Category: Blog

5 Ways Business Owners Have Won over New Customers

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When it comes to finding new customers and leads, these business owners swear by these five helpful strategies.

Advertising can be prohibitively expensive for smaller companies, and marketing efforts can sometimes seem scattershot. We asked five business owners to share the methods they used for discovering powerful new customer lines that actually worked. These grassroots efforts show that you don’t necessarily need to have to spend a lot to reach a new market and discover new customers.

Giveaways

“We do product giveaways every month for the wholesale merchandise we sell. Last month, for example, we gave away $5,000 in products to nonprofit organizations that support kids. We started these giveaways after Hurricane Katrina, when nonprofit groups came to us looking to buy blankets and other items for people affected by the disaster.

“At the time, we weren’t doing any business in the nonprofit world, but we recognized the opportunity. We started reaching out to nonprofits with these giveaways, and now half of our business is with nonprofits, including national contracts with the Salvation Army and Kiwanis.”

—Marc Joseph, former CEO & President, DollarDays

Partnering

“The demographic for our men’s laundry detergent is very specific—22- [to] 30-year-old single males with above-average spending who care about appearance, scent [and] the details surrounding their life. Paramount Pictures and MGM reached out to us because they understood our demographic was very close to their target for the new film Ben Hur.

“We agreed to put them on a lot of our digital in late August, timed with the film release, and they gave us tickets to give away to new customers. For the customer, if you buy a bottle of our detergent and get free Ben Hur tickets, that’s a much higher value proposition than just buying the detergent. We are only two-and-a-half weeks into the partnership, but already we’ve seen an amazing decrease in customer-acquisition cost. We’ve beaten our best sales months by 25%, and we have earned 1.9 [times] our normal amount for this ad spend.”

—Leif Frey, Founder, Frey for Men

Social Media & Email

“We do social-media giveaway promotions for our bodysurfing handboards about once a quarter, when we have a new product or something exciting going on that we want to promote. The way it works is people need to share a specific photo via their social media, [t]hen their followers see it and they want to enter. We gain a lot of new emails, which is our goal.

“Our bump is anywhere between 200 to 500 new emails per promotion. Then, right after each campaign, we set up targeted emails to those new, potential customers with a coupon offer. About 30% of our sales come from our email campaigns, so that’s why our big focus is on growing that email list.”

—Angela & Steve Watts, Owners, Slyde Handboards

Sampling 

“We hosted a beer-tasting room at the Insight Innovation Exchange in June 2016, where visitors played one of our gamification-based experiences as part of the beer-tasting exercise. We published real-time results of the most- and least-favorite beers on tap, but, more importantly, we were able to capture over 100 leads for a total cost of under $10,000. The sales cycle is fairly long in our industry, so many of these leads aren’t likely to generate revenue for another three to six months, but in just eight weeks, we’ve already converted enough beta participants to cover the cost of the event. As an online subscription service, this was tremendously effective for us.”

—Jason Anderson, President, Insights Meta & Datagame

Listening

“I started doing a listening tour during the Great Recession in late 2008, early 2009 to strum up new business. I was already scheduled for some travel around the country in Q4/Q1 for meetings, so I used the trips as an opportunity to hear from current clients and prospects about how they were handling the downturn.

“Themes started to emerge. For example, on one trip everyone was asking about social media and whether or not they needed a blog. After several discussions, I summarized my notes and sent them out to share what I was hearing. Then, given all the questions around social media, I offered to put together a talk and workshop to discuss current trends. I immediately got replies asking me to book, and it all led to more work. Now it is just something I try to do regularly to keep a pulse on the market and find new work.”

—Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder & CEO, Mavens & Moguls

Find more small business tips here:
https://blog.dollardays.com/2021/06/21/ideas-for-starting-a-small-business/

Lucky & Unlucky Pets

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Pets can be expensive. The Tibetan Mastiff […] has an average purchase price of $3,000, while the Portuguese water dog costs $2,500, and the Black Russian Terrier goes for $2,000. This, combined with the yearly cost of ownership—up to $1,843 on average for dogs and $1,035 for cats, according to the ASPCA—indicates most pet owners are truly dedicated to their animal’s survival and happiness.

[Approximately] 79.7 million [U.S.] households own a pet, [or] 65% of [all] homes. [More than 40%] own more than one pet; [t]here are 77.8 million dogs [nationwide] and 85.8 million cats, according to the Humane Society. [Roughly] 34% of dogs are purchased from a breeder, 4% from pet stores, 37% are adopted from shelters, 6% are taken in as strays, and 20% come from friends or relatives. Only 3% of cats come from breeders, 2% from pet stores, 45% […] from shelters, 25% […] taken in as strays, and 25% come from friends or relatives.

What happens to homeless animals? There are 13,600 community animal shelters across the United States. [Around] 7.3 million animals enter these shelters each year (3.9 million dogs and 3.4 million cats); 3 million of these animals are euthanized [annually], and 4.3 million are adopted [out] or returned to their owners. With so many animals needing our love, why are we paying the big bucks for these breeds when we can adopt an animal that is going to be euthanized?

We have all read about the medical reasons to have a pet. WebMD tells us that pets are natural mood enhancers; only a few minutes with a dog [or] cat, or [time spent] watching fish swim, makes us feel less anxious. […] Petting and playing with an animal increases levels of serotonin and dopamine […], and these transmitters help reduce not only depression, but stress, [as well]. [Additionally], researchers have found that when children grow up in a home with a dog or cat, they are 33% less likely to develop allergies, and the same is true for kids who live on a farm with large animals.

So maybe pets are the miracle drug we have all been waiting for!

We know about the medical reasons for a pet, but what about the psychological advantages? The American Psychological Association [recently] published a study done at Miami University of Ohio and St. Louis University [in which researchers] concluded people with pets were closer to other important people in their lives and received more support from these people, not less.

[In other words], pets complement other forms of social support, […] indicating no evidence that relationships with pets came at the expense of relationships with other people. Also, owning a pet can teach children valuable life lessons; [k]ids with dogs have a higher level of empathy and self-esteem, and learning to take care of an animal teaches the value of routine and good habits. Being outside in a public setting with your animal increases social interaction, because pets are great icebreakers and can help ease people out of social isolation and shyness.

September is full of days honoring pets—National Pet Memorial Day and National Hug-Your-Hound Day are [both on the 11th this year, and] Puppy Mill Awareness Day and Responsible Dog Ownership Day both fall on [the 17th]—[b]ut there is no celebration for the 3 million animals America euthanizes each year. It falls back on all of us to have the heart to help defenseless animals that can’t speak for themselves. For anyone who has ever looked into the eyes of their pet and felt that unconditional love looking back, we cannot continue letting animal shelters go underfunded and undermanned.

All of us need to reach deep into our pockets to help these shelters find homes for these innocent animals, and, if we don’t have the dollars to help, we should be volunteering to feed, walk, bathe and play with these ignored animals at the shelters. Donate or volunteer at the American Humane Association, the ASPCA, the Humane Society or the Best Friends Animal Society, where you can help save animals who are the victims of animal cruelty or natural disasters. […]

Taxpayers pay $2 billion annually to round up, house and dispose of homeless animals. Many of us go out and spend thousands of dollars to buy an expensive animal, while millions of others are being put to sleep because no one has stepped up to give them a home. Those of us with pets know they provide therapeutic benefits for many of life’s invisible scars. Our pets help us socially and emotionally. The unconditional love pets give us transcends work issues, family conflicts and death. Animals don’t care about the color of your skin, whether you can read or not, or if you are missing a limb.

So not only during […] Responsible Dog Ownership Day [should] we honor our best friends, but we should also be taking this time to help those animals less fortunate than the ones in our own home. Helping […] animals in need is the core of our decency. Donate to animal shelters and organizations to help care for these innocent animals. Volunteer at your local shelter to help the animals cope with being alone. No one wants to be alone, and your simple act of kindness can go a long way for animals that have no one to care for them.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/lucky-and-unlucky-pets_b_11818070.html

Honing in on the Perfect Profit Margin

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Business owners need to possess multifaceted skillsets. Not only is it imperative to possess exceptional work ethic and business management skills, but you need to be an excellent writer, a mathematician and a creative thinker, as well. When it comes to finding the ideal profit margin, it requires both excellent mathematical skills and innovative thinking. Here is a guide to help you hone in on that ideal profit margin without zapping your mental energy in the process.

Determine What an Appropriate Profit Margin Looks Like

Small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) can anticipate lower profit margins than their big-box competitors due to […] scale. Before honing in a perfect profit margin, you need to determine what an appropriate profit margin will look like based on the size of your business, the number of years in operation and the industry [in which] you’re operating.

While profit margins will vary by industry, Butler Consultants reports that, for retailers, the average profit margin is around 48.46%. By striving for an unrealistically high profit margin, you’ll be driving customers away with unreasonable prices; however, settling for a low profit margin could increase your risk of business failure.

Maintain Low Overhead Expenses

When striving to achieve healthy profit margins, businesses often turn to their pricing to see how they can squeeze more money out of each sale; however, overhead and operational expenses can actually have a tremendous impact on profit margins. [B]efore raising your price tags, examine your business model to see how much you’re spending and how you can reduce costs.

Take office supplies, for example. According to Gartner, the amount of paper produced by companies has been growing by a shocking 25% each year. It’s estimated that businesses spend about $200 per year per employee on office supplies. By finding lower prices on office supplies of the same quality, you can reduce this cost on an ongoing basis [and enable] your business to increase its gross profit margin. Compare the cost of office supplies among a variety of suppliers to ensure you’re getting the best price available.

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Partner with Top Wholesale Suppliers

When choosing a wholesale supplier, price should certainly be a primary concern; however, you need to consider other factors that will influence business performance and productivity, ultimately shaping your overall profit margin. How easy is the supplier to work with? Can they accommodate your needs? Are they able to scale their offerings to fit your demands? Do their shipments arrive on time and in excellent condition? All of these will partially contribute to the gross profit margin of your business, so it’s important to take all of it into account when choosing the right supplier.

DollarDays Puts Customers First, Encouraging Business Growth

At DollarDays, our primary concern is customer satisfaction. We understand that, in order for your business to thrive, it depends largely on the performance of the suppliers you partner with. We take our commitment to customer satisfaction seriously by offering the lowest prices possible on all of our merchandise and ensuring we are well-stocked to accommodate orders of varying sizes. Contact us today, and talk to us about your needs from a wholesale supplier.

Original article here: http://globalbizcircle.com/honing-perfect-profit-margin/

Leverage the Pokémon Go! Trend to Catch More Customers

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Pokémon Go! is the latest trend, and it has been sweeping the nation with haste. It’s estimated to have 9.5 million active users each day, and players range in ages from young children to senior citizens. It’s safe to say, this Pokémon Go! craze is popular among all age groups and will likely remain trendy for quite some time. The question is, how can you as a retailer cash in on this trend and catch more customers?

Create a Pokémon Go! Account

With the rise of interest in Pokémon Go!, more people are out and about, wandering the streets than ever before. For urban businesses, this offers a lot of potential for bringing new clients to your store. To start, you’ll have to create a Pokémon Go! account. Pokémon Go! has a free mobile app that can be downloaded directly to your smartphone.

Check Your Area for Pokéstops & Gyms

In the game, Pokémon has already established a variety of outdoor locations that are known as pokéstops and gyms. Pokéstops are places where users go to catch Pokémon and collect pokéballs. Gyms are places where users gather to battle other Pokémon. Check your app to gain a sense of all the nearest pokéstops and gyms in your area, so you can know where foot traffic will be heaviest throughout the day. You can use these high-traffic areas as marketing locations by posting signs, flyers or other marketing materials that will draw people to your business.

Set Lures in Your Store

One creative way to draw in more customers is by setting lures in your store. Haven’t heard of a lure? Then you must not be playing Pokémon. A lure is a feature in the game that allows users to plant lures at specific locations that will draw other players to that site; hence, by placing lures in your store, you’ll literally be drawing people directly into your business. Once they’re there, you can increase brand awareness and boost the likelihood of a sale.

Sell Pokémon-related Merchandise

Just as the Pokémon trend was starting to go out of style, the makers have found a way to resurrect their following. You can maximize on these trends by extending your product line to include some Pokémon-related paraphernalia. Stocking Pokémon cards near checkout, offering Pokémon stuffed animals and keychains, selling Pokémon shirts—the opportunities are endless. Use this as an opportunity to add a bit more variety to your shelves while creating a favorable impression on all the diehard Pokémon Go! fans.

Offer Pokémon-related Deals

One fun way to engage the public is to offer deals related to the Pokémon achievements of your customers. For instance, have a day where you offer all customers 10% off their purchase for catching a rare Pokémon.

While Pokémon was starting to fade away and become a relic of the past, the brand has found a way to make itself relevant again. With their brilliant marketing tactics, it’s likely Pokémon will continue to trend for decades to come. Take a tip from the Pokémon marketers and keep your business relevant as well. […] With the right approach, you’re bound to catch ‘em all—customers, that is.

Original article here: http://globalbizcircle.com/leverage-pokemon-go-trend-catch-customers/

Back-to-School Promotion Ideas for Small Businesses

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What’s the status of your back-to-school marketing plan? According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the average family will spend more freely on school and college supplies this year. It expects total spending for K-12 and college to reach $75.8 billion, up from last year’s $68 billion.

The annual NRF survey, conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, suggests that more than 50% of shoppers will start back-to-school shopping three weeks to one month before school starts, while 22% will start shopping with only one or two weeks left.

As we head toward September and into the final few weeks before students head back to school, Small Business Computing asked small-business owners to share details of their most successful back-to-school promotions and tips.

Be Helpful: Back to School is Stressful

Getting ready to head back to school can be stressful for your customers—both the parents and the students. Nicole Gardner, Dormify‘s COO, recommends that business owners personalize their back-to-school campaigns to their audience and to be helpful to their customers.

“Be helpful. It’s a stressful time for many parents and full of anxiety for students. Offer resources and accommodate customer requests where you can,” she advised. “Figure out if you’re speaking to the student or to the parent, and adjust your tone, your messaging and your offers accordingly. Use all the customer data you have and get hyper-targeted; we find email to be the most effective marketing channel for accomplishing this.”

Coupons & Discounts Attract Back-to-School Shoppers

Mike Catania, CTO of PromotionCode, works with 15,000 retailers, a third of which are small businesses that regularly compete against national brands and big-box retailers. When it comes to the back-to-school rush, Catania recommends coupons as a particularly effective marketing strategy for local businesses.

“Because they’re local, these businesses can tailor their offers not only to a specific school name (to build associative brand recognition), but they can also provide tiered offers based on different grade levels,” says Catania. “For example, a coupon offer that gives X% off storewide (where ‘X’ represents the grade level of the incoming student) has been an extremely popular offer.”

Celebrating students also creates a positive back-to-school promotion for retailers. Doug Messer, co-founder and CEO of University Beyond, said the company’s most successful back-to-school promotion was a holiday they created.

“We call it ‘National Student Discount Day,’ and last year, we had more than 100 brands participate,” said Messer. This year, “[A]ll participating brands will come together to promote our website via Twitter, drive a mass audience to view and use the available discounts, and sign up for our site. We already have major enterprise companies reaching out to participate again this year.”

Use Social to Talk up Back-to-School Promotions

Social media is a good way to cash in on local back-to-school shopping. “Local social media is far more influential than national. Posting that coupon to social media and tagging the school for which it applies will help move it along to parents who, in turn, can make it go locally viral with minimal advertising efforts on your part,” says PromotionCode’s Catania.

Daniela Arango, public relations specialist for DoItWiser, also supports using social media to boost back-to-school promotions. Arango says that small-business owners can create excitement around back-to-school sales on social media by launching a pre-sale ad campaign to generate expectations around your offers and products.

She also recommends offering online coupons or promotions to visitors and clients on your website in exchange for subscriptions to your mailing list or follows on social media. “Your customers get a discount on their back-to-school purchases, and you build a community around your brand.”

Arango suggests that businesses take advantage of user-generated content to show how your customers use your products at school. This gives your future clients a sense of closeness, trust and familiarity with your brand.

Back-to-School Promotions for B2B

B2B businesses also find success with back-to-school promotions by taking advantage of email campaigns, social feeds and good deals.

Marc Joseph, former CEO and president of DollarDays, a B2B business that sells 225,000 general merchandise products by the case at wholesale and closeout prices to entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofit organizations, explains.

“Today, our banners feature office and school supplies, back-to-school clothing, accessories, writing instruments, and backpacks. All of these products tie together because we want to be the one-stop shop for all back-to-school needs,” says Joseph. “This also works with brick-and-mortar stores or online B2C sellers. Once a customer comes into your store, you don’t want them to leave. The best promotion is to offer everything they need.”

For example, DollarDays sells backpacks with a per-unit price starting at $3.19. Email campaigns and social media promote the item to draw people to the website. Once prospective customers land on the site for a backpack, they can see all the school supplies they need to fill the backpack—all in one place.

How to Promote Back-to-School Outside of Retail

Many back-to-school promotions center heavily on retail stores and online shops, but many small-business owners can capitalize on students and parents shopping for school-related deals. Ajmal Saleem, owner of Suprex Learning, a startup tutoring company, says the back-to-school promotion is especially important.

“Parents commonly seek our tutoring services during the summer to help their kids keep up their skills during the break; however, back-to-school is an excellent time to offer promotions, and parents are willing to spend the money if you can show them it’s a good investment,” says Saleem. “We offer bulk tutoring packages right before the school year starts. When a parent purchases more hours of tutoring, it not only provides us with sustained business, it helps parents keep their children’s momentum going.”

Even vCalc, a crowdsourced calculator-creation platform, offers back-to-school promotions. The vCalc platform invites people to use math knowledge to solve everyday challenges and to build and share free equations, algorithms, constants and collections.

Kurt Heckman, vCalc’s president, said they ran a student contest last fall that went so well that it’s now an annual back-to-school event. Called Coding for Community, this contest encourages students to use the vCalc platform to create free online calculators for the benefit of their communities. Prize money ranges from $25 for honorable mentions up to $1,000 for two grand-prize winners.

“The results have been surprising. Students have built free calculators that are now being used all over the world,” says Heckman. “This annual contest is a terrific way to get our product into the hands of more students every fall, and it’s now an ongoing part of our back-to-school promotion regimen.”

Check out another blog here: https://blog.dollardays.com/2021/06/21/ideas-for-starting-a-small-business/

5 Red Flags Signaling the Need for a New Wholesale Supplier

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Every business owner knows the importance of a quality supplier. The supplier forms the very foundation of the business, providing you with a vast selection of quality merchandise, partially determining your profit margin and ensuring your shelves are always stocked. With the wrong supplier, your business will suffer, and keeping your doors open will feel like a perpetual challenge. Here are some signs that your wholesale supplier isn’t a good fit.

  1. Your profit margin is struggling. Settling on an appropriate profit margin is always a challenge for business. You need to keep prices high enough that your own profits are healthy, but prices need to remain low enough to compete with other businesses in the area. If you’re struggling to find a balance that’s conducive to business success, the problem could be your supplier. If your wholesale supplier is charging too much for merchandise, it will be impossible to maintain healthy profits while ensuring your prices are reasonable for customers. You need a wholesaler who puts your profits first by offering the lowest prices possible on high-quality merchandise.
  2. Your customers are complaining. Have you noticed an increase in customer complaints? If customers are routinely expressing concern over the quality of your merchandise, then you may need to find a new wholesale supplier. A great supplier is one that provides excellent merchandise at fair prices, and if customers are regularly irritated at the lack of quality, then this is a major red flag.
  3. Your shipments are late. To operate a business successfully, you need to streamline your inventory management so supplies are always ordered on time and always arrive when needed. If your shipments arrive late, it throws off countless aspects of business, making it difficult for employees to do their job and leaving a bad impression on customers. A shipment may be late every once in a while if items are out of stock or if weather is bad; however, if your shipments are perpetually arriving late, it may be time to find a new supplier who takes their deadlines seriously.
  4. They’re calling all the shots. As a business, you are the supplier’s customer, and it’s their job to take you seriously. You need a supplier who’s willing to work with you and can continually meet the commitments they’ve signed up for. If they’re routinely out of stock of the items you need, if their pricing is constantly fluctuating, or if their shipments are inconsistent, this is a huge red flag that the supplier isn’t the right fit for your store.
  5. They offer poor customer service.You need a supplier you can communicate with and that’s available to hear your concerns. You need someone who will perpetually be in contact and update you about the status of your orders. If communicating with your wholesaler feels like pulling teeth, then you’ll end up doing more work than necessary to ensure your shipments arrive as expected. It’s time to find a supplier who offers the customer service you need.

The supplier you choose for your store can greatly improve your ability to operate your business effectively. With the right supplier, you’ll be able to meet your own deadlines more efficiently and remain on top of inventory management. […]

Original article here: http://globalbizcircle.com/wholesale-supplier/

Give Me Shelter

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Homelessness is not a modern phenomenon. The first cases of the homeless in America date back to the 1640s, according to Street News Service. Wars fought between the settlers and Native Americans displaced people on both sides. Back then, people would show up to a town and make a case for why they should be allowed to settle there. In most New England towns, the newcomers would sit before the town fathers and explain how they would pull their weight and not be a drain on everybody else. The people who were denied and told to move on were Catholics, people with physical disabilities, mental disabilities, alcoholics, widows, orphans and the elderly. We ended up with a transient class moving from town to town, so this new world did not offer opportunity for everyone.

When the Industrial Revolution was starting in the 1820s, people were moving from farms into cities, creating a poor urban underclass. [This] led to our first anti-panhandling ordinances, and our jails soon became our shelter system. [I]n 1830, Congress passed [the “Indian Removal Act,”] the first federal policy that caused massive homelessness; [this act] uprooted Native American tribes in the southeast and moved them to Oklahoma. [Workplace injuries during the] Industrial Revolution, [disabilities caused by] the Civil War, [and, then, large-scale displacement as a result of] disasters like the Chicago fire in 1871, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the massive 1927 Mississippi River flood […] created more homelessness. Then the Great Depression hit in 1929, and massive numbers of homeless people hit the streets like America had never seen before or since.

The same issues that caused homelessness 300 to 400 years ago are still haunting us today. Tragic life occurrences like the loss of loved ones, job loss, domestic violence, divorce, family disputes, depression, untreated mental illness, natural disasters, war, post-traumatic stress disorder and physical disabilities are responsible for a large portion of the homeless. In this land of plenty and this land of opportunity, over 600,000 Americans experience homelessness on any given night, with 138,000 being under the age of 18. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the [U.S.] rate of homeless persons is 18.3 per 10,000 people, ranging from 120 in Washington, D.C., to seven in Mississippi. Veterans are at 25.5 per 10,000, with the high again in Washington, D.C., [at] 146 and the low in Virginia, at nine.

[W]e, as a society, need to focus on the homeless children in our communities. Homeless children, as defined by the federal “No Child Left Behind” program, include not just those living in shelters or transitional housing, but also those sharing the housing of other persons due to economic hardships; [those] living in cars, parks, [or] bus or train stations; [and those] awaiting foster care placement. According to NBC News, the National Center for Homeless Education reported local school districts have 2.5 million homeless children […] in public schools, [or] one in 30. […] Of [this total], 76,000 homeless students are living on their own and […] exchange sex for food, clothing, shelter and other basic needs, [and] 75% percent of [these adolescents] have either dropped out or will drop out of school. […]

America has not been able to solve the homeless problem for close to 400 years. What would make us think we can solve it now?

Throughout our history, we have learned that homelessness cannot be solved by the government alone, especially in times of government gridlock and lack of funds. This is a major issue that affects all of us, and, at this time of year, it involves the classmates of our kids. This is truly a local issue causing hardships on our […] schools.

There are many ways the average citizen can help out, either by volunteering their time or donating their money. The Covenant House opens up its doors to help homeless youth in 27 cities. Safe Horizons helps out children and families. Stand up for Kids helps get our children off the streets, and Move for Hunger helps feed them. […]

We all suffer when we allow our neighbors to go homeless, even for just one night. Our society suffers when we deny any of our children a good night’s sleep and a nourishing meal. With the limitless potential that many homeless youth have to make a lasting positive contribution to our communities, whether it is in science, humanities or sports, we cheat not only them but ourselves by not allocating dollars, either in taxes we collect or the disposable income we can spare. Every child should have a shot at attaining our American dream. This is not a political or religious issue; it is a moral issue that our entire society must embrace. With a little help from all of us, these 600,000 Americans can find shelter for another night.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/give-me-shelter_b_11297282.html

5 Products That Can Reduce Your Environmental Impact

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Environmental awareness has become more prevalent in recent years as people become increasingly concerned with global warming, water scarcity and the depletion of fossil fuels. Whether out of concern for the environment or a desire to save money, decreasing your impact on the Earth offers numerous benefits. There are countless ways to ease your environmental impact and reduce monthly spending simply by switching out some common products in your home for their sustainable counterparts.

  1. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs are considerably more energy efficient, and they can drastically cut down on the energy consumption of your home and office. Not only will it result in a cost savings for you—about $57 in energy expenses per bulb—but it will allow you to reduce your environmental impact, as well.
  2. Biodegradable trash bags. Each year, 5.3 million to 14 million tons of plastic enter the oceans and landfills of our planet, polluting the Earth with ecologically harmful materials that pose a danger to wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. By switching out your regular trash bags for biodegradable trash bags, you’ll be reducing landfill waste by about two to three bags per week, or 100 to 150 bag per year.
  3. Water-saving showerhead. It’s estimated that about 0.007% of all water on Earth is available to fuel and nourish the growing human population. With many areas of the world becoming increasingly arid and major droughts plaguing much of the United States, water scarcity is a pressing concern. A water-saving showerhead can reduce your water consumption considerably. On average, a person uses about 6,000 gallons of water for showering each year. With the right showerhead, you can cut that number in half, saving 3,000 gallons of freshwater annually. In addition to saving water, you’ll also be saving about $32.50 per year due to decreased water expenses.
  4. Reusable shopping bags. We’ve all heard of “plastic island,” the large conglomeration of trash that’s floating around in the ocean and has already surpassed the size of Texas. The average U.S. family uses about 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year, which, with the help of reusable bags, can be completely eliminated.
  5. Recycled paper products. The global demand [for] paper is rapidly growing, even as technology usage increases. In fact, global demand has increased by 400% in just 40 years, with 35% of the world’s trees being cut down and milled for paper. […] Deforestation impacts local ecosystems, contributes to global warming, and requires considerable energy consumption to cut, mill and manufacture the trees. By using paper products [composed of] recycled materials, you can make a dent in energy consumption and reduce your reliance on deforestation. With recycled tissues, toilet paper, stationary and more, there are countless ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

There has long been an emphasis on going green for people and businesses alike. Going green allows a person to considerably reduce their own environmental impact while also reducing their monthly expenses. A simple switch of your lightbulbs and showerheads can help you save a few hundred dollars per year while also promoting healthier and more sustainable lifestyle habits.

Visit DollarDays.com to explore a range of sustainable, energy-efficient and biodegradable products that will enable you to reduce your environmental impact.

Original article here: http://globalbizcircle.com/5-products-can-reduce-environmental-impact/

Who is Helping the Kids Left Behind?

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America now has 1,571,056 tax-exempt organizations, of which 1,097,689 are public charities, according to Urban Institute. [A]nother 105,030 […] are private foundations, and 368,337 are […] chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and civic leagues.

Nonprofits accounted for 9.2% of all wages and salaries [last year], 5.3% of U.S. GDP [and reported] $1.74 trillion in revenues. [Approximately] 25.3% of Americans over the age of 16 volunteered for a nonprofit organization [in 2015], [and our nation’s total] volunteer time translates to 8.7 billion hours, which has a value of $179.2 billion.

All of these are big numbers, [s]o why do we still have so many Americans struggling to get by each day? […]

In New York City, there are 23,000 children between the ages of six and 13 [who] live in the city’s homeless […] shelter system. As we all know, homelessness places profound stress on a child’s life. [One] nonprofit, Homes for the Homeless, […] provide[s] a 16-day summer camp at […] Harriman State Park, […] 30 miles outside of NYC, for […] inner-city kids, [many of whom] have never left [the city, let alone] experienced nature up close. It gives these homeless children a chance to escape the stresses of everyday life and engage in healthy activities. What if every town had a program like this?

[In] Cleveland, [which] has a 58.5% poverty rate for children (compared to the national average of 21.1%), [t]he Footpath Foundation was founded by two mothers to help underprivileged and at-risk children by connecting them with positive life experiences. Like [in] NYC, these Cleveland kids are sent to local camps that temporarily help them let go of the pressures of life and begin to feel safe and at peace. […]

When schools close, millions of youths are cut off from access to education and nutritional support systems. This leads to [a] “slide,” [with] students [losing] educational achievements made during the previous year. In 2015, 46% of [students] who applied for summer jobs were turned down, so helping out our youth this summer is crucial.

[The White House has taken notice, and they’ve stepped in with several new initiatives.] The Department of Education [has issued] a grant […] to open five new achievement centers [to house] mentoring program[s] for underserved middle-school students [in Baltimore, Md.; Washington, D.C.; Pittsburgh, Penn.; and Richmond, Va.] The Corporation for National and Community Service [has] committed $15 million to launch Summer Opportunity AmeriCorps, which uses service-learning projects [to enable] 20,000 youth to gain new skills and earn money for college. The Department of Labor, [meanwhile], launched a $20 million grant competition [that provided] young people [in 10 communities] summer and year-round jobs connecting them to career pathways.

Cities are [also] stepping up to help. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a [plan] to hire 15,000 young people in 2016 through his Hire LA Youth program. This program targets youth from low-income families, families on public assistance, foster youth, youth on probation and homeless youth. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray committed to reach out to 15,000 youth in his community with summer jobs and enrichment. The city will also serve 5,000 children over 200,000 meals and invest in 23 summer learning programs. In Charlotte, Mayor Jennifer Roberts, in a partnership with the Microsoft Charlotte Campus, is holding high-tech camps for 4,000 underprivileged kids. What is your city doing?

[At the national level, Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization, serving hundreds of thousands of six- to 18-year-old kids. The Boys & Girls Club serves four million young people in 4,100 clubs throughout the country. […] The Children’s Defense Fund was formed to leave no child behind and works [to give] every child […] a healthy start [in life]. Southwest Key is [another] national nonprofit organization that is committed to keeping kids out of institutions and home with their families in their communities. […]

As much as our government and our cities are reaching out to pull the less-fortunate kids up, they are only affecting a small portion of those who need our help. We […] have a vibrant nonprofit system in place to begin to help those children in the most need, [b]ut these nonprofits need our help both financially and as volunteers. Giving is as good for your own soul as it is for the people you help. If you don’t have the cash, do what 25% of Americans do: volunteer to help a nonprofit that helps our youth. Giving your time or giving your hard-earned dollars [has] a rippling effect in our society; [a] single act of kindness can change several lives while helping to reduce the daunting statistics that [are] poverty and lost opportunity in this country.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/who-is-helping-the-kids-l_b_10818040.html

15 ways to celebrate the 4th of july under $10

15 Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July Under $10

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The Fourth of July is a popular time to gather with friends and loved ones—and spend money.

In 2015, Americans spent $3.6 million on flags and $257.8 million on fireworks. Revelers spent a combined $6.6 billion on food over the weekend and drank $1 billion worth of beer. All in all, the average household spends roughly $346.50 over the July 4th weekend on food, drinks, transportation and other supplies.

Freedom isn’t free, but it doesn’t have to break the bank, either. Here are some ways to celebrate the 4th of July for less than $10.

1. Host a Traditional Barbecue

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the classic backyard barbecue is one of the only Fourth of July ideas that is actually becoming less expensive. A 10-person cookout costs roughly $55.84, or about $5.58 per person, which is 3% cheaper than it was last year. The estimated cost of groceries includes hotdogs, burgers, buns, ribs, ketchup and mustard, chips, potato salad, chocolate milk, lemonade, and watermelon.

2. Enjoy a DIY Fireworks Display

Light up the night sky this Independence Day by setting off fireworks yourself. Retailers like OnlineFireworks.com have a large selection of buy-one-get-one-free packages that start under $10.

Fireworks injuries are at an all-time low, but it is still critical to follow all instructions and never allow children to use these devices unsupervised. It’s also important to note that fireworks laws vary from state to state and are sometimes inconsistent even among counties. Before purchasing any fireworks, check with the American Pyrotechnics Association for a directory of state laws.

3. Have Fun with Sparklers

If you’re not up to putting on a full fireworks display, opt for the slow-burning fun of sparklers. Prism Fireworks sells 72 packs of red, white and blue sparklers for $9.99.

Be warned that sparklers can and do cause injuries. Because sparklers can burn at 2,000 degrees, it’s important to hold them at arm’s length, dunk them in water before tossing them in the garbage, and always keep them separate from other fireworks.

4. Create a DIY July 4th Outfit

Start by purchasing a basic white shirt or tank top (available at Walmart for about $5), then buy or scour the house for painter’s tape, star stickers, blue and red spray paint, and cardboard. After placing 50 star stickers on the top left portion of the shirt, apply the tape in horizontal stripes on the bottom half and opposite the stars. Lay the shirt down over a piece of cardboard to protect the underlying surface, then spray paint the stripes red and the area with the stars blue. Remove the stickers and tape, and poof—you’re a patriot on a budget.

5. Fly a Patriotic Bandana Banner

Buy several bandanas in red, white and blue, and cut each one into four squares. Fold each square into a triangle and iron it to create a sharp crease. Next, attach the triangles to a long ribbon in a repeating red, white and blue pattern, and drape the finished banner loosely, like a sagging clothesline. You can get a case of 12 bandanas for $1.96 each at DollarDays.com.

6. Take a Virtual Trip to New York

A trip to New York City is expensive, but it’s free to watch America’s largest Independence Day fireworks display from the comfort of your own home. Forty thousand fireworks will light up the sky over the Hudson River during the annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular. NBC begins broadcasting at 9:00 p.m., and the first shell is set to ignite at roughly 9:25 p.m. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the event, and Macy’s promises it will be the best one yet.

7. Have a Red, White & Blue Water Balloon Fight

Although holding a water balloon fight on a hot summer day doesn’t require much structure, PartyGamesNow lists the rules for an organized July 4th water balloon toss that pits two teams against each other. You can pick up 10 packs of red, white and blue balloons here.

8. Fly a Flag

There is perhaps no better way to show your national pride than to fly the symbol of American freedom—the flag. Amazon sells big, heavy-duty embroidered flags with brass grommets for as low as $4.69. Visit the American Legion site for rules regarding how to fly, handle and dispose of Old Glory properly.

9. Make a Donation

There are tens of thousands of charities dedicated to serving the needs of veterans and military personnel, and many of them accept donations of just $10. Charity Navigator offers a comprehensive list of organizations. Donate to groups based on what they do, the military branches on which they focus or even their geographic locations.

10. Drop a Salami

Hobby’s Delicatessen & Restaurant in Newark, N.J., delivers its famous salamis to hungry troops overseas through a program called Operation Salami Drop. This Independence Day, you can share the holiday goodness with a soldier who is far from home. For exactly $10, you can drop a salami of your own.

11. Bake a Pie

Apple pie is so associated with the United States that people often joke about things being “as American as apple pie.” Better Homes and Gardens offers a recipe for a cheap, simple apple/berry pie in a jar that features a big red star made out of fruit. You’ll need the following ingredients, which cost less than $1 combined: sugar, flour, salt, butter and milk. The other ingredients—blueberries and apples—cost as little as $1.50 per pound and $1.77 per pound, respectively.

12. Print Coasters

Instead of a covered dish, consider bringing something special to your holiday barbecue—patriotic coasters. The other guests will appreciate the creativity, and the host will appreciate the lack of ring-shaped stains on the tables. Favors LTD sells high-quality, round cork coasters with several choices of patriotic imagery. They start at less than $1 each and become cheaper the more you buy.

13. Go Fly a Kite

With just a kite and a little bit of wind, the whole family can enjoy endless hours of fun this Fourth of July. Stay on theme with a patriotic motif. You can score an assortment of America-themed kites for under $10 on the Oriental Trading Company website. Just remember to supervise young children, as kites can present a choking hazard.

14. Eat Red, White & Blue Ice Cream

If you can’t find red, white and blue ice cream to enjoy on the Fourth of July, you can always top your favorite flavor off with patriotic sprinkles, like the Merica sprinkle mix, currently available on Etsy for $3.50.

Additionally, families can purchase a box of firecracker Popsicles, available in the classic red, white and blue pattern. Eight packs have been spotted for just $1.

15. Make a Flag Kebab

With 12 kebab sticks ($1.99 for 100), a pack of marshmallows (45 cents per ounce), frozen raspberries and blueberries, you can make dessert kebabs that come together to form an American flag. Use the blueberries in the upper-left corner in place of the stars and thread the other ingredients together to form the corresponding red and white stripes.

This article originally appeared on GoBankingRates.

Check out another blog here: https://blog.dollardays.com/2021/06/15/four-steps-to-easy-donating/