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* Blog Contests & Tips *


Do Cufflinks Make a Difference?

Written by Erz on Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Cufflinks are decorative fasteners worn to hold together link cuffs on formal shirts or blouses.

While good to have, in this age where everyone virtually moves at the speed of lightning, time is of the essence and cufflinks may be regarded as a bother. After all, there are many button-down shirts available in the market, which are so much easier and faster to handle.

Notwithstanding that argument, cufflinks do add a touch of class to your shirt. This is especially so when they are purchased form well-established and renowned companies known for their fine quality. Some of these exquisitely designed cufflinks are works of art by themselves.

In projecting a good image of oneself, it is helpful to add that touch of class to what you are wearing. This is more so if it means helping you to look and behave more confidently.

So don’t undermine the difference a few classy cufflinks can make to your dressing and demeanor.

Review: Forge a New (Human) Way of Lending with Zopa

Written by Erz on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Who doesn’t want a cheap loan? Social lending is a new phenomenon which is creating quite a storm in the world. Borrowing and lending among friends has been going on for ages. The only difference is that this time, the money is moving among people who may not know one another and also that interest is involved. To the lender, it is another way of saving. To the borrower, it is a reasonable loan. What’s more, the interest a borrower pays is less than what a bank would charge one for a loan (as the middleman’s fee is saved).

Zopa is the pioneer in this field. While Zopa takes a small commission, this is less than what a bank would normally charge. What I feel is the greatest catalyst for this phenomenon is not just the benefits reaped through cheaper loans for borrowers and higher interest rates for lenders. It is the human element involved. I do know some people who are indignant at the widening gap between the rich and the poor. They are frustrated that huge corporations make so much every day while the poor have to battle just to get through the day alive.

Hence, knowing that they are benefitting some individual like themselves rather than a billionaire who is ferried in a limousine acts as a driving force to go the Zopa way or what some may call – the human way!

OneBuckWiki Giveaway!

Written by Erz on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

OneBuckWiki is having a contest to give away 10 free $1 pages to any blogger who writes about it. It’s that simple! The giveaway is limited to the first five commentors on their contest post while supplies last until 1000 pages are sold.

The One Buck Wiki is a community intent on promoting their businesses through the collective traffic generated by page-owners as well as through viral marketing efforts. This is a fantastic idea which hails from the original Five Dollar Wiki creators and enables you to put almost anything you want on the page you buy which is related to the word-page you’ve bought.

The page you buy belongs to you and will have only your content. You can use it to promote your online store, blog or any other website. Plus, you can also resell it later for a profit. After 100 pages are sold, there will be an increase in the price of each page meaning you can sell the pages for more in the future. It’s a great investment for a very low initial outlay and you can keep the pages for the lifetime of the site! They also provide great customer support to ensure that your pages are working well and look good. It's a win-win situation!

So what are you waiting for? Go blog about it and pick up your free pages while stocks last.

Debt – Don’t wait till it is too late!

Written by Erz on Monday, October 15, 2007

It is rather saddening to note that many people wait till it is too late before seeking help when they are faced with financial distress.

One of my buddy’s friends, Bradley, is a classic example. He was quite successful a few years back as a middle manager in a multinational corporation. But he was also a spendthrift, extremely lavish in his ways. I had suspected that he was spending beyond his means. Every time we went out for a meal, he would offer to pay, flashing his numerous credit cards. I have never fully subscribed to the notion of spending what you do not have – which is why I do not carry one.

Alas, good times rarely last long and Bradley’s company had begun scaling down operations in the US as they employed more workers in nearby Mexico. He didn’t face the axe but had to take a sizeable pay-cut to stay on. All of a sudden, the bills began to overwhelm him and bankruptcy was the eventual outcome. He had only panicked and asked for assistance when bankruptcy proceedings were already being filed against him even though we had suggested earlier that he seek debt advice.

As I had mentioned before, choosing the right debt advice company is very important. There are thus risks involved. However, not choosing to seek help when help is needed is closing the possibility of possible financial salvation. Why wait till you are facing bankruptcy before you try to get help? As in Bradley’s case, it may then be a case of too little too late.

Win Revolution WordPress Themes!

Written by Erz on Monday, October 15, 2007

Ian Fernando over at IanFernando.com is hosting a contest with some great prizes – 2 Revolution Themes. His site has just undergone its 4th facelift and looks great – though it seems to be packed with quite a lot of stuff. The News Revolution Theme is done by Brian Gardner and is quite cool.

So hesitate no longer, enter to win a fantastic WordPress theme. Contest ends today. Check out the contest details here.

Free Web Hosting Anyone?

Written by Erz on Monday, October 15, 2007

Web Hosts Report is giving away half a year of free web hosting to winners of their weekly draw with no strings attached. To enter, all you need to do is to blog about them – anything will do, and also place a link back to their homepage. Your entry never expires and winners can get a free link from their site as well. Cool!

They are still quite new so the verdict is still out on them but the fact that they are a free public service site definitely makes them more credible. They have a user rank leaderboard which ranks the top web hosts according to various criteria, which should prove useful for those looking for advice in choosing a web host. Check them out today!

Beyond Physical Constraints – Cut Costs For Your Business

Written by Erz on Saturday, October 13, 2007

I have often met friends who have their own businesses who have the following gripe – “It is getting harder and more expensive to hire a worker!” Indeed, many businesses have to cope with more expensive domestic workers and sometimes a lack of suitable local manpower in that particular area. The advances in technology have alleviated this problem somewhat.

Many companies are now hiring foreign employees. But with communication of prime importance between members of a team, how are foreign employees to work in tandem with locals? How are they to conduct meetings with one another? In comes video conferencing. This is nothing new but not all companies have embraced the technology. Some have tried to cut corners with cheap software, only to have it backfire on them with blurred images and choppy sounds – a nightmare!

The host of technical problems which could arise only makes choosing the right video conferencing software all the more crucial. Such software should still be affordable but should accord ease-of-use and reliability to the end user.

Thus, by looking globally for workers, companies can reduce labor costs and through video conferencing, they can hold Internet meetings just as efficiently as physical meetings, the caveat being the need to choose a software package which is both affordable and of high quality.

Driving Safely & Without Worries

Written by Erz on Saturday, October 13, 2007

Do you own a car? Do you drive? Driving is now a mainstay for most families, with most owning at least one vehicle, some even owning several. Driving has become essential to get from place to place, especially in large countries where going to the nearby supermarket may be half and hours drive away. Imagine if you do not own a car!

But driving has its risks. Accidents are happening every single day, in almost every country in the world. And I do not just mean major accidents. Minor crashes could hurt not only the parties involved physically but it could also hurt your wallet. That is why automobile insurance policies are so important to drivers. These help protect the drivers from having to shell out unnecessary sums of money in the event of an accident.

And you don’t even have to pay astronomical sums for such auto insurance plans. A company such as Advantage Auto Quotes offers competitive and affordable auto rates for your car in the United States from all major agencies. It promises to give you the lowest auto liability quote you can find online. So remember to get an insurance policy for your automobile today.

Drive safely and happily!

Why Debt Advice Should Be Free & Impartial

Written by Erz on Saturday, October 13, 2007

Reeling from losses in the stock market? Facing bankruptcy and not knowing who to turn to? In such a situation, more and more people are turning to debt advice companies to reverse their fortunes.

But can you really trust a debt advice company to provide you with the debt solutions which are best for your needs and situation? At the back of your mind, do you not wonder whether these companies are suggesting plans for which they can glean the most profits or something which is truly beneficial for you.

To circumvent all these possible pitfalls, debt advice may best be dispensed by organizations which are not-for-profit. Such advice should be available for free and consultation should be by a counselor who has no vested interest. In this way, the advice given can be impartial and catered solely towards your needs.

Debt management is key to leading a less stressful life so if you’re facing monetary problems, do consider looking for debt advice which is free and impartial. Stay debt-free and happy!

The Philaahzophy Review Contest

Written by Erz on Saturday, October 13, 2007

Philaahzophy is holding his own review contest after pocketing a cool $500 from a recent contest he won. All you need to do is to review his site in 100+ words, including the required links. He will randomly draw an entrant who will win $50. Additionally, he will pick the best review to win $25. What’s more, every review that generates a “blog reaction” link at Technorati will receive $1 via PayPal. Contest ends 17th November.

Philaahzophy is an anarchy money making blog which covers a wide-range of subjects – life in general, business, anarchy, fatherhood, personal finance, contests and more. The posts are full of the author’s own personal experiences and thoughts. Some of them are quite informative and I really like the quotes at the top of each page as well. It’s also good that he has categorized the broad range of topics into many smaller sub-topics or someone interested in a particular topic might have to spend quite a while working their way through stuff they may not be so interested in just to get to the topic. I was surprised to see posts dating back quite a number of years ago, though the posts in the past have not been so frequent. All in all, it’s worth a trip (or should I say click) down to check it out.

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