Social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are great for staying in touch with family and friends. They’re also a fun and interactive method to use to keep informed about interests, causes and hobbies. Most social networkers aren’t using it to the fullest, though. With a few simple techniques, social networking can be used for career advancement. If you’re new to the job market, between jobs, trying to switch or even looking to move up in your company, social networking can help get the job you want.
Just got into the job market
Recent graduates trying to get a break need to use Facebook to stay in touch with former classmates. You never know when one of them may hear about an opportunity and think of you. Now that Facebook has refined its privacy settings, users can choose what data is viewed publicly. For example, Facebook users can set a public status of “looking for work in the telecom field” and then post their resume as a publicly-available “Note” on Facebook. This could attract the attention of friends, businesses and even headhunters with positions to fill.
Between jobs
The economy is tough and layoffs abound. Social networking is a great way to get yourself out there so you’re not between jobs long. Use that spare time to update your LinkedIn profile. Network, add colleagues and ask them for referrals. Post an up to-date-resume on LinkedIn to attract headhunters. Social networking can supplement the usual job search methods to add another dimension to the process of looking for work.
Trying to switch companies
If you’re looking for better opportunities elsewhere, social networking is crucial, but you do need to be careful. Posting public resumes on Facebook and LinkedIn and updates on your job search are fine ways to get in hot water with your current boss. Use more covert methods instead. Rely on Facebook to follow the statuses of companies you’re interested in. Follow their Tweets on Twitter. The purpose of this is twofold. First, many companies now announce new openings on Facebook and, due to the immediacy of social networking, the openings hit social media faster than they appear on job search sites. Second, knowing what’s going on with a company will make you a more well-informed interviewee. Another tactic is to find the Facebook profiles of headhunters and “Like” them. Job search agencies often use Facebook to list hot openings and make announcements.
Moving up in your company
If you’re happy where you are but want a promotion or a new position, social networking still has something to offer. You should follow your company on Twitter and “Like” their Facebook page. From there, do your best to be an active participant in conversations, always throwing out fresh ideas and insightful comments. Doing this may garner the attention of the higher-ups at your company. When it’s time to apply for a new position or promotion, it never hurts to have upper management aware of you and your positive contributions. Author Bio
Kieron Casey is a BA (Hons) Journalism graduate who blogs regularly on a number of topics including employment, finances and international headhunters.
Gold has always been a highly sought-after commodity—even in prehistoric times, apparently, it was coveted. It is mineral valued for its beauty and purity—but mostly for its exchange value. In periods of high market volatility gold becomes a repository for a different kind of value: faith. When the financial system looks bad on paper, value flees into gold.
Despite its repeated peaks in value, investing in it should be approached with caution. Those who know about the convoluted history of the precious metal have suggested that it is only possible to trade gold, not invest in it, due to the volatility of the economy. That said, it has been popular to capitalize upon gold’s potential during times of high inflation. Luxury goods like gold necklaces and Bertucci watches are rising in value due to market instability, which is certainly something for the adventurous to keep in mind when looking for an investment opportunity.
Devoting capital to any material whose value is reliant on times of instability, such as war or stock market decline, is a deterrent to those looking for a more guaranteed return on their contributions. Though gold has rapidly risen in value over the past several years – currently trading at more than $1,700/ounce – it is important to keep in mind that a decline in its cost is inevitable; it’s not if but when the bubble will burst. It is wiser to grow and protect wealth by looking for a good with a far better chance at steadily and concretely appreciating in worth, such as a mutual fund.
Though putting money into gold can help diversify a financial portfolio – that is, distributing wealth across a variety of economic resources and thereby reducing risk of loss – this goal can be accomplished by simply putting stake in a selection of opportunities that do not include the metal. Buying stake in gold and ownership of the same are wildly different animals. Gold will likely always be popular and made beautiful by its primary availability in jewelry manufacturing. Likewise, its shares in coins, electronics, and even the medical field (both in dentistry and for the treatment of various medical conditions) make it a reliable resource but not necessarily one whose value can always be counted on. Gold’s rise to prominence is unfortunately led by fearful investors instead of fueled by reliable fiscal data.
A reusable resource, gold’s reputation may further suffer simply given the prevalence of “cash for gold” outlets that hint at high returns on an initial purchase or gift. Just as one should be mindful of the adage “all that glitters is not gold,” so should financiers know to avoid businesses whose approach to marketing seems reliant on a variety of get-rich-quick schemes. A quick buck might be welcome news for those who view gold as more of a currency than a commodity, but rarely will that opportunity be absent of some higher, figurative cost.
Given gold’s limited dependability, it is wise to place one’s securities and trust in a safer and more trustworthy source. Few are in a position to gamble with the money they have worked so hard to earn, especially given the current economic climate. All monetary ventures come with a degree of risk but gold’s foothold is too shaky to trust. An investor’s wisest move, no matter what s/he bankrolls, is awareness of market fluctuations and which opportunities have a better chance at high levels of performance.
Thomas Stone is a freelance writer and investor. He’s become something of a connoisseur in precious metal markets and fine watches—particularly Bertucci Watches..
LinkedIn, the popular social networking site, rolled out a new feature earlier this week that lets job seekers apply for a job directly from within the site. Over 100 million people use LinkedIn to network with employers and employees but for the first time users can find out what jobs fit their particular skills and without having to visit another website. Employers have been using LinkedIn for years to post job vacancies but in the past any interested employees were redirected to external websites or just given the relevant contact information in order to apply for a job. Now all job seekers have to do is the click the “Apply Now” button on a job that supports the new “Apply with LinkedIn” feature. Not only can people apply for jobs directly from LinkedIn but the site will also save a record of the jobs that a person has applied for in the past.
In addition to the new ability to apply for a job on LinkedIn, the company also unveiled a new feature that lets LinkedIn users see what connections that they have made that might help them get a job. LinkedIn has even gone so far as to let people message the people on their contact list to request a referral if the contact works in an influential position at the company, which can help give job seekers a competitive edge over regular applicants. LinkedIn will even suggest people that potential job seekers should add to the network in order to increase their chances of landing the jobs that they have or are planning to apply for.
The new Apply with LinkedIn feature will no doubt be vital for companies which operate multiple employment websites such a Marlabs, a global company that has offices in the United States, Canada, and India. To aid companies like Marlabs, General Electric, or Toshiba LinkedIn also announced that they will also allow businesses to incorporate the Apply with LinkedIn button on their website. Clicking on the Apply with LinkedIn button on an external website brings up a small JavaScript modal window that lets users log in to their LinkedIn profile and apply a job without having to visit LinkedIn either. Furthermore, LinkedIn has even included a plug-in generator that will let employers customize the LinkedIn button for their site including the its color and whether of not applicants are required to have certain information on their profile such as a contact phone number. LinkedIn’s new Apply with LinkedIn and Apply Now buttons will be a welcome help to anyone who is out of work but still dreams of increasing their wealth.
You have made the decision to purchase a home but you are unable to decide how much you can afford. You want to know what percentage of your income should go towards it and what sort of financial obligation you will be faced with.
Many financial institutions such as banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers etc., follow the 28/36 rule. This simple rule will give you an idea of what you can afford. Basically the rule states that the monthly payment of your mortgage should be under 28% of your monthly gross income (that is pre tax income) and that your total household monthly bill payments are less that 36% of your monthly gross income.
Now some financial advisors suggest you should change this formula to 25/30 of your actual household income (that is after tax) to enable you to achieve other financial goals such as debt reduction, retirement plans etc. Therefore you do not bite off more than you can chew though you end up with less house.
What if you want the larger house? Well you can live with the 28/36 rule and the larger monthly payment. Another option is a larger down payment reducing the amount you finance.
Remember that a larger home will increase your monthly utility payments – heating, cooling, etc., as well as increased taxes and greater maintenance costs.
The other factor to bear in mind is that your household income may increase over the years meaning that you will be paying a smaller percentage of your monthly income towards you mortgage payment. The opposite of this is true of course, and you may find yourself in a position where you monthly income is reduced and you end up paying a higher percentage towards your mortgage payment.
Its worthwhile putting in time and effort when determining how much mortgage can I afford. Its better to be prepared and in control of your destiny.
Building wealth – it’s a topic that sparks heated debate, promotes quirky “get rich quick” schemes and drives people to pursue transactions they might otherwise never consider. “Three Simple Steps To Building Wealth” may seem like a misleading title, but it isn’t. While these steps are simple to understand, they’re not easy to follow.
The Steps
Basically, building wealth boils down to this: To accumulate wealth over time, you need to do three things:
1. You need to make it. This means that before you can begin to save or invest, you need to have a long-term source of income that’s sufficient enough to have some left over after you’ve covered your necessities.
2. You need to save it. Once you have an income that’s enough to cover your basics, you need to develop a proactive savings plan.
3. You need to invest it. Once you’ve set aside a monthly savings goal, you need to invest it prudently.
Getting on Track
Step1: Making Enough Money
This step may seem elementary, but for those who are just starting out, or are in transition, this is the most fundamental step. Most of us have seen tables showing that a small amount regularly saved and compounded over time can eventually add up to substantial wealth. But those tables never cover the other sides of the story – that is, are you making enough to save in the first place? And are you good enough at what you do and do you enjoy it enough that you can do it for 40 or 50 years in order to save that money? (For related reading, see Understanding The Time Value Of Money and Delay In Savings Raises Payments Later On.)
To begin, there are two types of income – earned and passive. Earned income comes from what you “do for a living,” while passive income is derived from investments. This section deals with earned income.
Those beginning their careers or in the midst of a career change can think about the following four considerations to decide how to derive their “earned income”:
1. Consider what you enjoy. You will perform better and be more likely to succeed financially doing something you enjoy.
2. Consider what you’re good at. Look at what you do well and how you can use those talents to earn a living.
3. Consider what will pay well. Look at careers using what you enjoy and do well that will meet your financial expectations.
4. Consider how to get there (educational requirements, etc.). Determine the education requirements, if any, needed to pursue your options.
Taking these considerations into account will put you on the right path. The key is to be open-minded and proactive. You should also evaluate your income situation annually.
Step 2: Saving Enough of It
You make enough money, you live pretty well, but you’re not saving enough. What’s wrong? There’s only one reason why this occurs: your wants exceed your budget. To develop a budget or to get your existing budget on track, try these steps:
1. Track your spending for at least a month. You may want to use a financial software package to help you do this. If not, your checkbook is the best place to start. Either way, make sure you categorize your expenditures. Sometimes just being aware of how much you are spending will help you control your spending habits. (For more insight, see The Beauty Of Budgeting and The Indiana Jones Guide To Getting Ahead.)
2. Trim the fat. Break down your wants and needs. The need for food, shelter and clothing are obvious, but you also need to address less obvious needs. For instance, you may realize you’re eating lunch at a restaurant every day. Bringing your own lunch to work two or more days a week will help you save money.
3. Adjust according to your changing needs. As you go along, you probably will find that you’ve over- or under-budgeted a particular item and need to adjust your budget accordingly.
4. Build your cushion – you never really know what’s around the corner. You should aim to save around three to six months’ worth of living expenses. This savings prepares you for financial setbacks, such as job loss or health problems. If saving this cushion seems daunting, start small. (Learn how to save for the unexpected. Read Build Yourself An Emergency Fund.)
5. Get matched! Contribute to your employer’s 401(k) or 403(b) and try to get the maximum your employer is matching. Some employers match 100% of the participant’s contribution, and this can be a big incentive to add even a few dollars each paycheck. (To learn more, read Making Salary Deferral Contributions – Part 1 and Part 2.)
The most important step is to distinguish between what you really need and what you merely want. Finding simple ways to save a few extra bucks here there could include programming your thermostat to turn itself down when you’re not at home, using plain unleaded gasoline instead of premium, keeping your tires fully inflated, buying furniture from a quality thrift shop and learning how to cook. This doesn’t mean that you have to be thrifty all the time: if you’re meeting savings goals, you should be willing to reward yourself and splurge (an appropriate amount) once in a while! You’ll feel better and be motivated to make more money.
Step 3: Investing It Appropriately
You’re making enough money and you’re saving enough, but you’re putting it all in conservative investments. That’s fine, right? Wrong! If you want to build a sizable portfolio, you have to take on risk, which means you’ll have to invest in equities. So how do you determine what’s the right exposure for you? (Confused about risk? Read Determining Risk And The Risk Pyramid.)
Begin with an assessment of your situation. The CFA Institute advises investors to build an Investment Policy Statement. To begin, determine your return and risk objectives. Quantify all of the elements affecting your financial life including household income, your time horizon, tax considerations, cash flow/liquidity needs and any other factors that are unique to you.
Next, determine the appropriate asset allocation for you. Most likely, you will need to meet with a financial advisor unless you know enough to do this on your own. This allocation will be based on the Investment Policy Statement you have devised. Your allocation will most likely include a mixture of cash, fixed income, equities and alternative investments.
Risk averse investors should keep in mind that portfolios need at least some equity exposure to protect against inflation. Also, younger investors can afford to allocate more of their portfolios to equities than older investors, as they have time on their side. (To read more, check out Asset Allocation Strategies, Five Things To Know About Asset Allocation and Achieving Optimal Asset Allocation.)
Finally, diversify. Invest your equity and fixed income exposures over a range of classes and styles. Do not try to time the market. When one style (e.g., large cap growth) is underperforming the S&P 500, it is quite possible that another is outperforming. Diversification takes the timing element out of the game. A qualified investment advisor can help you develop a prudent diversification strategy. (For more insight, see Benchmark Your Return With Indexes.)
Conclusion
Building wealth over time depends on the successful execution of three steps: 1) having enough income, 2) saving an adequate portion of that income and 3) investing what you save prudently. Getting on the path that leads to wealth begins with a thoughtfully constructed plan and diligent execution of that plan. An investor who stays on that course should in time find that he or she is successfully building wealth.
Debt is like a contagious disease. The more delay you make in addressing your debt crisis, and more unruly you become in your financial behavior, greater the problem turns out to be. However, if you follow some proper and judicious debt management policies, you can surely contain your debt levels. You can take the help of professional debt experts as well as you can initiate efforts on your own humble way to get rid of debt. You can obtain debt consolidation program as well as debt settlement program on your own.
Debt management with professional help
It is often seen that many of you take professional help to get away with your debt crisis. The professional agency analyzes your financial situation and thereafter offers some realistic solution for you. The professional agency negotiates with the creditors on your behalf and come out with some way out for you. Since the professional agencies or the debt repairing companies are into this business for considerable period of time, they are better positioned to negotiate with the creditors on your behalf. In debt settlement they reduce your total outstanding debts substantially so that you can pay off the debts instead of going into bankruptcy.
DIY debt management
Another way to get out of debt is to opt for do it yourself (DIY) debt management program. Here the idea is to fix your debt problem on your own, without taking any professional help. This is because you are the person who know your financial situation best. In DIY debt management, you do not need to explain to a third party about the debts that you actually owe, you need not have to reveal information about the loans that you have taken out or you would not need to disclose information about your income, insurance policies and investments. While managing your debts on your own, you can take the help of debt calculators. By inserting certain information in debt calculator, you come to know your monthly payment amount and you also come to know the actual time that you take to repay all your debts.
Debt consolidation converts your multiple unsecured debts into single monthly payments. You can directly negotiate with the creditors to reduce the monthly amount by stretching the debt-repayment time. Another smart option to reduce your debts is to opt for debt settlement program. In this program, you can directly negotiate with the creditors to considerably reduce your total outstanding debts.
However, while going for DIY debt settlement, you need to be very honest and should not provide any false information to the creditors. Again, it is also advisable that you should not agree to plan which you can’t afford to pay.
This is a Guest post from Marlon Powell who writes on finance related matters such as debt consolidation, settlement and other aspects of handling debts and managing finance for http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/
Although many cultures view homeschooling as the only option for teaching children, it is not free. It costs hundreds of dollars to buy current textbooks for each subject, and the higher the grade the more expensive the materials become in most cases. Even purchasing textbooks and resources used can cost a lot of money, especially if you have more than one child and children at several different grade levels. Is homeschooling affordable for your family?
The Cost to Homeschool
You have to consider more than just the cost of textbooks when you decide to homeschool your children, and many of these need to be included in a monthly, semi-annual, or annual family budget. For instance, many states require that the family attend ongoing education courses (often called CLE) each year in order to be eligible for state-approved education. This can cost hundreds each year, but without it your child’s education is not recognized by the state.
It is great to find textbooks at a cheaper rate, such as buying used textbooks or older editions, but eventually you will come to a place where you need answer keys or teacher guides in order to make sense of what they are learning. As a homeschooling parent, you are responsible for teaching them what they need to know, so you have to be sure that you can understand it yourself. Upper grades are difficult for the student to master, but they are nearly impossible for the average parent to decipher based on memory alone (such as algebra, for instance).
Implications to Society
Parents of homeschooled children are often frowned upon in society, and this type of social stigma can be harder for kids to handle than parents. Make sure that the kids are active in extra-curricular activities offered by the homeschooling umbrella, community teams, church-related activities, or other ways to keep them involved with their peers. Since most of these cost money, you will need to do your own homework and find out what your budget can handle.
Without some sort of outlet for the kids to meet other kids, they cannot make friends with other children their own age. This is important for their development, emotional and psychological, and without interaction they will not know how to handle college and the workforce later in life. Introduce them to kids at church, society events, family reunions, and through other methods whenever possible so that they learn how to form friendships and deal with conflicts from an early age.
Moving Toward Graduation
Many states require that children take standardized tests in order to gauge their learning level or to graduate. Examples of these include PSAT, AP, SAT, CAT, ACT, and similar tests, but they vary based on what state you live in and where your umbrella comes from. They cost money to take, and they are required for specific grade levels. Tests such as the SAT and ACT have to be taken and a minimum grade requirement is necessary before your child can graduate high school.
In some states, a GED-style test may be required in order to prove that your child has the skills necessary to move into college. You can pay a tutor to get your child ready for the test if you have any doubts, much like a high school guidance counselor’s role. You are also responsible for applying to different colleges, and many colleges charge for each application. Homeschooling parents must pay this cost out of pocket, in addition to searching for scholarship opportunities, grants, and other financial assistance whenever necessary.
Conclusion
Is homeschooling affordable? For some parents, it is the perfect option, allowing them to teach curriculum that they believe is best for their own respective families. To others, the cost is too much to manage, and they are forced to fall back on other alternatives, such as public school or private education. It is all a matter of research and personal opinions, and a strong commitment to the highest standards of education for each child.
Melanie Wymer isa staff writer for rangehoodhq.com, a site that offers advice and reviews on range hoods. She is also an Advanced Honors high school graduate with more than ten years of homeschooling experience. She has two years’ experience as a homeschooling parent of two children, with two more to teach in the near future.
With the economic recession and rising prices, we need to find means on how to save money. One way to do so is to reduce your energy usage. Aside from cutting down costs on your electric bill, you can get to help the environment too.
Below are four easy ways to save money on your electric bill:
1. Use energy efficient appliances. One of the best ways to reduce energy consumption is to replace older appliances with those that are more energy efficient. Did you know that appliances such as your microwave, stove, and refrigerator consume a lot of energy? Your fridge alone uses about 20% of electricity in the household. There are appliances being sold in the market today which are energy efficient so try to ask around and look for them. It may sound expensive but if you look at things on a long-term basis, you will be able to save on electricity. Make sure that the doors of your refrigerator and freezer are shut properly and set them up to the warmest settings to save on energy.
2. Switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs or CFLs. Doing so would actually let you save $35 for energy costs over the projected 10-year life of the bulb. Aside from using lesser energy than conventional bulbs, CFLs also generate less heat. They initially cost more than regular bulbs but they use less than 1/3 of the amount of power and they can last longer.
3. Unplug all electronic devices and appliances before leaving the house. When you go somewhere else, make sure that you never leave your electronics and appliances unplugged. Did you know that this can actually drain more power even if they are not being used? Gadgets such as your cellphone charger or microwave use energy and generate heat when they’re kept attached to the power source. Standby power for appliances which are not in use accounts for 5% to 10% of residential electricity (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). So better plug those devices into a power strip that can be turned off when not in use. Overall, this may let you save a dollar or two on your next electricity bill.
4. Do not overuse your air conditioner. Did you know that 50% of your household energy consists of cooling, heating, and cooking? So never overuse your air conditioner. Instead, use a thermostat which you can program in order to cool the air off your home for several hours before you come home and then have it programmed to go off when you sleep at night to save on energy. You can also use attic and ceiling fans for circulating air and make your house feel cooler.
This is an article written by the writer of FindSecuredCards.com. A website that offers the best Secured Credit Cards online, as well as a helpful financial blog.
Most would consider food, clothing, and shelter to be the most essential needs that we all require to live comfortable. For the most part food and clothing are relatively easy to come by and at a reasonable rate; however finding a good, safe place to live can be a greater challenge.
Purchasing a house or property can be a good investment but also very costly. With so many people out of work and facing the threat of pay cuts or job loss it is not a realistic option for everyone.
For many the more realistic option is renting.
There are many choices to consider when looking for a rental property ‚ –houses, apartments, property–as well as many different ways to find it. Referrals are a great way to start the rental hunting process. Friends and family are often full of opinions and advice when it comes to finding a place to live and they can often refer a realtor or property management company that can help you find the perfect place to call home. Perusing the newspaper or Internet as well as specific neighborhoods that you are interested in is also a great way to find potential properties.
The Internet is also a great resource for looking up specific properties, realtors or property managers to see if they will meet your needs. For example if there is a property management company that you would like to use, such as Transglobe, you can visit their website for an overview of Transglobe properties & services.
Just like buying a house, it is important that the rental property fits your needs as well as your budget. There are more choices than ever when it comes to renting a house and even though you probably won’t be living there for the rest of your life, you are still signing a lease and legally and financially obligating yourself for the duration. When you are happy with the property and the terms of your lease you’ll be that much closer to making your new house a home.
Social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are great for staying in touch with family and friends. They’re also a fun and interactive method to use to keep informed about interests, causes and hobbies. Most social networkers aren’t using it to the fullest, though. With a few simple techniques, social networking can be used for career advancement. If you’re new to the job market, between jobs, trying to switch or even looking to move up in your company, social networking can help get the job you want.
If you’re looking for better opportunities elsewhere, social networking is crucial, but you do need to be careful. Posting public resumes on Facebook and LinkedIn and updates on your job search are fine ways to get in hot water with your current boss. Use more covert methods instead. Rely on Facebook to follow the statuses of companies you’re interested in. Follow their Tweets on Twitter. The purpose of this is twofold. First, many companies now announce new openings on Facebook and, due to the immediacy of social networking, the openings hit social media faster than they appear on job search sites. Second, knowing what’s going on with a company will make you a more well-informed interviewee. Another tactic is to find the Facebook profiles of headhunters and “Like” them. Job search agencies often use Facebook to list hot openings and make announcements.
