Want To Save Money? Here Are 6 Tips To Make Your Wallet A Little Thicker!

By David Chang

 

Your money problems can involve significant debt or minor cash flow issues. No matter your financial situation there is one thing that all of us would like to do, save a little money each month.
Especially since expenses can add up fast and take a toll on your finances. These cost saving tips are significant enough that they can help some prevent bankruptcy. If you have a little extra money each month you can spend it on paying down other debts faster.
Use these tips to help grow your bank account:
1. Change the way you watch TV - Gone are the days where a family rushes into the TV room to sit on the couch together and watch a favorite program. Today's busy families need more flexibility than that. More families than ever before are watching programs after the original air date. Your favorite programs can also be watched on the internet after the first air date. This means that if you're patient you can see all of your programs without paying for cable. Quitting cable and relying on the internet to catch your favorite programs can offer monthly savings as high as $100.
2. Drop a phone line - Does anyone call your home phone other than telemarketers? With the increase of cell phones it is unlikely that you need to have a house phone any longer. Paying monthly for two phone lines is just silly. Decide which phone line you can't live without, cell phone or landline. Cancel the home phone and you can save $40 each month and more if you have to pay for your long distance calls.
3. Live with your extended family - Making the change to share a home with your parents, in-laws, grandparents, or other relatives can help save big money each month. The decision to co-habitate by itself can prevent bankruptcy. Not to mention that living with family is fun and you can share all housing costs including:

• Rent/mortgage
• Utilities
• Cars
• Cable and phone

You will also be able to share household chores and maintenance projects and costs with your family.
4. Update your home loan - Interests rates are still very low. If you plan to stay in your home for a while longer and you have some equity in your home despite the real estate crash, then it's time to refinance. Depending on your current interest rate, refinancing can lower your monthly mortgage rate significantly.
5. Change the oil in your car less often - Guidelines are given about car maintenance. It is important to take good care of your vehicle but it's recently been found that you can go a little farther between oil changes. If your car is relatively new and in good condition, then you should be able to go 7,000 miles between oil changes.
6. Make a list before you shop - A great way to cut down on unnecessary spending is to plan our your shopping trips. Making a detailed list and taking inventory of what you need before you shop can save you big money and prevent food waste.
These cost cutting tips can help anyone save a little extra money each month. They can also help you prevent bankruptcy by lowering your monthly expenditures. Take this advice and start saving today!

The Chicago bankruptcy lawyers of Chang & Carlin specialize in chapter 7 & chapter 13 bankruptcy, real estate and foreclosure law services as well as tax and IRS legal issues. Learn more about these services and request a free consultation today: http://www.changandcarlin.com/

3 Tips for Improving Your Job Search in An Uncertain Economy

By Laura SmithProulx

Looking forward to your executive job hunt this year - or dreading it?

Spending months in job-search mode, facing a pending layoff, or reading about unemployment statistics can bring you down... just when you need the energy to tackle a challenging market.
However, you CAN change your approach, mindset, and techniques, leading to better results and a greater sense of well-being during your search.

Here are 3 solid inspirations that will move you forward quickly in your executive or professional job hunt:

1 - Realize that companies ARE hiring - and put yourself "out there" on LinkedIn.
As badly as you want to find the perfect fit in your next job, companies want to find YOU and leverage your executive skills.
Don't believe this? Run a Google search on the phrase "How to find candidates on LinkedIn." Out of the 14 million or so results, you'll see thousands of articles on recruiting.
What this tells you is that there are plenty of companies searching for your talent. Therefore, if you haven't already optimized your digital identity (starting with your LinkedIn Profile) for key search terms, it's time to get going.

Make it easier to be found by adding job titles throughout your Profile, as well as Skills (within LinkedIn's new Sections) that reflect the terms you see in job postings. This will help your Profile to rank higher in recruiter searches for candidates with these specific competencies.
Next, sit back and watch what happens by analyzing the makeup of your Profile visitors.
By taking stock of who visits your Profile, you'll be able to see if your search results improve, and can then continue to tweak your keywords appropriately. Hint: it's all about market testing and experimentation, so the sooner you change things up, the better.

2 - Start creating your own "luck."
Job search "luck" usually ends up being mostly talent and preparation. Unless you have a well-run network, you'll need to create your own opportunities. To do this, think in terms of what employers want, then set out to prove that you've got what it takes.
Changing industries? Take a class or read a book on your desired market, then mention it in your resume, on your LinkedIn Profile, and in your cover letter. Better yet, note your efforts and ask for an informational interview with a successful pro in your desired field - which might lead to a chance to be mentored.

Think your resume lacks pizzazz? Start Googling for resumes in your field, not for copying, but to take notice of what your resume is lacking. Ask former co-workers how they'd describe you. It's all about getting that brand message out of your head and onto the paper.

Not sure you're interviewing well? Perform a Google search for job search sites, which are often teeming with wise interview advice on everything from calming your jitters to salary negotiation. Read, listen, learn, and absorb. Then, create power stories for yourself that illustrate your top 5 achievements. Rehearse and take note of what questions you can answer with them. It's a confidence-building exercise that will have you looking forward to interviews.

Feel like giving in and admitting defeat? Don't. Nearly every person that you'd otherwise consider successful has been turned down (or laid off, demoted, or experienced another type of setback) at some point in time in their careers.
Remember this when it seems that you've been ruled out as a candidate. It only takes one - one job, one opportunity to show what you can do, and one person to believe in you.

3 - Act "as if" you're already successful.
Struggling to envision how your job search will turn out? Put yourself in the "already arrived" category, and invest some time, energy, and even funds in what can make you appear more successful and competent to others.

Get a professional headshot taken for your social media profiles--and dress the part for the job you want (not just the job you have). Polish your resume with a fresh, cutting-edge format and tone.
If you haven't explored what your competition is presenting to employers, take a look at professional and executive resume samples - you might be surprised at how things have changed!

In addition, if you're using the Web as a platform to attract attention (either through blogging, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn), do a self-check to ensure that you're presenting a positive image, rather than tearing down others online. This will go a long way toward persuading recruiters to forward your credentials to employers.

So, make it a priority to take stock of your executive job search techniques - making yourself findable, approachable, and marketable to take advantage of fresh new opportunities.

Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning Executive Resume Writer, biography writer, and former recruiter with a 98% success rate winning top jobs through personal branding. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she partners exclusively with CIO, CTO, COO, CEO, CFO, VP, VP, and Director candidates.