Simplifying People's Lives

November is one of my favorite months of the year. Not only the weather is beautiful and we move our clocks back one hour. But it is the beginning of the Holiday Season.

Time to make plans for Thanksgiving, time to cook delicious food and of course time to start buying our Christmas presents! 

We all know that after Thanksgiving the shopping season officially begins with the worldwide known Black Friday. And as must of us know by now, it has turned into an impossible mission making it more a torture than a happy shopping day. But what a lot of people don't know yet, is that retailers offer amazing discounts for online shoppers during this day too as well as on the Monday following Thanksgiving, better known as Cyber Monday.

As E-commerce evolves and reaches more households every year, retailers have created strategic marketing plans to attract more customers. They give a way discount coupon codes to be used during checkout and Black Friday is one of the busiest online shopping days now.

Many shopping portals offer rebates when customer link to other retailers and make a purchase, better known as affiliate marketing. Lately I have shopped smarter on a site with an advanced Search Technology that looks for the best price among their retailers allowing customer to compare in seconds the best price as well as the percentage of cash back they can receive from the retailer if they make the purchase. It also has a Green Mall with thousands of green products at a very competitive price.

Before you know the Holidays will be knocking at your door. Get everything you need saving money and time. Avoid waiting outside the store at 4:00 am waiting for them to open while you freeze outside. Forget about the mess, the crowd, the long lines and the stress.

Sign up for free and enjoy a lifetime to save and earn some cash. Easy sign up, no hassles. Just CLIK HERE 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Holiday Shopping Season

Cyber Black Friday refers to online retailer's Black Friday promotions. Is the online retail equivalent to Black Friday without long lines! 

Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday for consumers, who were too busy to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend or did not find what they were looking for, they shop online that Monday from home or work finding great bargains. Cyber Monday is becoming quickly one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

During the last 2 years I have saved my mental sanity by purchasing everything in my shopping list from home. It is easier to find the product you are looking for without walking miles in a crowded mall just to find out that the item you want is sold out and now you have to drive to the closest mall to get it. Plus shopping online allows you to stay warm and cozy at home avoiding parking issues and long lines. Plus you can save on the State Tax when you buy from online retailers or retailers that do not have brick and mortar in your State.

I have discovered an amazing shopping portal that has links to over 2,300 retails and close to 20,000 green products that pays you cash back for anyone using those links to get to the retailer they are looking for. This site has an Advance search technology that search among all the retailers for the best price and you can compare in one sites the sales price of an specific product. 

Besides that this site has merged with a giant online retailer that has over one million products at a discounted price. Also paying commissions on every purchase! 

If you want to take advantage of this amazing shopping sites for all your Holiday shopping list CLICK HERE and register for FREE!! And start saving and earning money on every purchase.

Need help with your online shopping?? Don't hesitate to contact me! 

Thinking about shopping online?

If you are thinking about shopping online for the items you need on a daily basis, you're not alone! According to the U.S. department of commerce, U.S. online retail reached $175 billion in 2007 and is projected to grow by $335 by year 2012. E-commerce clearly continues to thrive, even when traditional consumer spending is off at brick-and-mortar shops.

Business to consumer, or better know as E-commerce continues its double digit year-over-year growth, in part because sales are shifting away from stores and in part because online shoppers are more confident with the whole process of buying online. 

Today more than ever online store-owners are busier than ever meeting the demand of a maturing market. "Almost any transaction you can think of can now be done online -from consumers paying their utility bills and people buying books, movies and clothes, to major corporations paying their vendors and selling to their customers." ~ Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke

There are some trends that marked years 2008 and 2009 regarding E-commerce and will certainly will continue to do so in 2010: 

• Social media marketing has been the new way to advertise for retailers.
• Price comparison sites.
• Ebay went through big changes in 2008 allowing small retailers to increase sales. 
• Many retailers offer free shipping, attracting more consumers to their online store. 
• Customer reviews have helped consumers make a decision towards their purchase with the addition of videos, pictures and 360 views. 
• Affiliate marketing increases traffic to the retailer's website.
• International sales are increasing day by day.

After all, online shopping is fast and convenient, opening a new world of merchandise and services for families and businesses!

Top 10 Reasons to Shop Online

There are great benefits involved with shopping online and I wanted to share with you the top 10 reason why you and any household or business owner should shop online:

1. Shopping is a necessity in our lives and we constantly look for the cheapest prices. We use coupons and buy from clearance. When shopping online from your website you can use online coupon codes plus you will earn an additional 3%-40% cash back.

2. Tax Benefits: Besides that you can shop in many Tax-Free sites, the best tax bonus is that the IRS considers the money you earn from your shopping as NON TAXABLE because it is categorized as REBATES! If the write-offs don't pay back your investment, your shopping will.

3. Life Benefits: When you shop online you soon will see that you can use the time saved to improve yourself, to read more, to study more, to spend more time with the people you love.


4. You will cut your actual shopping time by 75%. There are items that we purchase over and over such as paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, soap, laundry items, toiletries, cleaners, diapers, makeup, hair care. These are the perfect items to purchase online, order everything in less than 10 minutes and it will be delivered to your front door.

5. Instead of spending hours each month on the entire shopping process of getting ready, driving, shopping, checkout lines, loading/unloading, now you can do it in half an hour in the the privacy of your own home with a glass of wine. Then you only have to wait for its arrival to put it away.

6. Save the rebate money you earn for something special - a night out , a brand new TV or even a vacation. The savings adds up and the more you or anyone else shops from your website, the more you will earn.

7. Real life money saving: Did you know that many items are cheaper online than at the brick and mortar store? That you can save the State Tax by shopping tax-free retailers? That you can find the same product at a much lower price in some websites you have no idea they exist? That you can compare instantly the price and cash back you will receive for a specific product?

8. There are great shopping portals where you can sign up for free. They set it up and provides all the maintenance, updates and 24/7 support you need. They  track all your purchases for you.

9. You can shop online in most of the biggest names in retail such Macys, Sports Authority, GAP, Banana Republic, Target, Office Depot, Walmart, Expedia, Budget Rent-A-Car, Marriott, Six Flags, Shutterfly, Sears, Skype, Nautica, Adidas, Aeropostale, PETCO.

10. Nowadays you can fin thousands of eco-friendly products online. Many of them you can't find at your regular grocery store.

E-commerce Improved

I am sure that you are now familiar with E-commerce or better known as online shopping. It is estimated that 50% of the active internet users are also frequent online shoppers.

As E-commerce evolves, there are better and improved shopping portals that allow consumers to find the product they are looking for. Now anyone can find in seconds a product and all the retailers that sell it, comparing prices instantly and discovering retailers they have never heard before.

Today you can link to thousands of retailers from shopping portals where you can register for free such as Retail Benefits and receive a percentage of cash back just for linking to the retailer from this site. Example: if you want to buy a ticket on Expedia you have 2 options: 1) go directly to their site or 2) go to the RB website, find the retailer and link to the official Expedia site but just for those additional clicks you could earn 1.6% back in cash.

Next time you need to buy something online or need to book a flight remember shop smarter!

The Whole World is One Click Away

With just a click of a mouse you can buy nearly any product online from retailers around the world, from diapers, beauty products, pet supplies, car insurance, party favors, travel arrangements, home loans, groceries, cleaning supplies, to electronics and clothing. E-commerce allows consumers to purchase thousands of items without leaving the comfort of their home.

The number of people shopping online around the world is increasing dramatically. Retailers attract more shoppers as they utilize their websites to sell out-of-season merchandise at a fraction of the price at the same time that they also have the new arrivals.

What are the advantages of shopping online?

• Compare prices between different stores that have the same item.
• No need to drive to the store, you can do it in your PJ's at home.
• Find the size you are looking for in seconds.
• Easy to send a family member a gift or flowers even when they live far from you.
• Use online coupons to save extra money.
• No long lines to pay.
• Possibility of finding the same item with a retailer that doesn't charge State tax (depending on your location)
• In a matter of minutes you can finish your purchase and just wait for the delivery.

As technology continues to evolve, consumers are now able to shop online from a smart phone or using any portable device that has access to the Internet. You can shop online while you wait for your children to come out of their dancing class, at the pediatrician waiting room, at the airport before boarding a flight, at the hair salon while you get a nice pedicure!

Retail Benefits is a fast growing shopping portal with links to the biggest names in retail. With their advanced search technology you can find in seconds the best price for a specific item, you can compare between retailers and find the best deal. The best part, is that it has a list of more than 2,000 registered non-profit organizations and you can select to donate all or part of your rewards to your favorite charity. This amazing shopping portal has also a Green Mall with over 20,000 products that are better for you, for your health, your family and of course for our planet with the best eco-friendly brands.

So next time you want to buy shoes at your retail mall, think that you can probably find the same exact model, for a much lower price!

Live Life Wisely

As we grow up, time seems to go faster. When you become a parent it's less likely to find time for yourself as you are running all the daily errands. What if you could have your monthly supplies shipped to your door? You would save a tremendous amount of time and money as you gas tank will last longer, wouldn't you? Have you ever considered shopping online your monthly supplies from out-of-state retailers or virtual stores that don't charge State Tax? Just for you to know, Miami-Dade County has a 7% Tax and there are many other states that have a higher rate.



Shopping online also reduces impulse buying.

When we go to the store we purchase items we don't need just because the retailers put them in a special place with a huge ON SALE sign that makes you want and need the product.

If you go to the store with kids that amount can easily be doubled as they probably would want to buy a snack, a cookie box with their favorite character in it, a toy or a book.

It is a fact that living a greener life is healthier and it also helps protect our planet. A wide variety of eco-friendly product are available online as well and you don't have to go to special natural and organic stores to get them.

 

Think about it: a $5-8 shipping charge will probably be less than the money you would spend on gasoline in a week going to 3-4 different stores to buy your supplies. Also it is true that many retailers offer free shipping after you reach certain amount in your total purchase.

Or maybe you go to one of those mega super stores where it takes you 2 hours in and out (if you are lucky) to get every item on your list, and still you might have to use 2-3 gallons of gas to get there and back at an average of $2.60 per gallon.

So next time you write your shopping list, take some time to search online, you will be surprised what you can find on the world wide web!

Let me show you a better way to shop online:
http://smart.retailbenefits.com

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10 Easy Ways to Save Money

We are all trying to reduce our monthly expenses as our economy continues to struggle. Saving money is not as easy as it was 5 years ago but it is not impossible if we give it a try. Why not start saving money today? Below you will find 10 easy ways to help you save money, it might not seem a lot to save 50 a month but at the end of a year or two it will make a difference.

1. Start by setting a realistic goal of reducing your household or personal expenses by $25 or $50 monthly!
2. Keep a journal with all your expenses and purchases for a month. It's truly amazing how much money we spend on impulse purchases while shopping.
3. Compare prices! Most retailers have websites. You can easily obtain information online.
4. Use coupons! Even when people think that rebates are too time-consuming it can save you a lot of money in the long run. And most retailers offer online coupon codes too! That will save you the time at the cashier scanning every discount available. You would be surprised the amazing offer you can find online plus you will save the time and gasoline as you can shop from the convenience of your home.
5. Bring your own lunch, coffee, tea, cookies and drinks to work. Those daily visits to gourmet coffee shops or restaurants can impact your wallet more than you think! $8-12 a day can turn into $2,080-$3,120  in a year, do the math!
6. Limit your nights dining out to once a month. There are great websites where you can purchase gift certificates of $25 paying only $2, that is a tremendous discount.
7. Eliminate prepackaged food. For example, a block of mozzarella cheese is cheaper than the grated one. Whole chicken breast is cheaper than the skinless/boneless type plus it will add more flavor to your soups. Make your own apple sauce it is so simple and you can control the amount of sugar you add to it.
8. Conserve electricity and water. Turn off the light of the rooms you are not using and check the toilets for possible leaks, run your dishwasher and washer only when they are completely full, use cold water for your laundry, take shorter showers or close the water while you wash your body or shave. Doing this will not only lower your monthly bill but it will also help preserve the planet.
9. Cook dinner from scratch, avoid using prepared food. Also reduce the amount of meat your eat a week, it is healthier for you and for your monthly budget.
10. Buy a water filter and reusable water bottles. Keep them in the refrigerator for future use. You can save a lot of money in a year as you avoid buying bottled water and at the same time you will help prevent those empty bottles ending up in our landfills. Plus, since keeping the refrigerator full saves energy as the temperature will stay cooler longer, having water bottles will also reduce your electricity bill.

LIVE - SHOP - SAVE - EARN
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Online Shopping Facts

• Shopping online can saves you time, money and gas!!

• E-commerce goes beyond travel reservations or car rentals.

• Shopping online is greener as long as you select ground transportation.

• Every year more green products are sold online as people are becoming more conscious about the environment and about their health. Even well known companies are making eco-friendly products to satisfy the increasing demand.

• Every year more people uses the internet to research products. Every day more people end up buying the item they looked online as it is convenient for them, fast and easy.

• Retailers offer discounted prices and promotion for online only purchases. It is much easier for them to ship items directly form the warehouse, instead of having to rent a space inside a shopping mall and pay all the expenses doing this involves.

• Shopping online is safe and secure, in many cases even more than handing your credit card to a stranger that can easily copy the information and use later without your consent.

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My Experience as Online Shopper

Nowadays we have become more conscious about the money we spend every month. We are all looking ways to save money on everything we buy. So I wanted to share some real experiences.

A person I know needed to make some home improvements and in order to do so he needed to spend about 4000 in materials in Home Depot (after all we all need to go to Home Depot at one point in our lives) So, on Friday he went to this site and bought a $4,000 gift certificate at Home Depot and he elected to have it e-mailed. He received the e-mail and printed the certificate, went to Home Depot and paid with it. That got him $90.00 in cash back!

Another great example on how you can take advantage of this portal is when you suddenly need to buy electronics and you don't have time to wait for the shipment. So go to your portal, go to Best Buy and find the product you are looking for and select the option "pick-up in store" then you find the closest store and make the purchase. After about an hour you will get an e-mail saying that your item is ready for pick-up. You saved time and you also got cash back on something you were going to buy anyway.

We all have booked a flight on Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, ChepOAir, Priceline, etc. Ot we have booked a car on Avis, Budget, Enterprise, right? Well, what if you can get cash back on those purchases? You are going to book it online anyway! 

My father is a doctor and he sent me a list of books that we bought on Amazon thinking he got the best prices for them. To my surprise I checked every book on a retailer called Alibris discovering that every single item was cheaper with free shipping! In all, he could have saved $194 buying from this retailer plus I could have gotten 4% cash back. That was the last time he ordered from Amazon.

 

Traditional Shopping vs. Online Shopping

I am sure that by now you are probably familiar with E-commerce or online shopping. We all have booked a flight, a hotel or rented a car on the Internet and yes, that is considered online shopping too! even when the purchase is intangible.

As retailers try to attract more customers, they have improved their shopping experience with better websites and easier shopping carts. You can find now all kinds of reviews, ratings and comments on specific products as well as detailed description of it item. So what are the advantages of shopping online vs. going to the store? Let me try to explain this with a real example:

You need to buy supplies for your pet (s) and traditionally you will get in your car, drive to the store which can take about 10 minutes, find a place to park, walk to the entrance, get a cart, find the item you are looking for (stores love to reorganize every time we go and it seems you will never find one item in the same location), load it in your cart, in the mean time you get caught by one of the store special for some items you don't need but they make you feel you need it, you make a line to pay (it can take from 0-15 minutes to reach the cashier), they scan your products (hopefully all bar codes work properly), you swipe your card, walk to your car, put the items in your car and finally drive back home. In all, it probably took you about one hour to complete this small task, after all you only went for food and bedding for your rabbits, right? Oh! If you have kids, you might want to add another 30 minutes MINIMUM to the whole shopping experience.

Now lets take a look to a more modern option. Kids are sleeping, you are watching TV with your laptop and a glass of red wine. You go to your this website website, find the pet store you need (takes about 10 seconds) you are linked to their official site, find the items you need (using their search tab makes it faster and if you know the item code is even better) add them to your virtual cart, you checkout and done! you completed the purchase in 5 minutes (or less, as you get better at online shopping) Now you only have to wait about 5 business days or less for the delivery. So now you saved time and gas and using your Shop To Earth portal will give you a percentage of cash back. Oh! did I mention that your kids were sleeping???

Every month we need to buy supplies for either our office or our homes. Online shopping has many advantages:

• Save gasoline
• Save time
• Save money as many retailers have special online only prices
• Save on State Tax since depending on the retailer's location you might not have to pay tax
• Use of discount online coupons that retailers issue to their online customers
• Avoid going to the store when it is raining, when it;s cold or too hot
• Save money as you impulse buying at the store can really add up in your bill
• You can compare in seconds the sales price of the same item among different retailers

The more shopping power you transfer to online shopping, the more time and money you will save every month. Let me show you how to simplify your life at the same time that you can save thousands a year on the items you have to buy anyway.

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Being healthy starts with the food we eat.

Chef Jamie Oliver Speaks out on Obesity and Disease.

A Modern Shopping Trend

During the recent gas price increases, many major stores reported losses in their bricks and mortar outlets, yet their online sales blossomed. Brick and mortar stores spend thousands on air conditioning, designers, personnel, stands and decorations to catch your eye. When you shop online, often your order will be fulfilled via a warehouse that doesn't have all those gimmicks and expenses, therefor you can find better deals on the Internet.

I've been an online shopper for a couple of years now and I can say that I have saved not only time but also money by using discount coupons, Zero Sales Tax stores and last minute deals. But I realize that a lot of people are still very apprehensive about E-commerce due to the possibility of identity theft. But think about this, when you give your card to a waiter, or when they pass it on a store, they also keep the information in their systems and those systems are connected to the Internet, in many cases that is how hackers get the information. Although online shopping from trustworthy retailers is safe, here are some helpful tips to protect yourself when shopping online:

• Don't be impressed by low prices. Many times prices that are way below the average can come from illegitimate businesses that might take your money and run.
• Always look for a physical address and a phone number.
• Always check for security certificates, be sure that the website is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protected.
• Always read the terms of service before you finish your transaction.
• If you are going to create an account with a retailer be sure to have a strong password.

Online shopping also has a green side. Most likely a delivery truck is headed to your neighborhood anyway. It is better for the environment to have 1 truck delivering to 6 houses, than having 6 cars heading to the store, increasing traffic and the gas emissions. Many stores also re-use boxes and packing materials to help reduce their carbon footprint and they also use materials that can be recycled.

Buying thins online is fun and easy. There are great search engines out there that can help you find what you are looking for in seconds. You can even compare the price between different stores that carry the same product without having to visit physically each of them! No wonder why online shopping is expected to grow even more over the next few years.

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Simplify your Life

I am happy to say that being a business owner has many advantages, but it also requires more time from us in order to keep it going. 24 hours in a day we not enough for all the chores involved in running Kenneth Rust Audio Consultant and at the same time running my own house. I used to find myself invoicing some clients and doing laundry at 11:00PM.

Some of the most time-consuming chores is shop around for the office, warehouse and home supplies. You might be surprised the list of items we need to buy in order to have a smooth operation and a 100% functional home. On a normal week I had to make several stops in stores like Home Depot, Office Depot, Walmart, Target, Tiger Direct, Toys R Us, Sears, The Children's Place, Macy's, Walgreens, CVS, Costco and Publix, just to mention a few.

As online shopping became more popular, we started to order items we needed for the office on the Internet saving the time involved in going to the store (drive, park, walk the aisles, find the item, make the line to pay, pack the car, drive back)

Still, I spent a lot of time running the countless errands that a family of 4 require: groceries, bulk items, birthday presents for kids and adults, decorations, clothing and apparel needs, cleaning supplies, home maintenance items, educational & school requirements and so much more. Yes there are great super stores that carry mostly everything but that meant spending over 3 hours since the moment I left home to the moment I came back pushing a heavy cart full of supplies and dragging 2 little girls around the store. The result: shopping for the items we needed was not fun anymore!

Then I heard about a way to make money and save money and time shopping online: affiliate marketing where a website owner have links to online retailers receiving cash back for all purchases that originated with that link. The interesting part is that I never had to add the retailers, buy a domain name, a hosting package, a web designer or maintain the website up and running.

Little by little more retailers were introduced to us, many of those out-of-state meaning savings of 7% just on the Tax we pay in Miami-Dade County. And then I learned about how to use online coupon codes so our savings were maximized too. And on top of that I discovered that the more buying power I transfer to online shopping, the more money I would save for our business and our family. Soon I discovered that all the office and warehouse supplies, parts & materials, electronics and software we needed for our office could be ordered and delivered to our door.

As I became more familiar and more retailers were added I soon ad our clothing, coffee beans, bulk items, some pantry items, toiletries, school supplies, shoes, special occasion presents, invitations, thank you cards, cleaning products, pet food & pet care, snacks, supplements & vitamins and so much more delivered to my door. I could go on with my day knowing that at the time I came back after a day of work and after school activities with my girls, I would find a box outside my door with everything I ordered!! No need to drive, find a place to park, deal with the crowds, the heat and the lines anymore. And obviously my gas expenses were cut in half too. Now my trips to the grocery store are no more that 30 minutes in and out since I only need to get perishables, dairy products, fruits & vegetables.

The best part as I don't go to the stores as I used to, my impulse buying expenses are reduced to a minimum. My credit card monthly statements went from an average of 1700 a month to about 1400 even when now I buy more natural and organic products, healthier products and better brands than what I used to get at Walmart!

All the time I save now, I use it to spend it with my family or doing more productive things. You could do it too!

Live Green - Save green - Earn Green

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Time in a Busy World

When you think about how much time it going shopping takes from the moment you leave your house until the moment you com back, you will be surprised to know that woman spend an average of 5-6 hours a week buying food, clothes, gifts and other supplies. We all know that shopping can be a hassle starting with the time it takes to find a place to park and the long lines at the cashier.

Unfortunately since the cost of living has increased tremendously over the past years; more and more women have taken full-time jobs in order to bring an extra source of income for their household leaving them little time to spend at home since the time they have off during the evenings or weekends is used to buy their weekly necessities.

Luckily, as the internet has evolved shoppers can now order almost anything they need from the convenience of their house or office. Today's search engines help customers find in a matter of seconds the product they are looking for, saving not only money but also a tremendous amount of time.

Products that have to be replaced frequently can be purchased online, simplifying the lives of many working mothers. Items such as diapers, toiletries, bulk merchandise, pet supplies, electronics, clothing, shoes, fragrances, gifts, groceries, books, toys, cleaning supplies and laundry products are some of the most popular supplies people buy nowadays on the internet allowing them to have more free time as they wait for the items to be delivered at their door.

Next time you are plan to go shopping take a few minutes to look for what you need online, compare prices and enjoy the convenience of home delivery. You might be surprised how much time (and money) you can save when you make a shift on on your shopping habits. In a busy world like the one we live on, time is priceless.

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Being Green Saves You Money

Day after day we hear about switching to a greener lifestyle but many don't follow this path because they believe that doing this will affect the family budget.

You don’t have to go to extremes to help our planet, but small decisions can make a huge difference to your health and the environment. Greener and healthier products can be a little more expensive than the bargains we can find at the local dollar store, but at the end they can cause health problems that will cost more money.

Here are some tips that can help you save money at the same time that you can do your part to help our planet:

• Choose reusable dust cloths over paper towels and use biodegradable products to wash it.
• Cut two minutes off your shower to save a minimum five gallons of water per day.
• Save on gas: walk, use your bike, shop online, maintain your tires in a good condition, take your time to drive where you need to go avoiding stepping on the gas pedal.
• Try to repair things before you consider replacing them.
• Get a water filter and reusable portable water bottles (aluminum rather than plastic) Regular water bottles are more expensive and they 90% are not even recycled and end up in our landfills.
• Many electronics and toys consume a lot of batteries; save money and help our planet by getting rechargeable batteries.
• Grow native plants in your garden it will not only save you time while gardening, but also water and the use of fertilizers and other supplements.
• Eating less meat is a way to save money and help the planet since there is less energy involved in the production of vegetables than processing meats.
• Go to your local Farmer's market and get seasonal products, they are cheaper and tastier. Avoid buying fruits and vegetables that come from far away lands they cost more and bringing them to you involves more energy and pollution.
• Think before you buy. We tend to impulse-buy many things at the store; items that frequently end up in storage or we only use a few times before going to the trash can. Shopping online reduces impulse shopping but if you need to go to the store, do it when kids are at school.
• Recycle your old cellular phones, computers, ink cartridges, electronics and batteries. there are many websites that will give you cash for these items!

So the next time you plan to go shopping, take some time to sit down and make a list of what you need, do some research online about the product and if possible, have it delivered to your house. You can find better bargains online at the same time you reduce traffic and gas emissions.

Live Green - Save Green

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Businesses are going green: Think Global, Act Local

When words can't explain the facts, a video can:

Charlotte Initiative "Go-To Green"

Think Global, Act Local

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Negotiating can save you extra money!

In other countries negotiating while purchasing good or services is expected and it is also a social custom. But believe it or not, doing this can save you extra money while shopping online.

Next time you are shopping online put the items you want in your cart and look for a chat or Live help button. Clicking on that button will open a live session with a customer representative. Mention that you have your cart full but that you have been comparison shopping - in most cases you have been looking around for the best deal- and that you would like to know if they have any special discounts. Initially the rep probably will say no, but as you continue to negotiate and tell them that you will have to get the items from the competitor, then the magic will begin and you probably will get a special code that you can use during checkout.

Shopping online can save money and time and if used wisely, the savings can grow significantly.

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Shopping in the Future

There is no doubt that the Internet is changing the habits of consumers. More people shop online instead of driving to the mall. It is a fact that online shopping is becoming a worldwide choice at a very rapid pace. People want to use their free time in some other ways instead of spending it getting the items they need on a monthly basis. It seems as if the days of driving to one place to buy electronics then heading to another store to buy clothing and spend the rest of a Saturday afternoon grocery shopping are coming to an end.


Purchasing products or services online is easier than ever and consumers can save extra money researching for similar items or comparing prices. Search engines such as Google help consumers find the product they want in a very simple an easy way. Plus it is very time consuming finding the store you need at a mall depending on how big or small it is and how long it takes you to find a parking spot.


In many occasions traditional stores have a limited stock or a smaller selection of products compared to the online store and prices can be lower just because the retailer ship items from a warehouse avoiding the high costs of having a store in a shopping mall.


As technology evolves, soon we will get to a point where we will be able to shop from our phones from mostly everywhere we go. At the same time, some shopping portals are evolving in order to attract more consumers and to keep up with the evolution of E-commerce. Before you know you might be shopping while you are at the park, at the beach or at your favorite restaurant!

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E-commerce Basics

E-commerce started when businesses started to exchange information and files with each other electronically. Today the Internet allows business-to-consumer transactions where people can buy goods and services online.

Due to the fact that the number of internet users as increased dramatically during the last decade, e-commerce has become a multibillion industry and is expected to grow even more during the following years. The US Census Bureau data, projects that e-commerce for 2010 in the United states will climb to over $152 billion, up 12.7 percent from last year.

So, what are the benefits of e-commerce for consumers? I will try to explain.

· The shopper can compare prices among different stores that have the same product instead of driving from store to store.

· Websites provide detailed product information and in many cases reviews from other choppers that bought the same products.

· Shopping online can help reduce our carbon footprint. The US Postal Service, along with shipping giants such as Fed Ex and UPS are making the rounds anyway, driving close to most American households every day, if not right past it.

· The consumer can find a wider variety of sizes, colors and online only products.

· Save time: when a consumer knows the product needed, it can take less than 5 minutes to order it and have it delivered between 7-10 business days Vs. driving to the store, find a place to park, walk to the store, search the item, make a line to pay, walk to the car and drive back home can take at least 30 minutes or more.

· Save money: Depending on the retailer, the consumer can get products or services that are free of State tax. Avoiding trips to the store reduces the gas consumption saving money (and helping the environment). Retailers frequently issue online coupons that can save the consumer something between 10-40% of the retail price.

· In many cases customers can pick up or return items to the land base store.

Most online retailers are looking for different ways to grow their businesses and increase sales. Affiliate Marketing is growing in popularity, where retailers allow other websites to create links that direct potential customers to their websites and in return they give the website a percentage of the amount of the purchase that was generated using this link creating a win-win situation for the retailer and for the owner of the website with the electronic link.

It is estimated that in 2010 over 162 million people research a specific product on the Internet. Many will head to the store to get it, but the percentage of research that will end up in a sale will increase dramatically during the following years.

The amount of money saved and the convenience of receiving items that either a business or a household use on a monthly basis right at the door are one of the main reasons why e-commerce is growing at a very rapid pace.

So go ahead and explore the world wide web, you soon will discover that online shopping goes beyond airline tickets and hotel reservations. Have fun and save more!!

A Dolar Saved is a Minute Saved

It seems like every day people have less time to enjoy a movie, a peaceful weekend with the family, reading a book or playing with the kids. Time seems not to be enough to do all the chores needed to maintain our lifestyles.

We spend hours shopping for the items that we need daily: makeup, toiletries, cleaning products, books, toys, presents for birthday parties, office supplies, fragrances, clothing and so much more. Weekends have turned into excursions to the stores. Kids spend hours at stores like Costco, Walmart, Target or huge shopping malls instead of riding a scooter or playing ball at the park. Parents come back exhausted after the trip to the store with a 3 and 5 year old kids.

But thankfully, the Internet has made for some of us that have learned how to take advantage of it our lives less complicated. We have recovered our lives and our time, at the same time that we have discovered that we can cut our monthly expenses tremendously.

I can get the same Skechers, Stride Rites or Steven Maddens delivered to my door. I can have razor blades, toothpaste, toilet paper, diapers, wipes, snacks, spices, herbs, detergent, cleaning supplies delivered to my door. I can get the same toys I had planned as a gift or for my kids delivered to my door. I can get the food for my pets and other supplies delivered to my home as well as items I know I need every month. Many times I don't pay State tax and the shipping is free! Think of the money saved on gas when you stop driving around the city in order to get what you need it is a lot! I can say that I have reduced my gas expenses at least by half and I am reducing my carbon footprint too!

It takes me 5 minutes to get food for my pets. Maybe 10 to get school supplies for my girls. It takes be about 15 to get all the cleaning and beauty supplies and the best part is that it only takes me about 30 minutes in and out to the grocery store just to get perishables, fruits and veggies.

If you live in an apartment, think about the time saved going up and down the elevator to get your needs.
If you have small children think about how unhappy they are after 30 minutes at the store and how miserable is your shopping experience.

I have discovered that using online coupons I can save 10 or 20% sometimes even more.I add to that the cash back i receive for using a site that links me to 2000 retailers, many of them are eco-friendly.

I have registered my email with many retailers and I receive amazing discounts and I take advantage of them. And the best part is that online shopping is just at the beginning of what it will be the way to shop in a few years.

I have been introduced to a wide variety of green products that are mmuch better for my family, and obviously better for our planet and they all get to my front door! And did you know that as long as you ask ground shipping, online shopping is a greener way to get your items since shipping trucks already have their routes and many run on electricity?

So here I want to share some discount coupons with you so you can sit and relax, have a glass of wine while you get your monthly items and enjoy the time saved with the ones you love.

• Fossil - Free Shipping on orders of $100 or more
• Discount School Supplies - 30% on Arts and Crafts
• Victoria's Secret - Get 8 Secret garden body care items for $35 with code GARDEN35
• Bath & Body Works - $3 shipping on any order of $50 or more with code SHIP3
• Kipling - 20% off your purchase with code SPRING20
• Express - $15 OFF your purchase of $60 or more with code 4199
• FamousFootwear - BOGO + 15% OFF your purchase with code BUNNY15
• Target - $5 Off your purchase of $50 or more with code TC5W31BE
• Vitalicious (nutritious muffins) - 15% OFF Ester Chocolate Pack with code EEPQ4QTYQ
• Cost Plus World Market - Illy Coffee only at $9.99
• ULTA Beauty - Free Shipping on orders of $25 or more code 51160 - Or 20% off One item with code 49202
• Banana Republic - Mystery coupon: Get 15%, 20%, 30% or 50% on your purchase with code BHC16BYQNPK6
• Northern Tool + Equipment - Free Shipping on thousands of items for a limited time

GO SHOPPING - FIND ALL THESE RETAILERS AND MORE HERE

Problems mean solutions

Is it possible to save money in today’s economy? The prices of many items keep going up while the average income is going down. It seems like saving money is something from the past but we all know that when there is a problem there are new opportunities.

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Over the past years E-commerce has been growing at a very rapid pace. Retailers across the country have opened the doors to online shopping and many have been saved from closing down thanks to the online shoppers. Retailers like GAP and Circuit City have increased their online sales tremendously thanks to the internet.

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It has been predicted that US online shoppers will double to 132 million in the next five years. In a recent study, it was found that 19% of Internet users shop online once per week and this number is expected to continue to grow.

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Retailers have great discounts designed for online shoppers only. They send saving coupons frequently and in many occasions they have private sales for a few hours up to 50% off the regular price just online. These marketing strategies allow the company to get to their minimum monthly sales volume easier and attract more satisfied customers too.

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So can you save money buying the items you use on a monthly basis? YES, you can! A simple shift on the shopping habits of business or at home, can save a lot of money. Prices are better but it also saves us gas, time and effort. Also, buying online is better for our environment since many of the delivery trucks are electric now and it is always better to have one truck delivering to many homes than having 20 cars going to the stores creating traffic.

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Now, what is you could get cash back from your regular purchases? What if you could have a website affiliated with thousands of retailers and receiving cash back for every transaction generated from your site? What if that website was already designed, developed and already hosted for you 24/7? What if every week you could see new retailers added while you are sleeping? What if you could own a website like this and never pay a renewal fee for life? What if I told you that you could have a Green Mall with over 15,000 eco-friendly products?

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Wouldn’t all that be great?

CLICK HERE if you want to learn more about the 3 easy ways to get started.

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