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Success Is The Best Revenge

Success Is The Best Revenge

by | May 6, 2021 | career development, Investing, lifestyle, Managing Money | 0 comments

Has someone ever wronged you? Once upon a time, your enemy would have received severe punishment. That was centuries ago. We’re more civilized these days, but that doesn’t mean we are any less angry and emotionally upset.

You may lose a job unfairly, a significant client taken away, bullied at work, your partner stole assets, or your spouse is sleeping with your best friend. When someone causes you harm, it is natural to have an emotional reaction: rage,  anger, and the desire for revenge. However, revenge will never make you better and hurt your chances at your success and happiness. Instead, success is the best revenge.

What Is Revenge?

The definition of revenge is an act or instance of retaliating to get even. Media captivates us with revenge stories like in Stephen King’s Carrie about a bullied teenager who takes brutal, vengeful action in this horror story. (It’s a great movie, by the way.)

Some believe revenge is justice but that is vigilante thinking. Thinking about exacting revenge is a human response but it offers little in the way of satisfaction.  

Is that a worthwhile use of your time, energy, and productivity? Wouldn’t it be better if you are a success despite it all? Rather than retaliate, consider this as a temporary setback and not a barrier. Refocus on the task on hand. Reestablish trust in yourself and your mission.

In reality, there are more failures per success tale because of the efforts it takes. People love stories about winners but don’t know how many failures there were beforehand.

Revenge reinforces negativity. Confucius said, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” Instead, visualize your success. These events that conjure revenge images in your head are never as catastrophic in hindsight. Let them provide you with invaluable lessons. Failure is so much a part of achieving your goals. Being successful too early in life robs you of that needed defeat.

Michael Jordan’s Rejection

Who hasn’t felt misjudged, mistreated, attacked, or socially rejected in life or in their jobs? There are tons of talented people top in their field today but were passed over or fired. Their stories are notable. The great  Michael Jordan faced rejection by his high school basketball team, which made him fight harder to succeed.

Jordan is widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. That’s not all. He is among the most marketed sports figures for endorsements and has found prosperity in the business world. He has a mindset geared to success and has an estimated net worth of over $2.1 billion in 2020 according to Forbes.

Why Success Is The Best Revenge

Success is very different for each of us. For some, it is becoming prosperous, and for others, it is finding security and peace. Understand what you want to achieve and go for it.

Motivation

Revenge can be an excellent motivator.  Let others who hurt you see you dust yourself and thrive. The early stages of success are so sweet. It fuels our enthusiasm to continue to work hard towards our goals. Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Resilience, hard work, and perseverance are traits need to achieve your goals. Worthwhile goals motivate us towards fulfillment. You should waste no time or energy to deter you from accomplishing what you want. Find meaning in the project you are working on and visualize the success of completing your work. 

Rechannel Your Energy

Anger and hurt take our energy away. You want the person who caused you pain to have their comeuppance. Don’t think about what they deserve, rather focus your energy on what you will gain from this experience. Concentrate on your eventual win.

Rechanneling your negative emotions to positivity allows you to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Stay on your life’s journey you set out to accomplish. There is always something or someone who is there to derail your trip. Put yourself back on the road to success. Letting go of anger and angst is success in itself.

Ignore the naysayers who will try to convince you that you are working too hard, ignoring people who love you, and money isn’t everything, and so forth. Some may mean well, but others are trying to undermine your efforts by planting doubt. Don’t let anyone stall your growth and progress. If you are working purposefully towards your goals, then prove the cynics wrong.

Abundance Mindset

Our attitudes can help or hurt us, and we have the power to adopt a more favorable mindset. A person with a scarcity mindset blames the world for their mistakes and cannot accept failure. The scarcity mentality hinders the person’s ability to make decisions, believing the grass is always greener somewhere else.

In contrast, those who have an abundance mindset have a positive outlook and see limitless opportunities. They embrace change, meet challenges more efficiently, and can handle decisions better with more optimism. For them, experiencing failure are lessons they learned on their way to success. You can choose the abundance mindset by letting positivity reign.

Keep A Positive Perspective

There is no better place to learn about the need to have a  positive perspective than from  Dr. William  Hemreich’s 1991 study about Holocaust survivors.  Roughly 140,000 European Holocaust survivors came to the US after World War II. They faced significant psychological problems suffered from hiding, being in captivity, physical and emotional harm, and losing the vast majority of their families at the hands of the Nazis.

Against all odds, many were successful despite turmoil in their lives. Elie Wiesel argued that though their past was terrible, it became the basis of the future. Rather than seeking revenge, they focused on building their families and living socially. They lived remarkably stable lives with higher birth and lower divorce rates than American Jews. They held jobs and earned a higher income, on average.

Dr. Helmreich found the survivors to have determinism and great perseverance to prevail over hardship. He discovered that human beings have tremendous capacities for strength and regeneration. This mindset enabled them to prosper and move forward from terrible experiences. As I have told readers in past articles, my mom, a Holocaust survivor, exhibited all the group’s resilience.

Traits of A Successful Person

 

Passion and Purpose

Finding passion in what you do makes it easier for you to be successful. Understand where your interests are, and they usually will point in the direction of your career. You need to identify your purpose in life, so you know how you are defining your success. Is it creativity, making money, becoming famous, or helping others less fortunate? There are so many choices but pick what is best for you. 

Passion and purpose are distinct. You may have many passions but your life’s purpose is long-term, may be multifaceted, and helps drive you forward.  You want to earn a good living and enjoy time with your family. Sometimes, you may face conflicts between these two purposes, especially when you have to work long hours to earn a higher income, bonuses, and promotions to accomplish goals such as retiring early.

Self-Discipline

Being self-disciplined at work is an essential ingredient to being a valuable employee. It means working hard is simply the minimum. You need to accomplish goals in efficient and effective ways.

It may involve taking risks and not necessarily cutting corners. Perseverance, resilience, and grit are scientifically proven behaviors held by those who are successful. Avoid procrastination and other bad habits that will detract from your abilities and reputation.

Embrace Learning

The most successful people–Oprah, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, and Mark Cuban– read hundreds of pages daily and enjoy learning. The constantly changing landscape calls on you to learn and develop new skills in many fields. Employers have pointed to the lack of education in essential soft skills like interpersonal communications, collaboration, initiative, and problem-solving, to name a few.

What successful people have in common is that they never believe they know enough. As lifelong learners by choice, they have failed many times but learn from their experiences.

Accept Failure To Have Greater Success

Set reasonable goals and establish strategies to execute your plan. Sometimes you will face obstacles and have to make trade-offs. After feeling the thrill of success, we may meet tests to make changes in our professional lives. We don’t like to admit to defeat and internally fight the need to modify plans. Sometimes we will have to accept the failure to move on.

Many successful people have trouble with doing this. It is difficult to admit you were wrong, wasted time, and money. As an inventor, Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The lightbulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

After the lightbulb, Edison went on to have more failures such as electrifying the country in competition with George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla. Westinghouse won in a fascinating story, “The Last Days of Night.” However, to this day, Edison is known for his great successes. 

Steve Jobs Faced Adversity And Was Successful

In Steve Jobs’ Commencement Speech at Stanford University in 2005, he spoke of his challenges in life. After six months, he dropped out of Reed College, and Apple, the company he started, fired him.

Steve Jobs said,

“I didn’t know then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”

A few years later, Jobs went back to run Apple. In 2007, the company under Jobs created the iPhone, the first successful smartphone, spurring an insane amount of productivity for the company in his last years, leaving a successful legacy. Rather than take revenge on those at the company that caused his dismissal, he set his sights on success, both Apple, the company he loved, and his own.

 As Frank Sinatra once said, “The best revenge is massive success.”

 

38 Of The Best Business Ideas for Women

38 Of The Best Business Ideas for Women

by | May 3, 2021 | career development, lifestyle, Women | 0 comments

Recently, changes to the workforce have adversely affected women over men and have created a need for women to find new ways to earn a living. Working for yourself is not only a trend but has increasingly become a sustainable way to earn an income and control your own schedules. Being a business owner is a lot of work, but if you have an idea, a plan, and the ability to work hard, you can turn it into something lucrative.

Getting Started

Before we start generating ideas for you, let’s talk about building a business. It’s a large, complex topic that can vary from industry to industry. However, I wanted to touch on some basic overarching points that I think are important for everyone to think about.

Protect Yourself

The first thing you need to do is incorporate your business. Incorporation allows separation of business liability from your own personal finances. Plus, depending on the kind of business and the way you incorporate, you can start building tax benefits.

Build An Online Presence

Everyone has a website, or at minimum a landing page nowadays. I recommend that you grab a domain name and email for your business. This ensures that no one else can take it, and it gives your customers a way to learn about you before they hire you (something everyone wants). Plus, having a professional email can go a long way towards establishing your credibility.

Also, go through each social media app and website and secure your business name at each one. You don’t need to be a social media influencer, but it protects you and gives you a stepping stone towards building your social media portfolio.

Have A Business Plan

Starting a business is hard enough. Growing it can be even tougher. The best thing you can do for yourself and your business is first to write out your plan.

Write out your idea, the need for your idea, who your clients are, how much you would charge for services, and your competition. Do the research and the analysis to answer these questions. It’ll help you prepare and market yourself better.

Find a Mentor

It’s not only hard, but it can also be lonely. This is especially true if you’re a one-woman show. Building a business can and will take up all of your free time, a concept that our family and friends often don’t understand. Having a mentor to turn to, talk to, and vent to can be invaluable. Keep in mind as well that the types of people you surround yourself with can influence your success. So focus on those that are supporting you and showing you understanding and empathy.

Get Used To Marketing Yourself

We are all bad at this, yet how will anyone know you have a business unless you tell them? Talking about what you’re doing (and charging for it) is nothing to be embarrassed or feel weird about. It’s something you must do, and don’t worry about how anyone takes it. Learn how to negotiate for yourself.

Get used to being your own biggest cheerleader, advocate, and fan. Because if you believe in yourself, and show it, then everyone else will believe too.

Invest In The Tools You Need

To make money, you must first spend money. Understand that and accept it. I’m not saying you need to dump large amounts of cash to get going, but you do need to make investments towards tools and services to help you get off the ground.

One way you can figure out if purchasing or using something is the right thing to do is to do a cost analysis. Compare what you pay upfront to what you potentially can make later. Also, if an investment will help you scale, then the payoff is potentially much higher.

What are some tools? Online programs, for instance, Canva, to help with designing logos, product tags, presentations, business cards, social media posts, etc. Other investments may include a dedicated business phone or computer or hiring part-time help to help you finish a job faster or do more than one job at a time.

Business Ideas For Women

Many of these ideas are small, and it’s unlikely you’ll be making a full-time income from the get-go; however, there is potential for growth with each one. What matters is that you get started and consistently stay with it.

1 – Startups

Let’s start big. Maybe you have a great business idea that disrupts an industry, or an idea to make our lives easier, or to improve upon a product that’s already out there.

That’s amazing. But now, what do you do?

The startup world is unique and very cutthroat, especially for women. Women get fewer investments compared to men, and there are very few female-led startup CEOs. HOWEVER, because of this ongoing discrepancy, investors are also consciously trying to diversify and make a point of looking for solid women-led businesses.

So what do you need to do for a startup? A basic checklist is as follows:

  • Incorporate your business
  • If your idea is patentable, then start working on your provisional patent
  • Hire a patent attorney to help with filing and advice on the patent
  • Hire legal counsel to help with contracts, documents, and equity division
  • Build your pitch deck, basically a very detailed PowerPoint of your business that speaks on your behalf.
  • Network anywhere and everywhere you can
  • Build your team. You will need one!

Regardless of the industry, this basic checklist is a must for everyone. I encourage you to pursue your idea if you have one. At a minimum, start talking to people and see what they think. Do a patent search to make sure your idea isn’t already taken.

A little secret: ask lawyers for an introductory phone call. They will do that for free, for about 30 minutes, and you can ask them all sorts of questions related to your industry, your idea, and costs. Do this with multiple lawyers, ask all the same questions and see how many answers you get. Then, and only when you’re ready, you can sign a letter of intent to hire one.

Education

Teaching is a prevalent profession amongst women. To work outside of academics, though, you don’t necessarily need a degree in education to teach others. What you need is skill or expertise in a particular subject that can be taught and passed on. Doing so requires either a curriculum or a set of educational goals that you can help students accomplish. I do recommend that for school-level subjects you should at least have that level of education yourself. This is not only to understand the subject matter; it also makes you more marketable.

No matter what you decide to teach, be sure to choose teaching modalities that you can monetize. With the ideas listed below, you could dabble in all or just a few to grow your personal teaching brand faster and make more money.

Different ways you can impart your wisdom?

2 – Tutoring

In-person or online, you can help kids of all ages with their homework, projects, or exams. If you get the word out, you may be able to host tutoring or study groups for more than one student, all of whom pay you by the hour.

3 – Online Classes or Courses

If you have expertise in a subject, field, or niche, then creating an online course is a great way to earn income. There is a bit of work to do upfront to create the curriculum, record the teaching and perhaps have handouts or printables. Once it’s done, however, you can sit back and reap the rewards. Where can you post your course? Try Symposium. You can upload, charge and schedule as many classes/courses all within the same program.

4 – Khan Academy

This is a nonprofit online learning database filled with free lectures and information for students of all ages and grades. You do NOT have to be a teacher to work for them, and you can make a decent hourly wage.

5 -Post Videos on Your Own Website

Another avenue to explore is to create your own landing page or website to host your courses. Website building and hosting are not super expensive, but getting your name out there and generating leads can take some time.

6- Teaching English As A Second Language

There is a huge need for this in all communities, and with the shift to online learning, you may be able to connect even more. Even if you aren’t a teacher, you could teach basic beginner English and build a solid business around this expertise.

Design

If you have an eye for design and a creative streak, then consider these different areas to potentially pursue.

7 – Website Design

Everyone is trying for online businesses of some kind or establishing an online presence. If you have experience or skill in website design or using different platforms, you can really capture the market. You can charge by the hour or per project.

8 – Interior Design

Working from home? So is everyone else. Now, more than ever, people need a dedicated workspace in the home that is not only comfortable but within budget and works with their lifestyles and jobs. Some states may require an interior design license. So definitely research your area to ensure you follow the rules.

9 – Graphic Design

This is not just for websites. Perhaps you know people who are building an app? Anyone starting a new business or rebranding and need help with logos and marketing? Graphic design encompasses a wide variety of skills and job possibilities.

Online Business

Do you have a product you can sell? Do you have skills that you can offer up for a fee? If so, then you can make money online by establishing an online home-based business.

10 – Etsy and Amazon

Sell your products online through two of the biggest online stores out there. Be aware that you will have to pay a commission, but if you have a high-margin product that people find useful, then you have the potential to scale.

11 – Virtual Assistant

VAs can be for websites, social media management, and technical help, but that’s not all. You can also be a VA to be a kind of personal assistant, organizer, or bookkeeper. Another online business idea that goes with this is you can also offer up skills to assist and “consult” in different areas, depending on your expertise.

12 – Freelance Writer

If you enjoy writing, then building a freelance writing business can be a lucrative way to work for yourself.

Organization

Show off your Marie Kondo skills of organization by turning it into a service! Market yourself as a consultant and help people get their personal and professional lives on track. You can charge by the hour or by the project. Common pathways to follow include:

13 – Home and Closet Organization

Be the decluttering expert and give people the organization and space they need, plus the skills to sustain it themselves.

14 – Professional/office Organization

Help other professionals update their workspace, make technology upgrade recommendations, & spruce up their productivity through ergonomic design.

15 – Cleaning Service

Instead of scrubbing the floors, help people clean out the rooms of their home, their garage and get rid of clutter.

16 – Bookkeeping

Help others organize and keep track of their finances. Once you get their books in order, you may be able to continue working for them through a retainer to maintain the books on an ongoing basis!

Event Planning

In another life, I was probably an event planner. If you’re someone who has a mind for details, is organized, and loves coordinating things, then you may enjoy building an event planning business.

In my experience with planning, it helps to have relationships with businesses to get better deals when placing orders and coordinating deliveries. If you already have some of these relationships, then you’re one step ahead; if you hope to grow outside of the community you’re in, then keep this in mind.

17 – Wedding Planning

Give people the big day of their dreams, handle all of the planning so that they actually enjoy their day! This will likely require a group of people to help you, either subcontractors or people you can hire directly to work for you all the time.

18 – Party Planning

Weddings aren’t the only party in town. There are also birthdays, bachelor/bachelorettes, wedding showers, baby showers, anniversaries, retirement parties, and basically anything else that can be celebrated. Parties also don’t have to be huge. You can also provide planning services for smaller, intimate events.

19 – Travel Planning

You can be a travel planner that helps people figure out where to go, what to do while there, and stick with their travel budgets. You can create a travel itinerary for a fee so that your clients can pack up and go without worry.

Turn Your Hobbies/Skills Into A Business

If you don’t have a particular subject of expertise or any of the above ideas, don’t appeal or work for you. Then take a look inward. What do you enjoy doing already? Often the best small business ideas arise from what we already know, are good at, and take pleasure in doing. All that’s left is to monetize it.

Numbers 20 – 31 are hobbies or skills that can start as a great side business while you continue to work at your job to give yourself some time to grow and establish yourself. It’s also a way to make extra money and establish another income stream.

  • (20) Gardening/landscaping consultant
  • (21) Sewing/alterations service
  • Food services
    • (22) Catering
    • (23) Baking/dessert
    • (24) Food trucks
  • Photography
    • (25) Portraits
    • (26) Landscapes
    • (27) Artistic or abstract prints
    • (28) Event photography
  • (29) Lessons – e.g. art/music/dance
  • (30) Hair & Makeup artist
  • (31) Private coach – e.g. sports
  • (32) Flea Market Flipper

That last one is a bit unconventional, but if you have the time to find good deals on used items and have the skills to fix them up, you can make good money.

Another approach to these options is to create home-based hobby classes. So then, instead of you going to others, you host classes to teach these skills. It would also allow you to cater to multiple students/clients at once!

Life Services

A great way to make money and build a business is to offer services that help people in their regular day-to-day lives. Many people are willing to part with money to save time. Offering up common time savers can really add up. Some examples of this are:

33 – Childcare

To babysit multiple kids at once and really grow this service, be sure to get licensed by your state, especially if you want to do this as an in-home childcare business. It will give you protection in your own home and help you set rules and guidelines on the number of kids you take care of.

34 – Personal Shopper/Stylist

Some people hate shopping. Not sure who these people are, but they do exist. While there are clothing subscription options out there to help prevent you from going to a store, offering up a service to shop for and style someone so that they don’t have to guess or think can be invaluable.

35 – Pet Care or Grooming

If you love animals, then offer up your services to take care of others!

36 – Housekeeping

Beyond cleaning and organization, some people have households (or multiple) that require regular maintenance and help. You can be that point person to help people stay on track, stay organized, and take care of the details they may not care to think about.

Coaching

Outside of regular day-to-day life services, there’s also the possibility of coaching someone through their life changes. After all, what greater life service is there, and I think this is one of the business ideas for women uniquely suited to them. After all, women have been through more life and career changes later than anyone else.

Some coaching options include:

37 – Life Coach

People have been dealing with a lot lately, as I’m sure you have. Adjusting to life-changing events is not easy. You can be the life coach that helps people through it and guides them through their next steps.

38 – Career Coach

You’re not the only one dealing with career changes. Again, for some, leaping to the next step is extremely difficult. Be the career coach that helps them succeed no matter what they decide.

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of business ideas for women out there that I’m sure I haven’t even mentioned. However, I hope that this list inspires and motivates anyone interested in pursuing their own path. There are opportunities out there for women. They need to be taken.

So push your comfort zone, take a chance and have a little faith. The road to success definitely will not be easy, but if you work at it consistently and don’t give up, you can build something that lasts.

This article originally appeared on Your Money Geek and has been republished with permission.

Timeshare Rentals: Score Epic Travel Deals On 16 Websites You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

Timeshare Rentals: Score Epic Travel Deals On 16 Websites You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

by | Apr 21, 2021 | lifestyle, real estate | 0 comments

Raise your hand if you love a good travel deal! How do condo rentals at Hawaii resorts for as low as a $199 week sound? Or week-long $399 condo vacations in Las Vegas, Branson, Orlando, The Poconos, The Berkshires, or Shenandoah National Park?

Want to save thousands of dollars at premium resorts like Disney Vacation Club, Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas, or Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club? I’ll show you the way!

Did you know that you can rent condos at timeshare resorts, just like renting vacation homes? As a happy timeshare owner of 15 years, I’ve learned the ins and outs of this part of the vacation world. I’m not a secret employee of the timeshare industry.

I’m just a frugal Fannie sharing my travel hacks so people can go on more vacations, no matter their budget. And don’t worry, when booking timeshare rentals, you aren’t required to attend a timeshare presentation.

What is a Timeshare?

A timeshare is a type of resort that divides ownership of vacation condos among multiple people. They range from boutique resorts, small chains to household names like Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Club Wyndham, and Disney. If you’ve stayed at a resort and your unit was more like a condo, then you’ve probably been at a timeshare.

Timeshare rentals offer the best amenities of a hotel like pools, restaurants, and on-site activities combined with the conveniences of an apartment home. Whether you like having a kitchen on trips or have a large family, timeshare rooms offer space! It’s the same layouts as condos – living rooms, full kitchens, and multiple bedrooms. Some timeshare rentals even have a washer and dryer in the unit. Our family loves the private bedrooms and rooms to spread out in can’t imagine going back to a small hotel room on vacation again! So when looking at timeshare rental websites, you’ll see differently sized units – studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or even three & four-bedroom options.

How Do Timeshare Rentals Work?

When owners aren’t using their timeshare, they can offer it up to others instead of sitting empty. According to Redweek.com, when you rent a timeshare instead of using a hotel or travel booking site, you bypass the industry fees baked into these prices. Did you know that there are often two middlemen in the booking process who each mark-up rates by 12-25%? When you rent from a timeshare owner or a company whose goal is to fill empty rooms, you’ll be vacationing for much less!

16 Places to Rent Timeshares for Epic Vacation Deals

While you can book some timeshare resorts directly on the hotel’s site, Airbnb, VRBO, and well-known travel deal sites, I want to introduce you to 16 new places to book these rooms at a fraction of the cost. Like any big purchase or travel booking, take an extra 20 minutes to price compare and understand the rental terms and conditions.

How to Rent Timeshares from Exchange Companies: 4 Sites Open to Non-Timeshare Owners

Timeshare Exchange Companies are the middlemen facilitating resort trades for owners. Even though I have a timeshare in New York, I can exchange my timeshare week for a vacation at 4,000 other resorts in over 100 countries. I deposit my week with one of these companies and then choose another owner’s week for my vacation. When these resort weeks are still available in the exchange company’s inventory 45 to 90 days out, they make them available to anyone as timeshare rentals with prices that are hard to beat!

Some people think that these available rooms are ones they’d never be interested in at any price. Honestly, some older resorts are offered, but mostly these deals are in destinations with lots of timeshare properties or rooms in resorts with thousands of units. For example, Orlando, Branson, Poconos, Gatlinburg, and Las Vegas are often available as destinations with numerous timeshare properties. Massanutten Resort, The Grandview, and Vacation Village Parkway are regular resorts in these last-minute deals with some of their 2,000 to 4,000 units available.

Let’s take a look at four timeshare exchange companies offering these last-minute rentals to anyone.

1.Platinum Interchange

Serving travelers for over 40 years, Platinum Interchange is an independent timeshare exchange and rental company. Even though they aren’t owned by a large company like Wyndham or Marriott, they have relationships with 1,300 timeshare resorts worldwide. They lower their timeshare rental prices as the date of check grows near, even offering whole weeks for a $199 rental price within 15 days of check-in. That’s not a typo! $199 for an entire week!

A recent search on their site showed timeshare rentals available under $400 a week in popular vacation destinations like Aruba, New York City, and San Diego. At the time of publication, they had a two-bedroom condo at Vacation Village Parkway Williamsburg, with four out of five stars on Google for a weekly rate of $299.

2.Trading Places International

Trading Places International is a former travel agency turned timeshare resort management company that facilitates vacation exchanges for owners. They offer timeshare rentals further out than others, allowing for more vacation planning time. Like Platinum Exchange, they offer “Hot Deals” of timeshare rentals. Make sure to click this button “on” during your search to filter for their lowest prices.

Recently, when browsing their Hot Deal listings, I found a room at a premium Wyndham Resort in Hawaii. Ten weeks out from the check-in date, this one-bedroom condo had a $475 total rental price for the whole week. I did a quick price comparison of the same unit with the same check-in date on travel deal sites, and they had prices over $200 a night! Booking a timeshare rental through this timeshare exchange company saves you almost $1,000!

3.Trading Places Maui

Trading Places Maui is a spin-off of Trading Places International, serving the 100 timeshare resorts with 13,000 total rooms across the Hawaiian Islands. When the average Hawaii hotel room rate is $330 a night, their $199-$399 weekly timeshare rentals in one or two-bedroom condos are a secret everyone should know about! Their recent last-minute deals included the beloved oceanfront Lawai Beach Resort with a Google rating of 4.6 out of 5 and the highly-rated Kona Coast Resort adjacent to a golf course.

4.Expectations Interchange

Expectations Interchange is the only timeshare exchange company on this list that has a small fee to join. You can see all of the timeshare rentals available before deciding whether to purchase a membership for under $50. This European company is fantastic for international travel deals. If you’ve been dreaming of staying at The Crane Barbados or in Snowdonia National Park in the United Kingdom, you can book a timeshare rental for under $500 for the week!

If your family or friends own a timeshare, they can book similar last-minute deals for you at different timeshare exchange companies that require timeshare ownership. They can reserve rooms for nonowners with a guest certificate which costs under $100. Even with the additional cost, it’s a fantastic travel deal for a week’s long resort stay.

7 Timeshare Rental Marketplaces

Even if you’re not the last-minute type, there are still ways to score epic deals with timeshare rentals. If you want to travel during a peak season like school breaks or if you have your eye on premium resorts, renting from a timeshare via these marketplaces saves you tons of money!

1.RedWeek

RedWeek.com is the largest online marketplace for timeshare resales and rentals with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. If you’re looking for more of a full-service experience when booking a timeshare vacation rental, Redweek.com is an excellent option.

They say their prices are up to 75% off the resort price and up to 50% off travel deal sites. So, if Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club seems out of your vacation budget, rent a room from a timeshare owner! The cheapest nightly rate on the hotel site is $500, with the same two-bedroom unit available for $270 a night on Redweek.com. With these savings, it’s not hard to see why this resort is Redweek’s most rented resort!

2.KOALA

KOALA, a new website from timeshare industry veterans, connects people to verified timeshare rental listings. Since owners set their own rental prices, there are fantastic deals available, even at high-end resorts like Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas and the popular Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort. Their homepage also includes a link to rentals under $200 a night, which you can further filter by price.

A recent search showed a $35 night listing in a two-bedroom at Massanutten, an award-winning four-season resort outside Shenandoah National Park. It also had an $85 a night in a three-bedroom at Wyndham’s Bonnet Creek listed for $85 a night. Don’t let the price fool you. This Wyndham resort ranks #4 on Condé Nast’s Readers’ Choice Awards list of Orlando’s Top Resorts.

3.TripBeat

TripBeat is a practically unknown website despite being owned by Wyndham Destinations, a publicly-traded company and the largest timeshare conglomerate in the world. It looks like they are taking inventory from their timeshare owners-only exchange company (RCI) and making it available to the public via this site. Whatever their reason, Tripbeat offers amazing timeshare rentals deals and is worthy of a look during your travel planning. They had this frugal fannie at weekly resort stays from $399!

Tripbeat offers a wide range of rentals in the U.S. and globally. We are planning a shoulder season trip to Greece in September, and I was excited to see lots of resort options on Tripbeat. If you dream of going to Greece too but thought it was outside of your budget, check out the week-long $399 timeshare rentals in Crete and Corfu. If you plan trips to U.S. National Parks or popular American destinations, check out the timeshare rentals available in Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah Valley, or Branson, MO.

TripBeat is free to join for anyone despite their confusing sign-up page. They ask you to pick an affiliation to register, making it feel exclusive. However, if you scroll to the bottom of the options, there is a “You Decide” choice, meaning you don’t need to have an affiliation to set up a Tripbeat account.

4.ExtraHolidays

Also owned by Wyndham Destinations, ExtraHolidays is a marketplace where timeshare owners list their owned weeks for rent. With a tag line of “condo vacations at hotel prices,” you can snag deals at almost 700 worldwide resorts, especially during their sales. Make sure to sign up for their emails, as they have regular promotions, like their Swing into Spring Sale with 35-40% off the rental price of select resorts.

5. Three Disney Vacation Club Marketplaces

Staying “on-property” at Disney or their beach resorts comes with additional perks, amenities, and that Disney Magic. But it comes at a steep price. Did you know that you can rent those same Disney Vacation Club (DVC) rooms from a timeshare owner and save thousands of dollars? While some owners list DVC rooms on the platforms mentioned above, many list theirs on Disney-specific rental sites, like David’s Vacation Club Rentals, DVC Rental Store, and DVC Rental. If you’re looking for some Disney Magic but at a discount, check out these timeshare rentals available for your next vacation and the significant savings you can score.

How to Rent Direct from a Timeshare Owner: 5 Places

When you rent directly from a timeshare owner, there’s no middle man involved. That means the owner doesn’t have to factor a listing fee or site commission fee into their rental price. They are looking to cover their annual expenses, and you’re booking a vacation rental for a lot less than from resort direct. It’s a win-win!

1.Timeshare Users Group

Timeshare Users Group (TUG) is a forum-based site started in 1993 by owners for owners to connect in a world before Facebook. Now they’ve grown into the largest timeshare community with more than $18 million in completed timeshare rentals. They often have 1200+ timeshare rentals available, including a Bargain Basement section for those open to last-minute bookings.

Suppose you know that you want to stay at Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club and have searched all the travel deal sites but still can’t make their “best price” of $5,000 a week work. You can rent a two-bedroom condo at this same resort directly from a timeshare owner for $2,650 on TUG!

If you feel nervous booking a timeshare rental this way, keep in mind that all members of TUG are timeshare owners and have provided extensive contact information to join this community. For peace of mind, follow these TUG Rental Tips when renting directly from an owner.

2. Timeshare Owners’ Facebook Groups: 4 Examples

Timeshare Owners at specific resorts or with particular companies like Wyndham have formed Facebook groups to stay connected, rent their weeks out, and rent additional units for family and friends to join them on vacation. Some of these groups have separate forums to post reviews about owners similar to Airbnb or VRBO. You can see what renting from a specific timeshare owner is like.

If you are a fan of staying in Wyndham’s premium Timeshare Resorts, you can join their Owners Facebook group to rent direct. Recently, a timeshare owner posted an unbeatable Spring Break rental at Club Wyndham National Harbour outside Washington D.C. Their timeshare rental listing was $700 for a week in a one-bedroom condo. $100 a night for a condo room in peak season, in an expensive location, is a fantastic deal!

If you’ve found a timeshare resort and you want to inquire about renting directly from an owner, you can search Facebook with “Resort Name Owners” as the search term to locate the group. Holiday Inn Club Vacations Orange Lake Resort, a beloved 12-acre resort right next to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, has a Facebook group for owner direct rentals, as does Bluegreen, another popular Timeshare chain of resorts. You can also rent directly from a Disney Vacation Club timeshare owner in the DVC Disney Vacation Club Points Rental group.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking to travel in the most economical way possible, want to take more vacations a year, or thought some destinations were out of your budget, you can take advantage of timeshare rentals deals to turn your travel dreams into reality! It pays to be frugal when traveling.

Thank you for reading!

This article originally appeared on Your Money Geek and has been republished with permission.

This Is How To Create A Vision Board

This Is How To Create A Vision Board

by | Apr 15, 2021 | lifestyle | 0 comments

We all have big dreams that we want to achieve in life, but we don’t always know how to reach them. One way that many people manifest their dreams and aspirations is through the use of a vision board.

Learning how to create a vision board can help you figure out what you really want and turn your dreams into attainable goals. The creative process of manipulating images and words and putting them on your board pulls them out of the ether and makes them tangible. Once you decide what’s important to you and “own” the image, you can move forward and take action towards creating a better life for yourself.

What Is a Vision Board?

A vision board (also known as a dream board, inspiration board, goal board, mood board, or visualization board) is a tool that allows you to make your goals visible. Each one is a personal representation of what you want an aspect of your life to look like. It’s a collage or collection of images and objects chosen by you, arranged for clarity and focus.

Do Visions Boards Really Work?

Not only do they work, but vision boards work on many levels. It uses the law of attraction to provide its user with a lot of benefits.

1. Clarify Your Goals

First, choosing images allows you to really think about what you want to do with your life and start to clarify and focus on your goals.

If you want to travel, you can add photos of destinations you want to visit. If you choose to run a marathon, you can add pictures of people crossing the finish line. If you aspire to become a published author, you can add a poem that you wrote. You get the idea.

2. Connect With Your Goals

Second, they work because they connect you with your goals. By the time you locate your goal, cut it out, and post it, you have at least partial ownership in it, which will make it easier to act upon.

You’re no longer only daydreaming about what your new house might look like, for example. You’re actively looking for pictures of rooms you love, paint colors that energize you, and even fabric swatches if they inspire you.

Your subconscious also starts to focus on these goals, helping you make mindful decisions and replaces negative thoughts with positive ones.

3. Focus on Your Goals

Third, by placing your vision board somewhere, you will see it throughout your day. They act as a motivator and reminder of what you should be focusing on.

We’re all overloaded with information. The news is ready to tell us what to worry about, and other forms of media are intent on telling us what to believe.

When you have a board full of ideas that you selected and set in place, your focus will be easy to maintain, and you can confidently shed the distractions that simply don’t work for the life you want.

4. Act on Your Goals

Lastly, it would help if you kept in mind that your goals aren’t magically going to become a reality simply by hanging them on your board. You have to set SMAR

 

T goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) and put in the effort needed to succeed.

Instead of only visualizing the end result, think about the steps involved for both your short-term and long-term goals and start doing them.

Ask yourself what do you need to help you achieve the goal? What challenges or obstacles might you face? What can you start doing today to make your dreams come true?

Use your vision board to set your goals and stay motivated, then create and commit to an action plan for each of your specific goals.

With a bit of hard work, dedication, and follow-through, you can change your life for the better.

How to Create a Vision Board

The first step to creating a vision board is deciding if you want to create a physical board or a digital one. There are pros and cons to both.

Most people recommend and choose to make a physical board because it’s a more active and immersive process. You are touching the images and cutting them out, which forms a bond of ownership. Arranging and gluing these images creates a home in your mind for the goal. A digital vision board doesn’t provide the same hands-on experience.

If you’re still figuring out what your goals are or are going through a period of transition, such as making a career change or starting a new relationship, a digital board might be smarter to use. As it’s a living document or design, it’s easier to add to or update. Physical boards are more permanent and harder to change.

Digital vision boards tend to be more convenient. They don’t require additional supplies or materials like glue sticks or magazine cutouts, don’t take up any space, and aren’t as messy.

The process of picking quotes and pictures for your board is just as important if you want it to work, so don’t rush through it. It might take you days, weeks, or even months to determine your goals and collect the right inspiring images, and that’s okay. Your subconscious mind is still thinking about what you want to accomplish, and you are opening yourself up to new ideas.

Stay flexible with your board and understand that your goals will change. If you currently have a big farmhouse and are filling it with a happy family, consider what your vision for the next twenty years will include. Your board can help you to focus your mind on the future you want.

How to Create a Physical Vision Board

If you decide to make a physical vision board, start with your background. A simple cork board can work, but so can a piece of paper, poster board, wood, cloth, or even just a blank space on your wall.

You’ll then need some old magazines or printed materials (unless you plan to print photos off the internet). If at all possible, work with magazines so that you can take your time as you flip through and touch the pages. Magazines also cover various topics, so there’s a greater chance that you’ll discover something new or different that you might not think to search for online.

Then it’s as simple as:

  1. choose your image
  2. carefully cut it out
  3. add to your board

As mentioned, once you glue something to your board, it’s permanent. To start, you may be happier pinning or taping your images until you’re ready to solidify the arrangement.

You can also use markers, paint, stickers, and handwritten notes or drawings to add personal touches.

How to Create a Digital Vision Board

To create a digital or electronic vision board, you have a few different options. You can use a blank word document, a template from a design website like Canva or PicMonkey, or create a vision board online with a website or app, such as VISUAPP, DreamItAlive, or Corkulous.

Once you’ve chosen your platform, the process is essentially the same. Choose your images, save them, and arrange them on your board.

What Should I Include on My Vision Board?

What you include on your board depends on your goals, values, and priorities and how specific you want to be.

Some people will choose a theme for their vision board, such as health or creativity, or use a feeling or emotion, such as freedom or happiness. Others will select a timeframe for their board, such as making one every year for their annual goals or creating one for their five-year plan.

But you don’t have to limit yourself to having only one board at a time. You might decide to create a few that focus on different things.

Either way, the act of looking for images that mean something to you allows you to think deeply about your goals. This sifting process lets you put away others’ expectations and truly build a view of your life goals.

For example, if your goal is a cabin in the mountains where you can quickly get to the ski slopes, you don’t need to worry about decor choices for a metropolitan apartment. If your goal is to start your own business, you probably don’t need to worry about getting a promotion at your current job.

Taking the time to really think about what you want, and not about anyone else’s expectations for you, is one of the best decisions you can make for your life. Until you really know what you want, you may be focused but pointed in the wrong direction.

There is no right or wrong way to create the perfect vision board for yourself. Make one that you want to look at, inspiring you and motivating you to take action towards your goals.

Here are some vision board ideas to help you get started.

Add Your Goals

Your board is all about making your personal and professional goals front and center. You can use your vision board to help you gain financial clarity, advance in your career, improve your health, or achieve whatever it is that matters to you.

Financial Goals

Money is a big deal in life, and few of the things and experiences we want will be completely free.

If you’re struggling to improve your credit rating, hang up a bill with a $0 balance. If you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, create a balanced budget for yourself and hang it up.

Acting on your vision board’s items makes them tangible, so invest a bit and use real cash by pinning a $5 bill to your board. Or if you want to travel, use a Euro note.

Career & Personal Development Goals

Are you hoping to move up in your career? Post the job description of the role you want or pictures of your dream office.

If you want to learn new skills, add a copy of a degree or certificate or a list of the books you want to read.

Do you have a side hustle or want to start your own small business? Include a list of your business goals or examples of the product you want to create or services you will offer.

Health & Wellness Goals

If you want to exercise more and eat better, put up photos of delicious-looking salads or post a smoothie recipe.

Maybe you want to improve your mental health. You could include pictures of calm and relaxing places, religious or spiritual symbols, acts of kindness, or happy people enjoying their lives.

Don’t forget about your “why.” If you want to quit smoking or lose weight for the sake of your children, put a picture of them on your board.

Add People

On that same note, don’t forget to add people to your board. If your grandmother was a great inspiration, find a photo of her and add it to your board. If a great author, artist, or other professional inspires you, put up their picture.

By adding people to your board, you’re building a community that can support you during the early mornings and late nights when you feel alone as you work toward your goals.

Add Quotes

Make sure to include quotes on your board. These can be anything from the famous “Hang In There, Baby” cat poster to Abraham Lincoln’s “Whatever you are, be a good one.”

Not only will quotes viewed daily inspire you to keep going toward your goals when things get tough, but you’ll find inspiration from the quotes that you choose not to add as well.

Add Natural Elements

Your vision board isn’t limited to paper, so bring in the natural world.

Pick up a pretty leaf on your daily walk, flatten it in a book and glue it to your board as a way to better connect with nature. Glue dried rose petals next to a photo of a beautiful home in the country if you want a house with a garden. Add a feather to inspire feelings of freedom or spirituality.

Where Should I Display My Vision Board?

It’s important to have inspiration around you, which is why you might decide to make more than one vision board.

Set up your main board near where you spend time in the morning. If you’re working hard on a side hustle, you may be on your computer early in the morning. Or you may spend your time in the kitchen eating breakfast and making lunch. Hang your vision of the ideal life you genuinely want where you can see it as you sip your morning coffee or tea.

If you work in a cubicle, you may find that your decorating options are limited. You can create an electronic board and use it as your screensaver, or just take a picture of your board and make it the background on your phone.

4 Vision Boards Alternatives

You don’t necessarily need to make a vision board to reap the benefits associated with visualization and manifestation. Other visualization tools and platforms can also help you with your goal setting and achieving your goals.

1. Mini-Visuals

Having little visual reminders placed throughout your home or office is a visualization trick that people often use. Some examples of this include:

  • Pictures of healthy snacks or people exercising near your fridge or pantry to remind you to eat healthy foods
  • A list of your career goals displayed on a bulletin board above your desk to remind you what you are working towards
  • A framed picture of a beach next to your alarm clock to inspire you to get up and go workout
  • A custom image of your goal on your credit card or debit card (if your bank has this option) to make you think twice about what you’re spending your money on

2. A Journal

Your goals don’t have to matter to anyone else; in fact, keeping your “board” private may give you confidence if folks around you don’t share, support, or understand what it is you’re going for.

An art journal, bullet journal, sketchbook, or standard notebook is an excellent alternative if you don’t want your goals on display. You can make lists, add drawings or doodles, record motivational quotes or mantras, or create collages just as you would with a traditional vision board.

3. Pinterest

In a lot of ways, Pinterest is a giant digital vision board. You scroll through images and save the ones that stand out to you onto different boards, whether it’s a meaningful quote, a picture of something you want, or a blog post or video that includes instructions or resources.

Pinterest is a great tool to start with, especially if vision boards are new to you. You can easily save and sort anything that inspires or encourages you and filter through them as you gain more clarity on your goals.

You can also keep your boards private.

4. Wish Lists

We spend a lot of our time online, so you may find that your vision for creating your best life can be more tangible with electronic connections.

If you shop online, you can set up wish lists with various retailers and use these to anchor your vision.

For example, if weight loss is your goal, set up a wish list of clothes in new sizes. If you want to downsize, create a “tiny house” wish list and load it with the materials you’ll need.

While this won’t be as effective as a vision board because it’s not something you’ll look at every day, you can still benefit from the process.

By learning how to create a vision board and use it properly, you can direct your dreams, focus your mind, and achieve your professional and personal goals.

This article originally appeared on Your Money Geek and has been republished with permission.

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