Thanks to Hollywood, most people know what you’re talking about when you describe someone a ‘Snake Oil Salesman’. It’s a derogatory term used to describe someone employing dubious techniques to sell a product which doesn’t work. Interestingly though, the original snake oil actually worked! 

In the 1860’s Chinese labourers brought in to build the Transcontinental Railroad, brought with them an oil derived from the Chinese Water snake which was used to relieve aching and tired muscles. They shared it with fellow workers who found it beneficial. This was great for them, but not so good for the men who made their living by travelling and selling proprietary medicines.

To protect their business, they ridiculed the natural remedy and then started calling any ‘cure all’ remedies, snake oil. The snake oil salesman became a term used to describe anyone selling non-mainstream health products, and the term is still alive and well today.

Over a hundred years have passed since those days, but mainstream suppliers of pharmaceuticals are still using similar techniques to attack suppliers of natural or unconventional remedies.

Are they really ‘snake oil’ salesmen? Well I’m sure some are, but as we’ve seen, some snake oil works.

There’s a lot of money to be made in complimentary or natural medicine, and it’s a market that’s definitely worth investigating. You’ll need to sort the wheat from the chaff, but don’t be put off by the universal detractors

Rent Your Stuff 

If you’re willing to let other people use your car, the UK based Easy Car Club scheme allows you to rent it out while you’re not using it. Following on from that, US based FlightCar aims to put cars left at airports to use by renting them out while their owners are travelling.

People flying into the airport can then rent the cars from those who have just flown out! Customers obtain a 20% – 50% discount compared to traditional renting, while the owner receives 65% of the fee. Perhaps that’s something to look at copying here?

I wouldn’t personally want to rent my car out for that purpose (I’m far too precious about it!) but if you feel differently, it could be a valuable source of additional income. 

Cars are just one example of what you could rent out for money though. Give some thought to what expensive items you have laying around unused for much of the time. Could they form the basis of a rental business?

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL FATHER AND DAUGHTER TAKE A WALK DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

Dear Streetwise Customer,

  Imagine if your betting profits were a nailed on 100% certainty…that you were guaranteed to never lose a bet…and that there was a totally fool proof system you could deploy that would only ever win or break even at worst. Well thanks to a rule which every bookmaker in the UK is forced to follow, you don’t have to imagine it.

                 Because It’s The Loophole To End All Loopholes! 

And for reasons I’ll explain fully, it’s a loophole that’s open to anyone and everyone with an internet connection…and it will be open forever.

 Here’s your chance to find out about this secret loophole for yourself, because Nick has come up with a unique offer that will put almost £300 in your pocket…even if you prove him wrong!  

For full details Visit:

www.streetwisenews.com/loopholes

   Take a look now. You’re going to love this one!

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison

Most people don’t need persuading to take a holiday, but it could actually be good for your bank balance as well as your general wellbeing.

By going into a different culture, location or environment you often become exposed to new ideas and influences which you simply wouldn’t get at home.

Australian couple Monica Liebenow and Phil Barham noticed a cartoon family in the rear screen of a car while travelling in California. When they returned, they explained the idea to a graphic designer friend and ended up creating something called ‘My Family Stickers’.

The stickers were similar to the American ones but with an Aussie twist. More than two million of the stickers have been sold in the past two years.

So don’t relax altogether on your next break. Keep half an eye and ear open to potential money making opportunities you can copy or adapt? It’s certainly worked for me in the past (perhaps stories for another day) and it could work for you too.

The World’s Worst Hotel

Most hotels are terrified of getting a bad reputation on Trip Advisor and other review sites. The Hans Brinker hotel in Amsterdam sees things differently. The hotel has embraced a marketing strategy which attempts to build its reputation as the worst hotel in the world.

The owners have published a book called The Worst Hotel in the World, and filmed a series of hilarious promotional videos which can be found on Youtube.

For around twenty euros a night, the hotel openly admit that guests can expect wafer thin mattresses, rusty beds, grotty paintwork, broken lifts and scruffy bathrooms. They proudly boast that the hotel has virtually no facilities.

It’s an interesting approach. If you can’t be the best, why not make a feature of being worst? It certainly differentiates the Hans Brinker from other poor hotels which I’m sure are equally bad. Many people looking for a budget hotel will choose to stay there just to say they’ve been in the worst hotel in the world.

Is this a strategy that you could employ in your market? It’s risky, but it could be worth thinking about.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL PICNIC DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

Dear Streetwise Customer,

  Imagine if your betting profits were a nailed on 100% certainty…that you were guaranteed to never lose a bet…and that there was a totally fool proof system you could deploy that would only ever win or break even at worst. Well thanks to a rule which every bookmaker in the UK is forced to follow, you don’t have to imagine it.

                 Because It’s The Loophole To End All Loopholes! 

And for reasons I’ll explain fully, it’s a loophole that’s open to anyone and everyone with an internet connection…and it will be open forever.

 Here’s your chance to find out about this secret loophole for yourself, because Nick has come up with a unique offer that will put almost £300 in your pocket…even if you prove him wrong!  

For full details Visit:

www.streetwisenews.com/loopholes

   Take a look now. You’re going to love this one!

     
    Very Best Wishes,

John Harrison

I know someone who works for one of the big London law firms. Such are the demands and time constraints of the job, that the firm have beds on site so that employees don’t have to waste time going home at night when deadlines need to be met.

I’m not sure whether this idea is quite as extreme as that, but it is an indication on the pressure some folk are perceived to be in at work these days.

London based Pod Time have based themselves in the fast-paced corporate environment of Canary Wharf. They provide hygienic sleep pods which stressed and tired workers can rent out for half an hour at a time to have a much needed nap during the working day.

Charges are £5.99 for an half hour and £10 for an hour. Speaking as someone who has seen people asleep at work without going to the expense of a pod, I can see a demand for this.

Might there be other areas of the country where a ‘short term sleep solution’ would find a ready market?

Might there be other locations where this could be popular…airports perhaps? Or (and I’m definitely not going into detail here) might there be some other purpose for these pods, other than sleep, which would attract a paying clientele? I’ll leave you to give it some thought.

Hot Bodies

I’ve noticed that after the weekend, our office is always several degrees colder than it is later in the week, even though the heating has been left on. Increased computer activity plays a part, but so does human activity. The staff come into the office, they give off body heat and it warms the building.

Now this is happening everywhere. The amount of heat energy given off by the population must be huge. So is there a way to harness it? It turns out that there is.

Over 200,000 people pass through Stockholm’s Central station each day. Jernhusen, a property company given the job of remodelling the station, have come up with a way of transferring the heat generated by all these people to an office building across the road.

The stations ventilation system includes heat exchangers which convert all this heat energy into hot water. It’s reported that the result is a 25% reduction in the buildings energy costs.

Needless to say, green energy is on everyone’s agenda at the moment, and initiatives like this are likely to be on the increase. Perhaps something to invest in, or even participate in for those with the skills and resources.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

Dear Streetwise Customer,

Once or twice a year I receive exceptional quality information and a few months ago one of these rare and very special documents landed on my desk.  

  It revealed an amazing system which is making its author an absolute fortune and a large sum of money was asked for in exchange for the information.  

   An agreement was reached whereby I could share the information with Streetwise customers, but first I insisted on ‘proving’ the system and so I asked 25 of my customers to test this for us.  

   The results have been nothing less than astonishing. Every single one of my 25 testers has reported fantastic success!  

   Consequently I signed the deal and now I am delighted to be able to share this information with you. Please do not pass this on to anyone else because this information truly is TOP SECRET. It is just for you and Streetwise’s best customers and no-one else. 

We authorised just 50 copies to be printed for our best customers only. At the time of writing we only have 16 copies left and one of these is waiting for you to claim it.

For full details CLICK HERE

…and you’ll discover why I am so excited about this incredible winning system and what’s going to happen next.

Best Wishes,

John Harrison

Recent Comments 

“Every Signal so far has been a winner, that is for the time I have been using it which is 21 race days. It is solid and when I place the bets this system throws at me I just place them and walk away for the day. You don’t get lot’s of bets, and they only take 5 minutes max to spot anytime after 9 in the morning.”

– D Lean 

“The program I bought in July is so very simple to run and is consistently proving to be a money spinner. I have never before found a system to equal this one.”

– C A Davies 

For full details visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/IS

Business is generally perceived to be hard-nosed, totally profit-driven and calculating, but sometimes there is a middle ground-one that benefits everyone involved. Take Mirakle Couriers, based in Mumbai India.

As the name suggests, the company offer a pick up and drop off service in Mumbia. What isn’t obvious though is that the company only employ deaf workers. India has one of the largest deaf populations in the world, with around 6% of the population affected. Many find it difficult to find work. Mirakle Couriers are able to provide that work.

The company founder is a former investment banker who insists that the company is a commercial operation rather than a charity, and that the social element is simply embedded in the commercial operation. In any event, it seems to work and the company has grown rapidly since its 2008 launch.

So from the companies standpoint, is there an advantage to solely employing workers who have a disability? There could be several. Prospective customers could be impressed with the companies social element, and be therefore more likely to use them. It’s something unusual, and is therefore likely to be of immerse PR valve. And the workers themselves-having experienced difficulty finding work elsewhere-are likely to be hard working and loyal.

It seems like a win-win situation, and one which could be copied elsewhere. Are there European laws against positively discriminating in favour of people with disabilities in the workplace? I’d like to think not, but don’t know, so that would need looking into. But it seems like an idea with potential.

Upcycling Opportunity

I was reading about a business run by Scott Hamlin in Portland Oregon, and wondered how many other people might be able to cash in on something like this.

Hamlin’s company, Loop works buys up end-of-line, unwanted fabric from warehouses in Asia which is destined for landfill or the incinerator. It then turns it into shirts, skirts, laptop sleeves and backpacks. The company is very much for profit, but has a strong environmental ethos.

Any enterprise that has a positive environmental impact will be well received by prospective customers and the media. Upcycling (converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality) is environmentally friendly and can be highly profitable if done well.

Are there upcycling opportunities in your sphere of expertise? Do you know of any waste materials that could form the basis of a new upcycling opportunity?

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL TAKE A WALK IN THE PARK DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

Dear Streetwise Customer,

Once or twice a year I receive exceptional quality information and a few months ago one of these rare and very special documents landed on my desk.  

  It revealed an amazing system which is making its author an absolute fortune and a large sum of money was asked for in exchange for the information.  

   An agreement was reached whereby I could share the information with Streetwise customers, but first I insisted on ‘proving’ the system and so I asked 25 of my customers to test this for us.  

   The results have been nothing less than astonishing. Every single one of my 25 testers has reported fantastic success!  

   Consequently I signed the deal and now I am delighted to be able to share this information with you. Please do not pass this on to anyone else because this information truly is TOP SECRET. It is just for you and Streetwise’s best customers and no-one else. 

We authorised just 50 copies to be printed for our best customers only. At the time of writing we only have 16 copies left and one of these is waiting for you to claim it.

For full details CLICK HERE

…and you’ll discover why I am so excited about this incredible winning system and what’s going to happen next.

Best Wishes,

John Harrison

Recent Comments 

“Every Signal so far has been a winner, that is for the time I have been using it which is 21 race days. It is solid and when I place the bets this system throws at me I just place them and walk away for the day. You don’t get lot’s of bets, and they only take 5 minutes max to spot anytime after 9 in the morning.”

– D Lean 

“The program I bought in July is so very simple to run and is consistently proving to be a money spinner. I have never before found a system to equal this one.”

– C A Davies 

For full details visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/IS

If you are taking a payment holiday from your mortgage or credit-card debt, tread carefully. Not paying your bills – even with the approval of your lender – could lead to problems with your credit rating and cost you hundreds of pounds.

So far 1.6 million homeowners have taken a repayment holiday on their mortgage. It means you won’t have to make your monthly repayments for a few months, which could come in very handy during lockdown. But your bank is going to do very well out of the arrangement.

Lenders are set to make at least £821m in extra interest as a result of people taking a break from their mortgage repayments. The average borrower will save £2,256 in repayments over a three-month mortgage holiday. But they will ultimately pay £500 more than without the break because of the interest accrued on the unpaid sum. 

Anyone taking a mortgage holiday also needs to be careful it doesn’t lead to problems with their credit report. Don’t cancel your direct debit until your lender has confirmed that your application for a repayment break has been accepted. Banks are struggling to cope with the number of customers wanting a mortgage holiday, leading to delays in approvals.

Those who miss a mortgage payment because a break has not yet been confirmed by the lender could be marked as going into arrears. This could affect their credit score and result in extra interest being charged. Even if you do everything by the book, a mortgage repayment holiday could affect your future ability to get a mortgage.

The Financial Conduct Authority, the City regulator, has confirmed that banks could take a holiday into account when they decide whether to offer a mortgage. The same advice applies if you are stopping your credit-card repayments. Your interest will continue to build, so you will owe more when you restart paying and it could affect your credit rating, even though it shouldn’t.

Some borrowers are taking a hit to their credit report as lenders accidentally report repayment breaks as missed payments. Pre-empt this by waiting until you have received formal approval for a payment holiday before you cancel your direct debit. If you have taken a repayment holiday keep an eye on your credit report.

Do You Have Hidden Assets?

Just read something, aside from being fascinating, may provide a ‘light bulb’ moment for someone. 

BT’s network has 75 million miles of copper wire. At today’s price that’s worth around £50 Billion – which is more than three times the company’s market capitalisation of around £15 Billion!

So the company is worth far more in scrap value than it is for it trading and profitability potential.

Now I know the company aren’t about to throw in the Telecom’s towel and go into the scrap metal business, but that got me thinking; How many individuals and companies are sitting on big assets which they don’t really think about?

And is there a way they could capitalise on these assets outside of their regular trading activity. Perhaps it’s worth thinking about your own hidden assets. They may be more modest than BT’s but that doesn’t mean they can’t be life changing for you.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL BBQ DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

Dear Streetwise Customer,

Once or twice a year I receive exceptional quality information and a few months ago one of these rare and very special documents landed on my desk.  

  It revealed an amazing system which is making its author an absolute fortune and a large sum of money was asked for in exchange for the information.  

   An agreement was reached whereby I could share the information with Streetwise customers, but first I insisted on ‘proving’ the system and so I asked 25 of my customers to test this for us.  

   The results have been nothing less than astonishing. Every single one of my 25 testers has reported fantastic success!  

   Consequently I signed the deal and now I am delighted to be able to share this information with you. Please do not pass this on to anyone else because this information truly is TOP SECRET. It is just for you and Streetwise’s best customers and no-one else. 

We authorised just 50 copies to be printed for our best customers only. At the time of writing we only have 16 copies left and one of these is waiting for you to claim it.

For full details CLICK HERE

…and you’ll discover why I am so excited about this incredible winning system and what’s going to happen next.

Best Wishes,

John Harrison

Recent Comments 

“Every Signal so far has been a winner, that is for the time I have been using it which is 21 race days. It is solid and when I place the bets this system throws at me I just place them and walk away for the day. You don’t get lot’s of bets, and they only take 5 minutes max to spot anytime after 9 in the morning.”

– D Lean 

“The program I bought in July is so very simple to run and is consistently proving to be a money spinner. I have never before found a system to equal this one.”

– C A Davies 

For full details visit: 

www.streetwisenews.com/IS