Improve English Writing Software © - Write Better Right Now!

Improve English Writing Software - can it change the way we write English? English writing is a process that involves with several steps: pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing. Read the following article and find out how you can easily transform your English writing correct and professional.

Quick overview

Improve English Writing Software is actually a 'virtual assistant' that helps you to quickly identify and correct any writing problems while you type your digital text. Analyzing text for correct grammar is a great challenge for software developers; it requires a massive database as well as smart analyzing algorithms. In most cases these solutions enables us to do the following: grammar check, misspelling and typos correction, and suggesting proper punctuation.

What is in it for us?

Let's quickly see what is in it for us:

Improving and enriching our speech, enabling us to speak correct and better English.

Improving our basic-intermediate grammar writing level.

Analyzing our sentence structure for correct punctuation, thus transforming our writing more comprehendible.

There are probably many other benefits that were not added into this quick list, as this unique system keeps changing, bringing us new improvements that help us on improving our Writing skills.

Conclusion

Improve English Writing Software helps us on catching common writing errors as we proofread our writing assignments. This technology is a great way to improve our business communication, especially when we deliver Emails and other business related documents. Developing this complex technology is challenging, however, we can expect this tool to further develop itself, for a single reason: writing is one of the most important tools that help us achieving many of our goals.

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3 Simple Steps To Improve Your Article Writing

Improving your article writing skills is becoming extremely important as the Internet becomes more cluttered with content. You do not want to give up writing articles as a way to promote online. However, you should focus more on writing quality articles to the right audience.

In this article we will provide three simple steps you can follow to improve your article writing skills.

1. Targeted audience. It's time for you to really focus on reaching the right audience. Article directories have become very good at taking a broad theme and giving you very targeted categories to write for.

You should know exactly who your target audience is and how you are writing for them. This means considering things such as age, race, gender, location, and income levels.

These strategies are not new for people who have done off-line marketing in the past. Today you can target your marketing with ppc marketing, social media, and article marketing.

2. Your writing style. Your goal here is to write articles that have an impact on the readers perspective. This does not mean you have to become a professional writer, but you should keep your readers in mind when you are writing an article.

On the Internet shorter paragraphs work better. Shorter sentences work better as well. Numbered list items help the reader know what they will be reading as they skim through the article.

On the Internet readers skim articles as opposed to reading everything word for word. Putting together a proper writing style, and formatting your articles correctly, will help you get the reader through the article down to your resource box.

3. Article directories and blogs. Article directories are an excellent place to submit your articles. However don't forget about blog marketing as more people are subscribing to RSS feeds of their favorite blogs.

Using a service such as Submit Your Article makes submitting your articles to article directories easy to do. Getting your articles into relevant blogs is easier to do as well when you use a service such as Free Traffic System.

The key is to submit unique content and not submitting the same article. When you do this you stand a better chance of having your article published which in turn gives you a better chance to have your article read.

These are 3 simple steps you can implement to improve your article writing skills. Writing for the correct audience, in the writing style, and getting your articles submitted all over the Internet, is something any serious online marketer can do.

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Save Money, Eat Well and Look Hot in Less than an Hour

I’m a snob. I eat organic food, love designer clothes, buy premium pet food, and hate Old

Navy.

But, I’m also one of the cheapest people I know (apart from my Chinese mother - who is THE cheapest person I know, bar none). Ramit has written about swapping out name brands for generics, and many readers have commented on the low, low price of clothes at Target or Walmart.

But, I am a strong believer in quality. A truly nice suit during a salary negotiation can give you the confidence and polish to push for a 10% pay hike. Stylish and professional office clothes can add a crucial accent to your earnest hard work and painstaking PowerPoints. Fresh, organic food can keep your family in robust good health and flourishing at jobs, school and life instead of feeling sluggish and ineffective. An investment in a sexy outfit can yield returns in a hot first date, or a long-lasting flame. So, how exactly do you indulge a champagne taste on a beer budget?

CLOTHES

Target never worked for me. The clothes were always the wrong shape and size, and wore out after only a few washes. Even though an item only cost me $20, I considered it $20 wasted when it was unwearable after the third week of ownership. For nice clothes, one trick I used to think was so smart was going to Nordstrom Rack. I bought a Michael Stars shirt (these normally start at $40 for a tank top, but are sparkly and fabulous) for $10. That was back when I was an AmeriCorps volunteer making $800 a month and living off of food stamps. $10, or three bakery scones as I like to think of it, was within my budget. However, once I made my debut in the world of private enterprise, and let my inner efficiency expert out to play, I realized that I do NOT have time to go down to Nordstrom Rack and paw through massive, disorganized piles of ugly, out-of-fashion clothing in order to find that one buttercup-yellow Michael Stars tee. I went a couple months ago on a Sunday after a long night of rest. Still, I left exhausted, empty-handed and pissed off after wasting and hour and a half rummaging and waiting in line at the fitting rooms. I left with the grumpy and self-destructive thought that next time I’d just buy full-price and be done with the chaotic likes of discount retailers.

The beauty of buying full price, I always thought, was that all the arranging and selection is practically done for you — by all those people that the store or brand pays to look pretty, try to sell you things, and put clothes on mannequins in semi-creative ways. I hate paying for salaries (and other costs) that I don’t think are really adding major value to my core need - the need to buy pretty clothes and look awesome. There is, I discovered, a way to have it all. You can buy high quality, fashionable, wellorganized and well-displayed clothes and spend less time than getting a mani-pedi.

How? Do it on the Web!

Here are the specific sites and services I love:

Shop It To Me. When signing up for this automated personal (discount) shopper service, I

selected the brands I like, the size I wear, and how often I wanted to receive email alerts. I

was skeptical because I’ve signed up for SO many email alert type services that I promptly

relegated to some obscure email filter. Why would this be any different?

I found out when I got my first Shop It To Me SaleMail. Everything it suggested to me - an amalgam of sale items across the Web - played to my tastes (because I chose the brands), fit me (because I chose the size) and was available (as opposed to sold out) at a MAJOR discount. Most items have been half off or more. If the same item is available on two different sites for at two different levels of discount, Shop It To Me will include only the cheaper option in your SaleMail, automating all your time-consuming comparison shopping. The best part is that you can skim through the images in your SaleMail while having your morning whatever and click straight through to the retail site if you’re interested in making a purchase instead of wasting hours going to physical storefronts or even wasting hours at individual online shopping sites doing comparison shopping.

Site: http://www.shopittome.com

Items: Men’s and women’s clothes and shoes.

Brands: Almost everything at almost all levels. Brands range from Louis Vuitton to Nike to

Victoria’s Secret to Free People to The North Face to Tufi Duek … you get the idea.

$$ Saved: I picked out a hypothetical full outfit from a recent SaleMail I received. $489 regular price total - $244.50 discount price total = $244.50 total, or a savings of exactly 50%.

Time Saved: Estimated time to find same deals on Internet (incl. shopping around): 1 hr - Time it would take me to make purchase from SaleMail: 10 min = 50 min saved.

2. Amazon.com. Nope, they don’t just sell books anymore, and yep, shipping is still free on many items. Amazon has some great deals on brand-name clothes, like this James Perse sweater vest for 66% off (if that’s your style), but my favorite apparel item there is SHOES. I saved $50 on a pair of Palladium flats the other week. They were still full-price on Amazon’s sister company, Endless.com. The reason Amazon can sell stuff for less is because they are now an aggregator of items on the Web - not just a vertical retailer. As shown by Shop It To Me, aggregators save you money AND time because they do all that sifting for you. 

Site: http://www.amazon.com

Items: Everything under the sun, including apparel items. Great for shoes, and way cheaper

than Zappos.

Brands: Most common brands are available here. Really unique, high-end, or fringe brands

are rare, but a search only takes a minute.

$$ Saved: My Palladium shoes cost $73 originally. I bought them for $22.99, a savings of

50.01 or 69%. I also got free shipping and didn’t have to talk to sales people.

Time Saved: There’s a shoe store about 1.5 miles from my house that sells Palladium

shoes. It would take me about 40 minutes to walk there and back + 15 minutes to buy the

shoes, for a total of 65 minutes. It took me 5 minutes to buy the shoes online, for a savings 

of 1 hour.

Etsy. Etsy is a way cool crafty, arty site where people from all over the country showcase their talent and sell the beautiful things they created. I have a thing for unique, handmade metalwork earrings. The mass-produced commercial stuff doesn’t hold a candle to a handhammered pair of sterling silver danglies. But, they are f-ing expensive at the boutiques where they’re normally found. Then, I found Etsy. My Fashion Institute of New York friend and all her jewelry design classmates make beautiful stuff, then sell it on Etsy without the boutique markup. The other day I found some one-of-a-kind metalwork earrings for under $20.It’s not just for women either - there are men’s items, stylish home things, art, gadgets, books, and more. 

Know anyone who wants these $14 Republican finger puppets for the holidays?

Site: http://www.etsy.com

Items: Unique, handmade everything - gifts, furniture, books & zines, jewelry and tons

more.

Brands: No brands! This is the place you go to find the one-of-a-kind delights that are

usually exclusive to hip boutiques and gift shops, at a fraction of the price.

$$ Saved: Saw a cute pair of earrings for $18. Saw a similar pair at a boutique last month

for $45. The difference? $27 or 60%.

Time Saved: This site may not actually

save you time because it is so full of all

kinds of fun, impressive stuff to ogle.

However, ogling here is probably still

faster than scouring your city or town for

similar cute items.

Added Bonus: If you’re crafty, you could

actually make some money on Etsy this

year. List your stuff!

FOOD AND HOME

Amazon.com (again). Unless you are a hardcore homesteader, chances are you use canned

tomatoes in some form or another. I like to use them to make quick tomato chipotle soup,

chili, and homemade ketchup. I recently realized that canned, organic, ‘fire-roasted’

tomatoes are $0.50 less per can on Amazon.con than at the grocery store. Not only is

this awesome because I don’t have to go to the store, but I also don’t have to worry about

buying it as often because it’s a 12 pack.Amazon works for toilet paper, soap, this facial

scrub I like to use, cereal bars, organic tea and soymilk, vitamins, and just about everything

else. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered I spent $50 too much on a large amount of

premium vitamins and supplements when I checked on Amazon and found the same exact

brands but for 20% less. Who knew a storefront cost that much? I don’t care if I see it in

person, if I know what it is. In fact, I prefer to live like a (beggar) queen and have things

delivered to my front door for less money - who wouldn’t?

2. eBay. As much as I scoff at the big, gaudy store by my house, I still kind of love Pottery

Barn duvet covers. Problem is, they are so freaking expensive that I’d never EVER buy one.

$200 for a duvet cover is a travesty, no matter how cute it is. But, what if it were $50? And

brand new, in its original package? And delivered to your door? This is the magic of eBay.

Don’t ask me how these sellers get this stuff (fell off the truck?), that’s not my problem. I

just go, put in a bid, and forget about it. That is, until I get the “You’ve Won This Auction”

email. I’ve used eBay for said Pottery Barn duvet cover, for a lovely hypoallergenic silk.

comforter, and for 400-thread count Ralph Lauren sheets, all at massive discounts. The point here is that it’s simple, automatic, and cheap, but still premium.

Site: http://www.ebay.com

Items: Sundries, but I like it for bedding and home items especially.

Brands: eBay works best for brand names that you recognize.

$$ Saved: I’ve saved $150 on the duvet cover, $40 on the sheets, and $3,000 on a car (yes, I once bought a car on eBay).

Time Saved: At least 1 hour for going to the home goods store.

3. Only Natural Pet. A shout-out to pet owners - I know you’re out there! This great

site has everything healthy and fun for your pet. The best part is that you can set up an

automatic pet food delivery service - you choose the kind of food and the frequency, and,

because you’re a guaranteed customer, OnlyNaturalPet rewards you by giving you 10%

off every single delivery. Pretty awesome because pets eat all the time, and pet food and

supplies tend to be bulky and somewhat time consuming to obtain.

Site: http://www.onlynaturalpet.com

Items: Pet food, toys and supplies

Brands: Better quality natural and veterinary brands.

$$ Saved: If you opt for recurring food delivery, you save 10% on your order, each time.

Time Saved: 30 minutes per week going to the pet store.

4. Your local farm. I’d like to give a nod to vegetables. Ok, so we know you can get packaged

goods (food, clothes, bedding) for less money when you buy it online. But, fresh vegetables, especially if you buy organic, are always pricey and require frequent trips to the farmers’ market or store,

right? Not if you sign up, online of course, for a CSA box.CSA = community supported agriculture, and in many cases, involves a big box of just-picked, local, and organic produce delivered to your home for less than you’d pay at the farmer’s market OR the store. Why is it less for this superior product that’s delivered to you? No store overhead. Plus, the producer has a guaranteed customer every week, so those price hikes s/he was implementing to hedge against a slow day at the market aren’t necessary with a delivered

CSA.

Site: Search up “CSA” near your city or town

Items: Farm fresh produce

Brands: Um… it’s produce, from the earth. No branding, no marketing.

$$ Saved: At $29 a box, delivered every other week, I’m saving around $10 per week on fruits and veg.

Time Saved: 2 hours per week over going to the farmer’s market or grocery store.

Online shopping can help you live a healthy, stylish, and frugal life in so many ways. To me, the most important thing I save is the time and sanity I used to waste on running errands, going to the mall, comparison shopping from store to store, and waiting in line. Now I use that time to do the things I really enjoy (and can’t automate) - eating, trying on the clothes that came in the mail, and relaxing with the people I love.

Total savings: $20 to $500

I’ve launched The Scrooge Strategy, a subscription program with new savings tips — about

one per week — so you can continue saving even more money. Perfect if you need ongoing strategies, tactics, and reminders about saving money As a member of The Scrooge Strategy, you’ll receive an email to you each week with a new savings tip. As with prior tips, it will include a fresh way of looking at saving money — not more of the same old boring tips that nobody listens to. As a member, you’ll be able to request a savings tip in your particular challenge area: Maybe it’s eating out, or shopping, or spending too much on electronics. I’m also including a panel of expert writers, who will help you save money and conquer that problem area.

!ese tips work

I spend hours writing each tip, which tend to be 4-6 pages long. They include super-tactical

tips with screenshots, phone numbers, call scripts, and my own tips on what to watch out

for. As a member, you’ll get one tip per week — just enough to focus on for the week.

Plus, each tip is a constant reminder to stay focused on cutting costs, earning more, and

optimizing your spending.

“It’s like having a smart, articulate, and inexpensive financial advisor that calls you all the

time to check in.”

 –Matthew Earle, Boston, MA

“Tips are excellent–I really like Ramit’s emphasis on psychology and it is slowly but surely

making me think about purchases I make, especially unplanned ones.”

 –Kevin Foster, Blacksburg, VA

“So far, for 2009 I will be saving $660.60 over the course of the year (and I’ve only made 2

changes so far)!”

 –Stacy Miller, St. Albans

What other people have said about my savings tips

“What really sold me on The Scrooge Strategy is that the step-by-step guides make saving

money so easy that I seriously have no excuse not to evaluate my financial goals. Sure, I’ve

theoretically known that that I needed to shop around for car insurance… but did I ever

get my Google on and actually do it? Not until you laid out a couple of links for me. That

tip alone saved me $1800 annually — and BONUS — now I actually know what the hell my

insurance covers.”

–Lesly, Houston, TX and Scrooge Strategy member

“You can save well over a couple thousand dollars just with this tip alone. That’s more than

some people save in a whole year.”

 –Caleb

“IT IS FANTASTIC! My husband just lost his job, but with the savings we’ve implemented so

far, and the additional savings coming up soon, I don’t think we are going to be in danger

of falling off that financial cliff that many families are teetering on right now…and I really

do credit a lot of that to this program. Also…IT DOESN’T MATTER AT ALL whether you make

a lot of money, or a little money, this is good information/knowledge for anyone if you are

willing to just do it.”

 –Stacy Miller, St. Albans and a Scrooge Strategy member

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Pack lunches for the rest of the week

This is Tip of the 30 Day Challenge to save $1,000.

The first tip is to go to the grocery store today and pack lunches for yourself all week.

Sounds obvious, but below I’ll include some specific tips and social-psychological

techniques to make this actually work.

This tip reminds me of something I heard in college from a professor of mine, who made

the point that lots of people look down on fields like communication and psychology

because they seem self-evident. “Communication is measured by the usefulness of the

theory, not the difficulty,” she told me. It’s easy to look down on tips like “pack your lunch”

because it’s so obvious, but it actually works.

How much you’re currently spending

Let’s look how much NOT packing a lunch is costing you. I’ll assume you eat out 3 times per

week for lunch.

Current lunch spending: (Eat out 3x/week) * (4 weeks in a month) * ($12 each lunch net

with tax) = $144 per month on eating out

New spending to eat out: (Eat out 2x/week) * (4 weeks) * ($8 net with tax) = $64.

New spending to pack lunches: (Pack lunch once/week) * (4 weeks) * ($5 cost per packed

lunch) = $20.

So $144 - $64 - $20 = $60 in savings.

Because you can break down the

variables above (# of times you eat out

vs. amount you spend on each lunch

vs. cost of packing your own lunch),

you can tweak each of them. For

example, maybe you want to eat out

4 times per week but it will only cost

you $2 each time. In that case, enjoy

the week-old rotten vegetables you’re

buying. But if you tend to eat out at 

expensive restaurants with co-workers, maybe you limit it to once per week. Up to you.

Note that I didn’t suggest going cold-turkey on eating out for lunch…because that will last

about a week, then you’ll give up. This is the key point I made in Set smaller goals: impress

friends, get girls, lose weight. You can get better sustainable change if you slowly optimize,

rather than quitting cold turkey.

Here’s the concrete tip for today:

1. Decide how many lunches you’re going to pack each week. More =

save more money.

2. Go to the grocery store today.

3. Buy food for your lunches this week. If you want to shop for other

stuff, that’s fine, but the purpose of this trip is to get food for your

lunches. If you accomplish just that, you accomplished your goal.

4. Let’s say you decided to pack 3 lunches each week. Put 3 bags on your

table and fill it with 3 bananas, 3 bags of chips, 3 whatever. This takes

advantage of our laziness to pack lunch each day. Instead, by doing it

this way, you batch the unpleasantness of preparing lunch. Now, each

morning, just open up the fridge, take your bag, and you’re done.

(Bonus tip: To psychologically commit yourself to actually taking the

bag, write “Monday,” “Wednesday,” and “Thursday” on the bag.)

5. For the days you decided to go to lunch, GO! This month, I want you

to be strategic about eating out, so it’s not just something you do

because you forgot your lunch, shrugged your shoulders, and go

drop $10 for your lack of planning. If you decide you’re eating out on

Tuesday and Friday, enjoy it — you planned for it.

6. If a co-worker invites you to lunch, be prepared to say no. Try this:

Thanks, I’d love to go, but I’m taking this 30-day challenge to save

$1,000, so I’m not eating out as much. (This is related to inoculation

theory in psychology.)

7. Be sure to read to the end of this post (”Last things to do”). Leave a

comment describing how much you’re saving with this tip.

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How to Make Money on the Side

  I’ve helped thousands of students earn $1,000, $2,000, even $5,000 and more on the side, every month, while still keeping their day jobs. And I’m going to share some of my best systems with you. But first, imagine how it’d feel if you made an extra $1,000/month.

  Would you feel excited? More confident in yourself? More secure about your day job because

you have a safety net and can ramp up your side income if you need to?

What would you do with your money? Would you build up enough savings so that you could

quit your job? Travel for a month? Pay off your mortgage? Buy a round of drinks for friends?

Spend money on things you love, guilt-free? Whatever we’d do with our extra money, we all have the same question: how do you get started? We’ve all read blog posts proclaiming that we need to get on Twitter and Facebook, buy better business cards, or build a website... and then, magically, money will fall down from the sky. And we’ve heard scammy con artists with private jets promise we’re just one more overpriced ebook away from earning 6 figures with just a few hours a week. There’s some terrible advice out there, and you deserve better. That’s why my team and I spent over five years and $500,000 building and optimizing a system that actually works. Because I give away 98% of my material for free, I’m going to share some of my system with you today—including an easy way to find your first profitable idea, 2 problems that eat up people’s profits, and my Briefcase Technique that makes it almost impossible for people to turn you down.

What You Really Need to Know About Making Money on the Side

Making more on the side lets you work on interesting projects and raise your rates or hours
when you want to. It’s one of the keys to never worrying about finances again.
Some of us struggle for years—spending countless hours on ideas people won’t pay for, not
knowing how to get paying clients, and wasting time on social media before we’ve cashed
a single check.
In contrast, successful people know exactly what to do at each step—and which activities
are a waste of time. They know how to lock in the benefits and avoid any potential downsides
when it comes to earning more.
Pros and Cons of Making Money on the Side
What’s great about making money
on the side?
What are the potential downsides?
▶ It’s easy to get started—and you
don’t have to be the world’s best,
just better than most people
▶ Standard rates for most jobs make
it easy to price your work
▶ It’s easy to get started—and you
don’t have to be the world’s best,
just better than most people
▶ Work right income is very clear and easy
to follow
▶ You can eventually go full-time and
leave your 9-to-5, if you want to
because you’re in control
▶ It takes testing (and time) to find out
which of your skills people will pay
you for
▶ Raising hourly rates can be difficult, if
you don’t know how to approach the
conversation
▶ Earning money on the side is easier
than many people think, but you still
have to invest your time
▶ You have to find out how to get
consistent clients and steady income
I’ve helped thousands of students make money on the side using skills they already have.
One of the most common problems they have is figuring out what profitable skills they have.

What Service Could You Offer?

Most of us are experts in at least one area, or we’re at least better than most other people.
Think about the last time you’ve helped your parents with a computer problem. You may
think you’re just so-so at computers, but to them, you’re a magician. And weeks later, they’re
still telling their friends that you’re a “computer whiz.”
You don’t need to be the world’s best; you just need
to be better than some other people who want your
help.
Ask yourself these questions:
▶ What skills do you already have?
▶ What do your friends call you for advice on?
▶ What kind of sites—computers, fashion, sports, business—do you read?
Many people give up on their dream of making money on the side because they’re held
back by invisible scripts like:
▶ “I’m not an expert at personal finance, finding a dream job, or [fill in the blank].”
▶ “I don’t know anything people would pay for!”
How are you sure? Unless you’ve actually tested your idea, you aren’t.
“Ramit, I don’t think anyone would ever pay me. My idea’s too weird/niche!”
I used to think that, too. Then I found out that people are making 5 and 6 figures by:
▶ Drawing caricatures
▶ Walking dogs
▶ Helping people pick out clothes
▶ Delivering home-cooked meals to busy and lazy people
Do these ideas seem normal? No. But they work because they solve somebody’s problem.
Nobody will ever pay you to solve your problems...
but they’ll line up if you can solve theirs.

How Do You Turn Your Skills into Something People Will Pay for?

All of us have a skills that’ll help other people. So how do we get people to pay for them?
Just remember the #1 marketing rule: Nobody gives a damn about you, it’s always about them.
A skill is something you’re good at—say, organizing offices, handling dogs, or getting amazing
deals on airfare for vacations. But nobody cares about your skill because they’re too busy
to spend the time thinking about how it’ll help them.
That’s where you come in. You offer a service… you solve a customer’s problem or deliver a
benefit, like “I can help you organize your office, so you’ll feel more relaxed, get more work
done, and increase your profits.”
That’s why you’ll be so far ahead when you start thinking about business ideas in terms of
services and ways you can help your clients.
Try this Simple Test to Find Out Whether Your Skill is Viable
To check if you’re actually offering a valuable service, you should be able to explain it by saying,
“I can help you (some service) so that you can (some benefit).” Here are a few examples of
how your skills can become services:
Let’s say you’re great with Photoshop and HTML (skill) so you decide to do web design
(service). But your clients don’t care about web design—they just want a good-looking
website that attracts customers (benefit). And ultimately, what they really care about the
increased sales as a result of that credibility (benefit).
This seems simple, but clients often don’t make the connection between service and benefit
on their own.
Most wantrepreneurs say, “Here’s what I’m good at, do you have any work for me?” No
wonder they get ignored; they haven’t explained what problem they're actually solving.
Their loss is your gain because you already know that people only care about what you
can do for them.
Did your idea pass the “I can help you” test? Great! Now, you’ll discover how to start earning
money fast by focusing on the right activities, instead of trying everything and “seeing what
sticks.”

Why Some People Never Make Money on the Side

Lots of would-be entrepreneurs spin their wheels for months or years. They try dozens of
random tactics—Twitter, handing out business cards, posting in forums, blogging. And when
these don’t work, they give up and blame themselves.
The real problem here is the the bloggers who don’t have much business experience, but
dish out awful advice, such as:
“Just start blogging! Create great content and someone’s bound to pay you
someday!”
“Make a website and do some SEO on it so you always get free traffic!”
“Do something unique and eye-catching, like creating a viral video to get lots of
viewers!”
“Go on some forums and you know, be helpful… answer questions… establish your
presence and see what happens!”
Many people give up on their dream of making money on the side because they’re held
back by invisible scripts like:
Or not.
Successful people have a different approach. Instead of trying everything and “seeing what
works,” they have a system—a step-by-step plan that guides them from finding their first
profitable idea to figuring out what people need their services and getting paying clients.
Everything else, from blogging to getting better business cards, is a time-waster they
eliminate.
When you’re just starting, complex marketing strategies are often an excuse to avoid finding
people who will pay you. SEO, blogging, and viral marketing can take a long time to work…
and each of these projects is actually dozens of subtasks that are nearly impossible to finish.
Luckily, you don't need complex marketing to start earning serious money on the side. There’s
a better way, one that eliminates unnecessary steps so you can start making money faster:
go directly to your customers. It’s easier than you think: just go directly to your customers.

All You Need is 3 Paying Clients

Why 3 clients? The first client could be your grandma, the second could be a fluke, but once
you have 3 clients, you’ve proven that people are willing to pay for your services. You can
test different prices and options with them, and then you can try more complex marketing.
Remember: Get 3 people to pay you before you do anything else.
You’ve already learned how to figure out what service people want. Now, you just have to
find out where the right people are, and talk to them. Here’s how it works:
Find the people you can help
Most people who want to make money on the side pick generic services that have lots of
competition—general writing, fitness training, and computer repair for instance—then
wonder why nobody notices them or buys from them. Meanwhile, other businesses are
super-specific and deeply understand their clients and their problems. And they never have
to worry about competition or lowering their prices.
Let me give you an example of how this works: Pretend you’re a 30 year-old information
technology (IT) employee who’s stressed and has trouble finding the time to tackle big
projects. Which of these people would you choose to help you become more productive?
1. A productivity consultant who helps people of all ages and careers, from college
students to dentists to teachers and retirees, get more things done—and charges
$20 an hour
2. A productivity consultant who worked in IT for 10 years and can share the exact
systems, tricks, and strategies you need to regain control at work, finish large
projects, and optimize productivity. He only works with IT people because that’s
his specialty—and he charges $40 an hour
Paying consultant #2 twice as much seems like a bargain because he solves your exact
problem.
I’m going to show you the framework for picking a particular group of people, so you’ll seem
like the only choice for them.
Here’s how you find them:
First, niche down your market. Do not try to find every person who uses a computer
between the ages of 18-34, lives in the USA, and likes wasting time on YouTube and Facebook.
NICHE IT DOWN. By age, location, interest, income level, and so many more options. (I
explore these in detail at Earn1k.com.)

Then, find out where they go when they have problems:
▶ Want to pitch to moms that blog about children? Go to The Mom Blogs and start
with the “Popular Blogs” section.
▶ Looking for physical or massage therapists within 50 miles of your house? Yelp
should get you started easily.
▶ If you want to groom pets or do dog sitting, there’s probably a local pet store
or dog park near you where owners are just waiting for you to take care of their
pets for them.
▶ If you know a lot about nutrition, you might find that active people who are too
busy to plan meals go to a local yoga studio or Whole Foods.
I’ll explain more of how to uncover exactly what people want and how to niche down, so
you’ll only spend your time on the people who are most interested in paying for your help.
Reach out to people who want your service
Once you find out what kind of people need your help, you’ll need to reach out to them.
And it’s pretty easy.
Back in the day, this meant cold calling anybody who might be interested—a time-consuming,
anxiety-inducing way to get rejected.
Luckily, you’ll only have to write a few emails, then use my Briefcase Technique to get your
first clients.

Secrets of Getting People to Read Your Email and Want to Work withYou

Imagine being swamped with over a thousand emails. You come across a rambling email
from someone who talks about themselves, isn’t sure how to help you, and doesn’t tell you
what you should do next. Do you delete it—or respond?
Here’s a quick strategy to make your emails grab their attention and force them to respond:
▶ Compliment the other person
▶ Show them you know their problems
▶ Get to the point quickly
▶ Establish your credibility
▶ Suggest how you can help specifically
▶ Create a call to action—that is, ask them to email you
or call you if they’re interested
Always ask yourself, “What’s in it for them?” One of my students used this strategy, along
with my word-for-word email scripts, to raise her rates more than 30x. This is how she did it.

Case Study: How Julia Went From $8 to $250 Per Hour with Emails

Julia K. is a 24 year-old accounting student from California. When she started my Earn1K
course, she had a $8 an hour summer job drawing caricatures at a theme park. She enjoyed
her work, but she wanted to earn more. “I wanted a buffer,” Julia explains. “A little security.
My pinnacle of success... was actually just to make $1000 per month with a side gig.”
I taught Julia how to reposition her skill to attract high-end clients. She repositioned
herself as an entertainer at trade shows, then used one of my tested scripts to
start reaching out. “Four emails later I got my first response: ‘Oh, fantastic. You
can come to our next event.’”
Julia made $200 for her first 2-hour gig. Since then she has raised her hourly rates to as
high as $250/hour. “I made $4,000 in June, and I know I can do even better. Plus, I’ve got
my buffer now... I could survive off my emergency fund for 9 months.”

So you’ve used the guidelines above, plus my word-for-word email scripts, to get their
attention with your email. Now it’s time to bring out my favorite tactic to make your offer
irresistible

How to use the Briefcase Technique to Make Clients Begto Work with You

The Briefcase Technique is an advanced negotiation strategy my students have used to
earn thousands of dollars in just one meeting. It looks obvious, but it’s almost unbeatable.
That’s because its magic comes from doing your homework before you ever set foot in a
room with a prospect.
Here's how this powerful tool works:
As the business owner, when I’m considering hiring someone for a job, I’ll talk to them about
the business, hear their thoughts and generally get a feel for their skills and their personality.
If I think there’s a possible fit, I’ll ask them about pricing.
Now, if the person I’m talking to is using the Briefcase Technique, that’s the exact moment
when they pull out a proposal document with things they’ve found in my business that they
can improve and exactly how to do it. As the business owner or hiring manager, it’s the most
compelling document I’ve ever received. It’s a list of problems I already know about, and
they’ve identified them from the outside. Then, they list potential solutions.
Do this and you’ve suddenly separated yourself
from 99% of other applicants… and you can charge
multiple times what other people do because
almost nobody does this.

Case Study: How Mike Earned an Extra $6,065 in 8 Weeks

Mike is a 20-something web designer who was struggling to turn his freelancing into
something substantial. He knew his web design skills were in demand, but because he didn’t
know how to sell his services, he kept wasting hours on deals that he’d never get paid for.
When Mike and his fiance moved to Vancouver, Canada, he got a full time job as a web
designer. He didn’t enjoy most of his work. And with a wedding and plans to have kids and
travel back home to the UK more often, his $31,000 a year salary wasn’t nearly enough.
“It would be nice to have lots and lots of money,”
said Mike, “but the main goal is to have the freedom
to travel, raise the kids, enjoy the life, and enjoy my
hobbies.”
That’s when Mike started following I Will Teach You To Be Rich and signed up for my
complimentary lesson on how to get inside prospects’ heads.
What Changed for Mike?
Before he used my free material and then joined my course, Mike tried to sell people on how
great their new websites would look.
“I didn’t have belief in my abilities and I would offer stuff cheap or free. I wasn’t preparing
myself enough.” Mike was frustrated by chasing prospects and getting nowhere.
“I wasn’t really getting inside their heads to figure out why they wanted a website, or what
problems they had with their business and how a website was going to solve it. Once I started
thinking about those things I could create a proposal that made them bite.”
“It was the Briefcase Technique that made the
difference for me. I learned to be incredibly prepared
for the meeting and focus on the details.”
By getting into his target’s head, Mike’s been able to convert leads into sales. Goodbye
wasted time surfing Craigslist. Hello hours getting paid. Right after learning more about
the Briefcase Technique, Mike created a detailed proposal that “literally sold him straight
away.” Less than an hour after the meeting, he landed his first paying client.
Before, Mike was earning around $2,000 per year with his freelance work. Now he’s brought
in over $6,065 in just eight weeks—and he’s on track to say goodbye to his day job and work
wherever and whenever he wants.

Are You Ready to Start Making Money on the Side?

I’ve spent thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars cracking the code of
how you can make money on the side, and I want to share more of the biggest secrets and
proven strategies with you.
If you want to learn more techniques like the briefcase technique, I’ve put together some
of my favorite systems and techniques so you can:
▶ Find your first profitable idea
▶ Learn which things you need to do—and which dead-ends you need to avoid
▶ Discover how to create a service and an offer so good, people will be excited to
give you their money
▶ Get your first 3 paying clients (so you’ll know your idea is a good one)
▶ Charge more by negotiating better than 99% of people
(with 4 real-world case studies)
▶ Raise your rates and get more clients

Note: Free Article by email from: source

Read more

How to Get the Life You Deserve

How to Get the Life You Deserve

  

Some of us know we deserve a raise, but we don’t know how to ask for the money we

should be getting, and we’re terrified of being shot down by the same boss who gives us

our paycheck. If that’s you, I’ll show you exactly how to deal with fear and intimidation, and

exactly what to say so your boss is excited to pay you more.

Want to diversify your income and make extra money on the side? I’ll guide you through

the process, even if you don’t know how to start. Whether you have hundreds of ideas and

don’t know which ones people will pay for—or have no ideas at all.

Do you dream of starting an online business and making money even when you aren’t

working? I’ve launched almost a dozen successful products, and I would’ve given anything

to have access to the strategies and secrets you’re going to learn now.

I’m happy to share some of the systems I spent over a million dollars developing so you

can earn more money—and slash your workload, save months or years of frustration, and

skyrocket your success—much faster than you’d imagine. For FREE. Why? I give away 98%

of my material, and I know that by helping you achieve Big Wins and making my free material

better than anyone else’s paid products, you’ll join thousands of other readers who’ve gained

so much that they became students for life.

Read more

How to travel full-time for cheap – less than $14,000 per year

Ask anyone what they wish they could do more of, and the answer is literally always the same: “I wish I could travel more.” Yet when you remove all the excuses, few people actually do. I don’t have enough vacation days! It’s too expensive. My friends don’t want to go with me.

I know I’ve been guilty of this.

Today, I’ve asked Nora Dunn, a professional world traveler, to write up a detailed post with her tips on traveling affordably. What I love about this article is how Nora has used money to do what she wants– instead of waiting around for a mythical day where she’ll be able to travel.

Below, you’ll find a few sites you’ve heard of, some you haven’t…and the overall message: Once you remove the barrier of money, what’s your excuse?

(Note: This is part of the new book, 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget.)

Travel for a living on less than $14,000 per year

I “retired” from the rat race at the tender age of 30 to embrace my life-long dream of traveling the world, before life had a chance to get in the way.

So far, I have frolicked in the Rocky Mountains, fallen off the grid in Hawaii, managed tropical hostels, survived Australia’s worst-ever natural disaster, led eco-treks on Llamas, and nearly froze to death in a camper van. (The traveling life is rarely a dull one.)

I am not rich. I am not a trust child, nor do I have rich parents, a sugar daddy, or a stream of income that allows me to live the high life on the road. Full time travel doesn’t have to be expensive, and after two years on the road, I’ve learned plenty of tricks to travel the world without breaking the bank, and without an end in sight.

Here are my secrets (click to jump to the 11 tips below or just keep scrolling):

• 1.Save 80% on Airfare
• 2.Work for Accommodation
• 3.Get Free Accommodation
• 4.Work While Traveling
• 5.Learn the Truth About Volunteering
• 6.Become a Part of a Community
• 7.Avoid the Biggest Trap
• 8.Be Food Wise
• 9.Roll with the Punches
• 10.Rethink Travel Expenses
• 12.Travel Slowly

Tip #1 – Save 80% on Airfare

If you solely use the big online search engines to book your flights, there is a good chance that you are overpaying – sometimes dramatically. I will demonstrate with a case study.

For the purposes of this case study, I arbitrarily decided to fly one-way from Paris to Madrid on June 15th, 2009.

In performing my search on Orbitz, the cheapest fare came from Air Brussels for $249US. At first blush this seems like a terrific deal, considering the next highest price came in at $939US.

But before I got all excited and booked the flight, I checked a few other sites, the first of which is called Which Budget. By simply plugging in my starting point and destination, I was given a listing of all the budget airlines that fly this route – many of which are not indexed with the larger search engines.

If no options appear in your Which Budget search, the alternative is to do a series of Internet searches to find other airlines that fly this route. A great starting place is to find the website for your departing or arriving airport, which often lists the airlines it caters to.

In my search, Ryanair was one of the options that came up, and before I knew it, I had found a flight on the same day, direct no less (the Air Brussels option had a stopover), for… drum roll please…. 33 Euros. This works out to a whopping $45US.

Not only did I get a direct flight by doing a little extra research, but I saved more than 80% on the listed fares.

Words of Caution/Wisdom for Saving Airfare

Be prepared to fly from other terminals or airports entirely. If you are booking connecting flights, ensure that you are arriving at and departing from the same airport, or that there is enough time for you to hustle to your new departure point.

Watch the luggage rules. Many budget airlines cut their costs by charging for checked-baggage by weight. If you don’t pre-pay for your checked bags, or if you exceed the limit you paid for, you could face some hefty fines.

Don’t expect to be wined or dined; not feeding guests is a common budget airline tactic. It’s no loss really – just pack some snacks.

Other Flying Tips

Flying mid-week is usually the cheapest time.

Picking your seats doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark with Seat Guru.

Tip #2 – Work for Accommodation

One of the biggest expenses for a traveler is accommodation. Working (or rather, volunteering) in trade for accommodation – also known as caretaking – is a great way to meet the locals, learn about the land, and get off the beaten path. All the while saving thousands of dollars on places to sleep.

Although most people think of WWOOFing (Willing Work on Organic Farms – we will discuss this in a minute) as the way to work in trade for accommodation, it is only the tip of the iceberg. There are work-trade gigs available in many countries, for people with a variety of skill sets. Among other things, I have milked goats, painted murals, manned reception, cleaned cottages, and maintained estates in trade for my accommodation.

My accommodation has varied in nature from five-star accommodations, to camper vans, to tiny shared hostel rooms, to Oceanside yurts (photo to the right is the view from my yurt). And you would be surprised at the lack of correlation between quality of accommodation and work expectations. Every position is unique and offers something different to the lucky (sometimes not so lucky) applicant.

Here are six resources that will allow you to find the work-trade arrangement that is perfect for you:

Caretaker’s Gazette – This is one of the most useful resources I have found to date. For the $30 annual fee, you will receive listings from around the world for people who are willing to offer rent-free living (and sometimes food too) in trade for your work. Work situations vary from house-sitting, to caring for the elderly, to farm work, campground maintenance, and beyond.

House Carers – If all you want to do is watch the house and walk the dogs, House Carers is for you. Basic membership is free, and the full meal deal is about $45. A majority of the listings are in Australia and New Zealand.

Organic Volunteers – For a $20 membership, you will find a variety of work-trade opportunities that are not limited to organic farming. It is an easy platform to use, and you can converse with hosts using their system to protect your personal information.

WWOOFing – As the most popular work-trade platform, you will find individual WWOOF membership plans for each country. After paying your fee (which varies from country to country), you will receive a booklet detailing the WWOOF hosts in the area and what they are looking for. It is recommended that you get your WWOOF booklet well in advance of your trip, as some are not fully online and will only mail you their listings.

Help Exchange – With a free basic membership (and a nominal premium membership which allows you to converse with hosts using their online platform), you can browse listings around the world which entail a variety of work-trade duties. The sky is the limit.

Work Away – This platform is very similar to the ones above, and costs €20.

Advantages of Work-Trade Arrangements

The commute is never very far.

You will learn many new skills.

You can travel slowly (more on this later) and live inexpensively.

Locations are sometimes remote (whether this is an advantage or disadvantage depends on what you want out of your travels).

You don’t need a working visa, since no money exchanges hands in a work-trade arrangement. Many countries allow volunteer work in exchange for room and board.

Disadvantages of Work-Trade Arrangements

Sometimes having your boss and your landlord as the same person can be troublesome. If you have a falling-out, you will not only be out of a job, but looking for a new place to live – and fast.

Privacy (or lack thereof) can be an issue, depending on the situation.

Sometimes you have to do grunt work. (Hey – if your host liked doing it, they wouldn’t have work-traders.)

Tip #3 – Get Free Accommodation

Using hospitality exchanges, you are a guest in somebody’s home free of charge. The arrangement generally lasts only a few days as opposed to the weeks and even months that a work-trade gig will last, so it is more geared towards active travelers.

What’s in it for the host?

They get to meet you, proudly show their home town to you, and live vicariously through your stories of adventure and travel. (Oh – and if you are nice, you will do the dishes for them too.)

What’s in it for you?

Instead of staying in an expensive and sterile hotel room, you have an “in” with the locals, you get to see how they live, and you have an instant local friend who can show you the ropes.

Although your stay is technically free, common etiquette dictates that you bring a gift for your host, and help out with the household chores and such. So while budgeting your free or almost-free trip, don’t forget to add in this cost.

Here are four resources for you to find the right hospitality exchange:

Couch Surfing – Couch Surfing is arguably the most well-known hospitality exchange, although not the first. Your bed for the night can take the form of a couch, extra bedroom, or chunk of the floor depending on what your host can offer. You can browse online listings, learn about and converse with your potential host online, and make arrangements to meet. Safety checks are in place to ensure no dodgy travelers/hosts ruin it for everybody, but as with all the opportunities listed in this section, please do your due diligence and go with your gut instincts to be safe.

Hospitality Club – I have used Hospitality Club to stay in a few Australian homes and meet new friends in other places in the world. The platform is similar to Couch Surfing with checks and balances, and a wide variety of members can make this site an adventure to surf.

Global Freeloaders – If the platform or profiles on Couch Surfing and Hospitality Club aren’t doing much for you, then check out what Global Freeloaders has to offer. The only stipulation to membership is that you must be able to reciprocate and offer up your home to travelers within six months of signing up. So if you are on a long trip, best to wait until you get home unless you can host travelers before you leave.

Servas – With over 50 years under its belt, Servas is considered to be a pioneer in the hospitality exchange arena, and is recognized by the United Nations. The membership application process is more grueling, and requires a personal interview before acceptance. Fees vary from country to country, and many country listings are not yet available online (instead, they are mailed to you). Although I don’t doubt the quality of candidate screening and such, I find it much easier to use the other three options above.

Tip #4 – Work While Traveling

There are a few ways you can keep the money flowing while traveling long-term, depending on your skills and desires. Here are three:

Freelancing on the Web

With an increasing trend towards telecommuting, the widespread use of social media, and online businesses cropping up everywhere, it is quite possible to make a living online while you travel, with little more than an internet connection. Personally, I make my millions (ha) as a writer, the income of which pays my expenses over and above accommodation (which I usually work in trade for). I know another fellow whose websites and freelance SEO work make him over $3,000/month – a more than adequate long-term traveling income. (You will see shortly that the cost of full-time travel may not be as high as you think).

Reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss was instrumental in helping me to see the online income, telecommuting, and outsourcing possibilities. Freelancing on the Web is possible in many careers, even if at first it may not seem so. If you are new to the concept of being an Internet business-person, then start slow; subscribe to newsletters, lurk forums, and watch how other people in your line of work are making a go of it. Combine this prep work with an ingenious idea, and you could end up laughing all the way to the bank. (Or at least covering your next dinner out. Either way.)

Working Visas

If you are under the age of 30, you can get a working visa without much drama in many western countries. In this way, you can take your skills on the road and enjoy learning how to do your job on the other side of the planet. Some country-specific resources can be found here on this topic: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK. Search for the country name plus “working visa” for the countries you’re interested in.

Additionally, Work Permit and Transitions Abroad both have great resources for those wanting to know more about working abroad.

Other Work

Do you know how to tend bar? Serve tables? Are you a scuba dive master? You would be amazed at the working opportunities that present themselves to you on the road with a little networking and looking under the right rocks.

Now I would never condone working illegally in a foreign country, so if that is your gig, just don’t tell anybody that I suggested it. But depending on where you travel and your ability to communicate with the locals, don’t be surprised if a chance to work for a little extra cash comes your way. With a few nods and winks, you can make enough money to cover off some of your traveling expenses.

Or – as was the case with my travel partner, who used to fight forest fires in Canada and found himself in the middle of the worst bush fire Australia had ever seen – you may find your skills are suddenly in such demand in the country you are traveling to that a working visa will materialize.

A quick cautionary note for anybody planning to travel and work: Be aware of maintaining a balance between work and play. I have more than once entrenched myself so deeply in my work that I have lost sight of why I am on the road in the first place. As with most freelance lifestyles, everything in moderation is a key thing to remember.

Tip #5 – Learn the Truth About Volunteering

Although you would think that volunteering never costs the volunteer any money, you may be surprised. Depending on the organization, you could spend more money for the privilege of volunteering your hard labor than you would to sit on a beach at a luxury all-inclusive resort, being plied all day with tropical drinks bearing umbrellas. So volunteering on vacation is rarely a financial decision, and more likely an altruistic one.

But don’t lose hope if you are on an altruistic travel quest with a minimal budget. There are a number of ways to volunteer inexpensively (or for free) if you are willing to do some research.

In Asia, I met two German girls who were on a world tour, volunteering everywhere they went. In each destination, they found orphanages and refugee camps that were more than happy to have them in each afternoon to play with the kids or help out with some of the chores. They rarely paid for this chance to help, and more often than not got a rewarding grassroots volunteering experience out of it.

If you are looking for something a little more packaged or travel-friendly, there are a number of volunteer travel resources that can help you find the perfect position:

Continental Divide Trail Alliance – A little closer to home, you can work on nature trails in North America with this company. A small membership fee applies, which allows you to volunteer as much as you like. It’s hard work, but satisfying work at that.

Conservation Connect – If you are in Australia or New Zealand, this website will connect you with a myriad of volunteer opportunities, depending on your area of interest. Day trips are free to volunteer for (pack a lunch), and overnight trips work out to $200/week, all expenses in.

Personal Overseas Development – This non-profit organization connects travelers with volunteer opportunities across the world.

Compathos – This organization brings awareness and support to worthwhile international projects and volunteer travel opportunities through film, digital storytelling and grassroots media.

Voluntourism – As a pioneer of the term “voluntourism,” this comprehensive site is a practical and educational resource.

Idealist – This site connects volunteer organizations with supporters and volunteers. It has a great search engine for finding just what you want, where you want.

Transitions Abroad – This is also a fabulous resource for eager volunteers to use.

I have personally found that the most rewarding volunteer opportunities were serendipitous and not organized. While in remote northern Thailand in 2008, Cyclone Nargis (which devastated the neighboring country of Burma) just missed me. Touched by the incident and the amount of suffering that was a stone’s throw from where I was, I dropped my trip and volunteered my help wherever it was needed. My initially simple (and admittedly naïve) plan exploded in 24 hours into the ride of a lifetime. By virtue of this adventure, I now have lifelong friends in Thailand.

Less than a year later, I found myself in the middle of the Victorian Bush Fires: Australia’s worst ever natural disaster. Once again, I rolled up my sleeves to do whatever I could, which involved working for almost a month (full-time) at a warehouse which was accepting donations of supplies for the survivors of the fire from all over the country. It was a heart-warming community-strengthening experience, and one with a happy ending: by virtue of the work that my partner and I did, we were granted 1 year extensions on our Australian visas – and given working rights. (Well, maybe it helped a bit that I ran into the Australian Prime Minister during the relief efforts: see photo to the right.)

You never know what can come out of an earnest and unselfish desire to do good for the world.

And as a Rotarian, I attend local Rotary meetings wherever I go, and am immediately tapped into local volunteer projects. It is a fabulous way to fast-track becoming part of a community.

Tip #6 – Become Part of a Community

Speaking of fast-tracking to becoming part of a community in record time, here are eight ways to help you do just that:

Rotary– Rotary is a service-based organization that works on both community and international levels to improve quality of life for everybody. Almost solely responsible for eradicating polio around the world, and with numerous sponsored student and career exchanges available, attending a meeting abroad is a brilliant way to share some camaraderie with fellow Rotarians around the world.

Toastmasters – As another international organization (this one dedicated to public speaking), you can show up at a Toastmasters meeting anywhere in the world and be welcomed with open arms. (Well, within reason. If you are a female arriving in a Muslim country wearing nothing but a bikini you have made your bed.)

See an Opportunity? Help!

The quickest way I worked my way into a completely foreign community was when I adopted the project to help the Cyclone victims of Burma. By simply rolling up your sleeves and helping where you see a need, locals will see what you are doing and come to help you. It doesn’t have to be a monumental project: start with helping an elderly person with their groceries, and see where that takes you.

Library

At least in developed countries, and even in some lesser-developed areas, libraries are a hub of community information and resources. You will often find access to free or inexpensive seminars, workshops, and special interest groups. Besides which, the library is a great place to research your trip and pass some time for free.

The Pub

In many global circles, enjoying a drink with somebody is the unspoken sign of kinship. Not only that, but who is the best person in town to talk to if you want the latest word on the street? The bartender, of course. So pull up a stool, and just take in the scene at the pub. If you look remotely approachable, you won’t likely leave alone if you don’t want to.

Bulletin Boards

I love bulletin boards. Be they in hostels, libraries, pubs, or supermarkets, you can learn lots about a community by virtue of their bulletin boards. Search the listings – you may find a job opportunity, some gear you want to buy (or a buyer for something you want to sell), a place to stay, or even just a new friend.

Community Newspapers

Although a little less interactive than bulletin boards, a community newspaper will give you a decent sense of what makes the community tick and tap you into the local pulse.

Keep your Eyes Open, and Get Involved!

Be aware of your surroundings, and don’t be shy. In Thailand one evening, my boyfriend and I noticed some elderly people sitting around a radio and listening to the closest thing to Thai-Country music I could imagine. We spent a spontaneous evening enjoying their company and watching all the tourists at the market, almost none of whom looked up from their souvenir shopping long enough to notice that we were having a good time right in front of them.

By becoming part of a community, you will discover new doors opening for jobs, places to stay, and places to eat. You will get to know the local culture better, avoid the tourist traps, and best of all – you will make some amazing friends along the way. Enriching travel involves putting yourself out there, potentially making a few mistakes along the way, but also reaping the benefits of your courage in unimaginable ways.

Tip #7 – Avoid the Biggest Trap

This is an easy tip to learn, but one of the hardest to practice. I still struggle with keeping my travels free or almost-free, given the never-ending temptation to…are you ready for it?…buy souvenirs.

Don’t.

One of the easiest ways to save money while you are traveling is to steer clear of the souvenir shops. Most often, the goods are mass-produced in another country entirely, and lack the authenticity that you are probably looking for. Even if you find yourself coveting a trinket that is “real,” ask yourself these questions:

Is it an accurate representation of the place I am visiting?

Will I use it?

Will I remember this trip by virtue of owning this souvenir?

Was I planning on buying something like this anyway?

If you even think twice about answering yes to these questions, it is best to reconsider your purchase.

Instead of leaving yourself to chance and impulse, why not put a little purpose into your souvenir shopping? Before leaving for your trip, choose one or two items that for you will encapsulate the trip and the destination, then spend your traveling days searching for the perfect artifact. If the whole family is planning, allow everybody to choose their own souvenir. It gets other family members involved in the trip planning process, and will minimize the kids’ incessant requests for “can I have this…and this…and this?”

I have a pair of blue tanzanite earrings and a mask from South Africa, a silk shirt and painting of Buddha from Thailand, hand-carved wooden salad spoons from Spain, and a hand-crafted Didgeridoo and piece of black opal from Australia, as examples. Not a tacky t-shirt or keychain can be found in my collection of souvenirs from around the world. My wallet thanks me, and I like it this way.

Tip #8 – Be Food Wise

From food selection, to the time of day you eat, to how you eat and socialize – there is a lot of money that can be spent (or alternately saved) by virtue of paying attention to how you eat while traveling. (Don’t worry, I won’t tell you to eat ramen if you don’t like to.)

Case Study: Taco Tuesday

When I lived in Hawaii, I met a lot of travelers at the hostel where I was living (and working in trade for accommodation). Everybody enjoyed sharing and hearing travel tales of adventure and misadventure alike. So when “Taco Tuesday” presented itself as a way to get super cheap beers and tacos, we jumped at the opportunity to enjoy a night on the town all together.

Interestingly, Taco Tuesday became a fascinating study in the spending patterns of people on vacation.

John and Wendy, having nipped over to Hawaii for a quick break before embarking on a major move across the country, didn’t have huge money concerns, but were trying to be frugal knowing that their upcoming move would cost them dearly. Dave and Angie were finishing off a trip around the world, having been on the road for eight months already through countries both expensive and inexpensive.

They played hard during their trip, but their stash of cash was predictably dwindling (an expected bi-product of good budgeting through their long trip). Julie was a very young headstrong woman figuring out where she belonged in the world, and Wayne was an older gentleman on an extended vacation. Rounding out the group (in addition to myself) was Phil, who was something of a nomad, living and working in Hawaii for a bit before moving on to the next locale that tickled his fancy.

I describe each friend’s background in an effort to paint the picture; one of a group of people, all originally from North America, but bringing an entirely different set of experiences, finances, and travel values to the table.

Where things got interesting was in how people indulged on Taco Tuesday.

John & Wendy decided that cheap beer was more appealing than cheap tacos, and so they engineered their budget for the night to partake of the beer (at $2/bottle), and prepared their own full dinner at the hostel prior to going out. Dave & Angie being well-seasoned travelers chose to fill up on some home-made appetizers prior to going out, and each nursed one beer and a taco or two. Julie simply had Coke (not only was she young, but she was broke and underage), and Wayne (who had gads of money) flew under the radar with one beer and two tacos, as did I. And then there’s Phil. Poor Phil.

Phil was definitely out for the party and camaraderie, but didn’t have much money to spare given his lifestyle. This didn’t seem to stop him from indulging though; he managed to order seven tacos, and four beers – not the beers on special though – premium beers.

Phil’s tab ended up being more than everybody else’s tab – combined. No wonder he was constantly broke. He listened to tales of faraway and exotic destinations with drooling enthusiasm – and a bit of melancholy, as he wished he had the ability to travel to these places, but couldn’t scrape together even the airfare if he had to.

Here’s the rub: The amount of money spent on this night was in no way correlated to how much fun each person had. Everybody laughed, shared stories, enjoyed the leisurely walk along the ocean to and from the bar, and came away with great memories. If anybody, Phil seemed the least enthused about the night, spending much of the walk home doing the math about how many hours he would have to work to pay for his tab. At least he had a good buzz on to dull the financial pain.

Despite a range of financial backgrounds and intrinsic values, the people who had the ability to spend a wad of dough that night chose not to. Most people ate something at home prior to going out, so they wouldn’t be starving and end up over-eating at the bar. The tacos were cheap – but they weren’t cheaper than a healthy homemade snack or meal.

Next to accommodation and long-haul flights, food and drinks are going to be the biggest drain on your expense account while you are traveling. So although you don’t want to sacrifice quality of your vacation by limiting yourself, you can decide what is important to you and budget accordingly. If you were at Taco Tuesday, what would you do?

Do you like beer? Then scrimping a bit on food may be a way for you to enjoy a night on the town without wondering if the next beer will put you over-budget.

Do you like food? Then drink water instead of premium drinks, and order that dish that makes your mom’s cooking look like slop.

Here are some more tips for saving money on food:

If you don’t normally eat breakfast in a restaurant, don’t do it while traveling. Instead, save your money and buy some basic ingredients from the grocery store.

Want a special meal out? Consider going out for lunch instead of dinner. You often get similar if not identical portions, but for a fraction of the dinner prices.

Avoid hotel restaurants, especially for breakfast. They tend to be overpriced in the name of convenience.

Does the restaurant have a beautiful view? If so, chances are you are paying for it with your meal. Instead, go to the restaurant around the corner (for better and cheaper food), and/or take a picnic to where the view is.

Tipping

Don’t carry your 20% American tipping conventions around the world with you – it is unnecessary, and in some cases, you can actually offend locals. Instead, do some research. For example, tipping at bars and restaurants is not expected in Australia, China, and Italy. In Germany, look for the words “Trinkgeld Inbegriffen” on your bill which means a service charge has been included already.

Tip #9 – Roll with the Punches

When I decided to travel full-time, I had aspirations of heading to Costa Rica as part of a broader Central and South American adventure. But before I booked the ticket, an opportunity came to me that took me across Canada instead. When I was ready to re-join my original plans, another opportunity to go to Hawaii cropped up. Then Asia. Then Australia. And so on. I’ve yet to make it to my original destination, but Latin America isn’t going anywhere – it will surely happen yet.

While you are traveling, opportunities of many an ilk will come to you from all directions. Be prepared to adopt and accept these changes as part of your traveling credo. You can’t possibly predict what will happen or how you will feel when you land in India, so cut yourself some slack if you either feel the need to get out of there ahead of plans, or want to extend your stay after accepting the generous and spontaneous hospitality of a local family.

Had I not rolled with the punches and allowed my travel plans to evolve with me, I may never have had a chance to meet Bracken – the kangaroo I lived with for six months nor would I have ever learned to milk goats (hot on the heels of being a very city-oriented business person a mere few months prior).

I might have missed out on meeting the generous people in the tiny town of Lightning Ridge, and I certainly would never have become a part of the local Chiang Mai community if I had continued with my agenda and not helped the Burmese victims of Cyclone Nargis.

Tip #10 – Rethink Travel Expenses

In my first full calendar year abroad, my partner and I spent $20,000 in total. This included a host of miscellaneous and pricey expenditures, such as the purchase of a new laptop, a car, insurance, and numerous long-haul flights. For a single person, I would suggest that the cost of full-time travel could be achieved for $14,000/year. By utilizing the techniques outlined in this article, you can see that travel doesn’t have to break the bank.

Tripbase has some funky widgets for planning your trip, including the handy Trip Cost Calculator, which estimates the cost of lodging and three daily meals in any given destination, according to your selection of a budget, mid-range, or high-end price tag.

Tip #11 – Travel Slowly

The more flights you take, the more money you will spend. The more you have to pack up, hop on a bus, a train, or a taxi, and find a new place to stay, the more money you will spend. Want to keep your travels free or almost-free? Consider traveling slowly.

Think of your trip as a lifestyle and not just a getaway, even if you are only traveling for a short time. Don’t worry about seeing absolutely everything there is to see in Europe – just focus on one or two countries if you don’t have years to see it all.

By staying in one place for a while, you will get to know the people, the language, and the culture. Your new connections and friends will help you to have fun, plan the next stage of your trip, and embrace the place you are visiting. If you are actually living there as a local (even for a month or two) as opposed to actively traveling through, you will get a different perspective of the place entirely.

Traveling slowly is very rewarding. I am about to take a four month trip around the world (yes, I’m already a full-time traveler; it’s a long story). But I’m only choosing to visit a few destinations, which I will explore in depth.

By volunteering for a few weeks here and there, working in trade for accommodation or using hospitality exchanges, watching what (and when) I eat and what I buy, and being savvy in booking flights, I will integrate myself into the local community, see the sights, and make friends. Oh yeah – and I will be traveling for free – or almost-free, anyway.

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