The following list offers some inexpensive ways to make your home secure:
* Do not leave a ladder outside of your home. A thief could easily Cheap New Balance 574 , and they do, gain entrance to a second story window.
* Always ask for ID when service men come to your home. Do not let your children answer the door. Don't be afraid to call the company for verification BEFORE you let them inside your home.
* Do not keep excess cash around your house. Keep it in a safety deposit box at your bank. If you must keep cash at home, hide it NOT in the kitchen or your bedroom, as that is the first place a thief will look.
* Take pictures of your heirlooms and personal items for identification at some later time.
* Mark all electronic equipment with a permanent etching of your name and drivers license number or social security number. This process makes it hard for the thief to sell your property Cheap New Balance Sale , and easy for you to identify and get returned to you.
* Never leave notes on your front door announcing your absence. This may seem incredible, but people do this all of the time. You might as well put up a neon sign giving your time of return also.
* Keep an eye out for a strange vehicle on your block. It could be a thief checking out the whereabouts of you or your neighbors. Write down the vehicle description and the license number. Don't be ashamed to call the Police to report a suspicious vehicle.
* Purchase a timer that will turn on your lights automatically and light up your house when you are away.
* If you are going on vacation, arrange to have your lawn mowed, your paper picked-up Cheap New Balance Pink , leaves raked and snow shoveled. Make it look like you are home.
* Have the post office hold your mail until you return.
* Leave your furnace or central air on low so that people can hear it start up once in a while. This tells burglars that you won't begone for long.
* If you ever arrive home, and your door is open, or you see obvious signs of forced entry, DO NOT GO INSIDE Cheap New Balance Green , call the Police. Don't be a hero!
Robert Nelson is a staff writer at Spy Supply Depot, where all kinds of Self Defense & Surveillance Equipment are available. Feel free to visit their website: There are countless ways to save your business money. Unfortunately, many Australian businesses are overlooking them, or simply don't have the time to go searching them out.
Buyer's remorse is not a new idea. You may have experienced it right after a friend revealed he'd paid $100 less for his state-of-the-art golf clubs than you did. But what's $100 between friends? Better luck next time Cheap New Balance Burgundy , you think.
Now consider how you'd feel if the same friend told you he was saving $100,000 a year on running costs for his business. Suddenly, buyer's remorse takes on a much more serious face.
Cost cutting may not be glamorous, but it is vital to ensure the stability and progress of every business in today's competitive world. Fortunately Cheap New Balance Black , you don't have to do it by yourself. There are consultants, such as Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA), available to help you manage costs. They scrutinise the 'little things? that are often overlooked, and yet add up to big costs - things like stationery Cheap New Balance Classic , printing, telecommunications, get the picture. Once scrutinised, they offer a solution tailor-made to that company.
?Our clients always make the decisions about which alternatives are most suitable for them Cheap New Balance 574 Shoes , and are included in the process all the way through,? says Fred Marfleet, Chairman of ERA Australia. ?But our help and guidance ensures they make the right decisions.?
To give you an idea of the kinds of things that a company like ERA takes into consideration when investigating a cost-management solution, we've put together a list of 50 ways in which your company might cut costs.
Starting with the big picture
1. Centralise purchasing
You may be buying the same goods from different suppliers! Coordinate the spending of different departments to maximise discounts through bulk purchasing power.
2. Cut the paperwork
Request monthly consolidated invoices to improve cash flow and reduce administration costs.
3. Ask for a reason
Don't accept a price increase without challenge.
4. Get a second opinion
Obtain alternative quotes - on everything. Advise existing suppliers that the business is being tendered Cheap New Balance Shoes , and give them a chance to reduce their prices.
5. Call in a negotiator
Never allow the person in daily contact with a supplier to negotiate price. Use the good copbad cop approach, calling in someone else, so that emotion is not involved in the process. This also allows the day-to-day relationship to remain unaffected.
6. A beautiful friendship
Building good relationships with suppliers can result in reductions in costs. Ask them for suggestions on how to improve the way in which you work together. Could ordering weekly instead of daily allow them to reduce their own admin costs and enable them to pass the savings on?
7. Improve cash flow
Reduce your stock levels, and encourage suppliers to hold stock.
8. Review product specification
Ensure that products being used do not exceed requirements. Can you use second-hand pallets for transportation? Recycled toner cartridges?
9. Establish a caring culture
Caring is a pre-requisite to effective cost-management. If staff and executives are complacent Cheap New Balance , it's difficult to implement savings.
10. Commit to stamping out unnecessary costs
Lead by example and demonstrate to employees that you care about saving money, even on the smallest items.
And now for the detail...
11. Advertising
Don't just take their word for it: conduct regular research to ensure that your advertising budgets are being used effectively.