BGN Entrepreneur

Follow these words of wisdom to have the best Christmas ever, without spending January payingfor it.

1. Plan everything well ahead.
Unless you hire a hermitage or move to one of the few countries where the festive season is not celebrated, the Christmas period can be very costly. It is true that an annual holiday is generally more expensive, but the big difference is that you save and plan for it all year, with many of the major costs paid well in advance.
So why not do the same with Christmas? Start by listing what you did in 2008 and what it all cost. That will give you a simple template for 2009. Then ask yourself if you want to have a similar sort of Christmas or something different? Did you overspend on some things, but under spend on other? Spontaneity is fine if you have very deep pockets, otherwise, set a plan and a budget so you stay in control.

2. Set up a special savings account
You may not earn much interest between now and Christmas, but you will have a cash cushion if you put away a set amount for October, November, and December through a direct debit from your bank account. And no, October is not too late to start saving. Doing it this way will certainly be less painful than trying to buy everything with your December salary. Next year, start in January with smaller amounts and that will make covering Christmas a breeze.

3. Make present pacts
Hands up if you’re prone to gift bidding wars? Perhaps you believe that your partner is going to spend £200 on your present, in turn, you feel obliged to spend at least that , and perhaps £50 more, leading your partner to out-trump you with £300. And so it goes on, before you’ve actually even bought anything.
Often, the pricier the gift, the easier it is to get wrong. Witness the returns queue at top stores just after Christmas.
So agree a spending limit with other adults and stick to it. You’ll be just as happy with something modest and the peace of mind that you’ve not forced your family into overspending.

4. Check your debts
Try to pay off short-term debts, such as overdrafts and credit card bills, over the next few months to give yourself a clean financial slate for Christmas.
Leaving your plastic at home to avoid temptation is a good start for many. This way you will have some credit or an overdraft facility available if you do overspend at Christmas, and paying this off in 2010 will be less painful than if you are still saddled with what you owe from 2009.

5. Go shopping with cash
A cash-only discipline should also prevent you from buying items on a whim—usually things that no-one really wants and will end up, perhaps embarrassingly, in the charity shop come January. Better still, do some web research on exactly what you want to buy for everyone, and hit the shops armed with a list, repeating the mantra ‘I must not deviate from the list’.

6. Sort out Christmas lunch early
And don’t forget how much entertaining on the day itself can cost. If a big Christmas lunch for family and friends is on the menu, work out now who is going to host it and how everyone else can contribute. Starters and puddings generally travel well, so ask other guests to bring a dish. It means less stress and cooking for the host on the day, and everyone shares the cost.
If you’re particularly brave, you could leave buying a turkey until late afternoon on Christmas Eve, when pries at supermarkets tend to tumble. But only do this if you have a Plan B in the freezer!

7. Leave shopping to the last minutes
Big stores often start sales in the week before Christmas to encourage spending. So you can pick up some real bargains, especially on fashion, music and films. However, if you are buying in the sales, check the returns policy on anything you purchase, and as the Christmas Eve shopping hours draw to a close beware of panic buying, you’ll only end up with overpriced and unwanted items. And remember to take that list with you.

Businesses are always looking for ways to make their customers feel part of their brand, and Firefly Tonics have found an innovative way of doing it.
The business is known for its distinctive bright bottles adorned with quirky photos. Less well-known is that the photos are all taken by Firefly customers, who send in their best snaps. Each month the best pictures are used on the bottles, with winners receiving a crate of drinks.
Firefly founders, Marcus Waley-Cohen and Harry Briggs, say the process involves customers with the brand, creating a tight sense of belonging.

Online traders are bullish about their sales and profits in the run-up to Christmas, a survey by eBay has found.
More than half of the 500 companies polled said that they had ordered more stock than this time last year. Only 16pc expected to see sales down on last year.
With Christmas accounting for almost a fifth of annual sales for the average online retailer, the turnaround in confidence since the start of the year is marked. More than two-thirds of online businesses expect sales to rise, compared with only half in January. The number expecting sales to fall has almost halved.
The companies also report that they think that pressure on their profit margins has also eased, with the percentage expecting to maintain or grow their margins increasing from just under two-thirds in January to more than three-quarters in September.

If you are selling, make sure the property looks its best. Some moeny spent on house designs and a day spent cleaning or painting really could seal the deal with potential buyers.

1. Give shabby walls a fresh coat of paint in a neutral shade.

2. Get carpets cleaned. Wipe down all countertops thoroughly and put away as many of your belongings as you can, clutter puts people off, they often can’t see past it.

3. Make sure the kitchen is tidy, with all the dishes washed up and put away. Don’t cook anything that’s going to create a lingering smell, use scented candles, fresh flowers or heat a handful of coffee beans in your oven for 10 minutes before viewers arrive. Remodel the stainless steel kitchen sinks if necessary. This little change could be very helpful.

4. Play up your home’s strongest points. If you have a real fireplace, clean it up and put candles inside to attract attention to it. Or if you have a stunning range cooker get it professionally cleaned, so it gleams.

5. Ask friends or family to look after any pets, not everyone loves animals and they can be a real turn-off for potential buyers.

6. Cast a critical eye over your house from across the street. It is easy to get used to it and not notice the peeling paint and dirty windows. Sweep up leaves and clear away any rubbish, invest in a few pot plants to brighten up the outside area and give your front door a wash.

7. And finally, if you are there when people come to view, make them welcome by offering them a drink and answer any of their questions, but leave them to walk around on their own. People often feel intimidated and won’t relax when the owner is standing right there. You need them to feel that this is the home for them from their very first visit.

Bankers are playing with fire by increasing risk when taxpayer tolerance with financial bailouts has worn perilously thin, the International Monetary Fund warned.
Managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn reckons bankers may be in the throes of a “MardiGras” party of renewed speculation ahead of a looming regulatory crackdown.
Yet the return of their old habits is dangerous. If a new financial crisis occurred in a few years’ time, the public would be unwilling to support another round of massive bailouts, he told the Confederation of British Industry. Democracy itself could be threatened if banks went back to taxpayers with their caps in their hands.
IMF figures indicate that the after-shocks of the 2008 crisis are far from over, with firms recognizing only half of their losses worldwide. Yet in spite of the fragility of the financial sector, there is mounting evidence that traders are making hay before tougher regulatory standards come into force.
Investment banking profits have soared this year, as firms make the most of ultra-low interest rates, money-printing operations and huge government bond issuance programs.

The lack of growth of a moderate increase in the expected disappointment, but a wider range of industrial output, including mining and utilities was flat than a month.
Consulting company IHS Global Insight’s Howard Archer said: “This highlights the United Kingdom is still faced with arduous battle to develop a sustainable development, a significant recovery.”
Figures show, chemicals, machinery and equipment companies lifted up down the output of electrical manufacturers, as well as printing and publishing companies.
The overall manufacturing output was 7.8pc lower than the same period last year – on September’s figures are improving, but still higher than last year’s 18-month consecutive annual decline.
Mr. Archer said: “The serious misgivings about the demand for manufactured goods in the medium term strength, especially once you start to stimulate the measures continue to be withdrawn.”
Increased the economic downturn, Confederation of British Industry’s monthly industrial trends survey showed that although the UK factory orders fell a year in December last year, the lowest growth rate, manufacturers pessimistic about the future. Read the rest of this entry »

GPS fleet tracking system designed to enable companies to have their own fleet’s activities to strengthen supervision. These systems are increasingly popular in recent years because of lower prices there and find the need to reduce the team in these difficult times the cost of many companies.
There are many in a variety of reasons, including the enterprises to purchase these systems: lower operating costs, increase driver productivity, increase vehicle safety and improve their customer service.
In general, finally, the benefits of the global positioning system (Global Positioning System) is a fleet tracking to find cost savings. The cost savings generated by the tracking system can provide substantial return on investment companies. Leasing company or purchase a monthly payment tracking system can achieve a higher return on investment within the first month. Because of the loan approval has been granted the impact of rental market decline has become more difficult. Tracking new suppliers in response to move per person per month to ensure the track is still available and easily affordable for businesses of all sizes.
As the reduced prices of tracking and rising fuel prices, gps vehicle tracking systems has been one to track your business and save money. Read the rest of this entry »