Do you ever look at someone and he or she seems to be a people magnet? People, both men and women, seem to gravitate to him or her. He or she does not seem to do anything special, yet people flock to his or her side, hanging on his or her every word. You feel like a wallflower as you quietly blend into the woodwork wondering, “What does he or she have that I don’t?” That answer is simple, he or she has been developing their charisma.

Charisma is a combination of many factors, all of which anyone can attain. Some people just naturally have charisma bubbling all along the surface, easily accessible while others have to dig pretty deep to find theirs. However, it is possible to bring your charisma to the surface and let it start working for you. Become more popular socially. Be better respected at work. All it takes is a little know-how and a little belief that you can do it.

Have a Passionate Nature

Actions speak louder than words. Do not just talk it, DO it. Pursue your life with a passion and zeal that is unmatched. Remove passivity and negativity from your life. It is OK to get excited.

Accept what You can not Change

If there is something that you do not like or that upsets you, assess the situation. Can you do anything about it? Can you control it either directly or indirectly? If not, then move on. Accept the things that you can’t change or control.

Control Your Destiny

Take charge of your life. Figure out what you want from life, set your goals and go for it. Pursue your goals with a passion. This is one area of your life that you can control. Stop reacting and start making things happen. Act with positivity and remove all negativity from your life.

Find the Humor

A developed sense of humor is important for your charisma as well as just functioning in society. Humor can also help you keep your sanity in tough situations. If you can look at things from the humorous standpoint, you will be healthier emotionally, but also physically.

Believe

The simplest step is often the most difficult for people to attain because it involves confidence. You have to believe in yourself. Believe that you can achieve what you wish to attain. Believe that you can shed your life of the negativity and draw people and success to you. Believe that you are worth the good things.

The base of charisma lies in self-confidence. A person who exudes an air of confidence is more attractive that the person in the corner who has no confidence at all.

When you have confidence, you move in a different way, carry yourself differently, speak differently and thing differently. The thing is that people pick up on that. They are drawn to the person who is strong, secure and confident. They are like moths to a light and you are the light. If you turn this power around and use it to help others attain charisma, you will find that it increases your own. By lifting others you lift yourself.

You can develop more charisma. It can be learned. Read part
two of “Developing Charisma”.

Click the link to learn
even more about developing charisma and personal magnetism.

Every small business in Dallas, Houston and throughout Texas wants to attract high quality individual employees who will contribute to the growth and success of the company. In order to recruit and retain these people, many larger business owners offer health insurance coverage, specifically group health, as an employee benefit.

If your company is small, especially if has ten or fewer employees, there are still ways to offer your employees health insurance coverage. In most states, insurance companies which offer small group health insurance plans are required to accept any employer group of two to 50 employees, provided the employer agrees to insure 100% of the eligible employees.

Before you can offer any health insurance coverage, you must decide how much your employees will pay, as well as the kind of insurance that you wish to offer.

It’s expensive. So who pays?

Most businesses that offer their employees group health insurance plans contribute towards the cost of the coverage. Some pay for all of the employees’ premiums (for single coverage) and let the employees pay the premium if they need coverage for their families. Other businesses pay a percentage of the total cost.

The amount you choose to pay will depend on your own situation. First, think about how your contribution will affect your budget. Second, think about how it affects the desirability of your plan to your present and future employees.

Many businesses choose to have their employees make a contribution towards some of the cost, especially as health care costs and insurance premiums continue to increase.

Plan designs

There are three major types of health plans - managed care, preferred provider, and fee-for-service. The plan that’s best for your business is determined largely by your business location, the physicians and hospitals available through the plan, the options offered by insurance companies, and the constraints of your budget.

Managed care

Managed care plans are agreements between certain doctors, hospitals, and health care providers, and are designed to offer a range of services to members at a reduced cost. Managed care plans are typically HMOs. They may also be referred to as an Individual Practice Association (IPA) or Point of Service (POS) plan.

· Most HMOs minimize the out-of-pocket expenses members pay for medical care, as long as members use the HMO’s preferred providers and facilities. If members go outside of the network, they may be responsible for paying the entire bill.

· In addition, members must choose a primary care physician, and see that person first whenever they need medical attention. The primary care physician will make necessary referrals to specialists.

· With HMOs, the per-visit or annual deductibles are usually lower than with other plans.

Preferred provider

Preferred provider plans, known as PPOs, negotiate price discounts with health care providers. They refer to the health care providers that they have discounts with as “network” providers. PPOs pay a higher percentage of your employees’ claims if they use network providers.

· Unlike HMOs members, PPOs members can see physicians without referral and can use physicians outside the network if they are willing to pay the non-network cost sharing.

· PPOs generally require more cost sharing than HMOs, even for in network care. The per-visit or annual deductibles are usually higher than with HMO plans.

· There may be some managed care elements with PPOs, but not as extensive as HMOs. For example, you may need pre-authorization for a hospital stay, surgery, or an expensive diagnostic test.

Fee for Service

Fee-for-service plans, also known as indemnity plans, allow employees to choose health care providers themselves. This gives them a wide range of options that includes specialists such as cardiologists and surgeons. But because these plans do not give members incentives to use low cost providers, the plans are expensive. Some insurance companies limit the fee-for-service expense by imposing low maximum benefits and/or fee schedules. As with any insurance plan, carefully read the benefit description for a fee-for-service plan.

Check out the insurance company

Along with selecting the right group health plan, selecting an insurance company is important, because the service delivered will directly impact each of your employees. Look for an insurance company with a good network of health care providers, timely claims service, and relatively stable premiums.

In addition, check with other small business owners in the area, or with your Small Business Association. The Texas Department of Insurance will also have information about the financial stability of the insurance companies that you are considering, as well as any history of customer complaints.

Can I choose my own small business health insurance provider?

Sure. Small business group health plans are available from reputable insurance companies who are using the Internet to help reduce administrative expenses.

Do I need an agent to help me select a plan?

No. Keep in mind that many agents only represent a small number of insurance companies. If you use an agent, you should expect him/her to ask questions about your goals and objectives and to learn about your business and employees before recommending a plan.

Health insurance for your employees can be expensive. The following tips will help you ensure you’re offering the best option for employees and the most cost-effective option for you.

Do your homework:

* Survey your employees for their insurance needs. Do their families require insurance?

* Consider insurance plans that require second opinions and include built-in cost containment features.

Talk to your employees:

* Design a plan that includes employee contributions towards cost and keeps employees informed of health care costs and rate changes.

* Create a committee to investigate the group health insurance market.

* Survey your employees to make sure you understand their needs and objectives before launching a plan.

Educate your employees about the cost of appropriate health care:

* Encourage employees to request second opinions and alternative, less invasive treatments.

* Help employees understand what is and is not covered under the plan.

Create a health-conscious work environment:

* Limit smoking at work to designated areas or eliminate it entirely.

* Offer healthy choices in vending machines and alternatives to pizza and beer at employee events.

* Promote moderation in use of alcohol and establish a zero tolerance drug and alcohol abuse policy.

If you’re a small business owner who would like to offer an affordable health insurance plans to your employees but can’t afford group health insurance, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals. Precedent offers affordable, individual health plans with catastrophic coverage, but without a high deductible, and we’ll work with you to make these plans available to your employees at a discount. For more information, visit us at our website, www.precedent.com. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans and an unparalleled “real time” application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com.

If you own a small business in Dallas, Houston or anywhere else in Texas and are looking for a health insurance provider for your employees, here’s a standard list of business data you’ll need to provide:

· Employer name. The legal name of your company.

· Address of your business. Insurers need the street address, not a P.O. Box, to determine your region or service area.

· A list of employees you plan to cover. Not all employees will be eligible.

· Tax identification or employer identification number. This is the EIN (sometimes called FEIN) you obtained from the IRS when you started your business.

· Business background. Depending on the size of your business, you may have to provide:

o Date your business started

o Payroll records

· Standard Industry Code (SIC or NAIC), informing the insurer what industry you’re in.

· Quarterly salary and wages for the past two quarters.

· Employee census information. Insurers use this to estimate the health care costs your group is likely to incur. A census does not include health status, race, religion, sexual orientation (even if applying for domestic partner benefits), Social Security number, or U.S. citizenship/immigration status. In order to quote you a rate, insurers will ask you to complete a census form for each of your employees with this information:

o Name

o Age or date of birth

o Number of dependents

o Zip code.

Creating a Schedule

Next, you’ll need to finalize these scheduling details early in the process of shopping for an insurance plan:

· Effective date of coverage. This should be at least six weeks ahead, so you’ll have time to complete the administrative steps, but no more than three months ahead, so the quotes don’t expire. Most employers choose the first of the month to begin coverage.

· Plan cycle. Many plans operate on a calendar-year basis (January - December). Some plans operate on a different 12-month cycle, or your company may have specific busy seasons when you don’t want to deal with insurance issues.

Establishing a Budget

Once you finish creating a schedule, you’ll need to determine how much money you can afford to spend for coverage, and then calculate the cost:

· By percentage of payroll. Calculate an amount as a percentage of your total monthly and annual payroll.

· Per employee per month. Calculate how much you could spend per employee per month. Determine a bottom-line maximum figure, without worrying about such variables as employee contributions or dependent coverage. Based on your budget, you can figure those variables later.

· Consider cash-flow issues.

· Monthly premium commitment. Most insurers require payment on the first day of the month covered. You would pay for April coverage on April 1, May coverage on May 1, and so on. If you’re buying coverage for the first time or replacing existing coverage, the insurer will likely ask for a month’s premium in advance.

· Grace period. Most insurers offer a 30-day grace period on paying premiums. If you’re a few days late, your policy isn’t likely to be cancelled. Ask about your insurer’s grace period and notification policy regarding cancellation.

· Cancellation/reinstatement. If you’re habitually late with payments, your insurer has the right to cancel your group insurance. Most insurers have their own procedures for reinstating canceled polices, so be sure to ask.

· Premium increases. Most premiums are renewed annually, which means the insurer can adjust the price once a year. Some plans allow insurers to increase premiums every six months. By law, you must be given at least 30 days’ notice of a proposed increase.

How to Find Your Health Insurance Plan.

Now that you’ve gathered your information and put together your schedule and budget, it’s time to start looking for a plan.

Brokers Versus Agents

These licensed professionals can help you find and choose the best plan for your business. They know:

· The best products available, and

· State and federal regulations to protect your business from liabilities.

· They’ve also satisfied licensing requirements that require them to keep up-to-date on Texas’ insurance market.

A broker can direct you to products offered by a range of providers. An agent works with only one company and promotes that company’s products. Both may be referred to as “agents” and are licensed professionals in the state of Texas.

The broker or agent will help you:

· Shop for the right plan for your company and provide one or more premium quotes

· Discuss alternatives to help you understand your plan options

· Implement the plan you select

· Service the account, including solving problems with billing, eligibility, and claims

· Do the legwork so you don’t have to spend the time

· Get the most from the coverage you purchase

· Expedite the renewal process

Online Options

The online world is changing rapidly and the number of consumers and employers using the Internet to research or purchase health insurance is dramatically increasing. The Internet makes it easier to shop for health insurance, you can learn about your options from the comfort of your home or office and on your own schedules - without pressure to buy.

Implementing the Plan

Review the various plans you’ve chosen for your business:

· Weigh the benefits against the plan costs.

· Research the insurers for:

o Financial stability

o Ease of administration

o Overall quality of service.

· Consider cost-saving strategies.

· Review at least two to three health insurance carriers and plan options.

Action Plan Checklist:

· Sign the contract before the quote expires, usually within 30 days.

· Communicate plan choices to employees.

· Distribute and collect enrollment materials for those people covered.

· Copy and return all original materials for enrollment before the requested date.

If you’re a small business owner who would like to offer an affordable health insurance plans to your employees but can’t afford group health insurance, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals. Precedent offers affordable, individual health plans with catastrophic coverage, but without a high deductible, and we’ll work with you to make these plans available to your employees at a discount. For more information, visit us at our website, www.precedent.com. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans and an unparalleled “real time” application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com.

There has been a huge response to Part 1 of this story - some for my stance on the taxi cab driver, and others against it. This prompted me to ask the question: “What’s the difference between $20 and 31 diamonds?”

So first let’s talk about the Laws of the Universe.For example, there is the law of gravity: this law does not make judgment of whether a person is good, bad, rich or poor. It works always and without fail. The rain falls on everyone regardless of who you are. Same with the Law of Attraction. It doesn’t judge a person or their request and brings the wishes of those it likes or chooses over others. It works for everyone - always and without fail.

There are 3 parts to Law of Attraction - ASK, ANSWER, RECEIVE. It is a fact that most people don’t have a problem with the ask and answer, but when it comes to the receiving part they attach judgment - judgment based on human standards, not Universal standards.

A lot of people coming into Law of Attraction hear that you are supposed to see a penny on the ground and pick it up and say ‘THANK YOU UNIVERSE - WHOOOO - YES!! SEND ME MORE MONEY!!!!’ I’m curious why when it’s 31 diamonds it now changes to ‘Wow Universe, I’m not supposed to have this.’
Let’s look at the reality of this: this honest cabbie does not likely trot off to the police station every time he finds coins in his cab, every time he finds a $20 bill in his cab…

Shouldn’t the guy be compiling a jar and filling it up and going to the Police Station then saying ‘Hey, I found this in my car and I’m honest so I think the owners should have it back’? Nope! Why not? Because he feels it’s small and no one including the owner will care too much about it.

But 31 diamonds - now that’s just plain HUGE. Someone is gonna hurt because of this - so the issue is SIZE. Sure, you could say that the owner ‘lost’ the diamonds and didn’t mean to give them to him, but what about the person who lost the $20? They didn’t mean to give it to him either. Isn’t it all money? Why is one right but one wrong? Where is all this judgment coming from? Had this lady dropped 20 bucks, we would have never heard of this HONEST cabbie. A lot of people have no judgment over the penny on the street, or the unexpected 20 bucks, but loads of judgment over a suitcase of money…and are sitting there waiting for their $1.5 mill to be delivered and wondering why it’s taking so long…

This taxi driver followed the 3 steps of Law of Attraction:

ASK - He works 12 hours a day. He asked for more money. He was in line with free money in his cab because we’ve already proven he doesn’t trot off to the police when he finds $20 bucks or a dime…so he is in line with receiving money left in his cab, or the storyline would have read ‘Taxi driver known for returning everything found in his cab finds and returns 31 diamonds.’ Nope - it sounded like this was the first the police had seen this guy in relation to returning money.

ANSWER - The Universe said ‘Hey cabbie, since you are open to free money and free money left in your cab, here’s some more free money!’ The Universe just recognizes energy, it doesn’t recognize that 20 bucks is small and 31 diamonds is HUGE. It’s just responding to energy, and if you have received other money left in your cab, it just sends you some more money: ‘Cool, this dude asks and is open to getting it in his cab - there ya go…delivered!’

RECEIVE - He was not open to receiving, because he had judgments that him taking this money would put someone else in a bad situation. That was his judgment, not a Universe’s judgment. The Universe was just granting wishes. Now free will comes in where you can choose to say ‘I don’t want this because it goes against what I believe’, but again that’s human judgment. Remember, the Universe doesn’t judge things as bad or good - Just IS…and there is no law saying if you ask for a red car and you get a red pinto with 4 unmatching tires that you can’t say ‘Hey Universe - that’s not what I want - not gonna accept that - I wanted a red Honda!’ The taxi driver said the same thing: ‘Hey Universe - I wanted money but I didn’t expect you to send $30K worth of money - that’s too much - I couldn’t possibly accept it…I wanted something more like 20 bucks.’

The Jeweler apparently holds a thought about ‘I cannot lose money.’ How do I know? She gives him a 30 cent tip and then a 100 dollar reward…so she is just saying real loud, ‘I can’t afford to lose money’ and the Universe just gave more of that - LOSING MONEY.
How did we expect the cab driver to be able to accept money he usually takes a year to make, all in one day?

So what’s the difference between $20 and 31 diamonds?
I think something we have not yet learned is how to get out of our own way and let the Universe work. We spend so much time telling the Universe how we expect it to act, and how we expect it to fulfill our wishes.

To receive a free Law of Attraction e-book please visit http://www.breathingprosperity.com or to read the story of the taxi cab driver please visit our
Law of Attraction Blog.
Ophelia Nicholson is a Prosperity Coach and Author.

You probably think that being able to get paid while you work from home is ideal, but is it?

Picture this:

You can get up whenever you want. You don’t have to set your alarm early to get ready to go to work.

You can work in whatever clothes you want to, even stay in your nightwear - no more suits and ties or struggling with painful high heels.

Farewell rush hour commute - the furthest you have to travel is to your home office area.

You can work in the place that you feel safest; your home.

Bearing all of these points in mind it is obvious that working from home is the ideal solution for people who want to be able to spend more time at home with their family.

Yes, there are billions of openings advertised on the Internet but there are just as many scams that will take your money, not help you make it. So, is it possible guard against these opportunities that offer to give you everything you want but fall far short?

Making the decision to work from home is very risky. One reason is that Internet companies can come and go extremely rapidly and there is no guarantee of job security. Methods of payment for many home-based jobs are not as regular as a more traditional type of employment. You may be fortunate enough to find a job with a company that does pay well and fulfils their obligations but there are many companies who are just in it for themselves.

Here are some tips to give you a better chance of sifting through the good and the bad:

1) No genuine and respectable work from home job will ever ask you for a payment before they provide you with work.

2) If you require training for the job then you should expect to be paid whilst you are learning and not have to pay for the privilege.

3) Always be aware of exactly what type of work you are prepared to do and be selective. This will make your work much more enjoyable and ensure that you are able to work on similar opportunities. Specializing can make you far more money than accepting anything and everything.

4) A genuine work from home opportunity will make enquiries about your previous work history and experience. They should check to see that you have the skills and qualifications that they require and certainly want to see your resume.

5) Be extremely cautious about websites that offer get-rich-quick schemes. You may well be able to make a lot of money via the Internet but it takes hard work. It will not happen overnight. As with any other job, you need to work your way up from the bottom.

Being able to work from home may sound idyllic, but you still need to invest time and effort to be able to make it an economic success.

Don’t be lulled into thinking that you can afford to be lazy and devote little time to your work. You may be able to set your own schedule and work from the comfort of your own home but you still need to do the work.

Leon Edward Helps people to start, grow and maximize online business income with training articles, reviews, marketing log… ideas and opportunities. Download his FREE Report - How to Find A Solid Home Business Opportunity without Getting Scammed! - Find online business training articles, an internet business in a box, FREE Content , starting a business free ideas, residual internet income opportunities and top network marketing home based businesses…
all at http://www.HomeBusinessIT.com

Leon Edward helps people improve in Goal Setting, Success, Leadership, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blogs, reports and self-help success roladex-on-line. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles and blog at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

Leon Edward also helps people improve IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking , time management and reducing stress.
Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.com

As with many other things, when it comes to buying group health insurance, there is strength in numbers. And big numbers have traditionally gotten the best deals. Currently, a large number of individuals in Dallas, Houston and throughout Texas obtain coverage through their employers. Many of those employers are large companies with strong-arm power at the insurance bargaining table. If you’re a small-business owner, however, there is no reason to feel left out.

The Small-Group Market

Small-group refers to the number of employees in a given company. It can be as many as 100, but is most often two to 50. In this market, health insurance prices have traditionally been based on two factors:

· Projected costs of medical services in a given geographic area

· Projected utilization of services

Projected costs can vary dramatically from area to area based on local medical practices, local prices, and whatever price discounts the insurance company has been able to negotiate with local providers. After calculating projected costs, the insurance company adjusts the costs for the expected utilization level of your particular group. Insurance companies estimate utilization of services based on factors ranging from the medical history of your employees and their dependents to age and gender. These details affect plan premiums for you and your employees. If a member of your staff is considered a greater risk, the group will usually pay a higher premium for insurance coverage.

Why underwriting is important

The majority of small-group health insurance companies use a process called underwriting. An underwriter analyzes risk factors (including the medical history of each individual) to estimate potential claims and determine a group’s premium rate. The insurer’s goal? To offer coverage at a fair price and to ensure adequate income to pay for future claims and expenses.

Small business coverage options.

Whether you are a small company or a Fortune 500 giant, you want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth from a health plan. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each choice when selecting a plan. While premiums vary among different carriers, recognize that there can be substantial differences in the benefits provided and in the amount your employees must pay out-of-pocket for services.

Things to Think about Regarding Small Business Coverage.

When you start searching for a health care provider for your company, these are things you should consider:

1. What information do I need to collect to get a quote?

All insurance companies will need a census of your employees that includes the number of employees, their age and gender, and the age and gender of all dependents to be covered. In addition, based on your number of employees and the practices of the insurance company, some insurance companies will ask each of your employees to fill out a medical questionnaire. They will also need your company’s inception date and the effective date of coverage.

2. Half of my employees are insured elsewhere. What should I do?

This is a challenge for small business owners. If one of your employees has a spouse who has family coverage where he or she works, your employee may be covered on that policy, and not interested in the health insurance plan you offer. If you want to offer a group plan, be aware that your insurer may require you to cover all or most all of your employees. An alternative solution may be found in the individual health insurance market.

3. Can I purchase and offer individual plans to my employees?

Yes, but generally, with individual plans, your employees would be subject to individual underwriting. An employee who needs the coverage may not be eligible.

4. Do I need both group health insurance and workers’ compensation insurance?

Group Health is optional; workers’ compensation is usually required. In Texas, employers are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance, which generally pays for medical expenses and loss of income for employee injuries that are work-related. Most health insurance plans specifically exclude work-related injuries.

If you’re a sole proprietor, partner, or officer of a small corporation, you may not be covered automatically by your workers’ compensation policy. If this is the case, you must determine whether your own health insurance has an exclusion for work-related injuries; you could have a gap in your own coverage.

Generally, most business owners should consider electing to cover themselves under workers’ compensation if that option is available in their state. Check with your own insurance company for more information.

If you’re a small business owner who would like to offer affordable health insurance plans to your employees, but can’t afford group health insurance, you should consider offering your employees the revolutionary, comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals. Precedent offers affordable, individual health plans with catastrophic coverage, but without a high deductible, and we’ll work with you to make these plans available to your employees at a discount. For more information, visit us at our website, www.precedent.com. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled “real time” application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com.

There are many opportunities to work from home - and most of them are scams that will rip you off and pay you pennies - if you’re that lucky.

This is the sad reality when looking for opportunities to work from home. Many people still think that the main opportunities to work from home are data entry, surveys and reading advertisement e-mails. This is completely untrue! In fact, this article is going to show you some of the best opportunities to work from home so you too can start earning thousands from the comfort of your armchair.

First off, let me preface this by saying that it is absolutely possible to make money online. Many people use the Internet to find and pursue good opportunities to work from home - opportunities that can earn them thousands every month! Affiliate marketing, article writing and copywriting are just some of the ways to do it - but you can also succeed by selling things on eBay.

EBay is, in fact, one of the best places to get started if you are looking for opportunities to work from home and haven’t got a lot of money to invest in the beginning. There are two main ways you can make money on eBay - dropshipping and selling information products. Of course, you can also sell your aunt’s old dress there, too - but we’re looking for reliable opportunities to work from home, and your aunt only has so many dressed in her collection.

Dropshipping can be a very profitable practice on eBay and involves selling products that you do not have. Sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? In reality, the process is quite simple - when you receive an order for a product you advertised (but do not have), you contact a supplier that will deliver that very product to the customer’s doorstep. These companies are called “dropshippers”, because they will take care of the logistics for you - all you need to do is specify the address. By using dropshippers, you can diversify into almost any market, provided you can find a reliable and trustworthy supplier.

Selling information products such as e-books is another time-honored way to make money on eBay. It is important that your e-books are original and contain valuable information, so you will probably be better off creating a product of your own than selling someone else’s. EBay is also a great place to collect customer’s e-mail addresses (of course, with their permission), so you can later contact them with product updates, or even send them promotional e-mails!

You can probably see now why selling on eBay is one of the best opportunities to work from home. It costs very little to get started and the amount of money you can make is incredible, especially if selling your own products. There are many stories of eBay millionaires out there - and if you work hard, you can become one of them.

To download your free report on how to make $150 a day and for a step-by-step guide to top 6 ways to make money online, visit my Home Income Opportunity Online website here!

If you were given just $1,500 to purchase groceries annually, you’d be a lot more careful about how you spend your money. You’d peruse the supermarket flyers, shop around for the best deals, and forgo the more expensive items, like lobster and steak. This is exactly the kind of “consumer-driven” behavior some employers in Dallas, Houston and all around Texas are hoping to spark in you and your co-workers by offering “consumer-driven” and defined-contribution health insurance plans.

You have to pay very close attention to understand the costs and consequences of your health care decisions. For example, with a $20 co-payment, you can get a cholesterol-lowering prescription drug that actually retails for $100 per month, compared to changing your diet or increasing the amount you exercise. But if you had to pay full price for your medical care and prescriptions, most everyone would think more carefully before shelling out their own money.

Even though the line is blurring between consumer-driven and defined-contribution health plans, there are differences. Under a defined contribution scenario, your employer pre-screens and pre-selects a variety of health plans and then gives you cash, or vouchers, to buy a policy. Your employer then bows out. If you choose a plan costing more than your employer’s contribution, you must pay the difference.

With the consumer-driven approach, your employer still contracts with insurers for group health insurance and still retains some measure of control over your health insurance purchasing decisions. What these plans do is give you more choice in terms of benefit levels - you choose your own deductible - and you can see any doctor you want without a referral. However, the plans also increase your share of the costs and risks.

Plans such as these are still relatively new - many only a few years old - and there’s no immediate way to judge their impact on health insurance costs or how popular they will be with employers. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), less than one percent of all employer-sponsored health insurance is currently comprised of consumer-driven and defined contribution plans. But it’s clear from the growing popularity of consumer-drive plans that employers are looking for relief from skyrocketing health insurance costs and are expressing increasing interest in this benefit design.

Depending on how your employer sets up your consumer-driven health plan, you may be able to choose your deductible and that choice will determine your portion of the plan’s premium. A higher deductible generally means you’ll pay less in premiums, a lower deductible generally means you’ll pay more. But estimating how much medical care you will need in any given year can be tricky - particularly when you’ve always plunked down a small co-payment and you’ve never bothered to look at your doctor’s itemized bill.

Let’s say you’re a young, single, healthy individual and you know you’ll have one routine physical exam during the year. Even if you figure in the costs of treatment for an ear infection and add an unexpected minor injury such as a cut on your head that necessitates stitches, you figure you’ll still be way under the $500 your employer puts into your personal health care account. You’ll probably never have to spend a dime of the $1,000 deductible out of your own pocket, right?

Well, not necessarily. According to the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, the average doctor’s fee for stitches to close a minor cut on your head - not including anesthesia, hospital, or laboratory fees - is $334. Add a routine physical exam ($175) and a doctor’s visit for an ear infection ($32) and your total is $541. And that’s without paying for any laboratory tests or prescription medicines. Even if your health insurer has negotiated discounted fees with your provider, these charges can still quickly add up. So, if you can’t afford to pay $1,000 out of your own pocket, you might be better off opting for a lower deductible, if there is that option, and paying a little more up front in monthly premiums.

Just as it would be difficult for you to plan your food budget for a year if none of the items in your supermarket carried price labels, it would likewise be hard for you to choose your consumer-driven health insurance plan and your deductible level if you’re not sure up front how much your medical providers charge for certain procedures.

Some critics of health insurance plans also fear consumer-driven plans punish the sick because the sick visit their doctors more often and need more expensive treatments. But think again if you define “the sick” as only those who suffer from life-threatening illnesses. The sick also include the one in four Americans who have common chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or mood disorder. According to the Yale School of Medicine, these five conditions cost Americans more than $62 billion a year in treatment costs alone. Critics are concerned that “consumerism” will cause employees to skip needed care, both necessary and preventive, in order to save money.

Another big question is trying to define just how well employees understand their new consumer-driven health plans. There is plenty of evidence that shows that many employees don’t understand how health insurance works at all. According to D.S. Howard & Associates, in a June 2001 survey, 100 large employers - those with 500 or more employees - reported that 54 percent said that most or some of their employees think the rules about health insurance coverage are difficult to understand and 48 percent say most or some find health plans too complex and hard to understand.

Complicating matters further is that HMO plans are heavily structured; so most people don’t really need to understand how they work in order to use them. Consumer-driven health plans have much less structure - requiring you to understand how they work, how much you pay and how you can reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Consumer-driven health insurance plans are often accompanied by Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

If you’re interested in reducing your healthcare costs by getting more engaged as a healthcare consumer, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals. For more information, visit us at our website, www.precedent.com. We offer highly competitive HSA-qualified plans, together with other unique and innovative individual health insurance solutions and an unparalleled “real time” application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com.

Even though alcohol consumption is legal for individuals in Dallas, Houston or anywhere in Texas who are 21 or over, it should be remembered that alcohol is still a harmful, dangerous drug. Sure, it seems like “everyone” drinks, and sometimes it even seems like everyone drinks a lot. But that’s not really the truth. There are a lot of people who don’t drink at all, and the vast majority of adults don’t drink at all heavily.

What Defines Binge Drinking?

When it comes to heavy drinking, the phrase “binge drinking” comes to mind. It used to mean heavy drinking that lasted for days. Now, the meaning has changed to irresponsible, heavy drinking that often comes under the disguise of fun and games. Binge drinking is not only dangerous to the drinker, but to the people around him or her.

Binge drinkers, by definition:

* Drink “to get drunk.” The goal is to lose control.

* They drink large quantities, five or more drinks at a time.

* They drink quickly.

* They do foolish, potentially deadly things like drive drunk, start fights, and take unnecessary risks.

New Study on an Old Problem.

According to a recent study issued by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York, about half of U.S. college students binge drink or abuse drugs, and the number who abuse prescription medication such as painkillers is up sharply.

The report found that 49 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 binge drink (consuming five or more drinks at a time), or abuse prescription drugs such as painkillers or illegal drugs like cocaine and marijuana. That translates to 3.8 million students.

In 2005, 23 percent of these students met the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence, the report said. That’s about triple the proportion in the general population.

The percentage of students who drink remained about even with a similar 1993 report - 70 percent then and 68 percent in 2005. Binge drinking stayed at 40 percent of students.

But the proportion of students who binge drink frequently, defined as three or more times over two weeks, rose by 16 percent from 1993 to 2005. Drinking 10 or more times per month rose 25 percent, and drinking three or more times per month rose 26 percent.

Substance abuse has contributed to alcohol-related deaths and injuries, and sexual assaults against female students, the report said.
“College presidents, deans and trustees have facilitated a college culture of alcohol and drug abuse that is linked to poor student academic performance, depression, anxiety, suicide, property damage, vandalism, fights and a host of medical problems,” the report said.

The report was based on results of a nationally representative telephone survey of 2,000 students, surveys of approximately 400 college and university administrators, interviews with researchers in the field and other data.

Binge Drinkers can be Troublemakers.

Researchers at Kansas State University have also found that college students who drink alcohol may get themselves into trouble not necessarily because of how much they drink, but because of their risk-taking attitudes while they are drinking, which can be modified to reduce harmful consequences. Males tend to be greater risk takers when it comes to alcohol, while women tend to use more protective strategies. They recommend the following steps to all college students who drink as a way to avoid dangerous drinking episodes:

* Limit the number of drinks consumed

* Use self-protective strategies

* Limit money spent on alcohol

* Drink with friends

* Pour your own drinks

* Develop low-risk attitudes

While the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University report has shown that substance abuse on college campuses is nothing new, it is taking a more extreme and dangerous form, with higher rates of frequent binge drinking and prescription drug abuse, which equates to more negative consequences for students such as arrests and risky sexual behavior.

The Risks of Binge Drinking.

Many people don’t think about the negative side of drinking. Although they think about the possibility of getting drunk, they may not give much consideration to being hung-over or throwing up.

You may know from experience that excessive drinking can lead to difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, mood changes, and other problems that affect your day-to-day life. But binge drinking carries more serious and longer-lasting risks as well.

Alcohol Poisoning.

Alcohol poisoning is the most life-threatening consequence of binge drinking. When someone drinks too much and gets alcohol poisoning, it affects the body’s involuntary reflexes - including breathing and the gag reflex. If the gag reflex isn’t working properly, a person can choke to death on his or her vomit.

Other signs someone may have alcohol poisoning include:

* Extreme confusion

* Inability to be awakened

* Vomiting

* Seizures

* Slow or irregular breathing

* Low body temperature

* Bluish or pale skin

If you think someone has alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately.

Other Health Issues.

Studies show that people who binge-drink throughout high school are more likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure by the time they are 24. Just one regular beer contains about 150 calories, which adds up to a lot of calories if someone drinks four or five beers a night.

Binge drinkers have a harder time in school and they’re more likely to drop out. Drinking disrupts sleep patterns, which can make it harder to stay awake and concentrate during the day. This can lead to struggles with studying and poor academic performance.

Drinking Responsibly.

It’s possible to be a responsible drinker, but it means paying close attention to your drinking behavior. Adults who do drink responsibly have a few key things in common:

* They don’t drive after drinking.

* They don’t drink “to get drunk.” They may like the taste of the drink, or may be seeking a mild relaxing effect. They stop drinking before they feel “drunk.”

* They drink less - usually far less - than four drinks on any one occasion.

* They drink slowly, often with food, and have non-alcoholic drinks in between alcoholic drinks.

Believe it or not, your drinking habits can influence your individual health insurance rates, now and into the future. So it’s wise to keep your alcohol intake in check when you’re young before it takes its toll in later years. If you’re young and healthy, and you drink alcohol responsibly (or not at all), you deserve a break when it comes to the premiums on your individual health insurance plan. Take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals like you. For more information, visit us at our website, www.precedent.com. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled “real time” application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com.

Want to sell more annuities? Here is an easy way to connect with your market providing your target market falls in this category.

Senior adults who were 20 or older during the Korean conflict. That would make them from about age 68 and above at today’s date (2007). This group all has one common underlying social connection. That connection is the famous philosopher…Will Rogers.

Will Rogers was the most famous man in America from 1918 to his death in 1935. He had a national radio program, a national newspaper column and starred in movies. This time period was before television and many people obtained their social interaction only with the available media, newspapers, radio and movies.

Will Rogers is the single most important name and most recognized name from that era.

America had a national day of mourning at his death in 1935 and Will Rogers laid in state at the United States Capital. His funeral was so attended it took over 11 hours for the crowd to dissipate after the services which were only attended by 400 inside but by 125,000 outside. His funeral caused the largest traffic jam ever recorded at that time.

Will Rogers was and is an American icon. So sell to that time period. Buy his books and the books written about him and you will learn how senior adults now feel about their affairs. He was that big of an influence over the American culture, and still is.

Memorize several of his quotes and use them like this: My friend Will Rogers used to say………..Your prospects will relate and you will have an advantage on building that beginning relationship.

My favorite quote is this…”The only person who really likes change is a wet baby!” And that may apply to you because always doing the same thing in every sales situation makes you stale. Make some changes and see your annuity selling take off.

Another Will Rogers tip is this…his advice is timeless. Read his books, learn about his thinking and it will also help you become a much better salesperson. Guaranteed.

Bill Broich is a 30 year annuity salesman who helps agents generate annuity leads. Visit his website to learn more - Selling Annuities