If you’ve been looking for the right Nicotine Replacement Therapy techniques to help you quit smoking, know that vaping is one of the most effective solutions. According to the results of a study conducted by EurekAlert, given a choice smoking vs. vaping, not only is vaping 95% less harmful, but has also helped die-hard nicotine addicts kick the habit completely.

Dr Caitlin Notley headed the research at the UEA’s Norwich Medical School. She said, “We found that vaping may support long-term smoking abstinence. Not only does it substitute many of the physical, psychological, social and cultural elements of cigarette smoking, but it is pleasurable in its own right, as well as convenient and cheaper than smoking.”

Dr Notley goes on to add, “Our study group also felt better in themselves – they noticed better respiratory function, taste and smell. But the really interesting thing we found was that vaping may also encourage people who don’t even want to stop smoking, to eventually quit.”

Understanding Why Vaping is 95% Less Harmful

In case you’ve watched people vaping, you’ll note that it seems quite similar to regular smoking. The main difference could be the acrid odor. When comparing smoking vs. vaping, with the latter you’ll only sense a pleasant odor that reminds of fruits, flowers, and various other aromas that are not really offensive to non-smokers present nearby. To understand why conventional cigarettes are a lot more harmful than vaping with devices containing a Steam engine coil, you may want to explore how the mechanisms of the two activities work.

The Smoking Mechanism

Like this feature on the National Institute on Drug Abuse explains, each time you light up and smoke a cigarette, you will be absorbing between 1mg and 2mg of nicotine. The drug is released by the combustion of tobacco and more than 7,000 chemicals. These additional compounds aside from the tobacco ensure that the stick burns gradually. During the approximately 5 minutes you take to finish a cigarette, you could inhale about 10 puffs. In this time, the nicotine reaches the highest levels in the bloodstream and reaches the brain where it evokes feelings of pleasure and euphoria much like other drugs. In addition, the drug stimulates your adrenal glands so that your blood pressure is raised as is the heart rate and breathing.

The Vaping Mechanism

When you ignite the e-cigarette, you’ll use an electric charge to heat up the Steam engine coil inside the device. The coil heats the e-liquid stored in the tiny tank and vaporizes it. Hence the name, vaping. The smoke that appears from the vaping pod is similar to conventional cigarette except that vaping does not involve the burning of tobacco and other harmful compounds. Vaping heats Vegetable Glycerin and Propylene Glycol, both of which are organic compounds. These liquids produce the vapor that gives you only the sensation of smoking. And, in place of the acrid smoke, you’ll breathe in scents of fruits, flowers, confectionery, candy, and other fun combinations.

Should you compare smoking vs. vaping, you’ll note that both devices do release some amount of nicotine, but with vaping, you can choose the amount you inhale by controlling the strength of the nicotine in the e-liquids added to the vaping pod.

Effects of Vaping on Your Body

Before talking about the effects of smoking vs. vaping on your body, it is important to understand that vaping with the Steam engine coil is not just a Nicotine Replacement Therapy technique. Many vapers also use it as a recreation form – the critical factor being the nicotine content.

If you’re considering taking up vaping to quit smoking, you’ll choose e-liquids that match the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day. In this way, you can compensate for the nicotine withdrawal symptoms and remain comfortable as you try to quit. For instance, if you’re in the habit of smoking one or two packs a day, you may want to opt for e-liquids that have higher nicotine content like 16mg. However, if you’ve been a light smoker making do with about half a pack a day, the 6mg to 12mg e-liquids would be perfect for you.

As you continue with vaping using the Steam engine coil, you can make the shift to lower levels of nicotine until you’re comfortable with the 0mg drug content. Soon, you should have kicked the addiction entirely. But, like this article on the John Hopkins Medicine magazine warns, as long as your e-liquids contain nicotine, you do run the risk of developing complications like a raised blood pressure, higher adrenalin levels, and an increased heart rate. It is also advisable to use vaping only as a means of phasing out your smoking dependence. That’s because the nicotine content in vaping liquids can also be addictive.

In conclusion, when trying to quit smoking vs. vaping, easing out your addiction to nicotine and replacing it with a safer alternative is a smart choice.

Smoking vs. Vaping – Conventional Cigarettes Contain Harmful Chemicals

As the folks at the Cancer Research UK tell you, conventional cigarettes contain a range of chemicals that can harm your body. For instance, the chemical benzo(a)pyrene damages the DNA that protect your body from cancer. The chromium content helps toxic chemicals attach with your DNA and raises your risk of cancer. Further, other compounds in cigarettes damage your body’s waste disposal systems so they can no longer cleanse your tissues of toxins. The steady accumulation of these poisons makes your body vulnerable to the effects of other pathogens and diseases by weakening your immune system.

In contrast, vaping with devices containing the Steam engine coil will not introduce such chemicals into your bloodstream and over time, as you phase out the nicotine content, you will be left with a recreation option that you can enjoy safely without worrying about getting addicted.

So, go ahead and try vaping as a Nicotine Replacement Therapy option. Give up smoking and turn it into a safe, fun option that allows you to make the choice whether or not to go for it. Kick the habit and get back control of your life.

Credit facilities are necessary from time to time to enable us to fulfill financial obligations that may need a huge amount of money that we cannot raise upfront, but that we can manage to pay over time in small installments. For example, buying a home or a vehicle, or financing a business project are some expenditures that may need huge outlay. To qualify for credit, you must have a good credit history, an acceptable credit score to demonstrate that you can repay the loan, and several other things that the lenders deem critical.

So, what are some of the factors that may make lenders deny you credit? Here are some:

No credit history

You could be thinking that having no credit history is a good thing since it does not show any debt problems or defaulted payments on your credit file. However, having a blank slate can make lenders take a step back. Potential lenders are interested in seeing that you can manage credit. So, if you have never borrowed before, there is no information for them to use to gauge your creditworthiness. Mind you, your income is of no use when it comes to your credit history, since savings and current accounts do not appear on the credit report and thus cannot assist you to get credit.

Poor payment history

If you have a history of missed payments, your credit applications may be turned down, mostly in the short-term. As the lenders are deciding whether to extend you credit, they need to see a history of consistent repayments every month, and it is pretty evident that missed payments show the opposite. Also, missed payments lower your credit score (rating), leaving a bad impression on your credit file for some time, like six years. The more recent the defaulted debt, the higher the possibility of rejection. You may need to work with professionals like boostcredit101.com to improve your credit score to increase your chances of getting credit at better rates.

Seeking too much credit in a short amount of time

Requesting too much credit within a short duration portrays a desperate case, and lenders may be alarmed that you are looking for too much debt at once. Each credit application you make, irrespective of the amount, appears on your credit file, and this information is accessible by other lenders. Such a pull is referred to as a “hard search,” which happens every time you officially hand in a credit request. It is noteworthy that some pulls, like when seeking credit for a car or a home, are put together and not portrayed as several searches, thus reducing the negative impact. Also, any time you conduct a pre-check before applying, the lender does a “soft search,” which does not taint your credit report.

Your loan balances are too high

If your existing loan balances are too high, lenders may hesitate to issue you new loans or a credit card, as they may fear that you will miss repayments due to your already heavy burden. You should repay your loans to improve your chances of being extended credit.

Your income is too low

The amount of income required for you to qualify for some loans or credit cards varies with lenders or card issuers. Having lower income than the lender expects may cause them to turn down your application. Also, not having an income of your own can cause you to be denied credit. After all, how are you going to repay?

Losing a loved one is perhaps the hardest thing that we all go through. Whether it is a child, parent, sibling or close friend, it is a tragic situation to be in. If your loved one has been terminally ill for a while, then you can prepare a little for it, but in truth, it will still hit you hard when the time comes. This makes it important to think about how you will deal with their death and try to continue with your own life.

There is no doubt about it – this will be difficult, especially in the early days. It is, however, an important thing to consider. The loved one who has passed on would not want you to be unhappy or miserable for the rest of your life, after all. But how can you go about it?

Effective methods of dealing with grief 

One thing that you will find is that grief affects people in different ways. Some people deal with it in a matter-of-fact way to protect themselves, while others are far more emotional about it. The key thing is to deal with it in your own way – this will ultimately mean that the loss of your loved one is something that you can process eventually.

Anyone who is dealing with this kind of situation can make use of the following general tips though:

• Organize a fitting funeral – although you may not feel like it much at the time, organizing a fitting funeral service is worthwhile. It will give you and your whole family the chance to say goodbye properly and begin to seek some kind of closure around the loss. Many people now will opt for a touching cremation service for the flexibility that it offers in terms of the service itself. Legacy Cremation Services show why this is the case with their personal cremation services and gracious, caring staff on hand 24/7 to help out.
• Do not suppress your feelings – although time is a great healer, you may well have lots of different emotions inside for a while after the loss. It is important not to hold these in and let them out in the right way. Cry if you need to, and do not be afraid of feeling sad. Losing a loved one is a devastating experience and allowing yourself to be sad will help you begin to recover. It is also important to not feel bad if you experience other emotions such as anger or even happiness for the time you had together. These are perfectly valid and should not be ignored.
• Talk to others – when it comes to dealing with loss and the emotions around it, talking to others can often help. This will prove a useful way to let out your inner feelings, and the person you talk to may be able to offer useful advice or words to make you feel better. Many people simply talk to another family member or a friend, but you can seek professional counselling if you find this preferable.
• Get creative – a great way to deal with your feelings after your loss is to get creative. Although it may be hard at first, finding creative ways to remember the person who has gone will help eventually. It may be writing a poem about them or putting old photos of you together in a scrapbook to look through in the future. Anything like this will help you to grieve and then be able to start remembering them with happier emotions eventually.
• Take time off if needed – although it is key to try to carry on with your normal life after your loss, take time off work if required. Rushing back into the office when you’re not ready will only hinder the grieving process and stop you from dealing with it properly. Most people who do this only end up having to take time off after a few days anyway! It is much better to take however long you need to so that you are ready for work when you do go back in.

Give yourself time to heal

The death of a loved one is a painful experience that is hard to understand until you go through it. This does not mean that you cannot find advice on how to deal with it though, as the above shows. All the tips we have looked at will help you grieve and begin to come to terms with what has happened. Over time, you will then be able to think of them with fond memories rather than only sadness.

Online casinos have found a way to welcome new players by offering welcome bonuses. In New Zealand, any player who wants to join an online casino has the opportunity to enjoy that casino’s welcome bonus package. The bonus may be awarded as soon as you sign up at the online casino.

Top Casinos with Generous Welcome Bonuses for Kiwi Players

Online Casino	Welcome Bonus	Games	Payout
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River Belle Casino	$800	500+	97%
Spin Palace Casino	$1,000	700+	98%
Mummys Gold Casino	$1,200	600+	98%
Royal Vegas Casino	$1,600	600+	97.5%
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Money Gaming	$300 after registering
Crazy Vegas	$500 deposit bonus
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Online Casino Welcome Bonuses Explained

Gamblers from New Zealand can enjoy two types of online casino welcome bonuses. These include no deposit bonuses and welcome bonus packages. As usual, new players who want to claim these bonuses should first sign up. Let’s find out what the two types of casino bonuses are all about to understand the benefits.

No Deposit Bonuses

The first type of bonus you’ll come across when you create a new casino account is known as the no deposit bonus. As the name suggests, the casino does not require you to deposit in order to claim the bonus. You’ll receive this type of bonus immediately after registering in the form of free spins or money. Some casinos may give you both to help you get started after signing up.

No deposit bonuses are very important because they allow new gamers to test the casino’s games without making a deposit. This means new players can play their favorite casino games and know how the games work without risking their hard-earned cash. Once players understand how the games work, they can make a deposit and play for real cash.

Welcome Bonuses

The second type of bonus you’ll receive when you join an online casino is the welcome package. Unlike no deposit bonuses, players can only get a casino’s welcome bonus if they make a deposit after signing up. In most cases, welcome bonuses come in the form of a package with a bonus for the first few deposits. Most casinos will give you welcome bonuses for your first 3 or 5 deposits. You may be required to use your bonus on any casino game depending on the casino.

Wagering or Playthrough Requirements

Obviously, casino bonuses come with Terms and players must follow the rules. Every time an online casino gives you a bonus, you cannot cash out unless you meet the applicable wagering or playthrough requirements. Wagering requirements specify how many times you need to wager the bonus in order to withdraw. The bonus may come with a 25x or 35x wagering requirement. However, you may have to wager the bonus more than 35 times depending on the casino. Therefore, it’s important to check the relevant T&Cs before claiming any casino bonus.

Summary

Online casinos know how to attract new customers with welcome bonuses. Kiwi player should capitalize on these bonuses by looking for online casinos with lucrative welcome bonuses.

The process of pest control can be a rather pesky one at times. It often may not feel worthy of the intense hassles people go through in the name of pest control in the house. However there are some good companies who genuinely try so hard to be effective and yet hassle free. However these problems can be easily avoided by managing a few things before hand in the house. No pest control company worth their salt wants to have a bad review so when they leave your house in a mess, it doesn’t help their credibility either!

So follow the given rules for the house for a hassle free pest control:-

1. Remove any open food from the house. Pest control mechanics use strong toxic agents through the house to kill the rodents and insects. Any open food may get affected and doused with them which in the end, has to be thrown away. It would be better to remove all such food from the house. In fact, remove almost all kinds of food here, except for the canned ones. They are airtight and do not let the poisonous gases get in. Especially, the companies of Boston pest control are seen as extra considerate of the customers and the potential of the various woes they face each time they need to get rid of those pesky termites.
2. Remove heavy curtains. Nobody likes the lasting smell of the gases or the agents used to get rid of pests. It can be done with the help of common sense. Just try to remove all heavy clothed curtains or covers etc., as they take up a lot of the toxic agents and keep the nasty smell around without any productive reason.
3. Keep windows and doors open after the pest control has come and sprayed the toxic agents. This prevents any stuffiness and allows you to breathe freely without feeling suffocated.
4. Clear out the particular area where you think the pest control should focus more. Remove the furniture, mark the wall, and keep that room segregated from all the rest. Show the mechanics this spot and ask them to concentrate on that area mostly. There is no point in fumigating the entire house if only one part is affected.
5. Keep your house clean and do not put too much furniture in one room. Over-crowded rooms are the first signs of infestation and the first place where infestation returns. Hence the smartest decision would be to simply keep furniture bit apart and not keep any items clustered in any room.

Thus, Boston pest control companies would prefer of the previous tips are followed as they help in keeping the house clean and making the work easier for both sides. So what are you waiting for? If you need to get your pest control checked up, then this is the best way to get decked up.

With the increase in flooding and rain events and the decrease of the water tables it has become clear that ecology of water cycles are now severely impaired due to significant climate changes along with increases in soil sealing levels. One of the latest solutions to areas that are prone to flooding from across the globe come in the form of green roofs, which provide an increase in green spaces in the spaces that are densely populated and developed. Every green roof will store a certain level of storm water, which will then run-off or evaporate from the roof.

Recent statistics from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment released information that 69 hectares of land has been rezoned for infrastructure development and settlement in the year 2015. The effects of this type of sustained levels associated with soil sealing results in storm water that is no longer able to penetrate into public sewerage systems and the ground, which usually become overwhelmed quickly during rain events that are severe which results in flooding.

The Effects Of Stormwater Retention

The aim behind storm water retention involves suppressing precipitation peaks and to then extend these stages temporarily. Opting for a green roof for example, will mean that your roof can store as much as 20 to 40 l/m² in the green-roof build up or for the intensive green roofs, they are able to store 50 and 100 l/m² or even more. When it comes to flood zone areas, the green roof that you decide on should be able to store high levels of water.

How Does It Work

In the latest stormwater management roofs, the element known as a “spacer” is used, which is installed under the green-roof build-up. The actual height for these spacers will vary according to area that you live in. For example, a spacer that is 10 cm high will allow for storing around 80 l/m² of rain, on a flat zero-pitch roof along with a required load-bearing capacity. Retention capacities of the green roofs are in this way increased. Over a pre-defined time, frame which is usually over 24 hours or a few days, any retained storm water will slowly run off through the throttle element which is inserted inside the gully into a sewage system.

Rooftop plants which includes the roof gardens and green roofs combined with a rainwater collector are aimed at slowing down the effects of a flood. They are also designed to spread the impact of heavier rains over longer periods. These ideas are also based on replacing a few of the grass, plants and trees which are missing in the concrete environments.

Reducing Flooding With Metal Roofs

Flooding has occurred more recently in the Houston area, yet is more of a continuous issue in areas like New Jersey, New York City, among others. These flood zones stem from rainfall in unusually large volumes, which is the more obvious reason, yet flooding is also the result of environments that are built-up that do not have the ability to handle rainfall due to the impermeable surfaces which are common in cities.

Metal roofs are also regarded as a solution for flooding when combined with storage devices which capture water and then delays the water when it flows from the roof into the stormwater system in the city. Captured water can later be reused for the non-potable purposes such as toilet flushing or landscaping.

The Benefits Of Reusing Rainwater

Advantages associated with capturing along with delaying release of rainfall, not only assists cities to manage rainfall for either flooding or drought conditions but can also assist the checkbook of a building owner.

The activities involved in reusing rainwater will mean paying a lot less for your water that local water utilities would usually have to treat before sending it to the different buildings. Owners are offered with the opportunity to pay less when it comes to their water bills, while at the same time easing a bit of the stress placed on the utility companies.

Roofing Maintenance Can Help To Prevent Home Flooding

Storms have the potential to cause havoc to homes. Over and above resulting in damages to the roof, sidings and the home exterior, heavy rains and high winds also contribute to flooding. Water that infiltrates into your home can potentially destroy your valuables and also cause damages to the foundations, interior walls and your finishes as well as encourage dangerous mold growth. A roof is classified as the primary barrier to water infiltrating the home, which also makes sure your home stays dry. Regular maintenance can assist your roof in performing at its very best and to keep the water out.

In addition to a professional roof inspection conducted by an experienced roofing contractor you should also ensure your roof is clear from algae, moss and debris. Trim any overhanging branches along with foliage to avoid the impacts from blowing or falling debris. If you find algae or moss remove it safely without causing more damages to your roof. If you allow these types of conditions to build-up this can undermine or penetrate your shingles, which can result in granule loss if you have asphalt shingles which results in leakage, structural damages, water infiltration and mold.

If you have plans to replace the roof, it is a good idea to invest in rubber-roof underlayment. This is an inexpensive addition which creates a barrier that is more waterproof between the roof decking and the shingles, which will ultimately extend the life-span of the roof as well as protect your home and attic from water that infiltrates your home. The option to replace asphalt-shingles with architectural shingles, duration shingles or stone-coated modern steel materials which can assist in protecting the house from moisture over the years.

Avoid the risks of allowing your home to become flooded, by investing in the right roofing materials or replacing the roof with either a metal or green roof solution. Regular maintenance is also the key to preventing unnecessary flooding.

Finding correct insurance is one of those things that take a bit of time but it’s an integral part of running a small business. Whether you are just getting started or looking to sign a new agreement, it is time to break things down and know what needs to be done. If you are banking on doing things properly without a lick of research, it is going to end up differently then you had imagined.

This is one of the worries people have when it comes to doing things the right way and heading towards a solution that is worthwhile. Here are tips that anyone can follow while looking for good insurance options.

1) Assess Your Needs

Start by assessing your needs as a small business. For example, an IT shop is going to have different needs in comparison to a restaurant. You are going to have to sit down and take a look at your different assets, how much they’re valued, and what you need to protect. If this information isn’t readily available, you will need to take the time to assess your setup before starting the research phase. This is the foundation of a good commercial insurance policy and has to be kept in mind!

2) Find a Specialized Insurance Provider

When you are ready to move forward with the search, it’s time to find specialized insurance providers that have worked within your niche. For example, a restaurant business should only be going with agencies that have signed up with various restaurants in the region.

This is all about making sure you are not ending up with an agreement that doesn’t protect you or leaves things out because of inexperience. This is why you want to stick to reliable options that have done in before and aren’t going to swindle you along the way.

3) Protect Against Main Liabilities and Risks

Each small business is going to have its personal liabilities and/or risks that have to be kept in mind. You want to take the time to know what yours are in this scenario. Until you are able to map out a clear-cut set of liabilities, it is best to continue to do your research because this is where businesses lose out and end up with the wrong option in their hands. Be smart and take your time during this stage of the process.

If you are able to protect the main issues such as the property, you are going to be well on your way to a meaningful agreement.

4) Don’t Panic or Rush

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to rush during the process. In fact, a lot of small business owners don’t care about the insurance policy and assume it isn’t going to become an issue for them. This isn’t the case and anything can happen when you are running a meaningful small business. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are taking precautions! You have to be smart and avoid rushing during the process.

Instead, you want to look at everything and find something that will be in line with what your checklist requires.

5) Set a Budget in Advance

Every small business has a monthly/annually budget that has to account for insurance-related expenses. You cannot afford something that is going to take a huge chunk of the budget because there are so many costs to balance along with the insurance plan.

If the insurance plan is too expensive then it is best to compare your options to see what else is out there. Until you do this, you are not going to be able to find something that has meaningful premiums and will not charge an exorbitant rate unnecessarily. This is where your homework is going to come into the equation!

6) Protect the Assets

Always focus on your main assets, which would be the property and other technological items. If you are a landscaping company then your mowers and other relevant materials will matter and should be protected. The same goes for camera equipment when you are running a photography business. Each niche has its own expensive assets and those are the ones you want to protect at all costs.

Otherwise, your business is going to take a major hit if something were to go wrong and you were not paying attention as much as you needed to.

7) Know Your Credit History

One of the best things a person can do is to take a look at their credit history because it is an integral part of the process. If you are not taking a look at your credit history then there is going to come a time where you may end up with the wrong fit.

Insurance agencies will take a look into these details for you and it is a waste of time to go in without thinking about these details. You may end up with nothing more than a rejection and that is never a good thing!

8) Learn the Terms of Your Eventual Agreement   

Think about what you are signing and always read the agreement in detail. The premise is to know what you are signing and how it is going to help you if something were to go wrong. Of course, you don’t want anything to head in the wrong direction but life throws many curveballs at you as a small business owner. Therefore, you want to know what the terms say and don’t assume everything will work out!

You have to be aware of how your policy works like the back of your hand because it is an integral part of the business now.

These are the tips that will ensure you are able to come out on the right side of an agreement without feeling confused. Pay attention to the details and know what you are getting from the agreement as soon as you sign the dotted line. This is critical information and is the only way to ensure you are heading in the right direction.

 

If your mentality about getting money is through hard work and devoting extra hours to your work, this post will make you have a rethink. It will also interest you to know that there are people who don’t work themselves out before getting income. And what differentiates them is the information they have. The opportunity to make money with little effort keeps expanding, thanks to investment tools, apps, and tech advancements. Even if the process might require some hard work at the beginning to keep the money-making strategy in motion, be sure that you will rest for the remaining days. So like finding writing thesis help, here are three incredible ways you can generate income with little or no effort.

1. Earn Advertisement Revenue from a website

Having a website to share ideas and help people learn something new, can generate passive income for you. Even if you are not a passionate writer, you can share your thoughts with a ghostwriter or freelance writer to help create contents for your website.

But have in mind that you need to put in the hard work at the beginning to get your website running. Use WordPress or any other platform to create your blog.

Once the traffic to your blog starts increasing, your next focus should be to monetize the website. You can sign up for Google Ads or affiliate network to earn money. And remember, you can always hire writers to help you write and even publish articles on your blog.

2. Create and sell courses online

If you have a skill or knowledge you feel others may want to learn, create an e-book that covers everything about that skill. You can publish the e-book on Amazon Kindle and get commission anything anyone buys your work.

Another place where you can sell an online course is Udemy. Whether it’s how to use Microsoft Excel or a new program, know you can earn money if you have sound knowledge and know how to pass it on.

3. Invest your little income

One of the easiest ways to make money is to invest. It takes sacrifice at the beginning. But if you endure and get it right, you will smile for the rest of your life.

However, there are many opportunities to invest money. For instance, with apps like Acorn, you can make significant investments in the stock portfolio from your little changes. The app links one’s credit or debit card to it. According to paper writing pros, whenever an individual using the app buys something online, it would round up the price of the item and help to invest the little change or difference.

Conclusion

Take a look at the ways to make money with little efforts. They involve little or no work but can generate passive income for you. Though many of them require hard work at the initial stage, rest assured that once set in motion, then you will no longer have any reason to worry. The money keep on entering your bank account.

Whether you’re supplementing your income to help pay bills, trying to fluff up your savings account for vacation, or simply looking to be your own boss, many people have found themselves turning to freelancing and/or consulting in their various fields to bring in that extra money.

You don’t have to look far to find success stories. There are so many people who’ve made freelancing and consulting their primary source of income, it really goes to show what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. Of course, there are issues with the freelancing process, as with any occupation. One of the biggest problems freelancers face today is delivering their assignment and finding themselves being stiffed on the bill. It happens. And, more often than not, the freelancer is left with little to no recourse to collect the outstanding compensation which is rightfully owed to them.

It’s a frustrating situation, for sure. You pour your effort, time, and possibly even resources, into creating the perfect project for the client. You know your work is high-quality and well worth the price you’ve set. So, why aren’t they paying? And, even more important, how can you go about collecting those fees you’ve worked so hard for? There is hope for the jilted freelancer. Here are some effective and ingenious ways to retrieve those elusive funds…

Consider your Salary

Understanding what you’re really worth is the first step profiting from your consulting or freelancing position. The average consultant salary is around $75,000 per fiscal year, which is actually a surprisingly high amount when compared to the average for general white-collar occupations. If you’re not making anywhere near this amount, it’s time to change things up in your day-to-day operations. If you know what you’re worth and set a firm minimum price point which reflects the high quality of your work, it will help to deter those who cannot actually afford your services. Of course, there will still be those clients who, it seems in hindsight, most likely had no intention of paying from the start. It’s these folks who make us cringe and make it necessary for articles like this.

You worked hard and you deserve to be compensated for your time and efforts. If you find yourself facing clients who are constantly trying to negotiate your baseline consulting salary, reassert your position and decline the work if they aren’t getting the idea. It may seem like a bad idea to turn down work, but rejecting work from those who you aren’t sure will even pay will leave you open for jobs which are more likely to show a good ROI. Time is money, especially in the freelancing/consulting industry.

Built-in Business Security

You should feel secure and in control when you’re your own boss. Instead, when you’re left with nothing after working on a client’s project, you can end up feeling like a failure. Obviously, it’s not your fault the client reneged on their end of the deal. If you’re just getting into the freelancing or consulting industry, it’s wise to take your time when setting up your business model to ensure consistent payments for your work. If you’re already past that point, there are ways to go about getting the money you’re owed. First, let’s take a look at some key points to include in your initial business plan.

• Set up an ‘up-front’ payment system. Either require half of your freelancing or consulting salary before you begin working or even ask for the full amount up-front. You should probably have a lot of verifiable experience and positive feedback from many previous clients before this tactic will start working as well as it’s intended.
• If you’re working with a client who sends more than one project, consider setting up a retainer account. This will ensure you have consistent money coming in at all times.
• If you’re finding it difficult to snag a client with the up-front payment method, consider offering a discount for your services, but only if they pay first, and in full!
• Set up a comprehensive and user-friendly database to track your earning and set reminders for yourself to monitor the data every so often. There are a lot of apps on the market in this area, such as Daily Income(iPhone/apple/mac) and Balance Book (android/win).

Get it in Writing!

Rather than automatically assuming your client has nefarious motives when you don’t immediately receive the expected compensation for the job you’ve completed, it will behoove you to keep the client on your side. Give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, we’re all only human. Maybe their computer crashed or they’re completely swamped with family priorities. Try to be understanding, but also keep your own goal in mind: getting paid. You can still, of course, get in contact with the client in regards to your payment issue. Try taking a more subtle tactic than just outright asking to be paid. You can inquire about how their payment process works (even if you already know, this will get their mind moving in that direction if, perhaps, it has just slipped their mind).

Also, consider asking (preferably via email) for a report of all work you’ve done for the client to date. Having this information is not only useful for your own data, but it will be very effective when seeking other methods of recourse.

3rd Party Collections

If you’ve tried all of the above techniques and you’re still fighting to receive your well-deserved payment, you might want to look into hiring a third party collection agency to assist in retrieving those outstanding funds. Agencies such as And Co are well-versed in this field and will fight for your rights as an independent contractor. Remember to exhaust all other options before going down this route, though, as it can end up being a long and drawn out process. If you haven’t yet reached out to the client’s superiors or the higher-ups of your specific freelancing/consulting service, definitely do so first!

You’re Worth It!

Don’t sell yourself short. You’re worth every penny you say you are. Nobody knows your talent better than you, so you’re the perfect person to set your price. Stand your ground and follow through with your business model and you’ll begin seeing your profits increase in no time! Your freelancing and consultant salary should be reflective of the superior quality of the work you provide. Don’t let those slippery clients leave you drained- both in energy and funds. You have plenty of options and, remember, there’s always tomorrow!

Author Bio: Adrian Rubin is a climate change advocate and freelance writer.

In the world of business, the digital revolution has been in place for some time now. This has seen most businesses understand the value of having an online presence to go with their offline one. With recent figures from 2018 showing that over 4 billion people globally use the internet regularly, it is easy to see why it makes perfect sense. So many of your customers and potential customers shop online now that you are really missing out if you are not there. Even if you do not sell products, having an online presence is key so that people can contact you or learn more about your services.

What do you need to think about when going online?

If you are in the process of taking a business online, then you may feel like there is lots to do or not know where to start. If this is the case, then the below tips should make everything a bit clearer going forward.

Get a website professionally designed

The website you will use to represent your services online is a direct reflection of your business. It will also have a massive part in how successful your move online is. The number of customers who like it enough to buy goods there or speak with you will be critical to it working out as planned. This is why getting a fast, well-designed website that is mobile-friendly is essential. It will not only attract customers online but also give them a good impression of you when they are there.

Social media

It really is impossible to talk about taking a business online without including social media. The big players such as Twitter and Facebook have literally millions of users who are potential customers. These amazing marketing tools give you direct access to the public, so you can show them what you do, keep them up to date with special offers, and build your brand in an organic way. When going online, make sure to set up social media accounts with the platforms that your customers use and engage with them regularly.

Consider an e-commerce store

If you actually sell products or goods as a business, then you may want to consider an e-commerce store altogether or a section on your website that allows customers to purchase goods. Magento is one e-commerce platform that many businesses use, along with Shopify. This is a good choice if you actually sell things, as you can access the many millions of people who shop online now and boost your overall business revenue.

Amazon listing optimization

As well as selling via your own e-commerce store or website, you should consider going through popular marketplaces such as Amazon. This very well-known marketplace has around 300 million users to date and is great for buyers because it is safe and easy to use.

One great tip here to sell more is to optimize your Amazon product listing so that it lists higher in the search results on the site. This will get your products in front of more people when they search Amazon to generate more sales. As with standard SEO, much of this revolves around using the right keywords and how you set up your images.

What about a blog?

Many people now will shop with businesses that they feel offer insights and have authority in the sector in which they reside. One great way to help establish this for your brand is to use the online space to create a company blog. You do not have to write numerous articles each day – just a few per week will be enough to keep you visible. By posting these on your company blog and social media accounts, you will be well on the way to putting your brand right at the front of people’s minds when they come to need your services next.

Use LinkedIn to network in your sector

Although it is technically a social media channel, LinkedIn is aimed more at the business community than the public. As such, it is worth knowing about when taking a business online. Creating an account on there will allow you to network with other businesses in your sector and pick up new B2B sales that you might not otherwise have got.

Taking a business online is an exciting time

If you are at the point where you will be taking your business online, then it is a big moment. It is definitely the right decision with so many of your potential customers hanging out there when looking for services or goods. If you follow the above handy hints, then you will be well on your way to doing so in great style!