Many consumers make use of a consumer printer in addition to a personal computer for a number of reasons. With the purchase of a consumer printer also comes the need to purchase replacement printer ink cartridges as the ink runs out of the cartridge you are currently using. Replacement printer ink cartridges that are purchased from printer manufacturers can often cause quite an expense for consumers. Many manufacturer-made replacement printer ink cartridges can even surpass the purchase price of the printer they are used with. This is why buying compatible printer inks is a wise consumer choice. There are many ways why using compatible printer ink cartridges can be beneficial.
The main reason that using compatible printer ink cartridges and inkjet refill kits appeals to many consumers is that it will save you money. Individuals will find that more often than not a compatible printer ink cartridge will be less of an expense than the purchase a replacement printer ink cartridge from a printer manufacturer. Inkjet refill kits is also a great money saving option for consumer printer owners that may be on a budget or those that just like saving some money. An ink refill kit can greatly extend the life of a printer ink cartridge if the cartridge is refilled before the ink cartridge is completely empty.
Another great benefit to purchasing an inkjet refill kit or a compatible printer in cartridge is that they are extremely easy to purchase. Most consumers very much appreciate that they can order a compatible printer ink cartridge online for a great price and have it delivered right to their front doorstep.
The quality of the print job a compatible printer ink cartridge can provide you with is another great reason to use compatible printer inks. If you have purchased a good quality compatible printer ink the quality of the print work should be equal to an ink cartridge purchase from a printer manufacturer.
If you are an ecologically conscious consumer you will appreciate that compatible printer ink cartridges and ink refill kits decrease the amount of solid waste dumped into landfills each year as the can be reused several times. Also if you wish to purchase compatible printer ink cartridges or refill kits in bulk if you buy a good quality ink you will not have to worry about the future print jobs you printer will produce as the ink should store quite well. This option is can be found to be a real money saver with a lot of consumers.
There are very few models of printers that will not work with compatible inkjet printers so you would not have to worry about limited choice when looking into buying a printer you can use compatible printer inks with. Deciding to use compatible printer ink cartridges instead of replacement ink cartridges from a manufacturer can provide you with high quality print work at a much more reasonable price. So keep all of this useful information about compatible printer inks in mind as soon as you begin shopping for a new printer or your current printer is in need of new ink.
Why Using Compatible Printer Inks And Ink Refill Kits Is A Smart Consumer Choice
A Look At Nationwide Internet Banking
Where do you bank? I hope you are not one of those people waiting every Friday after work to deposit your money. Nowadays you have a better option than queuing for ages, you can deposit your check without the teller lady, you can try the direct deposit instead. If you are still not using this time-saving method, then it's high time you started. Apart from time it will also save you a load of hassle and you won't have to go to the bank every week. You should fancy technology, because it's all electronic. If you've chosen to try the direct deposit, then you should turn to your PC or Mac for Internet banking. The concept is overwhelming.
Even though I don't know who first made it up but it is definitely a wonderful idea. Most of the people prefer using the Nationwide Internet banking. Are you one of these people? In case you are not, why not log online and have a look what Nationwide Internet banking can offer. Choosing it, never again will you leave your coach to pay bills and deposit checks. I certainly want that, what about you? There is no doubt that the bank isn't my idea of saving time and having fun. What I really want is convenience. Consider the annual amount of time you spent in the bank, isn't it too much? Why not use Nationwide Internet banking instead?
I tried it a few years ago and I've been using it ever since. Actually I had to deal with hundreds of banking issues and errands because my wife didn't want to hear about it. I soon got tired of it and I was lucky enough to hear about Nationwide Internet banking while surfing the internet. Then I found the official site of the Nationwide Internet banking and it solved all my problems. I even forgot the lines at the local bank.
In case you are tired of going to the bank, you may consider Nationwide Internet banking. It might seem a bit difficult at first look, but you will soon find out that it's quite easy to use. Check it now by simply visiting their website. If you want to forget the hassle and the queues in the bank, than Nationwide Internet banking is just the right thing for you. Stop wasting your time and begin banking from home right now. And keep in mind that Nationwide Internet banking will erase your memories of those awful lines.
How To Choose The Web Server For You
One of the keys to a successful online business is the web server. In order for a customer to see the products - or to see the page at all, for that matter - the server has to take the request for the web page and upload it from the disk where the file is. Therefore, if you don’t have the right server, nobody is ever going to see your page.
One type of server is the Virtual Private Server. At its root, it’s divided into several servers, which lets you remain as free as if it were strictly a single server, but you share some expenses with other hosts. Basically, it’s safe and economical if you own a large business, as it allows you to have 50 websites per account. The only thing that stands in the way of some people from choosing a Virtual Private Server is that you need to know how to work the program to choose the settings. Manuals are provided that can help you learn to control the server, but it takes some work. However, it’s a smart choice for a big business at just over 100 dollars a month for an account.
Another type of server is Virtual Hosting. This is more popular than the Virtual Private Server, as it only costs 20-50 dollars a month and requires no technical skills. It’s a single server shared among numerous users, making it controlled by an administrator rather than you. It’s simple and inexpensive, but whenever you want to update your settings, you have to contact the administrator. If the administrator doesn’t listen, you can’t do anything about it. However, this isn’t usually a problem. With Virtual Hosting, you can only have one website per account; therefore, if you want more than one website, you must have more than one account. However, if you only want a couple of websites and you lack computer experience, Virtual Hosting is a safe, economical choice.
There is also web server software to consider. Some web servers don’t give you an option, but if you do have options, you must know which software is best for your business.
The most popular type of web server software is Apache. It’s constantly updated for user’s benefit, and it’s the most economical choice because it’s free. However, it isn’t backed like Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). IIS only works with NT-based server systems, since NT is Microsoft. However, if you’re concerned about safety, it has crash protection.
Of course, there are many other options besides the ones mentioned in this article. These are just examples to get you started and help you understand which types of server and software are best for you. Ultimately, you don’t want to worry about the cost or safety of your server when you should be thinking about your webpage, so choose your server carefully to get ready for success.
Tips On Choosing Your Computer Bags
A Gap bag big enough for your notebook and its accessories will cost you less than $40. You can fit your notebook, adapter cables, and other laptop accessories. For padding, a towel seems like a good choice. Who needs computer bags if you can make one using a fashionable bag? Maybe you do. After your trendy bag gets dropped unceremoniously during an airline check-in, you'll realize that function should precede fashion. Laptop bags are constructed to carry laptops and accessories and at the same time, protect them from damage.
A notebook is the hottest accessory in town today. You should flaunt it and not hide it with flimsy department store bags. Not as bulky as laptop carrying case, bags for laptops are easily more fashionable. Besides, these specialized bags are designed to keep computers safe. In fact, most bags were tested by getting dropped at heights not less than 3 feet. The pioneer Targus Inc. even features convenient pockets and excellent padding. Extra comforts include a special pocket for airline tickets and ergonomic handles. These make the bags expensive but good investments.
eBags.com's Peter Cobb says that computer bags have evolved from mere whim to essential accessories for corporate professionals. In this day and age, entire careers and businesses depend on computers and laptops, which spilled juice can destroy in a matter of seconds. Laptops contain documents, files, presentations, and spreadsheets, which can spell the difference between gain and loss. Computer protection is a critical aspect every laptop and computer owner must consider. Fortunately, even fashion-conscious persons don't have to worry about cramping their style. Cobb invites computer enthusiasts to take more time in shopping because function and fashion mesh well in today's designs.
Targus' Todd Gormick seconds this invitation and provides some three handy tips on bag shopping. First, select a style that matches your lifestyle and personality. There are sporty backpack laptop bags for those who are always on the go. Messenger bag and shoulder bag styles are available for people who want to be edgy but polished. There are also conservative leather cases for those who like to maintain a professional aura. Second, check the fit of the computer or laptop. The bag should be snug, but not too tight, to avoid excess movement. Lastly, check the inside features. A good bag have additional pockets for laptop accessories. Don't think that you're losing out on fashion; most computer bags are made with the same material as that of Kate Spade.
Optimize Broadband & Dsl Connections
These settings allow you to boost the speed of your broadband Internet connection when using a Cable Modem or DSL Router with Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
Open your registry and find the key below.
Create the following DWORD values, as most of these values will not already exist you will need to create them by clicking on 'Edit -> New -> DWORD Value' and then set the value as shown below.
DefaultTTL = "80" hex (or 128 decimal)
Specifies the default time to live (TTL) for TCP/IP packets. The default is 32.
EnablePMTUBHDetect = "0"
Specifies whether the stack will attempt to detect Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) routers that do not send back ICMP fragmentation-needed messages. The default is 0.
EnablePMTUDiscovery = "1"
Specifies whether the TCP/IP stack will attempt to perform path MTU discovery as specified in RFC 1191. The default is 1.
GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize = "7FFF" hex (or 32767 decimal)
Specifies the system maximum receive window size advertised by the TCP/IP stack.
TcpMaxDupAcks = "2"
Determines the number of duplicate ACKs that must be received for the same sequence number of sent data before "fast retransmit" is triggered.
SackOpts = "1"
Enables support for selective acknowledgements as documented by Request for Comment (RFC) 2018. Default is 0.
Tcp1323Opts = "1"
Controls RFC 1323 time stamps and window scaling options. Possible values are: "0" = disable RFC 1323 options, "1" = window scale enabled only, "2" = time stamps enabled only and "3" = both options enabled.
TcpWindowSize = "7FFF" hex (or 32767 decimal)
Specifies the receive window size advertised by the TCP/IP stack. If you have a latent network you can try increasing the value to 93440, 186880, or 372300.
Exit your registry and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
If you don’t want to edit the registry, here's a little TCP utility that is ideal...
Corner Computer Desks
With the high price of office space today, getting maximum usage of all your space is essential. Placing your workstations on corner computer desks can efficiently use an overlooked are of that space, the corners. These desks are designed to fit into that underused space compactly while still allowing more than adequate room to perform the tasks needed on your computer. There are many attractive designs available that will add shelf space for storage of supplies for your computer as well. You can find corner computer desks at most office furniture stores and many web sites on the Internet.
When you shop for your corner computer desks to use those underutilized areas of your expensive office space on the Internet, you should stay aware of a few things. First is to look for the shipping costs and types of shipping available. What seems to be a great price on those corner computer desks may turn out to be much higher after adding the shipping costs onto the price. Some firms may offer you free ground shipping with your order and then take six to eight weeks to get your order to you. So look at the shipping costs and look for the method of how it will be shipped before sending your payment.
Payment methods brings us to the second important thing to stay aware of. When you place that order for those corner computer desks you want for your office, never put your payment information on any page that is not a secure page. You can tell a secure page from a regular page by looking at the page address on your browser. A secure page will start with https://. Regular pages start with http://. That extra letter is only used on secure pages and is a sign that you are dealing with a reputable dealer. If the site that offers the corner computer desks you desire does not have a secure page for your ordering information, it is risky to do business with them. You will be better off to seek your corner computer desks elsewhere.
Corner computer desks are available in a wide variety of styles and finishes. With a little searching, you can find them in select hardwoods and even in faux finishes to appear as select hardwoods. One model I noticed appeared to be a corner hutch until you opened the cabinet to see the monitor and pulled out the keyboard tray to type. Others have a minimalist style that just utilizes that underused area of your office in an efficient manner. The choices are endless.
Corner computer desks are available at prices to fit any sized budget. A quick search on the Internet will locate corner computer desks starting well below a hundred dollars with some of those prices including shipping. They may have to be assembled upon delivery. Start using that under utilized space in your office today by placing your workstations on corner computer desks. You will be happy that you did.
How to Choose your Compact Computer Desk
If you have a small office either at work or at home, then consider a compact computer desk. These desks are perfect space savers and are offered in a variety of styles and finishes. Wood compact desks are abundant as well as glass and metal computer desks made for a small office space. Compact desks are also very affordable starting at just over $50. Many compact desks are made to be mobile. Easy to move and lightweight, these slim line computer desks feature easy to adjust settings and specific areas for your CPU, monitor and laptop. Many of these work stations are offered in child sizes as well.
The finish or color of your compact computer desk is up to you. With a wide selection offered, it's easy to match your desk to any decor. When selecting your compact desk, make sure it has space for your computer, scanner, and any other components you will need to use at your desk. Check for rear cut-outs for cords and adjustable heights when choosing a desk to fit your needs. Look for a well built desk with sturdy legs, clean lines and no sharp corners. These desks are often streamlined and will offer a mouse platform since often they will not offer much usable table top space. A filing cabinet can slide under your new compact desk, further saving space and attaching a paper holder to your monitor will allow you to have even more space on your desktop.
Before purchasing a compact computer desk, you will need to know a few things. You will need to know the weight of your computer and the monitor. This will help when selecting a computer desk that will accommodate the weight of a large computer. Also, many compact desks feature an arm that will hold the monitor and can then swing out into view. It will be necessary to know the weight of your monitor to ensure the right monitor arm is available on the compact desk. You will need to know exactly what equipment you will need room for on your compact desk. Often a compact desk will have room for the CPU, the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Look for added features such as shelving for printers, fax machines, an area to hold papers and disks, and other equipment you may need such as a burner or speakers.
Before you leave your home or office to go desk shopping, make sure you measure your future desk space. Compact doesn't always mean as compact as you'd like. Decide if the desk will be pushed up against a wall and also how high the desk can reach. Can added shelving offer more space? Using a hutch on a compact desk is a great way to save space. If ordering online or purchasing from a store, learn what the shipping costs will be. Often a store will offer free shipping but if not, check on the weight of the desk. Just because it's compact does not mean it's light. Shipping can cost almost as much as the desk itself. Also make sure that your new desk has a warranty for workmanship.
Secret Wholesale Sources
Introduction
In our country today, everyone is trying to save money. No matter what you want to buy, you're always trying to find the best deal. Very few people have enough money to buy something the first time they see it. Most will shop around at many stores before buying an item, especially something, which costs over $20. It's a fact of life that prices will vary by huge amounts from store to store. There can even be two stores right next to each other offering an item at very different prices. Most people are not getting the best price for what they are buying. In a recent survey of 300 shoppers published in the Wall Street Journal, 82% of those interviewed thought they could have made their most recent purchase at a better price if they had looked around more carefully.
None of this is new to you. You've probably already found the best bargain stores in your area to buy all the things you need on a regular basis.
However, there is something that you may not know about: did you know that you actually can buy many products at even lower prices than the best discount store in your area? How is this possible? By buying at wholesale prices. By buying products at the same place that your local store buys. This is what we would like to explain to you now: how to buy almost anything you need at wholesale, so that you can cut your spending by 50%.
In short, the purpose of this book is to show you how to save money on all your purchases by buying products at wholesale prices. In addition to showing you some sources for many different types of products, this book will give you some tips on how to negotiate the best prices and will show you how you can use this knowledge of buying at wholesale to make some extra income for yourself.
Finally, for those who really want to get into this as a business, which will allow you to save the most money on your purchases and have a good income outside of your present job, this book will explain the basic steps necessary to set up your own business including how you can obtain a line of credit of $5,000 to help you get started, and where to get all your business stationery and equipment at the lowest possible wholesale prices.
For all this information, just turn the page and enjoy this journey into the world of wholesaling!
Buying Wholesale Versus Buying Discount
How much money can you really save if you buy at wholesale prices? To answer this, let's look at the profit structure of the retail market.
Most retail stores will mark up the price of their products 100%, or double their own cost. In this example, you can obviously save 50% of your money if you make your purchase directly from the wholesaler, instead of buying from the store. Essentially, by buying directly from the wholesaler, you are not paying any service premium to the retail store. The retail store can charge more than the wholesaler because it is more convenient for the buyer to find most products in a retail store than to hunt around for a wholesaler that does not have a prime storefront location in the middle of town.
Also, many wholesalers will not sell items to an individual consumer; they will only do business with an established business that will buy in volume from the wholesaler. Often the wholesaler will have minimum purchase requirements, which can be as low as $500.00 or as high as $20,000.00. Basically, most people accept retail prices as a fact of life because it takes some extra effort and time to figure out how to reach the wholesaler directly, and in many cases, it just is not possible to deal with the wholesaler, unless you are an actual business (which is a good way to get wholesale prices and which will be the topic of a later chapter).
Now let's look at the structure of discount pricing, which is what most people look for in saving their money. When a store offers discount prices, they will not mark up the item 100%; they will offer a discount from the full retail price of 20-40%. They still need to make a profit, so they won't reduce the price 50%, but they are making less of a profit in the hopes of getting people to do business with them. As an example, take an item that normally sells for $100. The store paid $50 for that item. Instead of charging $100, the store may discount that item to $80 or even $60. At the lowest discount you can save $40. However, that doesn't give you as much of a saving as buying the item yourself for $50 directly from the wholesaler. In other words, even the best discount value will not be as good as buying the item at wholesale.
The only exceptions to this rule are liquidation or closeout sales, where the store sells the item at below its own cost, because it must regain some of its original investment in the merchandise. In this case, you may get a better deal from the store than if you went directly to the wholesaler, but these cases are not easy to find and don't occur very often.
Another point about buying from a discount store is that you have to be careful about how many of their products are really being offered at discounts. A common strategy is to lure buyers into the store with large discounts off normal retail prices on a few popular items. Then when you are in the store, many of the other items will be selling at full retail price. In many cases, you just won't be able to tell if an item in that store is full retail or discounted, since it's impossible to do price comparisons on every item when you're in the store itself.
So far, we've been using the example of a typical 100% markup. There are many types of products that are not marked up that much, but the overall principles discussed still apply. For example, products in the electronics business are not marked up as much as gift items. In other words, an answering machine, considered an electronics product, will be marked up only 50% by the retail store. Consequently, the discount offered by a discounter of electronic goods will not be as high as 40%; it will be closer to the range of 15-30%.
Let's take a specific product, a Panasonic answering machine. Currently, one model retails at about $50. The major discount stores are offering it for $44 (a discount of 12%). National Wholesale Company (a genuine wholesale company to be discussed in a later chapter) offers it at $30 (a discount of 40%). Even though the wholesale price is not a 50% discount from retail, it still gives a large saving when compared with the discount store.
The only issue we haven't addressed is the importance of volume. We have been slightly simplistic in this discussion, since we haven't considered how volume changes the wholesale price. If you buy 10 of an item from a wholesaler, the price per item will be less than if you buy 1. If you buy 1000, the price will be much less than if you buy 10. What this means is that it is possible to find that a discounter who buys in huge volume may offer a product at the same price at which you could buy it directly from the wholesaler. Since the discounter is buying from the wholesaler at a lower price than you are, he can mark the price up a little bit and still match the price you are paying to the wholesaler. This will only apply to those products where the volume is very large, and again, you must be careful about other products that same discounter is offering--they may be much higher than the wholesale price you can get yourself.
This discussion has just been a brief analysis of the structure of the retail market. It is clear at this point that it is much better to buy your products from the wholesaler than from retail stores or from discount stores. Now the question is, who are the wholesalers that you can actually buy from, and how do you find them? That is the subject of the next chapter, which lists some major wholesalers that are happy to sell in limited quantities to consumers and do not have restrictions about selling only to stores.
WHOLESALE COMPANIES
This chapter will give the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and some background information on several excellent sources for buying at wholesale prices.
Most of these sources do not require any minimum purchases. Many of them offer the service of drop shipping, which means that they will ship products to any address you give them. This is useful if you are actually running a business of reselling to customers. With drop shipping, you can have products sent directly to your customers, and you do not have to hold on to any inventory.
One of the companies, National Wholesale Company, even offers a guaranteed credit line to anyone who applies. The other companies will take accounts on credit once you have established your credit rating with them, but National Wholesale Company will extend a credit line of $5000 to you right from your first order.
Following are the companies we've selected as excellent sources for
Products at wholesale prices.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE, OFFICE PRODUCTS, ELECTRONICS
GIFTS, NOVELTIES, PERSONAL ACCESSORIES
NATIONAL WHOLESALE COMPANY, Inc.
321A Merrimack St.
Methuen, MA 01844
978-738-8883 X102 FAX 978-738-0555 Email: support@profitbig.com
National Wholesale Company is probably the best wholesale company to begin with, because they offer a huge selection of products at excellent prices and they provide excellent support services for starting your own business.
Products: National Wholesale Company, in business since 1982, carries over 61,357 products in its office products division, and over 4,300 products in its novelty merchandise division. Office products include equipment such as computers, copiers, fax machines, paper shredders, telephones, answering machines, cash registers, typewriters, calculators, and office furniture. In addition to equipment, National Wholesale Company carries a full line of accessories such as paper, pens, forms, file folders, ribbons, computer disks, and virtually any product you would need in an office. Finally, as part of the office products division, there is a wide selection of electronic products, such as TV's, CD players, Walkman's, VCR's, and many other consumer electronic items. All of these electronic products are featured in their 830+ page office products catalog.
All of the products carried in the office products division are well-known brand name items, backed up by full manufacturer guarantees. The brand names include Sharp, Ricoh, Magnavox, Toshiba, Casio, Panasonic, Hewlett-Packard, GTE, Parker, Cross, Sony, JVC, Brother, Pioneer, Olympus, Hitachi, and many more.
The novelty merchandise division carries a wide range of gift and novelty products, including jewelry, decorative glassware, porcelain figurines, hand-carved decorative items, cutlery, miniature, brassware, toys, luggage, lamps, auto accessories, household accessories, and many other high impulse purchase items popular in the mass market. All of these novelty products are featured in a 300+ page full color catalog.
Services
National Wholesale Company has no minimum ordering requirements; it offers drop-shipping, toll-free credit card ordering, un-imprinted catalogs, full marketing support, and professional consultation to its dealers.
In addition, National Wholesale Company offers a guaranteed line of credit, which works in the following way. Once your application for a credit line is received, you may order any product from the novelty merchandise division with only a partial down payment and the balance on credit, which can be paid off net 30. You can automatically qualify for a starting $5,000 credit line by simply sending in the application found at the back of this book.
Finally, National Wholesale Company offers a special introductory business package for those who want to set up a business reselling their products.
For $149.99, they will send you an executive business package, which contains the following features:
--A dealership number which allows you to purchase any of their products at true wholesale
--Unlimited free consultation in setting up your business
--The $5,000 line of credit (call 978-738-8883 X102 for full details)
--1 830+ page full color catalog from the office products division
--1 300 page full color catalog from the novelty merchandise division
--Several special full color sales flyers that help increase sales
--Free advertising and layout service
--Leasing program available on many computer products
--Complete marketing and advertising support
--Many ways to profit including; mail order, the internet and sub wholesaling
To order this special Partner in Business dealership, designed to set you up immediately in your own business, use the order form included at the end of this book.
AUTOMOBILES
Automobiles
American Automobile Brokers, Inc.
24001 Southfield Road, Suite 110
Southfield, MI 48075
248-569-5900
Fax: 248-569-2022
In business for over 30 years, American Auto Brokers, Inc. sells and leases domestic and foreign cars, trucks, and vans at discounted prices and has your dream vehicle factory-delivered to a new car dealership near you with the paperwork done, ready to drive away. Your savings depends on the prices in your area.
BOATING SUPPLIES
E&B MARINE SUPPLY
201 Meadow Rd.
P.O. Box 3138
Edison NJ 08818-3138
800-BOATING
201-819-4600
E&B Marine Supply has the lowest discount prices for a large variety of boating supplies. They offer products for power and sailboats. They even sell life rafts, dinghies, and rowboats. Along with equipment for boats, they offer a full line of clothing.
JEWELRY
Eastern Jewelry
2545 Chandler Avenue, Suite #2
Dept. BBS
Las Vegas, NV 89120
702-736-3525
Fax: 702-736-2347
All of the earrings, brooches, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, and rings in Eastern Jewelry’s collection are made with 14-karat gold over sterling silver, and most of the jewels are genuine. Eastern Jewelry is really a wholesaler, but they will sell to individuals too. The prices here reflect radical discounts from the usual retail price.
Wedding Ring Hotline
172 Rt. 9
Englishtown, NJ 07726
732-972-7777
Fax: 732-972-0720
Online: www.weddngringhotline.com
Wedding Ring Hotline makes it possible for you to buy wedding bands, diamonds, and engagement rings factory-direct at savings from 30%-70%. Manufacturer of its own line of classic-style rings, Wedding Hotline offers selections in yellow and white gold, as well as Comfort-fit wedding bands.
U.S. GOLD CHAIN MFG. CO.
11460 N. Cave Creek Rd.
Phoenix AZ 85020
602-971-1243
U.S. Gold Chain Mfg. offers low factory prices for gold chain by the inch. They provide all materials you need to start your own gold chain business: chains, display, signs, jewelers' tools, clasps, and instructions. The chain is 14kt gold layered and comes with a lifetime guarantee. This business can be set up without any previous jewelry-making experience. Contact the company for more details.
FURNITURE
Carolina Interiors
115 Oak Avenue
Kannapolis, NC 28081
704-933-1888
Fax: 704-932-0434
Online: www.cannonvillage.com
Carolina Interiors offers 30% to 60% off suggested retail prices for items such as furniture and accessories for dining rooms, living rooms, and bedrooms, complete with wall coverings, floor coverings, rugs & bedding. The brochure and website list some of the best-known names of over 350 manufacturers you can choose from.
CHERRY HILL FURNITURE, CARPET & INTERIORS
P.O. Box 7405, Furnitureland Station
High Point NC 27264
800-328-0933
919-882-0933 (in North Carolina)
Cherry Hill carries a full line of furniture, accessories and carpeting for home and office. They represent over 500 different manufacturers, and offer a discount of 35-50% from retail on all their items. They have been in business since 1933. Contact them for a list of brands they carry. The best way to use their services is to look at your local store to see what item you want, and then contact them for the price.
SHELDON CORD
2201 West Devon Ave.
Chicago IL 60659
800-621-7999
Sheldon Cord, in business for over 40 years, offers a wide selection of furniture, including living room, dining room, bedroom, and kitchen sets. They sell to retail stores all over the country, but offer true wholesale prices on all their items to individuals. Contact them for a catalog.
CARPETS
BEARDEN BROTHERS CARPET CORP.
4109 South Dixie Highway
Dalton GA 30721
800-433-0074 / 404-277-3265 (in Georgia)
Bearden Brothers, in business since 1965, offers carpet from 86 major mills at 50-80% off of retail price. They only carry first quality carpets, no seconds, with full manufacturer's guarantees. They will ship carpets nationwide using the least expensive shipping service to your area. Shipping will be approximately 35-40 cents per square yard. The best way to use their service is to go to your local carpet store and decide what manufacturer, what style, and what color you'd like. Then call Bearden Brothers and order from them at a savings of 50% or more from your local store. They will also sell you the padding for the carpet at tremendous savings off of retail.
S&S MILLS
P.O. Box 1568
Dalton GA 30722
800-241-4013 EXT. 65
S&S Mills is a carpet manufacturer that sells its carpets to you at the mill price, which means you save from 50%-75% of the retail store price. They are one of a few companies that will sell directly to the customer, without requiring that you go through a retail store. They have no minimum order and carry a wide variety of carpets for home and commercial use. Contact them directly and they will send you free samples and a complete price list.
CLOTHING
Chadwick’s of Boston
Box 1600
Brockton, MA 02403-1600
800-525-4420
Fax: 800-448-5767
Chadwick’s of Boston, the “original off-price catalog”, is full of tremendous deals for women. You’ll save up to 68% here on sweaters, khakis, skirts, jeans, business suits, coats, and in materials such as wool, cotton, suede, silk, and rayon. You could buy a seasonal wardrobe here for very little money by mixing and matching separates.
Sportswear Clearinghouse
PO Box 317746-BWBM
Cincinnati, OH 45231-7746
513-522-3511
Sportswear Clearinghouse sells items such as T-shirts, caps, casual sport shirts, and socks imprinted with company logos, team names, and advertising slogans for 70% less than what you would find in a store. Non-imprinted items, such as sweatshirts are also available at good prices. Sizes run from youth XS to adult XXXL.
MASON SHOE MFG. CO.
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
800-826-7102
Mason Shoe offers over 400 men's and women's shoes for dress, casual, and work. The prices range from $25 to $135. They have a special program for dealers, who can earn a commission of 20% on shoes they sell, without investing in any inventory.
Starting Your Own Business
Up to this point, we've discussed how you can save money on all your purchases by buying at wholesale prices. Now we'd like to discuss one more step you can take to insure that you never have to pay retail for any purchase again.
Setting up your own business is a great way to save money. In addition, it's a way you can actually make more money, even if you already have a job. By having your own legitimate business, you come out ahead both in spending and in earning.
First of all, what are the advantages of having your own business? The main advantage in terms of saving money is that you will gain access to suppliers that you could not have access to as an individual. There are many companies that just will not sell to a consumer; it's against their policy. If they did sell to consumers, they would be competing against the stores they are selling to. But once you are set up as a legitimate business, you become automatically qualified to do business with many of these suppliers.
As an example, when you have a business, you can go to trade shows, where suppliers display their products for all the retail stores to do their shopping. At these shows, suppliers will actually write up orders, often ignoring any minimum requirements they normally have for retail stores. They understand that stores must have samples to take back to their colleagues to study and decide if they want to carry the product in their store. This means that you can order samples from these suppliers at true wholesale prices. You could never do this without having a real business.
Another major place that you gain access to is the permanent showroom in your area for all the wholesalers. All major cities have a large merchandise mart, where all the suppliers can display their products on a permanent basis. With a business card or a certificate showing that you own a business, you can gain access to these showrooms. Without a genuine business of your own, you would not be allowed to visit these showrooms.
To find out where these showrooms are, you can either look under "wholesalers" in your yellow pages, or ask one of your local stores where they do their buying.
To find out about the trade shows, you can ask the wholesalers or the stores. In addition you can contact the association related to the area you are interested in, such as house- wares or giftware. These associations know what major trade shows are coming up in their product area. The addresses and telephone numbers of these associations are listed in a huge directory called the Encyclopedia of Associations, which you can find in your local library (the librarian will know about this book). At your library, you can also look for magazines that are specifically geared toward a particular type of business, such as Gift Reporter for the gift industry, where there will be listings of upcoming trade shows.
Another excellent reference source is the Wholesale by Mail Catalog, which lists 1,000's of wholesale sources with discounts of up to 90% off list prices. You can find out more about this valuable reference tool at the back of this book.
To set yourself up as a business is very simple. All you need to do is contact your local county clerk's office for the details. The regulations vary from state to state, but generally you will be required to register your company with the county clerk and pay some small registration fee. In addition, you'll need to apply with your state's taxation department for a sales tax number, which allows you to collect sales tax from your customers and which allows you to buy merchandise that you are reselling, without paying sales tax yourself. These steps are very simple and will be explained fully by your local county clerk's office.
After registering your company, the only other thing you need is professional stationery and business cards. This is vital, especially when you are just starting, because it is the main impression that suppliers will have of you. Sometimes, a business card alone is all that you need to enter a trade show. This should be your first investment in your business. (One excellent way to get both stationery and business cards is to take advantage of the special offer by National Wholesale Company for stationery and business cards, which is listed at the end of this book as part of the business executive package.)
Once you have registered your business and have printed your stationery and business cards, you'll also want to open a separate business bank account, so that all your checks are written on a company account. Again, this goes a long way towards building credibility with suppliers. Another step to take is to install an answering machine, to handle calls while you are gone. The machine can give your company name as part of its message, even if you are starting out with your home phone. Eventually, you'll want to install a separate phone line, but this is not necessary in the beginning. Again, the answering machine can give added credibility to your business, in addition to making sure you don't miss any important calls. (And you can buy your answering machine or any other business supplies at wholesale prices from National Wholesale Company.)
Now you are really ready to start doing business. You can approach any supplier and start buying samples at wholesale prices--any wholesaler will be happy to sell to you if you tell him you are thinking of marketing his product as part of your product line.
Another way having your own business helps save you money is in taxes. You can deduct any legitimate business expense from your income. Many expenses you would normally make anyway, such as travel or food, can now be deducted from your income if they are related to your business activities. You need to consult with an accountant for the details, but this can represent significant savings. This gives you an idea of how you can save money by setting up your own business. In our next chapter, we'll discuss more about how to make extra income with all this knowledge about buying at wholesale prices.
If you have additional questions about setting up a business, National Wholesale Company's free consultation service may be just what you need. You can sign up for their service at the back of this book.
Tips on Negotiating with Suppliers
One of the most important elements of increasing profits for you and your business is reducing your costs. This is as important as increasing your revenue. This area of cost reduction should never be overlooked, because it can yield very large profits to you. For your business to really enjoy the maximum profits, you should know some basics on negotiating prices with suppliers. That is the purpose of this chapter.
Now that you have a list of suppliers for virtually any product you might want to buy or sell, it is time to discuss negotiating prices. All the ideas in this chapter have been gathered from conversations with executives in wholesale firms.
No Price is fixed
No price is fixed when you're dealing with a wholesaler. This is unlike a retail store, where prices are clearly marked and rarely changed by bargaining. The wholesaler is always charging different prices to different customers (based on their volume), so he is much more flexible in his pricing.
Knowing that prices are not fixed is the basis for beginning any bargaining.
Develop A Good Relationship with the Supplier.
This one rule, developing a good relationship with the supplier, is probably the most important one you'll ever need, especially if you plan to do business with a supplier over a long period of time.
The reason for this is simple. If a supplier likes you and sees you as one of its better customers, they will be more likely to let you know about special deals they have in the future, such as company promotions, overstocked items, or new hot products. Any time they have a special deal that is limited, they will offer it automatically to their best customers. If you're on that list, you'll end up saving more money than most other customers. Also, once you've established a relationship with the supplier, they will be very happy to give you the very lowest possible price they can afford, because they value your business.
At times, it may be more important for you to put this relationship ahead of saving a few more dollars on a particular item, because the relationship will save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars over a long period of time.
To develop a good relationship takes common sense. First of all, try not to be unrealistic in your demands. You have to recognize that the supplier needs to cover his expenses, and must make some profit. If you try to squeeze a supplier too much in demanding a better price, you can ruin the relationship. There's nothing more aggravating to a supplier than someone who is completely unrealistic in his demands.
The best way to develop the relationship is to find one sales rep and stick with him or her. Making a personal contact will make everything much smoother for you, and will ensure that you get the best prices. Because the sales rep works on commission, he will do everything he can to help you do more business. He will take a personal interest in your business, because he knows his commission depends on how satisfied you are. If you are always talking to different reps, they will not know you and how much business you are giving them. People by nature are more conservative when dealing with strangers.
Always ask for 5-10% off the First Price
When you first contact a supplier, you can expect him to give you a price, which is about 5-6% more than what their regular customers get. This is because you are new to them and they need to make as much as possible on each sale. You should expect this and never accept the initial price offered. Start by asking for the 5% reduction, and then try for 10%. You need to persuade the supplier that you are very serious about his products, and that you expect to do large volume with him. Just say that now you are testing the waters with a small order, to see how the product works, how efficient the shipping is, and how reliable the company is. If you can convince him that you may give him a lot more business in the future, you can easily get that 5-10% reduction on your first order.
Order in the Largest Quantity Possible
The Basics Of Customizing Wordpress Templates
Do you want to change the look of your WordPress site or maybe to put something like a banner or adsense code on your blog? In order to do this you need to know about three important things: template files, functions and CSS.
- Template Files
These files are stored in a directory (wp-content/themes/template-name/). So if you are using "default theme", you need to access the files that are stored in "wp-content/themes/default/" directory.
There are several common WordPress template files you should know:
1.header.php
This file is responsible for the appearance of the top section of your blog. If you want to change the header image, you have to access this file. Not only that, this file is also the place to add Meta Tags.
2.footer.php
Similar to the header.php, this file is loaded everytime any page or post of your blog is accessed. It is used to store the HTML tags and the code for the bottom section of your blog.
3.sidebar.php
A sidebar is a section which is usually used to display site navigation. Depending on the theme you are using, a sidebar usually provides links to archives, pages and latest posts.
4.index.php
In fact this file is the main template file. When someone visits the homepage of your blog site, this file will be loaded. Then he/she will see the contents (not the source code) of this file. If you want to make the appearance of your blog become similar to a common website, where there is a static description on the homepage, you may try to put the static content in this file.
Besides those files, a theme usually has some other template files with different purposes. For example, the archives.php is a file used to display posts you made in the past. Then the search.php is used to generate search results.
- Functions
A function is a blog of code to accomplish a specific task. In order to modify template files, you don't need to master any programming language. Although having a little knowledge in PHP, you can work faster. In WordPress, the name of a function is usually related to its purpose. For instance, "the_title()" is a function to display the title of a post and "the_content()" is used to display its content. Another example is "blog_info()" which is responsible for displaying the name or description of your blog, depending on the given argument (additional data).
- CSS
Style Sheet is a facility to manage the format and layout of a website efficiently. Without using it, changing small things such as the font type or the background color of all of your webpages is a daunting task where you have to do it page by page. But with the existence of style sheet, one change you make can affect the whole site. You should know that in WordPress a different theme may have a different css file. You also need to know that some styles may be defined in the header.php file. If you are using the "default theme", you have to access the header.php file in order to change the background color or the header image of your blog, not the css file.
Finally, before you customize the templates, it is highly recommended to backup any files you intend to change. If something doesn't work properly, you can always go back to the original settings.
Zone Alarm Security
Are you a computer geek? Hey, I don't mean this as an insult. In this day and age it certainly pays to be computer savvy. Heck, we all have to use computers in some aspect of our lives, whether we like it or not. This is the age of technology folks, and I think we can all appreciate that on many levels. Finally we can take care of our banking online. Furthermore, we don't even have to worry about grocery shopping if we're feeling a tad lazy. Delve into cyberspace and see how you can have your groceries delivered. How cool is that! Anyway, since we're all so into PCs, Macs and net-land, it also pays to protect what's yours. Now, when I say this I'm referring to all those hackers and crooks out there. They're constantly trying to penetrate your personal computer in order to steal your stuff. That's totally messed up, right? Well, have no fear. These days we have products such as the zone alarm security suite to keep them out.
Ever heard of the zone alarm security suite? This is a crafty innovation that was designed to help the modern individual with his/her computer security. Haven't you ever wondered who is watching or monitoring your behavior when you're surfing the web? You've surely heard the phrase "big brother is watching" before. Well these days it's certainly not just big brother. In more recent times we have to worry about infinite crooks and scam artists hacking into our systems. If you own a computer, then you're at risk. This is why you need the zone alarm security suite. With this wonderful new software, you can keep all those criminals out by blocking access to your personal computer and files. The last thing you want is some loser hacking into your bank account, attempting to steal your hard-earned cash. That's a truly terrible thought, isn't it?
I can recall a time when I spotted a random cell phone charge on my banking statement. I had to call my bank and sort things out. I found out that someone had hacked into my system somehow and charged my bank account. Doesn't the bank have a zone alarm security suite in place? Well, apparently not. Once the bank corrected the issue, I was out of there. I needed a bank that could truly watch over my cash.
Software Maintenance Contracts Offer Protection
Computer users everywhere are looking for software maintenance contracts that can help eliminate viruses. Personal computer users at home and at the office are susceptible to viruses that can entirely destroy systems and halt daily operations. The only way to keep them from happening is by implementing prevention plans like those provided by high quality software maintenance contracts.
Update Yourself on the Latest Viruses
New computer viruses appear very frequently and are so common and devastating that they often make headlines and halt businesses entirely, either because of infection or because they want to take preventative measures before disaster strikes. Many websites exist that give people ideas about how to avoid computer viruses. Ongoing software maintenance contracts can help take the guesswork out of keeping abreast of the latest viruses by providing help with research, information and professionals to take active measures to stop viruses before they start.
Take Professional Advice
The best advice offered by consultants obtained through software maintenance contracts is to delete mail from unknown senders immediately without opening, and to never open attachments you did not anticipate. Consultants recommend updating virus protection software on a regular basis, which means once a week to keep up with changes.
Not All Virus Attacks are Your Fault
Even those that take every imaginable precaution against computer viruses will get one at some point. Thankfully computer virus help obtained through software maintenance contracts is available to every type of computer user today. Looking for computer consultants that offer software maintenance contracts is as simple as an Internet search, and professionals can typically quickly take you through the process of fixing a computer with a virus. Prevention is always best, but your ideal option after a virus strikes is a trained professional that offers comprehensive software maintenance contracts.
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Virus Alertness Tricks
When talking about computer virus protection, anti-virus software, and firewalls, it is important to stress that no virus protection system is foolproof. Even top security computer systems have been infiltrated time and again by hackers and computer criminals simply by programming a virus. Files have been deleted, accounts and identities have been stolen, and confidential files have been accessed by these hackers. This is not to say that anti-virus softwares are useless, but to point out that these programs work and perform better with the users' assistance.
Computer viruses are programs that reproduce themselves and infect files and disks. They are spread and transmitted whenever files, disks, or programs are exchanged. Email attachments from known people, like your friends, professors, colleagues, or even your boss, can be virus-laden. The senders themselves may not even be aware that they're sending you a virus. Computer virus protection, anti-virus software, and firewalls are developed to help you identify the viruses, the infected part of your system, and the process by which the virus can be contained. But as pointed out before, they need your assistance. New programs are developed regularly, and aside from these, there are also new technologies put in use. With the improvements in technology, it is naive and erroneous to assume that viruses remain as they are. They are constantly changing, becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect. Most advanced viruses aren't detected until they have brought down and controlled entire systems. Hence, the first trick of virus protection is to subscribe to a reputable anti-virus software. Free software can detect and quarantine simple worms and viruses, but they would be hard-pressed to detect the more sophisticated kinds. Subscription requires minimal fees compared to the degree of protection your computer receives. This is especially advisable to companies and large businesses where several computers are joined in a network. Computers for home use and ones that aren't used for storing sensitive data can do just fine with free downloadable software.
Subscription automatically causes your computer virus protection, anti-virus software, and firewall security to update whenever it is possible. This is an advantage because you can keep up with the rapid sophistication of new viruses. The more updated your software is, the more efficient it is in catching the virus. Free software must be updated or replaced with new versions regularly. It is best to update your software whenever your software site alerts you of newer versions. Aside from these tricks, doing virus scans on files, disks, software disks, programs, and other applications must be second nature to you before opening or downloading. Keep back-up files of the data and files in your computer in case a virus caused them to be deleted. Regular rebooting and "clean up" of your system also minimize susceptibility to viruses. Computer virus protection and anti-virus softwares optimize their performance with your help.
Your Firewall: How Does It Work?
The term firewall may not be new to you, but if asked why you need it and exactly how it works, very few of us will be able to provide an accurate answer. A firewall protects your computer and the files you are working on from unwanted users and programs, while you are logged on to the Internet.
Unprotected files may be attacked by hackers who, with the use of harmful codes and programs, gains access to your personal information and may go as far as stealing your identity and using your credit card information for his/her personal interest. So, what exactly does a firewall do?
A firewall brings an end to theft and also hinders potentially harmful programs from infecting other files. This explains the name of such a program too. Its work is akin to that of a firewall that checks the spread of fire from one area to the other.
A firewall makes a hacker’s invasion into your computer system futile because the latter can never access your passwords or your credit card information. The firewall software installed in your computer permits only useful data but bars all seemingly harmful data from accessing your system.
Good or safe data is what you get when you are visiting web sites and downloading photos or data files. Harmful data, on the other hand, is anything that keeps a close watch on what you do on the Internet without your knowledge. A typical example is the hacker program. Such programs are blocked by the firewall quite effectively.
With the enabling of computer firewall protection, anything that enters and leaves your computer is regulated. This is one way of preventing spyware and adware from attacking your computer network. Also, deadly programs on the Internet can be left out with the use of firewalls.
Laymen often believe that the anti-virus software installed in their computer allows protection against hackers too. The anti-virus should always be updated to check the presence of viruses but it hardly shields your computer against attacks by hackers.
No matter what type of connection you have, be it dial-up, cable, broadband or DSL, your computer is at risk every time you connect to the Internet. Hackers are always on the lookout to harm you and steal your identity.
A firewall protection is probably the most effective way to keep your personal information and identity away from the dirty hands of hackers.
I hope this article has given you a preliminary but a fair idea of what firewall protection is all about. Since you are in the know now, it will make you a more informed and educated Internet user.
Keeping Your Computer Safe With A Personal Firewall
There have not been any moments in time in the account of the computer system that anti-virus software and firewalls have been in demand and more necessary. In the present day, personal computer protection is not just endangered by worms and viruses, but in addition by spy-ware – those terribly irritating programs which are unlawfully downloaded into your PC from the Internet. Firewalls, have been a predominant factor in the commercial world for a long time for defending huge, costly internal intranets or else other networks, has nowadays come onto its own like a means for computer system owners too. Your personal computer is at the same time as vulnerable – if not further so – to online harassments, hence why is it not supposed to be protected?
What’s a firewall, in any case?
For those of the people who might not be that much familiar with the personal computer security language like a few, we present here a rather easy explanation. A firewall is an assortment of security software that acts to obstruct users who are not permitted, from getting an access to a certain PC network (or a solo PC). A large number of firewalls in addition comprehensively monitors and reports the data transmits within the set of connections and the outer Internet environment. As a result, they are fairly successful in maintaining your PC or network protected, permitting you to make use of the Internet with no high security threat.
Personal Firewalls by Sygate
There are a small number of greatly acclaimed firewall suppliers out there, and Sygate is undoubtedly one amongst them. Here we go through a few of the aspects of Sygate line firewalls, with the intention that you might select the most excellent firewall for your server or computer.
Sygate at present provides 2 chief personal firewalls: SPF - the Sygate Personal Firewall and SPFP - the Sygate Personal Firewall Plus. The main differentiation between the 2 is the highly developed features that you will just come across in the SPFP. In the Plus adaptation you will obtain VPN support, IDS - intrusion detection system, anti mac, and, active response anti IP spoofing. Both adaptations of the program are available with the items, which every personal computer user ought to actually make certain that they have: the chief "application" firewall, security policy customization, attacker tracing system, and intrusion alarm system. Bearing in mind that the SPF can basically be downloaded free of charge, and comprises of the items you actually require, this is the program we suggest for home personal computer users.
Personal Firewalls by Norton
Sygate’s nearest contention in the field of personal firewalls is Norton. Anti virus programs by Norton are a lot famous, and have mainly carried the trade name over the previous decade. A few of the efficient aspects of this software consist of the Norton Privacy Control (it prevents info from being transmitted without your awareness through MS Office attachment, instant messages, email, and different forms on the Internet, for instance those you fill the credit card numbers in), and intrusion prevention system, which automatically obstructs doubtful inward bound traffic (from intruders, and the like).
Detecting Spyware Online
You can become aware of spy-ware online by means of spy-ware cleaners at no cost and by setting up spy-ware security software on the PC. Many a times it is best to begin with spy-ware cleaners at no cost for the reason that these programs at no cost will get rid of every spy-ware program running on the PC at present.
It is extremely vital to become aware of spy-ware online and chuck out the despiteful code from your PC files. This will guard your private info and the execution of your computer. After you make out the number of these programs that are operating quietly on your PC you will in all probability be taken aback.
It is supposed to be a call to awaken you and make you realize that ad-ware and spy-ware is the most important danger to your Internet protection. You will in all probability speculate how come all this took place without your awareness. Spy-ware programs are planned to set up and work quietly, hence do not hold yourself responsible or anybody else. If you ever have downloaded shareware, freeware or music that is in all probability how the spy-ware got in your files.
It does not matter if you become annoyed or how disgraceful you consider it is that somebody did this to your PC. The vital thing for you to be aware is that this kind of software can transmit your credit card number and passwords into the intruder’s hands and you will not comprehend when it has happened till the harm is done.
Spy-ware programs are planned to unnoticeably trail the websites you surf, the items you purchase, and the emails you transmit. It all began with advertisers collecting info with reference to items sold and bought on the Internet. However the intruders discovered that they could make use of such software to pinch your private info from your PC.
It is anticipated that nice out of ten computers have ad-ware, spy-ware or both someplace amongst the computer files. Even if this is a grave Internet confidentiality crisis, it is possible to do something regarding it.
There are spy-ware cleaners at no cost, which you can make use of to delete these despiteful files from your PC. If you make use of any of these spy-ware cleaners that are free of charge, then make certain that after you finish downloading the software, you bring it up to date with the most recent edition so that you can delete as much spy-ware from your PC as probable.
Once you scrutinize your PC with a spy-ware cleaner that is free of charge, it is suggested that you buy spy-ware program from a manufacturer of good reputation. The program sets up an anti spy-ware guard for your PC. Specialized spy-ware program not just deletes spy-ware but it also prevents spy-ware from accessing your files in the foremost place.
The most excellent method to guard your personal info in addition to your PC is to become aware of spy-ware online and make use of the most excellent spy-ware protection program you can come across since your Internet safety is in danger.
PDF to Word Conversion: One Solution for A Number of Hassles
MS Word is one of the most widely used authoring programs to create simple documents that can contain anything from professional reports to legal documents to publication articles. Transferring them into the PDF format is done for a number of reasons. This may be for archiving, Internet publishing, digital work processes, just to name a few. The PDF format is a life saver for any of those needs. It’s quick and easy to create; it contains great viewing options; and it can handle a variety of media as well as a range of file sizes.
However, as great as the PDF is, everyone in a working, studying, or researching environment knows that the PDF is a difficult-to-handle format because of its purpose and nature.
In some cases, minute details aren’t a priority and hence, most information within a PDF file can become redundant. The information can be difficult to manipulate to your own specific needs which can be small or great. Here are a few:
Scenario 1: Doing research, you come across a PDF file from which you only want to print up only certain sections of certain pages.
Scenario 2: You’re a student and are trying to print up the study and lecture notes from your class that are in the PDF format on-line.
Scenario 3: Your work requires a PDF file in hard copy with changes that need to be made.
*A Makeshift Solution
You need to be efficient with your time and you need to be productive with your workload. What do you do to accomplish the task at hand?
You can try copying and pasting into a word document, but the text appears in a different font or a little skewed or in different paragraph formatting. You’ll probably spend more time reformatting the document to make the text or graphics fit properly and economically on the page.
In another attempt, you may try working from screen to paper, copying out by hand and reading from the browser. Yet, eyestrain and time are things you can’t afford.
For changes that you need to make, trying to directly edit and then print the PDF document is just not possible because of security measures put in place. You’re stuck for ideas and time is of the essence.
We’ve all been there. We’ve all done that. We all know that none of it works.
*An Exact Extract Solution
However, there is a faster, more convenient way to approach this situation. One solution to all three problems is to convert the PDF file into a Word document. All you need is the PDF file to be converted, a PDF to Word conversion software application and MS Word (in which to work on your file after conversion). After that, it becomes much easier to get your work done as it should be done.
Yet, you may ask, “But what about the extra one hundred pages I don’t need?”; “What about the graphics I don’t want to print alongside the notes?”; or “What about the security settings?”.
You don’t need another solution—you need a good solution. Good solutions are ones that give you the flexibility of having options and we’ve got a good one for you.
With Able2Doc 2.0 you convert (easily and exactly )the text that you want. Needless information can be skipped over and ignored. Just using the selection tool options and your mouse, you can click and highlight your way to easy made Word documents over which you have control.
With Able2Doc Professional you can perform conversions with scanned PDFs. This becomes a life saver when it comes to long documents that have been scanned instead of created manually. The option to handle such documents is there for you in case you need it.
Or if, in the long run, you need to extract information into another format other than just a Word document, we’ve got other solutions for that as well. Our Able2Extract v.3.0 products in both Standard and Professional versions, can handle different format conversions as well as conversions from PDF to Word documents.
Getting free traffic to your website - Promote your site for free
There are various ways to get free traffic to your website. Although, autosurf programs are easier and faster way to do it, they do not send targeted visitors to your site. In this post I will explain free resources to get free traffic to your website.
Web Directory Submission
Submitting your site in free directories is one of the easiest way to get traffic. Free directory submission may not get you a lot of traffic but it will certainly increase your rank in search engines. For free directories search "directory" in google.com. Here are the some free submission directories that I found for you. One thing you have to keep in mind is, when you submitting your site, make sure to choose the category that suits best to your site. Just submitting to any category does not send you targeted visitors.
Search Engine Submission
There are many websites offers free web submission. However, I prefer submitting my site manually. You can do this free at yahoo, google, jayde, and alexa. If you want to use web submission services then I strongly recommend WEB CEO. Web CEO comes free and provides great functionalities such as URL submission to more than 200 search engines, link exchange, keyword analyses and many more.
Link Exchange
Link exchange is another way to get free traffic to your website. However, you need to be selective, when it comes to choose the sites for link exchange. If you exchange links with similar sites to yours, that would help your page ranking. Also try to put your links in high ranking websites as it also helps your search engine ranking. Just be nice to the webmaster and ask for link exchange. In most cases they will say no but don't give up. (If you be nice I can exchange link with you as well).
Emails ( NOT SPAM )
One of the best ways to get free traffic is emails. Just let your friends know about your website. Use your website URL as your signature in all your mails. Also you can ask your friends to do the same for you. Every ones a while send newsletters to your friends about your website and ask them to forward this to their contacts. You will be surprised how much traffic you will get from this. Also I have to mention this DO NOT SPAM.
Forums and Groups
There are lots of discussion forums and groups available that discuss about various topics. You can become members to these forums. Post regular comments to these forum by using your URL as your signature. Just don't send your URL as it will look really unprofessional and you will end up excluded. Talk about whatever the group or forum is about. BECOME A REGULAR.
Blogs
Create blogs that links to your website. You can easily set up a blog for free. Google, yahoo, msn are provides free blog hosting services.
Understanding Your PC's CPU Clock Speed And Front Side Bus
Have a computer in your home that is put to use often? Why not take the time to fully understand the terms, the components,and software used to make it work. To understand your PC is not hard and you'll be rewarded greatly.
How you ask? By upgrading your own system as well as repairing those of your friends while earning extra cash in the process. One of the more important PC components are the Motherboard,CPU Chip,and your computer's Hard Drive.
The CPU or Central Processing Unit is the brains of any computer and the two major manufacturers are Intel and AMD or Advanced Micro Devices.
For many years Intel CPUs were found in nearly all PCs. And now the Intel is found in most systems but the newer Athlon class cpu from AMD have taken a large chunk of the cpu market.
AMD's top cpu is the Opteron which compete's with Intel's Itanium and the Xeon.The Athlon is next on AMD's cpu lists and is intended for mid to high end computers.The Athlon XP was introduced in 1999 and is there most popular CPU.
Intel advertised their CPU's by their clock speed but now have introduced a rating system using a three digit number such as Intel Pentium 735.To understand the meaning of the number you can visit www.intel.com/products/ processor_number/info.htm
There you will see a list of all Intel CPUs, their rating numbers and meanings.This information is a valuable asset in helping you further understand your computer's CPU.
What then is meant by the term Clock Speed? This is the speed at which the CPU runs and is measured as a frequency such as 500 MHz or 500 million cycles per second.
As every action carried out by the CPU requires one or more cycles,be means that the higher the clock speed, the more instructions it will be able to process in any given second.Take the time to know the clock speed of your current CPU.
Want to know the clock speed of your CPU? There is a handy little utility named CHKCPU that will show your CPU's speed,and type.It can be downloaded in either DOS or Windows versions and its absolutely free.
The CPU's clock speed is an important indication of its quality but is by no means the only one.You must also understand and consider its FSB or Front Side Bus speed.
The FSB allows the CPU to communicate with the rest of the computer.The 3 GHz Pentium 4 PC has a FSB of 800 MHz and the 3 GHz Celeron's FSB is 533 MHz. Other names for this technology is the CPU Bus Speed, Memory Bus and System Bus.
Note that they both have the same processing power but the Pentium 4 can transfer data much more quickly since it has the faster FSB.
To make it easier for us pc users,manufacturers of the motherboards made them to support several FSB speeds within a specified range.To find the FSB rating for your computer look in the owners manual.
The Front Side Bus speed can generally be set either using the system BIOS.Short for Basic Input/Output System,this small software is responsible for starting the computer's bootup procedure.
The BIOS also recognizes and configures the system's hardware prior to the loading of the operating system. To access the BIOS,you must press a combination of keys such as CTRL-ALT-DEL on older systems but newer PCs allow you enter setup by press F1 or F10.
As your computer boot's up,watch the screen for a key to press to access your Setup.Once inside the BIOS, look for references to the FSB.Other motherboards allow FSB setup with jumpers located on the motherboard.
While most motherboards allow you to set the FSB to any setting,ensure that the FSB is properly set unless you plan to speed up your system by overclocking the Central Processing Unit.
The AMD has its own Hyper Transport Integrated I/O Bus and don't use FSB numbers.This technology resulted in communication much faster between the CPU,the RAM and other parts of the motherboard.
Now when you decide to upgrade your CPU or the Motherboard, don't overlook the Front Side Bus capacity and the CPU clock speed.You'll further boost your PC know as you understand these terms in more detail.
Do-It-Yourself Or DIY Websites
What's the Attraction?
Today, with the cost of ready-made products continuing to rise, more and more people are finding it prudent to make or do things themselves. Sometimes kits are available, such as those for birdhouses or jewelry and sometimes it's necessary to build it from scratch, such as wood planters or an extra bedroom. Whatever your preference is, don't let potential customers miss the sense of accomplishment they'll feel when they're able to stand back and say, "I made that!"
What's the incentive?
Online "shoppers" are always checking websites regarding how to make or do specific things. You may have just what they need.
* For example, last winter you built your grandson a very elaborate playhouse, from scratch. As you worked, you wrote down the details of your original pattern. When your wife suggested you try to market the pattern online, you did just that. Using a marketing plan, you set up your own website, arranged for credit card and PayPal billing, and took detailed photos of the playhouse. Once the site was up and running you simply sat back and waited for the orders to come in. Success! Not bad for two weeks of work!
* Another example of a DYI website is one related to writing your own tutorials for popular software programs such as PhotoShop or Norton's Utilities. Having used these programs for years, you now consider yourself an expert, particularly related to shortcuts and customizing your work. You're so good, in fact, that you were able to take some rather mediocre wedding photos and, using sepia tones, turn them into keepsakes that even the most highly paid professional would envy. You've decided you're now willing to share your talents, so you develop a website to market your original tutorial online. Your first offering has paid off well.
Consider online DYI projects as a viable income source.
The sense of accomplishment one gains through successfully completing a DIY project cannot be easily described. Let's just say, it makes you feel good and proud of yourself. Any market that aims at fulfilling these two factors is attractive to any potential online "shopper." Because of the anonymity of website exploration, shoppers are willing to explore topics they'd stay clear of in real life. For example, a man might research flower arranging or sewing, and a woman might explore automobile timing or repairing small appliances. When you develop a website for a specific DIY topic, you are opening up a possible floodgate to online profits. Even something simple such as selling the details of flower arranging could bring in a comfortable sum if it's marketed to the right people.
Go ahead - take a chance.
Go ahead - take a chance - you haven't much to lose. Rather than make a large initial investment in your own website, test the waters using e-Bay or Craigslist.com. Try to sell your playhouse pattern or your PhotoShop tutorial through them. While you may have to pay them a percentage of your profits, it will be well worth it. You'll know for sure if there's a market out there for your DIY idea. Considering all the people, worldwide, who scan the web looking for do-it-yourself projects, you're bound to appeal to dozens of potential buyers.
Computer Repair Prices: A Complete Price
Computer repair prices are fixed before you ever start a consulting job. Be sure to think about every aspect of the work you will complete before setting computer repair prices, and that these prices include every expectation of your customer.
The Main Factor Of A Complete Price
There is nothing more irritating than finding a computer or other technology item at the right price only to find out there is something you need that is not included. This is the definition of incomplete pricing, and as a computer repair specialist, you want to avoid it. Incomplete pricing will anger your customers and make them feel cheated.
Provide Extras
When you add something special to your computer repair prices as a bonus to your customer, your customer will feel good about the services you provide. Services like a free check-up visit post-repair will make the client feel he is getting a good deal. You should also make follow-up phone calls to add to your company's reputation and feed word of mouth.
Provide Details
Even before you do any repair work you should give your client a written estimate. The estimate must include computer repair prices and exactly what is included service-wise. Any changes you make need to be brought to the client before they are implemented in order to create a good relationship and encourage future business.
Computer Repair Prices And Reassessment
You should keep reviewing computer repair prices frequently as your business continues to grow. Make sure your fees include items such as travel costs or materials, or you create those as a separate item when appropriate.
You should also consider making changes in your pricing if you ever notice customers are regularly confused. You should address computer repair price issues even if only a few clients seem concerned. Every client is important, and all should feel they are getting a fair and honest deal. Good feedback brings good referrals, which equals future business and your company's growth.
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An Introductory Guide To Firewalls
A firewall, in general is a part of software or a combo of hardware and software together. The function of a firewall is to manage all outgoing and incoming traffic that goes out and comes in to your computer. Nevertheless this elucidation paints an extremely primal image about firewalls.
When we talk about computers and traffic, we talk about the switching over of data packets. Data packets are made use of by computers within a network to swap over info. This is the way we interchange info within a local area network or by means of the Internet. This is furthermore a means by which damaging computer viruses go into the computer system. What the firewall does is that it checks which packets are permitted to enter the computer and which packets are permitted to exit the computer.
Why is it necessary for the firewall to perform these tests? All this has got to do with the security of the computer system. The past has proven to us that there is nothing such as a faultless system. The most complicated computer systems also have hot faults. With the purpose of preventing these faults from coming into your system, you ought to make use of a brute force method to data packet management. Your computer ought to just communicate with the computer that you would like it to. A firewall will just permit exchange of information with the computers you decide on. It is somewhat like a telephone, which will just let you to converse with a few predefined phone numbers.
Firewalls can surely be configured, and you can alter the setting if you want nevertheless that is a different account. The primeval Greeks had an aphorism: “You cannot bolt your cupboard and also fling the key in it simultaneously.” Not anything is completely protected; no matter what you do, safety can and will at all times be breached if you do not take proper measures. This is the reason why firewall exists. They are similar to sentries who look after your gate, following your particular orders.
How To Protect Information Technology Systems - Rootkits
Many defensive technologies have been developed to combat the spread of Internet worms. Unfortunately, there is no single technology that protects against all types of mobile malicious code. Many enterprises rely on only a small set of protective technologies to protect their assets, such as firewalls and virus scanners.
Worms have increasingly become “blended threats”; they use many different methods to attack systems. In effect, they are using an attack- in-depth strategy in order to carry out their mission. Single-point solutions may be able to block a few of the attack vectors, but will not be able to stop all of them.
The nature of malicious code, or malware, (e.g., viruses, worms, bots) shifted recently from disrupting service to actively seeking financial gain. In the past, worms were designed primarily to propagate. The impact on victims and organizations was primarily a disruption of service resulting in loss of productivity and sometimes a loss in revenue. Now, many of the significant worms are designed to steal sensitive information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, pin codes, and passwords and send the information to the attacker for nefarious purposes including identity theft.
Unfortunately, attackers have become very adept at circumventing traditional defenses such as anti-virus software and firewalls. Even encrypted web transactions may not protect sensitive information if the user’s computer has been infected.
Malware also includes other attacker tools such as backdoors, rootkits, and keystroke loggers, and tracking cookies which are used as spyware.
Attacker tools might be delivered to a system as part of a malware infection or other system compromises. These tools allow attackers to have unauthorized access to or use of infected systems and their data, or to launch additional attacks.
Rootkits are collections of files that are installed on a system to alter its standard functionality in a malicious and stealthy way. A rootkit can make many changes to a system to hide the rootkit’s existence, making it very difficult for the user to determine that the rootkit is present and to identify what changes have been made. Rootkits are powerful tools to compromise computer systems without detection.
They do this using a variety of tricks to manipulate the operating system , the effect is that you cannot see the malware product on your computer using normal Windows programs. Detecting the presence of rootkits is not easy. The fundamental problem with rootkit detection is that the operating system currently running cannot be trusted. In other words, actions such as requesting a list of all running processes or a list of all files in a directory cannot be trusted to behave as intended by the original designers. There are several programs available to detect rootkits. Rootkit detectors have to work from within the potentially infected system. Rootkit detectors which run on live systems currently only work because rootkits have not yet been developed which hide themselves fully.
Top Tips For Buying A Printer
There are a great number of inkjet printer options for consumers looking to purchase a new printer or those that are considering replacing the ones that they currently own. The following are some things you should keep in mind whilst deciding which printer to buy.
The first thing you should do when getting ready to purchase a new printer is decide what tasks that you are going to need your printer to accomplish for you. Once you have that determined you will have a better idea of what type of printer you should purchase.
You should definitely shop around when looking for a new printer. Don’t feel obligated to buy the first one you find. Ask a lot of questions so you can do thorough research to ensure this is the printer that will meet all of your needs. Reading reviews of the different types of printers available would be an excellent idea before you begin shopping for a new printer. Asking for the opinions of friends and family about what printers they use would also be a good way to get a recommendation.
Are you going to need special inks for the printer to get the best possible print quality? If this is the case this can become a large expense for you as the consumer. Typically a great print should not need top of the line ink to make a high quality print.
An important issue to consider while shopping for a new printer is: Are there compatible printer ink cartridges and refill kits available to use with the printer you are interested in purchasing? The cost of replacement printer ink cartridges produced by the manufacturer can be many times more than the printer itself so compatible printer inks can be a huge money saver.
Does the ink in the printer smear when touched? A good quality ink should be fast drying and not smear when touched. If it is at all possible you should ask a sales person to print a test page on a printer that you may be interested in purchasing. Also you should ask if you can see a test copy printed on normal paper. The laminated paper used in a lot of shops will make the print quality of any printer appear to better then it actually is.
Another thing consumers should consider when shopping for a new printer is that many refurbished printers cost considerably less than brand new printers and still carry a full manufacturers warranty. This could be a great money saving purchase if you are on a budget.
These are just a few of the things that consumers should keep in mind before purchasing a new printer for use at home. If a good amount of research is done before a purchase is made, most consumers will end up with a great printer that should meet all their printing needs.
Go Online for a Terrific One-Stop Shopping Experience
Online shopping isn't new, but it continues to grow. An increasing number of people are letting their fingers do the clicking rather than head out to the mall or to a specialty store. Moreover, online shoppers are choosing boutique one-stop shopping sites over the Web's traditional e-commerce giants. Why? Because, in doing so, they can support entrepreneurs while taking advantage of wholesale prices and dropship bargains.
What can you find at these one-stop shopping online stores? Just about everything. These sites typically have everything from jewelry, electronics, and leather goods to automotive parts, supplies for pets, and toys. And, just like the mega sites, they have brand names in virtually every category imaginable.
You might, for example, find a Magnavox widescreen LCD TV with an integrated DVD player as well as Britney Spears' latest fragrance. You could find novelty items from your favorite sports team along with Olympus digital cameras. Or, you could shop for the latest Xbox 360 game along with a gorgeous pair of designer earrings.
Online Buying Tips
How do you choose which online store to patronize? When I'm looking for a site, I first look for selection and brand names. Unless I'm looking for a rare item, I always go for the online store that has at least 5,000 items in stock. Next, I look for organization. I like to shop at sites that organize their items by easy-to-find categories. I don't want pet supplies to pop up when I'm looking for jewelry, or to search for personal electronics and have outdoor furniture appear in my search results.
I'm also a big fan of sites that dropship. When my items come directly from the manufacturer, I find that they arrive faster and in better condition. Plus, since the site doesn't have to worry about stocking inventory, the owners tend to pay more attention to customer service.
Since I'm somewhat of a privacy nut, I prefer to shop on sites that don't sell or disclose my personal information to third parties (other than the shipper) without first giving me the opportunity to prevent my information from being shared.
Security is also extremely important to me, especially since I'm sharing sensitive information like my credit card number. So, before I click, I always make sure the site uses a secure server with encryption technology. If a site accepts PayPal, that's even better.
If you've been stuck in the online mega-store rut, I encourage you to give the smaller one-stop shopping sites a try. You'll likely receive better service, and have an overall better shopping experience.
RSS Feeds part2
Skills required for search engine optimization
Since search engine optimization is still considered to be a new thing, plenty of business organizations think it is mandatory to hire search engine optimization firms to handle the online marketing part of their businesses. But the question now arises: What if you can’t afford to hire the services of search engine optimization firms? Furthermore, what if you’re just entering into the business and you don’t have enough funds for additional advertising? If this is the case, you have no option other than to do it yourself. But don’t treat it as a burden because fact of the matter is search engine optimization is quite straightforward, contrary to the belief that it is a hard grinding task. No denying that you have to practice hard before you can take full benefits of search engine results for your website or business but it’s at least a very possible and achievable task. But for that to happen, you must know the types of skills required for better implementation of search engine optimization.
What is your target Market?
If you are interested in search engine optimization for your website, it is quite mandatory that you are aware of your target market. As the Internet is such a big place to roam around, it is essential that you know your target market. This in turn leads to more visitors for your target market because they can easily get accustomed with your service and can give you a feedback.
All important content of your Ad
Let’s just assume you know your target audience already and everything that is there in the site are in proper order and impressing the visitor to buy the product. But the fact remained that how do they get to your website initially? And that’s where the role of search engine optimization is very important. By following this route, it’s a guarantee that your website would get more visitors.
But always remember that that it’s the content of your ad that will put your website on top of MSN and Google searches. As number of companies chooses to use text ads because of its shorter length and economic nature, it’s your responsibility to maximize the content of your ad. In an ideal scenario, make sure that you’re able to depict your message in the shortest, precise and most efficient way possible.
The concept of Keywords
There is no denying that keyword is one of the major parameters affecting search engine optimization. In case if you are interested in optimizing searches done by MSN, Google or Yahoo, you have to ensure that the keyword list you are implementing under your company’s name should be identical to the keywords of your target market.
When talking about keywords, only two things count: spelling and relevance. Theoretically speaking, make sure that you include keywords in their correct spellings and of course, it has to be relevant.
RSS Feeds helping to improve Search Engine Optimization and Ranking
RSS is fast becoming a buzzword for a proper search engine optimization. But the question now arises: What exactly is RSS?
RSS or Rich Site Syndication or Really Simple Syndication is a type of file format identical to XML, and is implemented by publishers to make their content available to other people. The best part about this format is that everyone can understand it quite easily. In addition, RSS offers the listing of articles on third party websites, RSS newsreaders, and the like, giving rise to simple distribution of a website's content across the Internet. In other word, RSS can be termed as a form of content syndication, using distribution lists, hyperlinks and the like to create curiosity among people, which in turn leads to increased traffic in your website.
RSS is not the new term, as a matter of fact it has been there for so many years, but with the advent of spam filters and online blogging, it is fast becoming a necessity for ezine publishers that are interested in getting their message across to their members. Despite all this, not much emphasis has been given to the benefits RSS offers for search engine optimization, until now.
The question now arises: Why Search Engines Love RSS?
Majority of SEO experts is of the view that that sites optimized around themes, or niches, where all pages depicts one particular subject or set of keywords are bound to fare better in search engines as compared to the website dealing with plenty of subjects and different keywords. For instance, if your website is specifically designed to sell gadgets, your entire site content would be focused around gadgets.
It is worth pointing that search engines such as Google seem to prefer tightly themed pages. But million-dollar question is: Where does RSS come in all this?
Remember that RSS feeds, normally sourced from newsfeeds or blogs, often pinpoint to a particular theme or niche. And that’s where you can increase your site’s content without a need of writing on your own, by opting for highly targeted RSS feeds. It will give you an impression that you have hired content writer that is writing for you but in actual sense you have not. Furthermore, you are getting all this free of cost.
How can RSS improve your Search Engine Rankings?
In simple terms, there are three main parameters why content from RSS Feeds is so much advantageous for search engine spiders.
1. RSS Feeds offer Immediate Themed Content
There are plenty of publishers of RSS feeds that are focused to a particular theme. As the feed is highly targeted in nature, it could consist of number of keywords that you want to rank highly for.
Inserting these keywords to your pages plays a pivotal part in Google tagging your site as one with relevant content.
2. RSS Feeds offers new and regularly updated Content
Theoretically speaking, this is the most significant feature of RSS. It is worth pointing that RSS feeds from big publishers are normally updated in hourly or daily basis. Remember that when the publisher inserts a new article to the feed, the oldest article is deleted. Furthermore, these modifications are instantly updated on your pages with the RSS feed as well. That’s why you new and updated relevant content for your visitors every hour or day. Few of the search engines like Google and Yahoo have come to a conclusion that the relevancy algorithm historically used to rank pages is not a good option. In an ideal scenario, they do no not show correct results. Because of this reason they have added parameter like freshness to judge the page rank.
A simple example can illustrate this point better. In case if you were to do a search for the key phrase "Football", you would likely to get a large chunk of articles. In that case just take two articles for the purpose of simplification. Let's assume both articles contain the phrase "Football" the same number of times, have the same number of inbound links, and all else is more or less identical between the two articles. As a matter of fact the only difference between the two is that one article was written 10 days ago and the other was written yesterday. In that scenario, it would be difficult to find out which one would be more likely to contain the information for which you are looking?
Well, by taking the help of relevancy algorithm, both articles will appear equally relevant. Though, fact remained that it is not the case because obviously the newer article is more likely to give you the fresh information, which you are looking for. Due to this reason the search engines have come up with a freshness component to their ranking repertoire- in an effort to offer the best results to their users, they should not only offer you relevant articles but fresh one as well. That’s why, at the moment, the most recent article (or most frequently updated website) would be listed on top as compared to the less frequently updated website.
The question now arises: Does this make sense? The answer is yes. By following this route, you can easily understand why a proper search engine optimization will include the use of fresh content such as an RSS feed, apart from an optimization for key phrase relevancy.
