Is There a Future For Solar Power?

Introduction

There may be some confusion about the term Solar Power because there are a number of systems that have been established for many years using the sun to heat water, heat ovens to cook food or heat your home either directly or indirectly. But what we are really interested in is the idea of producing electricity from the sun. That electricity can then be used for different uses not just for heating water or rooms. Technically Solar Power is any system which is powered by the sun to produce useable energy.

Making electricity really isn’t that hard so I am told. The technology is now available to convert the sun’s light into electricity using Photovoltaic cells. One company I know has developed large scale photovoltaic plants in Southern Spain, where of course there is plenty of sunshine. Panels made up of photovoltaic cells can be installed on the roof or placed anywhere they will capture the sun. They are then connected to the electrical supply in the home and used to run the everyday appliances we depend on.

What Does Photovoltaic Mean?

Photovoltaic literally means light and electricity and the technology has been developed to convert solar energy into usable power. Basically the sun produces white light, which is just a different kind of energy; as I understand it, photovoltaic cells trap this light and turn the wavelengths into electricity. They do not need bright sunlight to operate so even on cloudy days electricity can be made due to the reflection of sunlight, and on days of light cloud energy yields are higher than in bright sunshine.

How Photovoltaic Cells Work

To make these cells produce energy you need two layers of semi-conductor material which has been adapted, so that one is positively charged and the other negatively charged. When light shines on the semi-conductor, electrons are released to produce electricity. The greater the concentration of light the more electricity is produced. The electrical field across the junctions between the layers causes electricity to flow as (DC) Direct Current. Photovoltaic cells are then joined together to make panels which are positioned strategically to capture as much sunlight as possible on or around the designated building. Once the photovoltaic cells are joined together they officially become Solar Panels.

Where to Install the Solar Panels

Once you decide to have solar panels then positioning them for optimum light and sunlight is a vital consideration. If you have a good roof space high enough and not shaded by trees, preferably facing south or south west, then you will probably have the ideal location. Because we live a bungalow there is a huge roof facing south on one side. Looking at the design of the roof we concluded we could have several panels facing South East, South and South West thereby capturing sunlight throughout the whole day.

Solar panels can be mounted on frames on a flat roof or the ground or even on the side of buildings. I would think the main criteria are that they are safe and stable so they won’t fall over or blow away in high winds. The solar panel we have installed for hot water is securely mounted on our roof with strong metal fixings.

Solar panels are produced in many shapes and sizes, some are even made as roof tiles, and there is some new technology on the horizon enabling solar panels to be incorporated into actual windows. Smaller portable solar panels can be taken on holiday when you go camping or caravanning.

The production of solar panels has resulted in a variety of different designs.

Why Would You Want to Install Your Own Solar Power System?

Green Energy – Well firstly there is the issue of ‘going green’ and avoiding using carbon producing energy. There has never been a better time to do your bit to save the planet. Carbon emissions are contributing to the erosion of the glaciers which provide much of the world with drinking water. Global warming is a huge concern and if a large proportion of the world population reduce their carbon footprint then the hope is that global warming will slow to its natural cycle in the evolution of the earth.

Cost – Then there is the cost of electricity today. Utility companies are charging far too much for energy and today I read in the paper that one company is not going to reduce the bills now that the price or raw materials has gone down. They plan to use the profits for re-investment! So in fact we are paying twice for the cost of re-investment.

Prices in the UK have trebled in the last year and even with less sunlight in the UK than many other countries solar power is still worthwhile to reduce the bills. During this financial crisis anything that can be done to reduce costs is of benefit. Once your solar system is up and running any excess electricity you produce can be sold back to the national grid. So instead of bills you get paid by the electrical companies for producing more than you can use.

Freedom – When I am showering using the water from my solar heating system, I have this wonderful sense of it being free hot water. I know it is not really free because we have already paid for its installation. But now it is done, it looks after itself and on sunny days there is an abundance of hot water. It does not need electricity to make the water flow through the pipes so if there is a power cut we can still get hot water.

My policy over the last few years has been to put in systems that free us from the tyranny of the electricity companies and the oil barons. Without independent systems we have no choices if the powerful companies decide to put up prices or cut us off.

The most persuasive argument for me was when Russia decided to cut off gas supplies to the customers when they had a contract in place so that the people of those countries had no fuel to keep them warm during the coldest winter months. From my perspective is seemed it was all because ‘the powers that be’ wanted to flex their power muscles and increase prices to line their own pockets. None of us want to be in that position.

DIY Solar Panels and Installation

Now that we have a solar hot water heating system installed we are keen to get started on producing our own electricity. We use a great deal of electricity running 5 computers for our home based business and overheads have gone through the roof this year.

Using solar panel kits is outlined in a number of e-books on the market to build your own solar power production system.

The marketing material on each website is persuasive and they claim that you can make these solar panels for $200 or £150 which is a great deal cheaper than they can be bought readymade. The books provide an easy step by step guide written in clear straightforward language with the complete novice in mind. People claim they are making these panels over a weekend and are over the moon with the results.

So why would you want to make your own solar panels and then install them yourself? Wind and Solar power systems have been on the market for years but the costs are virtually prohibitive. The cost of commercial panels makes nonsense out of the whole idea of recovering the outlay within a few years. Then there is the satisfaction of producing something essential to maintain our way of life with your own hands.(Rather like growing your own vegetables)

As well as making these panels for yourself and when you have become more skillful at making them, there is the possibility of a lucrative business producing and installing solar systems starting with your friends and neighbours. Once they start telling their friends about the savings they are making you will find you have more orders than you can handle.

Future for our Children and Grandchildren

The ways we have used and misused our natural resources are creating a legacy for our children and grandchildren which will be, to say the least, challenging. The fossil fuels will run out in the next century and as resources become scarce and population increases there will be competition for what is left. I don’t think the world is going to be an easy place to live in and our descendents will have to adapt to a life that could in many ways, be similar to the Middle Ages in Britain or the early settler days in the US.

I won’t dwell on the possibilities of what could be, but I do think anything we can do to help establish a system using renewable energy will be the best legacy we can bestow on future generations.

A wonderful example of natural resources running out is on Easter Island. From study and research of this uninhabited island it would seem there was once plenty of trees. In fact it was completely covered in forest. The inhabitants cut down these trees as a source of fuel but also for carving images which you can still see on the island. However when the trees became scarce, instead of planting and nurturing their valuable resource, they continued to cut down the trees until there were none left. Because there was no more wood they had used up their means of survival so they all died out or possibly left. To this day it is an uninhabited island with no trees. (In New Zealand there is an oral history of the Maori people canoeing from the pacific islands to find their new land of the long white cloud. They could well have been the ones from Easter Island)

Storing Electricity or Selling Back to the Grid.

Just having solar panels is not sufficient to provide you with electricity for your requirements. Once electricity is produced there has to be a scheme to convey the correct power to the appliances. For the most basic system after the solar panel, you will need a charge controller which regulates the flow of electricity to the battery. A battery is an essential item to maintain the supply when it is dark and an inverter which is essential to convert the direct current (DC) generated by the solar panel to alternating current (AC) for use with all appliances. However by DIY the system could pay for itself within a couple of months.

Once your solar power system is up and running you could decide to just provide electricity for your own use and store any excess in deep cycle batteries. You may however prefer to sell the excess back to the national grid to offset any usage you might need over and above the production of the solar panels installed.

To make a solar panel you can use a solar power kit providing you with detailed instructions of all the items needed to start generating electricity from the sun. You’ll also need a digital electricity meter to monitor the usage of your various home appliances.

Apparently there are ways of getting deep storage batteries for free in which to store electricity that you have produced, over and above your current consumption. A charge controller is advisable to monitor and control the charging of the battery and prevent it being overcharged. Careful use of the battery will extend its life and save having to swap it so often.

Selling electricity back to the national grid will require installation of several more items than the basic system uses and is a little more complicated to install. But if it offsets the cost of the electricity you do need, it might be a better system in the long run.

Will it work in the UK?

Although sunlight hours are fewer in the UK than in other more sunny climates photovoltaic cells work with light, and as mentioned earlier, they work particularly well on partially cloudy days of which there are many. We already have several solar units in the garden and I have never known them to not have enough light to work, even in winter.

Will we run out of Raw Materials?

The semi-conductor material used in the construction of the solar cells is mostly silicon. Silicon is basically derived from sand and sand is the second most abundant material in the Earth’s mass. So I think it is unlikely we shall run out of raw materials.

Conclusion

Hot water powered by the sun has been in use for many years in countries where there is a plentiful supply of sun and is known as passive energy. However the development of new technology whereby light can be converted to electricity is a important step in the evolution of civilisation.

What I don’t understand is why Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain don’t make more use of this technology Now that oil supplies are dwindling maybe they will turn their attention to other forms of electricity production and use their vast wealth to invest further in the solar and wind technology. They could even be the ones who ultimately end up dominating the industry. I did read that there are plans to turn parts of the Sahara into solar power farms, and that the plan is to export a fair amount of the power produced, into Europe. This could be an excellent export opportunity for Africa.

To be completely free of electricity from the grid would be a huge bonus for me and there seems to be a small revolution going on with a ground swell of public opinion demanding the use of renewable sources to produce energy. People are getting fed up with being hostage to energy companies and are looking for ways to change the system.

It is a fact that solar power is one of the safest, easiest and cheapest ways to create electricity for our homes. In an ever increasingly energy hungry planet, currently only 0.2% of energy comes from renewable sources and 93% comes from sources that will eventually run out. So now is the time to look for an alternative in the form of wind and solar energy to provide a very moral and ethical gift for the generations that follow

The Future of Demolition

Introduction

The definition of the word ‘demolish’ is deliberate and controlled collapse of a structure. In the late 1970′s Fred Dibnah became the most famous steeplejack in Britain when his work on demolishing tall chimneys without the need for explosives was shown on Television. Fred was an specialist on repairing tall chimneys, so when it came to taking them down he knew just how to do it. He would cut an alcove at the base of the chimney, and then place wooden props to support the structure. By carefully positioning the props, the chimney would collapse in the right direction when the wood was set alight and burned away. Once he was nearly crushed when he miscalculated demonstrating how dangerous demolition work is.

The actual word to demolish only came into being in 1570, and was used after that to mean the deliberate taking down or destroying of a building or structure. Although in fact the process of demolition in some form or other has been occurring for thousands of years. Buildings have been destroyed either by natural disturbances of the Earth’s crust or during battles or attacks on villages for as long as there have been structures. The remaining ruins would be removed and rebuilt or used for other buildings nearby and must be the first examples of recycling.

Preserving the past – preparing the future.

To preserve Britain’s history of agriculture the land between built up areas of the villages and towns is protected from development of urban sprawl. This land is known as Green Belt and is preserved for farming which is vital to the continuing economy of the country. By containing the Green Belt, urban areas are squeezed to provide housing, so developers have to be more creative to find suitable sites.

Britain is a country with a very dense population per square mile. The amount of land available for development is limited compared to other countries. Therefore there is always a high demand for space on which to build. Taking down old and unused buildings and replacing them with new is one way to counteract this shortage.

Land that may be disused industrial and commercial sites, but could be contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution, are called Brownfield sites. Once the land has been cleaned up they are potentially valuable for redevelopment. Both Glasgow and South Wales created gardens out of old industrial sites and put in Shopping centres to attract visitors.

Greyfield sites are distinct from Brownfield sites in that they do not have the environmental concerns of toxic waste. The term greyfield comes from the large areas of asphalt which had once been car parks of commercial urban properties. Their value is in the fact that the infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water, sewage, and gas is already in place. These urban areas are underutilised or abandoned and are valuable because require very little remedial work to be exploited. Cities such as Leeds and Manchester have had a massive programme of converting the old warehouses or factories into apartments, shops and restaurants, retaining the original shell and refurbishing the interior into modern accommodation.

The Demolition process

Building and office demolition must have careful consideration given to the following points.

• The construction and size of the building.
• What items are valuable for re-use?
• How will the old site be re-used?
• How is the waste to be disposed of?
• Electricity water, sewage and gas mains.

Hydraulic excavators and bulldozers can be used to undermine the walls at the base, so that the structure will topple; at the same time controlling the manner and direction of the fall. Safety issues are paramount, and clean-up strategies are also taken into account when choosing how the building will be demolished.

Traditional Demolition

Once all the services were disconnected, the men and machinery would go in and just knock down the walls. The whole structure would collapse and the resulting debris would be piled onto lorries and disposed of in landfill sites. Concrete foundation would be broken up by pneumatic drills and the site would be cleared of rubbish. However today demolition practices are subject to strict planning, safety and monitoring regulations and are highly controlled by the local authority.

Deconstruction and Recycling

The new approach to demolishing buildings is known as deconstruction – a green approach. Landfill sites are in short supply so the aim when demolishing a building is to reduce the amount of waste remaining.

Small structures such as two or three storey houses can be dismantled quite easily. The work may be a painstaking task of dismantling by hand – brick by brick – or beam by beam but by going carefully costly materials are preserved for re-use. The value of deconstruction is that 90% or more of waste is saved from going into landfill sites and reclaimed materials can be re-used and recycled for future buildings. The farmer opposite my house sold his barns in the farm yard for housing; when the builder demolished the barns he cleaned up the bricks and reused them for the wall around the farmhouse thus retaining the character of the farm.

Modern techniques and machinery allows demolition companies to efficiently segregate waste types on or off-site. Construction materials are recycled and re-used whenever possible in the new structure making considerable savings in project costs as well as being good for the environment.

Concrete can now be rapidly broken up with a new machine called a guillotine.Demand increases daily of 6f2 recycled material as it provides a viable alternative to disposing of the demolished building remnants to landfill. It can also be used on site as a sub-base for any new buildings.

Copper pipes, lead, roof tiles or slates, floor tiles, wiring and doors, and wood panelling are valuable artifacts that are saved for recycling and re-use. Many specialist firms sell reclaimed old or antique building items in most towns and cities.

Tall Buildings

Tower blocks and chimneys are the type of tall buildings that may need to be demolished. The demolition of tall buildings necessitates specialist techniques. The tallest building to be demolished lawfully was in 1967/8 of the Singer Building in New York. The collapse of the World Trade Centre after the 9/11 attack in 2001 demonstrates the terrible devastation that occurs if the demolition is uncontrolled and haphazard.

In the demolishing of tall buildings and large structures a wrecking ball on a crane can be used, but is rarely practiced because the swinging ball is rather uncontrollable. The proximity of other buildings is a determining factor which prevents the use of explosives to implode a tall structure. So ‘High Reach’ demolition excavators are used where other methods are not suitable to demolish the top part of a tall building. Once it is down to a manageable height demolition can continue in the usual way. The various methods of demolishing tall buildings are by implosion using explosives, controlled collapse and piecemeal. To control the dust produced in demolition, water hoses and spray equipment are sometimes used and then it is called a wet demolition.

Explosions

The use of explosives in demolition is very specialist work and getting it wrong would be disastrous. If for instance there is atmospheric pressure from low cloud above the implosion site, the shockwave may spread outwards instead of upwards causing the wave of energy and sound to break windows. If an implosion is not prepared correctly the danger may be damage to surrounding buildings where flying debris may cause injury to spectators.

For many people when they think about demolition they may have in mind the use of explosives in the dramatic collapse of a tall building. This process is actually called implosion using explosives. Implosion is essential for dense urban areas as it brings down a tall building so that the surrounding environment is damaged as little as possible. The collapse takes only seconds for the building to drop into its own footprint.

Because of the dangers of working with explosives they will only be used when other methods are too costly or impractical. Where there is a partial collapse of a building and there are still primed explosives that failed to go off, workers are in great danger because the remaining structure is highly unstable. At the same time the demolition has to continue to secure the safety of the site.

Health and Safety

The work of demolition is a much more technical and complicated process than most people would appreciate. The job is highly dangerous and requires experienced and skilled operators to carry out the work. It is essential that personnel working in the industry are thoroughly trained. Health and safety awareness is crucial in demolition services so it is advisable for operatives to have gained a Certificate of Competence in Demolition to ensure safety for both workers and public alike. All demolition work is regulated by the Construction, Design and Management Regulations.

Sequence of Demolition

An incorrect sequence of dismantling will result in accidental collapse of a building because the stability of any structure is reliant on the interdependence of its component parts. Think of a house of cards and what happens if one of the supporting cards is removed.

There is a strict sequence of events before any demolition can take place. Councils throughout the country will have their own specific list for planning approval in their area, but a typical order would be as follows:-

• Provision of Information
Information must be provided about the construction of the structure to be demolished. Details of its previous use and the appropriate demolition methods to be used, including disposal of hazardous substances, have to be submitted by the demolition company.

• Survey of Demolition
A thorough survey of the site to identify any structural problems, as well as risks associated with hazardous or flammable substances, will need to be discussed in detail with the authorities. (E.g. A disused garage where petrol has been stored is a potential fire hazard so preventative measures will need to be taken).

• Preferred and Safe Method of Work
A reputable demolition company will be able to select the appropriate method of disposal showing the outline dismantling process. Planning is essential for vigilant monitoring. The authorities will require a detailed statement of the safety procedures to used, and all parties involved need to agree the methods before any demolition can take place.

• Preparation and Planning
Issues such as asbestos abatement, rodent baiting, dealing with hazardous substances, disconnecting utilities, and making safe any electric, gas or other services have to be shown in the planning stage. There is a lot of preparation to be done before even starting work on demolishing the building itself.

• Protection of the Public
Safety cannot be compromised so where there are heavily populated areas around the demolition site the protection of the public is paramount. Any health hazards will need to be assessed and temporary services arranged, and people affected will have to be informed.

Prior to commencement of dismantling taking place, your demolition company should demonstrate they have adhered to a similar process as the above in order to gain demolition planning permission.

Conclusion

The aim in demolition is to eliminate an unwanted building as safely and quickly as possible and in our modern environment efforts are made to recycle or re-use most of the old material. This is not a new idea although the word itself is relatively modern. On the borders between England and Scotland after the Romans left, a large part of Hadrian’s Wall was hauled away and use was made of the beautifully dressed stone to construct the new buildings in the towns and villages nearby and some are still standing today.

Demolition work by its nature is a very dangerous business and demolishing any building is a complex and skilled process. Next time you see demolition work occurring on a building give a thought to the people who work in a dangerous situation daily and how much is involved in the meticulous planning, regulations compliance, care and skill that goes on to carrying out the project to clear the way for our future.

Start Now for a Residual Income? A great opportunity exists for anyone in the UK to build extra income which keeps coming with the Utility Warehouse!

Sign up with the Utility Warehouse Opportunity alongside your day job and you’ll be part of a rapidly expanding UK business with very little risk. You’ll get a ‘Business in a Box’ which you can take as far as you wish!

To maintain your current lifestyle, you’ve probably been working all your adult life, and you’ll probably have to do so until you retire, right? Not necessarily. With the Utility Warehouse you recommend a great product (Britain’s best value Utilities) to people that you know or meet, and you get a little cut of their subsequent bills paid to you, for as long as they remain customers. So get a few customers, get a bit of extra money each month on an ongoing basis. You could stop there. But get lots of customers: get lots of money!

Telecom Plus, otherwise known as the Utility Warehouse, can offer you this opportunity. Voted company of the year in the FT no less, their products keep coming out on top in the independent reports. People want to save money at the moment, so now’s the time. You’ll not only earn from your customers: You can tell others about the opportunity and they will be your distributors. You’ll earn from their customers as well. Get an enthusiastic distributor and they could make some real money for you! Imagine the satisfaction of earning enough to pay for your own bills. But keep going and things could really start to accelerate. Some distributors are able to give up their day jobs!

Invest some time in the Utility Warehouse business at first, tell people about the savings and the opportunity, get team building and networking and it’s quite possible that in a few years you’ll be able to consider:

* Giving up your regular job

* Deciding what you want to do in life without being tied down

* Go on holiday whilst the money keeps coming

* Investing time in what you really want to do, such as running the marathon, seeing the world, working for charity. Life’s too short!

There will be work involved at first. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. But it’s enjoyable. I’m great friends with the guy who signed me up. I’ve also made friends on the excellent nationwide training days (which are included), and I’ve started to talk to almost everyone I meet! I can buy a great range of promotional literature to help promote my business, and it really pays off. It’s very satisfying to know I’m working towards an independent future. I can honestly say I enjoy my work.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what your obligations are. Utility Warehouse distributors can do as much or as little as they choose. It can be an ‘add on’ business or your full time job. You could be a full time professional, retired, a stay at home parent or carer, or a student. Worried about selling? There are dozens of ways of finding new customers, and it doesn’t have to involve a ‘hard sell’. You’ll be given lots of advice and ideas in training. Approach friends, colleagues and family first – they can sign up via your own personal website.

The Utility Warehouse don’t ‘do’ regular advertising. Their distributors get all their custom for them, which is how they can remain so cheap. The Utility Warehouse do a whole range of products and services for residential and also business use, they also do None Geographic Numbers (NGN’s) like 0800 numbers and 0845 numbers.

If nothing else, you might fancy saving money each month as a customer. Sign up online at Utility Warehouse.

In the April 2009 edition of ‘Making Money’ magazine there is a 3 page article on the Utility Warehouse opportunity, also known as Telecom Plus (the company behind the Utility Warehouse). You can join my team online with the Utility Warehouse Business Opportunity and start to build your second income. I’ll help you all the way. Start now, and by next year you could be well on your way!

No boss, no stress, great lifestyle…why not you?

English History 1660 to 1760

 

Charles II had a liking to have many mistresses, this resulted in his many illegitimate children, and a lot of these received dukedoms which have survivors till today.

Soon two of the worst disasters struck England, first the plague of 1665 and then the greatest fire of London in the next year.

After these happenings, as Charles had no legitimate heir his Catholic brother James II succeeded him in 1685. Even James rule also proved to be a bad one for England by suspending anti Catholic Laws and arresting the Bishops and eventually his second wife gave him his successor.

Anne protestant daughter of James II got the throne in 1702. The best thing happening in that era was her childhood friend Sarah marrying John Churchill, a brilliant general who led the English army on to the French and capturing 600 miles across Europe. The battle of Blenheim in 1704 ended French dominance in Europe.

Churchill was paid handsomely for this by becoming the Duke of Marlborough and Blenheim Palace was also awarded to him. A few years later Anne and Sarah had a fight with each other diminishing their influence on stately affairs.

Many people were supposed to have the throne but all being Catholics were sidelined and the throne went to George I, a German who knew nothing about speaking in English –not even a word but was a Protestant. So started a rule of the House of Hanover, under which Britain gained peace with wealth in the next century. George was immediately challenged by James II’s son “James the Pretender, reaching Scotland and to claim England’s throne, but was pushed back and ran to exile in France.

About the author: This glimpse of British History is offered to you by Dave Young on behalf of Hire London Buses in the UK. To hire a London bus try +447961659814.

Singles Dating

Surviving the Current Financial Crisis

Current Financial Crisis

In the current climate of near certain worldwide financial meltdown there are many who will not survive. There are some who will not only survive but will benefit from the misfortune of others. However for the majority it is a question of surviving and getting through it. If your business is on a sound financial footing and you have money in the bank (Providing your bank is not one that has gone bust!) then this will be beneficial in the coming months. So we are back to good old cash flow and monitoring.

You may even be able to reduce employee salaries for a period of time, rather than redundancies, with a promise of bonuses when things recover. This is what JCB in Britain have done recently.

Tighten your Belt – No need for fancy spending

Cut out unnecessary spending, no perks on the business such as lunches to woo customers. They don’t need it and they will appreciate you being prudent if it means you stay in business and continue as their valued suppliers.

Managing directors show the way by paying yourself less and tighten your own belt. There is nothing worse than asking other people to manage on less when you don’t yourself.

Avoid buying anything unless you absolutely need it. It’s amazing how you can manage without for a period of time using up existing stocks and making sure that waste is reduced to a minimum.

Look for bargains in purchasing.

When you do have to procure goods to run the business, make sure you look out for bargains or negotiate for a better deal than you may have achieved previously. When times are tough, sales with no profits are better than nothing and there are some good deals to be had. One company I recently heard about sold a house for half the price when a customer came along with a cash offer.

Do your customers have financial stability?

Find out the financial stability of your best customers. When the income of a customer falls then their ability to purchase goods and services is affected. If they are able to pay, then you will be able to pay your suppliers. One of our customers in website development had a very large customer go into liquidation owing about £10,000. This was a lot of money to lose, but he survived because his business was very healthy with good cash flow.

Try not to borrow money

When the world is in a financial crisis it is better not to borrow money if you can help it. If you have already borrowed significant sums of money then make sure you talk to your bank and get the best deal on repayments you can. If it’s possible to repay a chunk of money do so to reduce the interest you are paying out. To me interest is money Down the drain and this is not good money management. Having said all that, the interest rate in America is just over 1% and recently rates have been radically reduced in the UK. But that in itself is what caused this whole financial mess in the first place. People borrow money cheaply then re-lend it at a higher rate of interest and take the difference in profit. Once the interest rate rises to a more normal level they will bail out and take their billions off to buy an island somewhere while everyone else pays the price.

Stay in a positive frame

By this I do not mean be in denial and pretend the world is not going through a tough time. But if you are continually thinking and worrying about the negative aspects of the financial situation, then you are likely to make it come true. Don’t forget you get what you wish for and by concentrating on something then it will work like a wish, so why not concentrate on ways of getting new customers, giving better value to your existing customers and how your company could offer new products or services to your existing customer base?

You only have to survive

The world financial climate at the moment, I realise, is much more complicated than is indicated above. But the simple ways of dealing with crisis can often be the best option. Cut everything down to the bone and think about the days when people did not have such complicated lives. They managed their businesses without a website development company or a water cooler. In the past there was no such thing as glass recycling and look what the Victorians did with the limited resources they had at their disposal.

Conclusion

Now I am not suggesting that we should go back to the good old days. What I am saying is that we might think we can’t manage without all our latest gadgets but the reality is that we can do more with a great deal less, as long as we put ourselves into the right frame of mind and think positively about what we can achieve rather than what we haven’t got. Good luck for a healthy future.

How To Make Extra Money

Have you ever wondered “how to make extra money“? The fact you are reading this means you probably have. Let’s be honest, we could use some extra money whether it is to help pay the bills, plan a holiday or just to give our kids a little bit extra. I get stacks of emails from subscribers asking how to make extra money on top of what they already make and I tell them all the same thing. And that is this. Find an avenue to make that extra money, find someone who is already making money doing it and simply copy what they do.

Simple, isn’t it? Sure. But not that easy otherwise everyone would be doing it. What happens quite often when people start on the path of how to make some extra money is that they try it for a few days, maybe weeks and throw in the towel because they do not see immediate results. It is all about stickability. I heard a good analogy years ago and it has held me in good stead on how to make extra money.

Ever since the ancient Olympics started it has been mans goal to run a sub four minute mile. Man tried for centuries but could not do it so the common rationale was that it was impossible. That was until some skinny university student from Britain named Roger Bannister did it in 1954. He achieved the impossible. But what Bannister did was instill belief in every other athlete on the planet. Suddenly it could be done and within a few short years dozens of others had run the mile in under 4 minutes. Once one person had done it and succeeded, others started doing it.

The moral of the story is that if one man can do something, any man can also do it. This ties in with how you are going to make extra money. Find a way that others are using and succeeding at and simply copy them. One such system is offlinebiz.com. Basically it works like this. How many local businesses do you know in your area? Heaps I bet. How many of them have a website? I would say only a small number and of that number, how many have the time or expertise to maintain and run that site? I would say not many.

What if you could offer them a way to multiply their bottom line simply by giving them an online presence. Through offlinebiz.com, which has taught me how to make extra money, you get all the tools and training to acheive this. With guys like Jim Cockrum and Andrew Cavanagh at the helm, it is virtually impossible not succeed. There is not a great deal of time needed to get this model up and running so it is the perfect answer to the question of “how to make extra money”.

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