Is You Credit Record Good Enough to Borrow?

Because we have a good credit record, borrowing money has not been hard for us. Perhaps it is as good as it is because we don't borrow just because we want something, always pay our bills on time, and are generally careful about managing our money.

We have had some challenging emergencies that have come our way that have required borrowing, and though we don't like owing money, it has been good to know our credit score is good enough to make it easy and possible.

Monitoring your Credit Report and Score is made a lot easier if you know how your financial decisions affect your credit score. If you would like to learn more about the things that harm your credit score, and find links to get free credit scores, you'll find a lot of educational information at the link above.

Updated 11/28/18

Interested in becoming a VA or Virtual Assistant?

If you have wondered what is involved in becoming a Virtual Assistant, you will want to visit a site owned by someone I've been acquainted with online for a number of years. 

A Virtual Assistant in simple terms is someone who does typing and other secretarial and clerical type work from home for any number of clients.  Services you offer will be based upon your skills, you decide what you can or cannot do.  

Please take a moment to visit VA Directory and look at the main links on the page and the drop-down menus along the top to learn more.   There are links to post your job, for VA training, a forum, and so very much more for anyone who is interested in knowing what it means to work from home as a Virtual Assistant.

Updated 11/28/18

Free Eye Exams

I am looking at this screen through computer glasses, and when they come off, on will go my progressive lens glasses.  I think insurance has helped us a bit with our glasses, though I'm not 100% sure, as we did pretty well finding good deals before we had insurance for vision. 

With another potential job change coming up, and the possibility that we may not have the same insurance we do now, we may lose our vision insurance.

I was reading some retirement advice that suggested that you might be able to get a free eye exam by ophthalmologists that volunteer to do them for those that can't afford them and need an exam.  If this is you, and you are over 65, it suggests that you go take a look at EyeCareAmerica.org to find an ophthalmologist that will offer free eye exams in your area.

Updated 11/28/18

Is Network Marketing for Everyone?

I was actively involved with a network marketing company several years ago, and am still a member and customer, but not involved in the business part of it any longer.  At the time, though, it was fun and there was some success.  I made a bit of money and won 4 trips, a couple for myself, one that I went on with my husband, and one that we went on as a family of 4.

Whether or not you are successful at this type of business depends upon how much support you receive, how persistent you are, and many other factors. If you are interested in learning more, you will find some support at Mark Hall's MLM Opinion, a site that offers advise and support for those who are interesting in this type of business.   Some network marketing companies are also called multi-level marketing businesses, this is what the letters M L M stand for.

Though some tried to discourage me from getting involved with the company I did, in my case, it was successful for a time, and part of some very happy memories. 

Updated 11/28/18

Where are the Best Jobs for Seniors?

Unemployment statistics always seem to be negative and at the same time, more seniors are finding it necessary to supplement their retirement income, or make career changes if not quite at retirement age.  It's possible with current economic trends that more retirees will be working to supplement income.

AARP at their website, aarp.org, provides a list of the top 50 jobs for career change for those over 50.  The top 10 in their list of 50 includes:

• Home Health Aid
• Personal and Home Care Aide
• Computer Software Engineer
• Medical Assistant
• Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst
• Dental Assistant
• Self-enrichment Education Teacher
• Compliance Officer
• Dental Hygienist
• Veterinary Technologist

And the list goes on, providing estimated income information as well as education required for the type of work described.  

Updated 11/28/18

Loneliness While Working at Home

It is not uncommon to feel a sense of loneliness when you are working at home, especially if you have moved from parenting to an empty nest.  You looked forward to the day when all that chaos and confusion of combining raising children and working at home would end.  You longed for the day when you could focus on your work without distraction.  That day has come and gone, it was nice for a while, but now there may be a gnawing sense of loneliness that has taken up the place where chaos and confusion used to reside.

This may not be everyone's experience, some may thrive on working alone, but it is my experience.  I have been searching for and discovering some helpful solutions to this.  Some I am practicing, others need to be added to my life to broaden and expand it.  Let me share a few things that I've found helpful in overcoming loneliness while working at home.  Some suggestions are not new, but we often need reminders to get back on track.

Following are some suggestions for overcoming loneliness while working from home:

Image Credit: worradm

1. Find other friends who work from home on Facebook and Twitter - this won't completely fill the void, because we need to hear real voices and see real tangible people to do that, but it helps a lot.  There are many groups of people with like business interests that can be found and joined on Facebook.  Using the Hashtag (#) feature on Twitter you can search for "tweets" about things that interest you and share as well.  I suggest that you turn off the "notifications" feature when you join or are added to a group on Facebook or you will be overwhelmed with emails...but do keep up with the groups, you do that by going to the "Home" link in the upper right and looking at the list in the left margin.  Open up a tab on your browser with your Facebook account during working hours, and twitter as well, so you can interact when you wish, and share your accomplishments.  I have a separate account for business acquaintances and friends on Facebook, that window is open during working hours, and in the evening I check in on family and personal friends on my personal account.
2. Go out for a walk, alone or with your dog if you have one, and exercise.  I try to walk or do Yoga each day, and do fail to do so some days, but also do manage to get out there more and more.  It helps so much to get outdoors for an hour or more and run into neighbors and take in some sunshine, or walk in the rain with an umbrella when possible.  You can do a little in the gardens and feel a sense of accomplishment.
3. Get up each hour and do a chore around the house.  This helps me so much mentally and physically. It's not good to sit for hours a day if you are physically able to get up and move.  If you must sit due to a physical condition, learn about sitting exercises you can do and do some each hour to aid circulation. Youtube has many exercise videos, look up "chair yoga" or other exercises that can be done while sitting.
4. Call a friend or family member and talk a bit so that you hear a voice.  Though social networking, emailing etc. are nice, there is nothing like an "old fashioned" talk on the phone and visit with a friend over a cup of coffee.
5. Get involved in a hobby or activity through your community center or go to a Woman's Bible Study.  I do the latter each week which gets me out among women who like to share their joys and trials and support one another in and through them.
6. Consider ways that your work might include tangible or visual contact with other people. Some work done from home includes this naturally, like those who go out and show products in homes as part of their business, but for those of us who are writers, more creativity may be needed.  Join in on video chats and other visual forms of interaction.  You will find that if you "social network" as discussed in #1 above, you'll hear of events taking place like this that you can take part in.  Do so when you can.

Do you have other suggestions for avoiding loneliness while working from home?  Please do share in a comment.

Updated 11/28/18

How to Use Motorola WX345 Features

I notice that many of you come here to learn how to set up playlists on your Motorola WX345.  I have more help for your Motorola WX345 here.

What you may not know is that Consumer Cellular has provided some tutorials through Youtube to help you with your phone...they don't provide anything about setting up playlists yet, but they do have the following:

1. Video Tour for Use of the Motorola WX345
2. How to take and send pictures with the Motorola WX345
3. How to Access the Internet with the Motorola WX345
4. How to use the Address Book on the Motorola WX345
5. How to Send a Text Message with the Motorola WX345
6. How to Insert a Memory Card, Sim Card and Battery into the Motorola WX345

If you are interested in joining Consumer Cellular and getting a free Motorola WX345 or other cell phone, you can get $10 off your first bill (and I get $10 off my next one too) if you contact me through a comment (they are moderated...I won't post them in this case) so that I can provide you with the necessary information (my # etc.) privately.  

My husband and I had Motorola WX345 phones from Consumer Cellular for a long time until we upgraded. At this update I don't know if they are still available. But we were pleased with this basic phone, and know that if no longer available from Consumer Cellular, they have another to offer. We love their no-contract phone service price, and AARP discount we receive.

Updated 11/28/18

Email Security is Important to Your Business

I know how to do quite a bit on the computer when it comes to sending email, building websites and blogs and such, but haven't a clue about the technology behind it all.  There are so many terms that I hear but do not understand.  I know that it's important for my email and any attachments to reach their destination safely and securely...I know that the information is for the eyes of the recipient only and want to keep it that way, but don't always know how this is accomplished.  But that's okay, I don't need to know all there is to know because there are good services that provide programs to help keep your incoming and outgoing email safe and secure. 

One way this is done is through encrypting your email.  Now there is a big word for you...let me see if I can explain....only because I took a moment to look it up.  By way of example, lets take a look at a service that provides email encryption for Outlook. With a service like this, your email and pdf attachment(s) are encrypted, which means that the information in the email and on the pdf are put into a coded form.  They are readable by you, the sender, and by the recipient, but are private during the delivery process.

An email encryption service seems like it would be a valuable thing to have to protect your business as well as your private email and attachments. You can read more on how to encrypt you email at this article by PC World.

Updated 11/28/18

Can you find legitimate work on the internet?

Grandmothers, or those of us old enough to be grandmothers, have a unique lifestyle. We don't have to juggle being mothers with working from home, unless we are raising grandchildren.

I remember when my children were young, life was busy, and there was a lot of energy, and a routine during much of the year. I worked from home then, and always thought that when my children were grown, it would be so much easier to get even more done than I was at that time. I'm not sure that's so true. I find I need to be even more disciplined, and make my own routines.  They are no longer "pre-made" for me by my children's activities and school schedules.

Following is an article written by a Joel Nickerson about finding a business that suits your lifestyle. It's not necessarily written for grandmothers, but maybe just reading it will spark some thought. I hope that you find something helpful in it!

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There are several different reasons why somebody would want to start a home based business. For some, it is a matter of necessity and they either need to replace work that they have recently lost or need to earn additional money in order to make ends meet. Other individuals look for work at home business opportunities because they like the challenge of working for themselves and enjoy making money on their own instead of making it in a corporate environment.

Regardless of why you want to start up your own home based business, however, finding the one that will work is the most important first step that you will need to take. Although there are many different choices as far as a home business opportunity is concerned, the Internet has really added some interesting aspects into the mix. In fact, there are many individuals who are starting up their work at home Internet business and fitting it directly in with their various lifestyles. How is this true?

First of all, an Internet home based business can be run at any time of the day or night. Next, you get out of a home based Internet business exactly what you put into it. Even if you don t have much time at all when you re first starting out, it is still possible to see results from small efforts.

Picking a home based business is something that should not be done on the spur of the moment. There are literally thousands of home based internet business opportunities out there. Some are legitimate, some are questionable. Once you find the right one, however, you will recognize it. When that time comes, do your research, talk to some people who are already involved in the program, and take the opportunity and make something of it. If others are happy with the program chances are you will be too.

Perhaps you have tried to work on the Internet before and have not really seen much in return for your efforts. It can be very discouraging if you are working in the wrong corner and trying to do something that is not going to produce any results, no matter who does it. The best thing that you can do in these circumstances is to find someone to follow in order to know which way you should go. As a matter of fact, having a mentor in front of you is one of the best ways for you to become successful with your own Internet business in a short period of time.

Although it may seem simplistic, having a mentor to follow is not something that should be overlooked. If you choose the right one, they have already forged a path to success themselves and can take you by the hand and lead you there as well. Sure, it is going to take some work on your part but it will be well worth the effort whenever you see it pay off and your home based business succeeds.

Author Resource: I have checked Joel Nickerson's links that were provided in the original article, and they are no longer active...but the advise is good. 

Updated 11/28/18