Start a Home Business

Mery Christmas

2009-12-24T12:09:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas and a safe, happy holiday to all. I wish you all the best during the holiday season.

It has been over a year now since I updated this blog. I am looking forward to a more regular posting schedule in 2010.

Peace & Happiness,

Michael

Working From Home in the 2008 Economy

2008-11-28T18:37:00.000-08:00

The economy is very unsettled right now. One day the stock market is up, then next it is at its lowest in years. Records are being broken multiple times over in a very short period.

Gas prices were up, now they are at levels not seen in 4 years. We are not in a time where financial confidence is high.

Some say it is a good time to buy stocks, other say hold on because the market is going to go even lower.

I have no investment advice for you, sorry.

The one thing I can say is to invest in yourself. If you are employed look at what you can learn to ensure that you stay employed or even move up the corporate ladder. If you are self employed, how can you take care of your current customers to keep them returning.

For those not employed, I do hope that things turn around.

We are living in troubled times right now. Take care of yourself, learn as much as you can to improve your employment and keep a keen eye on your investments.

Michael

Making Time To Make Money

2008-08-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

You know the phrase, "Time Is Money". How true it is.

The past few months I started cutting back on the number of websites I run. Many were not even making enough to cover their share of the server.

I decided to focus on just a few topics and manage my time better. In the past I talked about hiring a VA. This is something I may do in the future, but right now I am running a shoestring budget.

When looking into a make money venture, consider how much time you will spend.

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog. I hope to have some new products up soon.

Michael

Working From Home in 2008

2007-12-27T17:30:00.000-08:00

Last month I started as a distributor with a company called Send Out Cards. I signed up as an entrepreneur and got my kit about 2 weeks later.

It cost $400 to get the entrepreneur license and is well worth it. This program is one of the best I have seen. If you want to try it out, just click on the link above and you can send a card for free to try out the system.

If you are interested in promoting Send Out Cards, let me know and I can coach you on the program.

Take Care,

Michael

Home Business BLOG Moved

2007-08-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

I moved the BLOG from blogspot to hosting on my server. This is something I should have done a long time ago.

The RSS feed should transfer. I'm going to work on that next.

After all the set-up is complete I want to start working on the design.

If you experience any problems with the transfer let me know.

Michael

Buy And Sell Websites

2007-08-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

I made a video on a new FireFox plug-in that helps me evaluate websites to buy.

There are other uses for this plug-in that can benefit anyone.

Watch the video on the link above to see the power of this neat little tool. And if you are not already using the FireFox browser, now is a great time to get started.

Michael

Start Your Own Home Business

2007-07-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

I was going to do an article about virtual assistants tonight. But then I saw this post "Should You Start Your Own Home Business?" by Guy Kawaski.

You don't always need to start your own business to work at home. Do you think that your current job could be done remotely? How about twice per week?

That was a real eye opener when I read that in The 4 Hour Work Week. Working from home isn't for every job, but you don't have to start your own business to work from home.

That said, if you work from home for a business you will not have the same freedom that running your own business from home can bring.

Just something to think about.

Michael

Working By The Hour vs Fixed Income

2007-07-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Do you get paid by the hour or a set amount for completing a project?

Getting paid by the hour makes it easier on the home worker just starting out. This is because figuring out how much to charge for a project can be difficult.

Once you can figure out how much time it will take then you may want to consider charging by the project.

The only problem with a set price for the project is that the customer may change what they want after you already started. It is best to have a defined outcome with exact specifications before starting. Then adjust your price each time the customer changes what they want.

Be very detailed in your documentation. Fixed project pricing can have benefits, but so can hourly billing.

Michael

How Many Work Days In A Year

2007-07-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

I am listening to the 4 hour work week for the 6th time. I love the concept.

Lets look at a working year.

52 Weeks in a year. How many vacation, sick and holiday days do we get off. Starting off with 2 weeks is common, plus some sick and holiday pay. So lets say we get 3 weeks vacation, 5 sick days and 6 holiday days. Since we can't do anything when we are sick lets not count the sick days. Better yet, lets say we are very healthy and don't ever use sick days.

So that comes to 48 weeks a year that we work. Getting 3 weeks for vacation and a little over 1 week for holidays.

48 x 5 = 240 work days a year

Not bad.

But what if we could work 4 days a week instead of 5. It could be longer days to make up the 40 hours or it could be you just don't work full time.

48 * 4 = 192 work days a year

So you can get an extra 48 days a year for yourself if you can work 4 day work weeks.

Michael

Virtual Assistant Shout Out

2007-06-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

I owe Kathie of VADirectory.net a big Thank You for pointing out that I have comments turned off. I am going to return the favor and point out something that should help Kathie. If you hover over the link to her site you will notice the ?p=199. That is not a SEO friendly link. If Kathie goes into Options and clicks on the permalinks tab, she will see options for links that work much better with the search engines.

I am working on an Ebay project and might have some info to post shortly on that.

Looks like I will also have to re-post my message from last week where I was asking a question in one of my posts.

Michael

The Best Virtual Assistant

2007-06-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

Should you hire a virtual assistant that lives in another country?

In my research I am finding that there are good points and bad points to having a VA in another country.

For example depending on the location you could have work completed while you sleep. And the economy may allow for a reduced out of pocket expense.

On the down side if phone communication is important then foreign assistants might need to be screened first.

What are your thoughts?

Michael

What Are You Looking For In A Home Business?

2007-06-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

I spent the last 4 weeks doing research on my next work at home project. There is still plenty of research to do.

Tonight I started a small test to work out the details of a system and that got me thinking.

What is the main goal of people who want to work from home.

We all want to make money, so don't go down that path. Helping people is how we make money, so don't go down that path either.

What I want to know is if you had $100,000,000 what would you do with your time?

Post your answers in the comments to this post.

Michael

Virtual Assistant Research

2007-06-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

I finished reading The 4 Hour Work Week. This has got to be one of the best books ever. If you didn't read it yet, get it now!

My next step is to outline my business process and eliminate the waste. Once things are refined then it will be time to start looking for a VA.

I did think about hiring a virtual assistant before, but this time I have more info.

Based on what I do I'm thinking of a person that works nights or someone from another country that can complete tasks for me while I sleep.

For now my business process has to be analyzed and refined.

Michael

Work At Home - Self Publish Author

2007-06-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

I post in at least one of my 12 blogs every day. Even the ones that don't get much traffic. If one person can learn from my mistakes, then I have done my job.

Having Problems Finding What To Say?

If you have a successful blog or a good idea for a story check out LuLu.com for print on demand publishing. You can have as little as 1 book printed.

Michael

Home Business Blogs

2007-05-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Start your own home business blog today.

Build your brand, yourself, with a blog. I started blogging about 3 years ago. This is not my only blog and there is no reason that you have to limit yourself to just one. But don't overdo it.

If you start a blog plan on adding content at least once or twice a week. More is better, but be consistent and don't stop.

Start a home business blog and get feed back from your customers. This is a great way to find more products to sell or modify your service to suit the needs of your customers.

Michael

Working Online or Offline

2007-05-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Would you rather build an online business or an offline business.

There are benefits to each as well as benefits to having a blended model.

This work at home update will be a quick one.

What are you the best at? What subject do people most ask you about?

Now focus on how you can leverage your skills into profits.

Michael

Social Networks for Meeting Others

2007-05-03T20:03:00.000-07:00

Do you know what Social Networks are online?

I use MyBlogLog to manage the community of people that visit my blogs.

Visitors can post comments and exchange profile information. It is a great way to get to know the visitors of your BLOG or website.

Michael

Open Your Own Niche Store

2007-05-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Last year I ran an Ebay store for a few months. At the time I was trying to figure it all out on my own.

Now there is help. With This Ebay Store Guiude you can set-up your own Ebay store the easy way.

The best way to grow and build a successful business is to learn from someone else. Now that I know about the Ebay Niche Store guide it might be time to open up an Ebay store again.

Feel free to post your comments or questions here.

Michael

The Starbucks Experience

2007-04-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

I try to read as many book as I can get my hands on. Some I find it hard to put down and others seem to drag on.

I use a Moleskine notebook to keep notes on all the books I read. It makes it easer to find info on a subject I am researching.

Audio books play a big part or my information intake. My mp3 player is loaded with audio books and podcasts.

As for making money.

Do you perform a service, earn commission or sell your own stuff?

I do a little bit of everything. But not so much on the service though. That is too much like working for someone else.

Take Care,

Michael

Work At Home - Happy Easter

2007-04-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you work at home or work in an office, spend some time with friends & family this Easter season.

Happy Easter, Christ is Risen!

Michael

How To Make Money

Even More Snow - Work At Home Benefits

2007-03-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

With less then 1 week until Spring, we are getting a snowy mess.

It is a combination of rain, ice and snow. At first they said 1-3 inches, now it is 3-7 inches. Looks like we past the 3 inch mark already.

One of the benefits of working at home is not needing to worry about how much snow is on the ground. Unless you are like me and have to work away from home as well.

At least the snow won't last long this time of year.

Drive Safe!

Michael

USB Flash Drives For Backups

2007-03-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to backup your data!

Spreadsheets, contact lists, vendor information, etc. The information on your computer is important to the survival of your business.

USB Flash drive prices are dropping and there are bargains galore.

These little drives are a great choice for backups. Don't forget to store them offsite so if the business location is lost you still have your data.

Working from home or with a retail location, you still need to backup your data.

Michael

Work At Home Design Changes

2007-02-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Today I upgraded my BLOG template. The Home Business Startup Guides blog is now sporting a new layout.

Not much changed with the new design, but now I can use the new labels feature. That will make it easier for people to find what they are looking for.

What kind of business are you looking to start? Are you just getting started and need marketing help?

What concerns you? I would love to hear what your needs are to help guide the direction of what I write about.

Take Care,

Michael

Text Link Auction

2007-02-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

On my penny project I decided to auction off a text link. The ebay auction is my first investment in this project. Up until this point I either found money, earned advertising income or sold something in person that I got for free.

I took advantage of the Ebay 50% off listing fee day this past Wednesday. What I should have done is not used the Gallery option, that would have saved me some money.

So far I have 2 bidders. This is the best deal on ebay and if the amount reaches above my bonus amount listed then the deal is even better.

My Ebay Listing.

Much to do. Don't forget The Apprentice is on tonight.

Michael

Working From Home

2007-02-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

I often hear people say that they want to work from home.

An often overlooked souce of work at home jobs is your local businesses. Contact local businesses and ask if they have any jobs that can be done at home.

Another option is to start your own business and offer local businesses your services.

Whatever you decide to do, have a plan.

Take Care,

Michael

Social Networks For Business Building

2007-02-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

The in thing right now is social networks. Some think of it as Web 2.0 of community generated content.

I like to use social networks for meeting people that are interested in talking about business and marketing.

When you work from home it is nice to stop and chat with someone online from time to time as well. Meet some new friends, take a break from work, etc.

Take Care,

Michael

Getting Paid For Surveys

2007-01-31T18:42:00.000-08:00

There are a few websites where you can fill out surveys for cash.

Years ago there was only two or three that were any good. Today it is so easy to build a website that there are a bunch of scam sites.

In addition to avoiding scams you also have to consider your time.

Are you going to make enough money from completing the survey to make it worth your time?

On the company side of things. Having people answer questions about your products is a great way to improve you product.

If you have your own business, do you ask your customers questions to improve your business?

Michael

I Love Catalogs - Your Thoughts?

2007-01-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

I love to get catalogs in the mail. Before the internet I used to order stuff from catalogs almost every month.

With the internet, now I buy more often.

When I get a catalog, I will often then go online for more info on the items that I liked in the catalog. If the place is local, that will get me in the door.

What do you think about catalogs?

How could you use a catalog to increase your online sales?

Michael

Virtual Assistant BLOG

2007-01-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

Today I checked my Technorati links and saw that someone mentioned my post about Virtual Assistants. It was a BLOG for Virtual Assistants.

I hire freelance workers all the time. My post was about my research to hire one person to do the work of all my freelance workers.

I don't disagree that there may be some virtual assistants worth $50 an hour, but I see no reason to pay $50 for something that I regularly pay $12.

If I were running a huge company that would be one thing, but for just a small internet business I can't justify spending $50 an hour. Heck, I would love to be making $50 an hour.

So it depends on what type of VA you need and the skills that you require. For now I will stick with my $12 an hour freelance workers.

Michael

Social Networking - Share The Love

2007-01-24T17:19:00.000-08:00

Looking for BLOG reviews.

If you review my Penny Project BLOG, I will return the favor and do a review of your BLOG. No adult, hate or porn sites please.

Also the review must be at least 250 words and your BLOG must be listed in Technorati. That is how I will know you did a review and that I should do a review of your BLOG.

Looking forward to getting the word out and checking out some new BLOGs.

Take Care,

Michael

Buy A Website To Build Your Network

2007-01-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

I mentioned this before.

It is easier to Buy A Website then it is to build one from scratch. Not I don't mean buying a "template" or "turnkey" website, but a custom built website with traffic and customers.

There are some things you really need to look out for, so be careful. People try to inflate the numbers to get the sale price higher. Or they try to sell a template site with slight modifications.

Read the forums or check out my guide in the link above.

I love to grow my network by adding websites. When I don't have time to develop from scratch, I buy an existing website. On the flip side, when I get tired of a site I don't have a problem selling it.

Michael

Business Books On Audio

2007-01-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I get to pick 2 new Business Audio Books. My subscription renews on the 23rd of each month.

With the new stereo I had installed it is easy for me to play my MP3 player in my car.

The quality of the little FM transmitter things was so poor. The sound would go in and out and it drove me crazy. So I had a stereo installed that has an audio in jack.

Now connecting my MP3 player to the car is a snap.

It takes me a month to read a book. But with audio I can listen to 2 books in a little over a week.

Take Care,

Michael

Free Work At Home Jobs

2007-01-20T18:01:00.000-08:00

This is the most popular I see. "Do you know of any free work at home jobs that are not scams?"

My answer is always the same.

What skills do you have and what do you like to do?

A few days ago I wrote about Real Work At Home Jobs.

Notice the part about skills and likes. So many people are searching for something, willing to except anything that they forget about themselves.

Start by searching the major online job websites. Then move on to job websites in your local area. Look for companies that have work at home or telecommuting jobs.

Even if the job does not say you can work from home that doesn't mean it is not an option. Go on an interview, ask if you can work from home 4 days a week. The worst they can say is no.

On the other side of the coin there are people that want to work for themselves from home. Being an entrepreneur is hard work and requires some special skills and personal traits.

If you want to work from home and be your own boss the only thing I can say is, "Good Luck". In addition to skill, you need some luck. Start from home while working you full-time regular job. And don't quit until you have LOTs of money saved up.

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave your comments and thoughts. If you link back to me I will check out your site or BLOG. And who knows some day I might do a review of your BLOG here.

Take Care,

Michael

Do You Need A Virtual Assistant?

2007-01-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

There are times when I just can't get everything done. This past week was one of those times.

Last year I mentioned about hiring a virtual assistant. After looking around again I have yet to find someone at a price I can afford.

To help offload some of the work I hired someone to do a specific task for me. If I would have hired a virtual assistant it would have cost me 4 times what I paid.

In the long run building a working relationship with one person will be more efficient then hiring people for work one job at a time. But for now the cost is cheaper on the per job work.

So if you are too busy and think you need a virtual assistant, you may be able to get away with someone for just that one project.

Michael

Making Money From Surveys

2007-01-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

I made a couple bucks from taking surveys in the past. Nothing big and I really didn't think it was worth my time.

But then I realized for some people all they need is a few extra bucks here and there.

Anyway after some research I found a site that tells you how to profit from taking surveys.

Learn To Make Money From Surveys

No matter what you decide to do, take your time and learn as much as you can.

Michael

To Be Rich You Only Need $2,200

2007-01-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

I read an article on MSN the other day. The topic was on being rich.

We all have an opinion of what being rich is. But when you look at the statistics of what being rich is based on the numbers it really changes things.

If you have assets of just $2,200 per adult then you are in the top 50% of the world's wealthiest.

Another statistic that shocked me was that half of the people in the world live on less then $2 a day.

So the next time someone tells you that they want to get rich, ask them if they are worth at least $2,200.

Michael

Real Work At Home Jobs

2007-01-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

It sounds almost to good to be true, but yes there are real work at home jobs. Every day people are working from home making a full-time or part-time living.

Weeding out the honest work at home jobs from the scams and tricks isn't easy. There are real companies with jobs for people that work from home, but there are even more businesses that only want to take your money.

Your Skills

The first thing to do is look at what skills you have. Everyone has something to offer. Yes, everyone. People with specific skills may find it easier to get a work at home job. But if you can read this article, then there is work for you.

Your Likes & Wants

What are you looking for in a work at home job? Is money more important then the flexibility of what hours you work. Do you want the freedom to work whenever you want, but care less about money.

What would keep your interest? If this is something you plan on doing for a while you might want to enjoy it a little.

Online Auctions

Many people get their feet wet making money by selling their stuff on Ebay. The traffic that these sites get make it easy to get started with only a small amount or risk.

What to sell, where to get it, profit margin, backend and shipping concerns are just a few of the things that you need to work through if you want to sell in an online auction.

Once you have the system figured out you could sell stuff for others on a commission basis. There are plenty of good books on this subject, just check you local library, bookstore or Amazon.com

Call Center

There are currently more then 670,000 home-based call-center workers in the United States and Canada right now.

With better call routing technology and the widespread use of the internet more companies are outsourcing their order taking, problem solving and customer service calls to home based workers.

The skill level required for a home based call center job will vary. Pay is normally earned by the minute at an average of $8 per hour.

Some things to watch out for are background noise and other distractions that would interfere with a phone call.

Alpine Access

LiveOps

Willow CNS

Internet Business

With an internet business you work for yourself instead of someone else. So to start your own internet business you need to have some skills or be able to learn the needed skills. You must also be able to take some risks.

The easiest way to start is with a BLOG. Test the water with a free BLOG or register your own domain name and hosting and run a customized BLOG and/or website.

See my Blogging For Profit article.

Almost anything can be sold with a website, so you will need to decide if you are going to make what you sell, but it from a wholesale source or from a drop shipper.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery Shopping or Secret Shopping is one of the most popular jobs that scammers try to exploit. Avoid services that you have to pay for information or an application.

You may not have as much freedom with your time doing secret shopping work. Attention to detail is a must and you will need a great memory.

The pay varies depending on the job and you will have to work your way up to the better shopping job offers.

Corporate Research International Mystery Shops

Mystery Guest

Service Intelligence Experience Exchange

Working At Home

There are ups and downs in life, work and play. If you decide that working from home is what you want to do, take your time. Think about your skills, needs and wants. Do research on any company you plan on using and when you make up your mind about what to do give it 110%.

Take Care,

Michael

Join A Group To Network With Professionals

2007-01-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

There is one thing that I wish I would have done a long time ago.

That is networking with successful people.

About 2 weeks ago I joined The Internet Marketing Inner Circle.

Let me tell you. I below to a lot of public forums. And I know what kind of information is given out. Everyone is afraid to give away their secrets. But as part of the Inner Circle the group is very open.

Being able to get and give information in a setting where people that are more successful then I am is a big boost to my learning curve. And if all goes well, my income.

Michael

Legit Mystery Shopper Secret Shopper Jobs

2007-01-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

One question I often get asked is about mystery shopping or being a secret shopper.

Yes, there is such a job and yes, they are for real.

Because of the lure of easy money there is an abundance of scams related to this field. Some websites even try to sell you a list of where to reply or charge a monthly fee just to give you updated lists.

Avoid any mystery shopping service that charges a fee just to tell you where to apply.

Based on my research the best source for mystery shopping information is ...

Volition

I have not tried them, but the information they provide is free. Please let me know if you have any other legitimate sources for mystery shopping or secret shopping jobs.

Michael

The Apprentice Starts Tonight

2007-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Today is the day we Entrepreneurs have been waiting for. The next season of The Apprentice starts tonight.

It all begins at 9:30pm EST on NBC.

I will be watching and learning. What a better way to learn then by watching entertaining TV.

Michael

Disclosure Policy

2007-01-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

This policy is valid from 06 January 2007

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Free Magazines In Your Industry

2007-01-04T19:15:00.000-08:00

Do you like free stuff?

Check out Magazines.com for some free magazines. The free ones are often very specific in an industry.

Use the search feature on their site. You might even find some related magazines, free or otherwise.

Take Care,

Michael

Ebay 15 Cent Sale Listing Results

2007-01-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

Last week I listed 8 items for sale on Ebay. I took advantage of their special 15 cent listing fee offer.

Right now there are 3 items left for sale. None of the items I purchased at an auction sold. Those items were purchased to be sold on Ebay for profit, but it didn't work this time.

Most of my offline to online auction transactions produce $10 to $120 in profit after fees.

The items I listed that did sell were things from around the house. Rather then get rid of them, I decided to make a few bucks from selling them on Ebay.

As I was writing this I just took a break and checked on my auctions. Looks like I will have 3 sales from the 8 listings.

Michael

Should You Sell On Ebay or Not?

2007-01-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

Ebay is good for 2 things.

First, if you are looking for that hard to find item. Ebay is the place to start. Just the other day my wife wanted an old album by The Doors. We looked all over, then finally found it on Ebay.

Not that you can find everything on Ebay, but it is a great place to look. When the item is hard to find and in high demand the prices tend to be higher too.

Second, good stuff cheap. If you want something cheap. Start with Ebay. With multiple sources competing for your money and the auction style listing format, lower prices abound.

This has its drawbacks when you go to sell stuff yourself.

In 2006 I sold about 100 items on Ebay. In 2007 I will probably double that and then some.

The key is to test and research. And always have a backup plan.

Take Care,

Michael

Start 2007 With Organization

2007-01-01T07:34:00.000-08:00

I am off to Borders to spend my rewards points. There is one book that I might get and I will have to check out the Moleskine products.

For 2007 I am going to organize my projects into steps.

Think

This will be tasks that require some thought. It could be newspaper clippings, notes scribbled while driving, stuff like that.

Research

Research is the stage after thinking. If I think an idea might work I will do research. There are many sources for research but mostly I use online.

Plan

Once I complete the research and decide the idea can make money I work on a plan. That is the thing many businesses fail to do. Having a plan in the beginning is very important. It doesn't mean the plan can't change. I often remove and add stuff to my business plan for my ideas.

Action

This is the hard part. Taking action on the plan is where many people give up. For me giving up isn't the problem, time is my problem. In 2007 I plan on paying people to do work for me that I don't have time to do. With successful research and planning I will know how much I can afford to pay someone. In some cases I may even consider a partnership.

Review

After a plan has been put into action then it is time to review the results. Often the first sales letter or product needs changed. Advertising needs to be adjusted and many times broken into smaller elements.

At any point in the process I might move a project back to one of the other steps. After action I may need to rethink the business plan. No problem, I will just re-work the business plan for that project.

Step back later this week for a special announcement. In the mean time start organizing your projects.

Michael

Paid To Surf Programs

2006-12-30T19:19:00.000-08:00

I remember a few years ago the in thing was paid to surf programs. I even used a free internet service that worked on the same model.

Today I found a paid to surf service.

They start you out with $5, cool stuff. What a great way to star the new year.

Take Care,

Michael

Solution on Yahoo Answers

2006-12-29T16:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted a question on Yahoo Answers.

Yahoo Answers is not like Google Answers. With Yahoo Answers anyone can answer the question.

This is good and bad. The bad is that you will get junk answers. The good is that you do get some good answers, they are free and in most cases you can get answers quickly.

Next time you can't find what you are looking for try Yahoo Answers.

Michael

P.S. Don't forget to check out RatingsHub

Finished Listening To "Why We Buy"

2006-12-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

Today I finished listening to "Why We Buy" by Paco Underhill.

It was a good listen, but of all the books I read or listened to so far. I think this was not related to what I do.

This audio book was more for a retail store. There was a short section for internet commerce, but overall 90% was about retail sales.

I did pick up some good ideas and I know that the next time I am out shopping I will pay more attention to the store layout. See if I can find areas for improvement.

I'm not going to do a full review of this one, but I will have a new book review out shortly.

Take Care,

Michael

New AOL Video Web Site

2006-12-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

AOL is running a new TV commercial promoting their online video site.

My favorite part is "zero cents per day".

Anyway video online for free is currently in.

Have you thought of using video in your business? Could you make training videos to help your staff. Could you make a screen cap video to answer a question that you often get asked?

There are many ideas. Feel free to post your comments.

Take Care,

Michael

How Many Days A Year Do You Work

2006-12-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

The average worker puts in 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year. Vacation is anywhere from 1-5 weeks. There are many other factors, but you get the idea.

Now for the self employed or work at home professional. How many hours per week do you work? How many weeks vacation do you take?

Feel free to post a comment on this if you like.

Don't forget after a minute passes, there is no way to get it back. Don't loose your most precious gift. Time

Merry Christmas,

Michael Home Business Startup Guides

Web Site Design Changes And New Projects

2006-12-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go?

I was up late last night working on major design changes to one of my sites. The big part is done, just a little more to go.

One of my BLOGs needs to be updated, so I will work on that tonight.

So much to do and so little time.

What are your business goals for 2007? Is there something work at home or home business related that you can't find? Let me know, I love to hear from the people that visit my sites.

Take Care,

Michael

Multiple Streams Of Income

2006-12-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight I will be busy working on a new site.

This wasn't going to be a priority until after the new year, but things change.

Looking forward to an extra day off and spending time with my family.

Bless you and yours this Christmas.

Michael

Are You Going To Increase Your Advertising in 2007?

2006-12-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

In the Direct magazine annual survey 49% said that they plan on increasing their online advertising spend in 2007.

I am a little ahead of the game. In November I started to max out what I could afford in advertising.

I find the end of the year is a good time to start testing new things. Even if I make a mistake the loss will come off my taxes.

There were no details as to what specific form of web site advertising, but there was a defined breakdown of other categories. My guess is that they ar talking about text, contextual and banner based.

Take Care,

Michael, owner Home Business Startup Guides

Is That Your Identity

2006-12-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

Did you see that new show "Identity"?

How cool is that. Most games shows don't impress me. But this one really sticks out.

Identity is about us, our lives and how we treat others. The people on this show are making guesses based on what the people look like and what they are wearing.

How often do we do that. In the show when you are wrong you could loose the money. In life we could loose much more.

Time for shopping, more tomorrow.

Michael

Goals vs. Benefits For 2007

2006-12-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

What are your goals for 2007?

I try to make goals on a monthly basis instead of a whole year. For me I like the smaller steps instead of getting lost in the big picture.

Yes, I do have an idea of what the big picture is. But my big picture is a range.

For example I might want to do 25-40 business owner interviews and find about 12 new products for 2007. I won't focus on the number of interviews or how many products I did find. I will focus on doing 2 or 3 interviews and finding 1 good product for the site.

If I don't meet my goal for the month, I start over again the next month. That way I am not behind the whole year. If I have a real good month and get caught up then that is great, otherwise I move on.

What are the benefits of the goal?

That is the most important question to ask. Why do so many interviews and look for so many new good products without a reason. Why stop smoking, why loose weight. Not because you should, but because you want to see your kids graduate, you want to experience the feeling of satisfaction when you are on the beach and looking great.

Go ahead and set your goals, but know why they are your goals. Make them have a reason to exist in the first place.

Take Care,

Michael

Clickriver Ad Network

2006-12-18T16:01:00.000-08:00

Amazon is working on their own PPC system called Clickriver.

As of this writing Clickriver is by invitation only.

The advertising on Amazon is delivered by at least one external network.

By having their own system in place Amazon will have more control over what ads get displayed with what items. We all know about the changes with Google, not to mention not having any control over what ads get displayed.

Clickriver is part of the A9 network. I don't use A9 because the last time I tried it the results were poor.

Hopefully Amazon can get the bugs worked out and get ClickRiver running soon.

Michael

If You Steal My Content I Will Find You

2006-12-17T04:55:00.000-08:00

Well I decided to play some games with the person who is stealing my content. Since it is going to be a couple days until the formal process begins I figured I would do some tests.

My first test worked so I stepped it up a notch today. Tomorrow I should have some code in place that will allow me an even bigger test. Does anyone know how to get text to display on if it is on a specific domain? The code must be in HTML or JavaScript. I use PHP, but the copycat site does not.

I will let you know how this goes in a couple days.

Michael

Advertising With 7Search

2006-12-16T18:51:00.000-08:00

Do you advertise with 7Search or any other search engine. Google, Yahoo & MSN are the big ones. But do you advertise with others?

What were your test results? Not actual figures, but compare the site to one of the major sites.

If the conversions aren't going to be there then I won't waste my time.

Take Care,

Michael

Home Business Startup Guides

Penny Project With A Sheet Of Paper

2006-12-15T17:26:00.000-08:00

Today I did a post on my Penny Project BLOG.

If you are new to this BLOG you may not know about my other projects. I do keep busy with my money making projects.

Anyway I am at level 9 in the penny project. This has been the most fun project so far. It isn't making much money yet, but that will come later.

Take Care,

Michael

Do The Math Before Using The New Ebay Classified Format

2006-12-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

Last night I started to do some research on Ebay. The new Classified format is starting to get some press.

My initial research found 6 areas that the classified format is working and a handful of others that could be profitable.

Here is one thing to keep in mind.

By paying Ebay with the classified format you are paying them for traffic. Thats it. Your listing must really stand out to get attention.

Think of it this way. The Ebay Classified listing costs $10 for 30 days. If you get 100 views then your ad cost you 10 cents per view. 500 views would break down to 2 cents per view. But there were only 2 classified that I saw that were over 500 views.

Take Care,

Michael

Crazy Math And How Much Do Your Prospects Cost

2006-12-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

I mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating.

Do you know how much your prospects cost?

And what percentage of prospects can you convert into customers?

This is very important information needed to calculate how much money you can spend to acquire a lead.

I was doing some research on shareasale.com to find PPL offers.

A PPL offer is a Pay Per Lead offer. For example there are companies that will pay $1 for every visitor you send them that fills out a 3 field form. Some offers pay more and some offers collect more info.

The idea is that these people know they can spend $x for a lead because they can turn so many leads into customers. There is a little more to the math, but from a promotions side of the math you get the idea.

Something to think about.

Take Care,

Michael

Problems With Yahoo RSS Reader

2006-12-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

I use the new Yahoo email system with the built in RSS reader.

For the past 2 days my feeds are not showing up. No list of subscriptions, no posts, no nothing.

This is a big deal, I rely on my RSS reader to provide the latest updates to my subscriptions.

Are you using an RSS reader? Do you have problems with the Yahoo RSS reader?

I was going to write a nice article for you today, but ran out of time.

Don't forget. If you haven't already, please check out the Information Product Reviews. Right now membership is free so don't miss out.

Take Care,

Michael

Information Product Ebook Research

2006-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note on a new and highly needed service.

I am going to be doing some associate editing work with David Vallieres as the senior editor.

There are too many crappy information products on the internet. That is where RatingsHub comes in. You can read and write reviews of information products. What a great way to help narrow down what you want to buy or find something you didn't even know existed.

Best of all there is no selling on the site. Even the reviews are without signatures so people giving the review don't profit from their reviews.

There is only one way to get access to this FREE website.

http://www.ratingshub.com/invite/beachbumis.html

Take Care,

Michael

Passive Income Email List

2006-12-09T07:54:00.000-08:00

The email list for my Passive Income HotSheets is now live.

Passive Income
I am still working on the first hotsheet but should be done by next weekend.

Feel free to leave your comments and suggestions.

Michael

Multiple Streams Of Income - Or Not

2006-12-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

Today I got an email from John Reese. It had a link to a video. I watched the video.

It was about multiple streams of income and how you should focus on one instead of many.

I must say that I can only partially agree with what John is talking about.

I disagree on his point about multiple streams of income. Based on what I saw the past 3 years having multiple sources of income was important. More on this later.

I do agree with focus. In order to succeed having a clear focus is important. It doesn't matter if you are building a single business or multiple streams, without focus you need to be very lucky. Even with focus you need some luck. :-)

I prefer to build a network of multiple streams around a single focus. This is a combination of focus and multiple streams of income.

Sorry if you don't get the email from John Reese. I would tell you where to sign up, but I don't think the site I registered on is up anymore.

Take Care,

Michael

Testing Website Changes

2006-12-06T16:00:00.000-08:00

Right now is not the time to test changes to your website. Well, I guess that depends on the type of website you have.

Traffic and spending habits this time of year are not normal. So it is hard to gauge if a change made to your site is an improvement or just doing better because of the mood of the buyer.

Still doing my residual income research.

Michael

Residual Income - Your Thoughts

2006-12-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

I am doing some residual income research for one of my other sites.

There are 2 kinds of residual income. Passive and active.

In passive residual income you profit over time from work you did once.

This in my opinion is the best kind of income. Like interest in the bank or a stock that you pick for the long term. You can go on vacation for 3 weeks and continue to make money as if you were working.

This is where I plan to focus my efforts.

In active residual income you continue to earn money over time from work done once, but you are also active at building your customer list.

Feel free to post your comments.

Take Care,

Michael

Website & BLOG Contextual Advertising

2006-11-28T17:13:00.000-08:00

Need to earn some extra money from your website or BLOG? Try contextual advertising.

Unlike Google AdSense(r) ads that look like ads. Contextual ads blend right in with your site. Key words will be identified and linked to a partner site.

Add contextual advertising to your site to complement your income or even replace your current advertising.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Michael

Be A Child Forever - Cyber Monday

2006-11-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

Since this is Cyber Monday I figured I would point out a unique shopping site.

Do you need a gift for someone over 20 that acts like they are 5? Do you need a gift for someone that has everything?

Check out this site. They have very unique fun gifts.

Take Care,

Michael

Internet Marketing Beta Program Tester

2006-11-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

I was accepted as a beta tester for an internet marketing program.

It is going to require some work, but at this point there is no fee. So far I only found one downside.

I have to keep this a secret, so sorry that I can't give out the details. When this goes public I will let you know more.

Wish I could say more. I am struggling with what to do on this...

Take Care,

Michael

Community Events For Networking

2006-11-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

I love being out and about. Talking to people and learning new things gives me energy.

Join your local Better Business Bureau not for the publicity but to network with other business owners. This is especially important if you work from home.

There are places to do networking online like Ryze.com but you really do have to get out of the house sometime.

Now that the weather is getting colder, make plans to get out of the house at least once a day.

Take Care,

Michael

Selling Stuff On Ebay

2006-11-04T15:40:00.000-08:00

I like to sell stuff on Ebay as a hobby. A little extra cash to eat out at a nice restaurant.

One thing I found with selling on Ebay is the time involved in setting up new auctions. Doing research and writing up a good listing takes time.

Packaging and shipping takes a little time, but I think a digital download item would be easier.

Here is one solution I found.

Make a DVD to teach someone a skill or to do something. Then sell the DVD on Ebay. Make sure you include that it is a home made DVD.

This could even be used as a front end product.

Make & Sell DVDs on Ebay

Take Care,

Michael

How Is Your Small Business Going?

2006-11-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

Would you like to chat with other small business owners?

I am considering adding a chat room to the website to discuss small business topics.

If there is enough interest I will set it up. Please email me or post a comment to let me know.

Getting late, time to rest.

Take Care,

Michael

Double Penny Project Update

2006-11-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

I don't remember if I mentioned this before or not.

I started a BLOG for my Double Penny Project.

Currently I am only at $1.06, but growth is on the way.

This has been a fun project so far. I know things will get a little more risky when I hit the higher amounts.

If you are doing the double penny project or would like to find out more about it.

Please visit my double penny BLOG.
Take Care,

Michael

Get Your Morning Coffee Brewing

2006-11-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

For the past two days I have been trying to get rid of a cold.

It is hard to concentrate when your nose is stuffy and your head aches from the pressure.

But when you work for yourself full time or part time, there is no time to be sick.

If I get a chance I will try to finish the November newsletter and send it out next week.

More to come later today ....

Michael

Always Test And Track Everything

2006-11-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

When you own a website and do advertising...

You must always test and track everything. Something as small as one word can make the difference between profit and loss. Normally that would be an extreme, but you get the idea.

Check out this news release from Market Wire

I created my own tracking software. There are some things it doesn't do yet, but it has evolved over the past few months.

Always Test And Track Everything

Take Care,

Michael

Poll Question Announced Soon

2006-10-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

I am going to put together a poll question. For right now I will get too many email messages if I ask this by email, so I will put up a poll instead.

The question is going to be about working from home.

What do you think of the BLOG and website? Any comments, questions or suggestions are welcome.

Take Care,

Michael

One Man Turned Fried Coke into $157,500

2006-10-29T04:42:00.000-08:00

This is amazing.

Abel Gonzales came up with a recipe involving coke syrup and a little deep frying.

For the full story Click Here.

Selling over 35,000 units at $4.50 each is $157,500 before expenses. Not bad for less then a months work.

When you work for yourself, you reap the rewards of success and bare the burden of failure. This time success is the story.

Michael

BLOG Style For Your Small Business

2006-10-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

Do you have a style for your BLOG? In other words, do you just post facts or are your BLOG posts like a conversation.

I run a couple website and BLOG businesses.

My style is much like a conversation. When I write a post for my BLOG I pretend that this is a personal conversation between you and me.

If there is something I need to say that doesn't lend itself to a conversation format, then I write it as an article.

Feel free to join in the conversation and post a comment or drop me an email.

Take Care,

Michael

Trick Or Treat And Other Goings On

2006-10-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

Today we took our daughter to a Halloween party. It is so hard to believe that we are heading into fall. It seems like only yesterday that we spent some time at the beach.

Next thing you know it will be Christmas.

Instead of waiting until the last minute I like to spend some time thinking about my goals for 2007. Over the next few weeks I will set aside some time to plan the direction I want my business to head.

Happy Halloween.

Michael

Writing Articles For Your Business

2006-10-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Do you write articles related to your business?

You can use articles for your website or even create your own newsletter. If you include a link back to your site you could also earn some backlink credits.

For me I get so swamped with the business side of things I often don't have time to write. That will have to be one of my goals for 2007. To write an article each month.

Take Care,

Michael

November Home Business Newsletter

2006-10-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I am going to release the November Home Business newsletter next week.

If you have any questions you would like answered or suggestions for articles, please email michael@homebizstartupguides.com

Deadline to submit questions and requests is October 30th.

Last night I downloaded 2 new audio books from Audible. I didn't get to listen to them yet because I was behind on listening to my podcasts. Today I got almost all the podcasts done and will start listening to the audio books tomorrow.

So much to do, so little time.

Take Care,

Michael

Kickbacks & Incentive Promotions

2006-10-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

One way to make money is to make less money up front.

That is in exchange for some of your profit, get something from your customer.

For example. Fill out a 20 question for to get 30% off this order. Other ideas include giving something free to get customer contact information.

There are an endless supply of ideas if you look around.

Take Care,

Michael

Offline Auctions For Online Auction Sales

2006-10-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

I went to an auction today. A real one, not an online auction.

I was looking fro some stuff to sell on Ebay. I spent about $6 on some things that I thought might sell. Well that includes some toys I got for my daughter.

When I got home I did some research on Ebay and I should be able to make a slight profit. Like I mentioned yesterday the money is in the margin.

When buying stuff to sell you have to keep in mind your costs and know that you can make a profit. Then how much time and energy was spent to earn that profit.

I like going to auctions, so this is more of a hobby for me then a business.

Take Care,

Michael

The Money Is In The Margin

2006-10-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

That small gap between (cost + expenses) & income.

The margin is your profit. It could be a product or a service. Even if you promote affiliate products your profit is in the margin.

Affiliate Promotions Margin:

(Affiliate Commission) - (Cost of advertising) = Your Profit Margin

Ebay Product Margin:

(Income) - (Item Cost + Ebay Listing Fee + Ebay Final Value Fee + PayPal Transaction Fee + Shipping Cost) = Your Profit Margin

These are just 2 very small profit margin models. They don't include factors specific to some small businesses and are just used as an example.

Take Care,

Michael

Internet Marketing Guru Found

2006-10-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

I must say that I am very disappointed today. Last night I stayed up late
to read a 60+ page ebook from an internet marketer who I trusted.

I am not disappointed in the quality or quantity of the information
provided. What bothers me is the mention of internet marketing guru's.

All things come from God. There are no guru's on earth, only one in Heaven.

Are you happy with where your business is at or are you looking to grow your
business? HomeBizStartupGuides.com was created to help people start their
own business. The next logical step is growth. Right now I am swamped, but
keep your eyes open for early 2007. I am going to start a new site to help
new and young (the business, not the person) businesses grow. Not a new
concept, I know. But I want to focus on a "real" level, not a fairy tale
level like you see all over the internet.

If you would like to help me test out the new business growth site before I
release it, please send an email to Michael@HomeBizStartupGuides.com.

Take Care,

Michael

October Issue Of Target Marketing Magazine

2006-10-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

Did you get your copy of Target Marketing in the mail today? I did and this must be a special issue. It looks to be 3 times the normal size.

Cover price $10, my price free, value, priceless.

I mentioned this before, but I think it is worth bringing up again. Check out Magazines.com for the market that you sell to and see what magazines they have. Some of them are free if you perform specific job functions.

My schedule for the day was going to cut 1 hour off my available sleep time. Looks like I am going to have to give up another hour just to skim this issue of Target Marketing.

Take Care,

Michael

Taking Time For The Weekend

2006-10-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

If you work from home there is a greater chance of not having "regular" work hours.

That can mean working weekends.

If you work for yourself part-time and also have a full-time job then there is an even greater chance that you almost always work during the weekend.

Last weekend we took some time off and went to the beach. I can tell you right now that it was worth getting a little backed up in my work.

Take some time to relax, it will show in the work you produce.

Take Care,

Michael

Open Source Scripts

2006-10-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

Before purchasing software I often check for open source programs.

Not freeware loaded with advertising, but true open source software.

I am currently looking for a chat program to hold open chat discussions about working at home. So far I found 1 for $35 and 2 free open source programs.

Now to try the 2 free programs out.

If I hold an open work at home chat session. What day and time would be best?

Take Care,

Michael

Copywriting - Can You Learn To Be A Copywriter?

2006-10-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

If you are in business for yourself you know how hard it is to write copy that sells. What words to use and how to write so that it doesn't sound like you are selling or being pushy.

Click Here To Learn Copywriting or Start A Copywriting Business

A year ago I would have told you that copywriting is something that you are born with. Now, I know better. You can learn to be a good copywriter, good enough to run your own copywriting business.

I don't do copywriting as my business but as part of my business. Turns out without being able to write good copy is a major set-back.

As always, drop me an email if you have any comments.

Take Care,

Michael

Getting Started Before You Start

2006-10-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

One way to start making money before or in addition to running your own business is affiliate programs.

I have found that promoting affiliate products educational. If it would not be for my trial and error my business would not grow as smoothly.

Do you promote affiliate products? Does your business use affiliate products?

Drop me an email.

Take Care,

Michael

Back From The Beach & Penny Project

2006-10-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

I am back from the beach. The "Vacation Special" will last another 24 hours or so. It will take me a couple days to get caught up with my work.

While on my little vacation I didn't find any money to add to my Penny Project. But I did get 2 coupons for free Starbucks coffee. Now to negotiate a price for these coupons. I got the coupons for free, so this will jump me from .01 to whatever value I can negotiate for them.

There is so much going on. One of these days I am going to hire an assistant!

On a serious note Allen and I did consider getting an intern. As time goes on I am thinking that we should not have decided to wait.

Take Care,

Michael

Special Deal While I am At The Beach

2006-10-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I offered a special on a package of information products. This package is geared towards thos that want to sell information products. Either their own or with an affiliate program.

Info Product Special

We will be back in a couple days and the special will end. Don't wait, this is our last trip to the beach. Getting too cold.

Enjoy the deal.

Take Care,

Michael

Back On The AdWords Bandwagon

2006-10-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

My AdWords spend today was back to normal.

The next time I try to enter a big market I will do it on a day where I can watch my spend on an hourly basis.

The landing page conversion to the offer page was good, but the offer conversion was nill.

It could be the offer or it could be the market segment that I sent to the offer. I'm going to test this market again and keep a closer eye on tracking each word and conversion.

That was one nice thing with a CPA program. I can set-up sub tracking codes on each link. That makes it easy to track conversions down to the search term.

More on my CPA test in the weeks ahead.

Take Care,

Michael

Testing Is Good, Overspending Is Bad

2006-10-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

Last night I started a new AdWords Ad test for a new product.

I did some research and knew that I was looking at a highly searched phrase. But considering the CTR of most ads I figured I would still be below my daily advertising budget.

Well when I got home from running errands and checked my account I was already over 10% over my max for the day.

Ouch!

Checked my sales stats and there were none.

Double Ouch!

So testing is good, we all know this. But when doing a test you really have to limit your spend.

Take Care,

Michael

Advertising For Your BLOG

2006-10-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

If you need advertising for on your BLOG I found a great place. Some people may not want to have advertising on their BLOGs. Thats ok, I like to have a little advertising because you never know when someone may need x.

MaxBounty has a ton of places to choose from, many big brand names.

Best of all they have CPA programs too. This is a step up from Google AdSense. Why get paid pennies when you can make dollars.

Take Care,

Michael

Home Business Forum

2006-10-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

The HomeBizStartupGuides.com forum is online.

Home Business Forum

Right now there is not much activity. I hope to change that.

Registration is free and I would love to hear your thoughts on working from home or starting your own business.

We are getting into the busy time of year. Take some time for your family.

Take Care,

Michael

Google Spreadsheet Rocks!

2006-09-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

I needed to create a form for doing a research calculation. In the past I would use the app on my PC. But this time I need to be able to access my custom research calculator from anywhere in the world.

Enter Google spreadsheet.

This was my first try at using Google spreadsheet and I can say I am very happy with the results. It doesn't compare to Microsoft Excel and is way behind some of the cool features I saw in Excel 2007, but for a free spreadsheet program it works great.

In less then an hour I completed my special research calculator. Now I can access it from any place that I can connect to the internet.

Take Care,

Michael

Printable Halloween Games

2006-09-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to some Halloween Games that you can print.

These games are not free, sorry about that. But as you will see they are good quality.

Take Care,

Michael

Car Stereo With AUX Input

2006-09-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

I got a new stereo for my car today. The old stereo was working just fine, but didn't have the one feature that I really wanted.

Instead of burning all my audio books onto a CD so that I can play them in my car I decided to get a new car stereo that has an AUX input. This was I can connect my Creative Zen MP3 player to my car stereo.

The model I decided to buy also can play MP3 CDs. The plan is to use my MP3 player for everything. From time to time I like to burn a CD of podcasts, so the MP3 CD function will come in handy.

My car is 3 years old and I noticed that some of the newer cars come with an AUX input for MP3 players. When it comes time to trade this car in I will have to include an AUX input as a requirement on my new car.

Before my new car stereo I had to burn CDs of my audio books. Now with the new stereo I can load the audio book on my MP3 player and listen to it no matter where I am without having to skip ahead on my MP3 player to catch up to what I listened to in the car. Not to mention having a selection of over 200 CDs on my MP3 player that I can now play in my car whenever I want.

Take Care,

Michael