In these economic times, everyone is watching their bottom lines. Many experts say to have at least half a year's salary stocked away and if you are a double income household, rework your finances to be able to survive off of one salary instead of two...not an easy task! If you need help getting started, here are a few sites that can help you with budgeting (taken from an excerpt of Little PINK Book):
Mint, award-winning free budgeting software, categorizes your spending, creates a budget for you and helps you figure out how to best pay off debt. Plus, it texts or e-mails when you're about to go over in one category.
Wesabe categorizes your spending into a budget, provides other personal finances tools and connects you with a community of other budget-conscious consumers to answer your questions.
Geezeo will also create a budget for you – and connect you with personal finance experts and a community of like-minded users.
Understanding your cashflow In and Out is something we should all be aware of. It helps you better understand what motivates you to spend and can help you cut out unneeded expenses (who knows...maybe you can save enough to attend LCAM 2010...start saving today!)
Have a great weekend!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Keeping Up With the Times - Embracing Social Media
Our world is so fast-paced that if you aren't constantly paying attention, you get left in the dust. Take for instance the social media revolution. How many of you have accounts on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.? And, that is just the beginning. Many of you 'Tweet' or at least follow friends and others on Twitter.
Need information? Not a problem! Information is simply a click away...if you don't believe me, watch this YouTube video: Did You Know on how quickly we adapt to the world around us and trust me, it can be overwhelming when you think about it!
If you are interested in learning more about Social Media or in a position to influence how your organization uses Social Media to reach your customers or employees, make sure to subscribe to attend the Blog Indiana 2009 Blogging and Social Media Conference. It is two days filled with sessions, summits and workshops on social media held on the IUPUI campus.
If you are interested in knowing what is going on around Indy, connect with others on IndyTweetUp or the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association blog.
Most organizations are embracing social media as a form of staying connected so don't miss out on your opportunity to stay on top of the latest technology before it is too late! Oh, and by the way, if you are reading this, you are part of the social media revolution - congratulations!
Stay connected with other EWI members through Facebook by becoming a fan of our page. Search for Executive Women International - Indianapolis Chapter. Happy day to you all!
Need information? Not a problem! Information is simply a click away...if you don't believe me, watch this YouTube video: Did You Know on how quickly we adapt to the world around us and trust me, it can be overwhelming when you think about it!
If you are interested in learning more about Social Media or in a position to influence how your organization uses Social Media to reach your customers or employees, make sure to subscribe to attend the Blog Indiana 2009 Blogging and Social Media Conference. It is two days filled with sessions, summits and workshops on social media held on the IUPUI campus.
If you are interested in knowing what is going on around Indy, connect with others on IndyTweetUp or the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association blog.
Most organizations are embracing social media as a form of staying connected so don't miss out on your opportunity to stay on top of the latest technology before it is too late! Oh, and by the way, if you are reading this, you are part of the social media revolution - congratulations!
Stay connected with other EWI members through Facebook by becoming a fan of our page. Search for Executive Women International - Indianapolis Chapter. Happy day to you all!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Where Do You Find the Time?
I get asked that question probably more than any other. And to me that is an interesting question to answer. I have a 4 month old son, a daughter that is almost 6 years old, work a full-time job, sometimes do side work so as a family we can do the things we want to do without having to figure out what we want to sacrifice, am an avid gardener, actively participate in EWI and other organizations and try to do what I can to give back to the community in a way that helps me sleep better at night. So how do I do it? I think the question is, how do we all do it!?!
The answer to me is so simple...we have passion! We love the impact that our decisions have on not only our own lives but those around us...our husbands, our children, our friends, our neighbors, our community. Each and every decision we make has an impact, either positive or negative, on those around us even when we don't necessarily realize it. There is no better example of this than at our July EWI meeting where we award ASIST (Adults Students in Scholastic Transition) scholarships to deserving individuals actively pursuing a degree.
WOW! What a group of determined ladies we were lucky enough to spend time with last evening and give them the opportunities to make an impact on their own lives and those around them. Each of the three ladies had a unique story to tell. All were raising young children alone. Each had made the decision to take "own" their destiny. They all realize that you get out of life what you put into it. They want their children to be proud of the decisions they have made and to grow up to be strong individuals that take accountability for their own actions. They have passion!
I share this because hearing how one action that we do every year can bring such change and resolve to another human being...that is the answer...that is why we do what we do. We don't work hard just because we know we should; we work hard for the impact that it has on the people around us. That is not to say that our own needs should come second but there is a balance that we find in finding the time to look out for others; not only those that we know but those that we want to know.
I am proud to know that the ladies (and men) of EWI are not just looking out for themselves but for the community in which we serve. Our passion is to make a positive impact on the lives of others. I would love to hear more from you...
The answer to me is so simple...we have passion! We love the impact that our decisions have on not only our own lives but those around us...our husbands, our children, our friends, our neighbors, our community. Each and every decision we make has an impact, either positive or negative, on those around us even when we don't necessarily realize it. There is no better example of this than at our July EWI meeting where we award ASIST (Adults Students in Scholastic Transition) scholarships to deserving individuals actively pursuing a degree.
WOW! What a group of determined ladies we were lucky enough to spend time with last evening and give them the opportunities to make an impact on their own lives and those around them. Each of the three ladies had a unique story to tell. All were raising young children alone. Each had made the decision to take "own" their destiny. They all realize that you get out of life what you put into it. They want their children to be proud of the decisions they have made and to grow up to be strong individuals that take accountability for their own actions. They have passion!
I share this because hearing how one action that we do every year can bring such change and resolve to another human being...that is the answer...that is why we do what we do. We don't work hard just because we know we should; we work hard for the impact that it has on the people around us. That is not to say that our own needs should come second but there is a balance that we find in finding the time to look out for others; not only those that we know but those that we want to know.
I am proud to know that the ladies (and men) of EWI are not just looking out for themselves but for the community in which we serve. Our passion is to make a positive impact on the lives of others. I would love to hear more from you...
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Keeping Organized in A Stressful World
There are all types of online services to help you keep organized in both your personal and professional life. If you are a small business, consider checking out your options. Most of these services are free and have a vast array of applications to help you on your track to get organized.
Here are some of the best online organizers that I know of. If you know of others, please let us know...here we go!
zoho.com has a ton of applications including an easy-to-use calendar, an online word processor, server space, and an invoice-making applications so you can bill clients from anywhere - amazing!
cozi.com helps you keep your family organized. Have one child going to soccer, one going to basketball and you need to make sure you don't miss out on an activity? With Microsoft Office sync capabilities and customizable lists, cozi.com gathers up appointments and color codes them by family member so you can know where everyone is at a quick glance.
Are you a Mac loyalist like me? Use Things for Mac and iPhone to consolidate and prioritize lists and tasks and e-mail yourself reminders. It is your own personal assistant without the paycheck - who wouldn't love that!
Lastly, and one I use several of their apps is iGoogle.com. Besides having the best online email system - gmail (if you don't have an account - get one!), they have a ton of apps categorized by online searches, explore and innovate, and communicate/show/share, go mobile, and make your computer work better. In all, you have nearly 50 applications to use...a lot of them you are likely familiar with and don't even realize it. Set up an iGoogle account and you can create a dashboard to organize your applications.
I hope you have fun exploring all of your options and again, please let us know if you have other online services you swear by.
Here are some of the best online organizers that I know of. If you know of others, please let us know...here we go!
zoho.com has a ton of applications including an easy-to-use calendar, an online word processor, server space, and an invoice-making applications so you can bill clients from anywhere - amazing!
cozi.com helps you keep your family organized. Have one child going to soccer, one going to basketball and you need to make sure you don't miss out on an activity? With Microsoft Office sync capabilities and customizable lists, cozi.com gathers up appointments and color codes them by family member so you can know where everyone is at a quick glance.
Are you a Mac loyalist like me? Use Things for Mac and iPhone to consolidate and prioritize lists and tasks and e-mail yourself reminders. It is your own personal assistant without the paycheck - who wouldn't love that!
Lastly, and one I use several of their apps is iGoogle.com. Besides having the best online email system - gmail (if you don't have an account - get one!), they have a ton of apps categorized by online searches, explore and innovate, and communicate/show/share, go mobile, and make your computer work better. In all, you have nearly 50 applications to use...a lot of them you are likely familiar with and don't even realize it. Set up an iGoogle account and you can create a dashboard to organize your applications.
I hope you have fun exploring all of your options and again, please let us know if you have other online services you swear by.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Getting the Most of Your Membership
EWI is an organization that provides business connectivity, career and leadership development, and community involvement to business professionals. It is a firm-based membership with firm representatives. As we continue to make your experience more valuable, we are expanding our communications to you through the use of social media.
Our hope is that by providing you many avenues to connect, we will enrich your experience and provide you with an experience that cannot be duplicated in any other organization.
We are now on Facebook! If you have an account, simply search for 'Executive Women International - Indianapolis Chapter' and become a fan of the page. From this page, you will receive information on upcoming events including monthly meetings, board meetings and committee meetings.
There is a link to this blog so that you can quickly access information between social sources. We will be adding links to free trainings and video learning, job opportunities at member firms, etc. This is a work in progress so if you have ideas, please let Julie Easton know.
My goal is to give you a lot of information so that you can select what you want to do and how involved you want to become. Even if you are no longer a member but want to keep up with what's going on with EWI and our members, we welcome you! If you are wanting to learn more about our organization and how to become a part of a group of dynamic businesswomen, you have come to the right place!
And now to the important stuff...Business Women Connect (BWC), located in Indianapolis, is offering several FREE teleseminars this summer focusing on a variety of subjects. Click the link to learn more about their offerings and sign up for any that you have an interest in:
http://www.businesswomenconnect.com/about_elearning.cfm
Here is a good quote for you:
“The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential...the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individuals persons.” – Max DePree
I will continue to provide you with ways to expand your knowledge base; if you have items to add, please direct them to me at jeaston@walkerinfo.com. Have a safe and Glorious Fourth!
Our hope is that by providing you many avenues to connect, we will enrich your experience and provide you with an experience that cannot be duplicated in any other organization.
We are now on Facebook! If you have an account, simply search for 'Executive Women International - Indianapolis Chapter' and become a fan of the page. From this page, you will receive information on upcoming events including monthly meetings, board meetings and committee meetings.
There is a link to this blog so that you can quickly access information between social sources. We will be adding links to free trainings and video learning, job opportunities at member firms, etc. This is a work in progress so if you have ideas, please let Julie Easton know.
My goal is to give you a lot of information so that you can select what you want to do and how involved you want to become. Even if you are no longer a member but want to keep up with what's going on with EWI and our members, we welcome you! If you are wanting to learn more about our organization and how to become a part of a group of dynamic businesswomen, you have come to the right place!
And now to the important stuff...Business Women Connect (BWC), located in Indianapolis, is offering several FREE teleseminars this summer focusing on a variety of subjects. Click the link to learn more about their offerings and sign up for any that you have an interest in:
http://www.businesswomenconnect.com/about_elearning.cfm
Here is a good quote for you:
“The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential...the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individuals persons.” – Max DePree
I will continue to provide you with ways to expand your knowledge base; if you have items to add, please direct them to me at jeaston@walkerinfo.com. Have a safe and Glorious Fourth!
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