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Touch times bring out the fear and greed in people. Sadly, there always have been and always will be people who are more than willing and ready to take advantage of those in need, afraid and unlearned in the art-of-responsible-research for self preservation.  (Of course even some of the most learned can get caught up in a scam, the most recent cost many foundations millions and billions of dollars!)

The following is an email from Paul Duxbury, online coach and blogger from Altrincham, Cheshire, UK that covers the pot holes pretty well, and gives some ideas for a good path to follow.

NOTE: As with any referral/resource I offer, be responsible to check everything out for yourself as well for integrity and truth.

FROM PAUL:

For anyone with the skill to help others earn extra monies yes there is an opportunity - but it’s an opportunity to help people. Yes you can look to earn a reasonable amount
from helping people but there will be people who look to line their own pockets at your expense.  So this email is by way of highlighting some of the things you might
encounter and want to avoid!

Marketing Scams: Anyone who has researched ways to make money online has probably come across a scam or two.  Marketing scams have been around for a very long time, but the Internet has made it much easier for them to proliferate.  If you want to make money online, it’s critical to know as much as possible about marketing scams.  Following are some of the more common types of marketing scams.

Pyramid Schemes: A pyramid scheme is similar to multi-level marketing (MLM), which involves participants buying products to create commissions for the person who recruited them.  The recruits then recruit new participants from whom they will earn commissions, and the person above them also earns a commission on their recruits.

MLM is not a scam in and of itself, but pyramid schemes are.  Instead of selling products, participants in a pyramid scheme simply receive money from their recruits, who are then asked to recruit people to pay more money in, and so on.  This is illegal, and often results in loss of money for all but the people at the top of the pyramid.

Envelope Stuffing: Those who want to work from home but lack formal education are often thrilled when they find opportunities to make money stuffing envelopes from home.  With promised pay of a few dollars per envelope, it sounds too good to be true.  And it is.

Advertisements for envelope stuffing jobs usually ask interested parties to send $3 to $5 for more information.  Victims do not think twice about making this small investment because of the promised pay.  But when they send in their money, they receive instructions to place ads just like the ones they responded to and send respondents the
same instructions they received.  They are only paid when someone orders more information about stuffing envelopes.

Affiliate Marketing Scams: Affiliate marketing is a legitimate way to make money online, and it is fairly easy if you run a website or blog.  All you have to do is link to advertisers using a specially coded link, and if a sale is made, you receive a commission.  Lots of reputable companies have affiliate programs, but as in any case, there are a few bad seeds.

There are some warning signs to look for:  An affiliate program should always be free to join, because you are not required to buy a kit or samples.  Some programs that charge fees are just fronts for pyramid schemes, and others might take your money and run.  You should also be able to easily find contact information for the company.  If you’re in doubt, search Google for information about the company.  If it is a scam, you’ll probably find complaints online.

Marketing scams can cost opportunity seekers lots of money, and being taken in by them can be very disheartening.  By doing your homework on any company you consider getting involved with, however, you can usually weed out these scams.  There are legitimate opportunities out there, so don’t let the fear of being scammed stand in your way.

Some of you may have already seen something which has been receiving rave reviews from those looking to earn a little extra money.  It’s a resource that Paul has provided at
absolutely no charge and can be found at:

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-money-now

I hope this slightly longer than usual email will help.

Take care, Paul http://www.paulduxbury.com/

NOTE: As with any referral/resource I offer, be responsible to check everything out for yourself as well for integrity and truth.

Hey, here’s a cool deal!

Put your future first while doing something you love! Shop at over 500 brand name stores and earn meaningful rewards.

Shop online at many of the stores you usually buy at anyway, rack up points and redeem for US Savings Bonds. Cool! Go to Bond Rewards now and find out how!

Cons? I want you to get the whole picture, so check out Compare Rewards too.

My dad passed on this morning at 9:50 a.m.We are a small family who will reminisce by phone and gatherings. But for large families or those who are split across the country or continent making phone calls, even email and planning for funerals, etc. can be overwhelming.

Louise and Monte Zweben have created a website, out of their own experiences of family loss, that will be helpful to so many. This wonderful new service is used to notify family and friends about the death of a family/close friend and the upcoming schedule/location of related services when otherwise it’s all too stressful and difficult.

Sympathy Tree is a new website and service that can be an important part of the ongoing grieving and healing process as well. When people gather at a funeral or a memorial service, they see friends and relatives they have not seen in a while. Together they pay tribute, share stories and memories, and comfort one another. It’s often a very cathartic and reflective experience. Louise and Monte realized that this experience could be extended beyond the funeral events by creating a virtual place online where people can come together to grieve, heal, and comfort each other for generations to come. Thus the birth of SympathyTree.com, a place where children, grandchildren and other friends and family can visit anytime from anywhere in the world to converse, tell stories, enrich those stories with photos and videos, and allow others to add their own thoughts and photos to stories.

Louise and Monte Zweben’s vision is for SympathyTree to become a site where people come to celebrate the lives of those they have recently lost and share their stories of love and loss, sadness and joy, and in the process, provide comfort to each other during this difficult time. They see SympathyTree as the place where future generations can treasure those stories and “get to know” their grandparents and great grandparents. Finally, they invision it to be a site through which immediately family members of the deceased can notify their friends and family privately about the services and assist them during the most stressful time of their lives.

I love having clients, now friends, who are so creative.

Sandy Sartor is one of these. In an effort to help her very right-braincreative/learning children learn left-brain math, she created these very cool books!

Listen in Addition and Multiplication Sensation, move the mind, and the body, to learn snappy songs to number adding and multiplying. Great job Sandy!

Click here and find out more!

I’m not excited about people “storing” things, but sometimes there is that in-between time; between moves, etc. where you need that truck, shed, compartment or barge! in which to put your precious (and sometimes not-so-precious-but-you-haven’t-looked-in-those-boxes-for-20-years) stuff.

There are some good companies out there to help you in a jiff. 1800packrat is one of them. Check them out and see how they might help you too!

BOOK REVIEW:  Achievement IQ Moments by Mr. Achievement, Stanley Bronstein.

I love this book! A great read for anyone wanting to be reminded that no matter what happens in our lives, we can take the A.IQ leap to positively change our direction and destiny.

Bronstein interviewed 50 extraordinary people who have life and career stories proving that we can make a great life out of chaos, loss and confusion; that we can thrive wherever we are and look back over the detours and bumps and see that they all made sense to get where we are now.

Bronstein’s stories are 2-3 pages each. Quick reads and powerful real-life stories of people alive and well today, with dot com information to find each and learn more or even contact them!

This is the third in Bronstein’s books helping others get and stay on the path they truly want to live and experience, no matter what happens.

I highly recommend Achievement IQ Moments. Click here to order.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK: 

Achievement IQ Moments should be used in junior and senior high schools, colleges and as a gift for students and young people. Bronstein’s real-life stories of what others have done to get from there to here are positive, uplifting and practical. The choices his interviewees took to move through their personal tragedies, diversity and usual life-decision confusing times – to leap into the opportunities that created lives of success and joy – are brilliant role models for anyone, but so much more for those just starting on their life’s career paths. In fact, prisons might be a good candidate too!

What I love about Achievement IQ Momentsis that the stories of those Bronstein interviewed are not the “same old names and stories” heard too many times. They are fresh and alive, here and now. Each one teaches how A.IQ Moments moved them beyond stuck places, obstacles and disasters. They teach and show steps to success and awesome lives that we all can relate too and strive to use and become.

Achievement IQ Moments offers the reader great examples and proof of helping others, support “up the ladder” and “out of the pits” of life by others. It reminds over and over that no one does it alone, no one moves into the best places of life alone. It also reminds the reader to be proactive and ask questions to let others know help is needed!

Achievement IQ Momentsis written in short and sweet chapter stories, making it easy to read for any age, memorable and impactful.

In the dot com age, it’s nice to be able to follow up on each of the people in the stories of  Achievement IQ Moments for more information and/or to follow their lives and yet-to-unfold stories into the future. It makes it real and more personal too.

I’m all about underdogs! My favorite story of the many breakthrough stories in Achievement IQ Moments is Chapter 33, of immigrant and baker, Andrew Ly. What a wonderful story of one who kept on moving, even when everything said to stop, more than once, while carrying his family and others up the river of joy and abundance with him and his vision.

Eating “raw foods” (raw vegetables, fruit and more) is the natural way for our bodies to best digest, utilize and eliminate (full circle!). Our world of processed, injected, experimented on, and who-knows-what-we’re-getting foods add fat, mental fog, immune problems, degenerative diseases and myriad of unnecessary byproducts to our bodies and lives. It’s just not natural!

Mike Adams, The Health Ranger,is one of the best resources to find what’s on the cutting edge of what’s best for us. Healthy eating and living reduces not only unnecessary and unhealthy fat from our beautiful bodies, it helps relieve stress and organize our thinking around the best foods for our lives.

Mike has something great during the week of October 19 you don’t want to miss! Watch 14 video interviews for FREE! It’s the RAWkathon event!

A collection of LIVE video interviews with top raw foods pioneers who teach you all about the raw foods lifestyle: How raw foods improve your health and eliminate excess body fat, what to eat, tips for raw foods success and much more. You don’t have to be on 100% raw foods to enjoy this, either.  

Register now at: http://www.rawkathon.com/naturalnews

The videos include interviews with Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Victoria Boutenko, Dr. Doug Graham, David Wolfe (of Sunfood.com), Viktora Kulvinskas, Nomi Shannan (of RawGourmet.com), Cherie Soria, David Rainochek (creator of JuiceFeasting.com), Frederic Patenaude, Dr. Rick Dina, Matt Monarch, Karen Knowler, Dr. Jameth Sheridan (of HealthForce Nutritionals), Happy Oasis and even a segment with yours truly (the Health Ranger).  

It all starts Oct. 19. Don’t miss this one! See you there!

Don’t you just hate it when there’s some cool or amazing photo or story that is emailed from a friend and then, you forward it to your list, and then . . . someone, like my brother Dave who always corrects me! sends me an email with the link that tells me it’s a hoax?

99% of the time I’m ahead of that curve. I check out the hoax sites and dump it if it’s a scam.

I missed one today. Almost want it to be true maybe! But alas… not to be.

Still kind of interesting, but not a true story of “NY couple buys farm and find $36,000,000 worth of cars in barn.”

Whenever your guts know that something’s fishy, that somethings “too good to be true”, go to  www.snopes.com or www.hoax-slayer.com and find out!

Here’s the story on the car/barn one, just in case you missed it! http://www.hoax-slayer.com/barn-cars.shtml

Wouldn’t you just once like to get one of those envelopes for a credit card in the mail that says, “You’ve been PRE-DENIED for our credit card!” And then they’d quit sending them? 

Well, that’s not going to happen. But, you can stop paper clutter from even getting into your mail box — save trees, landfills, your mind… GET OFF MAIL AND CALL LISTS! 

Stop the Junk Mail!
It’s easy to do and the impact is huge!

More than 100 million trees’ worth of bulk mail arrive in American mail boxes each year– that’s the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months. (New American Dream calculation from Conservatree and U.S. Forest Service statistics)

It takes less than 30 minutes, and you will be able to save 41 pounds of junk mail a year. Doesn’t sound like much time when you consider the average adult will spend 8 months per lifetime opening bulk mail. (Consumer Research Institute).

Here’s how to do it – visit this website for instructions:
http://www.ecocycle.org/junkmail/index.cfm

Plus, many thanks to Diana Thompson, a computer “geek!” who attended my “organizing paper” class recently and had other great updates for HOW TO GET OFF LISTS! And, here’s Diana’s info if you need help with your computer in any way: thompson@zeahund.com She’s in the Longmont, CO area - but can help you over the phone too I bet!

Opt out of Pre-screened Credit offers - https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi

Opt out of Catalogs - http://www.catalogchoice.org/  and  http://www.catalogchoice.com/ (2 different ones)

ProQuo - ProQuo helps you to remove your name and personal information from thousands of marketing lists, data brokers and other organizations that send you unsolicited mail.  - http://proquo.com/

Direct Mail Association has lots of information on how to get off of the many lists that are part of everyday life in the information age. http://www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.php

They do ask for a credit card in the name you are trying to remove. This is a reputable site that I recommend to my customers. There will be no charge made to the credit card.

Stop the Junk Calls! 

Do Not Call Lists - http://www.donotcall.gov/  - This web site does seem to have problem according to Microsoft but it is a government site and despite what Microsoft says it is safe.

Thanks again Diana!

If you have more or the newest information on this topic, please fill in the comment box and let me know! Good luck!

Exciting News!

Get a dose of Dr. DeClutter organizing tips and ideas for a better life everyday… on your mobile phone!

Introducing MobileTude

A new mobile magazine for busy women –

from anywhere, any time, on your mobile phone!

Sometimes we just need that little pick-me-up, support, idea orclue to the next-best-step we can take in our day, or shift in attitude wherever we are… in the world! At MobileTude you’ll get tips on

• stress management
• time management
• organizing
• inspiration
• motivation
• or a dash of humor!
• and more

Enjoy this brand new way to get Dr. DeClutter Organizing Tips on your Mobile Phone anytime you want, like while sitting waiting for an appointment, waiting in line or traffic!! 

MobileTude offers quick fun, helpful information, stress relief and links to stuff you need… from where you are.  Regular features include:

• 5 Minutes for Me
• Permission from the Queen!
• RX from DrDeClutter
• Thoughts to Ponder 
• Ways to Say No
• Ask Your Kid
• and other inspiring and helpful information.

Designed specifically for use while you are mobile - you know, out and about with your trusty cell phone by your side.

How to see my stuff on MobileTude (on your mobile phone!)
If you have a cell phone that has internet access and you have a data plan, just point your mobile browser to m.mobiletude.com  from your phone.

If you don’t know if you have a data plan, then you probably don’t. Dang! If you’re interested in getting a data plan, talk to your cell phone carrier who will get you hooked up with one in a jiffy!____________________________________________________

-FEEDBACK PLEASE! I’d love to know what you think of MobileTude!

Let me know…

~ What else could we put on the site that would make it more useful to you?

~ What is your favorite column and why?

Email me at kim@drdeclutter.com or comment on this post!

Pre-thanks!

Kim“Dr. DeClutter”

MobileTude, A mobile magazine for busy women anytime

by Kim Wolinski,  “Dr. DeClutter” and

Kim Dushinski, Mobile Marketing Profits