Introduction to Tourism Destination Planning & Development Essay

Tourism provides a major economic development opportunity for many countries and a means of improving the livelihoods of its residents. Both the public and private sectors involved in tourism depend on planning to achieve sustainable tourism development that respects the local community, creates appropriate employment, maintains the natural environment, and delivers a quality visitor experience. Tourism destinations that pursue development without proper planning would face several negative impacts upon the community and host region, such as the erosion of the region’s cultural identity as well as the destruction of landscapes. Malaysia is situated in Southeast Asia and consists of 13 states and 3 federal territories, separated by the South China Sea. 11 of Malaysia’s states are located in Peninsular Malaysia and 2 in east Malaysia, situated on the island of Borneo. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government and I skandar is known as the administrative center. Tourism is Malaysia’s second largest foreign exchange earner, with a total number of 1,817,061 tourist arrivals in January 2012 alone and 9,438,592 in the following five months[], nearly a hundred thousand more than in the first five months of 2011. Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Dato’ Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen has stated that total receipts from tourism in this period was RM 21.8 billion[] and according to the National Key Economic Area annual report in 2011, the tourism industry is projected to provide and incremental contribution of RM 66.7 billion to the country’s National Gross Income. All these show the very rapid growth of Malaysia’s tourism sector. Moreover, the tourism industry in Malaysia has also been noted to have provided a number of 1.2 million jobs in the country, helping boost the economic and socio-economic development of Malaysia; whether directly or indirectly, tourism has helped generate employment in industries such as agriculture, handicraft, hotel, transport and arts and culture[], while simultaneously conserving aspects of history, culture, heritage and environment of the country. Malaysia’s attractiveness as a tourist destination can be largely contributed by the fact that, in line with its international tagline ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’, it is a colourful hotpot of cultural diversity. Malaysia’s community consists of not only Malays, Chinese and Indians, but also a number of ethnic people such as the Kadazandusun and Iban in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the Selatar clan in Johor. With its multi-cultural heritage and ‘exotic’ traditions, food and festivals, many tourists are drawn to visit the country every year. In addition, Malaysia also has the advantage of having a warm, tropical climate all year long, something which many Western travellers look forward to enjoying, as well as having the advantage of being free of major natural disasters such as volcanoes or earthquakes. Malaysia is also proud to have UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites to its name, primarily the Gunung Mulu Geo-Park in Sarawak[], and the historical sites of Malacca[], with Mulu attracting 15000 tourists annually[] while Malacca welcomed more than four million between January and April this year[]. Recently, it has been revealed that the tourism industry was allocated an RM358 million under Budget 2013 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2013/2014, in order to reach a target of 26.8 million arrivals for the coming year[]. The Government will also review domestic policies and regulations regarding foreign equity restrictions and limits on employment of foreign talent, as well as rules governing recognition of international qualifications, requirements for commercial presence, composition of board of directors, and residency for expatriates[] in order to assist in liberalising the services sector to reach its full potential in Malaysia. Successful implementation of tourism destination development involves a lot of planning, in terms of the assessment of available resources at the destination, marketing strategies to be undertaken, economic and financial analysis as well as an analysis of the market, the environment and also the social impacts of the development. In this assignment, I will attempt to measure the planning process and effects of it in regards to the state of Pahang in Malaysia. Introduction- Pahang Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia and is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and by the South China Sea. Its state capital is Kuantan, and the royal town is Pekan. Approximately 1.5 million people reside in Pahang to date and the ethnic composition is roughly 1,000,000 Malay and Bumiputera, 233,000 Chinese, 68,500 Indians, 13,700 others, while the rest are non-citizens. Geographically diverse, Pahang ranges from mountainous country in its west to one of the longest coastline in the east of Peninsula Malaysia[]. There has been evidence found that indicates the earliest habitation of Pahang leads back all the way to the Mesolithic Era. Once famous for the deposits of tin and gold found along the upper reaches of the Tembeling River, Pahang had attracted the interest of outside powers long before the founding of Malacca in 1400. Under the control of the maritime empire of Srivijaya, Pahang had expanded to cover the entire southern portion of the Malay Peninsula in the 8th and 9th Centuries. With the collapse of Srivijaya power around 1000, Pahang was claimed first by the Siamese and then, in the late fifteenth century, by Malacca. After Malacca fell to the Portuguese in 1511, Pahang became a key part of the territorial struggles between Acheh, Johor, the Portuguese, and the Dutch. Repeated raids, invasions, and occupations devastated the state, until the decline of both Achenese and Portuguese power in the early 17th century allowed Johor to re-establish its influence on the much fought-over state. In the late eighteenth century, Pahang gradually gained autonomy, and in the middle of the nineteenth century it had become an independent state[]. The name ‘Pahang’ has been said to originate from the language of a Siamese ethnic tribe, meaning ‘ore’. The tribe once live there and opened up several mining areas, especially in Sungai Lembing. According to an old Malay story, at the place near the Pahang River, on the opposite side of Kampung Kembahang, a large ‘mahang’ tree fell across the river, thus the name ‘Pahang’ originated. The old name of Pahang is Inderapura[]. Two thirds of this huge state is covered in forest, thus Pahang’s population is dependent mainly on agriculture and natural resources. There is extensive palm oil, cocoa and rubber cultivation. Due to its long coastline, fishing and tourism related activities are prominent in Pahang and there are some small-scale manufacturing and cottage industries which residents are also dependant on[]. The tourism mission of Pahang is: Promoting Pahang as a Major Tourism Destination based on cultural heritage and natural resources for the socio-economic development of the state.[] Resources of Pahang The Arabic honorific of Pahang is Darul Makmur (â€Å"Abode of Tranquility†), an apt description of the state, with its lush tropical forests, cool mountain air, beaches, lakes and waterfalls nestling in the arms of mountain crevices. Pahang is truly a wild land with a picturesque and ethereal natural beauty beyond comparison. However, Pahang has more than that and its resources can be roughly categorized into different classes; natural resources, cultural resources, and manmade resources. Natural Resources of Pahang True to its fame, Pahang is home to many beautiful and breathtaking natural sites and wonders. It is home to unexplored rainforests, carefully preserved wildlife habitats, undisturbed ecological sites and raging, wild rivers and waterfalls. 1. Taman Negara The natural heart of Pahang is unquestionably Taman Negara, Malaysia’s oldest national park, lovingly referred to as â€Å"The Green Heart†. Gazetted as a National Park in 1938, Taman Negara is Malaysia’s largest and oldest natural park, with over 4000 km2 of wild, virgin rainforest. Although it also spans across the states of Terengganu and Kelantan, its largest protrusion is into Pahang. It is carefully conserved and protected due to its status as one of the last remaining frontiers of pristine rainforest, not only in Malaysia, but in the world. Taman Negara has a wide variety of flora and fauna, like the long-tailed macaques and rare Sumatran rhinos, as well as over 250 species of flora. One of the most frequented tourist attractions at Taman Negara is the Canopy Walkway, a suspension bridge of strong ropes, cables, net and wood that hangs 40 metres above the ground from which tourists are able to appreciate the park’s natural beauty without disturbing its resident wildlife. There are also several limestone hills in Taman Negara that have stayed undisturbed since several hundred millions of years ago. Some of the popular caves are Gua Telinga, Gua Kepayang, Gua Daun Menaru and Gua Luas. Visitors also have the chance to take a 40 minute boat trip up the Tahan River to the Lata Berkoh Waterfall, where they can get the invigorating experience of swimming in the cool waters of the deep pool beneath the fall. Adventure-seeking tourists are also able to shoot up the 7 rapids of the Tembeling River, which takes about 5 minutes as it is a 9km ride. With the help of a hired guide, visitors can also go jungle trekking to experience Taman Negara up close along well-marked trails like the Tahang, Terenggan and Neram Trail.   As Taman Negara is so meticulously guarded, tourists need to obtain certain permits or licenses in order to gain access to the park. These licenses differ depending on the tourist’s particular intention and can be applied for at any Department of Wildlife counters located at the Kuala Tembeling Jetty or Kuala Tahan. The permits and respective fares are listed in the following table.

21950183087900 Essays - Xiaomi, Smartphones, Economy Of China

21950183087900 Essays - Xiaomi, Smartphones, Economy Of China 21950183087900 Xiaomi's globalization strategies Location: Astana Course Code: MGMT621 Course Name: Strategic Management Professor: Stephan J. Wirtz , MA, MBA, DDA Student(s) Name(s) : Nurzhan Sikhimov INTRODUCTION The work aims to study and analyze the factors that led to the success of Xiaomi company, its current position among its competitors in the domestic and the world market. Xiaomi was founded in April 6, 2010 by serial entrepreneur Lei Jun, who is one of China's top 20 richest person with net worth US$ 9.1 billion according to Forbes. It crafted smartphone hardware, software, and internet services as well as accessories with the help of smart and talented people that it hired from Google, Kingsoft, Microsoft, Motorola, Yahoo and other successful technology companies around the globe. Xiaomi has sold more than 60 million smartphones worldwide in 2014, with more than 18 million handsets in China alone, resulting in US$ 12 billion revenue. Their presence is mainly in the Asian region such as China, Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines. Xiaomi's focus is to produce reliable, user friendly, mobile applications and affordable phones to customers. Xiaomi is currently the third largest smartphone producer in the world with over 5,000 employees worldwide. As of December 2014, Xiaomi has achieved the status of the most valuable technology start-up in the world after it successfully secured US$1.1 billion investment with a company valuation of US$ 45 billion [1] To understand reasons for the company's success, the business model canvas and SWOT analyses of the company are made. The studied scientific works and articles made it possible to consider the world smartphone industry, the place of Huawei in it, its abilities to survive in the tough struggle in the international market , present some solutions to sustainability of Huawei's competitive advantage. The business model canvas of the company KEY PARTNERS Google Youku Todou KEY ACTIVITIES Software development VALUE PROPOSITION Hig h tech affordable smartphones Customer oriented Link between hardware and software CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS Use of customer feedback for developing new products and technology Customer engagement CUSTOMER SIGMENTS Middle class customers KEY RESOURSES W ebsite and online stores I T and communications infrastructure M anufacturing facilities. Content development CHANNEL S E-commerce Few physical stores Advertisement through customers COST STRUCTURE Production RD REVENUE STREAMS Smartphone sales Other devices sales SWOT Analyses for Xiaomi S trengths One of the Largest Smartphone maker - Xiaomi is one of the largest smartphone makers in the world. It is said to be the 5th largest smartphone manufacturer as of 2017. Originating from China, the Smartphones are manufactured in huge quantities and have wide acceptance across the world. Highest selling Smartphone - The REDMI Note 4 became the highest selling smartphone in India and China and practically in 50% of the Asian market. This shows that Xiaomi is strongly rising in the smartphone market and has already beaten several giants. Huge China and Asia market available - Another benefit to Xiaomi is that the whole Asian market is their playground. As China lies within Asia and as Chinese mobile brands are highly penetrated in the Asian markets , Xiaomi still has a lot of ground to explore. Good Qualityproducts - Even at such low prices, no one can doubt the quality of Xiaomi phones. The smartphones are regularly rated high on all E-commerce portals - a further proof that Xiaomi does not compromise on quality even if lowers the price regularly. E-commerce advantage - The Flash sale model is a very popular model which has worked wonders for Xiaomi. In this model, the product is made available only in limited quantities and sold at a very low price . This model made the consumers crazy and each Xiaomi looked like a price which was hard earned. Weaknesses Offline Distribution - Xiaomi mainly sold through the flash sale but at times, it was difficult for customers to get their hands on a REDMI or MI model phone. This is because their offline distribution is not upto mark and Xiaomi phones sell mainly via E-commerce. Advertising and Marketing spends- The advertising and marketing spends of the brand is very low. The brand launches ATL campaigns only when coming up with a new product . However, the advertising is erratic at best

Affirmative Action And Its Effects Essays - Social Inequality

Affirmative Action And Its Effects Essays - Social Inequality Affirmative Action And Its Effects The roots of affirmative action can be traced back to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act where legislation redefined public and private behavior. The act states that to discriminate in private is legal, but anything regarding business or public discrimination is illegal (Affirmative 13). There are two instances when opposing affirmative action might seem the wrong thing to do. Even these two cases don't justify the use of affirmative action. First is the nobility of the cause to help others. Second, affirmative action was a great starter for equality in the work place. The most promanite variable in deciding affirmative action as right or wrong, is whether or not society is going to treat people as groups or individuals. Affirmative action is a question of morals. The simplicity to form two morals that are both correct but conflicting is the reason for the division of our nation on affirmative action. Affirmative action is very noble when looking at who benefits from the outcom e. Take a closer look at affirmative action. The people that are involved and the damage it takes on our society surfaces many doubts. Taking a closer look also stirs up a question of nobility that needs to be answered before making a decision on affirmative action. Does affirmative action simply change who is discriminated against and makes it legal for the new discriminators? Coming from my point of view, the view of a white male, this is a serious question. One example of this came to my attention from Dave Shiflett who once worked at Rocky Mountain News wrote Rocky Mountain Hire. In this article he tells about a new hiring strategy used at the Denver news paper Rocky Mountain News. A memo was sent out stating, The job reviews of supervisors and others involved in hiring should address race and sex. Each review should have a hiring goal of at least half of our hires being women and at least half non-white (Shiflett 45). Lets put this strategy to work. We have ten positions to fil l, these positions can be filled following the above guidelines by hiring five black women. It can also be met by hiring five white women and five non-white men. Obviously to meet this goal successfully would mean to not hire a white male (Shiflett 45). I strongly disagree with my white fore fathers and society today who both address race and sex when hiring. Using a persons skin color in hiring is discrimination no matter how society looks at it. At St. Bonaventure University the potential for reverse discrimination became a reality. In May 1994, 22 faculty members were fired, all were male. The president of the university was very blunt about his motive, to protect the small number of women on the university staff (Magner 18). This was purely a discussion based on gender not qualification. No matter how efficient these men were some were fired for not being part of a certain minority. Gary A. Abraham, who was fired as a tenured associate professor stated, It seems ludicrous that t he university can rectify its failure to engage in affirmative action on the backs of its male faculty. Twelve of the men took their complaints to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The commission sided with the men and are even planning to bring the university up on charges themselves (Magner 18). Giving an employer the power to discriminate only towards minorities is unfair and unethical. Now the question is who will the government protect? Society can not consider its self fair when we are still forming decisions based upon gender or race. It is not noble to protect the jobs of women at Bonaventure University simply there are not enough women on the roster. We should protect the jobs of the experienced. We can not form a new society from affirmative action and believe the rights of all United States citizens will be upheld. The whole idea behind affirmative action is to right the wrongs of the past. Well, what about the individuals that were not even born when this a trocity of discrimination was going on. Society should not punish the youth for the

Why its Important to Wear a Helmet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why its Important to Wear a Helmet - Essay Example This trend is ought to continue should we not learn from our mistakes, it should be a top priority of any two wheeler rider or skateboarder to wear a helmet while riding in order to protect severe damage to the head leading to death in majority of the cases. "About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized." (Helmet Related Statistics). Looking at these statistics it becomes extremely important to practice caution and people who ignore heedless warnings pay the price leaving their family members behind to mourn and regret. All the above points show that wearing a helmet is integral and people who don't do it are very vulnerable. Parents play a vital role in inculcating the habit of wearing a helmet in children and this habit must always be inculcated in children right from the time when they learn to ride a tricycle. This is the only way out to stop the menace of countless deaths that take place because of sheer ignorance of people. Several countries have made it a hard and fast rule not to allow riders without helmets and many more countries are in the process to implement this rule. The sooner this rule is introduced the better it is for all the people. Works Cited Helmet Related Statistics (2009). In Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute http:/

Role of HR in developing talent at work in the banking sector (UK and Literature review

Role of HR in developing talent at work in the banking sector (UK and US) - Literature review Example Human resource managers include various tools in recognizing and developing talent in the organization. According to Berger & Berger (2010), the talent assessing tools may include 360- degree feedback; however, the appropriateness and effectiveness of tools used is what matters the most. In addition, coaching plays an important role in the development of an employee’s talent; it can be conducted by a manager or a fellow colleague. Moreover, Morgan & Jardin (2010, p.23) argue that, â€Å"it is vitally important to run talent management like a business in order to drive maximum return on investment in people.† The role of HR has been significant to the organization and an individual as well. In talent development and management, the human resources department ensures that appropriate measures are put in place to ensure that there is presence of the right personnel needed for an organization to succeed (Catalyst, N.d., p. 21). This paper’s aim is to focus on the hum an resources role in developing talent in the banking sector, mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom. 2) Human Resource Role The human resource role concerning talent development begins with the creation of that talent, hence nurturing and developing it. In this talent driven economy, talent- powered organizations are essential; indeed, such talents must be developed and further sustained (Cheese, Thomas, & Craig, 2007, p.46). Talent is normally referred to as a special gift, in this case involving experience, knowledge, & skills of an individual, (Shavininna, 2007, p.159). Therefore, each organization aims at acquiring, retaining, and sustaining such talent, with an aim of achieving organizational goals. According to Collins (2011, p.35), a global war for talent is evident, with global graduates seeking opportunities to develop their skills and experience in oversees countries. In addition, the United Nations data revealed that over 214 million people live away from the ir home countries. In countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, the arrival of highly skilled migrants contributes to higher education through fees. The talent war is aimed at accessing the best talent, with companies offering favorable working environment with an aim of attracting best talent. The banking sector of any country is a vital field; almost all banks in the United States and in the United Kingdom have incorporated human resources in their operations, especially as this department deals with a number of duties concerning the employees, such as training and development. One such bank is the Deutsche bank, which is based in various countries among them the United States, and attests to the human resource importance in its organization, whereby, the human resources contribute to developing and retaining the best talent (Deutsche Bank, 2011). In addition, Standard Chattered Bank in the United Kingdom has incorporated talent development programmes, whereby, attr acting the best talent and further developing it is their main aim, as they believe in building their employees (Standard Chartered Bank, 2009). Success is determined when a company’

Kuwait's economy before and after gulf war Assignment

Kuwait's economy before and after gulf war - Assignment Example Most of its oil was exported to Europe and the United States (International Business Publications 2012). Reliance of oil as the sole source of income led to over production of oil in Kuwait. With large deposits, approximately 94,525 billion barrels, Kuwaiti suppressed the prices of oil in the international markets (CIA World Factbook). However, overproduction angered the neighboring oil producers, such as Iraq, which was desperate to pay the funds it had borrowed for was. The act of suppressing process was viewed as an act of economic sabotage. The government of Kuwaiti maintained a low value of foreign debt that was manageable. The debt owed by Kuwaiti prior to the gulf war was $8billion. Although the country is oil rich, it has a small portion of arable land, thus preventing the country from relying on agricultural activities. However, the country engaged in other economic activities such as construction, manufacturing, and financial services. The geopolitical importance of Kuwait was increasing die to instability in neighboring nations. It was the preferred trade route that linked the west and the east. The hostilities that arose due to suppressed oil prices made Iraq invade Kuwait in 1990. The war devastated the oil wells of the country. According to Murdico (2004), the Iraqi troops burned most of the oil wells in Kuwait. The act sabotaged oil production in Kuwait for a whole year. The per capita income fell from $8967 in 1990 to $ 5508 in 1991. The war also led to an increase in international prices to over $30 per barrel, up from $20 per barrel in the oil spot market. Although the war did not last long, the effects were visible. First, most of the people ran to neighboring countries, meaning, there was no immediate resumption of production after the war. Second, the oil wells were heavily destroyed and had to be renovated. Reconstruction of Kuwait after the war cost the country an approximated $40 billion. The

Money Saving Tips for College Students Essay Example for Free

Money Saving Tips for College Students Essay As for any college student the usual expenses of; school, personal life, food, entertainment, and leisure activities is enough to make you broke or for most of us, in debt. It is Thursday night and the weekend is here but your wallet is full of bank receipts and there is not any cash to been found. Your friend just told you the agenda for the night which involves; dinner, pre-game, party, and then night club. Chances are your staying in for the night unless you have a hidden supply of cash under your bed. This type of scenario is all too common for most college students, which is why I am going to explain in detail how to save and manage your money more effectively. With becoming better educated on how to manage your money properly you will be shocked at the amount of cash you can save. The following tips will help you to save money in the following areas of your college expenses; money management, organization of money, personal life, decision making, jobs, entertainment, leisure activities, food, dating, tuition, and books. Learning how to manage your money and having the proper knowledge on which banks to use with your money is an important part on saving your money. The following bullets will explain in detail on how to effectively manage your money: 1) Track your expenses – By tracking your expenses for 2 weeks to a month will allow you to have a better understanding where your money is going. Are red bulls at the 7-11 and a cappuccino at Starbucks 4 times a week actually needed? You will tend to realize the amount of money wasted on small items that are not necessary. Just by tracking your expenses you will begin to manage your money more effectively. To keep better and more organized track of your money, using a notebook or quicken are great tools to being better organized. Having good records prevents you from spending what you do not have and from over drafting your account. 2) Budget your money – The best way to manage your money over a period of time is to create a budget. Take the time to sit down and look at your incomes and expenses. Examples of income are scholarships, paycheck if working, loans, money saved throughout summer and money from your family. Examples of expenses are books, food, rent, bills, tuition, and entertainment. Create a list of your incomes and expenses, and then decide a way to budget your money from either week to week or month to month. It is important to pace yourself when putting yourself on a budget. If you spend all of your money in the beginning of the month, you will be stuck eating leftovers from the cafeteria for the last week. In addition, it is important to provide yourself with money for leisure and entertainment. You are a college student, it is refreshing to buy yourself something new or have a good time every once and a while. Putting your money on a budget will help you to manage your money very effectively. Remember, you don’t always have to spend the amount you budget yourself. Also, planning ahead is essential when you are properly managing your money. If you know that soon you will be going on a vacation, paying your car insurance, or just an expensive weekend; placing aside $50 a week is more reasonable than coming up with $400 at once. 3) Choosing a bank – Join a credit union. Credit unions are set up as non-profit so they do not charge those high interest rates and hidden fees as, for example, a Bank of America would. Also, look into online banking, this makes for a fast easy to use way of banking. ) Credit Cards – The most helpful tip that I can give to a college student would be to stay away from credit cards. Do not fall into the traps of free giveaway sign up booths, those guys trying to sign you up are only trying to take your money. The reality is that credit card companies see college students as suckers. That is why credit companies swarm campuses and make getting a credit card so easy. These credit companies also charge a high interest rate on these cards. The average interest rate is 18%; this means you will have to pay back an additional 18% on whatever you may purchase. The higher the interest rate, the harder it will be to pay off your bill. It is like a chain reaction that will just continue to bury you in debt. As you can only afford to pay off the minimum, the interest continues to gain as the bill continues to rise. To avoid this, it is important to avoid the temptations that come with having a credit card and to also try to make more than the minimum monthly payments. Although, having a credit card for emergency situations and to build up your credit for the future can be very beneficial. However, for college students reaching for that Visa can be a very hard habit to break. In addition, credit companies will give you a credit line well higher than what you may need. They may set you at a $5,000 credit limit, when you may only be able to afford $1,000. Just call the credit company and tell them the price you would like your credit line set to. With having a credit card it does not mean you can buy whatever you want. It is important to be realistic and to understand what you can and cannot afford. Most expenses tend to occur in the beginning of the school year. To plan accordingly for this, saving money while working your summer job would help to cut the cost of initial expenses. When coming back to school, books and various items for your apartment/dorm are going to be quite costly. To cut cost on buying books, it is often cheaper to buy books offline or off a friend. Buying books online can be easy and up to half the price that it would be in the bookstore. One downside to buying books online is the amount of time it can take for shipping, so be sure to place your order as early as possible. You may also have some friends who have had the same classes before you, buying a book off a friend who is not going to use it anymore can save you a good amount of money. With having the power of the credit card, it is important to keep a focus on what is important. You want to keep your expenses to either academic or personal essentials. It might seem as if the new PS3 is just the item to place on your credit card, but I can assure you it is not. If this may seem as an essential to you then place aside money each week to save and buy that PS3 with cash. When purchasing anything remember cash is king. For most college students; the pressures of going out on the weekend, taking a girl out to dinner, having the latest technology, and still trying to save money can be quite the challenge. Now remember, you’re in college and on your own now, you don’t have your mother yelling at you to brush your teeth before bed or to clean your room. This is an opportunity for you to begin working on your self-discipline. Having your life in order and maintaining a clear head are two things that college students tend to lose sight of. Making the right decisions when it comes to your personal health and responsibilities is an important part of self-discipline. Within this section of personal life I will relate how staying active, eating healthy, nd enjoying your social life can help you to better manage your money. Everyone is in college to better their future and to get prepared for the real-world, but just as any college student, you want to make the best out of your time here. 1)Staying focused and active – Living in dormitory or even in a house with eight roommates, you become very susceptible to catching different illnesses. By staying active and working out or excising several times throughout the week, your immune system will become stronger and fight off most illnesses. Staying in good shape also helps with increasing self-confidence, energy throughout the day, and keeping your mind active and positively focused. In college it is easier to gain the weight than it is to lose if you fall into the outside pressures of drinking, eating fast food, and sleeping all day. With keeping the self-discipline of staying focused and active it helps to keep a clear head which in return will help you to decide what expenses are important and what is a waste of your money. 2)Healthy diet To stay fit and keep your body in good shape, your diet is just as important as your workout. By going to the grocery store once a week and purchasing vegetables, fruits, meats, beverages, and carbohydrates can help you to save close to an additional $50-$100 a week. Not only is cheaper to purchase food at the grocery store but it is much healthier than ordering out or eating fast food. To cut the cost on buying groceries, divide the cost by you and your roommates, buy and share the food. In addition, you will receive more for your money when you purchase weekly groceries. To get the best prices for quality products, look through the newspaper ads for each supermarket and plan out where you can save the most money. Cut back on buying junk food, it is often expensive and is not healthy. If you do decide to eat out, college towns often have restaurants where you order and serve yourself, this cuts on the cost of leaving a tip. The only problem that some college students might have is that they do not know how to shop at the grocery store or how to cook the food. This is where it might be helpful to make a phone call home and get some instructions from your mother. For those that can cook and shop at the grocery store, this is a great way to get more for your money as well as maintain a healthy diet. )Social life – This is often times confused for the reason as to why you are in college. While it may be easy to fall into the trap of going out every weekend and living the party life it is essential to keep focus as to why you are in college. You are here to get an education and better yourself, not to blow all your money on partying and fail out. This is where the significance of self-discip line and managing your money properly should take first priority. Everyone likes to have a good time and enjoy themselves, it is important to keep things in moderation. Learn to limit your vices or â€Å"stress-relievers† (as some college students say) such as, beer, cigarettes, and etc†¦ These vices can be expensive and costly to your health as well. By keeping to your budget and using the allotted amount you give yourself a weekend you can enjoy yourself and still save money. Here are a couple tips on how to keep the expenses of your weekend nights to a minimum; †¢Have a meal before you leave to go out. Leaving the house/dorm hungry can cost you a lot of money that you may not have. †¢Leave your debit card and wallet home. Only bring the money you can afford for the night and your id. This will help to fight the temptations of buying unnecessary items, especially if you are under the influence. †¢If you have friends that have an unlimited bank account and spend lots of cash, try to avoid them and hang with friends that relate to your financial status. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to enjoy yourself in college. The following is a list of inexpensive activities and entertainment for any guy or girl student who is looking to save money and enjoy their social life as well; †¢Newspapers offer listings of inexpensive or free events that are going to take place in your city/town †¢ Going to matinee movies School events, such as sporting events or clubs †¢Spend a day at the local park, go for a walk or fly a kite †¢Bicycle rides with a friend †¢Spending the afternoon baking and relaxing †¢Grab a couple friends and play sports at the school gym †¢Coffee shops often have free local bands play at night †¢Afternoon flea market †¢Depending on the season, apple or pumpkin picking for Halloween, Christmas shopping, Easter decorating or designing eggs, etc†¦ †¢Art gallery Student newspapers often give listings of free events or activities that are taking place around campus †¢Play video games with friends, create tournaments and play for bragging rights †¢Get involved in intramural sports †¢Ladies usually get into clubs for free and get drink specials †¢Go to bars with no cover charge and that have drink specials Throughout college you are going to meet a number of different people, some you will like more than others, and for those you do, you may find yourself taking him or her out on a date. Now for most people, saving money and dating are two notions that don’t connect. For most, on a first date you try to impress and give off the perception that you are not broke or even worse, cheap. To the disbelief of many, dating does not have to be expensive to be impressive, entertaining and unforgettable. Remember, you are trying to stick to a budget and with all other expenses it is challenging enough. The following bullets will explain how to have fun on a date without spending all your cash. †¢Mother Nature – It is all around us everywhere we go, natural scenery is different at every campus and usually the beauty goes unnoticed. A great idea for when the weather is nice is to take him or her down to Narrangansset or Newport and go for a walk on the beach. Take a walk around city blocks and stop somewhere there is nice view overlooking the city. Take time to find these spots at which ever campus you are, this can be extremely cheap and give quality time to build a better relationship. †¢Picnic A picnic in the local park is always a great idea. Bring sandwiches and beverages, it shows that you took the time to actually prepare something. This costs minimal as to what you spend at a restaurant and can be taken almost anywhere. Depending on the mood you are trying to create, you can make a picnic either casual or romantic by adding a few extra accessories. †¢Sporting events – If you get so lucky to find a woman who is interested in sports, this is a great opportunity to either play a sport together or to watch a sporting event at your school. This also allows you to spend quality time with one another as well as have a good time while saving your money. †¢Experience culture and history – In this city there a number of historical buildings, museums, art galleries, cultural centers and landmarks that are either very cheap or free. Often times, there are exhibits that are off campus that have reduced or free admission for college students. This is good for a date on a more intellectual level and gives time to get to know each other as well as the area you are in. †¢Dinner at home – For those of you who are culinary skilled, this is a great opportunity to impress your date and to save the cost of going out to eat. To make the date more interesting, cook the meal together and combine ideas. After the meal, this is a chance to hang out and watch a movie or play a game. This is a great date idea to impress and really have a good time. Miniature golf/go karts – This makes for a great afternoon date and adds a little excitement. Racing each other and fooling around on the race track provides a fun time for one another. In miniature golf, a friendly competition allows to make things more exciting and to fool around. †¢University events – In the school paper, there are listings of events that are taking place for the following week. Usually events are free or reduced admission, which includes concerts, art exhibits, guest speakers, and plays. This can make for a quality date as well as save you money. †¢Coffee houses – Stop at a local coffee shop to relax and have conversation. Coffee is much cheaper than a meal at a restaurant and provides the relaxed atmosphere to get to know each other better. Also, order a dessert and splitting it provides for a romantic experience. Making Money I’ve saved the best for last. If you can master even one of these, you’ll have a head-start on your friends. Master all four, and you’ll be on the road to wealth. No kidding. †¢Spend less than you earn. Don’t earn much? Then don’t spend much. If your spending and income are roughly even, you have two choices: earn more or spend less. When I was in college, I worked as many as four jobs at once. This gave me a lot of spending cash. (Unfortunately, I didn’t do a good job with the spend less part of the equation. ) †¢Be an outstanding employee. Good work habits can pay enormous dividends, leading to recommendations and contacts that you can use after you’re out of school. Several of my classmates turned work-study jobs into launching pads for future careers. †¢Start your own business. Can you install a hard drive? Can you strip a computer of spyware? Can you perform minor car repairs? Do you have a pickup truck you could use to haul furniture? Are you a passable guitar player? Charge cheap rates and exceed expectations. Word will spread. When you’ve built up a customer base, you can raise your rates a little. This is an awesome way to make money. Learn to invest. Find a discount broker and begin making regular investments. Sharebuilder is a great choice for college students. It costs only $4 to make a scheduled stock purchase, and you can invest any amount of money, even $20. Don’t obsess over the details yet. You can worry about high returns and low fees later. Right now the most important thing is to develop the investment habit. (Ad: Buy Stocks for $4 at ShareBuilder. Ten years from now, you’ll thank yourself. If you can find a way to invest $1000 a year for the next ten years, you can set yourself up for life. Organization and Planning Save your receipts. Put them in a shoebox under your bed if you must, but hold onto them. You’ll need to be able to compare them with statements at the end of the month. And some you’ll need to keep for several years. Guard your vital stats. Don’t give out your social security number or your credit card info except to known and trusted sources. Pay your bills on time. Basic advice, but it’s surprising how many people lose track of things. If you pay your bills as they arrive, you won’t have to worry about forgetting them. Tuition Expenses †¢Try looking for scholarships. You may think that youre no longer eligible for scholarships since youre a college student, but this isnt true. Your school or other foundations may offer scholarship programs that can save you loads of money on college tuition. For further information you may want to try www. findaid. org or www. college-scholarships. com. †¢Shop around for student loans. Just like choosing a credit card company, you should try going to different banks to see what types of interest rates are available. You may want to choose the type of loan that begins charging you interest after youre finished with collegenot the type of loan that charges you interest while youre in school. Other Expenses †¢Shop around for a reasonable cell phone plan. Try to find a plan that works best for the type of calls you make the most. Do you call your family or friends most often? Do you need a long distance plan? Do you text message often? †¢Try filling your prescriptions at your schools health center. Sometimes campus health centers will fill your prescriptions for a fraction of the cost of a regular pharmacy. See a doctor on campus. If you feel sick, you may want to consider seeing a doctor or a nurse practitioner on campus. These services are often free. †¢Bike, walk or take the bus to school. These alternatives may help you save money on gas and alleviate some of the stress you may experience trying to park on campus. †¢Go to the on-campus gym. Access to this gym equipment is usu ally free. If you want to take group classes, however, be prepared to pay a fee. http://www. getrichslowly. org/blog/2006/08/30/27-money-tips-for-college-students/