Manage Your Life

User post: Sarah Palin quits on Alaska

nospam@example.com (fools_and_sages) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:31:13 -0700

Sarah Palin can't take the heat. . .in Alaska. Need I say more? You betcha.

But, honestly, I can understand that Sarah Palin is sick and tired of the jokes and the media scrutiny of her family and Levi Johnston. But maybe she should have thought about all of that before she decided to wage media wars of her own on Levi Johnston, David Letterman, and anybody else who dared to make her the or Bristol the butt of a joke. Apparently, her good Christian family values didn't include "turn the other cheek" and shooting off her mouth turned the heat up to the point where her family unanimously voted in favor of letting her step-down from the governorship.

Chic, easy ways to plan a 4th of July party

nospam@example.com (PointClickHome.com) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:05:44 -0700

Written by Marcy Blum

All of us who entertain know there is no such thing as a “no-fuss” party, but after years of event planning I have figured out a few ways to streamline the process. With the Fourth of July weekend rapidly approaching and our best intentions to host some…

Solo In The City For July 4th

nospam@example.com (SINGLE EDITION) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:21:33 -0700

I know this note comes to you on short notice but I am seriously dreading July 4th weekend. Most of my friends will be traveling and somehow it looks as though I will be stuck in the city, solo. Normally, I love being alone on long weekends but for some reason this year I am struggling with…

Astrology.com Daily FinanceScopes - Thursday July 2, 2009

nospam@example.com () — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:17:36 -0700

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)
Who are your gurus: Three wise men or three blind mice? If you hesitate for even a moment, you have your answer. Be extra cautious about where you're getting your advice. It may be slim pickings but that's to your advantage. Being careful is as important as ever, and you have all the time you need to go over every detail. Don't sign until you do.
Click "Read More" below to see horoscopes for more sun signs!

How to break into freelancing

nospam@example.com (Marci Alboher, Working the New Economy) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:25:21 -0700

I can’t go a day without talking to someone about how to get started as a freelancer, consultant or entrepreneur. Some folks are going solo by necessity; others are betting on themselves over employers in a market where jobs are no more stable than gigs. I spent the weekend with my cousin and her fiance who had both been laid off from jobs in adventure travel. We brainstormed about how they could build careers as entrepreneurs or consultants.

A few days later I had lunch with a colleague who is in the midst of a negotiation with her boss about moving from employee to consultant because she thinks she’d have more opportunities if she diversified her client base rather than remain at one company.

Those conversations came in handy this morning when I was interviewed by Tory Johnson on how to break into freelancing for a video series promoting her new book, Fired to Hired, which will be published in early August.

Here's a summary of our chat:

Dip into freelancing while keeping your job. Start by quietly spreading the word that you are available for projects and taking on assignments that don't present a conflict with your current job. The goal is to test the waters to see whether your services are in demand and to have at least one or two clients lined up once you're completely out on your own.

How to do business with debt collectors (in plain English)

nospam@example.com (Kim Fusaro, Little Miss Fortune, Glamour) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:16:12 -0700

In the comments , reader jennw81 told us she was being harassed by collection agencies. Then New York’s attorney general shut down one particularly nasty bunch of collection companies. So today’s topic is twice as timely.Then New York’s attorney general shut down one particularly nasty bunch of collection companies. So today’s topic is twice as timely.

According to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the sketchy New York operation “was run by people who lied, bullied and preyed on vulnerable Americans struggling to resolve their financial situation.” Not nice.

Here are the rules that debt collectors (whether they’re from a credit card company or collection agency) have to play by, according to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

7 Things Hiring Managers Don't Like About You

nospam@example.com (SavvySugar) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:20:28 -0700

You might have said some pretty terrible things about particular hiring managers in the past, but in many cases, those in charge of HR duties are frustrated by the annoying antics of applicants in the dark. You might be qualified for the job, but your chances for getting it will be better if you avoid doing these 10 things hiring managers hate about you.

Less is more: Minimus helps you pack smarter

nospam@example.com (Daily Grommet) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:19:00 -0700

Savvy travelers know, whether you’re packing toiletries for a weeks-long European vacation or an overnight camping trip: less is more. The secret to lightening your load (and looking like a million bucks while you’re away from home) is to carry tiny versions of your favorite products.

3 anti-shopping mantras

nospam@example.com (M.P. Dunleavey, Save Like Me, SELF Magazine) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:12:47 -0700

I was thinking today, as I drove into town for an acupuncture appointment, about the various ways I have learned to stop myself from spending.

As I admitted recently to the Simply Money class, I am an Olympic class spender. This saving thing is still new to me.

Hitting the Big Five-O

nospam@example.com (Back on the Career Track) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:12:15 -0700

Yes, I know the two things a woman is not supposed to reveal are her age or her weight, but I think we’ve been too defensive, especially about age. I just hit the Big Five-oh! and thank God I’m reveling in it. In 1971, when Loving Care came out with “You’re not getting older, you’re getting better,” I couldn’t relate. But now, I couldn’t agree more. So don’t feel your marketability has plummeted just because you’ve hit the Big One. You can make it work for you, or at least keep it from working against you, if you follow these steps.