Who On Earth Needs Life Insurance On Their Children?

Many people have asked me lately about life insurance for their children or grandchildren.

Let me PREFACE this message by stating that kids DON'T NEED life insurance SINCE nobody is depending upon their income to make ends meet, unless perhaps they are a child TV or movie star. And this is certainly not a subject to dwell on...

But here are a couple of reasons why many parents like to have life insurance on their children that may be worth considering.

I'll also give you some general QUOTES HERE on various children's policies and different ideas to consider.

One reason some parents are interested in insuring the lives of their children is to protect against the HIGH cost of final expenses. Many couples, especially those just starting out, could not afford to pay these costs from savings.

But more importantly, most parents couldn't afford to take the weeks off from work for a natural grieving period. Insurance could allow time for this from a financial perspective. As a parent myself, I couldn't imagine going right back to work, but without life insurance proceeds, one may have to.

Another reason many parents and especially grandparents insure children, is to guarantee at least some future insurability if there is ever an adverse change of health.

Since life insurance on children isn't exactly necessary, you have to admit it is PRICED right. Here are a few painless ways to handle it.

One plan is available for children ages 1 month through 20 years old. It is a fixed $20,000 death benefit (no more or less).

The cost for a policy like this might be just $72 per year per child (or $6/month) and covers them through no older than age 25.

IF DESIRED, the policy can be continued for the rest of the child's life at a cost of $232/year ($21/month) and the policy will begin to accumulate cash value.

Another idea: there are some term insurance policies that a parent can buy on themselves ALONG with a RIDER which can insure ALL children in the household (15 days to age 19).

A "rider" is just an optional add-on to a policy. Most life insurance policies have at least one or more riders that are available that make the life insurance policy better in some way.

Once bought, the kid's rider (coverage) will terminate at age 25 or date of marriage -- whichever occurs first. So the children would be covered through that time.

The price of this rider for ALL kids COMBINED (again as part of a parents policy) costs about $6 per year for each $1,000 of coverage. For example, if you wanted $10,000 on each of your kids and you had two children, the total cost would be $60 per year (10 times $6). It would cost exactly the same if you had six children.

The parent must buy a policy on themselves covering as little as $5,000 with a whole life policy, or $100,000 on a term policy, in order to get the kid's rider. Each insurance company may have a similar option -- or may not.

The children's rider cost (above) is simply added to the parent's policy.

A third alternative is just buying a permanent (cash value) life policy on the child. Policies can be issued from age 1 month through 25 for as little as $5,000 coverage up to $100,000.

For example, a $50,000 policy on 10 year old might cost $279/ year to guarantee that death benefit to age 100 and build an equal cash value at that time.

However, one could also "turbo-charge" that idea.

When properly set up, a cash value insurance policy could act as a "bank" for the child as they grow up.

When structured to build cash value, instead of providing a death benefit, a properly designed life insurance policy can be a great place for tax-free savings.

The growing cash inside of the policy could be "borrowed" to pay for college, provide a down payment for a first home. In effect the child would be "borrowing" from themselves.

Or the right policy design could even give the child a source of tax-free retirement income. That's right. Think of it as a ROTH IRA on steroids.

But that is a topic for another article.

By the way, all of the quotes above are from A+ carriers (rated by AM Best where A++ is the only higher rating attainable) and are only included to serve as a guideline. Life insurance quotes are based on many factors, so help from a professional independent agent is important.

So in summation, I hope that the idea of insuring a child's life is no longer repulsive. There ARE valid reasons to do so. although it would hardly be a financial planning priority.

Since 1997, Mark J. Orr, a Certified Financial Planner, has helped hundreds plan for more financial success through powerful strategies and advice. To get 101 FREE Financial Planning Tips and to Register for his complementary e-newsletter, simply go to: http://www.SmartFinancialTips.comBerenice Blog3395
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How To Drive Traffic to Any Site The Easy Way!

Traffic is vital for any website to flourish, especially of it's a commercial one.

Traffic refers to the number of people who visit your website. The additional traffic you push to your site, the more likely more people will be attracted in what you have to propose.

There are numerous different ways to develop traffic to your site, but what we'll be discussing here are the easier ways of driving traffic to your site.

1. Tell everyone

This is the easiest and furthermore, free! If you have a lot of online or real life friends, incite them to drop by your site if they can. The more the merrier, as they say.

2. Using Crawlers

Crawler-based search engines like Yahoo, Google and Ask Jeeves are the next easiest way to grow traffic. Crawlers work by picking up every website or page that matches a query. It crawls on individual pages, big websites and directories. Google in particular has a feature wherein you can instantly add your site's URL to its directory for simple recovery.

Anyhow, this method doesn't guarantee that your site will be visited by hoards of visitors. Oh no. That will be determined by your page's ranking. Page rank is a measure of how relevant your website is. It's like a range of how much support your site gets. If you get a lot of back links to your site, then this does much to increase its page rank.

3. High quality content, increase in keywords and add a sitemap

A lot of webmasters use the content, keywords and sitemap to develop their traffic. How you ask?

Content

As we've said, page ranking is how pertinent your site it. It doesn't matter if you have a hundred or so pages but they have in it nothing but spam. This is extremely irritating, specially to Google, who might even ban you from their list.

High quality content however, is the first way to go about it. Even if you've got only 5 or so pages, but possess out up relevant and well written articles, people are certain to come back and visit. A lot of times.

Keywords

For instance, your site is covering a topic like, Superman. Of course the typical person looking for a page on Superman will type "superman" on his query box.

However, some search for more distinct terms like "super man" or "clark kent" or "lois and clark". If you have pages that have these keywords, there are better chances for your site to be found. The more specific the keyword, the better since it limits the number of the competition.

Sitemap

A sitemap is effective for any website since it increases the number of internal links and pages that you have, therefore increasing the probability that a crawler will pick it up.

It's also a big help to prospect who are looking for a specific page but wouldn't want to bother browsing through the whole website.

4. Exchange links with other sites

Exchanging links with other websites will be a superb way to foster alliance and friendship. It'll increase traffic too, considering most people browse through the links page of websites, especially on fan sites.

At any rate, it wouldn't be adequate to ask for an exchange link for free or just out of the blue. Before a similar site can do an exchange with you, you must have been offering them something in return, like free content or downloads.

5. Article marketing

Submitting your articles to online publications is a great way to increase traffic too. This is a bit harder than the other methods, since the publication need to accept of your article first.

However, one approved, not only do you get to publish your work, you are also given a link back to your site. This way calls for quality not quantity so please do your best.

6. Submitting to directories

There are free and open directories like imegamall.com and searchsight.com. You can submit your site to them and it may increase traffic to your site.

This method is quick and simple but not so reliable either. It might take weeks or months before your site can be listed or maybe not at all. So it's better to try this along with the other methods for greater success.

Cedric Aubry is the Owner of http://Your-Free-Ebook.com.Alix Blog46392
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Using Digital Photographs in Scrapbooking Projects

Digital cameras are a wonderful invention. In the past, the quickest way to get a fast photo was by using an instant camera; but one always sacrificed quality when it came down to the print itself. Now, anyone can simply print out all their digital pictures right after they are taken, without sacrificing quality.

Try experimenting with the various options your photo editor has to offer to give select photos a unique and personal touch. Don't forget to save each edited photo in case you want to frame your creation at a later date. Correct any imperfections in your photo by using photo editing software. Adjust the quality with the editing features using sharpness, blur and despeckle. Make your image appear clearer and brighter with these features.

Put your creativity to use with the color adjustment feature. Sepia makes an interesting look for portraits. Try using sepia for pictures of flowers and landscape scenes also. This look is great for an eye-catching photo layout. Try framing them for an artistic look for your home dcor.

Black and white gives photos a sophisticated look, and works great for an old-fashioned family portrait. Try grouping several black and white photos together for an interesting family-themed scrapbook layout.

Cut, crop and resize your photos if you choose. Remember to make several copies of your photos before permanently mounting them to your scrapbook pages.

Try using the different fonts available on your computer and print out fancy lettering to title each scrapbook page; put captions under each of your photos. Add a little humor to each description. You will love reading them in the years to come.

With all the fantastic digital cameras on the market and the availability of photo editing software, there is no limit to making all your scrapbooking projects special.

Jane Karwoski is publisher of the e-book, "Scrapbooking Made Easy". To sign up for a free newsletter, go to http://www.scrapbooking-made-easy.com.Bobbee Blog48834
Berti Blog6630

How to Choose a Health Insurance Plan

Health insurance is a type of insurance wherein the health insurance company pays the medical costs of the insured if the insured falls sick or meets with an accident. The claim of medical costs is governed by the type of health insurance plan you have purchased. For this the individual has to give monthly premium to the insurance company. In the United States most of the health insurance is provided by the employers be it corporate or government. However the trend is changing and more and more companies are opting out of providing medical coverage to employees due to the exorbitant cost of providing health insurance.

As a result more and more people are being forced to buy an individual health insurance plan or a family health insurance plan. There are literally thousands of health insurance plans available online or through agents or banks. It is easy to get confused if not bewildered by so many plans. However few basic points can help in choosing a health insurance plan to suit your needs and your pocket.

Deductibles: Higher deductibles, lesser premium. Deductible is the amount of bill you pay and the rest of the medical bill is paid by the insurance company.

Length of coverage: Short term coverage costs less and the premium is the cheapest available in the market today.

Doctor access: Most insurance plans provide doctors networks to reduce their cost. If you want your family physician check before hand whether the insurance plan includes your family physician or your preferred hospital.

Type of Coverage: Basic coverage costs less and coves only hospitalization and surgery. Comprehensive is costlier and covers preventive care, prescription drugs, routine medical check ups and the costs covered in basic coverage.

Specialist Visit: insurance plans usually require a general physician to recommend a specialist, rather than going directly to a specialist doctor. If you want that flexibility in your plan, then you have to pay more premiums.

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Why Do We Have Conflict At Work? The Ubiquitous Position Description

I once applied for a job as a Training Manager in a dynamic and rapidly developing organisation. My application was successful and I was delighted to find out that one of my colleagues whom I got on with very well from my previous organisation (we occasionally had barbecues at one another's homes) had also applied for a job with the new organisation and would be working alongside me. Apparently and unbeknown to one another, we had both applied for the same role as Training Manager. They had liked us both and as they were expanding rapidly, they employed both of us. They designated my role as "Senior Training Manager" and his as "Training Manager". Over barbecue discussions, we both said how much we were looking forward to working together in this new and exciting environment.

A couple of weeks into our new roles, my colleague and I were starting to have some differences, which by the end of three months, had escalated to conflict. Why? We liked one another, got on well together both socially and as work colleagues in our previous organisation and shared very similar views on the role of the training function.

The problem lay in the "how" the training function was to be managed I had my views and he had his. Our new organisation had developed Position Descriptions for each of our new roles, but they were written in "input" terms i.e., how we should do things rather than "output" terms, i.e.., what we were each expected to achieve. As a result, there was major overlap in role descriptions and so our disagreements became "role conflict".

One of the real problems I find with Position Descriptions is that they are often written in Input terms (i.e. what people do) rather than Outputs (i.e. what people achieve). This is often sadly also true for PD's written in KRA (Key Result Areas) terms. The result? People can stick rigidly to what they are expected to do rather than looking at the bigger picture and what they need to achieve for the betterment of their team and ultimately, the organisation. In addition to the potential for role conflict, this can lead to other problems.

For example, in larger organisations, particularly where there is a culture of "rigid hierarchy", use of PDs in this manner invariably leads to conflict and the PD being used as alibi paper when something that should have been achieved, slips through the cracks (even the best written PDs will not cover all eventualities, that is why the focus on outputs is so important). In smaller organisations, use of PDs written in input terms can lead to a feeling of being overworked or "this is not my responsibility" when the person has to do something that is not specifically written into their PD.

The answer to all of this, for both large and small organisations, is to use the PD and in particular the writing of the PD, as a process of agreement between people as to what their output areas are. It is the process of discussing and agreeing on output areas that is critical for effective working relationships, job design and ultimately organisation structure, not the piece of paper that the PD ends up on.

PDs should not be written in isolation by one person, nor should they be written by the HR Department. The HR Department's (or HR person's) role in PDs is to coach, train and facilitate the writing of the PDs by the people who will be doing the actual work.

How do you write effective Position Descriptions that are expressed in output terms? One way is to convert existing PDs. For example, look at the following list of duties from the Supervisor's PD at a large main frame computer centre:

1. Supervise and direct the operations of the computer room in a large scale, multi-mainframe operations environment.

2. Provide on-the-job training aides for operating staff to ensure the standard operations procedures are maintained.

3. Provide assistance in the analysis and correction of systems hardware, software and production failures and/or notify appropriate personnel.

4. Maintain computer usage records and operational logs.

5. Deputise for the shift manager.

All of the above are expressed as "inputs" rather than "outputs" In output terms they could be written as:

1. Supervise and direct the operations of the computer room in a large scale, multi-mainframe operations environment. Would be rewritten as . . .

Mainframe down time is minimal

Quality output standard of data is maintained

All staff meet their performance standards

2. Provide on-the-job training aides for operating staff to ensure the standard operations procedures are maintained. Would be rewritten as . . .

Standard operating procedures followed

Errors are minimised

Problems solved within specified time and quality standards

You may like to try your hand at rewriting 3, 4 & 5!

As you do, you will notice that outputs start to repeat themselves fairly frequently. That's because outputs focus on the results not "how " the job is done. Although "how" is important, it can be stated in terms of standards that must be met and maintained overstating the "how" and breaking it down to a small number of tasks, leaves people with no room for initiative nor decision making and often leads to role overlap or underlap which eventually ends in conflict.

How do we arrive at outputs? Very simply. Just add " . . . so that" to each input and complete the sentence. Or, ask "Why?" of each input and keeping asking "Why?" until the answer becomes an output. For example, "Supervise and direct the operations of the computer room in a large scale, multi-mainframe operations environment . . . so that . . . Mainframe down time is minimal . . . so that . . . Quality output standard of data is maintained . . . so that . . . All staff meet their performance standards" Most PD's written in output terms will have no more than 5 or 6 outputs. For lower level roles, this can rise to as many as 8 10 (although be careful that none of these are or become inputs). The more senior the role, the less number of outputs a manager should have until ultimately the CEO has only one "Stakeholder expectations managed effectively"

Remember as I said earlier, it is the process of discussing and agreeing on output areas that is critical for effective working relationships, job design and ultimately organisation structure, not the piece of paper that the PD ends up on. So make sure the people doing the work are involved in writing the PDs.

Oh, by the way, you may be wondering what eventually happened between my colleague and I. He applied for a role elsewhere in the organisation his old role was not refilled. I and the organisation had learned about "outputs" by that stage. Happy output development!

Copyright (c) 2006 The National Learning Institute

Like most of us, Bob Selden has experienced conflict in the workplace on numerous ocassions. As MD of The National Learning Institute, he has written this article in the hope that it helps you prevent workplace conflict. If youd like to share your experiences with Bob, please contact him via http://www.nationallearninginstitute.com.Arlee Blog95225
Amalie Blog78893

Organizing Your Financial Records

I get a lot of questions about financial statements, the most common of which is, How long should I keep them?

Before I say anything else I recommend you contact your accountant and attorney to find out which financial documents you need to keep and for how long.

I have introduced many people to my filing system for dated household papers. The system I recommend reduces the amount of time you spend dealing with paperwork by 50%. This system has two stages:

STAGE 1

The first stage focuses on your active paperwork. This is paperwork you need to do something with other than just file it away. It is still active. For active paperwork, I recommend using a literature sorter or wall pockets. These require just one swift motion to put the paper away. Keep your literature sorter at the location you tend to bring in the mail and set it down. Two of the cubbies in your literature sorter should be labeled To Be Paid and To Be Filed.

STAGE 2

The second stage helps you deal with paperwork when it becomes inactive. This is when you are done using it for the time being, and you just need to file it away for future reference. It is now inactive. For this stage I recommend 12 hanging files labeled JanuaryDecember. You file each item according to the month it is dated.

Here are some tips on dealing with specific types of financial documents

Monthly Checking Account Statements: When you first receive your checking account statement in the mail, put it in the literature sorter in the cubby labeled To Be Paid. That way, when you are ready to pay your bills and balance your checkbook, you find your bank statement with your bills.

After you balance your checkbook, you are ready to file your statement away with the other paperwork that has become inactive. File it in the appropriate month. If your checking account statement was for January 8th through February 8th, it would be filed in your January file because it is Januarys statement.

When you clean out your files each year, I suggest you contact your bank and ask them these questions:

* How long does the bank keep a record of your statements?
* How accessible to you is your statement information should you ever need it?
* How easy is it to get a copy of your statement from the bank should you ever need one?

Find out if it would be easier to get statement information by calling your bank or by going online. Would it be easier than digging through all your old papers to find your own copy? Sometimes it is. On the rare occasions you need access to old statements, it may be more practical to pay 75 cents to request a copy from the bank than storing it yourself.

Also, it may be more practical to let the bank store it for you rather than dedicating your precious storage space in your home which costs you some amount of real money per square foot to purchase, heat, light, tax, and clean. If it is, then shred your checking account statements when you clean out your files at the end of each year. If it is not, store your old checking account statements in your storage room. Keep them for seven years.

Savings Account Monthly Statements: When you first receive your savings account statement in the mail, put it in the literature sorter in the cubby labeled To Be Filed. When your To Be Filed cubby gets full, transfer them to your files labeled January- December according to the date of the statement.

When you clean out your files at the end of the year I suggest you ask your bank the same questions mentioned above. Ask them what circumstances will you ever need your old savings account statement information? In most instances, the savings account statement has already served its purpose by the end of the year. You really dont need to hang onto your savings account statements longer than that. Shred or store your statements according to your conclusions after speaking with your bank.

Monthly Credit Card Account Statements: When you first receive your credit card statement in the mail, put it in the literature sorter in the cubby labeled To Be Paid.

After you reconcile your statement and make your payment, you are ready to file your statement away with the other paperwork that has become inactive. Again, file it in the appropriate month.

When you clean out your files at the end of the year, I suggest you contact the bank your credit card is through and ask them the same questions. Take the same actions as listed above.

Credit Card Receipts: When you first receive credit card receipts, put them in the literature sorter in the cubby labeled To Be Paid. When you are ready to reconcile your credit card statement, pull out all your credit card receipts to be reconciled then staple them to the credit card statement they belong to.

After you reconcile your statement, you can file them in the monthly files with your other inactive paperwork. Keep them with your statement until you are ready to shred them.

Debit Card Receipts: Handle debit card receipts the same as you handle credit card receipts; only, use them to reconcile your checking account statement. Staple them to and store them with the statement.

Good luck implementing these simple steps. Youll see a big improvement in the time savings and the reduction of papers in your files. Its a great feeling!

Christi Youd is a Professional Organizer, Author, Speaker, and the President of Organize Enterprise. She operates her web site and free newsletter at http://www.OrganizeEnterprise.com. Christi specializes in helping people get rid of their clutter and organize their lives for success at home and at the office. Check out her free Special Report 25 Quick Tips To Finally Get Control Of Your Messy Environment (Without Lighting A Match!) now at http://www.OrganizeEnterprise.com/25QuickTips.Anya Blog36857
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Scholarships, Bursaries, And Grants: How To Pay For School

You want to go to college or university. You want to get a fantastic, well-paying job. In the meantime, however, you are stuck with a bill for thousands of dollars. Where are you going to get the money?

Get a Scholarship

You can get scholarships for many different things. Some scholarships are available through academic achievement. Other scholarships are available for sports. Some schools offer you scholarships simply for attending. Sometimes you have to search for scholarships. Talk to your guidance counselor, or your schools department of awards and financial aid for information on how to find and apply for scholarships. (You can also check out The Guide to Student Loans--link below--for more information).

Get a Bursary

Bursaries are like scholarships, but they often require you to prove that you need financial aid. Sometimes it is simple to prove financial aid (by bringing in proof that your income doesnt meet your needs to pay tuition and living expenses). Other times you have to go through a more strenuous application process where you have to have your parents financial information as well.

Unlike scholarships, which are sometimes offered without you even applying, you typically have to apply for any bursary that you want. You can find bursaries online at scholarship sites, or you can find them through your high school or college.

Get a Grant

Grants are typically given to upper year students or students who are writing a thesis or dissertation. Grants are not like scholarships. For scholarships, you send in your resume or curriculum vitae and you hope that an organization will give you money based on your previous success record. For grants, you have to send in your resume and CV as well, but you also have to write a proposal. In your proposal, you explain what work you intend to do. You might then get a grant based on your proposal. Grant-writing tends to be much more involved than scholarship applications. You can get grants from the government, from your school, and from third party organizations.

Get a Fellowship

Upper year students and graduate students can also often apply for a fellowship. A fellowship means that you will be filling a position at the school. This typically means that you deliver a lecture or two, or sometimes teach a course. Each fellowship position is different. Fellowships are competitive, but worth the application. They will in turn look good on your curriculum vitae.

Get a Job

If applying for grants, scholarships, and bursaries is not your cup of tea, consider going to school part time and working part time. You might also be able to fit a small part time job in on top of your full-time coursework.

You can often get a job on campus that will help you to better balance your work and school. Can you work in your department?

Not only can you work on campus, you could choose to work at a job that supports your studies. If you are a great student, consider tutoring. If you are studying theatre, get a job at the box office. If you are in sciences, see if there are any laboratory positions available. You can work as a research assistant in almost any department at a university. Will they pay you to co-ordinate student volunteer programs or to run the childcare center? Finding employment during college can be easy and fun.

Get a Loan

Anyone can successfully obtain a student loan. You just want to make sure that you get the loan thats right for you. You want the best rates, the best package, and the best deal. To sort yourself through the maze of student loans (graduate student loans, parent loans for students, student loan consolidation, international student loans and much more) visit The Guide to Student Loans (link below).

With all of the options on how you can pay for your post-secondary education, its no wonder that more people are going to college and university now. It might seem daunting at first, but narrow your options and choices to find out the best way to pay for your university funding, and you will be one step closer to your degree!

Morgan James is the editor of http://www.theguideto-studentloans.com/types_of_student_loans/. For more information on how to pay for your degree, check out The Guide to Student Loans information on types of loans, budgeting for school, and studying abroad.Asia Blog59255
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Online Investing Tools

When it comes to figuring out your financial future, there are some investing tools that are invaluable. How much should you save for retirement? When should you start saving? Should you rent or buy your home? What kind of mortgage can you afford? Should you choose a Roth IRA or a Traditional IRA? How much will my children need for college? These are all questions that can be better answered using some of the many online calculators and financial planners.

Retirement savings is a great place to start and CNN Money has a retirement calculator that helps determine if you are on track for retirement. It is quite detailed and takes into account Social Security payments, portfolio, current savings, and increases in your salary from year to year. If you already know how much you will need for retirement and want a quick way to find out if you are saving enough annually, try the Bloomberg Retirement Calculator . It is more basic than the CNN Money calculator and allows you to choose your rate of return.

Along with retirement, estate planning is something that everyone needs to address, not just those with large fortunes. Fidelity Investments has several estate planning tools and calculators to help prepare for you or your spouses death. The Estate Planner allows you to see what your next steps would be to prepare your estate to be passed on to beneficiaries. It looks at all of your assets and outlines what items need to be considered to avoid as many taxes as possible when you pass away. Additionally, it offers estate planning resources that discuss topics such as wills, trusts, estate planning strategies, etc.

Do you wonder if you are loosing money paying rent? Are you unsure what size mortgage you can afford? There are several different mortgage calculators online that answer these types of questions. One of the best places for mortgage calculators is at interest.com. This website contains easy to use calculators that allow you to find out everything you need to when it comes to mortgages.

Once you already have a mortgage and are wondering about ways to pay it off quicker, a prepayment calculator is your best resource. This calculator can tell you what an additional monthly payment can do to whittle down your mortgage. It also gives you a monthly amortization schedule that maps out your payments for the life of the loan.

Does debt prevent you from buying a home right now? If you are trying to get out from under your debt, CNN Money has a great debt elimination calculator. It allows you to enter up to eight different sources of debt and then see what kind of difference additional payments would make. It can also show how much you should pay each month to reach a debt-free deadline. Probably the most interesting part of the calculator is that you can see what just paying your minimum payments will do for you. It is frightening how long it takes to pay off loans when just making the minimum payments, not to mention the interest paid over the life of the loan. If you have done your calculation but aren't sure where to go from here, try this bank software website for more information on sites and software that can help you to eliminate your debt.

There are a lot of different financial software products on the market. Some can do everything including budgeting, keeping check registries, and planning such as the Quickbooks or Microsoft Money products. Do you own a business and need software to help you manage your finances? A great resource for small business owners is the software page of the investing-partners website. It has links and explanations of numerous software products to track business expenses, payroll, etc.

The last item on our list is higher education. Domini Social Investments College Calculator allows you to choose what to calculate, whether it be the monthly amount you need to save, initial savings needed, or number of years to save to obtain your goal. It also takes into account inflation so you can indicate the current amount you would need for your child's schooling and it calculates what you would need to have that amount in future dollars.

Another college savings calculator is from Fidelity Investments. This calculator is quite a bit more detailed and conservative than the above calculator. It estimates market returns based on the past and allows you to choose your likelihood of meeting your goal. It can also lookup costs of all universities in the United States, eliminating the need for your own research. The tools mentioned here are just the beginning when it comes to online investing tools.

The internet has vast amounts of calculators, wizards and software to help you prepare for any financial future you choose. Whatever your financial goals, there are resources to assist you in setting those goals and having more confidence in being able to reach them.

Emma Snow is a writer who specializes in financial planning. She has worked in the financial industry for over eight years. Currently Emma works on a Finance and Investing site at http://www.finance-investing.com and Investing Partners http://www.investing-partners.com Belinda Blog11590
Anabelle Blog99203

Hide and Seek

I was at the park the other day and watched a couple kids playing hide and seek. I marveled at their diligence in finding the other children diligence I wish I saw in my own children when it comes to cleaning their plate or picking up their toys?

Do you have the same diligence when you play hide and seek with your customers?

Clients make or break your business. They spend their money at your store that money pays your bills, puts food on the table, and sends your kids to camp each summer. Like the air we breathe to live, no business can remain open without the invaluable commodity of customers to keep them alive.

Your purpose as an entrepreneur should be to earn enough income to be profitable. Thats the main goal of business. How do you do it? Thats where your objectives, unique selling proposition, and business plan comes into play.

So how do you find more customers? Once you have those customers, how do you keep them? Thats a question that you should put on a sticky note and post it on your computer each evening when you shut down so you see it as the very first thing when you log on in the morning:

How do I find more customers?

Each and every day, you should be thinking of ways to market yourself, improve your product or service line-up, improve your customer service, and make it easier for people to get in touch with you.

Brainstorm: I know one entrepreneur who, in his early years as a business owner, spent time every day brainstorming 10 things that he could do to make his business more profitable. He admits that he might get only a couple great ideas a week and a couple good ideas a week but hes also combined ideas from the past and created huge income for his business.

Improve customer service: Not only should it be important to us to find clients, but it should also be important to keep them. I dont need to tell you that its cheaper to keep a client than it is to get a new one. So you should make sure that you have strategies in place to build loyalty into every sale loyalty from your customers and loyalty to your customers.

Ask for referrals: If your customers love you, they will tell their friends about you. If your customers like you, they wont say a peep. Do your customers like you or love you? If you answered like and you havent heard of very many referrals from your customers, how can you change that? Is there some kind of improvement in service or bonus product you can provide that will push their loyalty to you over the top? Are there bonuses you can give to a customer if their friends and family buy from you?

Consult or speak in public: I know many people are scared of speaking in public, and I dont necessarily blame them. However, I cant think of a single speaker I know who is disappointed about their return-on-investment from speaking in public. I can say without a doubt that every single one of them finds speaking to be highly profitable to their business: its lucrative in itself but it also sends good business their way. Even those of us who own primarily e-businesses can build our local business with seminars or even use webinars or podcasts to build our expertise.

From the time you start your day to the time you finish, each one of us should be on the hunt for customers.

Copyright 2006 Diane Hughes

Diane HughesCecile Blog89172
Arlee Blog92465

The Basics Of Student Loan Debt Consolidation

You can combine several of your student or parent loans into a single student loan debt consolidation. You can consolidate your federal student loans too, but make sure that you do not consolidate both your federal student loans and private student loans into a single student loan debt consolidation program. Just as other debt consolidation loans, you must make your student loan debt consolidation payments to a single lender, who further disburses to your old creditors.

To go for debt consolidation of your student loans, your minimum balance should be $5,000, and you must either be in the six month grace period after your studies, or are already repaying your student loan.

Before selecting your student loan debt consolidation option, review all the advantages and the disadvantages:

Through debt consolidation you make your student loan payments to a single lender.

Depending on the balance of your loan amount, your consolidated student loan has an extended repayment term from 10 to 30 years.

When negotiating with your bank or financial institutions, ensure that your phased repayment plan allows you to easily meet your monthly payments and have a good credit rating, at the same time.

The rate of interest for student loan debt consolidation is capped at 8.25 percent for federal student loans.

Once the rate is fixed you cannot take advantage if the interest rates fall in future.

There are no fees charged for student loan debt consolidation.

Once approved, you cannot undo your debt consolidation of your student loans as they have already repaid in full to your previous creditors, and they no longer exist.

You can still obtain debt consolidation for your over due, or unfulfilled, student loans if you negotiate a satisfactory repayment plan with your bank, or debt consolidation lender. Married couples, too, can consolidate their individual student loans together. This is regardless of how much each owns before consolidation, and must now agree to pay the consolidated amount.

Gibran Selman takes care of http://debtconsolidationcenter.net a website dedicated to gather information, on and off the internet, about debt consolidation and other related subjects.Barby Blog57534
Allison Blog68240

Six Types of Words That You Should Axe in Business Writing

In business, we often compose messages in a hurry-e-mails, notes, urgent reports, or last-minute projects. Editing is, therefore, especially necessary to rid your writing of confusing, boring, and obsolete elements.

This article helps you decide which words to cut and which words to put in their place.

1. Unfamiliar/Technical Words. You will communicate best if you use words that are familiar to your reader. (Clichs are an exception to this rule-words and phrases that people have heard too often tend to turn off their minds a little and propel their eyes on to the next thing.) To create effective business communications, assume your reader is a layperson with limited technical knowledge of the subject-do not write over your reader's head by using technical words or jargon.

Unfamiliar
ascertain
consummate
peruse

Familiar
find out, learn
close, bring about
read, study

2. Long Words. A paragraph full of long words can be yawn inducing. Make an effort to use short words; they tend to be more easily digestible.

Long
During the preceding year, the company was able to accelerate productive operations.
The action was predicted on the assumption that the company was operating at a financial deficit.

Short
Last year the company was able to speed up operations.
The action was based on the belief that the company was losing money.

3. Abstract Words. The line between abstract and concrete words is hard to define, since all words have something of the abstract in them. In general, abstract words have a greater number of meanings, most of them somewhat vague, so your reader has to try to interpret which meanings apply. Concrete words are those that give your reader a specific mental picture.

Abstract
sizable loss
near future
work saving machine

Concrete
34 percent loss
on Wednesday
performs the work of five operators

4. Passive Words. Verbs are the strongest words, and they are at their strongest when they are active rather than passive. Active-voice verbs show their subjects in action; passive-voice verbs act on their subjects. While the passive is needed for variety and has definite uses (such as to avoid placing blame), the active voice strengthens and shortens sentences.

Passive
A sales increase of 32 percent occurred last month.
The new procedure is thought to be superior by the president.
The office will be cleaned by the janitor.

Active
Sales increased 32 percent last month.
The president thinks the new procedure is superior.
The janitor will clean the office.

5. Camouflaged Words. Watch for these endings in the words you use (check the polysyllable words): -ion, -tion, -ing, -ment, -ant, -ence, -ence, -ancy, -ency. Most of these endings are used to change verbs into nouns and adjectives. In effect, they are camouflaged verbs. Get rid of them and strengthen your writing.

Poor
The manager affected implementation of the new rules.
Adaptation to the new office environment was made easily by the personnel.
We make verifications of the shipments weekly.

Improved
The manager implemented the new rules.
The personnel adapted easily to the new office environment.
We verify shipments weekly.

6. Unnecessary Words. Most business writing could do with a pruning job. To reduce unnecessary words, start with a clear idea of what you want to say. After composing, go through your message and cut every word that is not essential to your meaning.

Poor
consensus of opinion
first and foremost
just recently
ask the question
basic fundamentals
exactly identical
very unique

Improved
consensus
(either word, but not both)
recently
ask
fundamentals
identical
unique

So be your own editor, cut the poor and unnecessary words, and polish your writing to make your communication in business more effective than ever.

Courtland L. Bovee, one of America's leading instructors in clear and effective communication, co-authors several leading college-level texts with John V. Thill, a prominent communications consultant and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Communication Strategies. Their website, Business Communication Headline News, the #1 business communication site on the web, is at http://www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.comAlexia Blog95951
Barbi Blog64258

How The Right Kitchen Designs Can Improve Your Home

The right kitchen designs can make an incredible difference to even the smallest and most simple of kitchens, and with so many different designs to consider today you will have no problem coming up with something to really suit your needs and pocket. When you are think of re-designing and decorating this room, it is important to put some thought into the planning, as this will help to ensure that the whole process runs smoothly, will help to avoid costly mistakes, and could save you money as well as ensuring that the end result is both attractive and practical. You can choose from all sorts of designs when it comes to your kitchen, from a classic style to retro designs, designs from other bygone eras, ultra modern designs, and more. From a country kitchen to a fiftys style diner kitchen, or from a bistro look to a stylish modern one, the choice is entirely yours.

Improve your home with a new look for your kitchen

This type of home improvement has become very popular over the years, as it is a great way to improve a much-used room within your home and it can add to the overall value of your home if and when you decide to sell. You will find that re-designing your kitchen will enable you to enjoy increased comfort as well as increased practicality, and by selecting the right design for your needs you can enjoy having the perfect kitchen. Even those that have small kitchens can enjoy a great choice of designs, and selecting the right one will help you to make the most of your available space. It neednt cost a fortune to carry out this type of home improvement, and consumers today can enjoy great value for money on everything from kitchen cabinets and furniture to cabinet doors and accessories.

Make your kitchen a wonderful place to work and relax

The right design in your kitchen can make a huge difference to the look and the feel of the room. Most people spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen, whether it is to work and cook or whether it is to relax and take meals. Re-designing this room means that you can create the perfect look as well as the right atmosphere. You may want to select a design that fits in with the theme of your home, or you may prefer to have a different theme or design in your kitchen. You can also plan your kitchen based on how much you use the room and on the size of your family for instance, if you have young children you may need to think slightly differently to the way you would plan as a single person or a couple. You can also include al the practical features you want for your kitchen when you are thinking about the design, so the end result is a room that is stylish, comfortable, and functional.

Peter J. Mason continually creates detailed articles on information similar to kitchen cabinets and home improvement. Writing for detailed publications (for example http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com/kitchen-designs.html on kitchen designs ) he expressed his deep knowledge on the subject.Ailee Blog39510
Ardyce Blog22234

home_improvement

Those of us who work in the home construction and design industry tend to forget how many little things there are that go into the creation of a new home or a redesign. There are design elements that have to be decided upon, from the big picture such as the overall architectural style of the home, down to the simplest things such as the type of kitchen hardware or the balusters for the staircase or deck. Recently in helping some new friends with their home project I was reminded how much there is to take into consideration in even just one area as basic as staircase design.

Who would have known when we began designing our dream house just how many little details we would have to decide on? Did you know we spent an entire week just looking at balusters, banisters, treads and newels? I had no idea what any of these even were before we started all of this except that my grandmother used to let us slide down the banister at her home when we were very small. But growing up in a California ranch style house all on one level, stairs were somewhat novel to me. I really had no idea of everything that goes into putting together a staircase - there is practically a new language to be learned! What exactly did we want? What kind of treads? Iron balusters? Wooden newels? It was all overwhelming. And after listening to them for a bit longer, I understood what they meant, even I felt exhausted just from their recounting all that theyd been going through before coming to see me.

So after reminding them that this process was something they had dreamed about for years and it was something they were supposed to be enjoying as much as possible and having fun with it, they relaxed a bit and listened to my suggestions of how to proceed encouraging them to consider three easy tips that anyone taking on a home project, big or small can use.

Concentrate on one area at a time Whether youre starting from the very beginning with having to determine what style of architecture you want for your home or deciding on a particular element, such as my area of focus, staircase design, concentrate on that one area and work through the possibilities. With staircase design, this might mean first learning about all the different things youll even need to decide about. What exactly is a newel or a balustrade? Then you can get a bit more specific - what types of treads are characteristic for the architectural style weve chosen? Would iron balusters compliment the area of the home the staircase will lead to and from? Although you will be thinking about and focusing on one area in particular, thinking contextually about how this one area fits in with the rest of the home will not only help you to make good decisions, but will also help you uncover other questions to be addressed. The key though is to note those down and come back to them. Remember, one area at a time to keep from going into overwhelm.

Search out pictures of what you like and even what you dont - This is a great way to help your through your decision making process. Head to the library or a bookstore and spend some time going through magazines and books until you find something that you really like. Its again important to keep your focus narrow look only at staircases and their elements in one sitting - dont let yourself get distracted by chandeliers you like. If you see something you want to come back to, make a note of it so you wont forget. Looking at particular elements in use is another option. Grab your digital camera and go look at buildings that might have iron balusters if youre considering them or the particular type of handrails you loved the sample of but would like to see in an actual home setting. Oftentimes, vendors or builders can help you with referrals of where their work or products can be seen. Gather up all of your pictures to not only help you to solidify your vision, but to help to explain what you really want to your architects and home designers as well as examples of what you absolutely do not want so that they really can get a visual sense of your style.

Remember your budget, but make decisions that you can live with for the years to come Sometimes your budget as well as home size will decide from the get go for you if certain elements are not to be considered. For example, that grand balcony and sweeping staircase you saw in that Mediterranean estate on your honeymoon simply wont work or be cost effective if youre building a 1600 square foot 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. Youll not only use up too much of your floor space if you go that direction, but lots of your budget as well. But thats not to say that with a little creativity and inspiration that you cant capture the same feel of what you loved about it and bring it to your home. The large antique hand-carved iron scroll work you admired can be emulated with todays iron or aluminum balusters and accent pieces scaled to fit your particular staircase and home. And with the ability to shop online now for virtually any product for your home, you will also be able to find options to fit within your budget. The important thing is to capture the essence of the design style you like, even if initially it seems out of reach, so that you will enjoy living with your choices for years to come and ideally stay within your budget.

Although these three tips may seem to oversimplify the process you are sitting in the middle of or are about to embark upon, by applying them over and over to all of your different home design decisions, particularly those you arent sure of, youll be able to focus your energy one step at a time and break down what might at times seem a daunting task. Your home is important and should reflect your style and desires. The project at hand may take time and energy, but the end result should and will be one you love and treasure for years to come, from the kitchen hardware to the iron balusters, if you just relax and take it step by step and enjoy the process as much as possible.

Shawn Capell is an expert on the finest details of staircase design as owner of http://stairwarehouse.com, the premiere online source for iron baluster, newels, handrails and everything else stairs!Berrie Blog60896
Arlyn Blog63327

Computer Security - Startling Facts

Working on the Internet provides Internet marketers with the opportunity to make a living in the comfort of their own home. Computer Security includes threats such as viruses, identity theft, spyware, adware to name but a few. The latest statistics show that at least over 900 new viruses are created each month which makes keeping track of them really quite difficult. This article would cover three (3) subtopics namely: The Internet, Spyware and Antivirus.

Internet

If you use your computer on the internet, you need (at minimum) anti virus software. The problem of computer security is the number one problem in todays networks and Internet engineering. As hackers use different means to crack the security systems it often happens to be impossible to resist and computer security system fail.

Computer Security on the internet is vital for home and business use as there are increasingly hostile environments when users surf the net. It is very important for users to be educated on the dangers they may face while on the internet. Your computer connected to the internet is similar to your house in many ways. Users search on the internet for free computer security software which they dump into their computers and hope for the best.

The Internet is a wonderful place. Anyone with an Internet connection can stay in touch with family and friends via email. Computer security is growing rapidly by the minute and the only one who has control over their files of information is the user. It is strongly suggested that users equip their pc with an armed fire wall for vital protection.

An advice is to use Microsoft Windows Update to keep your operating system and Internet Explorer patched. Other advice could be to only conduct Internet transactions that have secured processing. Even if you have a computer connected to the Internet only to play the latest games or to send email to friends and family, your computer could be a target.

Although confidentiality, integrity and authenticity are the most important things when it comes to computer security in general, for everyday internet users, privacy is the most important one, because many people think that they have nothing to hide or the information they give doesn't seem sensitive when they register with an internet service/site.

Spyware

An avenue for Spyware to infect your machine is through popular Peer-to-Peer File Sharing software such as Kazaa. Extreme spyware like Rootkits and other advanced spyware have fundamentally changed the playing field in todays computer security.

While it may seem to be common sense, many of the most widely-spread attacks have involved spyware and email attachment worms. Often these packages come as suites including a firewall and Spyware scanner. They scan and destroy spyware as its found in the users computer.

Regardless of the type of spyware, it can slow your computer to a crawl and needs to be removed from your computer. Spyware occurs when certain websites run programs in the back ground of your computer while gleaning information from it. There is now a bill in the US Congress to make Spyware illegal.

Anti-spyware tools will greatly assist in protecting your privacy and restoring full computer functions that spyware may have taken over. In the internet world it is vital for users to have a good spyware scan (a recommended and reliable one can be found in the Author Resource Box below) and removal tool because of the multitude of different spyware, adware, Trojans and other malware constantly looking to attack your system. Spyware can slow down your computer, and would have to be removed.

There are tools available which include good free Spyware removal software among other security measures the user can take to protect the computer from malicious attack such as Viruses, Spyware and Adware. The recommended one is staed below. Spyware not only covertly runs in the background and steals personal information of the user it is a potential security threat of which the extent of the damage cannot be determined.

Antivirus

With all of the marketing commotion that surrounds viruses, you should already have antivirus software on all of your computers. Let me explain something, just because you have a antivirus software program on your computer you are not cured. Until recently could one install a firewall and an antivirus program and feel quite secure.

Protection services could commonly include the ability of an administrator to monitor activity throughout the system as well as potentially block hazardous material on the internet from being viewed by other users, the ability to manage automatic updates and what's more the ability to enquire about the status of antivirus software. These include firewall, spyware scanning software and antivirus software.

Everyone needs to have proper computer security measures in place to make sure they are consistently free from all these malicious software. Urgent action should be taken now.

Peter Crest is a Webmaster at http://www.pc-matters.info. Check out other Computer Security Articles there.Bertha Blog6383
Alikee Blog40817

Six Perfect Gifts for Your Guy

Admit itit can be tough shopping for guys. Theyre often passionate about their likes and dislikesand worse, if youre like most girls, those likes and dislikes dont exactly resemble your own. If youre at a loss as to what to give your guy for Christmas, his birthday, or any other major gift-giving holiday, were here to help out. Here are six never-fail ideas to make your guy fall in love with you all over again.

A gift voucher - No, really. Guys arent as sensitive as women when it comes to the hidden meaning of a gift. Most women believe that if a guy gives her a gift voucher, it means he doesnt care enough about her to really give any serious thought to what she likes. But with guys, thats often not the case. Every man usually has an obsession hes carried over from adolescencewhether its electronics, grilling, outdoor activities, sports, or games. All these obsessions have one thing in commona preoccupation with complex, expensive equipment.

Guys are very knowledgeable about the equipment involved in their obsession, and are often very pickytry getting your golfer guy a club when you know nothing about golf, and chances are youll buy the wrong one. But get your golfer a generous gift voucher to a golf store, and hell be thrilled. Find out what your guys obsession is, and get him a nice big gift voucher. Believe me, hell be pleased.

A classy poker/grill/wine set - Whatever your man is into, chances are theres a fancy set for it. If he likes to BBQ, get him a nice set of grill tools. If hes a poker player, get him a poker set in a nice hardwood box. Dont get too technicalif his obsession is fishing, for example, youd better let him buy his own rod, unless you know a lot about fishing too. But theres no reason not to get him a great-looking box to keep his lures in.

A hand massager - Even guys like to feel pampered. An electric hand massager can be just the thing he needs to unwind after a long day. Guys tend to like harder, faster pressure than women doso look for a powerful massager with several settings, so he can adjust.

An exotic car experience - Every guy has a dream car. You can probably tell what your guys is by being observantnotice what cars he checks out when youre out together. If you cant tell one car from another, ask himchances are hell grab the opportunity to talk about his favorite car. Surprise him by renting his dream car for a day. Let him take it to work, out with the guys, or on a quick weekend getaway with you. Its a gift hes sure to talk about for years.

Concert or Theatre tickets Most men have at least one music obsession. Find out what his is, and check online to see when they are coming to your town. Even if the concerts a long way off, go ahead and buy him the tickets it will definitely give him something to look forward to. And if you want him to think youre a really amazing girlfriend and you really dont mind not going, tell him he doesnt have to take you. He might want to take his best friend whos also a big fan. With a selfless gesture like that, your boyfriend is sure never to forget this gift.

A magazine subscription - Does he like Windsurfing? Get him a subscription to Windsurfing Magazine. Is he into cooking? Get him Fine Cooking Magazine. Like music? A subscription to Rolling Stone should be just the thing. Want to send him a naughty message? Theres always Playboy. Other Good general choices for guys include Maxim, Arena, and GQ. Chances are hed never think of subscribing to a magazine himself, but would love one as a surprise.

Buying your guy a gift doesnt have to be a stressful experience. These tips ought to be all you need to get off to a great start on gift-giving, and get your guy a present hes sure to remember and appreciate.

Janette Vince is managing director of http://www.thanksdarling.com Thanks Darling provides a range of great gifts and driving experience days to suit all occasions. For a range of driving experiences as a gift for a friend of loved one or so you can do something different, visit http://www.thanksdarling.com/47-5.htm.Benedikta Blog89376
Andeee Blog11681

Journalism: Getting Your Foot through the Newsroom Door

As many as half of all graduates say they'd like a career in the media. That's a lot of graduates out there who want the same job you want or the job, if you are already working in the media, you currently have. I've heard this statistic banded about many times - often by editors or managing directors of newspaper groups justifying the poor pay journalists tend to get. I have no reason to doubt the statistic - I've met a lot of graduates who say they'd like a career 'in the media'. Most of them now work as management consultants, accountants, in advertising or in sales. However, even if many of those who want a career in the media never quite get there, there is a simple truth: the route to being an employed journalist is competitive and the going is tough (at first).

As is the case with all competitive environments it pays to ensure that you stand out from the crowd. But to know how to stand out from the crowd, you have to know what an editor is looking for from a potential candidate. Put simply, editors tend to be looking for:

A commitment to a career in journalism

Self-confidence that stops way short of arrogance

An eagerness to learn and a keenness to help and get involved

We'll focus on the top of the editor's wish-list first. Demonstrating a commitment to a career in journalism is vital and will be something all editors are looking for in any new recruit. The following steps all demonstrate a commitment to your chosen career:

Asking and undertaking unpaid work experience at a local newspaper

Working on a school, university or community newspaper or news-sheet

Finding a good news story and then phoning a newspaper with it whilst asking for work experience

Undertaking training to become a journalist at one of the many establishments that offer courses.

This not only shows you are committed to a career in journalism but also that you are willing to go to the financial expense of getting yourself ready to become a journalist.

Undertaking a degree in journalism or media studies:

Believe it or not, the last option listed above will be the least likely to impress an editor. Many editors are skeptical about the value of journalism or media-based degree courses. They are often tinged with more theory than practical tuition and cover the ethics and philosophy of journalism when most editors are more concerned with tight copy, written in a legally-sound way which will inform or entertain their readers. On a personal level, I think media studies and journalism degrees are excellent and, if combined with experience of working as a journalist, offer an excellent grounding towards becoming a considered and insightful reporter. But unless the degree includes a certificate to say you have got your shorthand speed to (ideally) 100 words per minute, a thorough grounding in media law and court reporting, a basic understanding of local and central government and proof that you know how to construct a news story, a degree in journalism or media studies is unlikely to lead to a job. Unpaid work experience, however, often leads to a job - though not on its own.

Work experience:

If you don't have a cuttings file (a selection of stories published in a newspaper written by you) then getting work experience is a vital step. Not only does it give you invaluable experience of trying your hand at journalism it also gives you the opportunity to:

* See how a newsroom operates and how a newspaper is put together

* Learn from experienced journalists and see how they handle different jobs Work out whether a career in journalism is really for you.

* Show a potential employer what you have to offer

* Develop a cuttings file of your own work under your own name

Getting work experience is reasonably straight forward. In most cases all you will have to do is ask. But you need to make sure you ask the right person so it is usually best to telephone the newspaper or newspapers you are interested in doing some work for and asking for the name of the person who deals with work experience candidates. Sometimes this is the editor, sometimes the news-editor and sometimes the chief reporter. When you write your letter asking for work experience, remember two main points:

1. Check and double check for any spelling mistakes - it is often a good idea to then get somebody else to check it a further time before sending it off. I have always avoided offering work experience to candidates who cannot be bothered to check their spelling before sending something off.

2. Keep it simple. Tell them you are interested in a career in journalism and tell them that, in the longer term, you would love to work for their paper. Highlight any skills you currently have that could be counted as a journalistic tool and tell them what your intentions are regarding training.

Usually this sort of approach will get you a period of work experience - usually a week or two. Sometimes, because newspapers have a lot of people wanting work experience, you may have to wait sometime before either hearing back or being offered a short term work experience placement. If you have a number of titles in your area, apply to them all.

When you are offered work experience with a newspaper, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to ensure you get the best out of the placement and that you show your best sides to an organization that is a potential employer. It is wise to:

Dress smartly and appropriately as you would for a formal job interview. You may be sent anywhere at any time and, even if you are on work experience, you are still an ambassador for the newspaper. If you end up shadowing an established reporter to court, you must wear a shirt and tie if you are male, or be smartly dressed if you are female. This sounds an obvious point but I've known work experience candidates turn up wearing jeans and tee-shirts and in one case a beanie hat.

Don't be afraid to ask questions about things you are unsure of and offer your help whenever possible. Help may include offering to get file cuttings from the library or even just making the coffee. The point is you want to come across as a keen learner who wants to pitch in.

Try to find stories both during the working day and outside of working hours. Most news-editors and editors would be highly impressed with a work experience reporter bringing in their own news stories. They may not get used, but they will get you noticed. If they do get used, however, they will be more than noticed - they will be appreciated and you will be held in increasingly high esteem.

Listen to everything that is said to you. When I first did work experience for an evening title in Yorkshire I was fresh out of Cambridge University and I was convinced I was one of the best writers in the country. I was wrong, and I did not have a clue how to write a news story. When this was pointed out by the news-editor I was taken aback at first but I quickly saw what she meant and tried my best to learn the craft from her and to learn fast. The golden rule really is to do whatever is asked and to heed advice . Be confident, by all means, but avoid coming across as arrogant like the plague. Remember, you are there to learn.

Always turn up on time. This sounds such an obvious point that you might be surprised it's in this list. Believe me though, it wouldn't be in the list if it wasn't a mistake I've seen made again and again. Try to be a little early and leave a little after you are told you can depart. Newspaper reporters have to be punctual in their starting times because many newspapers are deadline driven and news-editors need to be able to bank on staff being where they are supposed to be in case they need something covering at very short notice.

Be affable and upbeat. I've seen many work experience candidates sit quietly in the corner looking moody. I know that in most cases this was a sign of nervousness in a newsroom. Whilst I can sympathise with that, I would much rather help a candidate who is making an effort to be a pleasant presence around a newsroom.

These brief pointers should help ensure you get the best out of your work experience placement and that the newspaper gets the best out of you. Somebody who is remembered as smart, friendly, helpful, eager to learn and always turns up on time will be in good stead for a job when their training is completed. They are also the most likely candidates to be offered further work experience in the future. Exceptional work experience placements can also lead to a newspaper paying thousands of pounds to get you trained up as a journalist with the offer of a job at the end of the training. Not all newspapers offer this, but many do. Either way, work experience is the most important first step in becoming a journalist. The second step, of course, is learning the craft through training.

Getting trained:

There are hundreds of educational establishments out there offering courses relating to the media. They offer everything from degrees to home study courses. For newspaper journalism in the UK, the organization nearly all editors look to is the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). In broadcasting there is the Broadcast Journalism Training Council and Skillset. There are other bodies in both print and broadcast industries but these three are generally the most respected organizations and qualifications accredited by them tend to hold the most sway with potential employers.

The NCTJ offers the leading training system in the UK and the pre-entry qualification to newspaper journalism is the one most newspaper editors expect to see before offering a candidate a job. I started out after completing my NCTJ course and while most journalistic learning is done through experience and on the job, the skills acquired on the NCTJ course were essential to preparing me for the proper learning to take place. The range of courses accredited by the NCTJ vary from year-long courses to much shorter 'fast-track' courses which last a few months. Either way, at the end you will have a good grounding and a qualification in:

Shorthand - the essential tool all journalists need in order to take down information and to quote sources accurately.

Media law - editors live in fear of law suits from people who have been defamed or from their newspaper ending up in contempt of court. Knowledge of media law is essential and you are unlikely to get a job without this invaluable knowledge.

Public affairs - all reporters need an understanding of the machinations of local and central government because they often form the grist of newspaper stories.

Writing - knowing how to write a news story is obviously a vital skill that all editors are looking for from their employees. The NCTJ course will hone your skills and teach you the basic style guide on which most newspaper writing styles are based.

Training can be tough and the courses thorough and exacting. During your course you, or those around you, will endlessly debate your current shorthand speed and get exasperated that it isn't close to reaching the 100 word a minute industry standard (for help with this click here). Shorthand is one of the most important parts of training to get right and, for most people, it is the part of the course that is both the most foreign and the part that raw intellect doesn't seem to improve. During the course, it is a wise idea to keep getting work experience or sending in good news stories to newspapers to help build your cuttings file and to maintain contacts within the industry.

Once you have a clutch of passes under your wing, and your shorthand at 100 words per minute (or near), you are ready to head out there and seek employment. Sadly, even with the proper credentials, competition for jobs can still be fierce. Years ago, when I was applying for jobs I sent out 61 application letters. I had one reply, which was an offer of an interview 200 miles from where I was living at the time. Luckily for me, this single response turned into my first job. But it took a few months of sending out on-spec applications to a huge number of newspapers. I hope you will not have the experience but, if you do, know that you're in good company.

As an aside, and because it is a question I've been asked frequently by raw recruits, I wanted to touch on the issue of where to start your career. Most, including myself, start out on local newspapers. But national newspapers also offer extremely good trainee schemes. Amongst most people in journalism training, the national press is held in much higher esteem. This is understandable - the readerships are (by and large) much greater, the stories tend to be greater in scope and scale, the pay is better and the scene is more 'glamorous'. Having worked in both the regional and national press I can see the merits in trying to start out in both. If I was forced to make a choice, I would always advise starting with a local newspaper. My reasons for this are simple. Firstly, you get to learn your craft within a defined community and, if you make a mistake, your community will be quick to point it out. This is a useful fact of life and constantly focuses the reporter's mind on the all important task of getting things right and making sure stories are accurate. Secondly, you will tend to get more scope to practice your new skills and cover a plethora of different stories. Thirdly, your chance of getting a front page story or a page lead (the main story on a page) in print is far higher. A friend of mine spent 18 months on a trainee scheme with one of the quality British broadsheet papers. At the end of the 18 months she had only a handful of stories of stories with her name on it - the one I remember best was an interview with a bee-keeper. In the same period, I had covered bus and plane crashes , murders, major education stories and an armed siege. All of my stories were national stories, but I was writing for a local paper (indeed some of them were bought from me by national titles).

I had about 50 or so front page stories and countless page leads in my portfolio. And my cuttings portfolio is nothing out of the ordinary for the local reporter. My friend on the other hand was a raw recruit in a field of highly experienced and very established (often specialized) national level journalists. The chances of her ever getting into print were slim when it came to writing hard news. I respect views different to my own, but I nevertheless hold firm to my view that the local press offers the best grounding in journalism. That, I feel, is demonstrated by the fact that nearly all of the reporters working for the national press started out on local newspapers.

A DEGREE OR NO DEGREE

Does having a degree help get a foot on the journalistic ladder? Not necessarily. It never hurts, of course, to have an expertise in some area to degree level and many journalists have degrees in subjects like history or English. For specialist titles it can pay to have a degree in, say, science or information technology. But for a general reporter a degree is by no means necessary. I have worked with many people who do not have degrees or A Levels and those people have often been editors or news-editors with a razor-sharp news sense and an incredible ability to generate and produce great news stories.

What is necessary is a good command of the English language and numeracy skills. Usually a GCSE qualification in English and maths is a requisite. But to get on in journalism a degree qualification will pale into insignificance compared with the following:

An ability to write accurately and quickly

An ability to generate news stories on your own initiative

An interest and knowledge of your own community

An ability to ask the right questions of the right people

Many people who have not gone into higher or further education have been picking important life-skills in the 'real world' which can become a real asset for a would-be journalist. The same goes for people wanting a career change into journalism. Such people are likely to get a warm response from editors, whatever their age might be. The reason is simple: mature candidates or those who did not go into higher education are likely to be more 'street savvy' than those fresh out of college.

Laurence Cawley is a professional journalist who has worked in the regional and national media for the past 10 years. A dedicated shorthand practitioner, he is also the editor of http://www.shorthandworld.co.uk.Catharina Blog44589
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Is Online Learning the Right Choice for You?

Benefits of Online Education

An online education has many benefits including lower costs, no travel time, and easy access. All you need is a computer, meaning you can work whenever and wherever its convenient for you. This is especially true for the adult learner, who must often juggle studies with a full-time job.

Characteristics of Adult Learners

There are certain characteristics the adult learner must have in order to fully enjoy the benefits of an online education.

First and foremost, you must be able to use modern technology. You cant access the courses without a computer and the internet, and if you dont have a basic knowledge of how these work you may struggle.

Characteristics of adult learners also include the ability to learn strictly through written words and a good sense of self-discipline.

Naturally, an online education benefits people who prefer to work in solitude, without the distraction of other people around them. You wont have to speak up in a classroom full of people and can instead take time to think over your response to a question before submitting a written answer.

Motivating Adult Learners

There are many factors motivating adult learners to continue their education, particularly with the ease of online institutions. These can range from:

advancing your career,
seeking a raise, or
simply an eagerness to learn new skills or new knowledge.

This motivation is important, because you wont have anyone else standing over you forcing you to attend class or turning in your assignments. Therefore you should carefully consider if youre a self-motivating adult learner who can thrive in the online environment before enrolling.

Source: http://www.online-education.net/resources/is-online-education-right-for-you.html

Nancy Lambert is an executive for http://www.Accredited-Online-Colleges.com. Accredited-Online-Colleges.com provides information on hundreds of degrees offered online through accredited colleges and universities. From online certificates to Associates, Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees, Accredited-Online-Colleges.com helps students and adults discover the advantages of earning their degree online.Amii Blog54990
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Eight Top Online Institutions You Should Consider Attending

If youve been surfing for quite some time now, you should have come across one or two distance education online universities. I have come across several. Now you need to be informed that not all the online schools out there are genuine. You have to look before you leap. Also, I wont advise you to enroll in an online institution that has not been in the business for a long time. Moreover, the certificate is one thing you must be particularly concerned with. Never get your certificate from a fraudulent online institution. It may hurt you later on in your career.

Though there are many fraudulent ones out there, there are still genuine distance education online universities. Let me help you with a few. However, I urge you to do further research on them before you make up your mind.

The Open University
The University of South Africa
The University of Phoenix
Walden University
DeVry University
Kaplan University
Everglades University
Ellis College

These are good schools and well known for their reputation of churching out quality graduates. Most employers of labour dont have any problem recruiting graduates of these and similar institutions. The reason is because their certificate is genuine and not bogus like the many being churned out these days from the internet world.

Another thing you should look out for when searching for distance education online universities is accreditation. Now dont be confused here as many people do. There is difference between school accreditation and course accreditation. Hence, you must make sure that the school you want to attend has both. In other words, the school must be accredited and the course you want to attend must also be accredited. The above lists of schools are all accredited. This means that getting certificates from any of them will pose no problem for you. Many employers all over the world accept certificates of these schools.

Now, must you attend any distance education online universities that tell you they are accredited? No, I dont advise you to. You must conduct a background check on the school to ensure that theyre truly accredited. The internet offers you this simple option. You dont have to go to the school to conduct the search, do it online and youll be amazed at the result. There are many sites that offer you these services for free even though what you get from them may be limited. However, if you have the fund, you may find any paid institutions that conduct background search to help you out.

Are distance education online universities expensive? Some are rather on the high side while there are several others that offer low fees depending on the type of degree you want. You should expect to pay more for masters and PhD degree than bachelors degree and diploma. Also, the course you want to enroll for plays a prominent factor in the fess to be paid. Most of the time, the sciences are often quite expensive than the non-science based courses.

Ras Reed provides more detailed and free information on distance education on his website. Check it out at http://distanceeduguide.com/index.html.Cati Blog2156
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A Tribute To Maria Montessori

"The only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. The training he needs is theoretical, i.e., conceptual. He has to be taught to think, to understand, to integrate, to prove. He has to be taught the essentials of the knowledge discovered in the past and he has to be equipped to acquire further knowledge by his own efforts."

Ayn Rand, "The Comprachicos"

The state of education in New Zealand is a shambles. Parents who are concerned about the future well-being of their children are searching desperately for educational alternatives. The increased demand for private schooling and the dramatic rise in the number of home-schooled children provide an accurate measure of the growing degree of parental dissatisfaction with the current situation.

But unless responsible and well-meaning parents are armed with the philosophical knowledge to be able to choose a rational educational method for their children i.e., a type of educational method that will fully prepare their children for successful adult life then it is quite likely that the results will be just as disappointing for them as for those parents who have left their children's education in the hands of the state.

There is no guarantee whatsoever that private or home-schooling per se will produce satisfactory results. It is one thing to opt out of a state system that not only stunts, but positively perverts a child's intellectual and moral growth (see Editorial, Turning Minds to Mush, TFR #9)

Chris LewisCamel Blog88063
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Cleveland Schools Career Fields Program

Cleveland Schools Aims to Help Students Prepare for Life After High School

All Cleveland Schools high schools have developed the Career Fields path of study to help students choose and succeed in higher education, work, and life after high school. The Career Fields places occupations into paths that share common skills. This allows teachers and students to combine educational study with more technical instruction. The six career paths chosen by Cleveland Schools are: Arts and Communications, Business and Management & Information Technology, Environmental and Agricultural Systems, Health Services, Human Resources/ Services, and Industrial and Engineering Systems. Following an educational path allows students to plan for a career after high school or a two-year technical or associate degree, or a four-year college degree. Cleveland Schools Career Fields provides the elective courses, in addition to the core requirements that will prepare them for the career of their choice.

Each Career Field is a part of a Career Pathway Certificate Programs, the only difference between these and the regular high school curriculum is that Career Pathway students may enter the workforce immediately after graduation from high school. When entering the ninth grade in the Cleveland Schools students can choose to enter the Individual Career Plan. This allows students in the Cleveland Schools to have a greater understanding of who they are, have a potential career path that is grounded in their personal skills and interests, and put together an educational plan in high school that will help them achieve their dream of a successful career.

The Six Career Pathways in the Cleveland Schools Career Fields Program

The Arts and Communications Career Field focuses on those careers that pertain to the arts in some way. Such job opportunities in the path include: vocal & instrumental music; visual and media arts; theater and film; journalism and literature; mass media, TV/radio and broadcasting; advertising, public relations, graphic design, printing/publishing, telecommunications and technical writing.

The Business, Management & Information Technology Field pathway provides training in high skilled world of business, management and administration as well as marketing, finance accounting, and data processing. Students who follow this path usually have a strong background in math, science and technical skills.

The Environmental and Agricultural Systems Career Field trains students for opportunities in agriculture, the environment and natural resources. It includes agricultural science, earth sciences, environmental sciences as well as service, research, education and production. Some careers to consider are agriculture, earth sciences, environmental studies, fisheries management, animal care, forestry, lawn care, plant care, floral work, horticulture, and wildlife management.

The Health Services Career Field path offers students education in health and treatment of injuries and disease and includes service, research, education and manufacturing areas of the health industry. There are a variety of jobs in the health services field including: working in medicine, dentistry, nursing, therapy and rehabilitation, nutrition, fitness and hygiene.

The Human Resources/Services Career Field trains students in possible pursuits in economic, political and social systems and include personal, protective, legal, educational and childrens and family services. Students will have the future opportunity to work in the law and legal services, community support areas such as fire and city services, education and personal services such as cosmetology and home health aide.

The Industrial and Engineering Systems Career Field pathway educates students in the careers that related to technologies necessary to design, develop, install and maintain physical systems for transportation, construction and manufacturing areas. The jobs in which students could pursue might include engineering and related technologies; mechanics and repair; transportation; manufacturing technology; and precision production and construction.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more on Cleveland schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Ohio/Cleveland/index.htmlCarri Blog71868
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How To Write Articles For Pay

In the search for an internet home business that is legitimate and well-paying, article submission is one solution that seems to work well for many people. Article submission in the traditional sense has usually been restricted to writing for magazines or newspapers. Some people have found that this type of article submission works well for them, and the freelance writing from home is an excellent way to make some spare money on the side. However, with the advance of the internet, there are plenty of companies and individuals who need content for their websites. This is an excellent stroke of luck for those who are a little less talented in the area of writing, but are still interested in article submission.

Article submission is now growing in popularity through the use of websites that provide content for other websites. Those who put up websites, especially business websites, are not always talented writers. Therefore, they are often looking for writers who are interested in article submission. Those who are willing to write for article submission can then write about whatever content the website owner would like to see on his or her website.

Many times this is done through a website that brings both those interested in article submission and those needing website content together. Usually, the people writing content will turn their article submission over to a website for review. If the article submission review is positive, the content website will usually accept the article submission and put it up on the site. Then, those interested in buying the article will purchase it from the website. Normally, the content website pays the authors who sent in an article submission, while taking some type of commission.

Article submission can be a good way to make money if you are good with words and enjoy writing. However, it is important to note that getting into article submission means you will need to have good grammar and sentence structure skills. Additionally, most article submission sites make you proofread your own material. It is recommended that anyone interested in article submission research what is involved before making any commitments.

Pasi Kaarakainen owns the website with resources of everything you'll ever need to start, run and grow a home based business. To find the best ideas and opportunities so you can work at home visit: http://www.WealthAtHomer.comBerty Blog5084
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