Businesses That Flourish In Downturn
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Do you know what type of business that flourish in downturn? In fact, this type of business seems to be flourished during the economic slump.
I am talking about the repair business. As people tighten their belts during the slump time, they will go for repairing rather than replacement as it is much cheaper to go along this option. It is indeed one great way to cut spending and help us pull through the recession that we are currently experiencing.
For most of us, the consumers, getting our bags, shoes, car, electrical appliances and items around the house fixed can help in bringing our expenses down but also it can also bring immense self satisfaction especially when we are fixing the damaged goods ourselves (DIY). Aside from that, we are contributing to the environment as we are generating less waste and demand for more new goods.
Fixing certain things such as your long owned car can also bring out sentimental value towards the concerned item. This feeling is indeed something that money cannot buy.
Don't be surprised that fixing can also make the goods last a long time.For example, by getting an extra sole for a pair of shoes, its usefulness lifetime can be greatly extended. For most of us with lots of clothing or want to preserve certain clothing that passes down to us by our parents, we can look for a tailor to get them altered.
With the tumbling of giant motor car companies ( I hope that won't be more to come), it signifies that less and less people are getting new cars. This simply means that they are keeping and using their present aging cars. Even if the economy is down, we still need to travel to work and do our shopping chores. So I guess that is the reason I see so many smiling faces on those car repair owners around town as they must enjoying booming business due to the downturn.
But the same good demand cannot be said on the cellphone and pc repair business. It seems that people would like to get a cheaper new phone when their current cellphones are faulty. Guess that cell phone nowadays are so cheap that it does not justify to get them repaired. Aside from that, the short warranty period that given after the repair job does not encourage us to go for such option. As for pc, the prices has come down so steeply that it is wiser to get a new one rather than spend money to repair the once high performance pc that we own.
Maybe the second hand businesses are also thriving in this bad times. For the lower and middle income groups, they might want to trade in or sell off their audio visual equipments such as Hi-Fi or mini compo before getting a replacement unit. Some of them may also go for a second hand unit instead of getting a brand new unit.
Of course, the best thing during this bad time is not to buy things but come on, we are humans and we DO have some basic needs! Life is short and why not make the best deal in getting our basic needs met?
Posted byLeoCW at 12:13 AM 0 comments
Purchasing Items The Cheapest Way!
Friday, April 17, 2009
In the financial and economic downturn, I guess most of us will only wait for a SALE in the local hypermarkets and stores to purchase our clothes and other big ticket items.
Some of you may argue why we need to buy a compo or even a television at this bad times. Well, let say your TV is broken and can't be fixed or the cost of fixing doesn't justified the cost, I am sure that you would want to get your family a new audio visual entertainment unit. After all, enjoying your entertainment at home is a lot more cheaper than going out to meet our entertainment needs.
It may be cheaper when we get our stuff during a sale but have you ever thought of going into one of those warehouse year end or clearance sale? If you have a chance to go for such an event, please sure to drop by at the company that conducts such a sale as the discount that you get there will be a lot cheaper than those that are offered in your local store. The caution here is you must select and inspect your intended purchase goods carefully as usually items sold under a warehouse sale rarely can be exchanged or even bear no warranty at all.
The units sold during such a sale are so cheap as they may be DEMO units or suffer some minor physical appearance defects. Some of them may be old models that are going to be cleared.
Scurrying the net for cheap offers is another way to get bargain price for your stuff. However, most of the time, the good offered through the net especially through sites such as eBay can't be inspected before hand. And that's may deter most people from getting big ticket items from such a site even though they are so cheap. Well, we can't have the best in everything, can we?
Posted byLeoCW at 5:55 AM 0 comments
Get A Debit Card!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The convenience of the plastic cards in purchasing things makes us almost can't do without them. All we need to do in buying things is just to swap and sign our names on those dotted line in the receipt. Plus the added sense of security that we feel in which we don't have to carry a large sum of cash around in our pockets further fuels the prolific issuance of the plastic cards especially credit cards.
Not to mention also the fact that we don't have to rush to the nearest ATM machines when we want to get something which is on SALE makes most of us wonder how one can live by without having at least one credit card. But beware, hidden behind such convenience and advantages in owning a credit card is that one can incur a large amount of debt in one's spending.
Since it is so convenient to buy things and without "suffering" and feeling the REAL amount of money that we paid when purchasing items especially large ticket items, it is very easy to get carried away with impulse buying and endless buying sprees.
It is only when we receive the credit card statement at the end of the month that makes us ponder whether we really buy all those stuffs that are listed there. As the sum is so enormous, most of us will end up paying the minimum amount; promising ourselves that we will control spendings in the days to come. There are also some of us who can't even make the card minimum payment and resort to using another credit card to meet the minimum payment required in a concerned card.
Credit card is a very convenient tool invented in replacement of using cash to buy things but it requires a great deal of self discipline and control. Hmm, how many of us can really exercise that all the times? Since we are only human, and we might overspend at times and controlled by our emotions rather logic when we see something we desire to have, it is no wonder that most of us chalk up an exorbitant amount of payment in our credit card spending.
Why not get a debit card for a change? With a debit card, we not only able to enjoy the convenience of the plastic card and its benefits, but also the GUARDIAN ANGEL in the debit card will ensure that we don't go over the limits in our spending. You see, the moment there is no insufficient amount of money in our debit card account, all those purchases that we made will be nullified. It is better to have things this way rather than feeling gloomy and devastated when the card statement arrived !
Posted byLeoCW at 6:21 AM 0 comments
Have You Ever Considered Store Brand ?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Most of us will be loyal to certain national brand names that we have grown accustomed to in our shopping sprees. It might be due to one's personal preference and satisfaction that makes the brands turn up as one choice of a product.
Well, in good times, I guess that we don't mind paying a little bit more for our groceries as we could afford to spend a little more on our spending.
However, in this downturn, every penny saved is every penny earned! We all know that store brands are definitely cheaper than national branded names but unfortunately, many of us share the perception that since they are cheaper, they must be inferior in qualities as price and quality goes hand in hand.
Out of curiosity and of course I want to save a bit in my grocery bill, I purchased a few toiletries products that bear the store brand name of the local store that I frequent weekly. To my surprise, I must say that the quality of these products fare equal, if not better, than those of the usual more costly products that I used to buy. They clean the same way and produce the same amount of bubble and give the same cleanliness as those costly brands.
How I hope that I could switch to store brands earlier on as I normally ignore these products in my earlier shopping times. But not anymore. From now onwards, I won't hesitate to try any store brand products that I come across. Imagine paying 20% to 30% for the products that can do the same thing for your household. If this is not smart spending, I don't know what it is!
That being said, what are you waiting for? Give yourself a try on those reasonable price store brand products and I am sure that you won't regret your decision. I guess you will be satisfied not only in the amount of money that you save but also on the quality level that they delivered. If indeed they are of inferior quality, surely you won't see them present in the store shelves!
Posted byLeoCW at 5:38 AM 0 comments
The Many Usages Of Petroleum Jelly!
Monday, March 23, 2009
The name Vaseline is synomynous with petroleum jelly. Other than its usages on the skin in preventing it from dryness, itchiness and rashes and as a moisturizer to prevent aging, there are a multitude of other usages for this wonderful ointment.
Do you owe a tube of super glue? Most probably you won't be able to use it again after you have used it once as the cap and the tube will be stuck by the glue. By applying a coat of petroleum jelly around the thread of the cap, you will be able to go for subsequent usages. And to prevent the glue from drying, it is best to store the super glue tube in the refrigerator after you have used it once. You can also apply the jelly around the rubber seal of your refrigerator to make it lasts longer.
Are there any noticeable white powders surrounding your car battery terminals? Well, corrosion is in progress there. By simply applying a layer of petroleum jelly around the terminals, you will be able to keep those white powders (and hence corrosion) at bay.
Ever find your unfinished can of paint harden after some times ? Now you can make it air tight by applying a coat of petroleum jelly to the inner edge of the paint can.
Petroleum jelly also comes in handy when you find difficulties in removing a ring around your finger. Just rub some of the jelly to the concerned finger and the ring will slip out easily.
Stuck zipper including plastic zipper is another area where you can use the jelly. Smearing a thin coat of the jelly along the trail of the zipper would make the term stuck zipper a thing of the past!
It can also be used before you comb or braid your hair. The jelly will keep your hair soft and shining and help it to grow.
When it comes to screws, nuts and bolts, petroleum jelly can be used for these hardware stuff to keep them free from rust.
Oh yah, it also works on your chapped lip. You will really feel the different after a few applications. And you don't need to buy another bottle or tube of make up remover when you have a bottle of petroleum jelly. Aside from remove your make up easily, it can also make your skin feel soft.
For those nail polisher out there, now you can have no worry at all in accidentally polish the skin around your nails as the petroleum jelly that you have rubbed on it will never allow the polish to stick to your skin.
Posted byLeoCW at 5:15 AM 0 comments
Keep A Budget!
Friday, March 20, 2009
If we are working for someone else either in a big corporation or a small office, we have always heard of the term BUDGET! Budget is so important that without one, we won't be able to get any project going without allocating some money for it in an earlier time.
But how many of us keep a budget when it comes to our personal expenses? I know the amount of money we have is small in relative to the company that we work for but keeping a budget when let us keep track on how well we spend our money.
The best way to keep a budget for our personal spending is to have a small notebook that can easily fit into our pockets. Hence, we can easily jot down whatever expenses (no matter how small it is) that we use the moment we use it. By doing so, we will be able to toe the line in spending our money and does not incur a huge line of credit. Curbing credit especially credit card debt will ensure we have a peace of mind and soundly sleep especially in this economic downturn.
You would be surprised at how those petty expense transactions that you made daily will amount to when you tally everything at the end of the month.
Even though you might find it pretty troublesome and inconvenient when you start jotting down your expenses but I just want to tell you that it really worth it especially if you are someone who always end up in the deficit side of your financial standings.
As time goes by, you will be able to "control"your spending and in due times you will be able to have a SOUND spending expenses.
Posted byLeoCW at 6:09 AM 0 comments
Make Use Of Used Plastic Blags!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I bet most of us have an over abundance of shopping plastic bags. Do you throw them away? Do you know that these plastic bags can be reused in many ways? It might even save you some money and not to mention the environment if you re use them.
Are you still getting those black rubbish bags to collect your rubbish? Why don't you line your trash bin with those grocery shopping bags? You can even put a few of them to the bottom of the trash bin before you line your trash bin. For smaller one, you can use it in the bathroom trash can. Just remember to put the used diaper in plastic bag before you throw it. Even with punctured bags, you can use them in the office or bedroom as most of the garbages in these places are dry.
You can also use this use bag as the car trash bag and it will also come in handy when someone who travel with you in the car has car (motion) sickness. What do you need when your car suddenly breaks down along the highway? Of course, a plastic bag to signal your vehicle breakdown.
The next time you go to the beach or the swimming pool, remember to bring some plastic bags to store your wet bathing suits or wet slippers as well as to collect some sea shells, dead wood, water plants and some beautiful beach stones.
You can also tuck some plastic bags in your suitcase the next time you go traveling as you can separate the wet and soiled clothing from the clean one in your suitcase or travel bag.
These plastic bags also come in handy when you want to send fragile gift to someone as the crumpled plastic bags act as a very good packing material.
For those avid gardeners, you can also crumple a few bags into the plant pots as most of the time , your plants roots won't reach the lower part of the pot. Aside from that, it also makes your pot lighter as less soil is being filled into the pots.
How do you take a shower when you arm or foot is bandaged? Well, just wrap a plastic bag to protect the bandaged area and you can rest assured that you will have a shower without wetting the bandages.
Lastly, these plastic bags can be knitted to produce a recycled carryall bag.
Posted byLeoCW at 12:40 AM 0 comments
Labels: Plastic Bags