Starting a business from scratch can be exciting, but it is very hard work. While many people dream of the entrepreneurial lifestyle, very few consider buying an existing business as a viable alternative to starting one. Buying a business has many advantages, including predictability, more stability of operations, established brand name, and ultimately lower risks. However, finding a good business for sale isn’t an easy job. Here are five ways you can find a good business and live out your dream of owning your own gig.

Use a business transfer agent

Business transfer agents specialize in this kind of trade: connecting business for sale with willing buyers. They will already have a list of businesses for you, cutting you the time you need to search for a willing seller. On top of that, they will help you do an analysis of the business, and walk you through the negotiations, legal work, pricing, and other aspects of the transaction.

While this is convenient, you do incur the extra cost of commission for the agent. Ensure that you are 100% confident about his/her ability, technical capability, and honesty. Also, make sure that they fully understand your requirements before they start a search for you.

Search online

Today, it is possible to find almost anything for sale online. Merchant sites and notice boards allow you to advertise your goods and services for sale. You can start with a simple Google search for “business for sale”, and narrow it down to your preferred location. You can also check out bulletin sites such as Craigslist for any such posting. Anyone serious about selling their business in today’s age would put it up online. Ensure that you do your due diligence before you purchase. It is very easy to get scammed online. Back in the day people would search the yellow pages or look at classified ads in the newspaper to look for goods or merchants. Today that whole process has simply been transported to the net with online portals such as Shoppok classifieds where you could find anything from repair services to second-hand cars.

Ask your networks

Never ignore you networking circles. Your networks includes your family, your friends, acquaintances, and even professional colleagues. Putting out word in your networks that you are interested in buying a business can be more effective than you imagine. For more efficient use of your networks, you want to ask those specifically who would be involved in the industry. Ask people how are in your network who are business owners, brokers, bankers, venture capitalists and others who would have knowledge about such issues.

Newspapers and print media

Depending on what country you live in, the classifieds of local newspapers print out adverts for businesses on sale on specific days. Find out what day your country/locality shows these ads and keep a lookout for them. In addition, look in the classifieds of trade magazines for industries you may be interested in. Just like with the internet, ensure that you do your due diligence before you make a purchase.

Fishing for opportunities

This is an aggressive method. Fishing for business opportunities through this technique is not easy, but is potentially rewarding.

First, call business owners in the industry you are targeting. Ask them if they know anyone who is willing to sell. Afterwards, follow up with a letter, reminding them of your request. A few weeks later (preferably two), call them up again and ask. You may need to call a lot of business owners before you get any positive response, but it is worth the shot.

While doing this, try to target older business owners. They would have a higher probability of selling than much younger owners.

This is a guest post from Tom at Intelligent Business Transfer which is home to hundreds of businesses for sale in the UK.

Some believe that money makes the world go round – many disagree. But most people can surely agree on the fact that when money is tight, it can put real pressure on everything: your relationships, career and family – and have a real negative impact on your life. With the economy in an ongoing slump and more and more people struggling to make their money go further, here is some advice for dealing with debt.

1.      Cutting back

There are many ways to reduce outgoings within the home. Think about if you really need more than one car, buy food in bulk and consider walking as opposed to driving to save on petrol. With regards to bills such as electricity, car insurance and mobile phones, shop around to see if you can get a better deal. Use price comparison sites or go into your local phone shop to see if they can offer you a better deal. These may seem like small things, but could add up to huge savings.

2.      Borrow

Sometimes it can be difficult admitting that you need help but think about whether there is someone in your family that might be willing to lend you some money. If you explain your situation and let them know how it is impacting on your life, they may be able to help you.

3.      Personal loan

Banks offer personal loans, but these are generally only for people with good credit ratings. Remember to shop around for the best interest rates and the most flexible repayments to suit you and be sure that you’re in a position to be able to pay it back. Loans, depending on amount, can be repaid over a number of years.

4.      Payday loan

If you are thinking of taking out an instant cash loan then there are a few things to consider. Think about when you are likely to get your next have money (e.g. your wages) and see if that ties in with the repayments. Interest rates can be high on these types of loans and remember the quicker you pay it back, the less it will ultimately cost you.

5.      Remortgaging

One option when you need to free up a large sum of money is to consider re-mortgaging your house. However, this can be a big decision to make and you need to seriously consider if you will be able to afford the repayments.

Money worries can take a real toll on you, but remember that there are people out there who will want to help you. Telling a family member about your money troubles could really help, so don’t keep it bottled up while things spiral out of control. For more advice and tips about managing your money, visit the Money Advice Service website or Citizens Advice.

£5,000 is a large sum of money and while many may sensibly consider spending that amount on something practical – such as a loan repayment, investment or towards a car – wouldn’t it be great to make one single extravagant purchase?

At the 888ladies bingo site you could be £5,000 better off by playing one of our jackpot games, and if you are lucky enough to win, here are five extravagant things you could spend your money on in one go.

Lowchen puppy

Literally translated as Little Lion, this dog of German origin is one of the rarest and most expensive pooches in the world. It has a pretty odd appearance, with a long, hairy coat covering its front legs, while its hind legs are shaved – in olden days this provided the owner close skin-to-skin contact with the dog for warmth.

Of course, the Lowchen’s price tag reflects its rarity and this pup will set you back between £5,000 and £8,000.

The Fleurburger

Yes, you guessed correctly, the Fleurburger is a burger and it really does cost thousands of pounds. Although to be fair, it isn’t £5,000 but $5,000 (£3,230) which means you would have a bit of change from your jackpot win to get some fries too.

But what’s so special about the Fleurburger, you ask? Created by chef Hubert Keller, it’s made from some of the finest ingredients known to man – Kobe beef (a Japanese speciality that costs a fortune), foie gras and truffle sauce, served on a brioche truffle bun with truffles on the side. How many McDonald’s cheeseburgers could you get for the same price, we wonder?

The Hermes Victoria II bag

It may not be so shocking to learn that you can buy a handbag for £5,000 and that’s about how much the Hermes Victoria II handbag will set you back (£4,790 to be precise).

Designed by luxury house Hermes, this handbag is made from black taurillon clemence leather and lined with canvas. It’s been a popular choice for a long time and has, of course, graced the arm of many a celebrity.

Silver wine

Fine wine can set you back a pretty penny, especially if you get a bottle from a vintage year, but how about wine laced with real silver? Sounds utterly decadent, doesn’t it?

If you want to follow in the footsteps of Madonna, who is a fan, then you’ll need to contact Artesanos del Vino in Spain and ask them to ship some over for you. The Queen of Pop splashed out on 25 bottles of the stuff, which is made by mixing a liquor containing silver dust into a sparkling rose.

The Goring Hotel

The name may make it sound like something out of a horror film, but the Goring Hotel in London offers true luxury and the ultimate in style.

With previous guests including Kate Middleton, you can expect one night at the Goring to leave you with little change from your £5,000 bingo win, especially if you choose to stay in the aptly-named Royal Suite.

The four room apartment stretches across one whole floor of the hotel, overlooks private gardens and boasts magnificent panoramic views over London – if you want a taste of the high life, this is the place to come.

Retirement is the time that we spend our whole lives working towards – the golden years. Many people think of it as the end of our lives but in reality, you’ve probably still got another 20 or 30 years ahead of you.

Whether you’re 20 or 50 years old, it’s never too early or too late to start planning for your retirement. You might want to check this Retirement Planning Infographic out, if interested. The earlier you plan, the more likely you are to achieve financial security but if you’ve left it late then it’s still important to do what you can.

Before retiring, the employee should review all their life insurance policies and retirement plans. It is preferable to have these issues resolved while still employed so that problems do not arise once a consistent income source is no longer available. This is true not only for private or public sector employees but also for federal employees who want to have a successful retirement. They must develop a retirement lifestyle plan and consider all of their options for saving money for this new chapter in their lives. Employees need to be aware of the taxes and withdrawal limits associated with various retirement accounts when saving for retirement. As a result, it is preferable to seek professional assistance from a retirement expert to increase retirement funds and better sustain the retirement lifestyle.

There is so much to consider when planning for retirement that it can be worth utilising financial websites, such as Money Vista. They have lots of tools and guides to help you plan your finances and prepare for retirement.

Saving for the future

The basic state pension is currently 110.15 per week for each individual person but that’s the absolute maximum you can expect, unless you have topped up. This weekly amount often represents a significant drop in income compared to your current salary.

Personal, individual and company pension schemes can drastically increase your pension pot and income throughout retirement. In most cases, company pensions are a better option as the employer usually matches your contributions, if not exceed them.

To find out how your finances look, you can request a state pension forecast from the Pension Service. If you have another pension, you should receive an annual statement of your fund’s performance.

Pension options

If you have a personal or company pension, you will be able to exchange your pension pot for an annuity at the point of retirement. You are able to take a cash lump sum of up to 25%, before swapping the remainder for an annuity.

State pension claimants can boost their income by staying in employment past the official age; you won’t have to pay any further National Insurance contributions and you’ll benefit from a higher income when you finally down tools.

Lifestyle during retirement

Retirement planning is absolutely essential for anyone that wants to achieve a comfortable lifestyle once their working life comes to an end. One of the first things to think about when preparing for your later years is the type of lifestyle you would like to achieve. You may need to plan ahead if your retirement life involves a lavish lifestyle. This is even more crucial when you become old and require some kind of support to do basic things like walking around or even going to the bathroom. Due to age-related concerns like these, some people may even need to contact an in-home care provider (check the likes of https://www.careforfamily.com.au/). If that’s the case, you’ll probably need to set aside some money for that as well.

If you have been used to a high quality life, with the financial freedom to do as you please, or if you’ve been striving towards a better future, you will need to ensure you are able to fund that lifestyle. If you’re an active person that dreads the day you’ll no longer have to set your alarm, you can delay giving up work and continue earning. This could even help you top up your finances – especially if you decide to work part-time whilst drawing your pension.

With the economic climate still trying to get back on its feet, businesses are finding these times of austerity extremely difficult. However, one industry which is surprisingly thriving and bucking the trend is the casino industry and more specifically the online casino industry with websites such as Bet Safe offering a wide range of services. Businesses can learn a lot from the casino and online casino industry and implementing the strategies used, could benefit businesses during today’s difficult financial climate.

Attract new customers and encourage customer loyalty:

The casino industry is extremely competitive and like businesses, casinos rely on repeat business to gain the upper hand on the competition. Casinos use marketing strategies to keep their customers entertained and entice new customers with promotions and discounts. These marketing strategies create the impression that something is always happening and keeps customers coming back for more whilst alluring new customers. This can be implemented into business such as, legal firms that could provide monthly offers or repeat business incentives on conveyance work.

Exciting the customer’s senses:

When entering a casino, your senses are overwhelmed and the design is such that you are drawn towards spending your money. By concentrating on the customer’s senses, it betters customer retention and is a way of engaging and drawing in customers. The senses or feelings that customers get in relation to your business are important as this will be the deciding factor in setting you apart from your rivals within crowded industries. By concentrating on your brand image and adding aspects to add to the customer experience will aid the growth of your business.

Accessibility is vital:

Casinos attract an extremely wide and varied demographic as they provide something for everyone with games ranging from strategic poker games to more relaxed slots. By providing other amenities within or near to the casino such as restaurants and drinks whilst you play, they ensure that when the customers do spend their money outside of the games, they are doing so within the establishment. Make sure to self-critique your business to see if you can offer any extra services or amenity that can separate you from your competitors.

Know your business’s end goal:

The end goal of a casino is to ensure that they keep their customers at the tables, slots, machines, bars and restaurants and use some psychological tactics in order to achieve this. Upon entering a casino you will notice that there are no clocks meaning that a customer’s concept of time is reduced and as the casino offers other services such as drinks and food, the customer stays for longer than anticipated. By providing complimentary products in your business, a customer can purchase everything they need under one roof. Customers are therefore helpfully guided into buying the accompanying or complimentary product with consumers who would normally shop at your competitors coming to your business for the complete experience.

Understand your market:

The art of up-selling is essential with casinos being designed around the customer and making them spend as much as possible both online and offline. Casino layouts are based around the consumer and their movements with each chair and table being carefully positioned for the customer. This usability factor keeps the consumer entertained and with each movement around the casino floor or online, they are guided towards another chance where the casino can sell them something. Understanding the business’s customer is vital and by concentrating on up-selling, means that your business will be able to boost its sales.

Casinos understand their clients and in doing so are able to offer them what they want and need as well as provide a wider, more complete service. Customer loyalty and retention is vital to the survival of any business and by implementing some of the above strategies, you could be on the way to putting your business back on track during these times of austerity.