We should all aspire to continuing to learn everyday.

Therefore we should try to learn something new today.

What have you learned today?

Share in the comments on this blog so we can all multiply our learning results.

From a global perspective, most of us are wealthy. However, we are very often poor or middle class within our own countries. We struggle with money, barely get ahead and need to push hard to achieve the success we believe we deserve.

Luckily however we can embrace a guerrilla mindset to help us win.

Where does Guerrilla come from?

The Guerrilla mindset comes from the guerrilla tactics as explained in the book Marketing Warfare by Al Ries and Jack Trout. In this book, they talk about four types of warfare tactics:

1. Defensive marketing strategy: Used by the leader in a field to maintain their position.
2. Offensive marketing strategy: Used by the number two or three leader to increase their position.
3. Flanking marketing strategy: Operates in area of little importance to the leaders.
4. Guerrilla marketing strategy: Attack little aspects, gain a small share, retreat, hide, repeat process again and again in various little areas.

The Guerrilla Mindset

So what are some of the things that make up a guerrilla mindset? How can they be applied? Aspects of this mindset are:

1: Every dollar counts: You only have a limited amount of resources and they cannot be squandered on anything that is unnecessary. Before you justify buying that new car make sure you have enough excess cash to buy it outright.

2: Cheap is good, free is better: Need a website but don't have the cash? No problem! Create your own extremely basic website using blogger.com, wordpress.com or weebly.com for the time being. Steve Sammartino (founder of www.rentoid.com) runs his blog on a wordpress.com site and built his start up school website for $220. My brother launched his business Soulkreed using Blogger and a shopping cart.

3: Creativity: Have business cards but can't find targeted leads? Ever tried sticking those cards in relevant books at the bookstore or library? Creativity is about getting the best bang for your buck. Rather than spending thousands advertising on TV you might find a way to do a publicity stunt that will get you TV exposure. When we were doing marketing for entrepreneurs at uni we had to come up with ways to promote a takeaway coffee shop. Some of the guys came up with a publicity stunt where they would put a big coffee cup full of coffee on top of a van and then cause that van to crash into something (like a pole, etc) and spill coffee all over the place. Your idea might not be that extreme but the point is to be creative and to do things that will get you more attention for less money.

4: Hoarding the important, dumping the rest: Guerrillas save as much money as they can to ensure their business will remain afloat and will ditch anything that costs them money that is not productive.

5: Attacking small areas: Guerrillas will come into a tiny market and will gain a few clients very quickly then retreat and do the work. They will repeat this a few times then move on to a new part of the same market. They don't want to own anything, they merely want control of what they need when they need it. Freelancing is a way entrepreneurs do this. When things get tough, they do a short term contract then retreat back to business as usual before things get to comfortable.

6: Sabotage: Sabotage involves getting in behind enemy lines and taking out some of their key aspects. A good example of this online might be becoming a major leader in one of your competitor's forums, where you then refer people back to your own business. Little mischievous (but honest) tricks that will give you a small advantage are the name of the game.

7: Being agile: To be an effective guerrilla you have to be fast and efficient. This means you have to constantly be learning new skills and be able to apply them to your work. Another good idea is using open source free software (a good example is Open Office) which has less features but costs less and allows you to be more flexible.

8: Adaptable to change: Change is one area that your competition suffers in. If someone has a $500,000 mortgage and have all the trappings (cable TV, etc.) they are less likely to adapt to losing their job then someone who has no debt, rents a small apartment and has no unnecessary expenses whatsoever.

9: Tactics: Innovating new tactics and learning from others is the fastest way to continue to gain a guerrilla mindset. Entrepreneurs seem to be the best at this, so find someone you know who is entrepreneurial and get their advice. Look around the web too, as you will find a great number of people who are very agile and nimble in their business dealings.

10: Don't be a Guerrilla: This might seem paradoxical. Perception is reality these days and if people think you are small they will be reluctant to take your wisdom and advice. Prove them wrong. Write a resume that clearly outlines your accomplishments and creates envy for a potential employer. Get a 1800 number for your business and a P.O.Box even if you are working from home. Spend a little on your marketing material, self promotion and personal presentation to show those who you meet that you are something different and better than the rest. In time this will become reality.

How could you apply a Guerrilla mindset to all aspects of your life today? Could you eliminate your debt and the things you own you don't need? Could you get a referral from a trusted friend into a much higher paying job? Could you use new techniques to revolutionise your business? Experiment a little and see what happens

Most people know I'm a good saver. However, since the GFC my income has not been as high as it used to be (and many others are facing the same situation). My savings account which was had several thousands in it was reduced to zero in order to supplement my income still completing various tasks, none of which were paying me income.

Luckily though, I have start topping up my savings account again for the first time in a few months. This has allowed me to gain my confidence again as I always end up fairly demoralised when I am out of money and don't have enough income to sustain me.

For those of you who are in a similar situation, here are the things I am doing (or at least looking into doing) right now to get my savings account back on track:

1: Bring bottles of water
Rather than buying drinks out and about the trick is to invest in a decent bottle (or if you are like me, get a few decent ones for free) and to fill them up with water. Put them in the fridge to chill and then take one or two EVERY SINGLE TIME you leave the house. Don't buy a drink again when you are out and about (at least not in the short term).

2: Stop eating out
This is one I am working on. Since I will be starting my final year of uni next week I intend not to purchase food out and about in the city this time around, which should bring my expenses down significantly. The majority of my money goes on food, particularly when meeting up with friends and colleagues. I plan to make these meetings either not around meals or at my house for the meantime.

3: Get a job/extra job
Entrepreneurs forget this. Just because I am self employed does not mean I am unhappy to work for someone else. In fact, I would recommend it to an extent. It is good to be able to learn at someone else's expense while gaining enough income to support your family. If you are determined not to work as an employee for someone else then get them to hire you under your ABN, which will still see you self employed.

4: Buy less stuff
I haven't bought much stuff this year. One that is often a big expense for me (and a lot of other individuals) is books. Rather than buying new books I intend to take my girlfriend's approach and become known on a 'first name basis' at the library. I also might sell a few of the books I have sitting on my shelf that I no longer want, need or use.

5: Buy quality
When you do have to buy use the following rule: Pay twice as much and buy half as many. A good example of this is Mac computers. My computers seem to die about every 12-24 months, whereas my friends that use macs seem to still be going strong.

6: Start small
Three or four dollars here and there will make a difference. I still save my change on a regular basis and just put $40 in coins into my account. Small amounts add up over time, so use them to your advantage.

7: Eliminate the small
Eliminate small expenses. Still buying that coffee everyday? Take a thermos instead. Really need to spend that extra $15 a month for Internet on your phone? Check it at lunch time at university or work. These amounts are trivial and often overlooked, which is why when big changes (such as the GFC) happen they slowly consume us.

8: Slash bank fees
Some banks are now offering fee-free accounts. Call your bank and haggle with them until you get the same terms, or leave and go elsewhere. If a student shows their student card most banks will waive fees, which can be $60-$100+ a year.

9: OPM
Use Other People's Money as much as possible. I did this today where I went out for lunch with my mum and she paid. I drove so it was still a win-win, but at least I didn't break the bank to do it (since I already had paid for the fuel). If you can get a scholarship, a deal with suppliers or anything else where you can reduce spending it is a win... so give them all a shot.

10: Put your CD's onto your computer
I am slowly ripping all my CD's onto the computer and will start pawning off one's I no longer listen to at a local pawn shop. It might only bring in a dollar or so a CD, but when you have a lot of CD's this can quickly add up. Might be an option to do the same for DVD's.

11: Sell old books
I buy books like crazy. Apart from eliminating the need to buy more I am going to start offloading old ones. University text books are a great place to start and can still make a fair few dollars.

12: Throw out old stuff
Old stuff might not make you any money but it takes space (requiring a bigger house or car), time to clean, effort to manage, etc.

13: Use time to your advantage
Chances are if you have an income problem at the moment (due to redundancy, lack of business or clientele, etc) you will have more time on your hands. Make use of this time. I am still doing my short course in NLP and my swimming lessons. I might one day turn these into some sort of paying benefit. Who knows? The thing is I am staying active in a cost effective way and learning new skills at the same time. You can also use your time to cook meals at home, to go for a run outdoors and to setup a makeshift home gym (allowing you to cancel a gym membership) and more.

14: Review insurances
Have fully comprehensive insurance? Consider reducing to third party. It will save you money. I'm considering seeing what options are available with other companies for my insurance.

15: Turn off social media on your phone
While this was useful at the start and I was experimenting with it, it seems to be becoming more of a distraction against productivity. I'm planning to keep it on my phone for sending messages out, but I turned incoming notifications off.

16: Continue to update your resume
Once you have a job you don't want to stop there. Continue looking for better jobs. Don't ever apply for something on the same level however as it is better to continue working in an area where your knowledge is developed vs learning afresh.

17: Continue to build your businesses
I'm still developing my entrepreneurial businesses but have taken the pressure of both them and myself that comes with relying upon them for cash flow. Income generated will still pay me to an extent and will also be reinvested into the businesses (building their savings accounts).

18: Add value
Part of building your savings account is to add values to others. What goes around comes around. I continue to do this by providing content on this blog while also helping friends and family update their resumes, cover letters, etc. Occasionally I get a paying client through this which adds to the account.

19: Cutting back on going out
Going to pubs, clubs and so on takes it's toll. Even if you don't spend lots of money on alcohol there is still entry fees, wear and tear on your car (or taxi fares), the occasional soft drink and other expenses that can add up. There was a stage when I was going out 3-4 nights a week which was great for meeting new contacts, but bad for my bank account. Find a balance and look for activities during the day which are cheaper and can produce better quality contacts.

20: Use a pre-paid phone
With the Internet becoming a major way to contact people, instant replies are becoming less common. Instead of spending lots of money on SMS and a new phone buy a cheap phone that can be replaced easily and used prepaid primarily for calls only. If you are entrepreneurial or technical by nature then embrace Skype as the main way for calling people too.

21: Eat breakfast
I am still overcoming my habit of skipping breakfast. Eating breakfast causes me to be less hungry during the day, which results in me spending less on food. Eat breakfast and keep it cheap but effective (toast, fruit, wheatbix, etc).

22: Set a plan
I don't budget. I used to just save as much as I could first and live on the rest. Now I'm doing it the way most recommended to me by books and business people I respect. 10% of my income will go to savings no matter what. Another 10% to paying debt (or savings if you have no debt) and 10% to charity. I will live off the remaining 70%.

23: Unexpected money
Any unexpected money will be have 10% go to charity and the remainder will be split between savings and any debt repayment.

24: Do more things
Accumulate experiences rather than stuff. I agree with him. My lifestyle choices are now based on doing things and people rather than stuff. There is truly more to life.

25: Downsize your car
I've already done this. Although insurance is more (which I'll be reviewing) the fuel costs are a lot cheaper, which is saving me money. I'll also be able to afford to service my car for a change if all goes well, which is something I have not been able to do before. Speaking of services...

26: Maintaining items
I will be ensuring I regularly defrag and manage my computer, service my car, exercise, etc. Maintenance and prevention is often better than a cure.

27: Not buying online
Something I rarely do anyway (except a few domain names) but I'm doing my best to ensure that I am not spending money online as much as possible. Luckily I never really developed this habit.

28: Walk or train
I'll be training it to the city (as per usual) and may do so from near my home to reduce expenses. It's much cheaper than fuel for me.

29: Nights at home
Rather than going out I'll be having a few more movie nights and spending time at home with the family as opposed to out drinking.

30: Carrying a backpack
This will stop me from hurting my back while also allowing me to carry my lunch. My messenger bag doesn't have room for anything other than my notepad and laptop.

31: Cut your hair short
I'll continue to get my hair cut short in the meantime to avoid paying for gel, wax, etc. I might even buy some clippers and do it myself to save cash. This will only be temporary as I want to grow my hair again at some point.

32: Telecommute
I have already done this also. By using Skype and phones I have been able to save both time and money spent using in person meetings. This is huge when you live two hours away from where most of your business involvements operate from.

33: Buy on sale
If you need to buy something (IE: all your pairs of pants fall apart) try to buy on sale. If you can buy through your work and get a discount, capitalise on it.

34: Track spending for 30 days
I did this once before and most of my spending was on food. I would not have known that if I had not tracked my spending. I might do the same again in the next week or so.

35: Keep tires pumped up
I heard once (can't remember where from) that for every psi your car tires are below the recommended pressure they will cost the car an extra 2% of fuel. The best way to overcome this is to top them up once a week when you buy fuel. I hadn't checked mine for a while and when I topped them up last week they were 8 or so psi below. I won't let that happen again. Also fill up your fuel when the temperature is cool (morning or evening) as heat expands fuel meaning you will get less for the same price at other times of the day.

36: Carpool
My mates have made the most of me in this regard for years... Now I'm hoping they will return the favour ;)

37: Fill up when the tank is half empty
For some reason all my cars seem to consume fuel faster when on the last half of the tank. My feeling is that this has something to do with extra air pressure in the tank pushing it through.

38: Go to a 100% bulk bill doctor
I don't go to a doctor because I like them. I go because I want to know if I'll be alright. If some place near you offers consultations for free, take them up on it! It has saved me several dollars on both consultations, blood tests, etc.

39: Only go shopping with an intention to buy
Guys tend to do this better than girls. Why buy something you had not planned to purchase? Avoid shopping if you can so you are not tempted to spend for no reason.

40: Have a no spend day
I'm doing this today. Apart from items already paid for (fuel, phone, etc) I am not purchasing anything today, which will save me a few dollars for the bank account.

41: Avoid TV
Not only does this kill time, but it also creates desires. If they are out of sight, they are out of mind.

42: Use RSS subscriptions instead of newspapers
This allows me to keep up to date with relevant information for my involvements and interests, rather than paying for the paper and getting a myriad of irrelevant information.

43: Never use another bank's ATM
I do this to ensure I don't pay fees.

44: Never link your savings account to your ATM card
Mine can only be accessed online.

45: Stop smoking
I did this one ages ago and it drastically reduced my expenses. A girl I am currently working with said she has spent about $15,000 on cigarettes over the last five or so years! That is a significant amount for a deposit. $30 a week on cigarettes for forty years ads up to over $65,000 which if invested could help you retire much sooner. Also your health expenses increase when smoking.

46: Don't drink alcohol
I already said I'll be drinking water. Even though I rarely drink alcohol, I'll be avoiding it altogether. I can't afford the time being hungover or having too much alcohol in my system to driver.

47: Read savings tips
I'm scouting the savings tips of other blogs and websites to find new and interesting ways to save more money.

Even applying a few of these will surely improve your ability to restore a damaged savings account, while also eliminating expenses that may drain it in the future.

What other ways do you save money? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments with others.

Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, this technique can be useful for you to use when facing a less than happy customer.

The technique is known as LAST.

L- Listen: Listen to the customer's compliant.

A- Apologise: Apologise for the inconvenience and any hassles caused.

S-Satisfy: Solve the issue in a way that satisfies the customer.

T-Thank: Thank the customer for bringing the issue to your attention.

LAST should help you to maintain a lasting relationship with an unhappy customer.

I hear the argument that this may make way for customers to exploit a business but the reality is that it rarely occurs. Gaining feedback and maintaining a relationship with genuine customers is important for long term business success.