My name is David Nordmark and I'm a Vancouver based personal trainer and fitness entrepreneur. I've written 3 ebooks on the subject of health and fitness and will soon have a DVD course available on using isometric exercises to achieve superior health and definition. My speciality is natural forms of exercise like bodyweight exercises (push-ups, bodyweight squats etc), isometric exercises and yoga. I don't believe in weights or using machines of any kind for the most part. One question I'm often asked is why do I need a personal trainer if I want to get in shape? Can't I just do it on my own? Although you can get shape on your own it's not the most efficient way to do it. What follows are my top 5 reason for hiring a personal trainer in order to get in shape.
1 Tailored Programs - We are all different and therefore have different fitness needs. Professional trainers have the knowledge and experience to assess your body's specific needs, limits and capabilities and create a workout routine geared just for you. This can alone can help you improve exponentially.
Having a trainer that personalizes your regimen has another benefit. As your body changes and improves (and it will) its needs, limits and capabilities will change as well. A good trainer will constantly update your program to keep you on track and to keep things interesting.
2 Can help you save money - If you hire a trainer through a gym you must first pay for a membership and then you must pay for the additional services of the trainer. Independent personal trainers have no allegiances and can therefore streamline your expenses. In addition independent trainers are under no compulsion to up sell you on items or services that you don't really need.
3 - Help you navigate through the health and fitness din - There are so many approaches and concepts out there that it is hard to figure out what is right. Where do you begin? Like anything you can do it yourself and wade through the various theories out there through trial and error. However you can do this with anything. You could learn to fix your own car if you wanted to. Ditto for building your house or simply getting your hair cut. The reason we don't do this is that there are so many hours in the day. This is why people specialize in careers. Do what you do best and let others do the rest. If you would rather trust your hair style and car to a person who specializes in these tasks why wouldn't you trust a fitness professional with your most valuable asset - your health?
4- Can't I get in shape on my own? - In theory you could, but ask yourself this - are you getting in shape now? It not, admit the truth. You could use a little help. If you want to get good at anything the quickest way by far is to get a good coach. Professional athletes like Tiger Woodst have personal trainers. If a highly motivated professional athlete benefits from coaching and training, don't you think you could too? If you go it alone you're on your own. Everyone needs a little help and motivation along the way, including professionals.
5 - Motivation - This is a big one for the most of us and also where a professional can really help. When you train on your own it is very easy to slack off or skip a day. Once you skip a day it becomes far easier to skip another day. And so on and so on. When you hire a personal trainer you have made a real mental and financial commitment that is much more difficult to break. It shows that you are serious about getting in shape. If you want to skip a session you have to tell another person (your trainer) who will NOT approve. It's all not negative either. A good personal trainer should inspire you as well to become your best. He or she should make it so that you WANT to workout. Workouts should be fun, not a complete chore.
All in all hiring your own personal trainer is probably the best way to achieve the health and fitness goals that have eluded you. If you want to get results fast it might be one of the best investments that you can make.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
7 Super Easy Steps To Slashing Your Auto Insurance Quote
Here's 7 super-easy steps to get the best possible auto insurance quote
* Multiple Quotes
You must get multiple quotes - get on the internet and look for multiple insurance quote services.. It's a snap to pull together some great comparison quotes.
Just Remember to gather different types of quotes. For instance, get one from a direct-sell insurance company; another from an offline broker who keeps an extensive list of quotes; and a couple from free internet quote services.
The cheapest insurance may not mean the best. Will they pay you if you file a claim? Are they known for being financially secure? What is their reputation with consumers and consumer agencies? Talk to your family and friends, and also look for online insurance reviews.
* Different type of car
Insurance costs vary greatly depending on the type of car. Obviously, that $100k exotic sports car is more expensive to insure than your average economy vehicle. If you're planning to buy a new car, you'd better check insurance rates before you buy. I once had my heart set on a beautiful, high performance, highly tuned Pontiac sports car.
Good thing I checked the insurance rates before I bought it, because it turned out that I couldn't get insurance. Every broker, every insurance company flat out turned me down because I lived in a high car-theft area. So I had to put the car of my dreams on a shelf until I moved up-town.
* Age and Value of Car
Maybe you're buying a used car ? Maybe your car was valuable a few years ago, but now values much lower ? So why pay for over-priced auto insurance? In particular, do you still really need full comprehensive coverage?
A good rule of thumb is to multiply your insurance premium by 10, and then compare that figure with your car value. So if you get quoted a $1000 premium but your car is worth less than $10,000, you might want to decide if comprehensive represents a good value. If you drop collision and/or comprehensive coverage, you should save quite a bit.
* Higher deductibles (excess charges)
Most auto insurance companies use deductibles to keep the policy costs down. Deductibles, or excess charges, show what you pay out of pocket before your auto insurance kicks in. Try asking for quotes with different amounts of deductibles, and then see how your quotes vary.
Most internet quote forms have a box where you can choose a preferred amount of deductibles. Ask your broker for his recommended amount. For example, going from $250 to $500 deductible can cut down your insurance costs by 20% or even more. Go to $1000 and now you save a ton of money. But keep in mind that you must pay the deductible if you need to file a claim!
* Multiple Insurances
I guess this might come under the 'Get Multiple Quotes' heading, but it's still worth mentioning separately. You usually get an break on your premiums if you buy multiple policies with the same company.
This could mean multiple vehicle policies, or homeowner plus auto insurance. Either way, it's worth checking into multi-policy discounts.
* Low Mileage
These days, more and more people are working from home. This means no more commuting, less business trips and ultimately lower mileage on your car. Maybe you do commute to work, but you car pool?
Either way, check into low mileage discounts.
* Good Driving Record
Having a good driving record always lowers your auto insurance amount. Keep your driving record violation and accident free. Don't drive too fast, don't drive recklessly, and you'll save more money (among other benefits !)
* Extra Bonus Step
Here are some more important things to consider. Install a good anti-theft device in your car. Sign up for an advanced driver training course. Use your daytime running lights if you have them. If you happen to be a college student who is away from home, consider adding yourself to your parents policy.
* Multiple Quotes
You must get multiple quotes - get on the internet and look for multiple insurance quote services.. It's a snap to pull together some great comparison quotes.
Just Remember to gather different types of quotes. For instance, get one from a direct-sell insurance company; another from an offline broker who keeps an extensive list of quotes; and a couple from free internet quote services.
The cheapest insurance may not mean the best. Will they pay you if you file a claim? Are they known for being financially secure? What is their reputation with consumers and consumer agencies? Talk to your family and friends, and also look for online insurance reviews.
* Different type of car
Insurance costs vary greatly depending on the type of car. Obviously, that $100k exotic sports car is more expensive to insure than your average economy vehicle. If you're planning to buy a new car, you'd better check insurance rates before you buy. I once had my heart set on a beautiful, high performance, highly tuned Pontiac sports car.
Good thing I checked the insurance rates before I bought it, because it turned out that I couldn't get insurance. Every broker, every insurance company flat out turned me down because I lived in a high car-theft area. So I had to put the car of my dreams on a shelf until I moved up-town.
* Age and Value of Car
Maybe you're buying a used car ? Maybe your car was valuable a few years ago, but now values much lower ? So why pay for over-priced auto insurance? In particular, do you still really need full comprehensive coverage?
A good rule of thumb is to multiply your insurance premium by 10, and then compare that figure with your car value. So if you get quoted a $1000 premium but your car is worth less than $10,000, you might want to decide if comprehensive represents a good value. If you drop collision and/or comprehensive coverage, you should save quite a bit.
* Higher deductibles (excess charges)
Most auto insurance companies use deductibles to keep the policy costs down. Deductibles, or excess charges, show what you pay out of pocket before your auto insurance kicks in. Try asking for quotes with different amounts of deductibles, and then see how your quotes vary.
Most internet quote forms have a box where you can choose a preferred amount of deductibles. Ask your broker for his recommended amount. For example, going from $250 to $500 deductible can cut down your insurance costs by 20% or even more. Go to $1000 and now you save a ton of money. But keep in mind that you must pay the deductible if you need to file a claim!
* Multiple Insurances
I guess this might come under the 'Get Multiple Quotes' heading, but it's still worth mentioning separately. You usually get an break on your premiums if you buy multiple policies with the same company.
This could mean multiple vehicle policies, or homeowner plus auto insurance. Either way, it's worth checking into multi-policy discounts.
* Low Mileage
These days, more and more people are working from home. This means no more commuting, less business trips and ultimately lower mileage on your car. Maybe you do commute to work, but you car pool?
Either way, check into low mileage discounts.
* Good Driving Record
Having a good driving record always lowers your auto insurance amount. Keep your driving record violation and accident free. Don't drive too fast, don't drive recklessly, and you'll save more money (among other benefits !)
* Extra Bonus Step
Here are some more important things to consider. Install a good anti-theft device in your car. Sign up for an advanced driver training course. Use your daytime running lights if you have them. If you happen to be a college student who is away from home, consider adding yourself to your parents policy.
Copywriting to Attract Clients and Prospects Who Are Seriously Ready to Buy
Online marketing is one of the best ways for independent professionals to attract clients. You don't have to leave home. You don't have to spend time and money on rubber chicken lunches. Your car stays in the garage: no parking, tolls, or gas. Instead, you reach thousands of prospects all over the world (and a surprising number who live down the block).
But attracting those prospects through online marketing means you need a web site or blog with compelling content. You need to be persuasive. Here's where many professionals balk. They tell their copywriters, "I want great copy -- but don't give me anything sales-y or hype-y."
Frankly, I can relate to this question because I asked the same thing, almost word for word, when I first studied copywriting. "My audience is different," I said. "They're professionals. Many have advanced degrees. I can't insult their intelligence."
But I realized I was paying to learn copywriting so I tried an experiment with one of my information products. I added some proven sales phrases, mixed in some high-flying bullets, closed my eyes, crossed my fingers and posted the new page.
And guess what...this product started to attract buyers. My educated, sniffy target market? They sent me testimonials.
What was happening? I didn't know then but I do now.
First, people surfing the web are usually not looking for intellectual stimulation. They're searching for solutions to problems. They are hurting.
It's like going to the Emergency Room when you're in intense pain. (I've only had to do this once in my life, but it was enough.) You aren't checking out the decor of the place, making small talk with the staff or hoping you get a good looking doctor. You definitely are not picking up pamphlets to satisfy your curiosity about some esoteric disease. You just want someone to make the pain go away -- fast. And I bet you're not asking, "How much does will it cost?" even if you're buried up to your ears in credit card debt.
That's how most serious buyers surf the Internet. They've got boyfriends who just dumped them, corns on their toes, a business that's draining their savings, or a house that won't sell. It's no accident that Stop Your Divorce has long been an Internet best seller.
Second, when you're looking for a solution, you will read copy as helpful, not hype-y. Try this easy experiment. Keep a folder of junk mail. Notice which pieces you read (or consider reading) and which seem hype-y and sales-y.
For example, I get unsolicited mail for insurance companies. No interest. I read their messages as hype-y. But I also get mail about DSL services from Qwest, Comcast and Verizon. Now, I am considering changing my service, so I find those pieces helpful and informative. For these services, slogans like, "Locked and Loaded Triple Play" actually rouse my curiosity.
But attracting those prospects through online marketing means you need a web site or blog with compelling content. You need to be persuasive. Here's where many professionals balk. They tell their copywriters, "I want great copy -- but don't give me anything sales-y or hype-y."
Frankly, I can relate to this question because I asked the same thing, almost word for word, when I first studied copywriting. "My audience is different," I said. "They're professionals. Many have advanced degrees. I can't insult their intelligence."
But I realized I was paying to learn copywriting so I tried an experiment with one of my information products. I added some proven sales phrases, mixed in some high-flying bullets, closed my eyes, crossed my fingers and posted the new page.
And guess what...this product started to attract buyers. My educated, sniffy target market? They sent me testimonials.
What was happening? I didn't know then but I do now.
First, people surfing the web are usually not looking for intellectual stimulation. They're searching for solutions to problems. They are hurting.
It's like going to the Emergency Room when you're in intense pain. (I've only had to do this once in my life, but it was enough.) You aren't checking out the decor of the place, making small talk with the staff or hoping you get a good looking doctor. You definitely are not picking up pamphlets to satisfy your curiosity about some esoteric disease. You just want someone to make the pain go away -- fast. And I bet you're not asking, "How much does will it cost?" even if you're buried up to your ears in credit card debt.
That's how most serious buyers surf the Internet. They've got boyfriends who just dumped them, corns on their toes, a business that's draining their savings, or a house that won't sell. It's no accident that Stop Your Divorce has long been an Internet best seller.
Second, when you're looking for a solution, you will read copy as helpful, not hype-y. Try this easy experiment. Keep a folder of junk mail. Notice which pieces you read (or consider reading) and which seem hype-y and sales-y.
For example, I get unsolicited mail for insurance companies. No interest. I read their messages as hype-y. But I also get mail about DSL services from Qwest, Comcast and Verizon. Now, I am considering changing my service, so I find those pieces helpful and informative. For these services, slogans like, "Locked and Loaded Triple Play" actually rouse my curiosity.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Car scrappage scheme
It sounded like a great incentive when it was launched back in May, and so many people have taken advantage of the cash for bangers scheme that experts predict the budget will run out by the end of August. So does that mean we should rush out and buy a new car before it's too late or is the scheme not really worthwhile after all?
The first thing to remember is that a new car starts to depreciate the second you drive it out of the dealership. In the first year, a new car can depreciate around £500 a month. Make sure you check your chosen car's rate of depreciation with a used car guide such as theaa.com, glass.co.uk or parkers.co.uk. Next, bear in mind that a new car will have higher insurance premiums than your current old banger. And you might have to pay a fee for cancelling your old insurance or swapping to a different model.
The scheme is only available to people who have owned a car over 10 years old for more than 12 months, and that also has an MOT. When you take it to the dealership and choose your new car, the dealer will take £1000 off the price and the government fund will cover the next £1000. It's up to you to haggle with the dealer to bring the price even lower. However, with the car industry in its current state, you probably have a good chance of knocking more off the price as dealers are keen to get cars off their forecourts.
So if you were considering buying a new car anyway and would like to take advantage of the £2000 incentive, the fund of £300 million hasn't run out yet, so check out your local dealer now. Will you be swapping your old banger for cash or do you think the scheme is clapped out? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
The first thing to remember is that a new car starts to depreciate the second you drive it out of the dealership. In the first year, a new car can depreciate around £500 a month. Make sure you check your chosen car's rate of depreciation with a used car guide such as theaa.com, glass.co.uk or parkers.co.uk. Next, bear in mind that a new car will have higher insurance premiums than your current old banger. And you might have to pay a fee for cancelling your old insurance or swapping to a different model.
The scheme is only available to people who have owned a car over 10 years old for more than 12 months, and that also has an MOT. When you take it to the dealership and choose your new car, the dealer will take £1000 off the price and the government fund will cover the next £1000. It's up to you to haggle with the dealer to bring the price even lower. However, with the car industry in its current state, you probably have a good chance of knocking more off the price as dealers are keen to get cars off their forecourts.
So if you were considering buying a new car anyway and would like to take advantage of the £2000 incentive, the fund of £300 million hasn't run out yet, so check out your local dealer now. Will you be swapping your old banger for cash or do you think the scheme is clapped out? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
You think I’d learn
I really have to stop complaining when things are routine and boring. I should know by now that it doesn’t lead to good things.
So, yeah, I’m completely fucked at the moment… Well, maybe not quite completely, but well and thoroughly. See, a couple of month ago, I had to refinance the final “balloon” payment on my car, which I did through Volkswagen credit, the same people I’ve been dealing with since I bought the car. So, I thought everything was taken care of…. that is, until I got a letter in the mail saying they hadn’t received some paperwork from me (they never sent me any) and I had ten days from the receipt of the letter to fix the situation…. So, on my next day off (about two days later) , I called to see what the problem was, only to find out they had already canceled my financing! Not only that, since I was past the due date now, they couldn’t finance me, so I had to come up with the full amount I owed or turn the car in.
Soooo, of course I scrambled to find a loan only to discover that a bill hadn’t been paid back when I hurt my knee at work, and was now in collection, which was blocking me from getting any loans approved…… Joy and rapture….. I contact the benefits department at work to get THAT straightened out and….
…. Fast forward to two weeks ago. It’s my father’s 70th birthday. I went out to a nice dinner with him and Kendra. came home, happy in a good mood….. and my car wasn’t in the driveway. It had been repossessed. Which, by the way, the don’t tell you or anything. I had to call the police to report the car stolen to find that out. The notice I got from VW credit, three days later, informed me that I have until the 26th to come up with the money I owe or they sell the car and if they sell the car for less than I owe, I’m still on the hook for the rest of it. Meaning that they could sell my car for a dollar and I’ll still owe them over twelve thousand dollars. Joy. To add to the fun, I now have a repossession on my credit report, so how much luck to you think I’ve had coming up with the money?
I’m going to run away to Alaska and become a hermit.
So, yeah, I’m completely fucked at the moment… Well, maybe not quite completely, but well and thoroughly. See, a couple of month ago, I had to refinance the final “balloon” payment on my car, which I did through Volkswagen credit, the same people I’ve been dealing with since I bought the car. So, I thought everything was taken care of…. that is, until I got a letter in the mail saying they hadn’t received some paperwork from me (they never sent me any) and I had ten days from the receipt of the letter to fix the situation…. So, on my next day off (about two days later) , I called to see what the problem was, only to find out they had already canceled my financing! Not only that, since I was past the due date now, they couldn’t finance me, so I had to come up with the full amount I owed or turn the car in.
Soooo, of course I scrambled to find a loan only to discover that a bill hadn’t been paid back when I hurt my knee at work, and was now in collection, which was blocking me from getting any loans approved…… Joy and rapture….. I contact the benefits department at work to get THAT straightened out and….
…. Fast forward to two weeks ago. It’s my father’s 70th birthday. I went out to a nice dinner with him and Kendra. came home, happy in a good mood….. and my car wasn’t in the driveway. It had been repossessed. Which, by the way, the don’t tell you or anything. I had to call the police to report the car stolen to find that out. The notice I got from VW credit, three days later, informed me that I have until the 26th to come up with the money I owe or they sell the car and if they sell the car for less than I owe, I’m still on the hook for the rest of it. Meaning that they could sell my car for a dollar and I’ll still owe them over twelve thousand dollars. Joy. To add to the fun, I now have a repossession on my credit report, so how much luck to you think I’ve had coming up with the money?
I’m going to run away to Alaska and become a hermit.
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