What Is Valentines Day ?

Valentine is the name of several saints who are commemorated on February 14th every year. In the last 150 years, the custom has grown of sending cards or messages to the one that you love. The cards are called Valentines and the loved one is also the valentine. This custom began in the USA and the first commercial cards were produced in the 1840s.

It is now a common custom in many other parts of the world. In mediaeval times, it was believed that the birds chose their mates on Feb 14th and so that connection with love arose. Choosing a loved one on this day might also have some connection with the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which used to take place at this time of year.

St Valentine himself was a Roman martyr who lived in the 3rd century. He is now the patron saint of lovers, but he did nothing in his lifetime to warrant this.

Yippeee!!!! A day off

My son and I were watching the news last night and his school was listed as closed, due to wind chill. Of course he was thrilled.... LOL. My plan was to take him to his grandmas and go to work. However, my van would not start. So it looks like I will be here, as well.

I have already had a pot of coffee and working on round two.... (and it's only 9:00 a.m.) LOL. I have colored my hair..... (not that I have any gray)....(alot)... and I have been working.

The kids are watching shows that they usually miss since they are in school /preschool.

Since it's almost Valentines Day, I will write a letter to my children about Valentines Day and how they are the loves of my life..........

Creative Ways To Advertise Your Business

1. Take a small zip close baggie (snack sizes work well) and include the following in it:Your Business Card, Business Opts Mini Flyer, a Piece of Candy such as hard candy or a lollipop, mini flyer of current host specials, discount coupon (optional) etc. Hand these out to the bank tellers, retail cashiers, at your kids sport events, every where you go!

2. When I stay at hotels & motels I leave a mini catalog, my business card & discount coupon and the mini coin canister for the maid! I put her tip inside the mini coin canister! I have gotten 3 orders by doing this!Be creative when you leave tips for Hotel Maids, Waitresses, Waiters, Hair Dressers, etc. Don't just hand them your business card, make it memorable! You can also buy cute little beaded change purses at your local dollar discount store!

3. Print out flyers with your contact info (not your personal address), your website address & email address along with any current specials you are offering. Then contact local area mobile home park offices, apartment complex rental offices, housing developments etc and ask them if you can leave fliers in their office or hang on their tenants doors. Give the office employees a free gift or discount on their personal orders.

4. Contact local area bridal supply stores, bridal gown stores, caterers, tux rental centers, wedding dj's etc. Ask them if you can leave your business cards & fliers about the great (Company Name) Bridal Gift Registry for them to give to their customers. Offer store owners a free gift or a personal discount for helping you spread the word about your business.

5. Daycare Centers! They are excellent to contact and leave business cards and/or fliers at! I print out a flyer of just a few items from our Tupperware Children's line and I attach my business card & a discount coupon. I get a lot of orders by doing this! So whatever company you represent, find some items that cater to children or to moms and make up a flier!


6. A lot of churches hold a Spring and Fall Fest! Contact them about getting a table or a booth. A lot of times this will cost you under $15.00 for a space! Make sure you take products with you along with business opts fliers, plenty of catalogs, business cards etc. Do a contest drawing at these types of events. Make up entry blanks that gather the customers info so that you can initiate contact with them again!


7. Join your local area chamber of commerce! They are always holding local business events that you can participate in.

8. College Campuses! Dorms & Housing Students are always looking to spend money! Alot of college students are also looking for an extra income so target them with the Business Opts too!Drop off fliers and business cards to the College Student Center! They usually have bulletin boards, tables and other things where you can leave your information at for FREE!

9. Contact your local area Welcome Wagon or Welcome to the Neighborhood Group! Ask them about you leaving mini catalogs, fliers, business cards, discount coupons, freebie mini gifts, etc with them. They are always looking for additional items to place in their Welcome Bags!

10. Contact your local area hospitals and ask for Human Resources Dept. The Majority of hospitals hand out New Mommy Diaper Bags filled with products, samples and other stuff for New Moms who just had a baby! It's FREE for you to add in your information! I have gotten party hosts, new customers and new recruits by participating in these types of programs.

11. Contact your local medical offices, particularly Gynecology and OB Offices and Pediatric Offices and inquire about you leaving information with them. This is a way for you to target Parents of Children with both the home party opts, the business opts and new customer sales.


12. Donate a Product to your local area Radio Station, they have numerous contests and they are always looking for sponsors! Your donation can be written off as a tax deduction plus you will get FREE Advertising & Business Exposure for your donation!

13. Donate a Product to your local area Bingo Halls! They are always looking for sponsors of their Bingo Prizes! Bingo is BIG in a ot of areas!

14. Call your Chamber of Commerce and find out about Local Area Job Fairs. Get a booth and set up info about the fabulous business opts!

15. Call your Local Area Colleges and find out when their next job/employment fair is. A lot of times you can get a booth or table for less than $35 and you will get al ot of GREAT new recruit leads by participating in events like these.

16. Contact local area car dealerships. I have 2 in my local area that hand out a small packet that I made up for FREE to their customers who come in to take a free test drive!

17. Target your local area gyms! You can get a table space for $20 or less in most cases! Make sure you have 3-5 products on display, plenty of catalogs, business cards and fliers.

18. Network with others in your community who are in home business. Find out what events and activities that they participate in. They are usually "in the know" and can help you get started in networking in your community.

19. Contact Companies in your area to see if you can come in and set up a table in the employee lounge or cafeteria for a employee shopping break! These days a lot of companies will allow you to do this if you ask them!

20. Does your local area tv cable company have a local information channel? Inquire about advertising! These ads will reach thousands of potential buyers for you! I recommend you only use your website address for these types of advertising and not your personal at home address.

21. Contact local small companies and shops to see if you can offer an exclusive discounts or freebie gift to their employees. Companies are always looking for a way to "treat" their employees to specials from the local surrounding community.

22. Small Home Town Newspapers! I don't get too good of a response when I do big newspaper city ads, however... when I target small town newspapers I usually get a great response. I even had them let me place an ad on their wedding and engagement announcements page which I advertised the Bridal Gift Registry. So if you are going to do any type of newspaper advertising, inquire about getting your ads on specific pages in the newspaper that targets the group of people most likely to buy from you.

23. Get a low cost outdoor banner printed up with your business information on it. You can usually get them done for $55 or less depending on who makes it. You can have these outdoor banners displayed at outdoor music/concert events, outdoor children's sporting events, outdoor adult sport events, outdoor neighborhood block parties, outdoor community events, carnivals, fairs, etc.

24. Take your business on the road during nice weather. Contact local area parks & community centers to see what their schedule of events are and inquire about setting up a booth or table. This is a great way to network & market your business to those in your community.

25. Community Clipper Coupon Packs & Sales Flyer Mailings. These days a lot of communities have mailings such as these, contact them and see how you can participate and advertise your business.

26. Contact small local area businesses such as hair salons, massage parlors, boutiques, banks etc.See if you can set up a table for 1 week with 3 of your best selling products on it along with some catalogs, fliers, coupons and your business card. Keep a basket on the table for any customer orders which you can follow up on after you return back to pick up your display. Offer the store owner or manager a free gift for allowing you to do this. You can also offer to donate a prize for a contest if they let you display the prize donated & get a copy of the contestants entry blanks after the promotion closes.

27. Contact local area pizza shops, diners, deli's and coffee bagel shops to ask them about advertising on their paper placemats! Customers do read those ads!

28. Contact local area restaurants, bars and clubs and see about advertising on their paper beverage coasters!

29. Local Television Stations are always holding on-air contests & website contests for their viewers, contact them about you donating a prize or gift certificate to sponsor one of their contests! Great business exposure for you!

30. Attend Local Area holiday shopping events. Customers who are ready to spend holiday shopping money turn out for these events by the thousands! You can usually get a booth for less than $50.00 so they are economical to participate in!

31. Hold a local area community Block Party at your home or local community center! Families are always looking for something to do during the nice weather seasons! Optional: Attend your neighborhood block party and set up a table with your product offerings or samples. Get out there in your community and get your business seen!

32. Get your business listed in your cities telephone book yellow pages! A lot of them also have a coupon section too!

33. You can take this phone book advertising one step further by finding out what company makes the plastic vinyl phone book covers which have local business ads on them and get your business added to it!

34. Get your business information printed up on pencils and hand them out to local colleges and technical schools for them to hand out to their adult students! This keeps your business information in front of them! (make sure you only donate them to schools with adult students).

35. Get a vehicle banner made for your automobile. I recommend the vinyl window clings or vinyl cling ones that stick to your automobile but don't scratch or remove the paint. You can easily remove them when washing your vehicle!

36. If your city has a travel guide that tourists request, contact that business and find out how you can advertise in it too!

37. Local City Maps! These days even city maps have advertising on them! You can usually get a small business ad printed on them for an economical price. Don't advertise your personal location. If you dont have a business location then advertise your website address or email address.

38. Contact local area hotels, motels and bed & breakfast inns and ask them if you can do up a Lobby Basket and leave it in their Lobby.What is a Lobby Basket? You make up little packs of info about your business & products and put them into the Lobby Basket for their patrons to take.They usually have a pamphlet wall or area too with pamphlets from local area attractions etc. If they don't have a lobby basket area, inquire about leaving your business info in their pamphlet area.

39. Get your business info printed up on balloons! This is very economical to do! You then distribute them to local community centers, sporting events and other types of places where parents book their children's birthday parties! These balloons can be displayed at the birthday party giving you business exposure. You can usually get them done for .3-.8 cents each. Your business name & website address is all you need on them!

40. Find a few other self employed business owners in your community and team up! You can all sponsor a local parade float, parade clowns etc. Make up signs with your business info imprinted on them so that you can receive some great business exposure during the parade!

41. Get some T-shirts printed up with your business information on it (both front & back sides) and hand them out to some friends, family and co-workers and ask them to wear them out and about in the community. This is their FREE gift for helping you to spread the word about your business! Optional: Get ball caps printed up with your business info!

42. Get some canvas tote bags printed up with your business information printed on it. Find a few ladies who are very active in your community and ask them to use your tote bag and give it to them for FREE under the agreement that they will use it every time they go out in the community for errands & events!

43. Get a license plate made up for your vehicle! If you have your normal license plate on the back of your car, put your business named one on the front of the car! You can get one with just your business name on it for about $20-$30 per plate!

44. Wear a business name tag every time you go out into your community! Get a Catchy Slogan printed on it such as:
A. Ask me about (your company name) Products!B. I work from home, you can too!C. Earn some FREE when you party with me!

45. Local Area Magazines! Does your city publish a City Magazine? If so, contact them about advertising or if they hold contests for their readers offer to donate a product or service for their contest!

46. Check out your local area State Fairs & Community Carnivals, there are always a lot of them going on during seasonal weather. Ask about getting a booth or table & set it up with your business information! People love to shop at Fairs & Carnivals and they are looking to spend money.

47. Get some Business Card Magnets printed up and hand them out every where you go! Have your friends & family pass them out too! People are more apt to keep a magnetic business card compared to a regular one which gets shoved into a drawer or wallet. By having a magnetized card, your business is kept in front of the potential customer/client.

48. When you give gifts to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers etc. make sure you give them gifts from your own company! These allows other people to see & touch your gift meaning FREE business exposure for you! (plus, you bought the gift from yourself so you are saving money!).

49. Invite your spouses co-workers over to your home for a little mingling party! Serve some refreshments or do a cookout BBQ and make sure you have a table set up with some product displays! If you sell kitchen or food products, make sure you use them!

50. Do a neighborhood children's shopping party! I do this before Christmas and again before Mother's Day. I invite the neighborhood kids to come by and shop for gifts for their parents and loved ones. They enjoy shopping on their own and parents enjoy a small break from the children! To make this successful make sure the products you are offering are economical, I try to keep them under $25.00 each with most being around $10.00 each. Have a table set up with some inexpensive crafting supplies and let the children make their own greeting cards to go with the gifts they have purchased or have a gift wrapping table set up so they can personally wrap their gifts!

51. Do a joint party with another consultant in a non-competing business. Partying with a friend is always fun! You can hold it at one hosts home, your home or at a local community center. Invite every one you know and have others help you spread the word. Hang up fliers at local centers & businesses too!


52. Put an AD in the back of local high school yearbooks! You can usually get these ads for around $20.00 which makes it affordable advertising for you!

53. Put an AD for your business in local Athletic Sport Programs! You can find these at the High School Level, Minor League Level and at Professional Sporting Events!

54. Contact Local Churches & Religious Groups and see if you can place an AD in their weekly church bulletins & program guides!

55. Do you have a local Community Play House? If so, get your business ad placed in their play programs! You can usually get ads in them for less than $25.00.


56. Co-Sponsor a Local Youth Athletic Group! Baseball teams, softball teams, cheerleading squads, gymnastic squads and swim teams, etc. are always looking for sponsors! Co-Sponsoring a team will help get your business noticed in your local area!

57. Get a Yard Sign! If you have a home business consider getting a Yard Sign printed up and proudly display it in your front yard!

58. Does your neighborhood hold local Meet & Greets? If so, make sure you go out and attend them! Get to know your fellow community members!

59. Donate a Raffle Drawing Prize to a Non-Profit Group or Charity in your local community! They are always looking for prize donations for their charitable raffles. Note: Make sure you get a receipt for tax purposes!

60. Do you have a Online Business & Website? Consider getting some computer mouse pads printed up with your website address & business name on them! This will keep your website & business in front of them every time they sign online! This encourages them to check out your website often for new products, updates & features!

61. Local Bus Stops & Bus Sheds! Have you noticed that a lot of them have local business advertising on them? Call up the company and see how much it would cost you to advertise there too!

62. Does your local area grocery store allow advertisers to place business ads on the back of their cash register receipts? If so, contact them about getting your business ad on there too!

63. Local baby expo's and baby events/contests! Set up a booth or table with your business info! These events are always very popular and a great way for you to reach new customers!

64. Watch your local newspaper for Wedding, Engagement and New Baby Announcements! Make a list and then go to: www.searchbug.com to try to track down addresses. You can mail off your business info to them announcing your business, bridal gift registry, baby gift registry, etc.

65. Stamp your business info to the outside of all outgoing postal mail! Include your business card on the inside. Do this for personal mail, business mail and for paying your bills!

66. Contact your local Fire & Ambulance companies and see if you can set up a table at their next BBQ Event or fundraiser event.

67. Contact LOCAL Assisted Living Centers for Senior Citizens (this is different then a nursing home!) and see if you can come in & offer a shopping opts. to their Senior Residents! Seniors can NOT get out like they used too so they appreciate being able to shop from home and the majority of them don't own computers & if they do, they are not extremely computer savvy...so offer a one on one shopping experience with them! They also appreciate the adult company!

68. Are there local small summer concerts held in your local parks? We have them here during the summer months! Ask about advertising options during these community events!

69. BUY little boxes of Smartie ™ Candies! Put your Business info on one side & on the front side slap on a label that says "Be a Smartie, Earn FREE (Your Company Name) w/a Party!" Hand them out every where you go!

70. Make up candy packs with your business info attached to them and hand out to the Halloween Trick or Treaters!

71. Exchange Business Cards, Fliers or Coupons with another Home Party Consultant in a NON-Competing Business and place her filler in your bags & outgoing packages & have her do the same for you! Sort of "scratching each others backs".

72. The PUBLIC Library! I go in there often and see all kinds of local advertisements for businesses there! See if you can leave a catalog & a few business cards!

73. Do a CATALOG SWAP with another party plan consultant (NON competing business). See if she will swap a few catalogs with you. You hand out a few of her catalogs at the END of your party and have her do the same! Hand them out as guests are LEAVING the party!

74. I have a friend & fellow network member who prints out for me...mint books...she prints a pretty graphic on it, along with my business info...they look like matchbooks and inside is a piece of peppermint hard candy! They are inexpensive too! I think I paid $8.00 for 40+ of them! She includes the candy too! I can refer her to you if you want to try those! http://www.bboopsworld.com/

75. Do a PARTY SWAP with a Consultant in another HOME party business! (NON-COMPETING!) Tell her if she holds a (Your Company) Party for you.....you will hold a XYZ Party for her!

76. Ask about getting your info printed onto golf tee's and golf balls & then donate them to a local golf course or mini golf course!

77. FOAM DRINK COZIES, the foam thingies you wrap around a cold beverage can! See if you can get some of those with your business info on them & hand them out at local sporting events!

78. Indoor Concert Arena's. Have you attended a concert lately? Tons of advertising by local and national merchants at concerts! Check into doing some advertising!

79. Children LOVE Stickers! Buy a slew of stickers with your business name on them....hand them out! Chances are that the kid's parents will see the stickers too!

80. Temporary Employment Agencies...again drop off packets of info about Your Business Opts to them. The Economy is sluggish in alot of the areas in the USA...ask Temp. Employment Agencies to refer some clients to you who may be interested in a (Your Company Name) Home Business!!! You could offer the staff a discount or free gift for referrals.

81. Print up some flyers and get permission from local shopping centers to see if you can leave them on car windshields! Always ASK permission first!

82. Does your community print up FREE Renters Guides, House Buying Guides Etc? (you can usually find them for FREE at your local supermarket). If so, contact them about placing your business ad inside one!

83. Got a local ice cream man who drives around in his ice cream truck throughout your community? Talk to him about passing out flyers or letting you add a logo onto his truck via a vinyl cling logo banner!

84. Do a web search for you local county, local township and surrounding areas. I found tons of websites for my area with FREE online business directories which I was able to get my website listed in. They also have offline ADS that you can advertise in too! A great way to also find out about upcoming local community events to participate in!

85. Are there any professional moving companies in your area? If so, contact them! They usually give out new business packet info to their customers/clients to welcome them to their new home. See about adding your business information to their "New Move" Packs!

86. Local small town radio stations that are usually found on the AM frequency usually offer very low-cost local area advertising on their small radio station. A great way to get your business info out to those in your local community.

87. Get your business information printed out onto paper text book covers! You can make them yourself! Donate them to local area adult technical schools and colleges!

88. Is there a local business in your area holding a upcoming Grand Opening? If so, contact them! Alot of times they are giving away freebies to the first few hundred customers plus they do heavy advertising announcing their Grand Opening. This is a GREAT way for you to capitalize on that!

89. Get your business info printed up on inexpensive bookmarks! Then give them to local area colleges, adult technical schools, book reading groups, libraries etc. You can usually print up your own bookmarks with your business info on them for less than .8 cents each! This will keep your business info in front of those avid book readers! They are also great to give away for FREE with customer orders!

90. Put your Business Knowledge to Work! Offer to teach classes to adults! Examples: If you are with a kitchen/cooking company offer to teach adults to cook! They are always looking for fast & easy ways to prepare healthy meals! If you are a scrap booking consultant, offer to teach a class to new moms on how to scrapbook new baby pages! If you are a Bath/Body/Spa consultant offer to teach pampering classes to women & moms! You can find adult programs by contacting: Local Community Centers, Local Civic Groups and a lot of High Schools & Community Colleges offer evening classes to adults. (continuing education). This generates leads & sales and only takes a short amount of time!

91. Put the word out to your friends, family & co-workers that you offer freebies to party goers. What do I mean? Well, people who are holding baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties, anniversary parties etc. contact me about my freebies. They make up party goodie bags and are always looking for things to stuff them with. Depending on what type of party it is depends on what I donate! I print out pretty bookmarks, recipe cards, candy wrappers, gift bag tags, shopping lists, chore lists etc. with pretty designs on them along with my business info. I also attach a coupon. I keep my cost down to .15 cents per person. An inexpensive way to reach new potential customers.

92. Print out your own Re-ordering labels! If you sell consumable goods (foods, spices, soaps, bath products, cosmetics etc) make sure you stick on a small re-ordering info sticker with your business info on it so that your customer can easily locate your information for placing reorders! This is also important to do considering some customers purchase items from you to give as a gift, this way the person who received the gift will also know how to contact you and will become a potential new customer for you!

93. Establish a Referral program for your business and print out referral coupons! Offer established customers a free little gift or personal discount if they refer a new customer to you! I like to give out 3 Referral Coupons to every new customer I get so that they know they will be rewarded for referring new customers to me.

94. Print out Coloring Pages with a small section on them advertising your business and donate them to local area restaurants, daycares etc. I was able to find 4pc. crayon sets for ONLY .05 cents a box which I also donated along with the printed out coloring pages! Parents hang them on the front of their refrigerators after the children are done coloring them which keeps your business in front of the parent daily! Cost: About .03 cents for printed out coloring page with your business info located some where on it and .05 cents for the mini box of crayons.

95. Contact your local area Girl Scouts, 4-H Club and other youth groups. Talk to them about you coming in to do a project with the youth's in the group. You can also talk to them about your business fundraiser program if you offer one. During the summer time there are a lot of youth camps throughout the community. You can also find youth camps through local churches. Some are seasonal and some are year long programs. The YMCA is also a great resource! For Example: If you are a Kitchen Consultant, come in and teach the youth how to cook or about kitchen safety. If you sell pet products, go in and talk about grooming a pet. If you sell candles, go in and make some mini candles or teach them how to decorate them for gifts. Be creative!

96. If you are crafty with your computer you can print out tea bag wrappers with a pretty design on them along with your business information. I purchased a few boxes of individually wrapped tea bags and then put my printed business tea bag wrapper over it. You can hand them out throughout your community. I like donating them to: Assisted Living Centers, Senior Community Centers, Daycare Centers (to be given to the parents & teachers), School Teacher Lounges, Employee Break Rooms etc. Example of Cost: .03 cents for a printed color wrapper and about .03-.05 cents per tea bag.

97 Make sure you leave info about Your Business on your answering machine or voice mail message! Not everyone who phones you knows that you sell or represent a particular company! (especially those pesky bill collectors & telemarketers).

98 Take your outdated catalogs and randomly mail or distribute them thru-out your neighborhood! Make sure you stamp it OUTDATED and provide contact info for yourself so they can contact you if interested to get a current catalog!

99 Get Business Themed Banking Checks! Your bank checks pass thru tons of hands that could become potential customers or party hosts! If possible get your email address or website URL preprinted onto them! I also suggest using preprinted postal address labels too! (try to get checks that have pictures of some of the products you sell on them or at the very least make sure some where on the check it says: Tupperware Consultant, Avon Rep, and so forth.

100. Get your business info printed onto matchbooks! Donate the matchbooks to candle shops, smoke shops, clubs etc. to help get your business name out in your community

Every Day Is A Choice

There is no need to wait until January 1 each year to make the decision for change in your life. Every day is a new opportunity to consider where you are, where you want to be, and determine if you are willing to do the necessary stuff to achieve that next level in life or business.
How do you measure success? Money is not the only parameter. Being happy in your family life, experiencing spiritual well being, being emotionally well balanced, and having good physical health, all factor into your personal success. Those people who seem to “have it all” did not achieve that type of abundance by accident. If you look closely, you will see they share three common traits.
First, they are explorers. The strong desire to reach a new level in any aspect of their lives leads explorers on a quest to find mentors who they determine can help. They approach the journey to their ultimate goal joyfully because they know that every time they get out of their comfort zone, the new experience leads them closer to their goal. Change is necessary for growth. The ability to shed the comfort of remaining in status quo allows the person to transition to new levels.
The opposite of being an explorer is the cynic. Instead of seeking new ideas and information that leads to the next level, the cynic looks for reasons why activities will not work. Watch your own “stinking thinking.” Substitute with the words, “How can I?” and watch for new doors to open.
Those who achieve success are investors. Investors purchase the best book, best tape series, or best resources. However, the most valuable investment they make is…………themselves. They are willing to devote the time and effort necessary to get the results they desire. Investors are coachable and trainable. They read, do the activities, and continuously ask questions. If something is not working as well as they expect, they will stop and ask for direction from a mentor who is further down the path.
Those who are unwilling to invest are excuse makers. Their vocabulary is filled with “but” and “if only.” Challenges along the path give them excuses to blame others or the system for their lack of progress. Each of us has a decision to make. We can be satisfied with falling short of what we want in life, or make the decision to get all we want and be all we are created to be. That choice is ours to make. That choice does not belong to anyone else.
The third trait of a successful people is the one that creates forward momentum. Exploring and investing do not produce success without implementation. Implementers draw the line between those who fail to act on great ideas and those who implement just one small activity and see great results. Resolve today to implement one idea that you have been thinking about, researching, and evaluating. What have you got to lose? If you do not, you are guaranteed to stay right where you are.
Make the commitment today to a new path. If you commit today to explore, invest, and implement…. and do these things daily….. your life will never be the same. How exciting is that?

Katherine is the co-author of five best selling real estate related books, and has written a series of children’s educational books for Rourke Publishing. Katherine’s successful home based business allows her the time freedom and necessary income to pursue her personal and professional interests. With today’s internet technology, Katherine is able to supervise national and international marketing teams from her home office. Visit her website at http://www.team2succeed.com/ActNow.

Article source: http://www.wahmchoices.com/

Work at home made easier...

Ok, so I just took the plunge and invested in a new computer. For the last 10 years, I have been using my windows 98.... LOL. If you think that's bad, I just upgraded about 8 months ago from dial up internet to dsl.....

I wanted to avoid Vista at all cost. I just know too many people that complain about it. And everyone I know that has XP just loves it. So that is what I intended on purchasing.

I wanted to take my time and really take a look at all the computers out there. Not rush into anything. So taking my kids with me may not have been the best idea in taking my time.... LOL

As I am looking at each computer, I notice that ALL of them have Vista. Not one was with XP. I even asked for the software so I could install it but they won't let you do that. So I was looking at Vista... Not happy about that, I though to myself.

I began looking at the laptops. But I could not do it. There is something about NOT having a mouse.... LOL... I love my mouse. Maybe I am just used to the old ways. After all, I was running windows 98 all this time as well.....

I came across this home unit that I really could not get away from. I must say it's pretty sleek looking. And I love the monitor. This 19" Flat Screen is as big as our home tv.... ( LMAO ).

Here's a description:

Manufacturer: Hewlett - Packard
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X 2 Dual Core Processor 5600 + 2.80 GHz
Ram: 2942 MB


I feel like a kid with a new toy. There is sooo much I have not even looked at yet on here. I like that I can watch DVD's, burn cd's, dvd's, and even flip the disc over and have a label put on with this Light Scribe. I even have 2 forms of virus protection on this thing.... (I am trying to protect my investment). LOL

I can finally have more than 2 windows up without crashing.... LOL. I am able to play around with Word, Excel, Power Point and other programs that I did not have before. My kids love how fast it is, when they are playing their games. Well, I do too. Especially for work. I am able to save so much more time now than I was before. Everything is just so fast.

I am happy so far. For me this was a big purchase and I knew that I would be spending quit a bit and I wanted to make sure that this would meet the needs that I have. And so far, no complaints. LOL

Life of a Single Mom

A Day in the Life of a Single Mom


This is a story about a typical day in the life of me, a single, working, studying mom, who has no time for herself, but wouldn't change her lifestyle for the world.
"Ring!" Alas, my day begins as it will continue - loud. The alarm jolts me out of a deep sleep, which I am convinced began only forty-five minutes ago. With my eyes still half shut, I make my way to the dresser to pulverize my alarm clock. I am not a violent person by nature, but some things just need to be put in their place, such as an alarm clock at 5:30 a.m. I am a morning person after about thirty seconds, but the initial, agonizing noise emanating from the far side of my room is too much for even the "happy camper" in me. Gradually, I make my way to the washroom and prepare for the day ahead. I have a quick shower, dry off fast, fix my hair and makeup as though I were on the pit crew at the Indianapolis 500, hurriedly put on my clothes, and as I am cleaning the bathroom (fast, naturally), I hear the sound of an alarm clock in the distance.
That is the first of two alarm clocks in bedroom number two, the one occupied by my two angels. You see, I have two sons, Stefan aged six and Alexander aged three, and while they are asleep they are my perfect little angels. Although many mothers claim to have angels, I really do. Well, at least at the beginning of the day, since I am a morning person, and they are not awake yet, they are angels.
As I make my way to the kitchen, I notice that the alarm is still ringing. Eventually, Stefan will turn it off, perhaps in time for the second one to sound. I prepare my breakfast and the boys' (three bowls of cereal, juice, fruit and tea, since there is no time for gourmet cooking mid-week).
"Ring!" Ah, there goes the second alarm clock. It is not a soothing beep, as the first. This second alarm is strategically placed across the room from Stefan and is so annoying in its tone, that he has no alternative but to shut it off.
"Mommy! Shut that thing off!"
Or, I could be wrong. I race up the stairs, shut off the alarm and try to raise the dead. By "the dead", I naturally mean my two angels, whose halos have just fallen. "No! No! No!" my three-year-old cries, in between the punching and kicking. I will state the obvious - he is NOT a morning person. "Five more minutes" I agree, knowing that we have not yet begun to fight.
Stefan is easier, although he does want me to dress him and carry him down the stairs. I have a daily choice. I can do his bidding and avoid a fight, convinced that I will be raising a "Mama's boy" with no sense of independence, or I can insist that he take responsibility, dress himself, and be a "big boy", to which I receive the response, "I don't wanna be a big boy. I wish I was a baby and you took care of me ..." There is nothing quite like a six-year-old whining to start the day off just right. Eventually, the two boys are miraculously dressed (I won't bore you with the kicking, screaming, punching, "I hate this stupid shirt" details), and are entering the kitchen.
We enjoy breakfast relatively problem-free, and then move on to the outer clothing. By this I mean the boots, hats, coats, scarves and gloves that take an excruciating thirty minutes to find and put on. On a good day this may take only twenty minutes. After exiting the house, re-entering, exiting, re-entering, and exiting again, I believe I have everything. Off we go!
The best part of the morning follows. We sing songs and play "what do you see" games on our way in. Provided the boys do not injure each other in the back seat, this part of my day fills me with contentment - not peace and quiet, but contentment. I take the children to the babysitters and I'm off to fight the traffic jam I didn't know about because I couldn't hear the radio in the car over the noise.
I arrive at work and do my job to earn my money to pay for my house (that Jack built). Oops! I digress. I do that often, ever since I became a mother, but "it keeps you young", I hear. My breaks are spent making endless lists of what to do, what to buy, where to go. My lunch break is usually spent grocery shopping or doing school work, although once per month, I attend a school council meeting at Stefan's school.
Home time! I leave work, get into my car, pick up the children, drive home (same games), and start preparing dinner. While the dinner is cooking, I hear about my children's day, get changed into sweats, and clean up the morning "mayhem" mess. We eat dinner. For most people, this would be a relaxing time. However, my children take approximately one hour to consume what I eat in five minutes.
The fight to get ready for bed is similar to that involved in getting ready for the day. Stefan wants to be a baby, and Alex wants to be a big boy. Needless to say, this takes time and a great deal of patience. Eventually, they are in their beds, we sing songs, hug, kiss and they go to sleep. They are my angels once again, halos intact.
Now I am downstairs on the couch, observing the mess. I drag myself off the couch (I am NOT an evening person), clean up the dishes and the toys, sit down to relax.
"Mommy!"
Maybe not. Eventually, I am back on the couch and relaxing for thirty minutes before it's time for Mommy to go to bed.
I go upstairs and peek in on my sweet angels. I hug them and kiss them and thank God for them. Then I go to my own bed. My eyes slowly close, as I drift off, with a smile on my face. I wouldn't change a thing!
"Ring!" ... Well, maybe one thing!

Submitted by: Jacqueline Crosbie *


Now I REALLY understand this lifestyle. I am up at 5:30 a.m. (try to be) and most of the time I end up just flipping my hair up by saving time so I don't have to use the curling iron. Both of my kids are just like me. However, my daughter has taken an extra trait of mine and put it to use. She now talks in her sleep... LOL........ Yes, I have been known to talk in my sleep. They both sleep hard and HATE mornings. Sure, I'm a morning person.... Around 4:00 p.m. LOL. Seriously, I am a late night person.

So, kids are getting dressed.... My daughter wants to wear just jeans and a t-shirt and my son is the same way. Sometimes I can convince him to wear a dress shirt. But my daughter wants no part of that.... I really can't wait for the girly girl in her to come out.

It's race to the kitchen and offer something quick. Most of the time my daughter will grab a breakfast snack I have and take it with her. My son, on the other hand, can't wait to get to Grandma's house so he can eat her AWESOME breakfasts that she makes.

Now it's time to FLY to work, just to go through another day of being treated like dirt. For very little pay. And not making a difference in what I am doing. There is no satisfaction in what I am doing and did I mention very little pay??? LOL

Then it's leave work and pick up my kids and head home. Hopefully I have no pit stops along the way. I HATE shopping. For food, clothes, everything. Well once upon a time I used to like it. But the kids seem to think I am a walking ATM machine and that I should buy them something from everywhere I go...... LOL

So it's race home.... Get dinner started, while the kids play. Run upstairs and do a little work (my home based business) while dinner is cooking. (I have found that making my roasts, stew, chili the night before saves time on a busy schedule). I also try and make up for the lack of breakfast cooking I do during the week by making 1 breakfast at night . And I always make nice breakfasts on the weekends. (tee hee).....

We all sit down at the table and eat together. I have always been a believer in that. Trying to catch up on the day that everyone had and just share what's going on. Then it's off to the homework.... Check homework.... Get bathes ready.....Tuck kids in bed.... And back to work I go.

My days are not exactly like this every day. But you get the idea. I am a single mom. I have two wonderful kids. I have found a legit business that allows me to work from home, be here with my kids, while getting paid.

See, awhile back I considered working in the evenings doing something... Anything.... Cleaning, working at a store, anything. But after I pay a babysitter to watch 2 kids and the gas to get there, I was not going to make a cent. It was not acceptable. It was not even worth it.

I am blessed that I found a real work at home opportunity that does pay and does work. That allows me to be here at home with my kids. I am not having to pay a babysitter and dish out the gas money. When I am working, I may not be spending the quality time that I want with my kids, but I am here. That's the point. I am here. And I can stop and tend to them when I want. I am not restricted.

So just know that if you are where I am, and you are considering working at home, you can do it. I am !!!! Please feel free to email me if you would like to know more.

Cinn2001@juno.com

Or visit my personal website: http://www.mykidsmywhy.com/
or business website: www.moms4netprofit.com/now

The Job Interview.....

Well I had an interview for a Quality Inspector position. The interview itself went pretty good I must say. However, there was this one part where I could not hold back how I really felt. Have you ever been in a moment where you have to put on a straight face as you are listening to something difficult ? Well, that was me. LOL

The guy seems pretty impressed with my history in quality and what I know and the certificates I achieved in the classes that I took. So he is showing me around the plant and then we go back into the office. He sits across from me and lets me know that they are hiring for first shift... I breathe a sigh of relief. First shift is the only shift that I can work. He explains that the hours are from 6:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. I immediately think of my daughter and daycare. I was not even sure what time the daycare opened in the mornings. And then I began thinking about her starting kindergarten next year. It's weird how they have kindergarten here. The kids go 2 whole days and 1 half day. Would this new job be flexible with me and my kids ? Then he tells me about the possibility of traveling to different plants and how I may need to be gone for a night or two. I feel a little uneasy with this information but I do remember my old boss having to do the same thing. I just tell myself that it does not happen often and that I will deal with it when it happens. And then comes the big foot that just crushes me.... He then tells me that I would be on call for 2nd and 3rd shift as well. That if something happened at the plant and they needed quality there, they would be calling me to come in and straighten it out. My heart sank as I tried to swallow back the lump in my throat and play it off like it was nothing. But I know he could see the hesitation on my face. That was something that would be extremely hard. To find a babysitter at the last minute during 2nd or 3rd shift.

So this will be another great job that will not work for me. I will not be pursuing this. (feeling very frustrated) but will keep on moving ahead.....

More Child Support Drama.

A couple of continuous visitors have emailed me asking what is the status on the child support I have going on. So here is the update:

My daughters donor did show up for court, (contempt of court, due to unpaid child support).
For some reason, the court gave him MORE time. Unbelievable !!! The last payment received was back in April of 2007. No wait, he did make 1 payment in August of 2007, because Child Support was going to suspend his drivers license.

So here it is January, 2008 and his drivers license are suspended anyway and he now has until March 15th to pay $250.00 (purge amount). If he does not pay that amount, they will issue a warrant for his arrest. He has already been reported to all the credit agencies and the balance he owes is about $3,600.00. Now I know that $3600.00 is not really that much. But just think how it would affect you if you were missing that much from your income. That could have helped with Christmas, daycare, (is not cheap by no means), clothes and everything else. And what upsets me is that I would have never imagined him being this way. If I had suspected him to be a walk away Joe, a non-caring parent, a deadbeat, I would have never looked twice at him. It's funny how you really don't know people. And no matter how hard I try to keep that image of (deadbeat) away from her, I know the day will come when she asks about him. And she will feel hurt and take it personally that she was not important and that he did not love her. How do I answer for that ?

She still only knows my sons father as daddy. There is not a day that goes by that she asks about him, wants to see him, wants to talk on the phone, wants him to pick her up from preschool instead of me. ( I walk in all happy to see her after my day at work and she looks at me and says "Why didn't daddy pick me up" ? LMAO. I just think to myself how lucky my little girl is to have so many people that care about her. But I do have this hidden fear that this relationship that started between my little girl and my sons father will stop..... Slowly disappear. And that will crush her. So I just sit here and pray that I did the right thing by letting them establish a relationship and allow her to get this close to another man, that she believes is her daddy.

On another note: I have a job interview for this Friday. This full time job is much closer to home, more pay and in a field that I really enjoyed. So I will be following up with them and keeping in close contact. As long as the hours are what I need, I will be haunting them with follow up.... LOL At least I learned that much from past experience. LOL

4 Tips to Help You Motivate Yourself to Work When You Just Don't Feel Like Working

For some people, working from home is the ideal situation. But for others, especially those who work for themselves, working from home can be a constant battle. With all of the distractions at home (snacks, internet, housework, kids…) you might find it's really hard to motivate yourself to actually get down to work. If you are self-employed, then take into account the fact that you aren't accountable to anybody for how you spend your time - it can make matters even worse! If you are like the majority of people who are self-employed and work from home, then you know you could use some extra motivating factors in your life to help boost your productivity! This article will help you find what works for you, to help you make the most out of your stay-at-home job or business!


Tip #1 - Set Goals Set daily, achievable goals. Sometimes when we work from home, it can be quite overwhelming. You need to decide exactly what needs to be accomplished each day in order to reach your ultimate goal. Think about why you are working from home. Is it to spend more time with your family? Is it to purchase a new car or dream vacation? Dream big, and then work backwards. If you need to make $10,000 in 6 months, break it down - how much do I need to earn every work day to meet this goal? Figure out what tasks will get you to that goal. Write down your "big" goal, and then your daily goals. Next, make yourself a daily task list. If you have a plan to achieve your dreams, and you can see yourself making progress towards an ultimate goal, then you are more likely to stick to daily plans. Not knowing what you need to do every day is a recipe for disaster and procrastination!


Tip #2 - Be Accountable Make yourself accountable! Set up a system where you are accountable to someone (even yourself!). If you have a friend that you can check in with daily, that is ideal. Either over the phone or through e-mail, share your plans for the day (in a few short minutes) then check in at the end of the day to report to each other. You can even hold a contest with fun prizes for the one who accomplishes their daily goals. Often, though, even the thought of having to report to somebody is enough to push us to do the things we said we would do. If you don't have someone to report to, or if you can trust yourself, then set up your own reward system of accountability. For example, if I accomplish my task list, then at the end of the day I can do something I really enjoy (watch a favorite TV show, enjoy a favorite snack, have a bubble bath etc.). If you don't complete the work you were planning to do, then you have to forfeit your favorite show, snack, etc.


Tip #3 - Visualize Getting back to your goals/dreams, decorate your work space with things that remind you of your big goal. Are you hoping to go on a holiday to Hawaii? Cut out pictures and post them around so you can remind yourself what you are doing is worthwhile - a means toward a fabulous end! Anything worth having takes time and effort, and the satisfaction of a well-earned reward is unlike any other! When you have constant reminders of your goals, it is easier to visualize yourself accomplishing these goals, and thus easier to motivate yourself each day!


Tip #4 - Clear Your Mind Have healthy, delicious snacks prepared in your house so you don't have to go far to boost your energy. Keep some washed, cut-up fruit, whole-grain crackers, cheese and cut up veggies and dip handy, so when you need a snack, you can easily eat something that is delicious and healthy. Healthy snacks will help you to be more alert, and have more energy! It's much easier to work when you have energy and a sharp mind! If you find your mind wandering and are finding it hard to focus, go outside for a 5 minute walk. A little fresh air and a change of scenery for a few minutes does wonders to clear your mind! Don't forget about getting enough sleep too!


To summarize, the best way to get yourself to work when you don't feel like working, is to have a plan and then make yourself accountable (usually with a buddy). Set up your workspace so that you are constantly reminded of why you are doing this, and don't forget to take short breaks to clear your mind. When you include these components in your daily business activities, your success will skyrocket! Be prepared to review and revise your goals and plans as needed.


Ultimately, when you have moments when you just can't bring yourself to work, take your 5 minute break, grab a healthy snack, and imagine that you are going to make the right choice for today. Picture yourself at the end of the day, having put in the kind of effort that you wish you did every day. Remind yourself that this day is going to end, whether you have put the effort in or not. As you finish your snack or break, remember the good feeling of a day's work well done, and get back to work!

By Jill Mowser

Happy New Year !

Wow ! Here it is 2008. I remember when I was a kid and thinking about the future.... Years, like 2008 seemed so far off, like they would never get here. OMG, and it's here.... LOL

Well I am looking at the new year as "My Year"....... That's the great thing about all of us. We all have the ability to dream. Just imagine for a minute that you could not dream. What would that be like? You could never feel hope, feel inspired, anticipate.... How incredibly sad.

But see, we can dream. And I do. Dreaming is what gets me motivated as well as other things. I look forward to my future and to change. I may get a little nervous but I try to embrace it.

So I have blasted my resume out to everyone. I am looking for a different full time job. I need out of where I'm at. I no longer feel excited to go to work. I know I am not using my full capabilities and I don't feel like I am making a difference there. Plus, I know I am worth more than I am being paid. It seems that my draw back for a position that I am looking for is that I don't know Word or Excel. I've used them, but not enough for me to get around on my own.

I think something happens as we get older. At least for myself. If you were to look at my resume, you would be pretty impressed. I'm impressed when I see it... LOL I have to stop and really think to myself, "Did I really do all that" ? And I know it's true because my old boss is the one that created my resume for me.

So here are bits and pieces of my resume.....

Experienced in offline Collections, Insurance Disputes, New Account Application Process, Change of Address on GLBA Privacy Notices and Returned Credit Card Mailings

Proficient in customer credit card account research, debit/credit reconciliation’s, chargeback processing and all file maintenance

Maintained customer satisfaction through courteous and efficient resolution of disputes, complaints, and discrepancies

Assisted Team Manager with escalated customer complaints

Knowledgeable in the handling of third party merchant complaints on MasterCard accounts

Approached by fellow associates and assisted with their questions regarding correct procedure to use when handling a customer complaint on an account

Excellent problem solving skills, ability to work with minimal supervision and make sound business decisions

Skilled at data entering new account applications via Onbase Imaging System

Microsoft Windows NT & 2000, Microsoft Office 97 Excel, Word & Outlook, Total Systems, I-Notes, Onbase Imaging System and Internet Training

Certificate for completion of Account Service Representative Training for Sears Credit, Diversity, GLBA Privacy Laws, Fair Lending Credit Act, Affirmative Action and Civil Treatment

And this is for one background that I have. I also have a strong background in Quality Assurance/Technician. But I won't get into that right now.

So all of the above sound really good when I look at it. Yet, I still feel like " Did I really do all of that" ? And maybe that uncertainty has shown in the past when I looked for something else. But this time I know that I can't let it show. I also know to follow up on jobs that I applied for.

If there are anymore tips you can give me, I'll be glad to hear them . It's time for a change and I'm ready.