5 Great Home Business Ideas for Moms

Starting your own business can seem overwhelming. The good news, is that it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need a sizeable starting cash flow or investors lining up at your door. You can actually start a business with relatively little cash and do it all from your home. All it takes is hard work and a desire to succeed.

So now that the main question regarding cash is out of the way, what business should you start? The answer to this will be based off of what you enjoy, what your skills are, and what you can see yourself doing for an at home business. Below are just a handful of ideas to get you started.

1. Medical Coding

Medical Coding has incredible earning potential, although it will be a bit more challenging to get yourself started.

Medical coding requires training and coding software. Certifications are also needed as it will ensure potential clients of your validity.

As a medical coder, you’ll work with doctors’ offices and hospitals to code documents for insurance purposes. It is up to you to find these clients through networking opportunities and other marketing channels.

One of the biggest issues when starting a medical coding business is the amount of scams that target would-be medical coders. These scams promise to provide software, training, certification, and even clients providing you with incredible revenue. Always remember, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

2. Freelance Writing

Freelance writing requires almost no cash to get started. The basics to get started are a computer and email address.

The opportunity for freelance writing is abundant. Marketing firms and departments are beginning to create a plethora of content for their websites. With so much content to create, many marketing teams are turning to freelance writers to get the job done.

The range of topics available to write about are vast. You may be writing about technology, consumer goods, animals, sports, or even marketing. There are a handful of sites that connect you with work needed such as Guru, oDesk, and Textbroker.

Additionally, freelance writing could take you towards the non-profit sector. A grant writer helps connect funders and grant seekers.

3. Pet Sitter/Walker

If you’re an animal person, starting a pet sitting or dog walking business is right up your alley.

A pet owner never wants to leave their pet cooped up inside all day. However, most people are extremely busy with their jobs, their children’s activities, and more. Having the option to leave their dog with a pet sitter is a great alternative.

A great way to get started is through word of mouth. Letting your network know that you are starting a business and looking for clients will help to get the ball rolling. Consider working with apartment communities and home communities to spread flyers about your business.

Additional places to market your services are the dog park and retirement communities. A lot of pet owners at the dog park only get to take their dog there on occasion. Chances are they’ll want their dog out and about a lot more.

Retirement communities are a great place to start because many pet owners in these communities may lack the energy or capabilities to walk their dog.

4. Wedding Planner/Bridal Consultant

Creative, organized, detail oriented and level-headed moms make for great wedding planners. Starting a wedding planning business puts you in an industry that is never going away and only seems to spend more as time goes on.

Weddings have become extremely lavish over the years with increasingly larger budgets. A lot of details go into making a wedding a success and sometimes the bride can’t or doesn’t want to handle it herself. This is where her wedding planner comes in.

You’ll handle all aspects of the big day including tiny details such as table centerpieces all the way to large items such as venue deposits. It takes a very specific type of person to do this job but it can also be an incredibly fulfilling job.

5. Crafter: Sewing, Soap Making, etc.

By now, you’ve probably heard of Etsy. It is a crafter’s version of Amazon with beautifully displayed goods.

Another business venture for the creative mind is to start your own crafting business. Sewing, crocheting, soap making, and more are all different types of businesses a mom can start from home.

Homemade soap has become increasingly popular as consumers become more in-tune with what they are putting on their body. Organic soaps made with various herbs and ingredients make for soothing and deliciously scented baths.

Crafters can sell their goods online, at craft fairs, farmers markets and even through major distributors if you can make a decent splash with your product.

Overall, the possibilities for a home business are endless. These five are great starts and have been successful ventures for many moms out there. Now, it’s time to start your business.

Andrew Fujii is a marketing professional with expertise in digital/web and content marketing. He is also a copywriter for multiple agencies producing copy for blogs, articles, websites, product packaging, mobile apps, and more.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AndrewFujii2/posts

http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewfujii/

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Astonishingly Low Winning Price For Gold Coin on Pricebenders !

I was monitoring tonights first ever Pricebenders Gold Coin penny auction tonight. I  was expecting the auction to go above $20 for the Chinese Panda gold coin (worth $83.55 USD).

As often happens when I "monitor" an auction, I keep working on other sites, blogs or forums or whatever, and get immersed in my work only to discover that the auction has finished! So much for my "monitoring"!

Thats what happened tonight, and the winner got hold of a Chinese Gold Panda coin for just $3.24 with free shipping thrown in as well. INCREDIBLE!!

If youd like to try and pick up some incredible bargains on the Pricebenders penny auctions, here is the link to the Pricebenders website (its free to join).

Yours, green with envy,

David Hurley

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Blackrock Auxiliary Power Unit APU Information for the Owner Operator

My Problems with a Blackrock APU

See my other posts:

A Holiday Wish 
Blogs, Forums and Other Resources

The Way it Was - A Short History of Trucking

Pro and Cons of Being an Owner Operator

FAQ for the Owner Operator
PicturesAnti-Idling Regulations
Definitions and Industry Terms
Interactive Cost per Mile (CPM) Calculator Spreadsheet 
Privacy Policy
1) Owner Operator 411 – Welcome
2) Income and Expenses
3) Financing and Credit 
4) Operating Authority or Leasing? 
5) Equipment
6) How To Do Bookkeeping and Other Necessary Paperwork 
7) What You Need to Know About Loadboards 
8) Companies That Lease Beginning Owner Operators
9) What You Actually Need to Get Started - Licenses, Permits, Insurance, and Taxes 
10) Truck Driving Schools

  BLACKROCK APUs are no longer being manufactured, as the company has gone out of business.

Subject: Misrepresentation of online advertising of Blackrock Evolution Auxiliary Power Unit (APU).

Complaint: I researched APUs for about a year and in September 2008, finally decided to purchase a Blackrock Evolution because 1) It is available with a 5.2 kW generator, 2) It has an optional “Quiet Comfort” kit, 3) It has a programmable digital electronic control unit (ECU) with a battery monitor, which keeps the batteries charged 4) There is a nearby service center, and 5) It has higher BTUs than any other APU I researched. The old control unit had a battery monitor, but it only told you when the batteries were low, it did not keep them charged.
After the APU was installed on my truck, I was told the one I purchased did not come with an programmable digital ECU. I was told mine was an older model (Rev 6), and if I wanted the programmable digital ECU, I would have to upgrade and purchase one for about $1,200.00 to $2,000.00 (every time I was told I could purchase it, I was given a different price). When I purchased the APU, no one told me it was an old unit. Blackrock uses the term "Rev" to mean "Revision".

 
It took many phone calls and communications with both Blackrock and their dealer, Cleveland Brothers, before I got any satisfaction from either; then it was only from Cleveland Brothers, Blackrock never even responded to my certified letter of complaint.

Why I feel the programmable digital ECU should have been on the APU I purchased:

I have screen shots of Blackrocks website, stating that the programmable digital ECU is standard, not an option or an upgrade.

 
Since I contacted Blackrock on 24 September 2008, concerning this matter, they added one web page, buried under “News”, stating the battery monitor is a retrofit option for

Revs. 1 – 10 Standard Feature on Rev 11 forward”

and added one web page (also under “News”) stating,

"modular electonics is available as a BLACKOCK® APU product upgrade, our team of engineers have designed a feature that moves the APU’s electronics to a protected environment. This upgrade will protect the APU’s electronics from corrosion and debris. Offered as an upgrade only Available for Revs 1 – 10”, then below that it says, “revs 1 – 11”.

and changed one web page "Options" by adding

"New Programmable Digital Electronic Control Unit (for revisions 14+)”

Still on their web site (as of today, 04 March 2009), is their Product Specification Sheet, which lists the ECU as a feature, and it is not included in the options section. It does not mention any upgrade, or any particular model or Rev., and Product Specification Chart, which lists the ECU as a feature, and it is not included in the options section. It does not mention any upgrade, or any particular model or Rev. Also, if you click on “Electronic Control Unit” on http://www.blackrockapu.com/BLACKROCK-EVO.php it describes the ECU, but does not mention it being an option, an upgrade, or only being on certain models or revisions.

 
I cannot prove the added or changed pages were added or changed after I called Blackrock, but I can show screen shots of Blackrocks various web pages, or screen shots of various pages of their pdf files (e.g. user guide) showing dates ranging from March 2008 to August 2008 (before we purchased our APU). All of these pages either list the ECU as a feature, or omit it as an option. Not one of them say anything about an upgrade or being available only on certain “revisions”. In the Evolution User Guide Version 1, Rev 1, http://www.blackrockapu.com/EVO-User-Guide.pdf which describes the operation of the ECU, it is not listed with the other options under the options section.

 
DETAILS

 
I have been researching APUs for about a year. One of the ones I looked at was a Blackrock. I thought I would like the Blackrock for several reasons, among them the high BTUs; the many features of the digital programmable digital electronic control unit (ECU), with new battery monitor which keeps the batteries charged; and the fact that there is a Cleveland Brothers Equipment service center within 20 miles of where I live, which is an installation and repair center, but not a dealer; the Quiet Comfort option; and the availability of the 5.2kW generator. The Hunker, PA facility is over three times that far from me.

 
After looking at Blackrocks web site and reading all of the information numerous times, I called, the contact person listed on Blackrocks web site, at Cleveland Brothers Hunker, PA facility.

 
When I asked the contact person a couple of questions about the unit, he referred me to Blackrocks web site for details. After calling him several more times gathering additional information, I finally decided the Blackrock Evolution, with the Quiet Comfort option, was the APU I wanted. I asked him if he had one in stock, or if it had to be ordered. He said he had one in stock. I asked if it had a 3.7 kW or a 5.2 kW generator, and he said it had a 5.2kW generator.

 
On 28 August 2008, I called Owner Operator Services, Incorporated [OOSI] (a division of Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association – OOIDA), to apply for a loan. I was faxed the paperwork. I filled it out and returned it on 02 September. Upon learning of our loan approval on 04 September, I called Cleveland Brothers and scheduled an appointment for installation. The appointment was scheduled for 15 September. This date was chosen as I was leaving on vacation on 18 September and I would be able to pick the truck up before I left, as I was told the installation would be finished on 17 September.

 
I notified OOSI that we would be picking up the truck on 17 September, and was told that after we inspected the unit and it met with our approval, the money would be wired to Cleveland Brothers, and that it would take about two hours for the transfer.

 
On 12 September, I took the truck to Cleveland Brothers to leave it to have the installation done. On 16 September, I called Cleveland Brothers and was told the truck would not be ready on the 17^th. I told them as I was leaving on the 18^th, I would have to wait until the 22^nd to pick up the truck. They said that would not be a problem. I did not call OOSI and tell them that we would be picking up the truck at a later date.

On the 22^nd , I went to Cleveland Brothers to pick up the truck. Upon arrival, I found out that OOSI had already paid for the APU on the 17^th.

 
The contact person started the APU, and showed me how it had been installed, how it worked, etc. When he picked up the control unit, I asked for the operation manual and for him to show me how to program the unit. He said the APU was not shipped with an operation manual, but he had one faxed from Blackrock and gave it to me. He said they would mail me a copy of the original. The one they faxed and the one they mailed to me were copies of the one from the website, and both had the operating instructions for the programmable digital electronic control unit.

He also told me the control panel was not programmable. He said that he had just discovered that Blackrock had upgraded the control panel to a programmable one, but it would cost $1,800.00 to $2,000.00 dollars, and I would have to pay for it if I wanted it.

As OOSI had already paid for the unit, I took the truck home. Immediately upon arriving home, I called Blackrocks customer support and spoke with service representative, Julie Adams, and asked about the programmable digital ECU. I was told that Cleveland Brothers had ordered the APU they installed on our truck in February 2008, before the control unit had been upgraded. Ms. Adams told me to talk with Cleveland Brothers, but there was nothing Blackrock could do, except to sell me the upgrade.

I asked her how I was supposed to use the control unit which came with our APU, as the instructions were all for the new programmable digital ECU. She faxed me seven pages of a user manual containing the instructions for the control console that came with my APU. The faxed copies were almost unreadable, and the “pictures” were just black blobs.

On the 23^rd, I spoke with the contact person at Cleveland Brothers and he told me that he did not know about the upgraded electronic control unit until the 19^th, when a customer called and asked about it. I told him that when I researched Blackrocks web site, it showed the programmable digital ECU, and nowhere did it say anything about the unit being upgraded, or there being an older non-programmable unit. He said that after I got home, I decided I wanted something better, and thought I could get it without paying for it. He also told me that was not possible that I had seen the programmable digital ECU on Blackrocks website before I purchased mine, as Blackrock had just added the new unit to their site sometime after 12 September.

However, on Blackrocks web site, it had a PDF of the user manual for the Evolution, which explained in detail how to program the digital electronic control unit. I had downloaded and printed this manual. I had read it several times before I decided to purchase the Blackrock Evolution. The document properties show this manual was created on July 15, 2008.

Blackrocks web site also had a Evolution product specification sheet (PDF) which clearly states that the Programmable Digital Electronic Control Unit is a feature (not an option). According to the document properties this is dated 31 July 2008.

It also had a Evolution product specification chart (PDF) which listed options, but again, the ECU was listed as a feature, not an option. This chart was dated 07 August 2008 on the document properties page.

There was also a news release on Blackrocks website, dated 27 March 2008 introducing the Blackrock Evolution. In that release, it states, “it comes standard with the same robust, high performing features as its big brothers, including a battery monitor to keep batteries charged and an electronic control unit that can be programmed to perform a wide range of functions.” The news release also lists the options, but once again, the ECU is listed as standard, not optional, and does not say anything about it only being on certain revisions.

Also, Blackrock has a picture of the of the programmable digital electronic control unit on their web site and I have a screen shot of the image properties, which shows it was added to Blackrocks web site on 29 July 2008. No where on their site, did it show or mention the control unit which came with my APU.

The Cleveland Brothers contact old me the only recourse I have is to purchase the programmable digital electronic control unit at Cleveland Brothers cost. He then told me to wait and he would see what he could do.

 
On 24 September, I checked Blackrocks web site and found it had been changed. The digital programmable electronic control unit is now listed as an option – on one page only – the other pages (specifications chart, specification sheet and press release), still do not list the programmable digital ECU as an option. There were also two web pages listed under “Update”. One says the battery monitor is a “Retrofit Option for Blackrock APU Revs. 1 – 10. The other upgrade page says the APU electronics have been moved to “a protected environment”. However; both the product specification chart, the product specification sheet, and the press release are still on the Blackrock web site.

Also on 24 September, I had not heard from Cleveland Brothers contact, so as I am a member of Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), I called them about this matter. Blackrock is a corporate supporter of OOIDA and I thought they could give me some advice regarding this issue. I spoke with a man named Bruce, explained our problem and sent him some of the screen shots. He told me he would call me back. When he called me, he told me he had spoken with “the owner” of Blackrock and told him of our problem. Within 15 minutes of my being informed of Bruces call to Blackrock, the Cleveland Brothers contact called me and told me told me that Cleveland Brothers would order and install the ECU. I asked if there be any charge, and he said, that although he didnt think it was right, there would be no charge.

He also told me that Blackrock would be unable to ship the ECU until November. I was not happy about that, but accepted it.

On 25 November, having not heard from Cleveland Brothers, I called just to see the when the ECU would be in. The contact told me that it could not be shipped for several more months yet. He also told me that Cleveland Brothers would only pay for the installation, not the programmable digital ECU. When I told him that is not what he told me in September, he again started saying that I knew what I was buying and that after I got home, I decided we wanted something better. If that were the case, why would I have asked him to show me how to program the programmable digital ECU while I was still at Cleveland Brothers facility dealership when I was picking up the truck on 22 September and then immediately call Blackrock as soon as I got home?

 
After much discussion, the Cleveland Brothers contact agreed to initiate a three-way phone call with himself and his “boss”, Tony, myself and Blackrock on 02 December. By 12 December I had heard not one word from the contact. If he were having difficulty getting the call together, he could have called and told me that. By not contacting me at all, I can only surmise that he was avoiding me and thought that if he put this off long enough, I would go away.

On 12 December, I called the contact and left a message. He promptly returned my call. He told me again that he can not get the

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Download CCleaner Full Version free for windows 10

CCleaner, one of the most downloaded Windows cleaning and optimization utility, has been updated to add support for the recently released Windows 10 operating system. CCleaner 4.19.4867 and above versions are fully compatible with Windows 10 operating system.

Download CCleaner Full Version free for windows 10

CCleaner for Windows 10

In addition to PC cleaning, CCleaner can also be used to optimize the operating system by removing unwanted programs from the startup list. This little program also helps you uninstall applications that can’t be easily removed from Windows via Control Panel.

Download Now

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My Income and Sources for April 2013

Total income for April 2013 = $438.69 (spoiler alert: May is over $1,000; post is coming soon!)

For the record, I have no reason to lie to you about any of the income I’m reporting, and the most underhanded, nasty, smarmy thing I’m going to do is give you my referral links so I can make a whopping dime or so off of each person who signs up to do what I’m doing!

The dollar amounts I show are what I actually RECEIVED in my hot little hand or PayPal account, not what I EARNED because things show up at different times and take different amounts of time to come around.

I do not count my eggs before they are in my PayPal account.

Fiverr. I made $0 here in April, only because I didn’t sign up until April 16^th. You’ll freak out when you see May’s numbers. The majority of my income is from proofreading in the wee hours of the morning when my kids sleep but I also have gigs for selling my ebooks cheap, writing blog posts, selling reprint articles and promoting things via my social media outlets. 

Bubblews. Signed up here on April 26 and received $0 by the end of April. May is looking hella good, though. 

Regional Parenting Magazine print and online articles and reprints: $340. Yeah, still working on the 5th edition of the ebook (see right sidebar for 4th edition) and someday plan to query the nationals but am too busy on Fiverr!

BlogHer. Just one sidebar ad here made me $3.30 in January, $5.49 in February plus I got paid for a tweeting program for $50. They have lots of rules to follow, like you can’t have ads from anyone else on your site and can’t even post blogger giveaway opps. I only stay with my abusive boyfriend BlogHer because sometimes he offers me chances to review cool things for $50 or to Tweet a few times about a product for $50 and then he sucks me right back in. I’m pretty sure he’s jealous of Bubblews, though. 

AdSense??? I put questions marks because what I earn is all theoretical here. It shows that I earn an amount but will I ever see it? So it looks like I earned $19.22 in April from several blogs combined, but … 

Tomoson.com. I don’t make any money here, but it’s fun to receive free stuff in the mail and just do a quick review. Then you can either keep, regift or sell what you got! 

Ebook sales from Payloadz.com were $39.90. I also sell the ebooks through Fiverr but count those in Fiverr income. 

Here are some I’m trying out:

PostLoop. Signing up and getting started is a PITA, but I hope to be able to report back some decent income from commenting in Forums. 

LikeNation. You know how you enter giveways and have to like and follow countless people? Well, if you have your own sites that need a’followin’, check this out. You like and follow and get “points” to do it. Then you can post what you want liked or followed and can use those points you earned. So you’re trading favors. 

Come back to see May’s numbers because you will flip your lid! (Hint, as of May 19 I’m already at $605). Great, now all my friends will be hitting me up for a loan. Haha! 

*Yes, I pay taxes on every stinking cent!

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Top 5 links for Photoshop Tutorials

1. Slodive.com

A popular Graphic and Web Design site where you can expect to see a unique take on topics, we try not to tread on familiar topics seen on other design sites. Along with tutorials and articles, we also do round ups, how-to guides, tips, tricks and cheats on all of the hot topics in the design world.

Example of screen shot:

 

2. Photoshoptutorials.ws

In this site,  you can learn the procedures  to create an Realistic  effect in Photoshop. They will be exploring some layer blending options, various tools and filters. They also will also show you the way use to use Photoshop ans some basics. 

Example of screen shot: 

3.Psdvault.com

In this site,  you can learn the procedures  to create an Realistic  effect in Photoshop. They will be exploring some layer blending options, various tools and filters. They also will also show you the way use to use Photoshop ans some basics. 

Example of screen shot:  

4. Photoshopessentials.com

 Photoshop Essentials, where anyone can learn Photoshop! They offer Photoshop tutorials you wont find anywhere else, with easy to follow, step by step training thats perfect for all skill levels! Each tutorial is written with beginners in mind, so even if youre brand new to Photoshop, you can easily follow along! Youll be amazed at what you can do with Photoshop in no time at all! New tutorials are added regularly so be sure to check back often for the latest updates.

Example of screen shot:

 

5. Pxleyes.com

It is awesome sites that suitable for beginner to learn the basic even for expert to view the latest application that provided.

Example of screen shot:

 

Other Photoshop tutorials sites below:

abduzeedo.com

alfoart.com

psd.tutsplus.com

luxa.org

You may download the texture for photoshop. here the link below:

www.mayang.com

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Tips for shutdown computer fast

Most of people wish their computer is move fast and fast. At the same time they face a problem occur if computer took a long tome to shut down. Here some tips regarding to shut down fast and more efficient.

The speed and performance of computer has a strong related with a computer shutdown. Make sure you computer can shutdown fast using the code.




You may just setting your computer with:

1. First go to start and select run 
2. Type Regedit and just click OK
3. Find HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop 
4. Select "waittokillapptimeout"
5. Right click and change it to modify
6. Change the value to 1000
7. Then click OK
8. Finish and reboot your computer.

other than that you may shutdown yout computer more fast within 3 seconds with your keyboard.

Just press window logo+ and u (button for twice).

That is.

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14 Most Important Tools to Learn in Adobe Illustrator for Beginners

If you are just starting out to learn Adobe Illustrator, then you will really get yourself into a lot of confusions and overwhelmed by all the tools that are presented to you. As a matter of fact, you only need to learn some important tools to get yourself ready for some illustration.

Below are the 14 most important tools that you will be using all the time:

1. You must first understand well the differences between  the Two Arrows above. One is to select and move an object, while the one is to select an anchor point of an object. You can also use them to scale and modify an object.
2. The Pen Tool is the most used tool in Adobe Illustrator. You use to draw everything.
3. Type Tool. You use this to insert text into your illustrations.
4. Primitive Object Tool, to draw basic shapes such as rectangle, circle, star, and etc.
5. The color swapping feature. Do understand that every object contains background color + stroke color. The 3 small options below is for you to have more options on how you want to feature the object, either with or without a stroke/background and gradient color (shading).
6. Stroke Menu. This is to manipulate how your stroke looks like.
7. Gradient Menu. To create color shadings.
8. Transparency Menu. To create opacity or alpha color, so that your object can be seen through.
9. Color Menu. As mentioned.
10. Path Finder Menu. This is one of my favorite tool. This is to combine or dissect two or more objects. Do experiment with this tool and you will know how useful it is.
11. Layers Menu. To put your object on above or below another object.
12. Character Menu. To modify your text.
13. Transform Menu. To see the details of an object such as the location and size.
14. Align Menu. Another favorite tool of mine. Use this to make alignment between two or more objects easier.

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Download C 2010 For Programmers Fourth Edition by DEITEL DEVELOPER SERIES

Download C# 2010 For Programmers Fourth Edition by DEITEL DEVELOPER SERIES

Welcome to Visual C#® 2010, C# 4 and the world of Microsoft® Windows® and Internet and web programming with Microsoft’s .NET 4 Framework! This book presents leadingedge computing technologies for professional software developers. We believe the book will give you an informative, challenging and entertaining C# educational experience. Below is the list of C# 2010 For Programmers Fourth Edition contents and download link

1. Introduction

2. Dive Into® Visual C# 2010 Express

3. Introduction to C# Applications

4. Introduction to Classes and Objects

5. Control Statements: Part 1

6. Control Statements: Part 2

7. Methods: A Deeper Look

8. Arrays

9. Introduction to LINQ and the List Collection

10. Classes and Objects: A Deeper Look

11. Object-Oriented Programming: Inheritance

12. OOP: Polymorphism, Interfaces and Operator Overloading

13. Exception Handling

14. Graphical User Interfaces with Windows Forms: Part 1

15. Graphical User Interfaces with Windows Forms: Part 2

16. Strings and Characters

17. Files and Streams

18. Databases and LINQ

19. Web App Development with ASP.NET

20. Searching and Sorting

21. Data Structures

22. Generics

23. Collections

24. GUI with Windows Presentation Foundation

25. WPF Graphics and Multimedia

26. XML and LINQ to XML

27. Web App Development with ASP.NET: A Deeper Look

28. Web Services

29. Silverlight and Rich Internet Applications

30. ATM Case Study, Part 1: Object-Oriented Design with the UML

31. ATM Case Study, Part 2: Implementing an Object-Oriented Design

Download C# 2010 for programmers 

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Bad Goals Versus Good Goals for 2015 Working Writing Homeschooling Personal

Here are some bad goals for me to make for 2015:

1. Go from 157 pounds to 100 pounds.
2. Homeschool my kids so they are Harvard-ready by the age of 16.
3. Make one million dollars.
4. Travel the world.
5. Make sure all my friends think I am the bomb.com.

Here are some better goals for 2015:

1. Try to go to the gym to treadmill twice a week. Eat fewer sweets and cut back to two cups of coffee per day. Rest when I need it because when I am overly tired I tend to eat.
2. Homeschool my kids consistently every day while still going on outings and field trips and having fun with them.
3. Make $30,000 working solely from home with Younique, Jamberry, Scripted, BlogHer, regional parenting magazines, Amazon Kindle ebooks, blogging and whatever other small jobs come my way.
4. Go to Colorado with the family during the first part of the year and New England during the fall.
5. Make an effort to listen to my friends when they are talking to me. Be less selfish and focus on them more. Talk less and listen more. Be forgiving and less judgmental, yet honest. No small task!

Got goals? Id love to hear about them!

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Online Strategy Game Business For Sale

10:10 AM
July 22 2015

Dear Entrepreneurs:

Ive enclosed a new strategy game business for sale.

As usual....the asking price is a little high based on comparable portfolios. But its not ridiculous.

2.3 million active players!


2) Online Strategy Game with 2.3 Million Players:
http://www.appbusinessbrokers.com/properties/493564/

For sale is an established free-2-play browser MMO Game
with over 2,300,000 registered players. The game has
twice been nominated for Browser Game of The Year
(for Story and for Strategy Game) and was originally
released in 2010.

Highlights & Key Assets:
o Established community of active players and buyers
o Original and extremely high quality graphics and art
o Optimized conversion rates Active-to-Buyer and Player
lifetime retention rates
o Fully localized in 19 languages
o Very easily customizable, adjustable or upgradeable
o Viral players acquisition
o A lot of room for monetization improvements or
cross platform publishing

Revenue = 231,481
Profit = 91,765
Asking = 200,000



Marc Charles

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Sell Your Reprints Residual Income Make Money to Write About Your Kids for 4 99 This Week

Okay, I realize a lot of you are seeing this or getting this in your email inbox because you already have the ebook Make Money to Write About Your Kids: Get Published in Parenting and Family Magazines.

For those who dont know what it is, here is the description AND I want you to know that for the next FIVE DAYS ONLY it is on Kindle Countdown for only $4.99 ... which is half the normal price, which is always a steal. Youll see! If you hate it, get a refund! If you love it, get in touch with me, start writing, tell your writer friends and writer groups about this Little Engine That Could resource that has changed lives but remains still, sadly, under the radar. Heres how to purchase!

My bet is that quite often you read a magazine or online article and say to yourself, “I could have written that – and better!” So you write your essay or article. Then what? Where do you submit it? Do you give up at this point? I’ve seen it happen too many times. Your writing dreams are crushed and those paychecks are never going to show up in your mailbox. 

Think of this ebook as your writing angel. It has 16 chapters of useful information before it dives into 239 paying markets, complete with submission email addresses, submission guidelines and pay information. This is the 5th edition of the ebook, and over the years it has been perfected to include not just regional markets such as San Diego Family, BC Parent, Orlando Family and more, but also has added national markets such as FamilyFun, BabyTalk, Parents, Parenting, Homeschooling Today and many more. 

I have personally been published in 138 regional parenting magazines in print and online since publishing this resource, all while maintaining a home, a marriage and homeschooling. I love being able to be at home with my kids while also living my dream of writing and making money for my family. I can get my work done mostly while the kids sleep and then head out to the pool or to the zoo with them! I want other mom and dad writers to be able to realize their dreams, as well. And, of course, you dont have to be a parent to write for and sell your reprints to these regional parenting publications!

*Please email me at mommykerrie at yahoo dot com after your purchase so I can send you the FREE at-a-glance spreadsheet that simply did not look right on the Kindle format! It has all the magazines, emails, approximate pay and state. 

You can find the list of publications I have worked with here: http://www.thekerrieshow.com/2008/03/cool-places-to-get-published.html

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6 How to Do Bookkeeping and Other Necessary Paperwork for the Owner Operator Permits and Taxes

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2000 379 Peterbilt

What You Need to Know to Become an Owner Operator

6) How to Do Bookkeeping and Other Necessary Paperwork
Permits and Taxes

 

View my Other Posts:

A Holiday Wish
Blogs, Forums and Othrt Resources
Texting Ban
The Way it Was - A Short History of Trucking

Pro and Cons of Being an Owner Operator

FAQ for the Owner Operator
Pictures
Anti-Idling Regulations
Definitions and Industry Terms
Blackrock Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)
Interactive Cost per Mile (CPM) Calculator Spreadsheet
Privacy Policy
1) Owner Operator 411 – Welcome
2) Income and Expenses
3) Financing and Credit
4) Operating Authority or Leasing?
5) Equipment
7) What You Need to Know About Loadboards
8) Companies That Lease Beginning Owner Operators
9) What You Actually Need to Get Started - Licenses, Permits, Insurance, and Taxes
10) Truck Driving Schools

Keep in mind that we have been doing this since 1972, so we will probably miss some stuff. If you dont see what you are looking for, just ask. It is difficult to describe something that to you is routine, but is all Greek to someone else.

Think about when you were learning to use the computer for the first time. You might have asked someone, “How do I find information about ACB company?” The old hand may have said, “After you open your browser, just type their address into the search bar.”

You were probably thinking, “What is a browser and how do I open it? How in the heck do I know what their (mailing) address is? What is a search bar and where do I find it?” To the person explaining it, they were very clear and made perfect sense. To you, their explanation was as clear as mud.

I will try to keep that in mind, but as I said, if I miss something, or dont explain something well enough, let me know and I well see if I can confuse you some more, uh, er, sorry, I mean clear it up.

My advice is to find a good accountant who knows the trucking industry.  The rest of this article is to just give you an overview of what and how expenses are counted.  Keep in mind that for every rule the IRS has, there are several exceptions. 

Where to begin? When I first started as an owner operator, in 1972, there was no such thing as a computer. Everything was done by hand! Can you imagine? At least we had adding machines, but I cant tell you the number of times we would spend a couple of hours going over a column of figures trying to find a mistake.

Today all you need is a computerized spreadsheet, or better yet a bookkeeping program. I first started out with something called Lotus. I am now using an old (2000) version of Quicken. It does the job for me, and I dont have any need to change. What program you need to use depends on what you need to track. If all you need is to keep track of is your income, expenses and mileage, any bookkeeping program will do. If you need to track information so you can do your own permits and fuel taxes, or if you plan on hiring an employee, you may want to consider a bookkeeping program geared to the trucking industry. There is a lot of trucking software around, but having never used any, I cant recommend one. If any readers have used any trucking bookkeeping software, especially owner operator software, please leave a comment and tell us what you use, what you use it for, if you like/dislike it and why.

Since the company I am leased to does all of the fuel and mileage taxes, and permits, we dont have a lot of bookwork to do, as we used to. We dont use an accountant. We never did. My wife kept track of the income and expenses and we would take the totals to a tax preparer to have our income taxes done. After finding mistakes for 3 or 4 years, and having to take them back and have them redone, she got tired of that and decided she could do the job as well as they could. She started ordering tax books from the IRS (now days you can get them online), and she started doing our taxes herself.

What kind of paperwork you will need to do, will depend on several factors. There is one rule that cant be broken, however, no matter what else you do: KEEP ALL OF YOUR RECEIPTS! For everything (except maybe meals – see later).

Before I go any further, I want to remind you that we are in the trucking business – not the tax business. Anything I say, you should have checked out by someone - an accountant or tax professional. See "Income and Expenses"

The information I am giving is just our experience and should be used only as a starting point, so you will know what questions to ask of your accountant or tax professional, and to help you understand what they are talking about.

How much of the following you, personally, need to do depends on how much someone else does for you, such as the company you are leased to, or an accountant you hire.

If you are unsure if the person you are going to knows trucking specifically, find someone else. If they give you information that doesnt sound right, call the IRS (or OOIDA) and ask about it. A good source for tax information is trucking magazines and organizations. Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is excellent – yes I am a member, no I dont get anything for plugging them. Most trucking magazines will run articles during tax season about tax questions specific to trucking, and some even have monthly tax columns.

If you are an independent owner operator – that is if you have your own authority, you will have to keep (or hire someone to do it for you) records for: every expense, all income, all capital (equipment) expense, miles run in each state, total miles, fuel purchased in each state, total fuel, and drug and alcohol testing (yes, even if you are the only person in your company).

The DOT tells you how drug and alcohol testing has to be done.  They have very specific rules about pre-employment, random, and post-accident testing.  The most difficult thing for the person who has their own authority and no employees, is the random.  In spite of what you might think, you cant just get up one day and say, "Well, I havent had a drug or alcohol test for a while, guess Ill go have it done today."  Oh, Nooo!  You have to select a "random person" on a "random basis" to have a drug and alcohol test, and you must keep very detailed records about who, how, when, and why.  The easiest way to do all of this is to hire a consortium. A consortium pools a lot of individuals together, pulls the random draws and does all of the required paperwork and record keeping.

As I said before, I am an OOIDA member, and I think they are one of the best things that ever happened for the owner operator.  OOIDA is a full-service organization and help with drug and alcohol testing for you, as well as help you get your own authority and permits. They have owner operator insurance, trucking and personal vehicle insurance, medical insurance, retirement, financing, and tons of information about the trucking business.  Membership fee is only $45.00 a year, which includes their very informative magazine, Land Line.

If you are leased to a company it depends on how much, if any, of the above they take care of on your behalf. Whatever they dont do, you have to.

As I said, keep all of your receipts for everything. If you hire an accountant, you take your receipts and settlement income (pay) statements to them. Some people I know put these receipts in folders with different categories. Some people will even total those categories, but most owner operators I know throw all their receipts in a box and take the box in to their accountant, complete with spilled french fries. Most accountants require that you take this box to them at least once a month.

The perfect way, although I dont know anyone who does this, would be to have a laptop, and enter each expense at the time you buy something, or as soon as possible afterward. I dont advise you to try to enter your toll receipt while driving (ha, ha).

If you are going to be keeping the books yourself, whether or not you do your own taxes, you should enter everything as soon as you can – usually at least weekly. It is so easy to put it off and the first thing you know, it is tax time, and you havent made but one or two months worth of entries.

What records you keep and how you keep them will depend on what type of entity you are. Are you a sole proprietor, a partnership, a LLC, an S corporation, or a corporation? Most likely you will be a LLC.

If you are a sole proprietor, you will use your social security number as your tax number. For all other entities, your will have to file Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number - EIN (you can also file for a EIN online). Its FREE!

If you are a sole (single) proprietor (owner) it is fairly easy to keep records, as everything is 100% yours, income and expenses.

You are also 100% "at risk", meaning all debts, but more importantly, all judgments against your business. In other words, if someone wins a lawsuit against your business, even if your business files bankruptcy, you are still liable for the debts.

You are required to file a Form 1040 Schedule C (or C-EZ) - profit or loss from a business - sole proprietorship, and a Schedule SE - self-employment.

If you are a partnership, it becomes a little more complicated.  How is the partnership split?  50/50? 60/40? Something else?  It makes a difference when you file your taxes.  If it is 50/50 and you buy a $100,000 truck, each of you owns $50,000 worth of the truck.  Each of you will share 50% of the income.  If you financed the truck, then each of you is responsible for 50% of the debt.  Now apply that to 60/40 or some other percentage.  See, it is getting a little more complicated.  Now are both of you active partners?  An active partner is one who participates in the partnership.  For example, you drive and your spouse does the bookwork and record keeping.  You are both active partners.  However, if you drive and you hire an accountant, and your spouse doesnt do anything else, then your spouse is a passive partner, but if you and your spouse drive team, then you are both active partners.  Another example:  Your brother paid for the truck and wants a percentage of the profits in return, but you do all of the driving, maintenance, and everything else.  He is a passive partner.  Now, what if you have more than one partner? Some of them could be active and some could be passive.

Which partners are "at risk", and for how much? Are any of them guaranteed a set payment, no matter how much the partnership nets?

You are required to file a Form 1065 (with a Schedule K) - partnership, and give a Schedule K-1 to each partner. 

The partnership does not pay taxes.  It passes all profits and losses on to the partners using a Schedule K-1.  Each partner is required to file on their Form 1040, a Schedule E - supplemental income and loss, and a Schedule SE - self-employment. Each partner then takes his share of profits or losses on their Form 1040 based on the amounts on the Schedule K-1.

A LLC is a Limited Liability Company.  It used to be that if you werent a sole proprietor or a partnership, then you had to be a corporation or S corporation (small corporation).

Now they have the LLCs (Limited Liability Corporation) which is a relatively new business structure allowed by state statute.

LLCs are popular because, similar to a corporation, owners have limited personal liability for the debts and actions of the LLC.  The reason the owners have limited personal liability is because the LLC is required to carry liability insurance usually for about one million dollars.

Other features of LLCs are more like a partnership, providing management flexibility and the benefit of pass-through taxation (the LLC doesnt pay taxes, but "passes through" the tax liability to each member).

Owners of an LLC are called members. Since most states do not restrict ownership, members may include individuals, corporations, other LLCs and foreign entities.  There is no maximum number of members. Most states also permit “single member” LLCs, those having only one owner.  Some kind of "Articles of Organization" with your state will be required before becoming an LLC.  A limited liability partnership is called a LLP.

Individual members file a Schedule C, partnership members file a Form 1065, and corporations file a Form 1120 or 1120S.

All of this may make a difference in how you track your expenses and income.

When you become an owner operator, you become a businessman, excuse me, businessperson, and you also for some purposes become an employer (even if you dont hire an employee). Because of that, you must pay self-employment taxes on your earned income, which consists of both the employer and employee share of taxes (you are, in effect, hiring yourself). These must be paid to both the Federal and State tax departments. On the other hand, you get to deduct amounts for an IRA (Individual Retirement Account), a SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) plan, health insurance, and 1/2 of your self employment taxes. There may be limits on some of these deductions, so be sure to check it out.

Speaking of being an employer, you can pay your children to wash your truck, your spouse to keep the books, or mother to be a co-driver. These payments are deductible, but you have to pay employer taxes on the amount you pay them (unless one or all are co-owners), and they have to pay income tax on what they earn from you.

On the subject of spouses, if you and your spouse share management decisions, you are automatically considered a partnership by the IRS, unless you elect not to be.  If only only of the spouses makes the decisions, and you dont have any other partners, then you will be a sole proprietor and you can hire your spouse, such as to do the bookkeeping.  If you do not "opt out" of being a partnership with your spouse, then you have to file a partnership return (Form 1065), an you each share in the expenses and income on a Schedule K-1.   See:  IRS site:  "Husband and Wife Business" for details.

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