For the past two years we have been hearing people ask, where are the jobs? I might be able to help shed some light & perhaps provide a more quantifiable approach to answering the question.
First of all, companies are having trouble setting productivity standards. We have seem a tremendous technological increase over the past two decades. During that Twenty year time frame, instead of asking an employee to do more, companies/ owners would just hire an additional FTE or PTE for the specific task. Today we have the resources and desire to set productivity standards. This can be accomplished relativity quickly and easily by either hiring someone to create a model for you, or just using current production standards as a base line.
Another item to consider is Outsourcing overseas. Outsourcing overseas by Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies is larger than you think. www.abovetopsecret.com reports that 40% of Fortune 500 companies outsource something. Call Centers provide the most proof that outsourcing overseas is profitable. The trend is for IT type functions to quickly follow.
These statistics are not hard for me to believe, because I work for a Fortune 500 company for 8 years, and my job was outsourced shortly after I was recruited to another employer.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Budget Breakdown
Do you ever wonder if you are spending to much of your paycheck on one particular expense? If so, this might help. Given the economy downturn, I have been researching and evaluating what percentage of our household income is going towards each expense.
I first created a category for each expense. Those category's were: Mortgage to include taxes and insurance, Food to include groceries & dining out, Debt payments such as credit cards and student loans, Utilities like cell phone, home phone, internet, cable, water, trash collection, and sewer bills, Transportation to include car payments, auto insurance, and gas, Savings which only includes after tax transfers to your savings account, 529 plans if you have children, Entertainment & Club memberships, and Finally Misc Household Expenses.
Below is a good plan to follow when determining, if you should upgrade in house, buy that new car you been wanting, go out to dinner- again, or even look for savings opportunities on cell phone plan, auto insurance, etc.
Percentage of monthly income allocated to expenses.
30%- Mortgage - If you have a 2nd mortgage with a balance, refinance it so you only have one mortgage payment.
15% - Food - Make the grocery list, then clip the coupons
10% - Debt Payments - Focus on the debt with highest interest rate first.
13% - Utilities - Look at the service providers you are using and ask for discounts annually.
12% - Transportation - Put your Insurance out to bid annually. I recommend Farm Bureau's.
10% - Savings - Park the money and use on a rainy day. If it's not raining, play in the sun.
5% - Entertainment/ memberships - Ask for discounts & volunteer.
5% - Household Expenses - We all have these... repairs, doctor visit, etc.
Do not be discouraged if your finances don't fit exactly into this plan, just use this plan as a template to help shape your financial future.
I first created a category for each expense. Those category's were: Mortgage to include taxes and insurance, Food to include groceries & dining out, Debt payments such as credit cards and student loans, Utilities like cell phone, home phone, internet, cable, water, trash collection, and sewer bills, Transportation to include car payments, auto insurance, and gas, Savings which only includes after tax transfers to your savings account, 529 plans if you have children, Entertainment & Club memberships, and Finally Misc Household Expenses.
Below is a good plan to follow when determining, if you should upgrade in house, buy that new car you been wanting, go out to dinner- again, or even look for savings opportunities on cell phone plan, auto insurance, etc.
Percentage of monthly income allocated to expenses.
30%- Mortgage - If you have a 2nd mortgage with a balance, refinance it so you only have one mortgage payment.
15% - Food - Make the grocery list, then clip the coupons
10% - Debt Payments - Focus on the debt with highest interest rate first.
13% - Utilities - Look at the service providers you are using and ask for discounts annually.
12% - Transportation - Put your Insurance out to bid annually. I recommend Farm Bureau's.
10% - Savings - Park the money and use on a rainy day. If it's not raining, play in the sun.
5% - Entertainment/ memberships - Ask for discounts & volunteer.
5% - Household Expenses - We all have these... repairs, doctor visit, etc.
Do not be discouraged if your finances don't fit exactly into this plan, just use this plan as a template to help shape your financial future.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Forgiveness and Acknowledgment Exercise
Here is a very powerful exercise that can be done at any time throughout the year. As a matter of fact, it should be most effectively done once a year at the same time of the year.
The exercise will take about 45 minutes. Bring a pad and a pen, find a place where you can be alone and undisturbed for that amount of time.
Begin with the Forgiveness portion of the exercise:
Step 1. Mentally turn your car around and drive back over the past year. Write down anything that occurred that you believe you need to forgive yourself for; anything that you wanted to get yourself to do and didn't, anything that you had some part in that didn't go as you had planned, any activities that you could have controlled and didn't. (For example; the diet you wanted to start and didn't, or started and didn't follow through on, the project you promised yourself you would complete, the course you wanted to take and didn't, etc.) Write these things down without prioritizing them or in any particular order.
Step 2. On each and every item on your list give yourself dispensation and forgive yourself. Realize that the year is over and there is not a thing you can do about it, other than choose to learn the lesson you were offered from the situation, and move on. The secret is to stop any of the residual negative energy from following you into the next year or next timeframe.
Step 3. While remembering that "Everything happens for a reason, if for no other reason than to learn lessons" look at each of these entries and ask yourself: What lesson was I offered through this situation? Did I learn the lesson? If not, What do I have to do to learn the lesson?
Part II The Acknowledgement portion
Step 1. Look back over the year and write down everything you would like to acknowledge yourself for. Everything you got yourself to begin, follow through on, complete. Everything you had a part in, that went the way you wanted it to. (The workout program you started, the marketing campaign you launched and followed up on throughout the year, the savings program you committed to and completed each week)
Once again, just write each item down without judging it or prioritizing it.
Step 2. Go back over each item and allow the acknowledgement to sink in. Really allow yourself to reach your arm around and pat yourself on the back for a job well done on each item.
Ironically, this acknowledgement part of the exercise is more difficult for the average person. We rarely stop our crazy lives and allow any acknowledgement to sink in. Yet, it is crucial to your self-esteem and self worth to acknowledge yourself for a job well done.
Once again, this exercise may not be easy to do, however I promise it will be extremely worthwhile and valuable.
-Author Unknown
The exercise will take about 45 minutes. Bring a pad and a pen, find a place where you can be alone and undisturbed for that amount of time.
Begin with the Forgiveness portion of the exercise:
Step 1. Mentally turn your car around and drive back over the past year. Write down anything that occurred that you believe you need to forgive yourself for; anything that you wanted to get yourself to do and didn't, anything that you had some part in that didn't go as you had planned, any activities that you could have controlled and didn't. (For example; the diet you wanted to start and didn't, or started and didn't follow through on, the project you promised yourself you would complete, the course you wanted to take and didn't, etc.) Write these things down without prioritizing them or in any particular order.
Step 2. On each and every item on your list give yourself dispensation and forgive yourself. Realize that the year is over and there is not a thing you can do about it, other than choose to learn the lesson you were offered from the situation, and move on. The secret is to stop any of the residual negative energy from following you into the next year or next timeframe.
Step 3. While remembering that "Everything happens for a reason, if for no other reason than to learn lessons" look at each of these entries and ask yourself: What lesson was I offered through this situation? Did I learn the lesson? If not, What do I have to do to learn the lesson?
Part II The Acknowledgement portion
Step 1. Look back over the year and write down everything you would like to acknowledge yourself for. Everything you got yourself to begin, follow through on, complete. Everything you had a part in, that went the way you wanted it to. (The workout program you started, the marketing campaign you launched and followed up on throughout the year, the savings program you committed to and completed each week)
Once again, just write each item down without judging it or prioritizing it.
Step 2. Go back over each item and allow the acknowledgement to sink in. Really allow yourself to reach your arm around and pat yourself on the back for a job well done on each item.
Ironically, this acknowledgement part of the exercise is more difficult for the average person. We rarely stop our crazy lives and allow any acknowledgement to sink in. Yet, it is crucial to your self-esteem and self worth to acknowledge yourself for a job well done.
Once again, this exercise may not be easy to do, however I promise it will be extremely worthwhile and valuable.
-Author Unknown
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Computer running slow?
Here is some helpful advise my brother sent me:
First, download Combofix at http://www.combofix.org. After installing, you will want to reboot your computer into SafeMode and run ComboFix. Be sure to follow their directive about stopping any anti-virus/anti-spyware software before you run ComboFix.
Next, download and run CCleaner at http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner.
Then, you will want to install, update, and run MS Security Essentials. You can download at http://microsoft.com/security_essentials.
Your computer should run must faster after following these steps. Don't forget to run CCleaner at least once a week.
First, download Combofix at http://www.combofix.org. After installing, you will want to reboot your computer into SafeMode and run ComboFix. Be sure to follow their directive about stopping any anti-virus/anti-spyware software before you run ComboFix.
Next, download and run CCleaner at http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner.
Then, you will want to install, update, and run MS Security Essentials. You can download at http://microsoft.com/security_essentials.
Your computer should run must faster after following these steps. Don't forget to run CCleaner at least once a week.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Do you have unclaimed cash? I did.
Turned out I have unclaimed cash from the last place I lived.
Do you remember ever paying for something, like an auto insurance premium and then canceling your coverage before the plan ran out, or paying upfront PMI insurance, and then moving before PMI was dropped from your loan? It can happen to you too. Check out the below links and search for your name.
Links to unclaimed cash:
Ohio
http://www.com.ohio.gov/unfd/TreasureHunt.aspx
Kentucky
https://secure.kentucky.gov/treasury/unclaimedProperty/Default.aspx
Indiana
https://www.indianaunclaimed.com/apps/ag/ucp/index.html
Do you remember ever paying for something, like an auto insurance premium and then canceling your coverage before the plan ran out, or paying upfront PMI insurance, and then moving before PMI was dropped from your loan? It can happen to you too. Check out the below links and search for your name.
Links to unclaimed cash:
Ohio
http://www.com.ohio.gov/unfd/TreasureHunt.aspx
Kentucky
https://secure.kentucky.gov/treasury/unclaimedProperty/Default.aspx
Indiana
https://www.indianaunclaimed.com/apps/ag/ucp/index.html
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Should I Close My Old Credit Card Accounts?
If you're like most of us, you can relate to how lines of credit outlive our fond shopping memories. It's probably safe to say that those credit cards stashed snugly in your wallet aren't the only ones on your official record. So should you close those 18 open lines of unused credit listed on your report? Will removing old information about already closed accounts make you look more attractive to bankers?
Closing accounts will not undo anything. According to Fair Isaac & Co. (the folks that created the FICO score), once you acquire more than seven revolving debt accounts, your FICO score begins to suffer a little. However, all is not automatically forgiven by simply closing accounts to get below seven. Once you've opened the accounts, the damage is done.
Closing open accounts may actually hurt your FICO score. Lenders take a hard look at the ratio between the balances on your revolving accounts and your total available credit. If you do have debt, try to keep it to less than 30% of your available credit. (The ideal number here, of course, is 0%.) Go ahead and keep those lines of credit open (but don't be tempted by untouched lines). When you close open accounts, those credit lines are no longer factored into your ratio. Thus the percentage of debt to available credit will increase. This is not a good thing.
Why deny the good? Removing old closed accounts that don't have any negative items is a bad idea simply because you benefit from a long credit history and those accounts speak to that credit history. (Remember, 15% of your credit score is determined by how long you've been borrowing.)
Your lender may have a different perspective. Lenders are apt to penalize you for having too much available credit, fearing you'll one day snap and go on a spending binge that is well beyond your means. If this is an issue with your lender, you might want to talk about closing some accounts, as long as the lender also knows that your score could drop.
On the other hand, there's beauty in simplification. Consider the benefits of paring down:
• Simplicity. Fewer cards are easier to track.
• Less temptation. The more cards you have, the easier it is to rationalize excessive spending.
• The more accounts you have, the greater the risk of identity theft and fraud
If you decide to streamline, carefully consider which cards should go on the chopping block.
You might sleep more soundly at night knowing that the only credit in your name is what's snugly in your wallet on your nightstand.
(Here's one important rule of thumb: Keep the cards with the longest track record of on time payments. This shows future lenders how long you have been a good credit risk.)
Closing accounts will not undo anything. According to Fair Isaac & Co. (the folks that created the FICO score), once you acquire more than seven revolving debt accounts, your FICO score begins to suffer a little. However, all is not automatically forgiven by simply closing accounts to get below seven. Once you've opened the accounts, the damage is done.
Closing open accounts may actually hurt your FICO score. Lenders take a hard look at the ratio between the balances on your revolving accounts and your total available credit. If you do have debt, try to keep it to less than 30% of your available credit. (The ideal number here, of course, is 0%.) Go ahead and keep those lines of credit open (but don't be tempted by untouched lines). When you close open accounts, those credit lines are no longer factored into your ratio. Thus the percentage of debt to available credit will increase. This is not a good thing.
Why deny the good? Removing old closed accounts that don't have any negative items is a bad idea simply because you benefit from a long credit history and those accounts speak to that credit history. (Remember, 15% of your credit score is determined by how long you've been borrowing.)
Your lender may have a different perspective. Lenders are apt to penalize you for having too much available credit, fearing you'll one day snap and go on a spending binge that is well beyond your means. If this is an issue with your lender, you might want to talk about closing some accounts, as long as the lender also knows that your score could drop.
On the other hand, there's beauty in simplification. Consider the benefits of paring down:
• Simplicity. Fewer cards are easier to track.
• Less temptation. The more cards you have, the easier it is to rationalize excessive spending.
• The more accounts you have, the greater the risk of identity theft and fraud
If you decide to streamline, carefully consider which cards should go on the chopping block.
You might sleep more soundly at night knowing that the only credit in your name is what's snugly in your wallet on your nightstand.
(Here's one important rule of thumb: Keep the cards with the longest track record of on time payments. This shows future lenders how long you have been a good credit risk.)
Monday, January 11, 2010
What is Your New Decade’s Resolution?
Right now most people are asking, What is your New Year's Resolution. I say, Think Bigger, Think Broader, What is Your New Decade’s Resolution?
You might ask, how do I do that. I look to Brett Clay for the answer, see below.
First, you must hold the belief that you are in control of what happens to you. Therefore, rather than passively asking “What changes will the new decade bring?”, we need to proactively say, “Here are the changes I’m going to make in this decade to ensure I succeed.”
Second, you must practice the five disciplines of change leadership.
1) Force Field Analysis - Force field analysis is based on the notion that people take action only when they feel a compelling force. Applying this reality to your business and your life means if you want to influence your customers, influence your organization, influence the people in your life, and influence your life in general, you need to be a master at understanding and harnessing the forces that are influencing those situations.
2) Change Response - The key to your success is how you respond to the forces you feel. To be the master, rather than slave to those forces, you need to cultivate a strong change temperament: minimal anxieties, maximum emotional stability, high confidence, action orientation, open mindedness, and a healthy risk tolerance.
3) Power Analysis - This is the discipline of understanding and minimizing the effort required to make a change. The secret of successful power analysis is to identify all of the factors that act to resist your desired change - and then focus on minimizing or eliminating them altogether, rather than powering over them.
4) Value Creation - Change only happens if there is a clearly articulated vision of its benefits. As you consider various changes, prioritize those that help you accomplish your highest goals and achieve your most cherished values.
5) Change Actuation - “Actuate” means “to put into motion”. To put change into motion, to move from here to there, you must be willing to let go of the “here”. As you are reading this, you are likely physically sitting relatively still. Figuratively, you are sitting frozen in your current situation. Change actuation is the process of unfreezing yourself, standing up, and taking your first step forward. While the changes you undertake in the next decade may seem like many marathons, if you maintain your focus on the next step, you won’t be overwhelmed, and you’ll traverse many miles before you even realize how far you’ve come.
So, what will the next decade bring? Who knows? Who cares? The real question is, What changes will you make in the next decade?
You might ask, how do I do that. I look to Brett Clay for the answer, see below.
First, you must hold the belief that you are in control of what happens to you. Therefore, rather than passively asking “What changes will the new decade bring?”, we need to proactively say, “Here are the changes I’m going to make in this decade to ensure I succeed.”
Second, you must practice the five disciplines of change leadership.
1) Force Field Analysis - Force field analysis is based on the notion that people take action only when they feel a compelling force. Applying this reality to your business and your life means if you want to influence your customers, influence your organization, influence the people in your life, and influence your life in general, you need to be a master at understanding and harnessing the forces that are influencing those situations.
2) Change Response - The key to your success is how you respond to the forces you feel. To be the master, rather than slave to those forces, you need to cultivate a strong change temperament: minimal anxieties, maximum emotional stability, high confidence, action orientation, open mindedness, and a healthy risk tolerance.
3) Power Analysis - This is the discipline of understanding and minimizing the effort required to make a change. The secret of successful power analysis is to identify all of the factors that act to resist your desired change - and then focus on minimizing or eliminating them altogether, rather than powering over them.
4) Value Creation - Change only happens if there is a clearly articulated vision of its benefits. As you consider various changes, prioritize those that help you accomplish your highest goals and achieve your most cherished values.
5) Change Actuation - “Actuate” means “to put into motion”. To put change into motion, to move from here to there, you must be willing to let go of the “here”. As you are reading this, you are likely physically sitting relatively still. Figuratively, you are sitting frozen in your current situation. Change actuation is the process of unfreezing yourself, standing up, and taking your first step forward. While the changes you undertake in the next decade may seem like many marathons, if you maintain your focus on the next step, you won’t be overwhelmed, and you’ll traverse many miles before you even realize how far you’ve come.
So, what will the next decade bring? Who knows? Who cares? The real question is, What changes will you make in the next decade?
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