When it comes to the current recession, just about everybody has a plan to fix it. Some people are in favor of using the government to support failing businesses. Others support letting the market move us past the current economic crisis. But if you want to sit down and have a serious discussion about some of the related details — how did we get here? what can we as individuals do to make it through this recession without major problems? — there are fewer answers available.
49 Shares “As we go around the circle, tell the group your name and something special about you.” That kind of team builder may have been useful on the first day of kindergarten, but when you’re building a business team or putting together a team for another important project, you need to go far beyond silly icebreakers to create a cohesive group. There are hundreds of groups that offer to help you create a team out of a group of disparate employees, but you can’t really outsource team building — even if you have... More »
Kate Lister and Tom Harnish have been working at home for years. For sixteen years, they operated a home business. They’ve codified the advice they’ve generated in a ll those years of working at home in a new book, Undress for Success. The book covers an introduction to moving towards a home office, with a heavy emphasis on teleworking.
43 Shares I have a business card collection. It started out unintentionally: I have one box that I throw any business cards into, after I add the relevant contact information to my address book. Every so often, though, I like to go through my little box and take a look at what the current trends for business cards are. Of course, there are some major differences between industries, but I have noticed some interesting things.
148 Shares I’ve lost count of the number of articles I’ve seen recommending that folks take on freelance work to make ends meet during the current economic crisis. From keeping the wolf away from the door to working on top of a full-time job, I’ve seen freelancing cited as a panacea. It’s especially promoted to anyone working in a relatively creative field — not just writers and designers, but videographers and coders are being told that freelance is the way to go. I even spotted at article last month suggesting that sales reps should... More »
As far as personal finance blogs go, Ramit Sethi’s I Will Teach You to Be Rich can’t help but stand out. Most of the personal finance blogs out there stick to calm explanations of what the writers are doing to improve their own finances, along with some tips meant to get readers interested in doing things the same way. In contrast, Sethi’s blog is loud, full of concrete examples on how to do things and aggressively effective. It makes Sethi stand out among the rest of the personal finance bloggers out there... More »
No matter how prepared you are for tax season, you probably worry at least a little whenever April 15th is getting close. We’ve covered your last-minute tax options in the past, but no matter how close that deadline is getting, we want to reduce your worry. Jeff Schnepper, MSN’s tax expert, agreed to answer a few questions for us, and offered a little reassurance. Tax Misconceptions — and Problems One of the major reasons that our taxes keep us up at night, according to Jeff, is that there are so many myths... More »
Bank fees, software, tax preparation: if you aren’t careful, your money can wind up costing you a pretty penny. I’m of the opinion that in most cases, you really shouldn’t have to pay to manage your own money. As long as you’re an individual (as opposed to a business), I can’t see the point of paying for a whole list of things that are available for free with just a little hunting. I’m not talking about options that require extra work on your part, either — while some of the open source... More »
161 Shares Having a solid credit score has been important for quite a while now, but it’s actually becoming more important these days as lending tightens up. There’s a reason that the Fair Isaac Corporation — the organization that calculates the credit score that most major lenders rely on — has been changing the way that credit scores are calculated. All of these circumstances add up to the fact that even someone who is confident that their credit score is good should be making sure it stays that way. There are some relatively simple... More »
A simple task list doesn’t cut it when you’re working on a project with more than one person involved. Even when your project isn’t for work, a group project requires a different approach (and different tools) than one where you’re responsible for every single step. DeskAway offers an interface that can help you manage a number of projects — and offers a free version that you can use for up to three projects at a time with five team members. While there are more than a few project management web applications out... More »
Combining social networking and your career isn’t exactly a new idea. LinkedIn launched in 2003. But the idea of using microblogging to support your job hunt or freelancing career is relatively new. This week, Blellow launched; the social networking site uses a microblogging interface familiar to anyone who has checked out Twitter to create some impressive tools for your career.
If you’ve been thinking that your life would be easier if you didn’t have to drive into work every day or mess with the office politics in person, now may be a good time bring up telecommuting to your boss. Many companies are looking for ways to streamline and if you pitch telecommuting as a way to do just that, the chances your boss may be willing to let you switch to a new working arrangement aren’t half bad.
When I plan a trip, I make arrangements to meet up with people. I email anyone I know might be in area, announce my itinerary on Twitter and even add a trip to Dopplr. My efforts have paid off: I’ve met people I had already become fast friends with online in person. I’ve expanded the scope of projects by taking a few minutes away from my vacation to meet with a client. I’ve even managed to meet entirely new people by tagging along to meetups of various kinds. Sharing your travel plans... More »
15 Shares We make lists of everything we want to do, whether it’s the errands we need to run on the way home or the things we want to do before we turn a certain age. But what about the stuff we’ve already done? Sharing the things we’ve already done — and enjoyed is the relatively simple idea behind Diddit. Rather than making lists about the adventures you’re going to have, Diddit’s emphasis is on the amazing things you’ve already done.
I find receipts in the craziest places: not only do I find them in wallets and purses but it’s not uncommon to fish them out of the filing cabinet or out from behind the couch. After all, those tiny slips of paper can slide away the moment your back is turned. The only way to keep them in line is to have a simple organizational system. For years, the classic approach has been a shoebox stuffed full of receipts. It’s a great way to ensure that all of our bits of paper... More »
