DRS Holdings Blog

Debt Free Digimag

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000+02:00

This month:Advice about not missing debt payments or facing the consequences there of if you doAn interview with ABSA's Grace Nkomo.

Team DRS Vredenburg newspaper advert

2012-02-01T17:12:00.000+02:00

Well done to our team in Vredenburg, we love your newspaper advert for next week!

Franchising for Debt Counsellors

2012-01-25T12:11:00.000+02:00

It is a known fact that when the world economy undergoes changes – either positive or negative - franchising is the first to act on these changes. It is the one business sector with its ear to the ground, able to pick up shifting consumer trends and is also the one best suited, through the unique franchise format, to effectively make the changes to stay in the game, change the game or start a new trend.

With franchising holding its own in the current economic climate, and with a failure rate of under 10% compared to the over 95% failure in first time independent businesses, people wanting to start a business should look no further than the franchise sector for business opportunities.

South Africa, with its over 500 franchise systems covering 17 business sectors – ranging from automotive to education, from food to retail – continues to be the most successful business format in the world and buying a franchise should be your first choice.

Source: FASA

Debt Counselling - is it for you?

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000+02:00

Answer some questions to see if you also could benefit from Debt Counselling:

Do you lie awake at night wondering how or if you will ever get out of debt?
Have you ever been in an embarrassing situation where your credit card has been declined?
Do you have more than two credit cards with balances on them?
Do you have to check the balances on your credit cards to see if you can use them?
Are you paying only the minimum amount due on most of your credit cards?
Are you using one credit card to pay another?
Do you ever feel stressed and argue with loved ones about the money you owe?
Do you dread opening the mail because you know that bills are coming in that you may not be able to pay?
Are you living paycheck to paycheck with no savings?
Do you wish you had personalized guidance that would help you better understand your debt relief options?
Are collectors calling your home or place of work?
Did you recently cancel your medical aid?
Did you take out an additional loan on your bond

If you answered YES to seven or more of these questions, then we would advise you to consider Debt Counselling as a means to help you solve your financial credit problems.

Apply for Debt Counselling Online Click Here
sms ‘Debt Free’ to 39133
call our National Debt Counselling Call Centre 0861 000 748
Visit our Debt Counselling Blog for an office near you.
Follow us on Twitter for daily updates in our world.

Debt Free Client!

2012-01-16T10:50:00.002+02:00

"We are very proud to announce yet another client DEBT FREE"

I just wantto let you know that DRS QUEENSTOWN have been in the position to issue anotherClearance Certificate for one of our committed clients. They are now DEBT FREE!

Thank youfor all the hard work to Annerie Marais and her team in Queenstown.

Kindregards,

Herman Marais

DRS Queenstown, Cradock, Mthatha,Buffalo City

Tel: 082 378 3743 Email: herman@drssa.co.za Fax: 045 838 6572

Each office independently owned andoperated.

The most important things to know about Debt Review

2012-01-10T14:41:00.001+02:00

Debt Free Digimag

2012-01-06T12:10:00.000+02:00

Welcome back to the new year! Herewith the latest edition of the only Debt Counselling Digital Magazine. Enjoy the read.

Open publication

NCR Debt Help

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000+02:00

Debt Help with a Registered Debt Counsellor is a phone call away.

But first, you would like to know what is the process to follow to be placed under Debt Review and be protected against creditors?

These are the basic steps involved:
1. Complete an application form and submit all relevant documentation.
2. We will assist you with a monthly budget and agree to a monthly debt repayment plan.
3. We will register you under debt review, which means that you are legally protected against your creditors and they cannot take legal action against you while we re-negotiate your debt and new payment plans
4. We will contact all your creditors and notify them of the new payment plan that is in place.
5. You will start paying the 1 monthly payment from the first month, to the (PDA) Payment Distribution Agency – which then in turn distributes your funds to all your creditors. NOTE: This is a Trust Account with FNB in George. If you pay money into any other account, you will not be protected from your creditors.

Refecting on Debt Review of 2011

2011-12-30T12:26:00.000+02:00

It’s a time to reflect on theyear and more importantly a time to think about and plan for 2012.

In order for one to grow, youneed to know where you are, and where you are going. Knowing where youare and appreciating what you have in life is what will help you to reach greatachievements on all levels in life. To start with there are many things onecould be grateful for, the fact that we are healthy and alive, we have acompany to work in, a country without a civil war, a healthy (but expensive)banking system, and last but not least, still have a place to live that has notbeen exposed to massive natural disasters. We also want to thank God forkeeping us all healthy to do our work and be there to take care of ourcolleagues, friends and family in whatever way possible.

Then we as the Head Office,and behalf of all the other offices, would like to thank each and every one ofyou for all the hard work and dedication you have focused on Debt Review thisyear. Its been a year with many challenges and also manyachievements. This industry has not been easy, and the law has made it achallenge to keep everyone motivated, but we have only grown stronger to moveforward. Needless to say, its wonderful to still have such motivatedteams around the country supporting DRS and the brand. We have survivedall the challenges of 2011 and we look forward to growing this brand as a teameven more in 2012.

As per the naturalprogression of this industry (and having learn't this from the outcome of thedebt review industry in other countries), the industry dictates that there willbe no space for small players going forward. We are going to make sure welook after our teams and do our best to keep our position in the marketplace.

On this note, the time hascome for us to take a break and recharge our batteries for the challenges that2012 has to offer. DRS Head Office will be closing from Thursday 15December (with a skeleton staff until Wednesday 21 December) and re-open on 9January.

We would like to wish all theoffices and their teams as well as our suppliers and clients a blessedChristmas and a very happy new year. Looking forward to see you again inJanuary.

DRSHoldings / DRS Holdings Blog / Follow us on Twitter / Findus on Facebook / Subscribe to our Newsletter

NCR Know your rights this festive season (11 of 11)

2011-12-15T06:34:00.001+02:00

You have the right to understand every word in your Credit Agreement

Crime during the Festive Season

2011-12-14T10:38:00.000+02:00

As we head into the festiveseason, the incidences of crime tend to increase – both for individuals andcompanies. Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) and Coface SouthAfrica, an international credit insurer have both come out with crimeprevention tips that should be taken note of ahead of and during the festiveseason.

On the businessfront....

- Don’t think because you are a business you are not vulnerable. Officeequipment is as disposable as household goods and deserted office blocks are aninvitation for criminals over the festive season. Beef up security withburglar bars and security gates and lock all windows and internal doors.

- Beware of bogus salesmen who will try to get access to your premises whenthings are at their most hectic and then rob you.

- Ahead of the holidays criminals will take advantage of the rush to get ordersout so beware of things like identity fraud where false buyers pose as anexisting client and then change the delivery address of the established client.

- Another scam is the creation of fraudulent duplicate companies and accountsin the name of an established company. Goods are ordered, delivered butnever paid for. Instructions on change of banking details is another scam that is prevalent asfraudsters can so easily copy an established clients stationery and throughemail.

- Do not buy goods if you suspect they are stolen – no matter how attractivethe offer. Report fraud and corruption to the Public Service Commission'sNational Anti-Corruption Hotline on 0800 701 701 or to Crime Stop on 0860010111.

On the personalfront....

- Make sure your home is secured before going on holiday. Avoid leavingwindows open for animals, remove keys from doors if these are accessible from anearby window and have additional security gates on sliding doors and burglarbars on windows.

- Even if you are staying at home during the holidays with festive partiesplanned, make sure you close front doors and gates once your guests havearrived – criminals think nothing of either entering without being detected orstaging a brazen attack.

- Criminals will be scouting suburbs posing as bogus salesmen to scout the areaand see who is vulnerable. If you have staff looking after your property, warnthem against allowing access to those posing as utility workers or securityguards without proper verification.

- The holidays is the time when people are relaxed, have their guard down andare open to scam artists – from smooth talking con artists asking for donationsto those offering competition prizes that are bogus. Don’t give yourpersonal information or bank details without knowing exactly what it’s for.

- Always be observant and aware of your surroundings, suspicious people anddon’t be distracted by talking on your cell phone or leaving parcels or bagsunattended.

Source: Franchise Association of South Africa

Know your rights this festive season: (10 of 11)

2011-12-14T08:11:00.001+02:00

You have the right to a quote and pre-agreement statement binding for 5 days

Know your rights this festive season: (9 of 11)

2011-12-13T06:36:00.001+02:00

You have the right to know the Cost of Credit

The Absolute Moron’s Guide to the Euro Debt Crisis

2011-12-12T14:23:00.001+02:00

We found this tongue in cheek article in the New York Magazine, highlighting the fact that so many people totally disregard or are ignorant the seriousness of the situation. Enjoy the read.

By Kent Cherny

Every day seems to bring another forecast of impending economic doom in Europe. Wild stock market swings, rioting in the streets, "dollar liquidity swap arrangements," leveraging the European Financial Stability Mechanism" — what are these people, with their foreign tongues and funny names, talking about? We’ve put together an FAQ (in English, natch) for those who are not just confused, but hopelessly mired in ignorance.

So Europe, that’s some kind of soccer league, right?
Europe is a continent.

Not ringing any bells.
It’s the continent that hosted the most recent season of Jersey Shore.

Oh, Europe. Gotcha.
But the current crisis mostly affects the seventeen-nation eurozone, a group of countries in Europe that use the same currency, the euro, which is like their version of the dollar.

Which nations are we talking about? Not the Jersey Shore one, I hope.
Yes, Italy, along with other large nations in Western and Central Europe, like Germany and France, and smaller countries like Greece and Finland.

You forgot England, dummy!
No, the U.K. still uses the British pound.

That can’t be right.
Look it up. Britain may not be in the eurozone, but its economy is just as susceptible to a collapse of the euro as countries that do use the currency.

Collapse? Are we talking 2012, John-Cusack-flying-planes-over-crumbling-ruins-style chaos here?
If that imagery helps you, fine. The most pessimistic prognosticators think that a breakup of the eurozone would be economically calamitous for Europe and result in a global recession for everyone else.

I still don’t know what the problem is.
The problem is the common currency between countries. For a lot of reasons, the euro has been useful: Countries using it can borrow in a larger, more unified bond market at lower interest rates; inflation can be kept in check by one central bank instead of many; and citizens and businesses don’t need to exchange their currencies every time they cross a border, or trade between nations.

My family hosted a foreign exchange student once. She was hot.
That’s not —

So the euro sounds great.
For a while, it was. But even though these nations all shared a currency, they were still otherwise running their economies independently, and over time, imbalances built up. Germany was running an efficient, export-driven economy and squirreling away cash, while Greece was borrowing to the hilt but without making its economy any more dynamic or competitive. Yet, both could borrow at similarly low interest rates.

Because they used the same currency, right?
Exactly. But Greece’s debt had to be paid back eventually. After the global financial crisis hit, Greece’s lenders stepped back and realized that its debt — at the time about 15 percent larger than its total annual income — made it significantly more likely to default in a bad economy, especially compared to a strong country like Germany. It was also later uncovered that Wall Street had helped Greece conceal the full extent of its debt load.

Devious! So Greece is in the doghouse now?
Yeah, but the trouble goes way beyond Greece. There are also the rest of the PIIGS.

Swine flu! Darn, I knew that wasn’t over.
No – PIIGS: Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain. All are countries that have lots of debt relative to the size and strength of their economies. Investors worry that any one of them could default, and bailing out one will just make lenders freak out about the next miscreant in line. You see it in interest rates: Italy’s short-term borrowing rates almost doubled from about 3.5 percent in October to 6.5 percent in November. European businesses are getting squeezed now, too, which bodes ill for these economies. At some point, it simply becomes too expensive to keep rolling over debt, even with painfully deep cuts to government spending.

So they can all declare bankruptcy. It’s easy, my cousin’s done it like four times.
They could default, yeah, but that might be catastrophic. Banks all over Europe hold Greek and other euro debt, and Greece or any other country defaulting could ripple out and cause bank failures and economic earthquakes the world over.

Why should I care about this? I don't even have a passport.

The tremors would almost assuredly be felt in the U.S., since American banks lend to European banks and vice versa. More of our banks could fail, or need big government bailouts, it would almost certainly lead to more people being unemployed. Economists have termed this viral spread of financial ruin the “contagion” effect.

Right, I think I heard about this in that documentary with Gwyneth Paltrow.
Please stay focused. The other eurozone countries have tried to find a work-around solution to the contagion and default issues. They created something called the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). In a nutshell, Europe bands together to substitute its collective, good credit for the troubled countries’ weak credit. In return, investors take modest losses on their existing holdings of debt and receive new “good” debt, and countries like Portugal and Greece pledge to take a meat ax to their budgets so this doesn’t happen again.

It’s a Catch-22.
Not at all.

I’ve just always wanted to say that. Anyway, will the EFSF work?
The EFSF might be adequate to bail out smaller euro countries, but Italy and Spain are probably out of its league. And markets are already starting to move against Italy. Plus, Germany and other nations contributing to the EFSF must pass the bailouts through their legislatures, and it’s not popular with voters, who just see their tax dollars going to prop up foreign economies. In the end, it’s unclear if Europe can really pull together. It’s basically a choice between economic suicide and political suicide.

Now that’s totally a Catch-22.
Still no.

Can’t the “Fed,” that money place people are always talking about, do anything?
In Europe, the “Fed” is the European Central Bank. The ECB could theoretically buy up Greek and Italian (and other debt) with printed euros. This would devalue the currency and allow these countries to pay back their debt with cheaper euros. It’s inflation, and it could be the only way around the EFSF’s political gridlock. Unfortunately, this tactic is by all accounts anathema to the ECB leadership and Germany. For now, at least, it’s off the table.

However, on Wednesday the world's central banks — the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan, and the central banks of Britain, Canada, and Switzerland — made a surprise announcement that they would work together to make it easier for troubled European banks to access money, which bankers like to call "liquidity." This made the stock markets really, really happy, although it doesn't fix any of the underlying problems.

So is Germany going to bail on the euro and go back to using douche-marks?
It’s pronounced — never mind. A country like Greece may eventually decide that leaving the euro is the best of many bad options, but for now it doesn’t appear as if countries are going to leave the euro en masse and return to their own currencies. That said, there is no mechanism in the euro treaties for countries to leave, so there is some uncertainty about what happens when a country does leave. Rest assured, when that happens there will be bountiful pictures of traders with their heads in their hands.

What happens next?
The frantic pace continues. Markets may continue to punish Italy with higher interest rates, making the situation, somehow, more serious. Meanwhile, European leaders are holding regular meetings to settle on Greece’s latest round of bailouts and hammer out a possible expansion of the EFSF. The IMF has discussed wading into this mess with loans or loan guarantees of its own. EU leaders are also meeting next week to discuss a larger proposal of rules that would govern its economic future.

Okay. If I understand this all correctly — and I think I do — what you’re saying is that the cast of the Jersey Shore got out just in time.
These conversations are never worthwhile.

Know your rights this festive season: (7 of 11)

2011-12-12T06:33:00.000+02:00

You have the right to an explanation of an unsuccessful credit application

Know your rights this festive season: (5 of 11)

2011-12-09T06:35:00.000+02:00

You have the right to ensure you are not a victim of reckless lending.

Holiday time for DRS QUEENSTOWN, MTHATHA, BUFFALO CITY AND CRADOCK

2011-12-08T11:18:00.000+02:00

DRS QUEENSTOWN, MTHATHA, BUFFALO CITY AND CRADOCK OFFICE HOURS

Good day

Please note our office hours for the Festive season will be as follows:

· Offices close at 16:00 on 2011-12-15

· Offices open at 08:00 on 2012-01-03

Herman Marais can be contacted at all times for emergencies on 082 378 3743.

Annerie and myself will not be in office from 2011-12-09 to 2012-01-12( BUT CAN BE REACHED AT ALL TIME ON 082 378 3743)

We would also like to make use of this opportunity to wish DRS Holdings and all other branches a great Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Last but not least I would like to thank the staff of DRS Queenstown, Mthatha, and Buffalo city for the commitment and HARD WORK!

Kind regards,

Herman Marais

DRS Queenstown, Cradock, Mthatha, Buffalo City

Tel: 082 378 3743 Email: herman@drssa.co.za Fax: 045 838 6572

Each office independently owned and operated.

DRS Holdings / DRS Holdings Blog / Follow us on Twitter / Find us on Facebook

Know your rights this festive season: (4 of 11)

2011-12-08T06:36:00.000+02:00

You have the right to regulated fees and all credit agreements

Know your rights this festive season: (3 of 11)

2011-12-07T06:40:00.001+02:00

You have the right to 1 Free Credit report per year

Know your rights this festive season: (2 of 11)

2011-12-07T06:09:00.000+02:00

You have the right to get assistance when over indebted and negotiate.

Know your rights this festive season: (1 of 11)

2011-12-06T06:35:00.001+02:00

You have the right to Debt Counselling

Know your rights this festive season: (6 of 11)

2011-12-05T19:04:00.000+02:00

You have the right to regulate your credit limit increases.

Year End Function

2011-12-05T12:31:00.001+02:00

Please note that the team at our head office in Port Elizabeth will be having their Year End Function this afternoon. The function will start at 13h00. Hope you have a well deserved fun afternoon!

DRS Vredenburg new office graphics

2011-11-30T08:46:00.001+02:00

Debt Counselling in Vredenburg is never going to be the same :)

Marius Coetzee shared this photo of his new office window graphics. Well done Marius, it looks awesome.

DRS Vredenburg has moved

2011-11-28T08:37:00.001+02:00

Marius Coetzee, our Debt Counsellor on the West Coast, has moved his team and his offices to larger premises.We would like to wish Marius and the team all the best in their new modern offices.

New Address:
7 Bree Street, Vredenburg.
Phone: 022 713 3766 / 082 978 4407

DebtFree Digimag Nov 2011

2011-11-18T08:34:00.000+02:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More adebtfree

Click on the picture of the magazine to read it full screen

Welcome Zodumo Lupoko

2011-11-02T13:17:00.003+02:00

The DRS Group would like to welcome a new member on our Team,Zodumo Lupoko, who will be the DC taking care of all our Express office work. Zodumo is taking over from Derryn Fish, who will be pursuing her career in her own office - DRS Port Elizabeth.

Should you wish to get hold of Zodumo, you can contact heras follows:

Tel:041 373 9693

Email: zodumo.Lupoko@drssa.co.za

Please note: All DC Express emails will alsobe routed as per our normal system, to Zodumo, so in effect, she will automatically be receiving allcommunication from creditors and clients as per normal.

We wish Zodumo all the best andlook forward to working with her on our team.

Kind regards,

Juanita Welgemoed

National Operations / Marketing Manager - DRS Holdings

C: 082 464 9146 F: 086 275 5403

Each office independently owned and operated.

Effective worrying

2011-11-02T06:30:00.000+02:00

Do you worry? If so, a very effective way of handling them is to schedule them.

Yes, it's that simple:

schedule your worries -

along with everything else you need to get done!

When you schedule time to worry you're able to free up your attention and direct it towards what needs to be done right now.

This results in:

- being more productive

- being more effective

- more confident

- feeling more able

- being more willing to endure hardship

- your emotional state changes

- your mental state changes

And the Bonus Payoff is: When you get to your scheduled worry time those worries either no longer exist or they are so minor they're not worth worrying about!

Why is this?

When doing what needs to be done you're productive, which really is about getting things done. When you productive you start feeling better.

When you start feeling better you're more energized, more creative and more in control of yourself and your environment.

And when you feel you're more in control of yourself and your environment you no longer worry!

COACHING TIP:

To not even start worrying in the first place check with yourself daily:

- What am I not doing that I should be doing?

- What am I doing that I shouldn't be doing?

GET INTO ACTION AND YOUR WORRIES DISSIPATE!

Have a great worry-free week!

With love

Brenda

P.S. Remember that The Streetwise Mentor Program™is now available - you can start at any time.

NewClearEnergy

Executive Coaching

Leadership Development

brenda@newclearenergy.co.za

website: www.newclearenergy.co.za

ABSA Debt Review National Manager

2011-11-01T16:00:00.000+02:00

New National Manager: Stakeholder Management (Debt Review)

I am pleased to announce that Grace Nkomo has been appointed to the role of National Manager, Stakeholder Management with effect from the 31 October 2011.

Grace will be replacing Pascal Sinclair who will be pursuing opportunities outside of Absa. Grace has been part of the Collections Customer Management team since February 2010 and she is well versed with the business’ strategic direction. She has a wealth of experience in the banking sector with particular focus on relationship management and customer value management. In her role as the new Stakeholder Manager, Grace is looking forward to improved relationships and building rapport with various stakeholders, more particularly the Debt Counsellors and Payment Distribution Agencies.

I have no doubt that she will continue to excel in her new role by ensuring that Absa maintain its open relationship with you.
Regards
Ally Mafunzwaini
Head: Customer Management, Retail Bank Collections
Absa Retail & Business Banking

Debt Free Digi Magazine

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000+02:00

Thank you to Zak and his team at Debt Free Digi Magazine, for always keeping us up to date in the industry.

Open publication - Free publishing - More absa

Body Language

2011-10-25T10:50:00.001+02:00

In Debt Counselling, we do get to meet many people who try to hide some of their debt from us. We find out some way or another, mostly from the credit checks that have to be done on each client. But its not always just the clients that fib here and there, its many other people you get to deal with in your day to day life.

Rather than re-inventing the wheel, I prefer to share with our readers another very interesting article about Body Language, and how to read it. Its been something I have always been interested in, and the results are always accurate.

By Adam Dachis

How to Read Body Language to Reveal the Underlying Truth in Almost Any Situation

You've likely heard that body language accounts for up to 55% of how we communicate, but reading non-verbal cues isn't just about broad strokes. The same gesture can indicate a number of different things depending on context. In this post, we're going to take a look at three common situations in which non-verbal cues are especially important—detecting lies, going on a date, and interviewing for a job—then explain how to interpret body language more accurately so that you can read between the lines when a person's words aren't necessarily conveying the way that they honestly feel.

We lie a lot. When having a conversation with a stranger, chances are we'll lie in the first ten minutes. Sometimes we'll lie more than once in that same period of time. These may not always be big lies, but we still do it. We all willingly partake in deception from time to time because it helps us avoid conflict, but often we're better off knowing the truth. While words can be deceptive, the human body is a terrible liar. This is where reading body language and using your own effectively, can be extremely useful when communicating with others.
First, the basics.

Body Language Basics

When you're reading body language, your primary goal is to determine whether or not a person is comfortable in their current situation. Once you do this, it's a process of using context and other cues—which we'll get into later—to figure out the specifics. There are plenty of ways a person may indicate their comfort level, but here are a few of the most common.

Positive body language:

Moving or leaning closer to you
Relaxed, uncrossed limbs
Long periods of eye contact
Looking down and away out of shyness
Genuine smiles

Negative body language:

Moving or leaning away from you
Crossed arms or legs
Looking away to the side
Feet pointed away from you, or towards and exit
Rubbing/scratching their nose, eyes, or the back of their neck

A single cue can mean a myriad of things. For example, crossed arms falls under the category of negative body language and can suggest that a person is physically cold, closed off, or frustrated. It can even indicate that they've simply had too much to eat. It's necessary to pay attention to multiple behavioral cues as a single one can be misleading. While it will help to indicate comfort level, to really understand why you need to look deeper. This means paying attention to other cues as well as their context. As we get into the specific situations, we'll look at how these cues work together to help uncover the truth in a given moment.
Photo by StockLite (Shutterstock)

Spot a Liar

One of the biggest advantages of learning to read body language well is being able to judge when someone is lying with a fair amount of accuracy. Your intuition is never going to be 100% accurate, but with a little practice you can become more aware of when you're being fed a load of crap. It's very important to recognize what kind of lies you are actually detecting. The techniques we're going to discuss in this section correspond to big lies—the lies people tell when they are uncomfortable or afraid of the truth. These skills will get you almost nowhere in detecting white lies, small lies of omission, and what people do most often: exaggerate. Those types of deception are very hard to detect, and it's important to remember that, regardless of the type of untruth, you'll never know for certain. You can, however, pick up on common cues so you know when to hold a healthy suspicion about what a person is saying.
Pamela Meyer, author of Liespotting, conducted significant research on the ways we lie to figure out the common patterns in our body language. She found that liars often exhibit much of the behavior you'd find in any other uncomfortable person, but with a few very specific additional traits.

Fake Smiles
People are bad at offering a genuine smile when they're lying. In fact, a genuine smile (often referred to as a Duchenne smile), is often said to be impossible to fake. This is why many of us end up with awkward family photos. We may think we look like we're smiling, but to most anyone it looks like we're faking it. This is because your smile is in your eyes, or, more specifically, the wrinkles around them. You display a few crows feet when you smile genuinely because your smile pushes up your cheeks which bunches up the skin near your eyes. It's fairly hard to fake this. You need to feel some sort of genuine happy emotion at the time to do it, and when you're uncomfortable this is next to impossible. This is why a non-genuine smile can be a helpful indicator of a lie in progress.

Photo by KQED

Stiff Upper Body and Too Much Eye Contact
Liars like to overcompensate when they're lying, and so they'll often try to remain still and offer eye contact. This will often result in so much eye contact it's often a little unsettling, and their body will become stiff because they're attempting not to fidget. Normally, people move and do not hold eye contact for extended periods of time. When uncomfortable, however, people will often rub their neck or eyes and look away to the side. Rather than exhibit the positive body language that would imply comfort, liars tend to opt for doing very little. This, in and of itself, is an indicator. Look for tense shoulders and an unusually high amount of eye contact and you'll be more likely to spot a liar.
Photo by Lindsay Phillips

Context and Paired Behaviors
In addition to all these non-verbal cues, you'll need to pay attention to the context. Liars will often offer more details in their stories, suggest punishments for the "real culprit" if they're being accused of something, and answer you questions with a question to give them time to fabricate an answer rather than provide you with the truth. These behaviors, when paired with standard negative body language and the previously mentioned cues that liars exhibit, give you the right mix of untrustworthy behavior. Separately they may not mean much, but together they point to dishonesty.It's important to remember, however, that some people are just awkward and exhibit this kind of behavior with regularity. You should take the way a person normally acts into consideration as well. Watch their mannerisms and eye movements when you know they're telling the truth and compare that to the times when you think they're lying. When you see consistent change when certain statements are made, you'll know how this specific person acts when they're thinking of what to say rather than recalling information. Again, this or anything else previously mentioned isn't sufficient in detecting lies. You have to look for multiple cues or what you'll just discover that you're fooling yourself into believing you know the difference between fact and fiction.
Photo by Bifaloo
For more on lie detection, watch Pamela Meyer's TED talk and check out her book Liespotting.

Read People on a Date

When you're out on a first date, body language can be an incredibly helpful tool. If you're not paying attention to the non-verbal cues your date is exhibiting, you can often go on talking about something that makes them uncomfortable or they find unpleasant. While you don't want to go into a date hiding who you are, you do want to put your best foot forward so, in the event you are a decent match, you can bring up the riskier topics a bit later once your date already likes you. This, of course, means paying close attention to your date's behavior which can be difficult when you're supposed to be speaking charismatically and listening to what they're saying. With a little practice, however, you'll get the hang of watching for the right signals and won't have to spend much time thinking about them.

You're not looking for anything complicated on a date—just the general indications of comfort and discomfort we outlined earlier. This means you're simply paying attention to how guarded your date is with their body. Initially, most people will be fairly guarded. They'll cross their arms, keep a reasonable amount of distance, and keep their palms facing themselves. This is okay and fairly common on a first date, and your goal is to change that body language into something more open and welcoming. You'll do this naturally when you connect with them, but you can encourage open body language by providing it yourself. We tend to mimic the behavior of others to some extent, so if you're warm and comfortable it will help your date change his or her behavior to match. This means keeping your arms uncrossed and open, offering a genuine smile whenever feasible and appropriate, avoiding distance from your date, and even showing your palms. All of these things imply that you're comfortable and will help make your date more comfortable as well.

You also want to be careful not to psych yourself out just because you picked up on some negative body language. Levels of comfort fluctuate frequently on dates because it's often a little nerve-wracking for most people in the first place. Don't worry about making a few mistakes. As a piano instructor would tell you for a recital, if you play a wrong note you should just keep going. Watch the non-verbal cues to see how you're doing and focus on anything that provides positive body language. If you receive extended moments of negative body language, move on to another topic. Of course, sometimes you're just not going to click and the date is going to be an awkward evening full of negative non-verbal cues. If this happens, the same piano-playing principal applies: don't get hung up on a problem—just move on.
Photo by Felix Mizioznikov (Shutterstock)

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Communicate Effectively in a Job Interview

Job interviews are a lot like first dates in the sense that you're trying to convince another person, whom you don't know, to like you. The key difference is that on a date you're both meeting on equal ground. When you go into a job interview, however, the interviewer has most of the power and you have, essentially, none at all. This creates an environment where you're going to likely be considerably more uncomfortable than the interviewer. You'll display negative body language as a result, and that's not good. When interviewing for a job, you want to override any non-verbal communication that makes you seem closed off.
A charismatic beginning can make all the difference, as first impressions are hugely important in hiring decisions. A smile, pleasant handshake, warm greeting, and the previously mentioned positive body language will set the stage for a comfortable interview. You don't know what sort of (potentially negative) expectations your interviewer is bringing to the table, so it's never a bad thing to override them by demonstrating you're a pleasant and charismatic individual.
Offering up the previously discussed positive body language is easier said than done when you're uncomfortable, so the best thing you can do to override that discomfort is to feel prepared. (A lack of preparation is the main reason you suck in an interview, after all.) Even if you begin to feel unprepared later on, walking into the room with confidence will at least help you make that important first impression. To prepare, research the company. Remember a few useful "sound bites" to use and fall back on if you're struggling. Know what differentiates you and makes you special and remind yourself right before you walk into the room. Preparation breeds confidence, and it'll be easier to display positive body language when you're feeling good about yourself.

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While natural comfort is going to be your most valuable tool, there are a few tricks that can help you out. Assuming American cultural standards, eye contact is more important in a job interview than most other situations. If you have trouble meeting someone's eyes, just look at their mouth. You'll also want to avoid blocking your own eyes in any way, as doing so can convey discomfort (among other negative feelings). Just like on a date, leaning slightly forward is a positive cue for your interviewer. It also helps to appear to be a good listener, as you'll be talking most of the time. When you ask your own questions, or your interviewer has something to tell you, eye contact is especially important. You can also convey that you're in a "listening mode" by occasionally placing part of your hand over your mouth. This helps indicate to others that you're not going to talk and therefore paying attention.

All of this said, every interviewer is going to understand that you'll be a little nervous. It's natural and no reasonable person should or would expect anybody to walk in with no tension whatsoever. If you're a little bit tense, don't worry about it. That much is expected. In fact, too much comfort might convey to some that you're overconfident and not taking the interview seriously. In the end, your fate rests in the hands of another human being so there's only so much you can do. They may not like your shoes or prefer to hire someone younger or older. You never know what you're going to run into, but you can at least try to tip the scales in your favor with the help of some positive body language.
Photo by Tom Wangand Gelpi (Shutterstock)

Remember: Body Language Is Only Part of the Picture

A better understanding of human body language can be useful in your own communication and in understanding others. It can also be a lot of fun to feel like you know what other people are thinking, when they're lying to you, and how comfortable they are in a given situation. That said, you're not a psychic. You can't read minds and the non-verbal cues you interpret are never going to tell you exactly what someone is feeling or thinking with spot-on accuracy. These techniques will help you find clues that can help you understand other people. Use them to communicate better and gain a better awareness of those around you. Don't pretend they're magic. All you're doing is paying closer attention to your natural, human intution.

Special thanks to Samantha McCullough, William J. Tebbenhoff II, and Tyrone Mann
for their contributions. This article also references information from the work of Pamela Meyer and Joe Navarro. To learn more about body language and other non-verbal communication, check out their books and articles. Title image remixed from photos by Yuri Arcurs [1 / 2] (Shutterstock) and Guiseppe_R (Shutterstock)

You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.

True Character

2011-10-21T06:30:00.000+02:00

A man's true character can be seen in

how he treats someone who can do nothing for him.

Debt Counselling Costs

2011-10-20T15:38:00.000+02:00

At Debt Restructuring Services we pride ourselves in giving our clients the best and most professional service around South Africa. By striving for being the best Debt Counselling franchise, we also wish to keep our clients informed as much as possible. We hope you will keep your eye on this blog for updates and to keep you up to date of the latest information relating to the Debt Review industry.

If you are a client who is within the DRS Group, then this is how your costing should be:

You will pay a fee of about R50 (cash) (could also have VAT onto that amount) to the Debt Counsellor for a consultation.
You will sign a FORM 16, and should be told to pay your first payment into a FNB account in George, by no later than the end of the month.
Your next payment (month 2) will go towards your legal fees.
From your third payment - and onwards, your money should be going towards your creditors.

Your NCR number:

Make sure you know what your NCR number is.
This should be given to you within a week of you signing your Form 16, and BEFORE you pay your first amount into the FNB account in George.
Your NCR number will give the necessary protection that you need if your creditors continue to phone you. Quote your NCR number if they phone you, without that number you will have no protection.

Do you have a question?

Should you wish to ask any questions, kindly post them in the Comments box below, or you are welcome to contact us at one of the following options:

National Call Center 0861 000 748 / sms DEBT FREE to 39133 / Contact Us

Bulletproof your business by Robin Sharma

2011-10-19T10:18:00.000+02:00

We filtered through many mass emails of all sorts of advice from everyone.

As entrepreneurs of the DRS Group of offices, this one stood out and we believe you could also benefit from the message from an awesome business guru, Robin Sharma.

Sorry I haven't been in touch with you as much as usual. I was on a speaking tour to Kenya, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and South Africa in July and finishing up the manuscript to my new book The Secret Letters of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, the sequel to the original Monk book. But I wanted to connect with you given the turmoil the global economy's in. And to offer you a free training video I just recorded that I hope will save you from some of the painful experiences entrepreneurs just like you are about to experience as things get worse.

Many thought leaders are saying we're back into a serious recession. Some are expecting a depression as early as 2013 (2012 will be pretty challenging for ordinary entrepreneurs). Jobs are being slashed, many European countries are sinking in debt, America's Triple A rating has been downgraded and people are scared. And I have a sense things are truly about to get much worse. In a recent issue of FORTUNE, respected economist Nouriel Roubini was quoted as saying: "Things are going to be much more difficult than they have ever been." So let's protect ourselves and take the action we need to take to get prepared.

I've been advising my private coaching clients (mostly billionaire level entrepreneurs) as well as our corporate clients like GE, IBM, The Coca-Cola Company and FedEx to bulletproof their businesses using an ultra-powerful system I shared publicly for the first time at a sold-out event I hosted this past June. The event was called The Remarkable Entrepreneur SuperConference and I walked the participants who were able to get a seat through my powerful step-by-step System to accelerate profits in a bad economy - and quickly grow the business of their dreams.

To help you win in these uncertain times, I've recorded this super-practical free video based on the System where I share THE 5 FASTEST WAYS TO RECESSION-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS. Click here to watch it now: http://www.robinsharma.com/recession-proof.php

Don't listen to the fearmongers. In this "age of dramatic distraction" stay focused on doing the few things that will accelerate your profits, wow your customers and create a business that's awesome (and makes the world a better place!). The reality is: this is the single best time in history to be an entrepreneur and do the work you love.

Hope this helps. I'll be in touch.

Robin

P.S. The free training video also explains a powerful technique to help you avoid having to cut your costs to keep your customers as well as the best way to innovate versus become obsolete. Click here to watch it now: http://www.robinsharma.com/recession-proof.php

How to Live Cheap

2011-10-11T10:38:00.000+02:00

Herewith a rather tongue in cheek article that is a great read that we found for you. Enjoy the read!

How to Live Cheap and Put Hundreds of Rands Back in Your Pocket (Without Becoming a Hobo)

Times are tough. You're either out of a job or yours doesn't pay enough. You need to save money, pay off your debt, and avoid going broke. Here's how you can radically cut your living costs without turning into a hobo.

You're not about to read through a magical plan that will give you all the conveniences of life for a dime. If you really want to live on the cheap, you're going to have to make some sacrifices. This guide will take you through a number of things I've done, and friends of mine have done, to dramatically cuts costs and live on the cheap. If you're currently earning a small amount of money, this guide can help you lower your expenses so that you can get by with ease. If you simply want more money than you have but a significant raise is not in the cards, you can use some of these tips to reduce spending in certain areas and use that money for the things that matter more to you. For example, I like to go out to eat with my friends and so I've learned to cook for practically no money so that I can always afford to do so. We'll look at this method and others to help you put your money where it matters, so pick the topics relevant to you if that's your goal. Alternatively, if you're looking to live simply and frugally on a meager paycheck, read it all for a full-blown plan.

Find a Super Cheap Place to Live

Whether you live alone or have a roommate, you're probably paying more for rent than necessary. By looking for the right kinds of places, however, you can cut your living costs pretty significantly.

Rent a Room, Not an Apartment

Everyone could use a little extra cash these days, homeowners included, so there are plenty of people renting out rooms in their homes. Instead of concentrating on finding a decent apartment that you can split with a friend, look for an available room in someone's house. Often times families will be able to turn a separate area of the house into a private space, or they'll even be willing to share parts of the home with you. This usually means utilities are included in the rent (or at least a fixed monthly cost) and your rent will be much lower in general. Some owners will be willing to rent out their room at a lower rate if you'll stay long-term. All you have to do is ask.

If you own a home, apartment, or some sort of living space, then it should be fairly obvious what you can do: the reverse. Rent part of your living space to someone who can use it, or at least offer up a room for vacationers looking for a relatively cheap place to stay.

Move In with Grandma

Not your grandma, necessarily, but possibly somebody's grandma. When you're looking for a roommate, you should consider some unconventional options like the elderly or any assisted living situation. Sometimes all you'll need to provide is companionship and a little help around the house. Other times you can net yourself a free room by doing a little work as well. This is a great way to save some money if you have a primary job, or just get by until you can find one if you don't. If helping the elderly isn't your first choice, there are also physically and mentally handicapped people who need assistance as well. Some people will offer a room if you clean their house once a week. Searching local classifieds (e.g. Craigslist) for these types of living situations should find you a few opportunities, especially in bigger cities. It may take some patience to locate the opportunity you want, but just stay persistent and you should find something. You can also place an ad yourself to request this type of arrangement. Just try to steer clear of living situations that expect a sexual component, as these ads aren't always obvious and can be misleading.

Before You Move, Sell Your Excess unwanted stuff

Ignoring your furniture, if you can't fit all your belongings in your standard-sized car you probably have too many things. It'll be easier to move around without the weight of consumerism on your back, which means you can leave a particular place easily if a better opportunity comes along. At some point you won't have to be quite so nomadic, but it's an added bonus when you're trying to keep cash in your pocket. An even bigger bonus is actual cash in your pocket, and that's something you can get from selling your excess crap.

We've gone over selling your gadgets and all the stuff in your home that you don't need, so you'll want to read up on those guides for the full story. What you really need to concentrate on in your particular situation is one simple rule: if you haven't used it in the last six months, it's got to go. You should have 3-5 small exceptions for sentimental items, but if you have things you're not using it's time to get rid of them. On top of that, get in the mindset of sacrificing conveniences you don't actually need. This includes redundant items (e.g. a point and shoot camera when your phone does a good enough job and similar articles of clothing), appliances (e.g. microwaves, dish washers, and garbage disposals), and anything else you can potentially live without. You may feel you don't want to live without it, but that doesn't mean you can't. If it'll bring in some money and isn't that important, sell it. What seems important to you right this moment will not be that important in a few months. Time and circumstance are powerful tools when it comes to adjusting your behavior, so what sucks now won't matter soon enough.

Find Extra Money in Unexpected Places

Pulling coins from the couch isn't the only way to dig up a few extra Rands when you need it. In addition to earning extra money online, there are ways you may be able to turn your specific situation into free cash.

When you're a student (or recent graduate), several organizations will give you money for doing almost nothing at all. This can be anything from being left-handed, short, obsessed with duct tape, or having an unusual last name. FinAid.org is one good resource to research these unusual "scholarships" to help offset the cost of college.

If you're an artist of some kind, or are willing to act like one for cash, many organizations offer grants for interesting ideas. The Sloan Foundation offers grants to individuals and groups seeking to create books, film, radio, and other media that serve to entertain and educate the public about scientific topics. The Tribeca Film Institute offers many programs for different types of films from a diverse range of filmmakers. Artist Trust keeps a list of several funding opportunities for more traditional artists. Writers and Editors provides a comprehensive list of fellowships and grants for all types of writers. Any of these methods can earn you a few thousand rands for a good idea or completed work, so if there's a project that you'd like to try you should start applying.

Start Cooking Simple Meals with Frozen and Canned Foods

Fresh food, for the most part, is off the menu. This doesn't mean you should eat crappy and unhealthy frozen dinners. For one thing, those are expensive. What you can do, however, is buy frozen and canned ingredients for cooking your own meals. They cost less and preserve longer, so you can easily buy in bulk. Amazon offers good discounts on bulk orders through its Subscribe and Save program, which is free, and you can also find good deals at discount clubs like Cost Co.

The idea of resorting to less fresh food might not sound all that appealing, but unless the produce in your grocery store is straight off the farm it's probably not that much fresher. While you're rarely going to get the same level of quality from frozen and canned goods, you can still make meals that are much better than you think are really cheap. Here's what you'll need in each meal:

A vegetable, or a variety of vegetables. If you're looking for healthier options, try choosing your vegetables by color (hint: darker is generally better).
A legume. Lentils and beans are both cheap, easy to make, and pretty tasty. They're not everyone's favorites, but they're healthy. If this sounds absolutely repuslive to you, however, substituting a fiber-rich grain is a reasonable alternative. Brown rice and quinoa are decent options.
A lean meat like chicken or fish. (Vegetarians should stick to tofu as meat substitutes are generally more expensive and loaded with sodium.)

This is a pretty healthy way to eat and you can find plenty of ways to create variety. Black beans, veggies, meat/tofu, along with a little bit of olive oil, garlic and salt always make a good stir fry for just a few rands. Chicken breast with a side of garlic green beans and mushrooms make another good meal. Add lentils or brown rice for a little extra. Because you're eating simply and cooking with very few ingredients, you don't need much in the way of recipes. You can simply pick out foods you like and, along with a few spices, cook them and eat them together. It may seem boring at first, but you'll likely be surprised by how good frozen and canned food can be without much work. And, of course, it'll be the cheapest good food you'll ever eat.

Get Your Entertainment for Free

Entertainment spending can be a fast way to empty your wallet without realizing it, as a movie ticket doesn't seem like much until you add it to the video games, concerts, and other fun things you

Play Games for Free in Retail Stores

Stores like when you buy things, and know there's a better chance of that happening if you're convinced you like the product. Trying it out is one effective method, which is why many brick-and-mortar retail stores let you play video games for free. For example, many Best Buys even set up a living room-like area with a couch and flat screen television so you can feel at home when you test out games. If you want to play games for free but can't afford a console, head over to a retail location and wait your turn. You'll also find some computer games in computer stores, such as Apple and Microsoft. Microsoft stores are sparse, but if you can find one you'll find Xbox 360s and plenty of Windows PCs with some sample games. Apple stores offer plenty of games on iPhones and iPads, and even a few on Macs. If you're without a computer at home, both stores are also excellent replacements for checking email, catching up on blogs, wasting time on Facebook, or anything else you can do online. Some people even make their own dance videos.

Use Your Friends

Chances are you have a few friends who are a little better off and have some of the entertainment you like. They can make an especially good replacement for movie night, as they probably have a size-able DVD/Bluray collection, a Netflix account, cable TV, or some other source of entertainment. Visit them when you feel like going out to a movie. Entertainment is generally better with company, anyhow. Just be sure not to overstay your welcome.

Catch Free Movie Screenings

If you want to avoid paying for movie tickets, you might be able to find free movie screenings in your area. In addition to seeing the movie for free, you'll often get to see it before everyone else. Some screenings in bigger cities like Los Angeles and New York will even pay you for filling out a short survey afterwards.

Find Free (or Cheap) Live Music

You may not always find the music you want for free, but if you're looking to enjoy talented musicians for free or on the cheap there are plenty of places you can go. A quick search on Yelp for free music should turn up plenty of locations that offer concerts and live performances for absolutely no money. You'll also want to look for piano bars, restaurants that regularly provide live entertainment, and street fairs that invite musicians.

Finally Get Your Finances in Order

Presumably you started this journey of cheap leaving with clothing, so now that you've reduced your living and eating costs the necessities are out of the way. With the primary problem solved, we can talk about getting your finances in check and paving the way to financial security so you can live with fewer sacrifices down the road.

Allocate Your Extra Cash Intelligently

The exciting part about living cheaply is that you're bringing in much more cash than you were before, so the only thing you really have to do is allocate that money intelligently. Some of it should always go to savings, even if you don't have debt. Saving can be as simple as socking cash away in a bank, but it won't grow much under those circumstances. A Roth IRA is a popular alternative. You won't see that money for many years, but it'll grow significantly. If you're new to investing, use a stock simulator and pretend until you get the hang of it.

But don't save everything. You need to put aside some money for going out once in a while so you don't drive yourself crazy. We only have so much willpower and can't succeed without any fun. Setting aside a little money to still enjoy yourself is important. Being frugal is about saving money you'd potentially waste, not hoarding every penny. Your happiness is important. Be sure to budget for it, too.

Put Together a Debt Elimination Plan

If you do have debt, however, there are a few things you'll want to do. First, if you have a credit card spending problem, take any measures necessary to stop using them. You probably don't want to cut them up, but demagnetizing their data strips, deleting their numbers from online retailers, letting your friends take care of them, switching to a cash-only policy, or literally freezing them (in a block of ice) are all good ways to keep you from spending unnecessarily. Next, make a list of all your bills and the methods you have to pay them. Figure out which bills should be automated, and which ones should not. The more you can automate the better, especially if you can consolidate your payments to a specific day of the month. Just be sure to set aside time each month to ensure your bills were paid as autopay doesn't always do its job. (I've been there a lot.) There are also plenty of ways you can save money on your bills, such as using services like BillShrink, minimizing your power consumption, cancelling services you don't need, shop around for cheaper health/auto/whatever insurance (or use Mint), and so on. Reducing your bills often means letting go of conveniences. It might suck at first, but you'll adjust.

Whether your saddled with credit card bills or student loans, this is one of the easiest ways to chip away at it consistently. (That is, unless you can find an employer who will pay off your student loans as an incentive.) It'll require patience, but you'll be better off for it in the long run. Besides, if you're living on the cheap you should be out of debt a whole lot faster.

For more tips on getting your finances in order, be sure to read our guide on putting yourself through financial boot camp.

Title photo by Rob Byron

Source: LifeHacker.com

Click here to contact any Debt Restructuring Services office nationwide for immediate Debt Counselling assistance.

Foreign meltdown ?

2011-10-08T11:02:00.001+02:00

Dr. Robert Shapiro advises the IMF and says we need a plan to recapitalize the banks and a credible plan to preserve the stability of the sovereign debt of Italy and Spain ...

I hate to be a profit of doom, but I really hope the capitalists of the world are going to find a solution to this crisis they have created for the economies of the world.

This is what this video is about:

Dr. Robert Shapiro who advised Presidents Clinton and Obama and who currently advises the IMF predicts a cascading meltdown of the World's banking system starting with Sovereign debt in the Eurozone, affecting the UK then finally bringing down the global banking system.The clip was aired October 5, 2011 on the popular News show Newsnight with the corporation's top interviewer Jeremy Paxman.

Steve Jobs presents Macintosh

2011-10-08T08:30:00.000+02:00

This video has nothing to do with Debt Review or our industry, but this man and this machine has done so much for our worlds.

Steve Jobs, may you now rest in peace.

Winning with People to Be Decisive

2011-10-07T01:00:00.000+02:00

When you take a close look at people who would be referred to as ‘charismatic,’ you’ll begin to see that they share a number of similar qualities and characteristics. One of the most prominent commonalities is decisiveness. Imagine, for example, six people in a room discussing where to go for dinner. It’s the charismatic person who will ultimately conclude the discussion with something like “okay - Italian it is!” Eventually, because of this ability, people begin to look toward these individuals whenever a decision needs to be made. This decisiveness creates respect, trust, and is one of the core qualities that employers look for when hiring or promoting

Being decisive isn’t easy. By definition, ‘to decide’ means to ‘cut off’ other alternatives. It’s a bit scary to abandon other potential courses of action that might have turned out to be better or more fruitful. What if I make a bad decision? What if other people think I’m stupid? What if a better idea comes along tomorrow? These are the kinds of thoughts we all can relate to - the thoughts that cause indecision.

Here are a few tips to becoming a more decisive person:

1. Accept that you will make poor decisions. You’re human - deal with it!

2. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Chances are the consequences aren’t life-changing

    3. Ask yourself, “What is the cost of not making a decision?” Indecision has its own consequences

    4. Be confident in your ability to adjust if your decision doesn’t work out

    5. Have a ‘Plan B’ already thought through, just in case things don’t work out

Finally, have a little faith in your own intuition and judgement. Assuming you’ve done your due diligence, carefully weighed other’s opinions, and are motivated by the right reasons, chances are you won’t go too far wrong.

Good luck!
Shaun Belding

"Great success comes from great action.
Great action begins with a simple decision"
- Shaun Belding

Unwealthy Habits to get rid of

2011-10-05T15:17:00.000+02:00

We have come across this great read about finding your habits that are stopping you from becoming financially independent. Please take the time to read this short extract from this book and if you think you have any one of these UnWealthy Habits, then download the book by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post.

Note from the Alicia Castillo Holley: After years of working with entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, and institutions, I realized that most people have one or more habits that prevent them from being wealthy. For each habit I have created and tested a counter-habit, hoping that this can help individuals live happier. This is a manifesto for individual people, written to address one person at a time. Why do I call them habits? Habits are transparent to us. Usually we don’t perceive them unless someone points them out, so I want to create that sense of awareness on the habits that I’ve found have the bigger impact.

Before I continue, a word of caution.

Wealth does not make you happy, but when you are wealthy, you are happier. Why? Because you feel valued, important, respected, appreciated… but most importantly, because if you are wealthy you can do things freely. Of course, you can feel valued without feeling wealthy, and you can feel happy without feeling wealthy. But if you take care of your wealth, you stop worrying about it. You feel in control.

There is ample information about how to make money, how to be wealthy, how to be successful, how to.... Yet, here we will take an opposite look. What about looking at things you are doing that are preventing you from being wealthy?

So I first looked at my personal experience, how I moved from being very poor, to being almost broke, to managing an investment fund, to retiring before I was 45. I also asked tons of questions and analyzed what others were saying and thought. Finally, I broke all of this information into the 10 key habits that unwealthy people do. I am certain that by first observing and secondly taking action to change those habits, your wealth will take a huge turn. You will read about 10 people acting out the habits and their reasoning. I find that by observing others, we learn a lot about ourselves. I end each habit with a vaccine, an antidote.

It is not by doing the opposite but by injecting the vaccine into your life that you become better at managing each habit. At the end of the manifesto I’ve also included my personal system to replace old habits.

THE KEY HABITS
1. feeling sorry for yourself
2. being greedy
3. doing things you dislike doing
4. measuring happiness with money
5. spending more than you can
6. preferring instant gratification
7. complaining
8. comparing to others
9. measuring wealth in monetary terms
10. isolating yourself from your family

To read up about each of these 10 UnWealthy Habits, click here to download this fantastic e-book now.

Debt Free Digimag

2011-09-30T15:14:00.001+02:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More absa

Tamzin Williams music

2011-09-28T16:53:00.000+02:00

Our Debt Consultant Tamzin Williams shares with us what she does when she is not helping her clients with their Debt Review:

Thank you for the share Tamzin, you have the most beautiful voice and hope it will take you places in your lifetime.

NDMA Meeting Notes

2011-09-27T17:48:00.000+02:00

DRS Holdings went to represent our company at a National Debt Mediation Association (NDMA) presentation which was held in Cape Town today. Their next stop is the Eastern Cape and I found this meeting to be very positive and informative for the industry to go forward with. They will soon be publishing the entire presentation on the NDMA website, but we did take down a few notes of the main matters that were discussed and presented to us.

For those who do not know what the NDMA is about, this is a short extract that I took from their webpage:

Welcome to NDMA
At present, indications are that more than 160 000 applications have been received by debt counsellors and this is steadily climbing at the rate of approximately 8 000 applications per month.

Anecdotal evidence indicates that only between 1% and 3% of these cases are brought to conclusion and sanctioned by a court order - for a range of reasons. Clearly, there are a number of blockages in the system which need to be resolved to ensure that debt counselling, as envisaged in the National Credit Act, works for everyone – consumers, debt counsellors and for credit providers. That is the goal that the NDMA has set itself and aspires to realize. In working towards this goal, we need the unwavering support of all our stakeholders - credit providers, debt counsellors and payment distribution agents - but we also need to show results to consumers and that this industry is committed to assisting with fast and effective relief from unsustainable debt burdens.

As a debt counsellor, credit provider, payment distribution agent or other credit industry professional, the NDMA welcomes you to a new era in debt remedy.

18.01 million South Africans are credit active with 63.54 million credit accounts, or around 3.5 accounts per credit active consumer. 44.9% of these accounts were impaired as at the end of September 2009. Around 130 000 cases of over-indebtedness have been registered with The NCR. The industry estimates this will increase by approximately 8000 per month.

Meeting Notes:

The number of people who need Debt Review assistance vs what information is available to them to get the required assistance is a concern and the NDMA will be conversing with the Banking Association on the steps going forward.

Joint Debt Review Stakeholders Forum: This is a forum in which issues with regards to problems experienced on the Codes of Conduct. Proposals will be submitted to DRAC (Debt Review Advisory Committee) for possible solutions. Everyone is encouraged to share information to this forum if they have matters that need to be raised in this regard.

Caroline Smith, the Project Manager for DCRS shared a few notes with the audience:

Insurances has to be included when proposals are done.
Final proposals are compulsory
Only a valid DCRS Reference number will ensure an approval
Valid proposals that are declined by the creditors must be reported to the NDMA

Questions and comments posed by the audience:

What is being done about training the Magistrates? The NDMA are having discussions with the NCR to encourage them to do such programmes.
Credit Bureau: Clients who cancel Debt Review need to not only inform the Debt Counsellor of their intention, but the same paperwork needs to be sent to the various Credit Bureaus and request their names to be removed from their systems. This should also be followed up by all parties, especially the clients who wish to clear their names.

Complaints Procedures:

A request was made that 1 complaint be made to either the NDMA or the NCR and not to both. They do not entertain doing double the work, so choose who you wish to assist you with your complaint and if you are not satisfied with the outcome, then you can submit to the other party.

Areas of Improvement / Consideration going forward:

Terminations and Sec 129 Exclusions
PDA Payments
Debt Counsellor negligence

Media Coverage:

The NDMA have teamed up with television programs such as Soul City and Scandal, who will be running financial literacy themes in their stories, starting from October 2011. Please be encouraged to watch these programs and give feedback.

BBC Video World Markets are "toast"

2011-09-27T16:41:00.001+02:00

BBC Video of market trader Alenssio Rastani:

If you understand this kind of market, you can make money from it. This economic crisis is like a cancer. If you dont do something about it, it will destroy you (financially). Get prepared. Learn how to make money from a downward market. Learn to protect your assets. According to Rastani millions of people's hard earned savings are going to vanish over the next 12 months, but we can learn from this and prepare ourselves for what is to come our way.

What you learn from this and how you learn it - its up to you.

"In a scary and painfully frank interview a freaked out BBC interviewer is visibly shaken when market trader Alessio Rastani predicts that the "Market is Toast." Apparently there is nothing Euro governments can do.
Update: The BBC featured a version of this clip on their website. It includes a few seconds missing from the beginning, but ends before the newsreader describes the situation as a "Nightmare!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsDjTbP7TS0

Please click on our VIDEOS link below to view our other published videos. The one that stands out by far is the video about Capitalism. Please take the time to watch it.

Debt Councelling Magazine

2011-09-19T09:11:00.000+02:00

Debt Review in South Africa is heating up. Our readers need to know the truth out there. Find out the most recent information about Debt Review in the Debt Free Digi Magazine. We have just received the most recent DigiMag, but the latest one should be out on the shelves of the DRS Holdings Blog in 2 weeks from now.

Enjoy the informative read.

Open publication - Free publishing - More absa

Click on the links below and please share with your social media friends. Thank you.

Road Toll System Financial Effect

2011-09-16T05:56:00.000+02:00

Consider planning ahead for your business so that you are prepared for the financial implications of the new road toll. Herewith a brief breakdown on this matter as seen by the Franchise Association of South Africa:

Now that the road toll system is a given and scheduled to come into effect in February 2012, whether we like it or not, let’s give you the bad news on how it will affect your business.

According to analysts:

• the new toll system will be an administrative tax burden for companies and their employees.

• the e-tolling system will result in significantly higher transport, distribution and related services costs and will inflate producer and consumer prices.

• It will affect the cost of commuting for individuals adding to our tax burden.• It will alter road-use patterns and potentially change the flow of economic activity.

• You may need to reconsider your employees’ existing travel allowances to make provision for the new toll fees.

• If your employees make use of company cars you may need to analyse the costs of the e-tolling and place a limit on travel expenses.

• there may be hidden tax implications of the new toll fees for both individuals and companies as employees travelling to and from work would not qualify for a tax deduction, but employees using the toll roads for business would qualify.

• Value added tax (VAT) also comes into play as, in principle, companies and individuals registered for VAT were entitled to claim the amount back on toll fees associated with their business.

Source: FASA

Show Appreciation at the office

2011-09-14T07:30:00.000+02:00

Top Ten Ways to Show Appreciation at the Office

You can tell your colleagues (that includes your Boss), coworkers and staff howmuch you value them and their contribution any day of the year. Trust me. Nooccasion is necessary. In fact, small surprises and tokens of your appreciationspread throughout the year help the peoplein your work life feel valued all year long.

Don't let this opportunity to promote positive employee motivation and staff recognitionslip by.

* Praise something your co-worker has done well. Identifythe specific actions that you found admirable.
* Say "thank you." Show your appreciation fortheir hard work and contributions. And, don't forget to say "please"often as well. Social niceties do belong at work. A more gracious, politeworkplace is appreciated by all.
* Ask your co-workers about their family, their hobby,their weekend or a special event they attended. Your genuine interest - asopposed to being nosy - causes people to feel valued and cared about.
* Offer staff members flexible scheduling for theholidays, if feasible. If work coverage is critical, post a calendar so peoplecan balance their time off with that of their co-workers.
* Know your co-worker's interests well enough to present asmall gift occasionally. An appreciated gift, and the gesture of providing it,will light up your co-worker's day.
* If you can afford to, give staff money. End of the yearbonuses, attendance bonuses, quarterly bonuses and gift certificates say"thank you" quite nicely.
* Almost everyone appreciates food. Take co-workers orstaff to lunch for a birthday, a special occasion or for no reason at all. Letyour guest pick the restaurant.
* Create a fun tradition for a seasonal holiday. You candraw names for a Secret Easter Bunny gift exchange.
* Bring in croissants, doughnuts or another treat forstaff and co-workers. Offerings such as cookies or cupcakes, that you've baked personally,are a huge hit. (Have you tried baking cupcakes in ice cream cones? People lovethem.) Another hit? Bring chocolate – chocolate anything.
* Last, but not least, provide opportunity. People wantchances for training and cross-training. They want to participate on a specialcommittee where their talents are noticed. They like to attend professional associationmeetings and represent your organization at civic and
philanthropic events.

Stretch your imagination. There are hundreds of other ideas just waiting to befound. They'll bring you success in employee motivation, employee recognitionand in building a positive, productive workplace.