February 2009

Smart-Phones are great for many reasons. One being the ability to take work with us where ever we go and we can store numerous valuable files. Smart-Phones not only come with a good deal of phone memory but also the ability to use SD Micro Cards increasing capacity without slowing our phones down during normal operations. In the beginning some phones were nice enough to come with a 1GB SD Micro Card to get us started. I have found that most manufacturers are not supplying the cards anymore and leaving it up to the consumer to pay the extra price in addition to the high cost of the device.

 

So what exactly are SD Micro Cards? Secure Digital Micro Cards are the smallest memory card available mainly used for cell phones and GPS devices. These cards are about the size of your fingernail. It works just like any other flash memory cards or sticks that you use on your computers to transfer and store all types of data including movies, music, pictures and documents. When used in your phone you can even install, store and run programs from your SD Micro Card rather than your phone, saving the phone memory for faster functionality.

Meal preparation centers are popping up everywhere. The goal of these places are to make meals easier and simpler for the family constantly on the go with the added benefit of proper nutrition. Not having the time to run out to the store to pick up the very few things that the desired recipe requires then heading back home to finish the prep, cooking and cleaning has working parents every where jumping on this meal train.

 

Each one of these places has multiple dinner recipes that you can choose from and they change them monthly. Everything that you would need for the meal is already prepped and ready for you to package on your own. Work your way down the line and let the kids join in so you know that you are going to have a meal later that you know they will eat when it comes dinner time. If there is something that you don't particularly like in the recipe, simply don't add it.

 

All the stations have packaging ready for you and the finished product. Included are labels to place on your food to go with instructions on how to cook the meal so it will come out great. You can prepare as many different dishes as you like.

Since January 13th some pretty big companies have been trying to get employees through their doors. Though we have seen many companies shut their doors in a very short period of time, there are still those that are thriving. In the stress and panic of losing a job and wondering if you're going to find another, take a deep breath. Granted, you may not be able to find a job to get you through that's right down the street anymore but there is work to be had. During my search today online I found CNN to be the most resourceful yet again for possible job opportunities.  

 

Companies like Wegmans Foods Market are hiring for nearly all positions needed to run a store.  Even in the down turn, they have 3 new stores being built this year. Business is very well and that's good for you. They plan on hiring nearly 2,000 employees during the expansion. Current locations that are hiring include Rochester, NY; Buffalo, NY; and Syracuse, NY.

Working from home means less money out for a sitter. That doesn't mean that you will never need one. As you know well there are days when you just need a break or a few hours to work undisturbed. Fortunately for those who can still afford a sitter every now and then, there are plenty of teenagers out there that are looking for work. The current economy has made jobs scarce for teens too since employers are looking to take on adults with more experience and education right now. If your new in town or have lost your recent babysitter since your job changed to working out of your home, you may have found yourself out of the loop on where to look.

 

There are several resources out there that you can utilize for your search. A lot of people place posts on craigslist looking for babysitting jobs but like most, I never really trust craigslist when it comes to the care of my child. You can opt to place an ad for interviews for a sitter for a safer route if that is a resource that you really want to use.

Normally I write a lot about how to keep yourself productive and different places you can find work. Today I want to talk about something that is just important as keeping yourself on track. You work day in and day out to earn your living. Conquering the tough daily struggles of juggling work, the kids and the house, I think it's only fair to chat about how to make your hard earned dollar go even further. The economy around us seems like one mild breeze and what's left is going to go toppling over putting most of us in a financial panic.

 

At this point in our economy you should have a budget set. If you don't, now is the time to get on it. Figure out just how much your household costs are including gas and groceries. Knowing exactly how much you need every month to survive is the first step in planning out how to keep your head above water. If you are in the position to, start creating an emergency fund savings account. Build it as fast as you can. Put away every last extra penny that you can.

Constant layoffs in your area as well as all over can be cause for a financial crisis. While you feel you are making good money at what you are doing working from home, if your spouse is no longer able to make their normal contribution, you may be thinking about taking on a second part time job to make up for the difference. This is also easier said than done. With the flood of the unemployed flooding the job market a part time job may not be that easy to come by and you may have to settle for a job that isn't that appealing.

 

Looking through the paper over the last few months, I always check the help wanted ads. The major paper for the area normally has quite the extensive list of possible job opportunities. For the first time in my life, I flipped to it only to find that it didn't even take up an entire page. Instead it was full of work wanted ads. This is a very discouraging sight to see especially since it covers an adjoining state's employment needs.

Is dinner on your to do list? If your day isn't going as planned, you may be getting down to crunch time and what you thought you were going to make for dinner isn't looking like it's going to happen unless everyone is up for waiting until the later hours of the evening. Normally fast food solutions come to mind. I won't deny that it sometimes ends up that way in my home. It's a quick fix and of course the kids are going to love it so I know I won't have to deal with a fight over finishing dinner. Though it is an easy answer to the dinner problem, it's not the healthiest or cost effective.

 

There are a ton of quick dinner ideas online that you can utilize. When you get a moment take a look at some of these sites and save your favorite recipes. Start making a list of the most common ingredients that are found in each and make sure that you have a good stock of them on hand so you won't have to run out to the store when you want to make them. That wouldn't be very helpful in the time saving department if you have to make a trip. Develop a meal plan for the week before you go grocery shopping.

Have you hit a road block in your daily work? Think about what may be causing you to get less done. It may just be that you are spending too much time thinking about all your tasks at hand for the day and then letting that turn into stress resulting in your road block. Like me, you may just be over thinking what your daily goals are and just how you are going to meet them. Over thinking can be your worst enemy.

 

When I find myself just dwelling on what I want to get done and what needs to get done, I can easily find myself being less and less productive throughout the day. Once the day has passed, then I start dwelling on everything that I didn't get done, need to catch up on and how I can get the undone completed with the work that has yet to be due. It turns into a huge mess and circle that can be hard to get yourself out of.

 

This is when you need to sit down and re-evaluate what your daily goals are. Do you maybe have to much on your list to accomplish in the time that you have set aside for work? Sometimes that is the case. The other thing you need to look at is how much time have you set aside for just you?

Today you can find a wireless connection just about anywhere you go. In some cities, there is a blanket wireless signal that is available to everyone and for everyone. Wireless allows us to do so many things and in so many places. We can now check our email while waiting at the bus stop or while we are waiting on our coffee order at the local coffee shop. Maybe we want to take the kids to the park but still need to have the internet available to keep the work flowing for the day; now that is no longer an issue for a lot of people. But those of us that don't live in a major city that has a free blanket WIFI signal, we can opt to have our own system installed giving us the freedom of at least moving around the house and back yard freely.

 

I know that not everyone it tech savvy and that includes me to an extent. Usually I can eventually figure things out but most times the frustration leading up to the final product just isn't worth it. Today, I can tell you that you can install and set up a wireless network your house without knowing a whole lot about it, but honestly, it sucks.