Another week, another SNL indictment of things related to the economy.
Happy Friday!
Giveaway at Biz Chicks Rule: Brand New All-in-One Printer
If you have a home business, you know how important it is to have a printer. And an all-in-one printer that can scan and fax as well is a definite bonus.
Over at Biz Chicks Rule, there is a contest for a brand new Epson all-in-one printer. Actually, there are two printers up for grabs. You have until Monday to head on over there and enter the contest.
Does Your Home Business Fight Poverty?
Poverty is becoming a bigger issue by the minute. Billions of people around the world live in poverty, and the problem can seem overwhelming. But if everyone concentrated on a small patch of the world, eventually the individual efforts would add up.
And that means that your home business, no matter how small, can join the fight against poverty. Over at Responsible Marketing, there is a list of 25 things your business can do to fight poverty. There some things that even a home business can do. Here are some of my favorites from the list:
* Cook and distribute meals. You can work with a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. I know that my son’s school has programs during the summer and holidays where you can help provide a meal for children who mainly only get good nuitrition while at school.
* Give to a charity. And encourage any employees you might have to donate as well.
* Have a donation program. You can donate some of your goods and services to charities. Additionally, it is possible to offer discounts to your clients who buy goods and services on behalf of others.
* Engage in microfinance. Not only does this help those in poverty, it can also help you create another revenue stream for your business.
* If you’ve been accumulating reward points, donate them. Many credit cards will allow you to donate your points to charity.
Can you think of ways for your home business to help fight poverty?
Home Business Blogging Tips
When engaging in home business blogging, it is important to have a plan for what sort of voice and style you will have. Additionally, you want to be able to exude a sense of authority with regard to your subject area, coming across as an expert. I really like some of the thoughts and tips on writing offered by Lenin over at Cute Writing:
* Develop a writing style.
* Know your audience.
* Do adequate research.
* Write what you know.
* Be diligent in your efforts.
I think these are essential items if you are looking to improve the quality of your home business blogging. Can you think of some other tips that can help improve your writing?
Exercising in Your Home Office (Part 2)
Last Thursday, I mentioned some of the benefits of exercising in your home office. Today I’d like to offer some tips for exercising while in your home office.
1. Take a break. Take a 10 minute break every couple of hours to do something active: walk up and down the stairs in your house, get up and do some jumping jacks, go through the sun salutation (yoga), play on the Wii with your kids. Find some activity that you can do. This will not only help you boost your metabolism, but it will also get your blood flowing and help out with the problems that can come with prolonged sitting.
2. Start your day with exercise. Get up 15 – 20 minutes earlier and start your day with exercise. This will get you going in the morning. Sometimes I just do five minutes (I like the sun salutation) before I get started with work. It usually helps me be more productive right off.
3. Exercise in the evening. This is actually what I do. If you do this, it should be done at least three hours before you go to bed. I exercise for half an hour right after my son goes to bed. My husband is either doing schoolwork, watching a game on TV or playing video games. So he does that for half an hour and I exercise. Sometimes, I ride the stationary bike while we both watch TV.
4. Incorporate exercise into your routine. Sometimes I put ankle weights on and do little leglifts under my desk. Another thing I do every now and then is take the bus to a cafe with Internet. I walk to and from the bus stop, and I do my work in a different place. Another thing I do is swim twice a week at the university. Afterward, I just set up with the wifi access.
Do you have exercise tips for the home office?
Friday Fun Video: Social Media
I use social media every day. Which is why I think this song is so funny.
Happy Friday!
Exercising in Your Home Office (Part 1)
Today and Monday we are going to look at exercising in your home office. Today I offer a brief of the importance of exercise when you work from home.
Benefits of exercising when you work from home
I love being a work from home mom. However, it’s a busy life when you have to take care of kids and make sure you get all your work done. And you need time for your partner, if you have one. This can mean that sometimes exercise falls to the wayside. However, if you want to be healthier, it is important take a few minutes each day to do some exercise — even though you work from home.
Here are some of the benefits you can get from exercising:
* Improve alertness.
* Sleep better.
* Have more energy.
* Increase productivity.
* Deal with sickness better.
Can you think of any other benefits of regular exercise?
Make sure you check in Monday for some helpful tips on exercising in your home office.
Will the Global Rate Cut Help Your Home Business?
Today, in an unprecedented move of global economic cooperation, several central banks cut their interest rates by 50 basis points. The U.S. Federal Reserve was involved in the move, bringing the rate here in the U.S. down to 1.5%
If you have been looking for credit for your home business, this might help. Between the move by the Fed to buy commercial paper and offer short term loans to businesses, plus this rate cut, there are hopes that the credit freeze will thaw a little bit.
And that may mean that you can get the funding you need in the near future.
Working from Home: Socializing
One of the downsides of working from home is that there can be a sense of isolation. However, there is a trend toward socializing. It’s called co-working. You can get together with other telecommuters and home workers and have a good opportunity to beat back feelings of isolation by banding together with others.
Embedded video from CNN Video
Financial Crisis: Restricting Capital to Small Businesses
If you have a home business, you have probably noticed that things are getting tight. Not only is the economy slowing (and your income slowing as a result of customers spending less), but the financial crisis is causing a liquidity problem that makes it difficult to get more credit. And $700 billion bailout isn’t doing much to ease the credit crisis.
The credit freeze is causing a huge problem for many small and home businesses. Here is what Jamila White points out in an interview with Sparkplug CEO:
The current financial crisis is already affecting small business
owners’ access to capital. A few months ago, the US Small Business
Administration put a freeze on backing SOHO loans (”Small Office Home
Office”) — loans aimed at the smallest of the small businesses, which
usually are less than $20,000.When you look at the big picture, the hypocrisy is unbelievable.
Here you have small businesses, which are *creating* jobs in this bad
ecomony when big businesses are not, getting shut down on access to
capital, and then you have the SBA essentially out of money to back
loans for small businesses.