The Extra Income Guide Blog

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Ah, the day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday, can either be a shopper’s dream or the worst nightmare. 

For the last several years, department stores have been opening up earlier every year.  Lines have formed outside these buildings anytime from 2 a.m. onwards.  For those of you shop on Black Friday, you are well aware of the many sales offered by most merchants.

For those of you who have never shopped on Black Friday, it’s quite an experience.  The key to landing those terrific sales is to have a plan. 

Armed with your Christmas list, experts advise that you go directly to the departments where your items can be found.  If necessary, visit the departments before Black Friday so you can easily find the best route on B-Day.

Avoid browsing and try not to buy anything for yourself.  Time is precious on this day, and there are always mobs of people trying to grab that last sale item on the rack.

While Black Friday offers great deals, it is a good idea to follow these tips:

* Check out the newspapers the week of Black Friday for sale items.
* Clip out any coupons from the newspapers as well as online coupons that can be utilized in stores.
* Check each store’s online website to determine what items you will be purchasing.
* Check out what time the stores will open and close.  Keep in mind some stores offer sales for a few hours only.
* Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
* Try to pay for items with cash (use a waist pouch or a neck pouch to store the cash).  Bring a bottle of water – it can get awfully hot!
* If you have to pay with a credit card, use only one card and pay off the balance as soon as possible.
* Take someone with you so that you can both shop for the items on your list.

Although most people look forward to Black Friday, others avoid it like the plague.  That’s okay, too.  With online shopping becoming more popular, you can avoid the mobs and shop from the comfort of your own home, at your own pace.

In any case, stay focused on your mission; stay vigilant with those around you, and stick to your list!

Happy Earning

Steve Bents

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Hello and good day everyone……Today I launched one of my first products!!!! 

TheGimpTutorial.com

These are seven videos that total over an hour to help everyone create their own website, minisite, logo’s, ect.  Everyone can’t hire their own professional designer and with these videos you can create your own logo’s.  Now I will say these videos were not created by me…I don’t have a great speaking voice…yet I used these videos to create the logos on a few of my other websites.  These videos were produced and created for me and I have the exclusive rights to them.  Now I am offering a special Introductory price of only $27.95.  This $27.95 is all it will cost you to learn how to use the great free designing software…GIMP.

Please read through my sales letter and if you want purchase the product.  Let me know if there are any problems or anything of that nature.

Thanks and Happy Earning,

Steve Bents

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Traffic exchanges are an excellent way to receive free traffic to your website. A traffic exchange, also known as a click exchange is actually a membership site, which allows it’s members to exchange traffic between their sites. These exchanges work on a credit system.  A member earns some credits by visiting some websites. These credits are then used by the member to show his own websites to other members of the exchange and so on. There are two types of traffic exchanges — manual surf and auto surf. Manual surf exchanges are better than auto surf exchanges.

       The first step is to sign up with a traffic exchange as a free member. You can also join as a paid member by paying a small monthly subscription. Once you sign up, you can add the URLs of the sites which you want to promote. You can also add banner ads or text ads. Now you have to start surfing and look at other people’s websites to earn credits. Paid members earn more credits by viewing websites than free members. You have to look at each webpage for a fixed period of time, usually 10 to 30 seconds. After that you can move to the next page. If you are a paid member, you can get some free credits per month. The credits you earn this way can be used to show your own webpages to other members of the exchange.

       To earn credits quickly, you can become members of different traffic exchanges and surf them simultaneously by opening different tabs on your browser. In this way, you can view different traffic exchanges at the same time and earn credits from each of them. You can also earn credits by referring new and active members to the exchanges. 
       One big disadvantage of using traffic exchanges is that the traffic is not targeted and  the conversion rate from this traffic is very low. The main reason behind this is that the viewers are mainly other website owners, who are only interested to earn credits to promote their own websites and not much interested in the sites which they visit. Traffic exchanges can be effectively used for lead capture pages. These are useful for promoting MLM programs and list building.

Happy Earning,

Steve Bents

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There are many ways you can set up a budget for Christmas.  The key is to begin early.  Since Christmas is only two months away, you will probably need to put your Christmas gift list together now.  Here are some tips.

As you begin to make your gift list, budget an amount that you can afford for each person and stick to it.  If you think you are going over the amount specified, why not buy a gift card for that amount. 

If you have been exchanging gifts with siblings and their children, now is a good time to talk with your brothers and/or sisters and decide that presents will only be given to children this year. 

Instead of purchasing new decorations this year, enhance the ones you already have on hand.  Get the family involved in making decorations, utilizing items you have in your home.

Wrapping paper and cards can be very expensive.  Make Christmas cards online and/or send e-cards to your friends and family members.  As for wrapping paper, you can use tissue paper, newspaper, or utilize the Christmas bags you received last year and spruce them up.

Pay for gifts with cash if at all possible.  Using your credit card will just put you into debt or, in some cases, more debt than you can handle.  If you have to pay with a credit card, try and pay off the balance as soon as possible.

If you love to bake, you can also make your own gifts baskets for Christmas.  Visit any dollar store to purchase the baskets.  Fill the baskets with muffins and cookies, cakes and teas.  This is very affordable to make and will be a most welcomed gift.

Gift cards are also very popular and you can save time and money by purchasing gift cards to nail salons, online shops, department stores, electronic stores, or even supermarkets.  You’ll save money on gas by not having to go from store to store, and you can do this from the comfort of your home.

Setting up a Christmas budget can be done as late as October.  However, think about starting to save money for next Christmas on December 26.  If you put five dollars away each week, by next October you’ll have enough money to buy affordable gifts and put money aside to pay down any debt as well.

Happy Earning

Steve Bents

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