4 Reasons a Business Should Pay Their Bills On Time

When a business is having good cash flow the subject of paying bills late never comes up. The time when business is slow and the money is just not there to pay bills, is the time when mistakes get made.

Why should a business pay their bills on time? Paying slow allows you to keep more of your money for your own use. Paying early or on time seems a loss of opportunity. I have known many business men who believe paying one month behind is a good way to keep their own money in their pocket for a little longer. This attitude is totally wrong and not only does damage to your businesses reputation but also the reputation of the business owner.

1. Reputation.
If the reputation of your business means anything to you there is no quicker way to malign it than by not paying your bills properly. Paying late or not at all gives you time to use the money for other things. It also damages your credibility as a trusted business owner. It damages your reputation in the community and gives your company a reputation of being a bad payer.

2. Saving Money.
Many vendors give a discount when paying your bills early. It may be even possible to negotiate an even deeper discount from a supplier on larger and future production needs. Establishing you good paying record shows the vendor you can be trusted. This relationship could come in handy for future discounts and patience when one month you can't pay your bill.

3. Building Necessary Goodwill.
Having the reputation of being a company who doesn't dodge it's bills, shows people you can be trusted. This trust translates into sales. No one will recommend a company who is a deadbeat when it comes to paying bills. Your future customers not only come from word of mouth from you customers, they also come from recommendations of the vendors you buy from.

Everyone you write a check to is part of your marketing team. From your reputation of paying your vendors, landlords, insurance brokers, and even the people that clean your office, they all can either recommend you to future customers or just shoot you down. Your reputation with these people is critical.

4. Your Credit Rating.
When you are a new business, a companies credit rating doesn't really exist yet. The company owners are using there own personal credit rating to stand up for the debt burden of the company. As the company grows and the need to expand calls for a larger sum of money to borrow, the credit rating and reputation of the company is vital. Where will the lender go to establish your ability to pay the loan back. Will you want the bank to talk to your vendors or will you be afraid of what they will tell your banker.

Your reputation and rank in the community is something that takes years to build but only an instance to destroy. It's an asset just as important as any other asset that your company owns.

These and many other great business ideas are in Bill Weirsma's book The Power of Professionalism: The Seven Mind-Sets that Drive Performance and Build Trust

Heritage and Service Still Exist In Financial Services

In today's financial environment, people find it hard to know who they can trust with their hard earned money. Many financial institutions we trusted all our lives, have let us down. Many people have lost faith and do not know who to trust. Finding a company, for your financial and investing needs can still be done, but you must be able to cut through the hype and find the truth of what a companies core really is.

One financial company that did not let its customers down was Perpetual, one of Australia's oldest financial institutions. They have been helping their customers manage and invest their money for over 120 years. They are not only a wealth manager but a leader in the trustee business. 

During Perpetuals long history they have been a leader in philanthropy. When Australians form charitable endowments, Perpetual is there to manage these funds and act as trustees over them. Today, these funds are helping sustain the efforts of charitable and non-profit organizations. Perpetual believes so much in philanthropy they have established their own in house "Perpetual Foundation" to help improve the life of others.

Perpetual also provides many types of investment products, financial advice, and corporate services to individuals, families, financial advisers, and organizations. Fitting the customer to the right investing style comes from knowing that customer well. Providing trustee and fiduciary services to help people protect and manage assets, is the goal of Perpetual.

There are still companies that believe in serving their customers. There are still companies that deserve your trust. Perpetual's experienced and award winning team manages over $200 billion dollars of clients money. In today's world, finding a company that has a heritage and core of serving the customer's needs is rare. Perpetual is one company that has the trust of so many, why look anywhere else?

Thrifty Tips For Those 50 Plus

Time and money seem to become more valuable as we mature. Many learn with age and experience that it’s never too late to try something new. With that in mind, enjoy these thrifty tips intended to help those of you who are 50 plus to shop smarter and save more money:

It doesn’t hurt to ask for a discount. While you are shopping in a store or placing an order over the phone, inquire about whether a senior discount is offered and ask what the age requirement is. Because there are so many definitions for “senior,” the threshold for receiving a discount can be as young as 50. 

It’s up to stores and companies to decide whether or not and what age they offer senior discounts to, but it can only benefit you to ask. Keep in mind that some chain retail stores’ and restaurants’ senior discounts can vary by region. You may be asked to provide identification to verify your age or show that you belong to a group such as AARP.

• Embrace online shopping. Sure, some say that computers should be left to the younger generations, but if you are ready this blog post, chances are you are pretty tech-savvy. For anyone who feels computer challenged, iPads and other similar devices make it very easy to use the Internet these days.
• Shopping online offers many big benefits over going to the store:

• Coupons. Search online to find them for free. You can get coupon codes online in just a few clicks.

• Cash Back. Shop through a savings website to earn a percentage of your purchase in a free account. You can often get this in addition to using a coupon. If you want even more savings, use a rewards credit card to accumulate points or earn more cash back.

• Convenience. For anyone experiencing difficulty with mobility or in need of assistance to go to drive, read labels or carry shopping bags, online shopping makes life easier. Even those who are perfectly spry can appreciate not needing to leave your home, lug your purchases to and from the store or be limited to a store’s location and hours, which may not necessarily work for you.

• Even if you do not plan to make your purchases online, you can still use the Internet to shop smarter. In addition to researching senior discounts, try:

• Looking at the weekly ads of stores near you to identify sales on what you need to buy. You can find ads online anytime, without needing the Sunday newspaper.

• Searching online for free printable coupons for retail, grocery and restaurants. You can print them out and leave them in your car so you are prepared.

By Jon Lal, founder of coupons & Cash Back website BeFrugal.com, which offers online coupons in addition to free Cash Back at 2000+ online stores. When you sign up for a free Cash Back account for a limited time you can get a $10 bonus in addition to great savings offers. Join now!

How Sovereign Debt Differs from Private Debt

Sovereign debt differs from private-sector debt, or debt incurred by households and corporations, for two reasons according to the Congressional Research Service report "Sovereign Debt in Advanced Economies: Overview and Issues for Congress".

debt (Photo credit: Alan Cleaver)

First, there is no international bankruptcy court that can enforce debt contracts between private investors and sovereign governments. In the domestic context, private borrowers cannot simply refuse to repay debts to creditors. Domestic laws and courts can force debtors to turn over existing assets to creditors or put the debtor through bankruptcy proceedings, during which the borrower liquidates its assets and turns them over to the creditor. In the international context, by contrast, there are no internationally accepted laws or bankruptcy courts to provide creditors recourse against governments that refuse to repay their debts. 

Debt contracts between governments and private creditors often include provisions that stipulate what jurisdiction’s law is to be applied in the event of a dispute about the contract. 

However, there is no way to force a government that has defaulted on its debt to abide by another country’s court ruling that it must repay the loan. Proposals for creating internationally accepted bankruptcy proceedings and regulations, possibly to be overseen by the IMF, have not been fruitful.

A second reason why public debt differs from some private debt contracts is that sovereign debt is “unsecured,” or not backed by collateral. Governments cannot credibly commit to turn over assets if they are unable to repay their debts, because, again, there is no international authority to compel them do to so. 

This contrasts with the private sector, where debt contracts are frequently backed by collateral. For example, property serves as collateral for mortgages in most countries. Some private-sector debt is not backed by collateral. Credit card debt, for example, is unsecured.

This is not to say that public debt is inherently more risky than private debt. In fact, some credit rating agencies use the credit rating of the sovereign as an upper limit for the ratings that domestic borrowers in that country can receive. 

However, the strict use of a sovereign credit rating ceiling for domestic borrowers has waned in recent years. Sovereign debt may be less risky than private-sector debt because governments have the power of taxation to raise money in order to service debt, unlike private borrowers

Vacation Travel Clubs Can Save You Money

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

With the kids school year almost over and the vacation season around the corner, people are planning vacations. The family vacation is something we look forward to every year. But this year, even though money is in short supply, many people are still going to take that vacation so they are looking for ways to save money on their holiday. One way to save money is with a vacation travel club.

Most people are aware of vacation timeshare resorts but many have not heard of vacation travel clubs. A vacation travel club is group of business owners and corporations in the travel industry who join together to create wholesale travel packages. Many hotels, airlines, and vacation destinations use the travel clubs to offer discounts to their members.

If you have read any travel club reviews you know why they are so popular. Vacation travel clubs have many benefits that make it a good idea to join. Many clubs include several free trips per year. They offer seasonal and monthly specials to their members. There is usually a website, of the club, that offers chat rooms, forums and monthly newsletters explaining and keeping you up to date to a calendar of events. You aren't restricted to a small amount of destinations or trip options. Many clubs offer vacations to 1,000's of places. You receive discounts on car rental, hotels, airlines, and discounts on food and drink. Discounts can be up to 75% of standard vacation costs.

When you belong to a vacation travel club, you are given rewards for using the club. The more you use the clubs offers, the more free vacation rewards you receive. Keep in mind you won't receive free packages on every trip, but you will always have the deepest discounts offered to you.

Remember, before you join a vacation travel club, you should do the research and make sure they are legitimate and free form impropriety. Contact the Better Business Bureau, phone the company , and see what other vacation travel clubs members have to say about their experiences with the club.

Bon Voyage.

This Summer Will You Vacation Or Staycation?

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

Will the rising costs of fuel keep you at home during the summer holiday season? According to a Times-Herald survey, many families will not be cutting back there vacation plans. Some people are feeling the pinch from extraordinary high fuel prices and have already canceled their summer holiday plans. But the bulk of people are adjusting their plans and are looking for cheap holidays.

Just how much does the cost of fuel affect a families decision to go on vacation or not? From the average high, to the latest top price, the difference is only 10 percent. This increase amounts to only $10 per tank of gas. If you fuel up twice the cost is only $20. Compare this to the rising costs of airfare and hotel stays which have much higher price increases. Though the prices of many other parts of a vacation are rising more rapidly, fuel costs should be the least of your worries.

According to the Times-Herald survey, 63 percent of families plan to spend the same amount or more on travel in 2012 as they did in 2011.

For those that feel the cost of fuel is to high to travel, they are making plans to stay home or only travel very short distances for their holiday. They are finding that they have many local destinations that suit them just fine and fit the bill for a wonderful vacation.

Finding destinations, in your region or state, can offer to you the opportunity for one day vacations or just over night trips. Most of us who travel know more about a vacation destination that is 1000 miles away than one that is only 50 miles from our home. Staying local and traveling to the shore, a lake house, or countryside cabin for a weekend opens up wonderful opportunities we have been missing.

When you are planning your next vacation on a tight budget, why not check out destinations closer to home.