The significant challenges that we face today cannot be resolved by the same level of thinking that created them.

It's been very cold up here in our neck of the woods and it doesn't look like it is going to warm up any time soon. A few days ago it was -45 degrees and we have warmed up to a balmy -30 degrees.

I hope everyone has had a good week. Welcome to our new readers. So what do you think of QuikView? Isn't the best? For those of you who haven't been paying attention, QuikView is a browser-based, cross-platform reader for channels. It appears that some subscribers were having trouble understanding what QuikAwasu could actually do so Jim and Carolyn came up with QuikView - another winner in my books.

I decided to put my copy of QuikView to the test. I created an address book for all my QMTP addresses so they are all in one place. Then I created folders and have started gathering information and putting it in there. You could keep track of all your resources or affiliate links - I even set up a folder for my personal stuff like my banking login. And it works like a charm. Be sure to get your own copy today and start playing with it. You'll find it on my subscribe page at Home4Success Subscribe Page. Just click on the little QuikView icon and follow the directions.

I told you it was much more than just a bookmark manager. I think we should share ideas and see just how many uses we can find for QuikView - what do you think?

Fellow publisher, Bobbette Madonna and I have been throwing around the idea of starting a moderated meeting for Quikonnex publishers. At this point the platform is open and we'd like to invite all Quikonnex publishers to these meetings. We haven't set a date or time yet, but if you would be interested, please contact me through my QMTP link following this section.

This past week has brought more alerts about unsafe computing. You've probably seen those emails that look like they came from PayPal or eBay - but they don't. Please - do not respond to these email messages under any circumstances. They are a trap to get your information and it's a scam. They will clean out your account.

The term used to describe this is called 'phishing' (sounds like fishing). David Berlind of ZDNet has written a detailed article about phishing and you can read it Phishing: Spam That Can't Be Ignored here.

In addition to the increase in spam, I think there will be more instances of the 'hijack' type websites that will try to install garbage on your computer. If you missed the story last week, you'll find the details in Curiosity can be costly ... Story of a Hijack. These types of programs can literally wipe out your computer if you aren't careful.

My MailWasher Pro report tells me that I was sent 9,782 messages this past week which is an increase of 1,709 messages from the previous week. Only 358 of those messages were valid. As you can see the spam coming in has increased from just under 1,000 per week to 1,709 more in the last four weeks. Now I've gone to my control panel and stopped many of those messages in their tracks right from my site.

And on top of all that nasty business, we have tax time right around the corner. One of our readers, Peg Bastin, wrote today's Special Feature, Don't Overpay Uncle Sam! She has promised to bring us more tax tips and I'll be happy to share them here. It seems that quite a few people don't fully understand the tax benefits that you are entitled to claim as a home-based business owner so pay close attention.

Our Feature Article today was written by Michele Miller who does work successfully from home. Her article How To Be Successful Working from home takes you in directions other than an internet business. She offers some very good suggestions.

So - grab your favorite beverage and let's get on with the rest of today's issue.

Have a great day and keep on smiling.

Lois M. Jeary
Publisher, KIT
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How to be Successful Working from Home!
By Michele Miller

So, you’re interested in starting a home business? How can you make it happen?

Many people only dream of working from home and don’t think it’s really possible for them to do so. Sometimes it’s the fear of failure that holds people back.

I’m here to tell you IT IS possible and you can make money and enjoy working form home, you just have to be willing to try.

First of all, you have to have a business idea. Let’s look at some legitimate home business ideas to begin with; let’s get some ideas going here …

Web design, Graphic design, Internet marketing, Secretarial Service, Medical Transcriptionist, Home Parties, (there’s lots of these around and you can definitely make good money if you stick with them), Pet Sitting, Errand Runner, Copywriter, Real Estate, Photographer, Caterer, Furniture Maker, Candle Making, Wedding Consultant, Computer Tuition, Music Lessons, Insurance Agent.

There’s loads more, but as you can see, it is possible to find something you enjoy that can be a great home business. You might have to take some classes to begin with if you don’t have a skill. It depends what you are looking for.

The trick with any home business is to ease your way into one. Keep your regular job while you “develop” your home business. Start your business part-time and let it build. When it reaches the point where you are making enough money, you can quit your regular job. This way, you won’t be taking risks and depending on a new business to support you right away.

All the above mentioned businesses are relatively low cost start up businesses. Forget having to invest hundreds of thousands just to start your own business. Some of the most successful businesses were started on a shoe-string, or thereabouts …

So now you’ve got some ideas, what else do you need?

You need DISCIPLINE AND MOTIVATION. That’s as important as your business idea. You need to be a go-getter kind of person to have your own business. You need to be willing to get things off the ground yourself, and often willing to work for no financial return at first, or very little financial return. It helps to have vision; you have to sow the seeds to see the flowers. Overnight success is quite rare.

You can help yourself stay motivated by making a “to do list”, and “working your business” every day in some small or big way. It doesn’t really matter as long as you have a “plan” and keep chipping away at it until it happens.

You hear people say all the time that you need to set your goals, well you do, and a “to do list” will enable you to cross off things as you work through them, giving you a feeling of accomplishment as well.

Okay, what else do you need?

CONFIDENCE

As you begin starting your own business, you may come across negative people who will discourage you and make you feel less confident. You must ignore these people and only let yourself focus on the positive. One day these people will eat their words. Try to find people who want the same out of life as you do and mix with them. If you can, find yourself a mentor in the field you are going in to. This is a great help. You will be able to stay motivated about your future goals if you have someone to share them with. A mentor will also give you insights into your business and hopefully share with you how to avoid certain mistakes along the way.

The last thing you need is FAITH – in yourself. So go ahead, start a home business – You won’t look back!

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and medical transcriptionist. She is also the author of an E-book about medical transcription. You can visit her website at: http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com

Now this is a really great tool. I just ordered it and I don't have the CD yet but I do have online access.

Push Button Sales Letters will help you write those stunning web copy sales letters - with the push of a button. It's true. You have the write the letter of course but you do it in stages and the software helps you focus on the order of your presentation.

How many times have you mixed up benefits and features in a letter and then wonder why your response isn't as good as you thought it would be? With Push Button Letters, it's easy to stay on track. The software helps you follow a natural progression to your letter by offering hints and showing you what you might want to include in the letter.

When you finish the letter, you can put the finishing touches on it for color, font style, etc. and then save it and copy the code and put it on your site.

Push Button Sales Letters v2.0 offers 31 new features over the previous version. Here are a few:

* In the new 2.0 software program you get 8 different feature/benefit layouts for your sales letter which means that you won't end up with the same web site layout and design as everyone else and their dog.

* You get 41 professionally designed background images to choose from so you don't have to spend hours digging around looking for one on the net.

* You get 15 graphic order buttons which makes your order process really pop off the page. This means that your customers and prospects don't have to hunt around for your text link before they can give you money.

* You get 224 background and font colors. And the benefit to you is that now you can use practically any color you want.

I know you'll find Push Button Sales Letters v2.0 a terrific addition to your toolkit.

Only 150 copies left of Insider Secrets 2004 at the time of this writing. This is a highly recommended resource for your business - how to start, what to do, where to go, how to do it. You won't find anyone much better than Corey Rudl to teach you how to do it right. Don't delay on this one.

Insider Secrets 2004

To help yourself, help others. Whatever good you do travels a circle and returns to you many times over - but remember, life isn't about what you get, it's about what you become.
- Dennis Gaskill (a/k/a Boogie Jack)

Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.
- Lester R. Bittel

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm ... As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
- Audrey Hepburn

Don't Overpay Uncle Sam!
By Peg Bastin

Congress has told the IRS to give huge refunds and deductions to taxpayers who have a home-based business, AND anyone who operated one any time in the past three years.

It's true! If you had a home-business in any of the past three years, you can easily file an Amended Tax Return (Form 1040X), and get a refund for up to thousands of dollars or more ... PLUS interest!

In most cases, home business tax deductions (including vehicle deductions) can reduce your taxes by $3,000 to $5,000. If you had a home-based business during 2003 that may mean you're owed a $3,000-$5,000 refund.

In 2004, it may mean you could reduce the amount of taxes being withheld from your paychecks, putting an extra $200-$500 or more extra cash in your pocket, every single month.

ALL of these deductions are the direct result of Congressional Laws, IRS Tax Code and U.S. Tax Court Rulings.

To qualify for the deductions the taxpayer has to be able to prove that they are running their home-business like a business (not like a hobby), and that they are trying to make a profit.

Congress wants taxpayers to run home-based businesses because it helps strengthen the overall economy. So they told the IRS to authorize deductions, even if the business does NOT make a profit.

Here are some more tips you can use:

If you employ your family members in your business, you must have an Employer Identification Number(EIN) from the IRS.

The new IRS procedures for obtaining an EIN, are both easy and free. The easiest way is to do it online by going to http://www.irs.gov, and then, in the field on the left, labeled "Search for Forms or Publications," type in: SS-4.

Even if you don't have any employees, just having an EIN helps show the IRS that you are operating a Business, not a hobby. Use that number (instead of your Social Security number) for filing all future Tax Returns.

Getting The Most Out of Your Vehicle Deductions

Get 4 file folders or envelopes. Label them:

All year long, whenever you incur expenses related to the use of your car (business OR personal), get a receipt and place it into one of these folders. At the end of the year, you and your tax preparer will be able to pick the best method for you.

The IRS only requires four pieces of data in your Vehicle Use Log:

You do NOT need to record every movement of your car all year long. The IRS gives you four options for documenting the business use of your vehicle(s).

Option 1. Keep daily records for a "typical 90-day period." Then apply the business-use percentage to your annual mileage total. You can use any consecutive 90-day period of the year, as long as it represents the average use of your car(s).

Option 2. Keep daily records for the same week of every month of the year. Say, the third week of each month. Then apply those results to your annual mileage total.

Option 3. Keep records all year long, but just record the trips that are EITHER "personal" OR "business." Let's say you keep records just of the personal use of your vehicle(s).

If the odometer reading on December 31, 2004 is 15,000 miles higher than it was on January 1, 2004, and your total "personal" use of the vehicle(s) was 3,000 miles, 20% of your mileage was "personal," so your tax-deductible business mileage will be 80%, or 12,000 miles.

Option 4. You can still record every movement of your vehicle all year long if you want to.

There are many other tax tips that will benefit you, such as:

Writing-Off Meals and Entertainment...
Yes, you can tax-deduct Rent...
Make ALL medical costs tax-deductible...
Some over-the-counter drugs can now be tax-deductible...

I hope that these tips will help you save more of your hard earned money this year. Don't wait any longer to help yourself to the money you've earned this year. I'll be back soon with another installment of IRS tips and tricks for you.

Written by Peg Bastin, who is an avid internet marketer, glad to help others get started in their own online biz, with Ron Mueller, author of "It's How Much You KEEP, That Counts! Not how much you Make" © =01/01/2004

Warning: Do Not File Your Tax Return Until ... You Find Out How To Keep What's Yours. Free details http://www.bastinmarket.com/taxpreparation.html Free report mailto:hbtaxreport@getresponse.com

Most of us utilize affiliate programs to expand our earning potential. It isn't always easy picking a winner though, is it? Have you ever wondered why some affiliates 'know' about new killer products before everyone else?

Well I just found a great little tool you can use called Affiliates Alert. It's a small download and what the program does is find those affiliate programs for you by using a search criteria you select for ClickBank affiliate programs. You just fill in the blanks and hit Report and it will show you a list from the 10,000 products ClickBank the database. It's very simple to use.

The Standard version is free and the Professional version costs. The only difference is there is a 7-day delay in information between the two and you will have to go to website for details. Otherwise, it's all there for you.

It will save you a bunch of time and let you look for products that will tie in with your website. Grab this great little tool while it's still free. Feel free to share it with your friends too. Narrow down your focus in the search and it will come up with a nice list of products you can start reselling today.

Download Affiliates Alert

Internet Tax Helper

Legal Stuff ...

We accept no responsibility whatsoever for the content, profitability or legality of any published articles or advertisements contained within KIT.

And, although all of the articles have been selected for their content, the publishing of such articles within this newsletter does NOT constitute a recommendation of the products or services mentioned or advertised within those articles.

Be responsible! Always do your own Due Diligence before responding to any offer.