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HTML <html> <head> <title>Inflation Incognito--The Monkey on Your Back</title> </head> <body> <h1>Inflation Incognito--The Monkey on Your Back</h1> <div class="info">Author: <a href="author_1_1936.html">Susan Kirkland</a></div><div class="body">Inflation Incognito--The Monkey on Your Back <br /> <br /> Domestic stock funds were down 2 percent in the first <br /> quarter of 2005. Mutual funds and bonds, on average, lost <br /> value; but this is not the first sign of inflation. <br /> Companies in almost every industry have been twisting and <br /> turning within the confines of the law to cover losses due <br /> to the growing cost of doing business. Almost every <br /> commercial endeavor is affected by the rising cost of fuel <br /> and labor. From shipments of raw materials to delivery <br /> of the finished product, the cost of doing business in an <br /> oil driven economy is pushing the creative limits of <br /> operations managers worldwide. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> And just how creative can they get? Here's an example that's <br /> close to home; review the cost of fees on a line of <br /> credit. There is a fee for paying late, a fee for exceeding <br /> the credit limit, a fee for exceeding the cash advance <br /> limit--don't forget the higher percentage fee on the account <br /> as a whole the first time payments are a day late. <br /> Thinking of switching one balance to a different, lower rate <br /> card? The small print allows all your cards to raise <br /> their rates if you are late paying one card. Credit cards <br /> used to encourage customers to exceed their credit limit <br /> because it was good business to get them to take on more <br /> debt. Now the same excess is going to cost hard cash. <br /> <br /> Business is recouping these hidden inflationary losses by <br /> adding and increasing fees to almost every step of daily <br /> commerce. This creative sleight of hand has helped overcome <br /> thinning margins but at the same time, prevented <br /> economic analysts from recognizing and dealing with the true <br /> culprit--inflation. As inflation attacks narrowing <br /> profit margins, watch vendors add fees to cover the cost of <br /> doing business. The latest trend; handling charges on <br /> orders to offset fuel and labor costs. To the merchandise <br /> total, add sales tax, shipping and an inflationary cushion <br /> fee called handling. This transfers some of the cost of <br /> doing business to the end user and reduces cash outlay-- <br /> except for what's lost from customers who won't tolerate <br /> another fee. Inflation has been with us for quite some <br /> time; it was just in disguise. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> C2005 Susan Kirkland, veteran small business owner and <br /> author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business, <br /> shares the secrets to finding and keeping clients, <br /> negotiating with vendors, protecting yourself from <br /> scoundrels <br /> and scalawags--a valuable resource for everyone, no matter <br /> what line of work. For more information creative <br /> points of view, visit <www.sdkirkland.com> <br /> <br /> </div> <div class="source">Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlealley.com/article_5465_19.html">http://www.articlealley.com/article_5465_19.html</a></div> <div class="author"> <div class="authorOccupation"><strong>Occupation:</strong> business</div> <div class="authorBio">Susan Kirkland, veteran small business owner and author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business, shares the secrets to finding and keeping clients, negotiating with vendors, protecting yourself from scoundrels and scalawags--a valuable resource for everyone, no matter what line of work. For more information creative points of view, visit <www.sdkirkland.com> <br/><br/> Contact him at <a href="http://www.sdkirkland.com">http://www.sdkirkland.com</a></div> <div class="authorUrl"><a href="http://www.sdkirkland.com" target="_blank">http://www.sdkirkland.com</a></div></author> </body> </html>
Text Inflation Incognito--The Monkey on Your Back Author: Susan Kirkland Inflation Incognito--The Monkey on Your Back Domestic stock funds were down 2 percent in the first quarter of 2005. Mutual funds and bonds, on average, lost value; but this is not the first sign of inflation. Companies in almost every industry have been twisting and turning within the confines of the law to cover losses due to the growing cost of doing business. Almost every commercial endeavor is affected by the rising cost of fuel and labor. From shipments of raw materials to delivery of the finished product, the cost of doing business in an oil driven economy is pushing the creative limits of operations managers worldwide. And just how creative can they get? Here's an example that's close to home; review the cost of fees on a line of credit. There is a fee for paying late, a fee for exceeding the credit limit, a fee for exceeding the cash advance limit--don't forget the higher percentage fee on the account as a whole the first time payments are a day late. Thinking of switching one balance to a different, lower rate card? The small print allows all your cards to raise their rates if you are late paying one card. Credit cards used to encourage customers to exceed their credit limit because it was good business to get them to take on more debt. Now the same excess is going to cost hard cash. Business is recouping these hidden inflationary losses by adding and increasing fees to almost every step of daily commerce. This creative sleight of hand has helped overcome thinning margins but at the same time, prevented economic analysts from recognizing and dealing with the true culprit--inflation. As inflation attacks narrowing profit margins, watch vendors add fees to cover the cost of doing business. The latest trend; handling charges on orders to offset fuel and labor costs. To the merchandise total, add sales tax, shipping and an inflationary cushion fee called handling. This transfers some of the cost of doing business to the end user and reduces cash outlay-- except for what's lost from customers who won't tolerate another fee. Inflation has been with us for quite some time; it was just in disguise. C2005 Susan Kirkland, veteran small business owner and author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business, shares the secrets to finding and keeping clients, negotiating with vendors, protecting yourself from scoundrels and scalawags--a valuable resource for everyone, no matter what line of work. For more information creative points of view, visit Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_5465_19.html About the Author: Susan Kirkland, veteran small business owner and author of Start and Run a Creative Services Business, shares the secrets to finding and keeping clients, negotiating with vendors, protecting yourself from scoundrels and scalawags--a valuable resource for everyone, no matter what line of work. For more information creative points of view, visit <www.sdkirkland.com> <br/><br/> Contact him at <a href="http://www.sdkirkland.com">http://www.sdkirkland.com</a> http://www.sdkirkland.com
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