it was painful to lose US$100, and it stung to realize that it was bad judgment on my part. Since I already set aside the money with the high possibility of never seeing a return on that amount, I was not shocked. Thankfully that did not put me in such a financial spot that I required Credit Repair!

Moreover, I never asked any of my friends or family to be my downline so I did not have to answer to them or face them regarding their losses.

You know, actually none of these ponzi schemes can survive if there is no element of greed involved on the investor's part.

Win With Coupon Bella

I have previously written bout Coupon Bella and this is the site I source for my discount coupons first before making online purchases and so should you. Not only can you save money by using discount coupons and coupon codes found on CouponB.com, to shop with Coupon Bella is always a rewarding experience.

Coupon Bella is now giving you a chance to Win a Pearl Necklace Sweepstakes at CouponB.com. You may wonder what you are required to do to win it. Nothing much, really. All you need to do is to sign up for coupon alerts from CouponB.com and you will be entered into the drawing!

The only catch is that you have to be a legal resident of the United States, that's it! This sweepstakes starts from March 17, 2007 and ends on September 1st, 2007, Pacific Standard Time.

Hurry and sign up now. You don't want to miss this chance!

The MerchantOS Website

I came across the website for MerchantOS, the maker of web-based software for the point of sale for small businesses. I am not going to review the product because I do not own a retail business, only an online business.

However, I would like to point out, using the website of MerchantOS as an example, what every business should emulate. The homepage of MerchantOS is neat and uncluttered and the font size is large enough without straining the eyes. It explains straight to the point what the company sells and why a business would need their product. This is very important because some business owners, perhaps they are new in the field, may not realise what such a product can do to enhance their set up, management and sales of their business.

Testimonials from satisfied customers are also great to display upfront. This will boost the confidence of prospective clients.

What I like about MerchantOS, though, it the availability of a blog and a support forum. Existing customers will benefit greatly from the blog for the latest industry news while receiving crucial technical support on the forum, from the company or from fellow MerchantOS software users. Technical support is very important because we cannot expect every customer to be technical minded.

A demo tour of the software is great as it allows people a chance to see what the software can do. It definitely will improve sales for MerchantOS. The carrot is of course, the free first month of subscription.

I generally like the site although, the box that says:

Compatible with you - Windows XP, Mac OS X, Linux, and Vista.

Well, it would be more appropriate to say: "Compatible with all major operating systems".

Not As Easy As It Seems

Many people told me that it is very easy to be an e-trader. They are envious of me sitting in front of the computer "clicking here and there" and I will get a profit when my product is sold.

Well, you wouldn't believe how far from the truth that is.

E-trading is also a business. As in any business, one needs hard work. Nobody knows the amount of time and the late nights I go through just to have every product online as soon as possible to cut down on holding cost. I think many of my buyers may have been surprised to receive my email updates in the middle of the night.

Apart from being hardworking, one has to be creative too. We need to have the best images to represent our products as best as possible to convert browsers to buyers. We need images that captivate. Images are more important in e-commerce since a buyer is not able to touch and feel the product.

One needs patience. Do not for once think that you will receive a sale as soon as your items are live. This is not the case most times, unless your item is dirt cheap. You will most probably find yourself re-listing your item over and over again before a genuine buyer comes along.

One has to Sell Smart. Now, I am not saying I am smart since I too have a lot to learn. What I mean is that the Seller has to go with the trend. Research on what are selling like hot cakes and what are colder than ice. Source for and sell the hot items.

If you find your items are not selling, then it's time to take a look at your product description and selling price. Rewrite and adjust your pricing if there is a need.

And about all, you have to be passionate about your "job".

Let's Help McKenzie Raise $1 Million For Charity

I always like to write about charitable causes. Today, I came across an article on how we can help McKenzie, the award-winning artist, raise a million dollars for Charity and how we, the public, can do our part to help her.

This campaign, titled "Art Making a Difference" is to raise a million dollars for humanitarian and green causes, to organizations like SaveDarfur, Global Green and Humane Society, just to name a few.

McKenzie, who is not new to raising funds for charity, has this time decided to involve the public by taking direct action in this round of fund raising. What we have to do is to visit her website at www.McKenzieArtStudio.com and click on her sponsor links. That shouldn't be too difficult, right?

All revenue generated from our mouse click will be donated to charity. ON top of that, McKenzie has pledged to donate a portion of her art sales to these charities too.

So, what are you waiting for? Visit www.McKenzieArtStudio.com and start clicking!

Saving Time & Headache With eSmart Tax

Every year when the time to fill out tax returns come along, my friend, Paul, will be screaming due to the amount of work. You see, he has to help his staff fill out the returns as they are not that good in English.

I told Paul about eSmart Tax which provides an online solution for IRS tax form preparation and filing. Since everything nowadays is already done online, why not tax filing too? With eSmart Tax, an Online Tax Filing and E-File Software, one just needs to type out and saved online using online forms that are approved by the IRS and there will no longer be calculator errors and corrections and redoing by hand.

The software of eSmart Tax include free efile, free resubmission and free printing. Free printing is only available until 10/15, though, so take full advantage of this! All these are provided for free by eSmart Tax whereas some of its competitors charge extra for these features.

With eSmart Tax, you are assured there are no hidden costs and the pricing is always stated upfront on their homepage.

These are their rates:
1040 EZ for $7.95
1040 / 1040A for $14.95
State Tax Returns for $12.95

If you have used eSmart Tax last year, you will notice that there have been major enhancements to the software. These changes were implemented thanks to feedback from users.

Paul was very happy with my recommendation as eSmart Tax. He said that he managed to save a lot of time and no need to suffer from headache anymore as the eSmart Tax software is so intuitive.

As a business enterprise, he will also be checking out eSmart Payroll, a self service online payroll filing and e-file solution and also Simple Payroll, a full service payroll service for his company.

Scottsdale Real Estate Blog

I have previously stressed that no matter the size of your business, besides having a web presence in the form of a website or an online store, you also need a blog. A blog that is linked to your website will double the exposure for your brand, enhance your web presence, raise traffic and increase eyeballs.

The Holm Group is a company that recognizes this too. They have a Scottsdale real estate blog that talks about real estate in the Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona area but ultimately links back to their main website, http://www.theholmgroupaz.com/

This is a great strategy since more and more people rely on the internet for more information, what more potential real estate investors who always do their research online first but comparing prices, checking out the environment, local community and amenities.

All businesses would do good to emulate this fine example of The Holm Group.

E*TRADE Financial Updated

Since I was not satisfied with the reply from E*TRADE Financial, I shot them a second e-mail. I actually wanted to know how much one needs to upkeep the account.

The following is the reply:

Yes, you can apply for an International Investment account without a SSN or Tax ID. We will need some additional verification documents along with your new account application. With our Complete Investment account, you will be able to place trades online for exchanges located within the United States. Our Brokers can also attempt to place trades for you on International exchanges. International trades are not always available.

Please send us the application paperwork as the online application is not available for International Applicants. You can find out more about our Investment accounts for International customers by visiting our International website at the following web address:

https://global.etrade.com/e/t/intl/page

To start the application process, please visit the following web address:

https://global.etrade.com/e/t/intl/brokerageapplication

Please allow 3 to 5 business days for processing, once we receive your application paperwork. If you have questions please call 1-866-946-5338. International customers please dial +1-678-624-6210. We are available to assist you from the hours of 7AM to 12AM EST, seven days a week. Please press zero to speak with our Customer Service team.

Thank you again for your interest in E*TRADE Financial. We look forward to providing you with exceptional service and innovative customer-focused financial products.

Of course again it was odd that my specific question were not addressed. I did already know that this brokerage account is open to anyone. Anyway, I am lazy to check out old posts that I read before.

Oxy-Powder Colon Cleanser

I recently had a chat with a friend who advocates colon cleansing. Seeing that my complexion isn't that great, she told me to go for a session but that is not for me, although I did read the webpage that she recommended to me, Colon cleansing and constipation.

I do know that colon cleansing will improve general help, besides stopping constipation but instead, I am going to take the hassle-free way out, the Oxy-Powder way. This is the answer to my constipation woes without the embarrassment of colon cleansing session!

Oxy-powder will also eliminate the embarrassment of laxatives, which may cause accidents!

In Search of Kitchen Remodeling Contractors

Paul told me that although he has been living in the New York City area for almost twenty years, he still has a hard time looking for contractors each time he needs to do some home improvement projects. This time, he is looking for kitchen remodeling contractors and he doesn't even know where to start searching.

I told him about OnCallContactors.com, a website that matches people like him with reputable contractors. These contractors have been pre-screened by OnCallContractors before they are included in their database. This is great news for home owners like Paul.

Paul is also very happy to learn that he may be eligible for discounts should he engage a contractor that was matched to him through OnCallContractors.com

Just BID!

I mentioned before that I have received numerous email from prospective buyers, but these email do not have text and I have to write back to them asking then what is their enquiry about. I think this is a waste of time when they do not reply. If it was a technical glitch then they would surely reply with their questions but NO, they keep silent.

There was a case where this guy wrote in without text, so I wrote back, but he kept quiet for days. Then he emailed me again with "Got stock?"

If there is no stock, do you think I would be stupid enough to list my item for auction? No way am I going to jeopardize my Seller reputation by selling something that I do not have on hand. I am not SkyHobby.

Anyway, I replied him that yes, stock is on hand because my auction is live. Told him to just bid if he wants it, but since that day, there is no response from him.

Why do people like to disturb Sellers when they do not have the intention of buying an item in the first place? Well, either they are too free or they want to test if the Sellers are alive or not.

Hey, are you there? Are you human? Are you alive? If you could reply me in a human-like fashion, it will give me confidence to buy from you!

Big Web Links Directory

I have actually submitted my my webstore and blogs to numerous web directories in hopes of raising my page rank and gaining traffic. Unfortunately, the effort has not been quite a waste of time and energy when the directories usually list entries according to alphabetical order. Some are worse, they list according to popularity in terms of page rank. So my links are always pushed to the back pages.

With the discovery of Big Web Links Directory, I hope things will change. This new directory will list entries according to cash contribution. The bigger the budget, the higher one's entry will appear, plus being featured on the homepage or top links page, which means more exposure.

This way, I can actually control where my links are going to appear on. This is an advantage to webmasters like me.

Raising Standards With 360 Degree Feedback

I recently participated in an appraisal system with Appraisal360 where a friend wanted a 360 degree feedback on his recent leadership performance during a group camp.

Of course, I was more than happy to provide him with my honest opinion because I personally think appraisals like this are better than providing feedback directly, which he might misunderstand that I have something personal against him.

I feel that such a 360 degree feedback and appraisal system should be adopted by every organization, large or small, as it raises the performance of its staff, management and company as a whole. I think that a business owner should do all that he can to raise the standards of his company with tools that are easily available in the market.

Lelong "No Phone" Icon

Well, since Lelong rolled out their new layout and new icons, I do not like them because these little wordings clutter up the page it the page is very popular and is full of listings like mobile phone and electronic sections. You just have to see for yourself. Headache, man! Icons are OK but smaller please and without words!

A couple of days ago, Lelong came out with yet another entirely new icon. Well, take a look at the attached image. It's a NO PHONE icon for sellers who do not offer phone support.

Well, sad to say, I think it's just plain silly. MOST of us do not offer phone support especially if it is a first deal. Personally, I do not even disclose my phone number unless the buyer has bought from me before and hence, have my number and he is welcome to call or SMS me regarding subsequent deals.

You may wonder why I think it is silly. Well, do away with this grey No Phone icon but introduce a little PHONE icon. Sellers who are able to offer phone support can enable this PHONE icon to be displayed at the end of the title.

Won't this be better?

Ecotourism Vacation in Hawaii

I was looking to book a holiday recently, but no holiday package was interesting enough until I came across Ecotourism vacation in Hawaii. Environmental friendly holidays are now the IN thing over normal cookie cutter packages.

It was a delight for me to come across HawaiianBeachRentals.com, a Hawaiian travel and tour agency which offers vacation packages with a difference. One of the outstanding vacation rentals offered by Hawaiian Beach Rentals is Kauai Ecotourism Vacation Rentals.

A holiday shopper can easily check and compare all the Kauai vacation rentals on a single website and it is very easy to decide the accommodation we would like, thanks to the many photos that show the property as they are, without surprises.

It is this easy access to vacation accommodations through websites like HawaiianBeachRentals.com that enables holiday goers the opportunity to plan and customize environmentally-friendly vacations to the wonderful Hawaiian islands like Kauai and Maui.

Automotive Covers Online Store

I have been thinking of buying a car recently, and was searching for cars for sale on the internet when I came across a website that sells quality Car Covers and Truck Covers starting at $25.

As you know, I am always interested in online stores, their products, store layout and ease of use. Shopping at EmpireCovers couldn't be simpler.

One could shop by car model, size or protection level. These waterproof vehicle covers make great sun protectors and in fact, an Empire Cover what every vehicle owner must have.

At a low starting price of $25 plus a 10% discount on all covers, these are mighty affordable to have our vehicle protected from the weather, I must say.

I Need New Layout

I started this blog back in December, 2005. It was my very first blog and I knew nothing about blogging back then, so I just used one of the ready made templates that Blogger offered.

Now, one and a half years later, I am beginning to feel a need for a fresh layout. I have never been comfortable with this green layout anyway. I have always wanted a body with more width but this original template is not friendly to resize. Ironically, green is one of my least favorite colours.

I once read that if you are using a default template, you are deemed to be not a serious blogger. Well, that is far from the truth in my case. See the amount of posts I publish and you will see how serious I am in blogging.

But right now, I really can't think HOW I can find the time to customize my layout to the way I Iike it. Yes, even though I will be using the work of a designer, I would still prefer to customize it to fit my blog.

Let's see how long the new layout will get to be implemented!

Hassle-free Aussie Home Loan

My friend Grace just migrated to Australia to be with her Aussie husband. Being newlyweds, the financial condition of this young couple isn't that rosy but they know that they want to grow their roots on Australian soil and bring their children up in a permanent and secure environment.

They understand that to realize their dream, the first step is to buy a house but most financial companies gave them a hard time no thanks to their low credit rating. That was until they discovered Start Finance, a company which believes that everyone should have the right to own a home.

Grace and her husband managed to take out a home loan within a day of applying for it and without the hassle that they have experienced so far.

Check out the recent press release by Start Finance to understand the company's policy and vision for would be Australian home owners.

FINANCE FINALLY MADE EASY
Finance Company: Facilitating all walks Getting a home loan has never been so easy. Start Finance offers a no fuss alternative to buying a new home and buying it fast. Whether you have bad credit rating, are self employed, or earn a minimum wage Start Finance offers a range of home loan solutions catered to suit you.

Start Finance operates on the mantra that no matter who you are or whatever financial situation you’re tied to, you’re eligible for a home loan irrespective of what target market you fall into, finally a no strings attached solution to finance.

So what’s the big deal anyway, isn’t this just another one of the many finance companies that locks you into a contract and hits you with high interest rates in the future?

Well that’s exactly what excludes Start Finance from its competitors. Being a boutique lender Start Finance can afford to offer the lowest rates in comparison to any of its competitors not to mention lending up to 105% finance up front.

The company is located in Melbourne, but they service the whole of Australia. In addition, the majority of Start Finance’s home loan specialists have an average of fifteen years lending experience, so you can feel one hundred per cent at ease investing your time and money with the company.

“To be honest I was a little hesitant initially with Start Finance being a new company and all, but after I had my first consultation, I felt completely at ease. The consultants are really lovely and so helpful, and don’t bombard you with a heap of legal jargon, which is also a bonus.” (Sharon Martin, 26, first home buyer).

In essence as seen on TV and heard on radio both series of “Robbo” advertisements constitute that you don’t have to fit the mould to apply and get approved for a Start Home loan.

Take Robbo for example, who’s your stereotypical, self-employed Aussie male, who after 28 years of living under his parent’s roof has finally made a concerned effort to move out of home. The character may only be fictional, but the reality of this matter is that Robbo represents a large percentage of the population which has for years been virtually undesirable to the big banks.

Robbo is the embodiment of those individuals having bad-credit ratings and low-incomes and what finance companies deem as the un-touchable’s. Start finance conveys the message that regardless who you are, or what you do. Start will help find the right home loan tailored to suit you and your needs.

C’mon if Robbo can get a loan, then so can you.

Editing Postage On Listings

Well, there's much work to do now that Poslaju has finally implemented the new domestic rates.I will have to manually check through my almost a hundred items on eBay and Lelong to edit my Shipping charges.

Ugghh I hate to go through the listings one by one and at a time when I am very busy. BUT it has to be done to reflect the new rates. I can ill afford to subsidize shipping charges if the item is heavy as with the books, bags and apparel that I am selling.

The only consolation is that I am not alone. All Sellers will have to do it :-)

Handmade Jar Candles at Lake House Candle

Today, I am delighted to introduce Lake House Candle, a candle specialty online store that hand make jar candles each time an order is received. This is great for people who would like to customize their fragrance or color. Personalized candles make perfect gifts as they can't be found on the shelves of shopping malls.

The customer service of Lake House Candle is par excellent because it is a warm family concern. What I like about this store, apart from the candles, is their flat shipping of $7 only for orders under $50. Orders above $50 enjoy free shipping.

Evidently, customers at Lake House Candle get the best value for their money.