Video Conferencing to Save Time and Money

I've always wondered why businesses didn't utilize the available Video Conference Equipment out there now. Instead they put their executives on planes and have them traveling all over the place to get deals done, and to make important decisions. They get jet lag, lose time with their families, and just plain waste a lot of time they don't need to.

Lifesize.com has great information about distance learning, and vidoeconferencing. They have developed an info package that is free to download on the site so that those who are the decision maker, or even just one of those that make recommendations for businesses can easily determine what is the perfect solution for their company. Visitors to the website can download the info pack, which includes details about their products and recommends how to select the appropriate system for you.

6 ways to kill your credit score

Just what you were looking for, eh? I'm sure it is a dream for all of you to kill your credit score and never be able to get a loan...lol

Your credit score is where it all begins when you are looking to get a loan. Keeping it high is something that takes work. There are many ways to prevent the lowering of your credit score, but there may be some you haven't considered. A recent article mentions 6 that you may be able to account for now that you see them.

The article goes into pretty good detail so it is a must read anyways. Take a look at it here.

Room Scheduling Software

Scheduling the use of equipment, office meeting rooms, and other company assets shouldn't be so difficult. Using outdated methods like sign up sheets and binders should be a thing of the past in this day of technology. Netsimplicity.com has simplified the process with Room Scheduling Software that makes the day to day scheduling of these assets easier, and less of a chore for those that need them. Employees can simply go online and make their reservations instead of trying to track down the sign up sheets and wasting valuable work time when they go look for it.

My competitors keep hiring illegals!

A subject that is always in the forefront of business in my area. We have a very large population of illegal immigrants, and employers in this area have no qualms about hiring them. One place I worked unionized a few years back and when they did it became apparent exactly how big the illegal employment was in this area. In a company of approximately 200 employees, this company had an illegal workforce that ran over 30% of their total emplyee base. An astonishing figure. Many found a new york ticket broker soon after and headed out to find more work that didn't require them to become citicens.

Below is a response from a business owenr to a previous article on CNNMoney and advice to his problem.

Dear FSB: I have the same problem you mentioned in "Blowing the Whistle on Illegals." I own a floor-covering store, and a competitor has taken a lot of business from me because he hires illegal immigrants and can do everything cheaper. What can I do to stop this? --Name withheld, Georgia

Dear Georgia: If you don't plan to sue your rival, as the entrepreneur in our story did, you can report him to the feds.

The president of Golden State Fence in Riverside, Calif., just got sentenced to probation for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. Send a letter to the Special Agent in Charge of your regional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office (ice.gov).

ICE spokeswoman Pat Reilly says the agency has never heard of any tipster being sued by someone he turned in for hiring illegals. But if you are worried that your identity may become known, call ICE's anonymous toll-free hotline at 866-347-2423.

The Cash Reserve and High Yield Savings Accounts

When developing a financial plan I am a huge proponent in building a cash reserve as the first step. That step typically includes a tiered reserve which contains investemnt options where all that money is easily obtainable. One of those tiers is always high yield savings accounts. Though cash reserves are created for an emrgency situation, or just to give a sense of security it makes little sense to let banks hold onto that money for free doesn't it?

The link I privided above details some education about high yield savings accounts as well as the ability to search, and find ones that will get you the best options for your cash reserves. Money should never be sitting in an account for free. Be it at a bank, or an online bank, there is plenty of competition out there to hold your reserves that the ability to get a very good interest rate that there is no reason not to check it out.

Why a gasoline boycott won't work

I tell people this all the time. It comes up frequently as gas prices rise, yet there is always a chain e-mail out there asking drivers to forgo gas purchasing on a certain day. This time it is for May 15th and until now I have not actually seen an article on a major site ever address this silly little campaign.

The article just suggests that if people don't buy it that day, they will buy it today or the next. It will make no difference. What they do mention though is that many own't buy coffee, sodas, etc. from those places. What that does is hurt the local merchant in most cases, while doing nothing to the gas companies.

One day will do nothing. It never has, and never will. Gas prices are based on loinger-term trends than they are on a one day decrease.

Read the article for some quotes and historical numbers about this urban legend:

Read more...

Online Marketing and Promotions

Working from home has always been what I wanted to do. Being able to make money online in a recliner while I watch TV is a very good thing. One of the online money making strategies i use is paid blogging. PayPerPost is probably the site I use most often because they have the most offers, give away the most prizes, and do a great job helping the bloggers get better.

Speaking of prizes. PPP has been doing special promotions on Tuesdays for the last 6 weeks. Last month they gave away posts, with no blog requirements, that would pay bloggers $100-1000 for just one post. May take you 15 minutes to write a post and that promotion could make you $1000.

This month they have already given away an Apple TV and a Playstation 3 Entertainment System. Not only do the winning bloggers get those prizes, but they even pay them to write the post about winning the prize. Can't get much better than that can you?

Coming up on May 15th, PPP and Bid 4 Prizes have combined for another great Tuesday promotion. This week they will give bloggers a chance at winning several prizes including a Slingbox, Nintendo Wii, Yamaha Surround Sound System or a Logitech universal remote. Later this month they are even going to give away some HDTVs and other prizes.

Even if you don’t win these prizes there is still a pretty nice incentive to join PPP. You get paid to post, and can get paid everyday. To join PPP just click on this banner and get started immediately: