Finding Finance: What to Do When Cash is Tight

There are few feelings worse in life than knowing that you don't have the money to pay the rent or other bills. If you are facing a financial crisis, it is critical that you know where to turn for help. 

In most cases, lenders will offer reasonable terms that make it possible to muddle through until your financial situation improves.

Talk to Your Creditors

The first thing that you need to do when you know that you can't make a car or mortgage payment is to talk with your creditors. It may be possible to work out alternate payment plans or even postpone payments until you can make them again. 

If you do get your payments postponed, you may still be responsible for any interest that accrues on the balance.

Find Ways to Cut Expenses

It is likely that you spend money on things that you don't need or use. For instance, you could trade your dinner out for a bowl of cereal or a tuna fish sandwich. 

You may also be able to swap out your smartphone for a phone that does nothing but take calls or send text messages. Reducing your expenses may make it easier to pay your bills until you can get back to normal financially.

Apply for a Cash Advance

There are many ways that you can get a cash advance. For instance, it may be possible to get one from your credit card provider or ask your employer for an advance. 

Payday or title loans from companies like EZ Check Advance and similar business may also help you get the cash that you need in a hurry. However, payday or title loans generally come with higher interest rates than those from a credit card or given by an employer.

Apply for a Personal Loan

If you have good credit, a personal loan may be an affordable option for paying your bills or covering other costs in a pinch. They may be repaid over periods as long as five years, which keeps your monthly payments to a minimum. Interest rates can be lower than 5 percent depending on your credit score.

Stressing over your financial situation can lead to a myriad of physical and mental health problems. Instead of hoping that your money issues will go away, it is important that you come up with a solution to overcome them. 

Whether you choose to take out a personal loan, cut costs or work out alternate payment plans with creditors, getting in front of the problem is generally the best way to resolve it.

How Angel Investors Work

Do you have an excellent business idea that you’ve just been waiting to take off the ground? Do you have a concept for an app that is going to be the next big thing and take off in ways that nobody can even imagine? 

Sure you do; you and a million other people! The biggest roadblock, though, is money. That’s always the catch, isn’t it? 

There’s a variety of ways to raise the capital you need to get your exciting venture off the ground, and one of these is to use angel investors.

Angel investors are typically affluent individuals who already have a substantial amount of capital that they are looking to invest in start-up businesses. 

If you want to approach an angel investor with any hope of getting them to drop some sweet cash on your idea, then you’re going to need to know a bit about them. 

Here are some things to remember, when it comes to dealing with angel investors...

Angel investors look for businesses that interest them

When a person reaches a point in their life that they become an angel investor, then they have already built up a large amount of capital and are living a pretty luxurious life. Angel investors aren’t people that are using their life savings to invest in a risky startup. 

Angel investors are people who have money to spend without batting too much of an eye. Because of this, angel investors get a ton of potential suitors who are all trying to convince them that their idea is the one that is going to make a difference.

How do you separate yourself from the pack and show an angel investor that you’re actually the special one, and not your competitors? Well, angel investors want to invest in businesses that are actually interesting to them. 

They want to invest in a business that they are proud to say they own. They aren’t looking for a few more numbers on their spreadsheets. These individuals already have massive investment portfolios. 

Angel investors do what they do to try to find the next big business that is going to shake up the marketplace. Show them why your business should appeal to them, and how it is creatively addressing a need that nobody is recognizing.

Angel investors don’t drop enormous amounts of capital

If you are expecting an angel investor to cover all of your business expenses with one single investment, then you are probably going to be disappointed. Angel investors aren’t looking to invest in large capital expenditure businesses. 

You’d be better off taking a business like that through more traditional forms of funding. Angel investors usually looking for businesses that cost between $100,000 and $2 million, tops, and you’ll usually be getting that capital from multiple investors.

Angel investors typically don’t get a return on investment

Like we said above, angel investors want to look for businesses that they are going to take pride in owning a share of. They want to look for businesses that are going to make a difference in the world, and are excited to see come to fruition. 

The reality, honestly, is that they are unlikely to ever make their money back by investing in a startup in this capital-range, but they know that! Because of this, you have to show more than profitability in your business model, when demonstrating and pitching to angel investors. 

You need to show them that you’ve thought through the possibilities about what your idea can be, thoroughly.

A word on angel groups

There are groups of angel investors that like to invest as a single entity These are called angel groups. These are usually a great way to get the entire investment that you need to get your idea going, if you can convince the person who manages the fund of the group that your idea is worth putting into. 

To do this, the angel group will create an LLC that exists to fund each investment by creating a special-purpose vehicle to invest through.

6 Ways Technology is Helping Small Business Become More Productive

If you own a small business, you might believe that modern technology is only appropriate for larger businesses with deep pockets. Nevertheless, technology is making a large impact even for small companies around the world. 

Technology is not just assisting small companies to become more efficient, it's also boosting their productivity and helping them develope their product line. 

Here are 6 ways technology is helping small business compete better in the new century.

Productivity

Small companies typically need to optimize productivity in their businesses. Today, team members are using technology to do their work quicker and more efficiently. 

Many businesses now utilize business resource preparation (ERP) systems instead of accounting software applications. An ERP system is much more than an accounting system because it handles much more than accounting-related jobs. The growing importance of ERPs for small businesses has been increasing steadily because of its effectivness in larger businesses and its cost of use has steadily declined over the years making them more cost effective even for the smallest startup.  

An ERP system, nevertheless, can deal with accounting jobs and other parts of your business. When workers have access to the best hardware and the latest software applications, they have the tools to be very effective. 

Communication

Technology is assisting small companies in improving communication within the company and with its consumers and providers. For example, mobile phones have become a business tool for company owners and workers alike. 

Mobile phones using Instagram are the perfect way to get your products and services to your workers and customers. These capabilities make a chatbot for instagram the perfect virtual assistant for any Instagram business account. Unsurprisingly, they have become part and parcel of modern customer service and digital marketing.

Mobile phones are must-haves for staying in touch with clients on the go and reacting to queries in a timely fashion. They have actually raised the bar because they supply web access to business and e-mail applications. 

Text messaging, social networking, and e-mail are other technological advancements that have actually improved communication and assisted small businesses in remaining connected to their consumers and internal communication within their business.

Marketing

Technology has freed small companies from the restrictions of print marketing, specifically when it pertains to reaching existing and brand-new consumers. Internet marketing campaigns from basic educational sites, to marketing on online search engines, to internet sales has streamline and organized sales. 

Email marketing is a low cost and reliable technique that assists small companies to reach lots of people with business updates, discount coupons or newsletters. Mobile marketing is a brand-new frontier that is assisting small business to reach possible and existing consumers through text, mobile apps, and deal branded applications that link consumers to the most recent business news in a most efficient way. Contributing to better tracking of sales campaigns.

Telecommuting

Nowadays, numerous small companies offer telecommuting and dynamic time schedules to their employees. Staff members, clients, providers, and other business stakeholders can remain in touch from numerous places while working various hours by using online resources and mobile computing devices. 

Employees can now share digital files through e-mail, have online realtime discussions, and use training videos and handbooks to orient brand-new workers on what is going on in your business.

Customer Service

Technology helps build better communcation between customer and company. Companies can utilize e-mail to react to consumer questions, utilize online chat to help clients that check out the business website, and give customer service agents better tools to solve customers problems. Technology offers a business's clients many options to stay in touch with your business.

Teleconferencing

Teleconferencing through the phone is a tried-and-true technique, but current technological advancements have brought online conferencing to the forefront. 

Online conferencing can connect web video cameras and audio, in addition to incorporated web conference enhancements, to create an extremely interactive environment. All participants can see each other as they communicate, share files, deal with tasks collaboratively, and recreate the in-person conference experience despite their physical location. 

These are just a few of the methods by which small companies can broaden their reach and engage worldwide customers and partners.

Bounteous Blooms: 3 Tips For The Perfect Backyard Garden

Backyard gardens don't have to be a lot of work. Planting native species that naturally thrive in your climate is a great way to minimize garden maintenance. Perennials, too, are an excellent choice as they come back on their own every year. 

Of course, you'll also want to limit the size of your garden to an area you know you'll have time for. One season of growing experience will teach you these basic tips, but here are a few lesser known tips you probably won't see in any gardening book.

Free Plant Food

The nutrients in vegetables that help keep your body strong and healthy are also good for your plants. When you steam and boil vegetables, some of these nutrients find their way into the water in your pot. 

Don't just dump this valuable asset down the drain. Instead, save this nutrient-rich water and use it to water your garden. Your plants will love it.

Lighten Your Load

Potted plants make great accent pieces on patios, porches and throughout the garden. Unfortunately, they quickly get heavy and difficult to move, especially if you place rocks in the bottom of them to promote drainage. 

Instead of rocks or gravel, place lightweight packing peanuts in the bottom of your pots. 

Lay a piece of landscaping fabric over them to keep them in place and then add your potting soil and plants. The peanuts will aid drainage without adding unnecessary weight to your planters.

Consider New Windows

For maximum enjoyment of your backyard garden, make sure you can see your beautiful blossoms from inside your home. The right windows will serve as pretty frames for the picture that is your garden and let you enjoy your handiwork more often. 

You may even wish to consider garden windows, which provide large panes for undisturbed garden viewing as well as wide sills and ventilation for starting seedlings indoors. The right windows, like those from Four Seasons Home Products, let you enjoy your garden from both inside and outside your home.

There is no question that gardening is a labor of love, but there are ways to lessen the amount of work involved. These tips and tricks are a bit unusual, but all are effective and will help you spend less time working in the garden and more time enjoying it. 

It's up to you whether you pass these tips on to others or simply smile when people compliment your backyard's beauty.