James L. Paris's Blog, page 227
November 7, 2014
Website Will Pay Off Your Student Loans
Gradible.com is offering a new way to pay off student loans. The site matches up businesses with freelancers. Freelancers are compensated with 'loan credits' that are used to pay down their student loan balance. Gradible says that typical work projects pay between $5 and $500 and most users earn more than $10 per hour.
In addition to working off their student loan debt, Gradible says that the work projects will also give recent graduates valuable experience to will help to beef up their resume.
Helping you make the most of God's money!
James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio
Fake IRS Agents Steal $16,500 From Charlotte Minister
The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Al Cadenhead, a Charlotte area minister, was scammed out of more than $16,000 by an individual impersonating an IRS agent. Cadenhead says tht he received a threatening phone call demanding money for unpaid taxes. He was told that the IRS was in the process of issuing liens against his home and a warrant for his arrest. The entire ordeal lasted nine hours. Cadenhead drained his home equity line and savings and transferred the funds to a number of Green Dot cash cards (as he was instructed to do by the scammers). The card numbers were given over the phone to the fake IRS agent to pay his 'delinquent tax bill' so that he would avoid arrest.
Despite the embarrassment, Cadenhead decided to go public to warn others. More on this story here.
Helping you make the most of God's money!
James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio
Mayor Of Ferguson Missouri Victim Of Identity Theft
It is now all but a foregone conclusion that that Officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted by a Missouri Grand Jury. Although the decision has not been announced, multiple media sources are already telegraphing it. Riots of historic proportions are expected. Some believe that rioting on the level of what happened after the Rodney King verdict are to be expected, not just in Ferguson but in many major cities nationwide.
Well, the reprisals have already begun. It is now being reported that the mayor of Ferguson Missouri, James Knowles, has become the victim of Identity Theft. He says that the hacking group Anonymous has posted his Social Security number and banking information online. Not only has Knowles been targeted, but his parents as well. The family has already reported that money has been stolen from their bank accounts. New credit applications have been made in their name, bogus checks mailed out, and their username and passwords have been changed.
Knowles seems like an unlikely target as he has been responsive to protester demands. He has started a Police Explorer program with the goal of recruiting more blacks into the police department. His program also includes a program that would also provide financial support for those that want to go on to the police academy.
Helping you make the most of God's money!
James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio
November 6, 2014
Fake IRS Agent Caught On Tape
As we have previously reported, individuals posing as IRS agents have stolen millions from victims nationwide. ChristianMoney.com has received the below recording from a confidential informant. The phone number mentioned in the recording has now been disconnected 'due to fraud.' The individual that provided us this recording wishes to stay anonymous. The message was left on their voicemail the last week of October 2014.
Our Other Reports On This Scam -
Fake IRS Agents Steal $5 Million Nationwide
Pastor Loses $16,500 In Fake IRS Agent Scam
November 4, 2014
Christians And The Paranormal - Author Cris Putnam On Jim Paris Live
Pay For Christmas With Other People's Money
http://christianmoney.com On this episode Jim discusses how to pay for Christmas by simply sharing links online to retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and others. Are the Millennials a generation of narcissists? Philadelphia establishes Craigslist transaction safe zones. Fake IRS agent scam continues to rake in thousands. Chip and Pin technology coming by early 2015 to many government agencies. Forget Black Friday, the sales have already started. Obamacare enrollment opening up again on November 15, why you should see what options are available to you. Why Christian medical sharing is a better option than ever.
November 3, 2014
How To Discover Your Hidden Wealth
This is the time of the year when people start to scramble for extra money. The first idea many people come up with is to sell unwanted items. I love the idea of having a big garage sale, or simply selling things you don't need on eBay or Craigslist. Most of us could easily pick up a few hundred dollars (and as a side benefit end up with a clean garage). I want to share with you in this article is how to tap into an asset you already have that could be worth thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars).
Stumbling Across $10 Million Dollars
You might have heard the story of a California couple earlier this year that found a rusty can while walking their dog in their yard. The can was partially buried, so they picked it up to take a look and discovered $10 million dollars in rare gold coins! I have often wondered if somewhere in one of my junk drawers is a super valuable coin, or maybe an item I have in a miscellaneous box in my garage is a rare antique, or could there be money hidden somewhere in the attic or walls of my home? Well, all nice thoughts but highly unlikely (but we can all dream, right?).
Uncovering Your Own Hidden Wealth
The street that I grew up on near Chicago was made up of tradesmen. From one end of the block to the other, virtually all of the blue collar professions were represented. My dad was an electrician, there were carpenters, a plumber, auto mechanics, roofers, air conditioning and heating guys, it was an amazing pool of talent. I will never forget one neighbor in particular by the name of Bob. Bob was a genius when it came to anything related to cars. He was almost always out in his garage working on an auto related project. He could do everything from the most complicated mechanical repair, to body work, and even highly specialized paint jobs. If any of us had a car problem we would immediately go across the street and ask Bob about it. Bob was a kind and generous soul that would drop everything and help out anyone in the neighborhood with their vehicle repair.
No one in the neighborhood was overtly wealthy, but the combination of skills and years of experience represented a goldmine of value. Most people simply don't see the amazing value in their own skills and talents (or how much others will gladly pay to tap into their specialized knowledge). They also don't understand how to move beyond a 'trading hours for money' approach. As a result, most never think to look beneath their feet to find that rusty can with the $10 million in gold coins.
Hidden Wealth - The Story Of Ann Paris
My wife, Ann, stumbled across her own hidden wealth about ten years ago when she started teaching private singing lessons. Ann has been a music teacher in the public schools for 20 years now, but she dedicates one afternoon per week to her private voice students. As it turns out, Ann discovered that she has an amazing gift of solving a wide variety of problems that plague singers. At any given time, she may have more than a dozen people on a waiting list hoping for a spot to open up on her schedule.
She has toured the world as a professional singer. In fact, Ann and I met in our twenties when we were both on tour with the same Christian music group (I was a trumpet player). Ann has two Bachelor Degrees in music and a Master's in education. She is a certified teacher, and is an amazing singer and dancer in her own right. She discovered that she had the unique ability to transform average singers into professional level performers. This was Ann's hidden wealth and it was not until she was well into her forties that she discovered it.
Trading Hours For Dollars
Because of Ann's already busy schedule teaching school, judging music festivals, and on occasion directing musical productions, she can only keep a maximum of 8 to 10 private students on her roster for weekly lessons. The way we have done this for years is to set aside Mondays from 3 until 9 for Ann to work with this select group. We considered other options for Ann to be able to train more singers, and were stumped until we came up with the idea that is the centerpiece of this article. We would create an information product based on Ann's singing system. With her new home study course, she can now reach an unlimited number of students, and she can earn an unlimited amount of money as well.
The Hottest Opportunity Today - Selling Information Products Online
We talked about it for almost a year and finally we went into action. We spent four months creating The Ann Paris Vocal Relaxation System. It is available as a three ring bound home study course, or as a digital download. It includes a 40 page book, 20 page practice journal, three audio CDs, and a DVD. It was a real learning experience for me to put this all together. I was discussing the whole project with my business partner Bob, and we both agreed that there was so much I could share from my experience that we should do an online workshop on this right away.
What Makes An Information Product Different Than An E-Book?
Most of you know that I am a huge fan of earning money by writing E-Books. No slight on E-Books, but an information product is simply a much bigger profit opportunity. Although I think it would be fair to say that an E-Book is a form of information product, what I am discussing here is something much more deluxe. Information products generally contain a multimedia element (audio and/or video). Let me be clear that you don't have to do something as elaborate as Ann. You can do something on a much smaller scale to begin with.
For example, over the last five weeks I have been doing Wednesday night workshops that are now videos that I am selling for $15 each. The truth is that this was all information I already had rattling around in my brain, I just had to sit down and share it on a recorded webinar. Every day now I have money coming in from the sale of these videos. Two hours of work for each video and an ongoing income for years to come (not a bad deal). I have even seen people with shorter videos going for $5 on things like how to remove a computer virus, or the basics of using Excel, etc...
Ideas For Information Products
There are ideas all around us for information products. Let me surprise you with a few that I am working on right now. First, I am outlining what will be a personal self defense video course. Many people don't know that I am a second degree black belt in Taekwondo. I have an idea for a one to two hour video that would cover a handful of easy to learn techniques that could be used in a real life self defense situation.
OK, here is another one. My doctor recently put me on a medication that he suggested would curb my appetite. He wanted to help me to lose those last stubborn twenty pounds I want to shed. I have already quickly lost ten pounds, so I started doing some research into the wide array of prescription medications and supplements that trick the brain into feeling full. What about a book and audio on How To Lose Weight Without Ever Being Hungry?
I Hate To Toot My Own Horn, But...
As a part time professional trumpet player, I have often thought about creating a trumpet method of my own. It is a unique challenge to play just part time and still maintain the ability to hit all of the high notes. In my case, I play lead trumpet (the screecher part), and I have developed some exercises that I go through the day of a performance. What about something like, Exercises For The Part Time Lead Trumpet Player - How To Maintain Your Upper Register With Minimal Practice Between Gigs. There are occasions when I don't play for two weeks and then have to play lead trumpet for a three hour show with the big band. I am asked over and over again, how do you keep your upper register so solid when you don't play that often? Well, I have an answer to that, and I know that a lot of trumpet players would gladly pay for my information.
Dig Up Ideas At ClickBank
As you can see from my own examples, your information product can be on a topic you have expert knowledge on, or just based on an experience you can share (or something you have researched). Most people can easily come up with a long list of possibilities. Check out ClickBank's Marketplace. There are thousands of information products to provide inspiration for your own idea.
How To Uncover Your Own Hidden Wealth
On Wednesday night I will be teaching a live webinar on how to develop an information product. I will be sharing how to -
Inexpensively create audio and video using your own computer
Easily get set up to accept credit cards
Set up a system that will automatically fulfill your orders 24 hours a day
Create a 'digital only' format product
Design a 'physical version' of your product (and why you should)
Determine Your Sales Price
Select a winning idea
Set up a simple website to promote your product
Easily deal with the matter of collecting sales tax
Set up an affiliate program and get hundreds (or thousands) of people promoting your product online
I Have So Much I Want To Share With You!
I just went through all of this while launching Ann's new home study course. It is all fresh on my mind and I am ready to give you the whole back story on everything we did, why we did it, and how we did it.
Where were the CDs and DVDs manufactured?
How did we get the product cover designed?
The trick we used that allowed Ann to 'write' her entire book in only three hours!
Where we are buying the binders (one at a time)
The simple one page marketing website that was built in only 4 hours
How we filmed the entire video in a half day
The simple method that Ann used to create her audio CDs in only three hours!
I want to get this information out to as many people as possible, so I am going to offer this workshop for just $15. If you are a member of my Internet Coaching program, you can attend for free. Everyone that purchases the live event will automatically get the video replay within 24 hours. You absolutely don't want to miss this one! The workshop is on Wednesday November 5, 2014 at 8:05 pm Eastern. Click Here To Sign Up.
P.S. I wish my car expert neighbor, Bob, was still around today. He could easily create dozens of information products on auto repair and restoration.
Helping you make the most of God's money!
James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio
October 31, 2014
Another Tidbit That Tells You Everything You Need to Know about Government
Carnell Alexander is in a predicament that is all too familiar to large numbers of American men: make good on your back child support obligation, or go directly to jail. However, what makes Alexander’s case so unusual is that he is not the father of the child on whose behalf he “owes” the money; as a matter of fact, DNA evidence proves he cannot possibly be the father. Still, the state of Michigan, in its very finite wisdom, is sticking to its guns, and unless Mr. Alexander pays the money…$30,000…he will be thrown in the slammer.
This has all come about because, nearly three decades ago, Alexander’s girlfriend at the time was seeking state assistance, and, in order to get it, was required to give the name of the father of her child (who, by the way, is now 27 years old). Not knowing what else to do (her words), the girlfriend gave her boyfriend’s name, knowing full-well he was not the dad. Nevertheless, once his name was offered up, the state had its target.
From there, Michigan began providing welfare benefits to the girlfriend, while simultaneously making an effort to get Mr. Alexander to pay child support. Legal proceedings began against him, and because Alexander never responded to a summons that was issued on behalf of the child support case so many years ago, a warrant for his arrest was issued. However, Alexander was incarcerated during the time the summons was supposedly delivered to him by the process server, raising serious questions about THAT person’s credibility in all of this.
Once again, we see the brazenness with which a government entity will act in order to snatch money from the citizenry. While it would be nice to believe that that the publicity his case is receiving will mean that Alexander will eventually be released by the state of any obligation, the fact that they’ve not so released him already speaks volumes about just how the government, at all levels, views the citizens it is supposed to protect. What we know is that, right now, the state of Michigan is continuing to pursue Alexander for the money, and is continuing to threaten him with prison time if he doesn’t make good on his “obligation.” While this fiasco is an actual nightmare for Mr. Alexander, it is also a potential nightmare for much of the rest of us, as anyone in his similar circumstances could find themselves facing the same, extraordinary headache. Yes, it is amazing that this is going on, but it is, and in full view of the rest of the world; government at work.
Robert G. Yetman, Jr.
Managing Editor, The James L. Paris Report
October 28, 2014
How To Pay For Christmas With Other People's Money
With just two months until Christmas, most families will now begin the scramble to come up with the funds to pay for everything. I know I will get the e mails from those that disagree with the overly commercial direction Christmas has gone. I agree with the notion that Christmas should not be about spending a lot of money. Nonetheless, even for those that don't plan on buying extravagant gifts, the holiday season usually pushes all of our budgets to the limit. My children are all adults now and my wife and I don't have to buy Furbies and 'Tickle Me Elmos' anymore (at least until we have grandchildren). In all likelihood, even the most frugal families will still need a little extra cash around the holidays (just take into account the cost of entertaining family and guests, or the expense of traveling yourself to be with loved ones).
I was thinking about all of this the other day and wanted to offer a truly dynamic solution to the readers of my blog. I came up with the idea for a workshop that I am calling, Profit Surfing. The name of the workshop was hatched while I was pondering what ideas I could offer for raising money to pay for Christmas expenses. I thought about all of the money that people now spend online for gifts and came up with a strategy on how my readers could tap into this 'wave' of cash.
Can We Profit Surf The Coming Wave Of Holiday Spending?
Take Amazon.com as just one example. They are predicting more than $27 billion in sales in the final three months of 2014. Amazon is not the only game in town, Target.com and Wal-Mart.com are both expecting record breaking holiday seasons for their physical stores and online. Yep, your local Best Buy will also have people sleeping overnight in the parking lot to be the first to grab one of this year's holiday deals (and buying their Cyber Monday and Black Friday deals as well). Did you know that all of the companies I just referenced will gladly share with you a percentage of their holiday profits?
It Is So Easy To Get Your Cut Of This Wave Of Holiday Money - You Won't Believe It
They are officially known as affiliate programs, and most people simply don't know about them. In fact, on occasion when I have mentioned the idea I usually get very skeptical reactions. Why would Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, or any of these companies want to give me a nickel of their Christmas money? It's simple - YOU have an advertising value. You may not realize it, you may have never cashed in on it, but just like ads purchased on radio or TV, or in a newspaper, these retailers want to advertise on the YOU Channel (insert your own name).
You Are A Valuable Advertising Channel And You Should Be Getting Paid
We are all advertising channels, some of us get paid and some of us do not - It is that simple. I have been getting paid thousands and thousands of dollars for years through affiliate arrangements. I know stay at home moms making hundreds per month, and even read about a college kid that made so much doing this that he expanded it into a massive 'daily deals' site. How does it work? OK, here is the deal - you get paid a percentage of all of the money that people spend after they click on one of your affiliate links. This is not MLM, and the truth is that you are really not doing any selling at all.
Let me show you just one crazy example -
Here is a link to Amazon's list of most popular toys for this coming Christmas. If you click on this link, you will be on Amazon's site and there will be a gigantic array of toys. What you won't even see is my secret code that will trigger a bonus to me of between 4 and 8% on everything you buy. OK, here is my secret code (the link you clicked on) -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/holidaytoyli...
Notice christmoneyco-20 - this is my tracking code and it means that I get paid. I can even use this really cool graphic (Amazon has tons of these).
Why This Is Nothing Like Selling On eBay
OK, who has not tried selling on eBay? My experience has been that I sell things for rock bottom prices, end up with the headache of collecting the money, go to Wal-Mart to buy the right size box, and stand in line up at UPS (all to pocket a tiny profit). And sometimes people will turn around and ask for a refund, send the item back, and you can end up living out what I call an 'eBay nightmare.' The dreaded eBay/PayPal dispute - PayPal wants to hear my side of the story, do I have proof of how I shipped the item? What did I do to try and make the person happy? Even if I win the argument, I might end up waiting weeks for my money to become 'unfrozen.'
One time I was clearing out some books and listed a Men's paperback study Bible for sale. It sold for $2, and with shipping I collected $6. The buyer provided an incomplete address. He lived in a large apartment building in Miami and neglected to included his apartment number. The Bible was lost for several weeks in the mail. I tried to just give the guy his money back, but he wanted the item he ordered. For weeks this guy would report to me each day that the package had not shown up. Even after admitting that he did not provide his full address he still would not relent, and made my life miserable. He eventually agreed to take the refund and I told him to just keep the Bible (if it ever showed up). Nonetheless, he had the nerve to give me a bad review, and I ended up looking like some kind of online scammer!
OK, You Are Probably Saying TMI On My eBay Story
I wanted to share my eBay nightmare with you to make a point. The best thing about online partner programs (affiliate programs) is that you never get involved in the retail service element of the transaction. All of the shipping, billing, refunds, customer service, exchanges, etc... are all handled by the retailer. In fact, once you see how little you end up doing for your cut of the money, you might feel a bit guilty.
Understanding Your Role As An Affiliate
All you need to do to earn your percentage is to direct people to the retailer website with your special links (just like mine above). There are a lot of different ways that people approach this. Here are some options -
1. Be Direct About It
Some just put up a link on Facebook (or in an e mail) and say, 'Click here to buy your Christmas presents and you will also be helping me pay for my own.' They might also add, 'All of the prices are exactly what you would pay if you went to (insert retailer name) directly, but if you use my link I get paid a percentage.'
2. Become A Deal Finder
Look for deals and share them with your friends and followers. Brad Wilson (the 'college kid' I mentioned earlier) is a deal finder on a very large scale. You don't have to be as big as Brad, it can just be you and a few hundred friends and followers and everybody wins. You find the deals, everyone saves money, and you get your cut.
3. Blog About It
I have a big disclaimer in the right hand sidebar of this blog that tells my readers that I get paid on a lot of the stuff I link to in my articles. It is not only something good to do from an ethical perspective, but it is now required by law. You can blog about anything, but most people pick a niche and run with it. Virtually any subject you blog on is rife with opportunities to link to affiliate products.
4. Start A Website
You might want to take things to the next level and start a themed website. It can include everything in the world of hunting gear, the latest exercise gadgets, or it might even be an online bookstore with all books on travel. It can be virtually anything you want it to be and you can get your cut just by linking to a retail partner.
My New 2 Hour Video
I am so excited about the video of my recent online workshop. In the video I discuss the hottest Profit Surfing affiliate opportunities for this Christmas season (there are so many ways to cash in all throughout the year, not just the holidays). I share with you my 15 years experience of making money as an affiliate. I will tell you exactly how to get started, how to pick the right programs and much more. Don't miss it! Click Here To Order Video Download (The video is free for members of my Internet Coaching Program - Look For Details In Your Member Dashboard).
*** I almost forgot to mention that this concept can also be used as a powerful fundraising mechanism for a church or non-profit.
Helping you make the most of God's money!
James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio
The 90 Day Plan That Will Change Your Life
http://www.christianmoney.com Joel Fotinos, author of My Life Contract, joined Jim for the hour. Fotinos is a follower of the Napoleon Hill Think And Grow Rich teachings. His book takes the concept and puts it into a 90 day planner. How to overcome your fears, reach your goals, and change your life, in just 90 days. http://www.joelfotinos.com
