Kathy Kennebrook’s Insightful Articles – Page 3 – Kathy Kennebrook®’s Attract Motivated Sellers

Money Saving Tips For Tough Economic Times- Part 3

14. Coupons– Watch for coupons and cut coupons out of ads, the newspaper and magazines for the items you use on a regular basis. There are also excellent coupon websites such as www.coupons.com. You can also check store ads online as well. Do not cut coupons for items you don’t normally use unless you are swapping coupons with friends or family members. Swapping coupons with family and friends is also a great way to save money. Coupons can make an item virtually free if you use them. For example, say a grocery store has a sale on an item that is normally $3.99 and they put it on sale for 2/3.99. You can buy just one of the item for 1.99. Then if you have a 1.00 off coupon the item then becomes ninety nine cents. This is a huge savings.

15. Don’t Waste Leftovers– Re-heat leftovers for a lunch at work or use leftovers as an ingredient in another dish.

16. Use What You Have on Hand– You can substitute ingredients in many recipes or you can create entire meals just from what you have in your pantry.

17. Take The Amount Of Cash You Need To Shop– If you look at your grocery list you will have a good idea of how much money you need to buy what you need. Do not take extra cash and do not put groceries on a credit card. This will stop you from overspending at the grocery store.

18. Free Samples– Many manufacturers offer free samples in order to get you to try their product. They may offer it on websites or as a coupon for a free item. This is a great way to save money. I have gotten coupons for free food items, hair products and laundry soaps.

19. Shop Early and Eat Before You Shop– If you shop earlier in the day a store is more likely to have the item you are looking for in stock, plus the stores are less crowded. Make sure you eat before you shop, the less hungry you are, the more likely you are not to buy something that is not on your list.

20. Beware of Smells Of Cooking and Bakery– Bakery and cooking smells in the grocery store tempt you to buy things that are not on your list. If you are not hungry these smells will not be as tempting.

Tune in next week for more money saving tips. In the meantime check out Kathy Kennebrook’s website at www.marketingmagiclady.com for all the real estate investing tools you need and even more money saving tips and recipes. While you are there be sure and sign up for Kathy Kennebrook’s FREE monthly newsletter and receive 149.00 in additional real estate investing tools absolutely free!

More Money Saving Tips For Tough Economic Times- Part 2

8. Buying in Bulk at Shopping Clubs– Buying clubs like Cosco or Sams Club are great places to buy items you use in bulk like cleaning products, laundry soap, health and beauty supplies, paper goods, cereals, spices, juice and cheese.

9. Do Not Buy Non Grocery Items At The Grocery Store– The prices on these items tend to be quite a bit higher at the grocery store. Batteries, cleaning supplies, laundry soap, charcoal, lighter Fluid, automotive supplies and health and beauty items would be good examples of items I would not buy at the grocery store.

10. Bring a Small Calculator– Sometimes you need to check prices on bulk pricing versus smaller packaging. It amazes that sometimes the smaller package is actually the better deal. Using a calculator will also help you to keep track of how much you are spending.

11. Check The Actual Size of Containers– This was brought to my attention recently. In order to actually charge more for an item, some manufacturers are getting the same price for an item but putting less in the container. So you might have two containers of ketchup for example that are different brands but look the same in size. When you check the ounces you will see that one container has 16 ounces and the other has 14 ounces. The way they do this is to make an indentation in the bottom of the container.

12. Buy Store Brands When Feasible– Some items you buy can simply be cheaper by buying the store brand and doesn’t affect quality. Prime examples would be sugar, flour, salt, milk, cooking soups, and tomato sauce.

I also found out that major manufacturer’s package for stores under store brands so even though the item is a store brand it’s identical to the brand name. Once example of this is cream cheese, the easiest way to check this is by checking the ingredient listing on the brand name item and the store brand of the same item. Sometimes you will see that the ingredients are identical and in the same order.

13. Check Dollar Stores and Thrift Bakeries For Grocery Items and Breads–

This one floored me. I found that I can buy major brand in date bread at the dollar store instead of paying over $2.00 per loaf at the grocery store. Thrift bakeries are also a good place to buy breads and snacks at reduced prices. The Dollar stores also carry canned goods, grocery items and health and beauty items at much reduced prices along with things like birthday cards. One point I need to make here…not all dollar stores are dollar stores. For example at Dollar Tree everything is a dollar. At other dollar stores this is not the case.

Money Saving Tips For Tough Economic Times – Part 1

Money Saving Food Tips:

1. Plan Ahead– plan your weekly meals around store sales. Check the ads and check online ads for the stores you shop at and plan your week’s meals around what is on sale.

2. Plan Your Food Budget– Take the time one day a week to cook several meals and freeze them. This will save time and money on busy nights when you might be more likely to just buy fast food. Have a plan in place for the nights you just don’t plan on cooking.

3. Quick Meals– When I know I have a week of busy nights, I buy cold cuts and have sandwiches for dinner or I buy items that cook up quickly like Hormel Meals which heat up in four minutes and feed two people. I just make some rice on the side to go with it. Progresso canned soup and rolls make a quick meal as well.

4. Keep A Master Shopping List– This will save you time and keep you from forgetting to buy a grocery item you need. Simply keep a shopping list going all the time. I keep a pad on the front of my refrigerator and as I am getting low on an item, it goes on the list. Then I watch for those items in the weekly grocery ads.

5. Allow One Grocery Day Per Week– Personally I shop on Thursdays. This is so I can take advantage of the store ads. I shop at two grocery stores. One grocery store’s new sales begin on Wednesday and the other stores sales begin on Thursday. Shopping one day a week or every two weeks will save money, time and gas. The more time you spend in the grocery store the more money you spend. If you have the time you can visit more than one store to get the best deals on items you use a lot. You should check the ads ahead of time and make a specific shopping plan.

6. Use a Specific List and Plan When Shopping– Go shopping with a specific plan in mind. Get what you need and leave. The more time you spend in the grocery store, the more money you will spend. Also, shop alone. Shopping with children or the husband will almost guarantee that you will buy items that were not on your list.

7. Buy In Bulk– Here are some pointers on buying in bulk. Buying in bulk can save some big bucks on items you use all the time like canned vegetables, soups, ketchup, and mayonnaise. You can shop your discount club for these items like Cosco or Sams Club or you can take advantage of “buy one get one free” ads at your local grocery store. When buying these items check the dates to make sure you have enough time to use them before they expire.

VERDICT: GUILTY!

“If you were arrested for being a real estate investor would there be enough evidence to convict you?” I was once asked! I wholeheartedly responded with a resounding, “YES!” Do that which makes you stand out from your competition. As you begin your promotional campaign as part of your overall marketing strategy and goal, continue to diligently test and track results as you go. You MUST be able to determine what marketing tools work best for you in your market place in order to draw the highest number of motivated sellers to you.

People often ask me, “What is the best way to find motivated sellers?” My response is to do that which your competition will not and do a lot of it. Dare to be different in your approach to locating motivated sellers. Analyze, discover and continue to rediscover the best combination of marketing methods that will generate the highest number of motivated sellers for your business. Develop three to five marketing techniques that give the very best lead-generating leverage possible and devote your resources to those marketing techniques which net the very best results. As simple as it may sound—don’t spend time on something that is not productive.

Constantly test and track new marketing techniques since your market and your business will continue to change over time. In most cases, change IS good, especially if YOU plan that change. Spend time listening or reading about those who have come before you and developed marketing strategies that draw high numbers of motivated sellers to you. Spend your time and energy constantly seeking new knowledge about new combinations of marketing methods to create even more leads. Pursue innovative marketing methods in your business to bring you the highest number of motivated sellers. Be innovative. You’ll get “status quo” results if you stick to the status quo!

Don’t be afraid to use unusual types of marketing products such as florescent orange or pink business cards, post cards or signage to attract sellers. Use t-shirts in your business and wear them all the time. We even had a t-shirt made for our German Shepard dog. When we take him for a walk people know what we do for a living. “Wrap” your vehicle in signage and be sure to include a web site address. Implement several different ways to attract sellers since you will need to reach your market in a variety of ways.

Direct mail is another way to attract lots of motivated sellers. This is a method most of your competition is not using in their business. Do your mailings on a residual basis so you are in constant contact with these sellers. When their circumstances dictate that they do so, they will sell to you first, even if they have been contacted by someone else in the meantime, since you have taken the time to build credibility with these sellers. Use lumpy mail pieces in your envelopes to entice your reader to open the envelope and read your message. Design your direct mail piece so different that it demands people’s attention, so it gets opened and read.

Don’t be worried about people who make negative comments about you or your marketing methods. You will be the one who will get “the last laugh” all the way to the bank with the profits from your real estate deals. Throw your business cards out into the bleachers when your children’s team scores a point. Give business cards to everyone you deal with on a daily basis. Write an article on real estate and submit it to your local newspaper. Offer to do a free talk on real estate for your local radio station or your local library.

Become a local expert in the real estate field and sellers will seek you out first when they need to sell.

A marketing genius once said, “Perception is more important than reality.” People are more comfortable dealing with someone they perceive to be an expert in their field.

Most importantly, absolutely KNOW what your competition is doing. Literally track their every technique. Research and find out all that your competition is doing. Knowing about your competition gives you the ultimate edge over them. The more you know about your competition, the better idea you will have about your market. One of the best ways to find out what your competition is doing is to join local associations where you might meet them.

There are lots of great ways for you to stand out in your business. Don’t be afraid to be different. Although you will still use some tried and proven marketing techniques, those who are willing to take a little risk are the ones who are the most successful. Believe me when I tell you, some of these lessons come from difficulties, pain, and even a couple of failures along the way. But once you make a mistake, never make that same mistake again! Different gets attention and that’s what you want, to get the attention of sellers who need your services.

Very simply, if you don’t let people know that you buy houses, you won’t! Dare to be different in your approach to finding motivated sellers.

So when someone asks you, “If you were arrested for being a real estate investor, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Your VERDICT must be: GUILTY!

For more information on Kathy Kennebrook and finding all the motivated sellers and buyers you need for your real estate investing business, be sure and visit Kathy Kennebrook’s website at www.marketingmagiclady.com

How To Delete Inquiries on Your Credit Report – Part 2

and Stefan J. Kasian, Ph.D.

1. Write the bureaus a letter. Especially if an inquiry is truly unauthorized, they will have to contact the creditor and ask for them to prove the existence of the inquiry. Most will not have the time, or documentation to prove it, and inquiries will just fall off.

NOTE: Beware of disputing inquiries pertaining to an open credit line. For example, I heard of a consumer whose car got repossessed by Bank of America because he disputed the inquiry associated with obtaining the car loan with that bank. This is an extreme case, but beware of the risks.

But if inquiries resulted from “shopping” for credit, these are fairly easy to remove.

2. File a fraud alert and dispute inquiries as fraudulent. Be careful of this as well, as your file will then be very closely scrutinized by higher paid credit bureau staff, which can be to your disadvantage.

3. “Bump” your inquiries off with TransUnion. For example, subscribe to a credit monitoring service such as creditchecktotal.com that allows you to check your credit daily with updates. These updates are “soft pulls” on TransUnion bureau. So they don’t count as inquiries that other people see that would affect your score, but they are added to the record. Enough of these soft inquiries maxes out the record, and eventually bumps off the inquiries seen by all. It takes approximately 60 soft pulls. But you can cut the time in half by subscribing to multiple services that allow you to check inquiries daily. Kathy Kennebrook and I have done this successfully.

Note that deleting inquiries years ago was much faster and easier than now, as bureaus have tightened up in their practices. TransUnion appears to be the most difficult to work with at this point in time, and takes the longest to see results with by mailing letters. Whereas Equifax and Experian are pretty fast.

4. Hire an expert to delete inquiries. Kathy Kennebrook andI have worked with 3 different providers that have all performed. I have paid as much as $150 or more per inquiry to an attorney for deletion because the money I had paid him would be quickly recouped by the credit lines I would get approved for after the inquiries were deleted. No provider can guarantee all inquiries will be deleted, rather, on a “Best efforts” basis.

The most recent expert I have worked with uses a proprietary online and offline tactics to get inquiries deleted quickly and professionally. His cost is one of the most reasonable I have seen and he is very responsive and professional.

This should give you a better overview and more hope for your credit report. Time and space does not permit me to share the specific letters I have written to delete inquiries successfully.

Or if you wish to have the provider’s contact information I would be glad to share it with you. This is all contained in my step-by-step home study system that teaches you how to repair and build your personal and business credit so you can have all the money you need to tide you over during these times. Just check out Kathy Kennebrook’s website at www.marketingmagiclady.com for more information on this system.

Although the bar has raised for credit, banks still have plenty of money to give you, and if you can tap this vault, you will have an advantage that will help you make a fortune because you can buy assets as such an incredible discount.

Dr. Stefan Kasian, the “King of Credit” has obtained over 1 million dollars in business credit for himself and his clients in the past few months. While earning a doctorate in psychology, he became a semi-retired millionaire at an unusually young and tender age. Now he continues using his high-level Wall Street and Celebrity contacts to give clients an insider’s edge in getting the money you need to survive and prosper in this economy while all the other banks and lenders turn you down. Please visit the Million Dollar Corporate credit system for complete information by going to Kathy Kennebrook’s website at www.marketingmagiclady.com.

While you are there be sure and sign up for her free newsletter and receive an additional 149.00 in Real Estate Investing tools absolutely FREE!!