US Finance World

Yesterday was post #700. Thank you for all your comment, support and suggestions since the beginning. This blog also celebrated its 4 year anniversary in Aprilwhich marks the beginning of the end of this blog. This blog is ending on May 1, 2012 which marks 5 years of blogging- a fitting landmark.

A good friend of mine once advised me to try something new every 5 years. So, after 5 years of blogging on personal finance, I will try my hand at something else. I promise not to make this into the never-ending farewell tour like The Who (who were supposed to retire in 1982).

Youll see some old friends and guests pop back into the fold during this farewell tour. Hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading.

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Last nights #HandmadeChat topic was the How To Hire A Virtual Assistant. My guest and co-host was professional organizing coach and virtual assistant, Alaia Williams.

Alaia and I led a fun discussion of what to consider when you engage the services of a virtual assistant to help you organize and grow your business. Here is an overview of some of the ideas and important questions we asked and answered, a link to the transcript, and some actions you can take right now to turn your knowledge into power for the benefit of your business.

1. Consider what you do that someone else can do. Make a list of important tasks you do that you can train someone to do for you. Is not delegating certain aspects of your business holding you back?
2. Using your voice does not mean you cant hire help!

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Although Starkville, Miss., is home to Mississippi State University and the fighting Bulldogs, it’s not a large city with a dense urban epicenter the typical playground for those who use location-based marketing services such as Gowalla and Foursquare.

But one small-business owner there, Shane Reed of Strange Brew Coffee House, says sales of The Albino Squirrel Latte a signature coffee drink with white chocolate and hazelnut syrup, get it? and other drinks have increased 34 percent this September over the previous September, which he attributes to his use of Gowalla and other social media sites. When customers check in with Gowalla at Mr. Reed’s coffee house, they are greeted with a 10-percent-discount off of any drink. They show the counter crew the discount on their smartphones and proceed to sip happily.

Mr. Ree

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The most important thing to do when you want to improve your personal financial state and investment portfolio with the help of a good financial advisor is choosing the right financial advisor you are comfortable with. To be able to do so, you need to look into several essential aspects to consider when choosing a financial consultant. We are going to discuss some of those aspects in this article.

Start by looking into the certifications of the financial advisor you plan on hiring. CFA or Certified Financial Advisor and CFP or Certified Financial Planner each have different sets of requirements, so choosing the right certified financial advisor can help you find the best one according to your needs and wants perfectly. If you need help with investments and portfolio building, for example, a financial advisor with CFA certification is the better option.

Next, check with the local association of financial advisors to make sure that the one you plan on hiring is registered. Read more…

Each of us wants to retire from our jobs as early as we can. We dream of having a few years where we are on permanent vacation and are still healthy enough to get some enjoyment out of life. We all know the importance of planning and saving for the future. The question is how do you go about doing that when you can just barely make it through from one pay period to the next?

Retirement planning is number one not an option. You are going to have to focus on the fact that this is something that must be done and you have no other options. You have to set some money aside. Next you are going to have to look into the options you have available.

Does your employer offer an IRA plan or a 401k plan where you can have money taken from your check before you receive the check? If they do this is a great way to start saving, even if you tell them to withhold as little as one percent you will at least be saving something. Read more…

The New York Gift Fair is wrapping up today, and guess what? Handmade is hot! Of course as IBNs president, I knew that, and I know you knew it too. But did you know that the New York Gift Fair has an entire section just for handmade and artisan products? Theyre renovating an entirely new space just for handmade! Watch this video where Carol Ross, Director of Craft Marketing, shares some of the details.

How cool is that? I love what Carol said about how people want to buy products with meaning. Its not about commodities. Its about beauty and quality and using products that are made by real people who offer you more than just a consumer product. They are offering a bit of themselves, and that makes every item so special. Next years show is January 28 to Febraury 2. Keep up with the latest by following New York Gift Fair on .

And if youre a handmade junkie like me, be sure to join us Thursday, August 18 at 8pm EST for the first #HandmadeChat!

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