Many are afraid or shy to ask for more money and better working conditions.
You may be afraid of the negative reactions you are expecting to get such as dismay, shock, embarrassment or being fired from the job.
But, whatever the reason may be, you are letting your long-term opportunities to be flushed away.
Negotiating a salary is a conversation that aims to reach an agreement with someone whose interests are not perfectly aligned with yours. Everyone with the right Psychological strategy and conversation tools can sway the opinion of another through a pleasant negotiation.
Here are 4 Ways to help you Negotiate Salary Increase Efficiently…
1. ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE
There are many people who hardly negotiate at interview, and during employment, they fail to negotiate a pay raise. If you do not ask then you won’t get it.
Realize that your bargaining strength is all in your head. If you act as though you are prepared to walk away from a deal unless you achieve your desired goal, your bargaining partner will be far more eager to meet your requirements.
2. BE AWARE OF YOUR CAPABILITIES AND BOUNDARIES
As I said, your bargaining strength is all in your head, so are your assumptions about yourself and your job. Negative assumptions (e.g., I am inexperienced, I shall not ask because of the bad economy, and I am not capable of doing all the job requirements) hinder the person to negotiate for a pay rise.
Evaluate these assumptions because you may fail to realize that the company needs you as much as you need them.
Believe that you are worth it. Throughout the negotiation interview, you shall highlight how much of an asset you are to the company and prove how you are the best candidate for the job.
3. ASK FOR MORE THAN YOU ACTUALLY WANT
Your first offer must be slightly higher than what you want to avoid remorse and to give you a room to bargain. It uses the door-in-the-face technique wherein the employee starts with a huge and unreasonable request in order for the employer to settle with a smaller request.
Image Credits: Roy Blumenthal via Flickr
4. COMPETE
Negotiating a salary is a conversation that aims to reach an agreement with someone whose interests are not perfectly aligned with yours. Negotiating your salary is also a game with all of its players attempting to dominate each other. Dominate the game by researching all the needed information.
Go in-depth about the complete aspects of the job and the company. Also, collect data about the average pay and accurate salary opportunities in your position.
Use persuasion and assertion if necessary because research show that competition is a successful negotiation strategy (Marks & Harold, 2011).
How can you pay for trips if your budget is too tight? Certainly, saving for travel money is not an easy task, which is why a sparkle of effort is needed to turn your dreams into reality.
Here are 4 Ways to Boost Your Travel Fund…
1. SELL YOUR UNWANTED OR UNUSED ITEMS ONLINE
Anything that is still in good condition and has a credible brand name will be flocked over by buyers. Even your old furniture can be sold in online sites such as Carousell and Gumtree. Nonetheless, you can always sell your precious items to your close family and friends through a Facebook group.
Rules on selling include: be honest with the product’s flaws, have a simple and accurate description, and charge right for postage.
The popular and safe websites (or mobile apps) for selling are:
Some companies such as Citibank or Virgin offer a significant amount of air miles every time you purchase. Once you have an air mileage credit card and use it abundantly (within your needs), you may even book your flight for free!
Image Credits: William Cho via Flickr
3. CONTROL YOUR UNNECESSARY BUYING INSTINCTS
Stop buying useless things that you do not need. Rethink if buying overpriced coffee rather than making your own coffee at work saves you more. Instead of buying lunch, pack your own lunch for at least 2 months. It will not only save more money, but it will reduce waste. It may seem simple, but these unnecessary expenses add up.
4. BE PATIENT
If you need to purchase something for your trip, wait for sale to come around or buy the last season’s model. When selling your items, you must be okay to accept an item price for less. You must practice the virtue of patience, as you wait for the right time before you may be able to travel.
Various people have an impression that Yoga is expensive or that Yoga is only for the elites.
Compared to a monthly gym membership, perhaps Yoga can be considered expensive. Clothes, mats, and other props can be costly. But, if you prioritize the practice of awareness rather than flaunting for fashion then you may find yourself saving a lot more.
As Yoga teachers, you get to immerse yourself deeper in the practice and its doctrines. You become less interested in wastefulness and more interested in conservation. With that in mind, here are 6 Simple Ways to Save Money as a Yoga Teacher…
Image Credits: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas via Flickr
1. SAVE ON YOGA TOPS
Jessica Matthews, writer on “American Council on Exercise”, suggests that you can wear a simple tank top a fitted and stretchy t-shirt, or a sportswear top, whether or not they were designed specifically for Yoga. An inexpensive top or shirt can be just as comfortable as the designer ones.
2. MANAGE YOUR INCOME AND EXPENSES
In order for you to decide on how much you shall save, first you must be aware of how much you are spending. The typical things you will track as an expense are costs on training, travel, clothing, and books. The challenge now is for you to choose on which expenses you can reduce.
3. MAKE YOUR OWN YOGA PROPS
Abby Lentz, founder of the “HeavyWeight Yoga classes”, shared some Do-It-Yourself Yoga Props.
a. Yoga Blocks
It is possible to make a handcrafted Yoga Block if you have bulky, unused or old books, yellow pages, phone books, and dictionaries. Just slip a pace of hard cardboard halfway between the pages of the book to make it sturdy and tightly tape the entire areas close.
b. Yoga Straps
You can make your own Yoga strap by knotting two neckties together. You may also use a second-hand bathrobe sash from the thrift shop as branded Yoga straps are just made with cotton straps with buckles.
Image Credits: Roy Blumenthal via Flickr
4. PRACTICE AT HOME
Doing Yoga at home along with a video or audio companion is definitely more cost-effective than attending classes. The Internet has an abundant index of Free Yoga videos, health information, and Yoga poses catalog that you may use.
If your studio benefits include free classes, then take advantage of it. Aside from exercising, you will get a chance to study how different teachers conduct their classes.
5. INVEST IN THE BASICS
Two dollars for a mat and a dollar for bottled water may not seem like a lot, but it will quickly add up over time. Instead of buying or renting cheap Yoga mats, invest on a sturdy one that you can use for a couple of years.
Instead of buying mineral water on the studios you practice, buy a cheap water bottle and refill your own water at home. Through these steps, you will not only be able to save money but you will also be able to reduce waste.
6. Aside from saving money on Yoga, you can also save money through Yoga!
When you are caught in a beauty dilemma, you need a quick solution! In order for fast action to happen, health care products that are already available can be used.
Here are 5 Affordable Beauty Hacks that can make your life easier…
1. FOR YOUR SHINY FACE
To deal with your shiny face, you may use hand sanitizer or Sticky Notes (e.g. Post-it). Hand sanitizer has “dimethicone” that smoothens the skin like a primer and provides a protective coat locking in moisture. You may use this along the hairline, forehead, T-zone or cleavage.
Post-it or sticky notes remove the excessive oil on your face without ruining your make up. Just peel off a Post-it sticky part then dab it along your T-zone.
2. MULTI-PURPOSE PRODUCTS
Many of the health care products have multiple uses so stretch its capabilities to save more money. Here is a list of 4 multi-purpose products:
a. Toothpaste can double as pimple remover
b. Baby oil can double as a make-up remover
c. Nail polish cannot only personalize your jeans but it can also stop a run in your stockings.
d. Greek yogurt to reduce pimple inflammation and redness
3. FOR YOUR HAIR IRON BURNS
If you accidentally burn yourself with your hair iron or curling stick, use raw honey to alleviate the pain and provide antibacterial protection. Honey also keeps your skin hydrated and smooth.
Image Credits: Maegan Tintari via Flickr
4. FOR YOUR DRY FEET
Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist and author of “Skin Rules”, suggests adding two tablespoons of brown sugar to 1/2 cup of coconut oil to exfoliate dry feet. She says that it helps to get rid of the unwanted dead skin.
5. FOR YOUR UNRULY HAIR
Your hair may either be dry or dull. When this happens, gather the ingredients you have in your kitchen and try these hair masks.
a. Hydrating Mask
Heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil for 20 seconds then mix it with 2 tablespoons of honey. Apply it in your hair and put a shower cap on for 20 minutes. Then, rinse it.
b. Mask for Shiny Hair
Mash one piece of avocado until the texture is smooth. Then, add 1/2 cup of coconut milk and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the mixture up for 20 seconds. Apply it in your hair and put a shower cap on for 30 minutes. Then, rinse it.
In Singapore, where costs are ever running high, you may find that your current wage is direly insufficient to help you save up for that big-ticket new car or house that you have been hankering after. As such, it is unsurprising that many Singaporeans are seeking to take up side gigs outside of their day job, where they are able to earn a quick buck or two in their leisure time.
That being said, perhaps you cannot expect to earn thousands from such additional sources of income – after all, you are hardly committing to them full time. However, the benefit of such side gigs is that they do not interfere with your usual day job, and instead allows you to capitalise on your free time as well as your unique hobbies, to reap some additional side income from which you can better achieve your newest 2015 financial resolutions!
If you are an avid Internet-surfer who is out to find ways to take up a side gig of your own, here are 6 easy ways for you to earn a side income online. These 6 methods of earning additional income online are so easy that almost anyone will be capable of taking them up – no matter if you are 14, or 40! All you need is some free time to spare, a computer, and the ability to read and write English, and you are good to go!
Are you a music enthusiast? If so, you might want to consider leveraging on your passion to write some music reviews on Slicethepie in your spare time.
On Slicethepie, you are paid for every music review that you write. Slicethepie is an online music community, where new bands upload their newest singles or demos, and reviewers can provide these bands with constructive criticism based on the soundtrack’s beats, melodies, vocals or production.
Although Slicethepie may not pay out a significant amount (reviewers start off with a base rate of 2 cents per song – a little paltry, but detailed reviews tend to get awarded more), it is a good way for music lovers to spend their time constructively to help out fellow musicians and earn some spare cash in the process. Plus, you get to listen in on exclusive tracks that have yet been released into the mainstream – what’s not to love?
If you find that your household is becoming rather cluttered with things that you no longer need, or items that have not quite come into use despite having been purchased five years ago – well, it is certainly time to let go of these preloved goods to better owners who will give them their due use instead of hoarding them in over-packed storerooms. And how should you go about finding these very ‘new owners’? The answer is simple – Carousell.
Carousell is becoming quite the household hit in Singapore, despite its recent inception in 2012. In fact, it is so popular that it seems to have garnered a permanent stay-hold on the App Store’s Top Charts. Through Carousell, buyers and sellers are brought together in an online marketplace.
If you have the time to spare, why not lay out all your unwanted items, snap a few pictures of them, and upload them onto Carousell, where potential buyers are abound? Surely, with the sheer extent of its reach – given that almost everyone has a Carousell account these days, it would be easy for you to find buyers who are willing to take over ownership of your preloved goods.
Certainly, clearing off your unwanted belongings through Carousell will allow you to earn some quick cash, and clear out your rooms for the new year!
Are you an Instagram addict? Or perhaps you might think of yourself as an up-and-coming blogger? Do you have relentless witty quips to share on Twitter? Or do you have a remarkable presence on Youtube?
Well, if you have a deep love for social media, and for sharing your adventures and exploits with the rest of the world, consider making use of your social media accounts to earn a quick buck. Companies are constantly looking for new faces and personalities to promote their products, and publicise their brand name. If you find that you have a sizeable number of followers on these social media platforms, you may be able to approach companies and successfully gain sponsors and paid advertisements, with which you can easily earn up to a hundred bucks or more per assignment.
Singapore has certainly made a fine art of social media influencing – just look at our top bloggers who are able to land even car sponsorship deals effortlessly! Anything and everything can be promoted on social media these days; why not hop on the bandwagon while it’s hot?
Another way of spinning some quick cash would be to fill out surveys online in your spare time. Corporations are constantly looking out for consumer feedback, and searching for new ways to identify the newest consumer trends. As such, giving your opinion in the form of paid online surveys can be deeply valuable to such firms, and you will receive due payment in the form of cash or shopping vouchers – a worthy transaction indeed!
Some of such paid online survey sites would include Opinisurveys, Toluna, and Mysurvey. But these are certainly not the only available survey sites. There are numerous online survey sites out there on the net, and all you need is to draw up a quick Google search, and you’ll be well on your way!
That being said, several paid online survey ads found on the Internet may turn out to be scams, so it is duly necessary to be discerning of any survey sites that promise rewards that seem too good to be true. Also, check up on the credibility of any new online surveying sites on the Internet.
If you’ve done your sufficient homework, then certainly carrying out online surveys is a remarkably easy and lucrative way of earning some extra moolah in your free time.
Do you have a flair for the written word? Do you have an undying passion for writing? Do you dream of getting published? If so, consider writing and publishing your own e-book! Given the rise in popularity of the e-book reader, e-books are gaining an ever larger audience, and surely you will be able to find a suitable audience for your very own book.
To publish an e-book, you can consider self-publication, or publication by legitimate publishing firms.
If you opt to self-publish, do bear in mind that you will have to cover all the costs of publication, and you might even potentially make a loss if your e-book fails to sell well. However, a major perk is that each sale of your e-book goes fully to you, and you have total ownership of your e-book.
On the other hand, if you seek to be published, it may prove an extended period of rejection until your manuscript lands into the hands of the right publisher who sees the potential in your work. However, it will eventually prove fruitful when your book is published, as such publishing firms often carry a more reputable brand name in the market which will help you to attain more sales for your book, and you will then be able to reap royalties from the sale of your e-book.
While the competition may be tough in the e-book industry, if you happen to land a hit, this may prove to be your fortune maker indeed!
In an age of industrialisation, where clothing and accessories are mostly mass produced or manufactured in factories, there has certainly been a surge in demand for hand crafted items in recent years. Goods that are produced in mass are often perceived to be common and mundane, and it is little wonder that several would rather shell out more money for unique hand crafted products. If you have a ‘crafty’ side (forgive the pun), why not put your skills to good use and create some handmade baubles for sale?
Etsy is an international online marketplace which curates an eclectic mix of independent stores which specialise in the crafting of handmade items, as well as the sourcing of vintage. As such, if you would like to peddle your home made wares online, Etsy is certainly the perfect place to host your online store as shoppers on Etsy are out to specifically find exclusive and uncommon handmade crafts and you will certainly be able to land a customer or two!
Not to mention, given that Etsy is popular internationally, you will be able to reach a wider range of customers than simply homely Singapore.
However, it is worthy to note that Etsy charges a fee of $0.20 USD for each listing. If you are unwilling to pay such fees, perhaps you can turn to Carousell or Instagram – both of which are entirely free platforms, to promote and sell your goods instead.
