Location is everything

In Auckland city, New Zealand, there is a fantastic hotel that is literally 5 minutes walk from the Sky Tower and casino and is 10 minutes walk from the heart of Queen Street.  The hotel is new, fresh, clean, safe and great to stay at.

So whats the issue?

Well the great thing is that the hotel is now having to offer super cheap and discount rates for people to stay there.

Why?

The building owners and designers didn't factor in that a) car parking in the city is an issue and b) New Zealanders prefer to travel using their own vehicles rather than public options.  So hotel stayers and visitors stay in hotels where there are lots of car parks and car parking is free.  (Note - City Central Hotel does offer car parking but the spaces are limited and if you stay later than 10am it can be really expensive).

Why is this good?

The hotel has lowered tariffs to be super cheap for visitors and the rates are half of what other hotels are charging for the same size room and services.  So here's a tip.  the next time you need to stay somewhere in Auckland - check out the Central City Hotel.

(Image - http://www.flickr.com/photos/98023121@N00/339967426/)

Micro Finance - making a real difference

There are plenty of people in the world who are searching for a breakthrough opportunity to change their lives. They need some funding, some support and some encouragement.

In most parts of the world you can - ask a bank for a loan or seek out an investor.

What about if you live in an under developed country? What then?

How about micro-loans and micro-finance. I personally am a member of Kiva. Kiva is a group of like minded people who lend small amounts of money to people across the globe to help them finance their businesses and to further their opportunities.

I highly recommend that you check it out - Kiva.org

Click here to see someone I have loaned to recently.

And here are some great reads that got me started -

• Hillary Clintons book "Living History"
• Paul Smith and Eric Thurmans book "A Billion Bootstraps".

Job Currency

Cur·ren·cy (n. pl. cur·ren·cies )

1. Money in any form when in actual use as a medium of exchange, especially circulating paper money.
2. Transmission from person to person as a medium of exchange.
3. General acceptance or use; prevalence.
4. The state of being current; up-to-dateness.

How do you rate yourself in terms of currency?

Are you worth what you are being paid or should you be receiving more?

To get the most out of your working life -

• Know what you are worth. If you don't know - ask someone who does.


• Don't settle for less than your true value (unless you choose to)


• Don't think you are worth more than you really are. Be realistic.


• Remember - money isn't everything.


• Change grow and keep up to date.

Stay current and currency will follow!

Free Money for Entrepreneurs

Here is a one line story published by the NZ Herald -

"An opportunity for companies seeking funding for growth or expansion to get a loan of up to $1 million on 'favorable terms"

Click out the University of Auckland Entrepreneurs Challenge website for more details.