Finance Coach - Vol. 5

Here's a copy of my latest message from my Facebook group - Finance Coach (by Gareth Cotten)...

Finance tip: Income

Dog-walking. This is the first of the suggestions for making extra a little extra cash on the side. It's extremely simple: You go around to your neighbours, or people in your area, and offer to walk their dogs for them. It's a very necessary service, as many people are too busy to walk their own dogs, and feel guilty about not exercising them. You can walk a couple of dogs at a time, doing it in the evening after work, and only work on the days you want to. The extra money is not to be laughed at either - if you're organised, you could create a pretty serious income stream (there are many people in the US who do it for a living, and support families on the income). And best of all, you're getting that much-needed exercise and fresh air, while being paid for it!

Business tip: Staff/Operations

Get staff input. Don't ever be afraid to ask your staff for their input on an idea. Some business owners feel that it's a sign of weakness to not dictate every last thing to their staff, but this is a complete fallacy. There could well be an area or function of your business that has been performed one way for years, but is not very efficient. The breakthrough for streamlining it could lie in the mind of one of your employees. Or there could be a business problem that you just can't seem to solve. Your employees could have a different view on it. Ask them if they feel there's a better way to do something - it could save them time or effort, make them more productive, and save you money. Not everything they come up with will be practical or useful, but you don't have to implement everything they suggest. Pick those ideas or suggestions that make the best business sense, and implement them. Even if they don't come up with a master-stroke idea, they will appreciate being consulted, feel more empowered and part of the business, and work harder for you.