Archive for April, 2009
April 30, 2009 at 9:23 am · Filed under The Helping Hand
How do you manage your time? Or is the more appropriate question do you wish you had better time management skills? I have clients and friends who rely on everything from legal pads to brightly colored sticky notepads to manage their time and appointments - practically everything in their life. I don’t understand why some folks place so little importance on something as important as time management!
As a professional Virtual Assistant, I have numerous clients and tasks I must complete every day. I also have a hectic personal life, full of family responsibilities and my hobbies. Organizing my time is critical to my success and to maintaining my sanity.
Submitted for your reading pleasure, and to enhance your brain, are some of my tips for effectively and efficiently managing one of your most valuable resources: time.
Determine What Works Best for You
We’re all different in regards to time management — what works for you may not suit me or my style. Are you constantly on the go and need your calendar at your fingertips? Or, do you prefer to keep a paper calendar? Do you loath computers and all they stand for, or are you so wired Edison would be jealous? Whatever tools you choose to include in your arsenal, ensure they’re tools you’ll use consistently.
The Building Blocks of Better Time Management
My time management tools are Microsoft Outlook® and my trusty PDA. Outlook serves all my appointment, e-mail and tasking needs in one easy-to-use package.
Two of my favorite Outlook tools are the Categories and Labels features. Categories allow me to classify my calendar items and tasks in a variety of ways, such as Clients, Potential Clients, Personal, and so forth. In addition, you can also Advanced Find (search) Categories, so no more wasted time looking for a calendar appointment or journal entry for a particular client.
Unlike the seemingly unlimited number of Categories you may setup, you are limited to ten (10) Labels (at least in the 2002 version). Labels allow you to color code your Calendar so you’ll know at a glance which items are personal in nature, and which are client related.
Consistency is the Key
Whatever system you have in place or are considering to implement, the key point to remember is consistency. Follow the same procedures each and every time, without fail. Ensure you put good habits into play and more important, follow those good habits!
When I create new appointments or tasks, I use the first few characters to define the “owner” (client or myself) of that appointment or task. For example, when creating items for client Tom Smith, I’ll preface all items with TSMITH. When searching for items for Tom, I know if I search for “TSMITH” I’ll access all items related to this client. I’ll also apply a Label to my appointments, such as TeleCon, PCI (Potential Client Interview), or Personal.
I pad all appointments with a 15-minute buffer on each side. I also schedule breaks during my workday.
My clients appreciate that each Monday I release my “Lori’s Schedule”e-mail, a brief note notifying my clients when I’ll be out of the office for that week. For example, all my clients know I’m a member of the Editorial Team for a well-known eZine and they know that unless it’s an emergency, I am not available during this meeting.
When I interview potential clients, interns and vendors, I keep detailed conversation notes in the memo field for that Contact. I date all telephone conversations and apply color coding (font coloring) to each conversation. All interviews are kept to 30 minutes - no exceptions. My Desktop timer helps me keep track of the time, and sounds a horn .WAV file when it’s time to end the interview.
If I need to follow up with someone, I immediately create an appointment, applying Categories and a Label, and attach any necessary external documents (Word, Excel, etc.). For Calendar appointments, I also keep track of the number of times I’ve attempted to contact that person. Example: For vendor Lisa Andrews, I’ll preface the appointment with LA(2), where the parenthetical (2) means this is my second attempt to contact Lisa. I allow a maximum of three follow up attempts - no exceptions. Chasing people down is a waste of my time–time I’d prefer to spend bringin’ home the bacon.
You Make the Call
Pet Peeve: Folks who call me and have no clue what they want to say. I’ve been known to hang up on such occasions, so let’s ensure you don’t make the same mistake!
A few basic rules of etiquette follow:
1. Peace & quiet rule the day, especially if you’re making a business call. If the kids or your husband are home, close the door to your office. If there’s a large amount of street traffic, go to an inner room in your home, as far away from the noise as possible. You don’t want to shout over the din; instead, make the din disappear.
2. Know what you’re going to say! I’ve advised numerous clients to have either an index card or a small sheet of paper with the bullet points of what they want to say. I do something similar - in the Calendar appointment for the telephone call, I include bullet points in the memo field and make notes during the course of the conversation.
3. Keep it brief. Make your point, get down to business and let’s rock and roll.
4. Be on time. Have respect for the person you’re about to call. They’ve set aside valuable time to talk to you.
You’ve Made Your List, Now Check It the 2nd Time
Spend a few minutes at the end of your day to review tomorrow’s calendar. Doing so will get you prepared for tomorrow and will jump start your memory if you forgot to do something. Do you have any faxes still waiting to go out? Did you remember to call the printer and OK the proof? Any prep work you need to do for tomorrow? Take five minutes, review your calendar and to do list and then complete any last minute work.
It’s All Relative - Well, Your Relatives Think So
I know many people who have home-based businesses and at least 75% of them do not have a “family policy” in place. Question: How can you work effectively from home if your girlfriends are calling you all the time, and if Uncle Joe stops by several times a day? Answer: You can’t. What to do? Inform your family and close friends that unless it’s a dire emergency, the family chit-chat and visits need to be kept to a minimum. For your part, you must ensure you call your dad at the end of the day to check in, and tell your girlfriend Lisa that yes, you can have lunch with her on Thursday. It’s all about balance: part work, part play. Too much of the former will make you crazy!
“No” is Not a Four Letter Word (Subtitle: Even if it were, you should still utter it now and then)
Say this out loud, “It’s okay for me to say no.” Doesn’t that feel better? More important, do you believe it?
Do not allow the procrastination or the good intentions of others to encroach upon your time. If you do not have the time today to handle a task, be honest and say so. Offer alternative dates and times when you are available, ensuring you mark these times as “unavailable” on your calendar so you don’t book other appointments during this time.
Remember, time is money. Learn how to organize and manage your time–you’ll be glad you did!
Copyright 2005 Lori Davis. All rights reserved.
April 29, 2009 at 3:27 pm · Filed under Insurance Market, Vehicles, World Of Finance
Legal Requirements
- Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): $10,000/$20,000 Limit
- Property Damage Liability (PDL): $10,000 Limit
Florida is a no-fault state. The actual details for a no-fault system deviate by state, but fundamentally, how it works is that the auto insurance underwriter will pay for related expenses irrespective of who caused the accident. In this kind of auto insurance system, Florida drivers do lose some legal rights to take legal action, but it helps minimize altercations.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in your insurance policy assists in paying for “reasonable and necessary” medical/hospital expenses for you and your passengers. In the state of Florida, all motorists are required to cover PIP auto insurance policy of $10,000 to compensate a single driver involved in the auto accident and $20,000 for all people involved in the accident.
Uninsured Driver auto insurance coverage is for the event that you’re involved in accident with a motorist who does not carry auto insurance.This added coverage is elective, but can help lower expenses if you are in an accident with an uninsured driver.
In 2003, the usual premium in the U.S. was $914,while the usual Floridian spent $1,104. There are many of drivers that incorrectly take for granted that they don’t have the ability in bringing down their auto insurance rates.
Florida insurance quotes can vary for different people and one agency to the next. To check the most affordable auto insurance quotes, you need to shop auto insurance rates on the web or speak to a licensed insurance broker. You also may be entitled for select insurance programs that can help reduce your costs.
2007 had the first fall in auto insurance since 1999. 2007 had a .5% to 1% lessening in insurance from 2006. In 2008, insurance again started to go up once more and 2009 should be no different! Auto insurance websites acknowledge that the sole way to lower premiums is to comparison shop. These websites let you quickly and easily find auto insurance costs from plenty of insurance underwriters. You may be able to receive decrease quotes at another auto insurance company and/or find that you’re eligible for certain auto insurance rebates.
April 27, 2009 at 8:02 pm · Filed under Education + Schooling, Health
Working to read with Dyslexia essentially comes down to finding qualified dyslexia help. More precisely, dyslexia means that a person who is very smart in most areas and who possesses the ability to learn and had the opportunity to do so, repeatedly show trouble reading. Being dyslexic definitely doesn’t label a person is slow or mentally handicapped, but the very opposite! By consensus definition, Dyslexia exists exclusively in smart people and especially in creative spirits. However talented may be, they struggle learning to readlearn to read more slowly than most kids. Some first indicators of dyslexia related reading difficulty include situations like not understanding small words on a page or a constant struggle mastering new words individually, or faking it through reading all together. If a child isn’t developing reading skills at the same pace as his or her peers, dyslexia could very well be a a cause. Dyslexia could contribute to troubles and stress in science and math.After learning you or your child has a reading difficulty, what’s next? With some work, can a student with dyslexia learn to read well, and understand what he/she encounters? Might an adult with dyslexia improve phonemic awareness and phonics to reading fluency? Yes. Sally Shaywitz, globally recognized Dyselxia researcher and co-founder for the establishes that in Overcoming Dyslexia, her book. Though, there may exist a lot of conditions that are overlapping in students with reading difficulty. Other conditions like these will typically be observed by a qualified speech-language pathologist or educational reading assessment.
April 27, 2009 at 6:53 am · Filed under The Helping Hand
Lucite purses got their start in the early 1950’s, when post war technology came up with the idea for a higher class of plastic called “lucite”. This material was ideal for use in boxy style handbags and could be manufactured in opaque or translucent color. Decorations were easy to add and included confetti, shells, flowers, or just about anything else you could stick on a handbag!
These purses became all the rage of bigger cities such as Miami and New York City. It was love at first site between handbag companies and lucite purses because they could be made into unusual shapes easily.
The most expensive lucite purses were made by Wilardy of New York and were showcased in major department stores throughout the country. Of course with popularity came replication and many cheaper versions were made.
Do you think you have found a genuine vintage high quality lucite purse? The best of the designers were Rialto, Llewllyn, Gilli Originals, Patricia of Miami, Evans, and Myles and Maxim. These companies marked their handbags on the inside with a stamp on the metal frames or a clear label. These bags are now collectors items that sell for large sums but, unfortunately, some of the clear labels have fallen off with age making absolute identification difficult. Check the lucite purse over carefully and realize that, if you are buying for an investment, authentication is very important and if it cannot be proved as real, your investment is worthless.
April 26, 2009 at 3:10 pm · Filed under Attirement, Education + Schooling, Kids
Graduation hood
The type of graduation hood one wears will depend on the university one attends and the field of study the person is undertaking. Universities use different hoods depending on the degree level one is graduating in. The difference lies in the color used. For instance, there are different colors for those graduating with bachelor, masters and doctorate degrees. In some universities, bachelor degree graduates from different faculties, wear different hood colors. The type of Graduation hood worn depends on the fabric used to make it.
The widely used material is silk. Most of the hoods are black in color with the lining being a different color. In most universities, each school has its own colors. For instance, business graduates wear black hoods, with drab lining. Education students wear black hoods, with light blue lining, while those graduating in the arts wear black hoods with white lining. Wearing the graduation hood can be quite challenging, since graduates are not properly taught how to do it. However, putting it on is an easy task. The hood is placed over the head, this makes the drape fall on the back of the gown. The lining should be visible from the outside to display the faculty the graduate is from. There is a cord at the back of the hood, which will keep the hood firmly in place
GraduationSource, a leader in graduation regalia products since 1960.
April 26, 2009 at 4:41 am · Filed under The Helping Hand
Millions of people, just like you, end up with a customer service problem that they just can’t seem to get resolved. No matter what they do. Even though you are in the right, even though you are being treated improperly. You may needle and wheedle them, bellow and battle, but your problem still ends up unresolved. Sound familiar? If so, here’s a proven, effective FREE technique you can use that can help you get immediate corrective action for those ongoing unresolved frustrating, sometimes nightmarish consumer problems such as billing errors, disputes, complaints, defective products and other consumer rights issues.
What are your consumer rights? A product or service offered by a reputable company should function properly. And, as a consumer and a customer, you should be treated fairly and properly. And customer service is supposed to help you when that doesn’t happen. Of course, in the real world, this does not always occur. However, the vast majority of legitimate organizations that depend on consumer buying for their sales and profits are willing and committed to stand behind their products and services and are willing and committed to “make it right” when a problem happens. But sometimes they aren’t. Or they are unaware of a problem. Or their customer service is not capable or properly trained or properly authorized to resolve even the most obvious problem. And you get stuck in a battle with customer service, a seemingly dead-end with no resolution, a consumer nightmare! It happens. And when it does, here’s what you can do …
First, take a deep breath. Relax. Your customer service battle may soon be over.
Note: regarding exercising your consumer rights and winning the customer service battle; in order to be effective you need to act sanely and rationally, have a VALID claim, and expect a REASONABLE solution.
The Rule of 3 Make sure you have first followed what I call the “Rule of 3″; always give the customer service department three (3) chances to resolve your problem. Also, if you haven’t been able to get anywhere with the normal standard customer service rep you should ask (nicely and firmly) for a supervisor; sometimes a supervisor can simply and easily resolve your problem. Sometimes not. But do give Customer Service 3 chances and, above all, be courteous! If, after exhausting the limits of both customer service and yourself, your problem is not resolved proceed with the following technique …
The Mother Of All Emails To end the battle quickly and victoriously you will compose and send what I call the Mother of All Emails. If you want your problem resolved once and for all follow these steps …
1) organize the most pertinent facts relating to your problem. Facts … not feelings.
2) in a blank email set forth your unresolved problem. Here you state that you have been unsuccessful in getting your problem resolved via customer service. Be professional. State it clearly. No more than 1-2 short paragraphs.
3) the next few paragraphs are where you state the background of the problem. Here you state the most pertinent FACTS of what the problem is, the nature of the problem, why and how it’s a problem for you. Keep it short (3-5 short paragraphs).
4) next comes the ending paragraph where you tell them what you want. I use the phrase, “I would appreciate it if someone of appropriate authority would look into the problem and take the necessary and immediate action to remedy the situation. Thank you very much.”
5) at the bottom of the email put your name, phone number, and if applicale, the order number or customer service case number etc.
6) next, we will get the email address of the organization’s CEO or president or director or whoever is ultimately running the organization … the #1 big boss. Why? Because apparently no one else in his organization seems to be able, or willing, to resolve your problem … so now we are going to bring it to the attention of the top dog! Yes, this does work and yes, if you are a customer you deserve to get your problem resolved. Contacting the person at the very top of the company is the secret way of getting your unresolved problem resolved. And, sometimes, it’s the ONLY way. The Mother Of All Emails. You can do this! I don’t care how big the organization is, somebody is running it and is ultimately responsible. That’s whose email address you want. With a little hunting this can often be found on their website, under About the Organization or Executives, etc. If you cannot find the email address of the head honcho then CALL the main number of the organization (unless it’s out of the country; then the phone call may be too costly). Ask for the Office of the President. They should connect you. If asked why simply state that you “have to email him some important documents”. Do NOT go into a whole story, do NOT get sidetracked, just get the head person’s email address and get off the phone.
7) address the Mother Of All Emails to the CEO, president, or whomever runs the organization.
send the Mother Of All Emails.
After you have sent your Mother Of All Emails, standby for action! It is not unusual for a legitimate organization to respond reasonably quickly so be prepared. And don’t be surprised if you get an immediate resolution of your problem. I have used the Mother Of All Emails technique for many years and have had remarkable success, resolving many different and difficult types of consumer problems, both common and rare, with organizations ranging from small local businesses to giant multi-national Fortune 500 companies. Though the Mother Of All Emails is a very powerful and effective technique remember that you only have one chance to use it; if you don’t do it right the first time you can’t redo it and and re-email it to a CEO.
Bottom line, have you had enough “customer service”? Do you want your problem resolved? If you are still battling customer service and still not getting your problem resolved … send the Mother Of All Emails!
April 24, 2009 at 11:49 pm · Filed under Information Portal
A large quantity of green traders can become bemused when the topic of debate gets right to the heart of exchange rate industry terms, on the other hand the industry terms really is somewhat simple. So regardless of whether you are a sole trader or a corporation seeking to exchange foreign money; below are some unambiguous and painless definitions that will often with any luck kill off quite a lot of the mystery & make the process of making additional money with trading foreign money a bit more straightforward.
Beginning at the start with the most uncomplicated of definitions an exchange rate is the particular price at which a particular country’s currency could be converted into another’s. So that, for an example the exchange rate would be the amount of Fiji Dollars you should acquire in exchange for every single Honduras Lempira.
Fixed exchange rates are additionally known by the term ‘pegged exchange rates’; fixed exchange rated are used to stabilize the value of a countries currency; especially during times when that particular currency is changing in value heavily; this really helps to support business & investment.
Floating exchange rates - this is when a currencies current value is dictated via natural market forces. This is a much more risky way to conduct business but nevertheless this is the situation where you might well have the chance to make a tidy profit,
You will probably additionally read talk of animals in exchange circles; a bull is a person who believes market prices will go up and a bear is someone that predicts that market prices will go down. A bull market is a market where values are at present going up and a bear market is the exact opposite - a marketplace where prices are actually going downwards
A currency broker is an individual who acts as a middle person between you and the market place - currency brokers are often in a position to really get you the choicest price at moments when you are looking to purchase or conceivably sell.
The dollar rate is the exchage rate that one measure of any currency has against a single unit of the US Dollar; this is a useful barometer for a national currencies current value.
This is really by no means a exhaustive and comprehensive selection of terms - merely a starting point; but with a tiny fraction more groundwork you can be considerably on your way to now becoming a financial expert in no time. Ready to take the plunge and commit to buying foreign currency, have look here.
April 24, 2009 at 7:58 pm · Filed under Credit Resources, World Of Finance
There are two choices for filing bankruptcy as a consumer, chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 is often referred to as liquidation as all of your property that is not exempt is sold in order to pay off your debts that you claim in the bankruptcy. Exempt property is that property that the bankruptcy court allows you to keep in order to continue living a normal life, like a car, clothing, furniture, etc. Every state sets their bankruptcy exemptions, as well as Federal exemptions that can be used in some states.In order to legally to file a ch 7 bankruptcy petition, you must be an individual, you must complete a credit counseling course from an authorized agency within the 180 days before filing for chapter 7 bankruptcy relief, and pass the means test which is completed with your petition.In a chapter 7 petition, you will have to file statements that list your creditors, assets, income and bills. You will also have to provide copies of tax returns filed the last two years, pay stubs from the last 6 months, and your certificate from completing the credit counseling course. Married bankruptcy filers must provide the spouses information even if they are not filing bankruptcy together so the court can determine the households ability to pay the debts.When completing your petition, you will have the option to continue paying and holding onto your property if you are able to, such as your house or automobile, by making a reaffirmation agreement with the creditor. By reaffirming the debt you are recognizing that you intend to make payments. If the trustee grants your reaffirmation agreement, the creditor may be able to call you to collect the debt in the future.When you file your chapter 7 bankruptcy documents you will have to pay a filing fee of $299. This fee can be paid in installments, up to 4 no later than 120 days after filing. Once filed, the bankruptcy stay is in effect, and your creditors cannot try to collect on the debts or continue lawsuits, or wage garnishments. Each of your creditors will be advised that you have filed bankruptcy and yielded a chance to answer. Within 20-40 days a 341 meeting will be called. During this meeting, the creditors and trustee can ask you questions. Within 10 days of the meeting the trustee will rule on whether the case should be presumed as abusive under the means test. A presumption of abuse by the trustee can result in being forced into a chapter 13 bankruptcy.The trustee then liquidates your assets if any are not exempt and gives the profits to creditors. After liquidation a discharge is granted to you, which wipes out the rest of your debts.
April 24, 2009 at 6:06 am · Filed under Exchange Markets + Auctions
Almost everyone now knows what Ebay is. For those that don’t, it’s an online auction website that is massively popular… and still growing. It’s great for people looking to pick up a bargain as well as selling things you don’t need. It’s also great for merchants. Ebay gives you the potential customers and the traffic. All you have to do is create an advertisement and sell your item. Ebay charges you a nominal amount to list your item and then takes a cut if it sells. If it doesn’t sell then you can relist it again.
Here are 10 top tips you should follow when buying/selling on ebay. These are my own tips speaking from experience as a powerseller: -
1. Before buying anything expensive, check the merchants feedback. Check that they haven’t built up a feedback rating on sand by selling cheap items. Fraud is not common, but it does happen. Do some detective work before committing to buy.
2. Pay by Paypal when purchasing items. If you don’t receive your item or you have problems with the seller, you can contact paypal and launch a complaint/investigation.
3. If you have a bad experience on ebay, before jumping in and leaving negative feedback, contact your seller. Communication is everything and small misunderstandings can blow out of proportion.
4. Before listing an item for sale, check to see if the price you are trying to sell it for is realistic. Ebay market is competitive so if you try and sell the really obvious, be prepared to be in competition with merchants that have massive buying power to negotiate deals.
5. If you have an item that isn’t selling, ask yourself why. Don’t keep relisting it. Check your picture, check your description, check the category it’s in and check the price you are trying to sell it for is achievable.
6. When dispatching an item to a buyer that has paid by Paypal, check to see if the address is ‘confirmed’ or ‘unconfirmed’. If it’s unconfirmed then you aren’t protected by Paypal if anything goes wrong. You could end up being faced with a reverse transaction on your hands!
7. Make sure the picture of the item you are selling does it justice. Always take a picture!
8. If you sell regularly, invite your customers to sign up for your newsletter. Let them know about new products you have for sale
9. Always inform your buyers when you have dispatched their item.
10. If you haven’t sent the item after a few days you will start getting emails asking where their item is they have paid for. Don’t get into this situation - dispatch things quickly. If you can’t do that, then let your customer know when they can expect delivery or they will start to worry.
Article by David Jackson of http://www.ebay-information.com (The Ebay Information Resource For Trading With Confidence)
April 24, 2009 at 5:27 am · Filed under The Helping Hand
Do you sometimes wish you could continue gambling for just a few more minutes? Do you stop when you’ve had enough of a good time or because your money has run out? Here are some budget-stretching ideas.You can use four basic methods to make your casino money last longer. The first speaks for itself - bet low! Find games where it’s cheap to play, or at least no more than a small portion of your budget. If you come with a few hundred dollars, go for the nickel or penny slot games. If your balance is a few thousand dollars, play Blackjack for a dollar or two per hand.
If you stick to the inexpensive games, even the worst player should be happy to call it quits before the funds run out. Objective achieved!
Our second suggestion for saying goodbye to the casino when you’re tired but not broke is to bet intelligently in a game where the odds are favorable or at least reasonable. Here we’d recommend Baccarat if you’re willing to bet on Player or, preferably, Banker - and you’ll discipline yourself never to put a wager on a tie. You can also linger a while at Craps as long as you wager only on Pass/Don’t Pass and meticulously go for the Odds bets. Another good alternative is the slots games where payout ratios are high; if they’re above 98 percent, give it a go. Never automatically assume that the payouts are this good - check first!
Even when adopting the strategy based on encouraging odds and placing only smart wagers, it’s advisable to come in with a worthwhile balance. In general, your minimum bankroll should be between 50 and 100 times as much as the cost of a single bet. If your pockets are not that full, our first method is better suited to you.
The third technique that should keep you going for some length of time is to play a game where things happen slowly, not because of a bad Internet connection but to make your money last longer.
Find a leisurely game. This may not be easy since casino games are generally designed for quicker action to generate higher revenue flows. A prime contender for the crawler award is Keno, where you can control the pace of the game. Or join a multi-player game of poker where the ante is low and chatter among the players flows faster than the wagers. As for Pai Gow, it’s confusing enough to slow things right down while everyone tries to suss out how to play the game.
Our fourth suggestion is the most difficult - take part in a game of skill where you’re something of an expert. Blackjack and Poker immediately spring to mind. Blackjack has been popular for ages because the Basic Strategy will see you through numerous hands without botching things up for yourself. Don’t make impulse decisions, don’t let hunches influence you and ignore the comments of other players. Treat the Basic Strategy with the reverence you’d give to an ancient tome of wisdom. Play nothing but Basic. Stretch your money even further by holding the table bets as low as you can endure without becoming bored.
Poker has never been a “sure thing” but it is a bankroll-expander for the skilled player. Know there’s a better player than you out there somewhere. Do your best to avoid this competitor. Rather try to join a bunch of novices and quietly drain their money from them while you gently show them the ropes. When you’ve cleaned them out they’ll still think you’re a nice person because you improved their skills. You’ll love them for giving you their money.
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