Freedom, say the word out loud. Now close your eyes and say the word to yourself. What do you see when you say the word freedom? Do you see yourself stuck in a cubical working long hours, or do you see yourself working when you want to, in your pajamas if you choose to do so?Do you envision yourself missing out on life while you make money for companies that will never truly show appreciation for you and all you do for them. Do you see yourself living life by your terms and not missing out on any of life’s events?We were not meant to live in this world to work hard all our lives and miss out on what the world has to offer. It has been drilled into our heads for years that this is the way of life. But is it really our God given path? Your VISION?What makes us different from others who are highly successful in life? The answer is nothing, except that maybe they worked a little harder towards their goals and vision. We are all the same and we all deserve the same rewards in life, you have to be willing to make small sacrifices to make it happen though.Having a home based business can help you to achieve the freedom that you are so desperately seeking.Now before you think, “Awe man this is crazy, nobody makes money in those home based businesses.” I would like to tell you that you are wrong and I can point out thousands of people who not only attained freedom through home based business but also are living a rather nice life because of it.They had to work hard, but it is so much different when you are the boss and the work that you put in benefits you entirely and not someone else. Not to mention if anyone says to you that it is easy and you can make a million in a few days, I suggest you walk away; chances are it is not a legit operation or they would just leave you high and dry. A good leader will show people their vision. They also had to thicken their skin so they could better deal with rejection, but they did it…… And successful home based businesses are happening everyday.People are tired of working dead end jobs or not knowing if they are going to have a job. They no longer want to work for someone that can not understand that they have to leave work early because their child is sick, or in a play or musical or a game.Americans are looking for more independence and freedom from the daily grind. With the economy in peril as well as the burden the tax payers are going to have to face for generations, there is no better time than now to get into a home based business. Experts have been predicting for months that things are only going to get harder and not easier for Americans’.So far they have been right; people have lost jobs, homes, security and their very own dignity.Only YOU can change your life! Only YOU can plan your own destiny! Only YOU can make your life better and live out your dreams! Do not let anyone stop or hinder you. Those that try, evade them. They are dream stealers and they are the ones that will always be working and struggling in life. Misery loves company, and by the way, it is always fun to see their reaction when you become successful.Somehow they have time to listen to you now.

Every individual has an expertise in one particular area and it is very necessary to check it and make the good use of that skill for earning money. If you have courage to make your expertise for earning purpose then you will do two tasks at a time; one you are satisfying your inner will and you are earning money also. Money is a necessary thing and nothing is possible without it, so for earning this, people do a lot of hard work.Life is very busy, as all of us are busy in earning their own livelihood. Online home based jobs are very much in demand amongst housewives, students and unemployed etc. House wives also want to earn money but they have no source as they do not want to move from their homes. Traveling wastes a lot of your time and results in exertion and stress, but it is not there with the online home based jobs and you can even save your traveling expenditures.For such females, there is a great opportunity available on the internet. If you are good in cooking or baking then it becomes a good homed based business for the females. Food related business will always be geared up after sometime when people like your stuff and if they love to eat; then it goes to a higher level. If you are good in baking part of cookies and different varieties of cakes, if you want to start a business in food industry then start taking orders on your online websites and provide them the home made cookies and cakes.If you make available these cookies and cakes in a beautiful packing then the customers can gift them to their near ones. People are very fond of home made cookies; they also like to have customized cakes for the occasions like birthdays, wedding ceremonies, get together etc. These occasions are the best ways to make your things popular and attract more people towards your business. If you provide good quality things to the clients then they will definitely refer you to their friends and colleagues.Internet is an ideal way to sell your home made chocolates, cookies etc for earning money through this business. Most of the people are fond of eating chocolates especially kids and nobody can control themselves by looking at chocolates in front of them. If you are good in making a variety full of chocolates at home then you can prepare and sell them online to the customers and pack them in a great way so that people love to buy them and they can also gift them. Home made chocolates gifting is in trend these days.Make alliances with the local shops so that you can take orders from them for your homemade stuffs. If you provide customized packing of these chocolates and cookies for the occasion also then you can earn more for these attractive gift items. These home made cookies, cakes or chocolates are a superb idea for those who love to eat these things.

Having the right attitude will allow you to be successful in many areas of your life, but it is crucial to the success of a home based business. You must retain a positive mental attitude at all times and understand how the Law of Attraction can work for you or against you. When you start a home business all accountability lies within you. There is no room for excuses.Let go of negative thoughts and remain positive. Change the way you think and you will attract prospects to you. This only will happen as long as you maintain the proper mindset. The following are 3 tips for your success in a home based business:Recognize Your PassionOne thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of individuals join an opportunity “just because” it’s the latest thing. What are you passionate about? What are your interests? Consider what you are passionate about and match an opportunity to achieve the greatest level of success in your home based business.Persistence Is KeyPersistence is a must in any home business. Many call it quits after a couple of months, usually three months, when times get tough. You can compare it to the common New Years resolution of weight-loss. Most individuals that seek to lose weight resolve that they are going to lose weight only to give up a couple of months because it got to be “too hard.” In order to lose weight, you have to be consistent with your diet and exercise regimen in order to achieve your target goal. Being an entrepreneur is one that requires hard work and devotion. You need to learn to overcome objections that you encounter. In the process, you learn from your mistakes and take action to prevent repeating those same mistakes.Your Circle of TrustHaving a circle of trust is one that many do not have the luxury of having. As a result, they don’t achieve the level that they are potentially able to because of not having that support needed in having a home based business. By surrounding yourself with those that are successful in their home business will put you in a setting that breeds success. I believe heartily in the saying, you are a product of your environment. Sometimes being physically present with such individuals isn’t always convenient, so do some reading. There are a vast amount of books and audio from successful individuals such as Darren Hardy, Dale Carnegie, the late Jim Rohn and much more. Personal growth is vital to developing new skills and a confident persona. You are not only limited to your physical areas. Take advantage of social networks and connect with others online. The resources to surround yourself online to successful home business owners are full of such individuals.One of the toughest challenges of becoming a home business owner is evolving into one. It requires you to adapt to new thinking, behaviors, and activities. With the right attitude, you can expect a smoother transformation. Put yourself on a continuous learning mode and you will enjoy the fruits of your labor. By applying these 3 tips for your success in a home based business, you will be able to stay on the track of having a successful business.If you are looking for a core group of individuals that provide the support and resources to be successful in a home based business, I invite you to connect with me and learn how you too can be successful in being an entrepreneur.

Using a property manager has both pros and cons. There are no hard and fast rules regarding whether you should hire one or not. You have to evaluate the answer based on your own situation. The following are some considerations to take into account before you jump to a conclusion.

Time Commitment

A lot of real estate investors have a full time job so they do not have enough time or energy to manage properties. Especially if the house is situated remotely, many investors might feel they cannot manage on their own or do not want to travel. If fact, you can manage on your own.

Cost Benefit

If you have several properties or an apartment complex in one area, using a property manager to manage all the property may be economic. The manager will be able to combine expenses and costs. For example, they can purchase maintenance materials in bulk for all the rental units. If you don’t have several rental units in one area, but together with your friends’ or families’ rental units you do. Then you can afford to hire a professional dedicated property manager.

The Nature of the Rental Market Where your Property is Located

If your rental property is located in an area where renters mostly check out the rentals through the local property management companies, then you have no other choice but to hire the company. This may happen in small towns where there is only a handful of management companies.

Tenant’s Characteristics

Some tenants are not easy to deal with. You may find some tenants that are constantly paying late, asking for a lot of unnecessary repairs, complaining about everything, or having difficulty keeping up the premises. A property manager may handle the situation better than you as you might be emotionally attached to your property and less likely to handle many issues impartially. What’s more, the tenant might try to take advantage of you. They may take it more seriously if they are dealing with a professional property management company instead of an individual.

Does your Property Need Frequent Repairs or Maintenance?

If your property needs frequent repairs due to its age or other reasons, having a property manager may help you if repairs are a burden. Usually the property management company either has its own in-house repair service or contracts with outside vendors. In any case, you should ask about it before hiring them and understand how much they charge.

What Kind of Service do you need from a Property Manager?

Do you need a full service property management, which includes placing tenants and ongoing management service? If the condition of your property is good or new and not much repair is anticipated, you may save your money on the ongoing management service part. If you already have a tenant but you are moving out of that area you can use a local property manager to collect the rent and do the maintenance work.

Lack of Interest in Managing

Some rental property owners just do not want to get involved in managing the property at all. They rather have someone look after their rental properties so they can enjoy their life doing other things. That is absolutely ok. Enjoying life is also very important.

The purpose of hiring a property manager is to free up your time and make your rental investment successful. Nevertheless, hiring a poor one is worse than hiring no one. You can end up spending more time and money to rescue your property.

If you hire one, keep in mind it does not mean you have to be a completely hand-offs owner. You should keep in regular communication with your property manager so he understands you do not treat your real estate business lightly. How to hire a good property manager belongs to another blog we will write about.

We favor investments that are low cost, tax efficient, diversified, liquid, and simple. Many investors often run into trouble when they invest in things that do not have these five characteristics. Investments with these five characteristics have been profitable over time, but typically are not very exciting. There is generally not a “hot story that you need to act on now!” associated with them. The financial services industry generally does not favor these type of investments because they generate very little profit from them. We are in the business of helping to maximize the wealth of our clients, not the financial services industry. Keep in mind that this list of investment characteristics is not comprehensive. Other factors to look for in investments might include attractive valuation, low correlation to your other holdings, a nice dividend yield or interest income, a tilt towards areas of the market that have produced higher returns such as value stocks, an appropriate risk level for you, etc.

Low Cost. We typically invest in low cost index based funds and exchange traded funds (ETF’s). The funds we invest in have an average expense ratio of only.30% per year. The typical actively traded equity mutual fund has an average expense ratio of 1% or more. With investment funds, the best predictor of future relative performance is the expense ratio on the fund; the lower the better. Hedge funds typically have annual expense ratios of 2% plus 20% of any profits earned. Some variable annuities and permanent life insurance “investments” can have annual expenses of 2% or more. By keeping a close eye on the costs of our investments, we can save our clients significant amounts of money each year and help them achieve higher returns over time (all else being equal). With investment products, you don’t get better performance with a higher cost product, in fact you typically get worse performance.

Tax Efficient. Our investments (index based funds and ETF’s) are extremely tax efficient and they allow the investor to have some control over the timing of the taxes. These types of funds have low turnover (trading activity), which is a common characteristic of tax efficient investments. We recommend avoiding mutual funds with high turnover due to their tax inefficiency. After the recent big increase in the U.S. stock market, many active equity mutual funds have “imbedded” capital gains of as much as 30%-45%. If you buy those mutual funds now you may end up paying capital gains taxes on those imbedded gains even if you didn’t own the fund during the increase. ETF’s typically do not generate long and short-term capital gain distributions at yearend, and they do not have imbedded capital gains like active mutual funds. Hedge funds are typically tax inefficient due to their very high turnover. In addition to investing in tax-efficient products we also do many other things to help keep our client taxes minimized such as tax loss harvesting, keeping our turnover/trading low, putting the right type of investments in the right type of accounts (tax location), using losses to offset capital gains, using holdings with large capital gains for gifting, investing in tax-free municipal bonds, etc.

Diversified. We like to invest in diversified funds because they reduce your stock specific risk, and the overall risk of your portfolio. Bad news released about one stock may cause it to drop 50%, which is horrible news if that stock is 20% of your whole portfolio, but will be barely noticed in a fund of 1,000 stock positions. We tend to favor funds that typically have at least a hundred holdings and often several hundred holdings or more. These diversified funds give you broad representation of the whole asset class you are trying to get exposure to, while eliminating the stock specific risk. We are not likely to invest in the newest Solar Energy Company Equity Fund with 10 stock positions, for example. We don’t believe in taking any risks (such as stock specific risk) that you will not get paid for in higher expected return.

Liquid. We like investments that you can sell in one minute or one day if you decide to do so, and those which you can sell at or very close to the prevailing market price. With liquid investments you always (daily) know the exact price and value of your investments. All of the investment funds we recommend meet this standard. We don’t like investments which you are locked into for years without the ability to get your money back at all or without paying large exit fees. Examples of illiquid investments would be hedge funds, private equity funds, annuities, private company stock, tiny publicly traded stocks, startup company stock or debt, illiquid obscure bonds, structured products, some life insurance “investments,” private real estate partnerships, etc. We prefer investment funds that have been around for some time, are large in size, and have high average daily trading volumes.

Simple. We prefer investments that are simple, transparent, and easy to understand. If you don’t understand it, don’t invest in it. All of our investments are simple and transparent; we know exactly what we own. Complicated investment products are designed in favor of the seller, not the buyer, and usually have high hidden fees. Examples of complicated and non-transparent investments that we generally avoid are hedge funds, private equity funds, structured products, some life insurance “investment” products, variable annuities, private company stock, startup company stock or loans, etc. “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.” -Albert Einstein.

We believe most investors should have the majority of their portfolio invested in things that have these five excellent characteristics. By doing so you will avoid plenty of mistakes, negative surprises, and risks along the way. In addition, we believe your after tax investment returns will likely be higher over long periods of time. Of course not every smart or good investment will have all of these characteristics. For example, income producing real estate property is illiquid (and often not diversified) but can be an excellent long-term investment if purchased and managed properly. Owning your own business is illiquid and not diversified but can be an excellent way to build wealth as well. We believe these five investment characteristics become even more important as you enter retirement, since at that point you may be more focused on reducing risk and preserving your wealth than building it, and you may need the liquidity to spend and gift part of your wealth during retirement. These five excellent investment characteristics can be a good screening device for possible investments and good factors to think about when investing.