What Will 2022 Hold For You And How Can You Make Your Dreams Come True?

How will you prosper in 2022?

What does 2022 have in store for you?

Some of you may not know, many will say that it depends on the economy, the government, Joe Biden or Boris Johnson.

The answer has less to do with the economy and more to do with your own economy, or what I call your U’conomy. Ask yourself these questions:

·        What’s your plan?

·        Have you written down your goals, dreams and plans?

·        What action steps are you taking to make them happen?

·        Where do you want to be in 1, 5 or 10 years?

The twenty first year of the twenty first century has been a year of firsts.

First time so much money has been created out of thin air.

First time a new medicine has been mandated on this scale.

First time a country’s citizens have been threatened with fines or imprisonment for not taking an injection.

First time governments and organisations like the UN and the WHO have acted in unison to control millions of people arounds the world.

First time people and economies have been locked down for a variant of a virus proved by South African scientists to be no worse than a bad cold or does of flu.

In the UK a few days before Christmas, the country was ‘spared’ a lockdown and yet another damaging closure of the hospitality industry. At the same time, Scotland and Wales are imposing post-Christmas restrictions, ruining New Year’s Eve trade, businesses in England are left in limbo unable to plan for the busy week ahead.

Despite the UK being in the biggest recession in 300 years and running up largest national debt ever, property and stock markets have gone up! They have been artificially pumped by quantitative easing - creating money out of thin air – and historically low interest rates providing trillions of dollars of cheap money.

When will the party end?

My estimate is that 2022 will be the year when stock markets crash, and the chickens of massive debt come home to roost.

The trigger could be when the Fed finally raises interest rates to curb the fastest inflation rise in almost 40 years. The FT reports that Fed officials expect three interest rate rises next year.  

Inflation is rising around the world fuelled by ‘money printing’ by central banks on a scale never seen in modern history. The official US inflation is now 6.8%, the highest for over a decade, but half the rate suggested by Shadow Stats which claims real costs are rising by 15%.

Energy costs are set to double for millions of people which will increase the price of all goods and services, as costs increase for businesses and suppliers.

Property and share prices have continued to boom in 2021 leaving many investors thinking that prices will carry on going up indefinitely, something which has never happened before, especially when the fundamentals suggest that there should have been a crash years ago.

The Halifax recently reported that property price growth will slow in 2022. I have never heard a lender or leading estate agent predict that property prices will fall!

This year also saw millions of migrants and refugees on the move looking for a better life. From Bangladesh to South America and Europe migrants have walked or been trafficked across borders to claim asylum.

We have also seen climate disasters, such as the recent typhoon which has destroyed 90% of homes in the southern islands of the Philippines. While we in the west worry and fret over a shortage of turkey, millions of people around the world are starving.

Please donate to my Rotary Fundraiser – to provide food, clean water and shelter to the people who have lost their homes and will not be enjoying a merry Christmas. https://www.facebook.com/groups/174851346196950/permalink/1621462918202445/

Money also migrated so-called safe property havens in the UK, Canada, US and Australia.

Wealthy people have sought second and third passports and residency in countries offering citizenship for cash or property investment.

Financial education in investing is the key to building and keeping wealth. Never stop learning!

Keep watching or listening to my free podcasts on iTunes and subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular financial news and updates.

Can you get rich by saving alone?

NEW BOOK LAUNCH – BORROW AND GROW RICH – SPECIAL OFFER

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In this book, you will learn how the power of leverage and inflation can make you rich without working any harder than the average employee. You will also learn the difference between good debt and bad debt and why saving alone will not make you rich.

Pre-order BORROW AND GROW RICH before 31 December and I will send you a FREE PDF copy of Yes, Money Can Buy You Happiness.

Borrow and Grow Rich is available for Kindle pre-order now - https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=borrow+and+grow+rich&ref=nb_sb_noss

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Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

In this job you will never run out of work!

In these uncertain and rapidly changing times, it is important to choose an occupation which gives you some guarantee of a long-term future.

In the UK, the Home Office publishes an official list of ‘shortage occupations’, for which a qualified and experienced overseas migrant may qualify for a Skilled Worker visa.

The list includes jobs such as, Health Service and Residential Day Care or Domiciliary Managers, various scientists and engineers, web development professionals, nurses and senior care workers.

The official government list for working visa qualification, only covers a fraction of the huge labour shortages in the UK.

According to the report by Luminate, the following industries experienced a particularly large number of hard-to-fill vacancies at professional level:

·        architectural and engineering activities

·        computer programming and consultancy

·        education

·        employment and HR

·        financial services

·        human health activities

·        legal and accounting services

·        office administrative, support and business activities

·        public administration and defence

·        residential care activities

·        retail trade

·        social work.

However, both of these lists contain glaring omissions- green jobs. In order to meet climate change targets, industry will need hundreds of thousands of skilled workers to fill new ‘green’ jobs.

For instance, is estimated that 23 million gas boilers will need to be replaced in the UK, but there are not enough trained engineers to do the work. There is a shortage of 100,000 boiler engineers right now!

Boiler engineers will have jobs for life replacing old boilers with electric and hydrogen boilers and servicing the new boilers.

Millions of petrol and diesel cars will have to be replaced as governments around the world tax them out of existence. This will create a huge number of new skilled jobs.

China is investing massively in new technology and green energy, as is the UK. The US could be left behind in what’s being called China’s century.

The 20^th Century was America’s, after Great Britain’s empire started to unwind following the German led First and Second World Wars.

China is effectively colonising the world’s resources through trade rather than war.

If you exclude the disastrous Chairman Mao century, China was one of the leading economies in the world in 18 of the last 20 centuries?

The UK government recently announced a massive retraining programme to reskill millions of workers whose jobs have become redundant due to new technology.

The important word is “skilled”. Tens of millions of unskilled, as well as many skilled and technical jobs in accounting and law, will disappear in the next decade, so prepare yourself.

Self-driving vehicles, AI and robotic technology are already here!

Education is key to your future. Not just formal education, but also relevant vocational and on-the-job training in which you can ‘earn while you learn.

An increasing number of people prefer to quit the rat race and start their own businesses, which is great.

Caution. Don’t fire your boss until you can replace your salary with your new business and do not spend all your savings or borrow to set up an expensive physical business like a shop.

An ideal way to start is to set up a part-time online business, which you can run from home with little or no capital.

With this in mind, I’m offering 3 free coaching calls sessions to anyone who is prepared to take the time and effort to learn and master money and business. Check the link in the next 24 hours on my Charles Kelly Marketing Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CharlesKellyMarketer.

Will Mortgage Repayment Holiday End Lead To Mass Home Repossessions?

The Financial Conduct Authority, has announced that mortgage lenders can enforce repossessions of homes from borrowers unable to make repayments.

As many as 100,000 were on mortgage repayment holidays during the Covid lockdowns, but this came to an end this month. Even more borrowers have not been able to make repayments on loans and credit cards.

The term “repayment holiday” implies that borrowers are being let off, but arrears are added to the loan resulting in higher payments for borrowers already struggling.

Lenders must follow guidance on when to repossess and only use court action as a last resort.

The courts already have a backlog of all types of cases and bailiffs cannot be instructed by the courts until the end of May at the earliest in England and end of June in Wales, which means landlords may will not be able to gain possession of a property for several months.

Those unable to make repayments can no longer apply for a deferral on mortgage, loan or credit card repayments, however. lenders can consider individual cases of hardship based on their specific financial circumstances.

Will this lead to mass repossessions?

Probably not mass repossessions, but definitely an increase and more motivated and distressed sellers.

Unlike previous recessions, interest rates are at an all-time low – but watch out for those big step-up in payments after an initial fixed rate or discount, as well as HUGE FEES being added to the loan and increasing your debt.

In better news for home buyers, lenders can now accept applications for a new Help to Buy scheme in England. This is a less generous version than the previous scheme and is restricted to first-time buyers.

The Chancellor’s new 95% ‘mortgage guarantee scheme’ announced in the budget is due to be rolled out next year.

With stamp duty holiday ending in August and more people coming off the job retention scheme, the long property boom could be coming to an end. The question is whether or not governments can print their way out of the recession, with massive Trillion Dollar financial stimulus packages to prop up weak western economies, and avoid a looming worldwide depression.

Is it Possible To Start A Money Making Business From Home Without Capital Or Risk?

With pubs and restaurants closed for months during the lockdown in the UK and Ireland, it's a reminder of how vulnerable physical businesses, like pubs, restaurants and shops are to economic downturns or market changes.

At the same time, internet business owners are getting richer. Never in history has more goods been bought on the internet.

Even before the pandemic, the high street was already under pressure from online shopping, which has exploded in the last few years.

High rents, taxes and competition from the likes of Amazon and Shopify have driven large retailers, like Debenhams, out of business and forced John Lewis to start closing 70% of its 50 plus stores in the UK.

How does this help you get started online?

The internet has given small home-based businesses an opportunity to compete with the big companies which have dominated the market. They took the best sites in the high street and malls, and often drove small retailers to the wall with massive advertising and undercutting. Fortunately, this has now changed and that’s how you can benefit from the online bonanza.

You can now set up a risk-free online business or store - from home in your spare time - and sell to a potential market of 5 billion people browsing the internet every day looking for solutions to their problems.

You no longer need to rent a shop or premises and pay high taxes and bills before you make a penny. And you don’t have to quit your job until your business income exceeds your salary.

Here are 3 simple steps.

Step 1

Sell solutions to people’s problems

Research your idea or product online – where else! You can check on Google how many people are searching for products or solutions to their problems. For instance, millions of people want to be slimmer and healthier, especially in these times. According to wordstream 450,000 people have recently searched for “how to lose weight” on the internet. Other ‘keyword’ searches like “diet” and “lose weight fast” had similar results. That’s just one niche!

You can literally find out how many people are searching for keyword solutions by checking on Google and specialists like Wordstream and Mondovo absolutely free. Market research like this was previously only available to large companies with large budgets. Now you can access it for free.

You can get up and running with your online business website today for free with GrooveFunnels. For more information…click here  

Step 2

Set up your online business today

Set up an online business selling products that people are looking for (not what you think the market needs), or sell to people online from your existing business, by setting your website online today. You don’t need to pay a designer or software engineer to set up a website, as there are readymade templates and off-the-shelf website pages to get your business started today. In the past, I have spent tens of thousands on websites because they had to be designed and built from scratch, which took months. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this pain.

You can now build a simple website for free using GrooveFunnels template pages and built-in shopping cart checkout facilities with a click of a button. GrooveFunnels is offering free lifetime access for a limited period only – no credit card required to open and start using your free account. For more informationhttps://groovepages.groovesell.com/a/uy9VcdqIvopT, click here

Step 3

Now decide what you are going to sell and how and GET STARTED!

Decide what niche you want to be in and what you want to sell. Unless you already have your own products and business (which you may want to change based on your new research on what people actually want) you can start by selling other people’s products and services for a generous commission of between 10 and 50%. This is essentially how some of the biggest companies in the world make billions in profits.

Booking.com and Airbnb do not own their own hotels and Amazon helps millions of small retailers and authors sell online for a commission.

If you want to start earning cash today, GrooveFunnels will also pay you a commission to recommend their fantastic free software to your friends, colleagues and customers when you open your free account. Find out how to earn money

Here’s the best part. It’s risk free and no capital investment required! No re-mortgaging your house and borrowing thousands or risking everything to open up a physical business. And you can get started right away. What have you got to lose?

PS. One final thing…this free lifetime access is on offer for a limited period only.

GrooveFunnels only plan to keep this offer open for a short while and will soon start charging at least $99 dollars per month to access the same package you can get for free for life – NO credit card needed…FREE LIFETIME ACCESS.

https://groovepages.groovesell.com/a/uy9VcdqIvopT

Money tips news roundup - Protect your savings from tax hikes

The end of the current tax, or fiscal year, is approaching fast on 5th of April, so not long to make your final plans.

This is the time of year when you should be thinking about using up all of your tax allowance before they are lost forever.  

·        ISA's - tax free savings accounts

·        Pension Contributions

·        Marriage allowance - not always claimed

·        Tax relief for working at home

Talk to an accountant or independent financial advisor for more advice. It could save you thousands!

In the budget, the Chancellor announced that tax allowances are being frozen, which means that more lower paid people will start paying tax and middle earners will be pushed into higher rates.

The phenomenon known as Fisco drag means that in the next few years over 5 million people will pay higher rates of tax.

This will affect your savings interest, dividends and rental income. The more you can put into a tax-free environment, like a pension or ISA, the better you are protecting your money from the taxman.

Tax rates on corporations or limited companies will also increase, which means that property investors with their properties in limited companies will pay higher rates of tax. Ironically, many investors moved their properties into a limited company is to avoid paying higher rates of tax as a sole trader. The taxman gets you one way or the other!

Other news

President Biden has started splashing the cash with a mind boggling $1.9 trillion financial stimulation package to boost the US economy.

Where does all this money come from you may ask? Thin air! They make it up and just print it! Someone will eventually have to pay it back but politicians in western democracies usually only think as far ahead as the next general election - or the one after that. Politicians in China, however, plan decades ahead.

China is playing the long game and increasing its influence all over the world. It’s economy grew by over 8% last year, while the UK suffered the worst recession in 300 years and borrowed nearly £300 billion.

With economies gradually opening up, businesses are looking forward to a brighter summer this year.

Interest rates are low and people who have remained in work have more money in the bank due to savings on travel and so on. Lower paid and self-employed workers are not so well off and have suffered badly during the lockdown.

Despite the optimism, unemployment rates have rocketed and thousands of businesses have gone forever. I believe it will take years before the country really bounces back from the unprecedented worldwide shutdown.

Unlike physical businesses, such as shops and restaurants, online businesses have been booming during the pandemic.

Right now has never been a better time start a business selling products and services online - especially if you need extra money

How To Start A Money Making Business From Home Without Capital Or Risk!

With pubs and restaurants closed for the lockdown in the UK and Ireland it's a reminder of how vulnerable physical businesses, like pubs, restaurants and shops are to economic downturns or market changes.

At the same time, internet business owners are getting richer. Never in history has more goods been bought on the internet.

Even before the pandemic, the high street was already under pressure from online shopping, which has exploded in the last few years.

High rents, taxes and competition from the likes of Amazon and Shopify have driven large retailers, like Debenhams, out of business and forced John Lewis to start closing 70% of its 50 plus stores in the UK.

How does this help you get started online?

The internet has given small home-based businesses an opportunity to compete with the big companies which have dominated the market. They took the best sites in the high street and malls, and often drove small retailers to the wall with massive advertising and undercutting. Fortunately, this has now changed and that’s how you can benefit from the online bonanza.

You can now set up a risk-free online business or store - from home in your spare time - and sell to a potential market of 5 billion people browsing the internet every day looking for solutions to their problems.

You no longer need to rent a shop or premises and pay high taxes and bills before you make a penny. And you don’t have to quit your job until your business income exceeds your salary.

Here are 3 simple steps.

Step 1

Sell solutions to people’s problems

Research your idea or product online – where else! You can check on Google how many people are searching for products or solutions to their problems. For instance, millions of people want to be slimmer and healthier, especially in these times. According to wordstream 450,000 people have recently searched for “how to lose weight” on the internet. Other ‘keyword’ searches like “diet” and “lose weight fast” had similar results. That’s just one niche!

You can literally find out how many people are searching for keyword solutions by checking on Google and specialists like Wordstream and Mondovo absolutely free. Market research like this was previously only available to large companies with large budgets. Now you can access it for free.

You can get up and running with your online business website today for free with GrooveFunnels. For more information…click here  

Step 2

Set up your online business today

Set up an online business selling products that people are looking for (not what you think the market needs), or sell to people online from your existing business, by setting your website online today. You don’t need to pay a designer or software engineer to set up a website, as there are readymade templates and off-the-shelf website pages to get your business started today. In the past, I have spent tens of thousands on websites because they had to be designed and built from scratch, which took months. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this pain.

You can now build a simple website for free using GrooveFunnels template pages and built-in shopping cart checkout facilities with a click of a button. GrooveFunnels is offering free lifetime access for a limited period only – no credit card required to open and start using your free account. For more informationhttps://groovepages.groovesell.com/a/uy9VcdqIvopT, click here

Step 3

Now decide what you are going to sell and how and GET STARTED!

Decide what niche you want to be in and what you want to sell. Unless you already have your own products and business (which you may want to change based on your new research on what people actually want) you can start by selling other people’s products and services for a generous commission of between 10 and 50%. This is essentially how some of the biggest companies in the world make billions in profits.

Booking.com and Airbnb do not own their own hotels and Amazon helps millions of small retailers and authors sell online for a commission.

If you want to start earning cash today, GrooveFunnels will also pay you a commission to recommend their fantastic free software to your friends, colleagues and customers when you open your free account. Find out how to earn money

Here’s the best part. It’s risk free and no capital investment required! No re-mortgaging your house and borrowing thousands or risking everything to open up a physical business. And you can get started right away. What have you got to lose?

PS. One final thing…this free lifetime access is on offer for a limited period only.

GrooveFunnels only plan to keep this offer open for a short while and will soon start charging at least $99 dollars per month to access the same package you can get for free for life – NO credit card needed…FREE LIFETIME ACCESS.

The Easy Way To Build Better Websites & Funnels Without Paying A Developer

In this day and age, any business that wants to thrive must go online.

With so many things going on around the world, and global changes that will forever impact the way people live and do business, going online is no longer just an option.

Not only to maintain their success, but even just to survive.

Sure, there are tools that are already available that any business can use to run their entire company and processes digitally.

However, any minimum amount of research will tell you that most of these products are expensive, complicated and limited in customization.

In other words, not very user-friendly, and definitely not suitable for all business owners, especially those who are less tech-savvy and might even be on a budget.

I mean, who can afford to invest thousands of dollars a month into a bunch of complicated tools, and on top of that, hire employees to manage the systems, right?

Well, if this sounds familiar in any way, I have some good news for you.

As an online marketer and blogger myself, I am always looking for new solutions for these everyday challenges we face as business owners.

Today, I am very excited to introduce you to my latest discovery.

GrooveFunnels is, by far, the best way I have found to be able to build websites, sales funnels and sell digital products online - without using an expensive developer.

What You Don't Know About Insurance CAN Hurt You, Ignorance Is NOT Bliss

Welcome to Money Tips Daily this is Money Kelly bringing you money tips to help you save and make more money!

As the UK is hit with the big freeze from the ‘Beast from the East’ and ‘Storm Emma’ snow falls, insurance companies will soon be paying out millions of pounds in claims for accidents, burst pipes and flooding.

Whilst we are thinking about insurance, this might be a good opportunity to check your insured items on your home buildings and contents policy, as well as other forms of insurance.

Make sure you have the right insurance cover for your home, and review it every year for price and sum insured.

People often assume that all policies are pretty much the same and only find out the real truth when they put in a claim and get that sick feeling in their stomach when they realise they are not covered for what they thought they were.

For instance, are you covered for losses caused by accidental damage or shattered glass, does it cover your garage or outbuildings, garden equipment, how high is your excess (the amount you pay for each claim) and how much interest are you being charged to spread the cost of your premiums over 12 months? 

Landords, homeowner occupiers and tenants have different needs. Landlords letting unfurnished properties usually require buildings cover, but can also obtain loss of rent and accidental damage for some items like glass.

I recently had a double glazed window shatter for no apparent reason, but had it covered under a separate water pipes, glazing and locks policy for the repair job which cost over £200.

Tenants may wish to insure their contents and belongings against loss through fire, theft or flood damage.

Homeowners normally require both buildings and contents.

If you own a leasehold flat, you may already have buildings insurance cover via a block policy through the freeholder, although not always. You don’t need two buildings policies, but do ensure you have at least one, as people do lose their properties in the event of fire because they have no insurance.

You should check that you have the cover you want within your budget. Companies generally offer ‘standard’ policies, where the cover is basic, and ‘premium’ type policies, which should cover most eventualities and offer all round cover for people with high value contents. I would go for the best policy you can afford.

Two general rules to follow: never under insure the replacement value of your contents or over insure buildings (obviously don’t under insure the rebuilding cost of your property either).

You can check the rebuilding cost of your property on the survey report, or commission a new survey, alternatively the Association of British Insurers offer an online estimate.

Many do the opposite, they have too much buildings rebuilding cover (which is not the same as the open market value of the property, which can be higher or lower than the cost of rebuilding depending on the values in your area) and under insure their contents and personal belongings.

When it comes to claims, the insurance company will reduce the payout by the percentage they feel you are under insured. If you are insured for £25,000, but the actual value of your contents is £50,000, any claim payout could be cut by 50%.

Companies can also refuse to honour a claim, or even void a policy, if you lie on a proposal form or fail to disclose material facts, so read or listen to those questions very carefully.

Another useful money tip. Shop around for the best quotes using online comparison sites, as opposed to approaching one provider or bank. As mentioned in an earlier broadcast, staying with one company for life does not generally pay, so compare the market every year or so to save money.

One of my listeners just emailed me today saying she had saved over £2000 on her car and contents cover by using a comparison site after listening to Money Tips Daily!

I am guilty of this myself, staying with one mobile phone provider and a well known breakdown cover company for over 20 years. However, I have recently negotiated a better deal with both after I noticed they were increasing my premiums!

Another tip. Watch out for the cost of paying your premiums monthly by direct debit.

You are effectively taking out a loan with a finance company – and you will be credit searched leaving a footprint on your credit file - and the interest rate can be as high as 39% pa! You can save money by paying by annual Direct Debit or even on a credit card, which would probably be a lot cheaper.

Make sure you are covered for valuable items like gold and jewellery, designer bags or watches, and that they are covered for loss or theft outside of your home, for example when you are wearing them, commonly known as ‘All Risks’ cover which will cost a little extra but I think is worth it because that’s when you are most at risk of loss.

Further tip. Have you declared the correct value and can you prove legal ownership?

Undeclared jewellery brought in from abroad without paying the duty may not be covered.

Many years ago, a Middle Eastern client of mine had a burglary and the thieves stole £10,000 worth of gold and jewellery. Because it was quite a large claim in those days, the insurance company sent a loss adjuster out to see him to assess (well, reduce) the claim and I attended the visit.

The first thing we discovered was that he was way under insured and had not disclosed the amount of ‘valuable’ items.

The assessor then asked where he bought the jewellery and he said in Egypt. He was then asked to show proof that he’d paid the duty when he brought the jewellery into the country. He said he hadn't because it had been brought in over a number of trips and it had just been worn by him and his wife.

The insurance company refused to pay out on the jewellery items as they said they were not legal. The company was reputable and did come to a fair settlement however, which shows that choosing the right insurer based on claims payout and service is sometimes more important than just the price.

If you have a large claim, particularly in the commercial world, you can employ a loss assessor to act on your behalf against the insurance company and their loss adjuster.

Bonus Tip... Have your jewellery valued and photographed, as you may not have receipts especially for family heirlooms. 

Action...Review your contents insurance today and if you can’t find the documents, call the company and ask them to go through exactly what you are covered and not for.

Check out my Podcast Version: 

https://anchor.fm/charles-kelly/episodes/What-You-May-Not-Know-About-Insurance-Policies-Can-Hurt-You-e14mlt 

See also: 

Leverage Your Time and Build a Profitable Online Business - Free Book Offer
Financial Education is Your Key to Wealth and Success

NEVER Borrow Money on Expensive Credit Cards to Buy Depreciating Consumer Goods

How to Make Money Online Without a Website or Inventing Your Own Product

Model the Rich and Successful

Leverage your time and learn how to start a profitable online business on a shoestring budget without a website

Welcome to Money Tips Daily this is Money Kelly bringing you money tips to help you save and make more money!

Yesterday, we looked at time management and how wealthy people leverage their time. Rich Dad Poor Dad author, Robert Kiyosaki said “the poor work hard for their money, the rich make their money work hard for them”.

I would add, that the rich also make their time work for them too. They leverage their time and multiply their personal time and effort. 

Most people exchange their time (and life) for money, and because there are only so many hours in the day it’s very hard to build wealth or retire. For instance, my lawyer is still working 10-12 hours a day and is well into his 70’s. I know, because he used to rent an office from me and I'd see his light on late at night and weekends!

I used work for others, exchanging my life for a salary I could barely live on. After 40 years, if you’re lucky enough to work for the government or a generous employer with a final salary pension scheme, you can retire on a pension equivalent to half your salary. 

Most workers don’t even have the luxury of a decent pension scheme at all and won’t be able to afford to retire or clear their mortgage if it runs beyond 65.

I also ran businesses with staff and headaches, which almost led me to a nervous breakdown! I was overweight, unfit, tired and very stressed – I spent most of my 13 hour days shouting at people! Ok, I was making a lot of money and had a nice BMW, but never had time to enjoy either. During a 15 year period, I went through relationship problems and a divorce!

When the business started declining, due to changes outside of our control, and we had to sell the company much less then it was once worth, it was a blessing in disguise. I felt like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

Now I work for myself from my home and enjoy life. I go to the gym and eat healthier, drink far less alcohol and I’ve lost 5 kilos. I feel fitter then I did 10 years ago. I don’t have staff, payroll, offices, giant photocopiers on rip-off lease contracts or invoices to pay and chase. I can travel when I like and work when it suits me.

Right now I'm writing this in the middle of the night, which I find is when I'm more creative. Fortunately, I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn and commute to work in the morning.

The economy is changing forever and it's changing fast. Earlier today, two more major high street names, Toy R Us and Maplins, went into liquidation illustrating the problems ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses are experiencing competing with online retailers like Amazon. 

Twenty years ago Toys R Us were the predators, wiping out thousands of smaller high street toy shops. Today they are the prey, unable to adapt and survive in the internet ‘dog eat dog’ business jungle.

But what has all this got to do with me you may ask? You might even be worried about your job?

Well, these changes in the economy is good news and offers huge opportunities for small and budding entrepreneurs who want to quit the 9-to-5 life. 

The internet has given you the means and tools to do things today that only big companies could do a few short years ago.

It’s not just large companies who are benefiting from the online business revolution. Millions of small traders and one-man-bands are getting in on the act and running online businesses from home using the platforms and fulfilment services provided by internet giants like Amazon and Shopify.

You don’t even need your own products or website. Like some traditional high street businesses, old style websites are becoming a thing of the past. 

When I started a business years ago, everybody said you needed to have a website, but nobody knew what to do with it or how to drive traffic to it. We spent tens of thousands of pounds and waited months to get a ‘designer’ to build a website which wasn’t even that great and never produced much business for us. 

When someone did stumble on our site, they’d have a quick look around and leave. It was a bit like somebody aimlessly walking into a shop, having a quick look around and walking out before anyone has a chance to talk to them.

I also paid a ton of money for IT and SEO consultants (don't even ask what they did), courses and bought expensive online “solutions” to make my website attract more customers, most of which brought me nothing but frustration and an empty feeling - in my wallet!

Then a new kid on the block came along 3 years ago and turned everything we thought we knew about websites on its head. He developed a simple sales funnel drag and drop ‘kit’ you can put together yourself in minutes without hiring expensive or incompetent website designers. 

What’s more, the funnel site has been tried and tested to get the results you want, rather than being a flat one dimensional brochure site or a site with a dozen different buttons and options.

If you haven’t heard the name yet, you will soon hear about a genius Russell Brunson, the founder of a ‘Clickfunnels’. Their strap line is “abandon your old website”! 

Clickfunnels is basically a series of pre-designed template pages forming a funnel, or sales process, designed to take a visitor through from landing on your page to buying, joining, subscribing or whatever you are aiming to achieve.

Like most brilliant ideas, it's simple and user friendly. Even I could use it and I grew up in an era where I only saw computers on Star Trek season 1 with Captain Kirk!

After trying Clickfunnels on a 14 day free trial I was so blown away that I am booked on Russell’s bootcamp event in Orlando this month to learn more about online marketing and meet some of the people earning millions with Clickfunnels.

This might sound complicated, but if you want to get into ANY online business, or sell physical products online, or just earn some extra cash in your spare time, I would highly recommend reading Russell’s new book,  Expert Secrets. The easy-to-read book is packed full of cutting edge guidance and information written in a simple, engaging way with real life examples and stories of how to build a following and earn money online.

Best of all, he actually gives away the book for FREE if you pay the shipping costs.

Russell has revolutionised online selling and eCommerce while helping thousands of people become financially free and quit the rat race. 

What I like about Russell is he practical and honest in the book, and explains that internet marketing is not a get rich quick scheme and not everyone makes a fortune online.

You can find out more and get a free copy of Russell’s book Expert Secrets by clicking here or cut and paste this link into your browser - http://bit.ly/2EOzK8f. 

See also:

New HMO Letting Rules Could Drive Landlords Out Of The Buy-To-Let Property Market

Millions of jobs will be lost as Uber driverless cars and the digital revolution changes everything

Uber driverless car 

Think your job is safe? Think again. Read this...

U.S. tech giant Uber are rolling out plans to allow users to hail self-driving cars, not in the distant science fiction-based future, but within weeks, the company has confirmed.

The firm provides millions of taxi rides around the world through self-employed drivers running their own cars.

The launch will take place in Pittsburgh, where it is teaming up with Volvo. Volvo has already been testing self-driving versions of the same vehicle in Sweden as part of its "Drive Me" project, said Alan Stevens at the UK's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). The firm has also trialled the vehicle in Australia and plans to do so in London next year.

This is a clever publicity stunt for Uber, as the vehicles will actually be supervised by a human driver, who can take control if necessary, however, it is clear where this is going. Uber eventually hopes to replace its one million drivers, Bloomberg said.

Uber are also in the news this week after launching a legal Challenger in London against new rules to impose English tests on drivers.

Uber's founder Travis Kalanick has been outlining a world dominating vision of a self-driving fleet for some years and has raised £10 billion dollars to make it happen.

A spokeswoman for the firm told the BBC: "Starting later this month, Uber will allow customers in downtown Pittsburgh to summon self-driving cars from their phones, crossing an important milestone that no automotive or technology company has yet achieved.

"In Pittsburgh, customers will request cars the normal way, via Uber's app, and will be paired with a driverless car at random. Trips will be free for the time being, rather than the standard local rate of $1.30 [£0.98] per mile."

Over three million people are employed in the transport industry in the U.S. alone. It will be long before most of our goods will be delivered by driverless cars and trucks. Amazon has already started using drones to delivering parcels in America.

Early results from tests show that robot-driven cars are safer than the average human driver – and they don’t drink or get into road rage!

On a more serious point, we are all going to have to adapt to more and more of our jobs being done by computers, robots and  machines. This is happening now across many industries and will remove humans from tens of millions of jobs in the next few years.

How to survive the digital revolution

The digital revolution is already upon us, so get ready! However, I am convinced that you can work from home and make money online provided you have the right internet training and support and real products of value to market. You need training. If you try tinker at it on your own you will reduce your chances of making enough money to quit your job and living the life you really want. Nearly all businesses use the internet these days, so it's not some obscure idea. The latest internet boom is only just starting, according to the experts, and we can all ride the next wave.

Fortunately, the internet has opened up a new world of learning, working, socialising and doing business. Millions of people already work from home earning a living by using platforms such as Amazon, Ebay, Upwork and of course Uber. We no longer need to go back to school or university to learn new skills. We can work from home, start a business or find a new life partner all from the comfort of our home.

At the click of a mouse, you can now find everything from a short instructional video to a full degree course online. If you would like more information on a free course on how to survive and thrive in the digital economy and discover the truth about how to make money online, click here.

How to make money online and retire rich

We have all had the emails promising that you can 'retire young and rich' by buying the latest 'secret' or make 'tons of money' with no work.

You know what I mean, a 'once only' offer that will expire in a few hours, and the price is reduced if you buy today for a variety of amounts all ending with the figure .97! Apparently, we are more likely to but something if the price ends with '.97' - $29.97 or $47.97. And who are they fooling when they hire a big house (with no personal effects) and a Ferrari for the day and pretend they own them?

If you bought the product blindly, you were probably disappointed when you clicked the 'buy now' button only to find it was some useless course or complicated software that failed to bring in an 'avalanche of income' - either because it never worked or you did not understood how to use it?

Over the years I have researched and tried a number of different online affiliate marketing programs (selling other people's products for a commission) and courses with varying degrees of success. I had made money from the internet, but never quite found the company or product that could help me earn money while I slept or live the 'digital laptop lifestyle' lying on a beach - having said that, I can't read the screen in bright sunshine!

Yes, I'd made some money, but many of the methods I used 5 years ago were no longer bringing in the same results. Things move fast, technology changes, so I needed to upgrade my skills and knowledge. To be truthful, at this point I was beginning to wonder if it was really possible to earn a living and 'retire' though online marketing or low commission affiliate schemes like Amazon.

Then one evening I saw an ad on Facebook posted by a group of young Australian kids who were 'living the dream' on a beach in the Philippines. Having spent a lot of time in the Philippines over the years (recruiting Filipino nurses), the content caught my eye.

What interested me most was the fact that they were offering something of real value without asking me for any money upfront or credit card details. Not just some cheap ebook, but a free online 7 Day Video Course showing you how to earn money on the internet with no strings attached. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I thought why it a try?

After giving my email address to access the course I immediately started watching the professionally made videos and soaking up the easy-to-read content packed with money making ideas. Although sceptical at first (based on past experience) I had, to admit that I was amazed by the amount of valuable information freely given. I could see exactly where I had been going wrong and what to do about it in order to get out of the rat race and retire through internet marketing.

So can you really make a living or retire through online or internet marketing working from a home-based business?

Having doubted this, I am now convinced that you can work from home and make money online provided you have the right internet training and support and real products of value to market. If you try tinker at it on your own you will reduce your chances of making enough money to quit your job and living the life you really want. Nearly all businesses use the internet these days, so it's not some obscure idea. The internet boom is only just starting, according to the experts, and we can all ride the next wave.

How to make money online, leave the rat race and join the laptop entrepreneurs

Are you inundated with ad's promising you that you can 'retire young and rich' by buying the latest 'secret' or make 'tons of money' with no work or effort?

Usually, it's a 'once only' offer that will expire in a few hours, and the price is reduced if you buy today for a variety of amounts all ending with the figure .97! Apparently, we are more likely to but something if the price ends with '.97' - $29.97 or $47.97. And who are they fooling when they hire a big house (with no personal effects) and a Ferrari for the day and pretend they own them?

If you bought the product blindly, you were probably disappointed when you clicked the 'buy now' button only to find it was some useless course or complicated software that failed to bring in an 'avalanche of income' - either because it never worked or you did not understood how to use it?

Over the years I have researched and tried a number of different online affiliate marketing programs (selling other people's products for a commission) and courses with varying degrees of success. I had made money from the internet, but never quite found the company or product that could help me earn money while I slept or live the 'digital laptop lifestyle' lying on a beach - having said that, I can't read the screen in bright sunshine!

As I said, I'd made some money, but many of the methods I used 5 years ago were no longer bringing in the same results. Things move fast, technology changes, so I needed to upgrade my skills and knowledge. To be truthful, at this point I was beginning to wonder if it was really possible to earn a living and 'retire' though online marketing or low commission affiliate schemes like Amazon.

Then one evening on a crowded commuter train from London I saw an ad on Facebook posted by a group of young Australian kids who were 'living the dream' on a beach in the Philippines. Having spent a lot of time in the Philippines over the years (recruiting Filipino nurses), the content caught my eye.

What interested me most was the fact that they were offering something of real value without asking me for any money upfront or credit card details. Not just some cheap ebook, but a free online 7 Day Video Course showing you how to earn money on the internet with no strings attached. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I thought why it a try?

After giving my email address to access the course I immediately started watching the professionally made videos and soaking up the easy-to-read content packed with money making ideas. Although sceptical at first (based on past experience) I had, to admit that I was amazed by the amount of valuable information freely given. I could see exactly where I had been going wrong and what to do about it in order to get out of the rat race and retire through internet marketing.

So can you really make a living or retire through online or internet marketing working from a home-based business?

Having doubted this a few months ago I am now convinced that YES you can work from home and make money online provided you have the right internet training and support and real products of value to market. If you try tinker at it on your own you will greatly reduce your chances of making enough money to quit your job and living the life you really want. Nearly all businesses use the internet these days, so it's not some obscure idea. The internet boom is only just starting, according to the experts, and we can all ride the next wave.