Ten Easy Ways to Survive this Recession

Businesses survive by passing on the cost of doing business to you the consumer. This surcharge causes the price of goods and services to creep higher and higher causing the consummate consumer to pay a kingly ransom aka(the *Little Debbie Effect, explanation below). Remember our paychecks don't offset for the added fuel surcharge. So here are ten easy ways to survive this recession.

1. Eat before you go

If you are paying 3.20-plus per gallon of gas and head to the market you are paying a fuel surcharge on your food also. Something has to be cut, let’s see…McDonald's, Burger King, and Starbucks. Even though these foods are simple, fast and easy they are budget killers. Eat breakfast and take a lunch with you.

2. Plan your trips

Knowing the round-trip distance will allow you to calculate fuel usage. Set aside a fuel budget and when the price of fuel exceeds your budget. Call co-workers and offer to drive them to work for a fee. Extra riders mean spreading the fuel cost around and quiet possibly a profit in your pocket.

3. Cheap Entertainment

Going out to watch a movie is so passé, especially when you can have a Netflix membership for less than 10 dollars a month. A family can save hundreds of dollars just by renting movies this way. Remember no gas to the rental store, no late fees, and you can have DVD parties charging 1 dollar to watch a movie with free popcorn. The membership will pay for itself. Oh, you can have someone bring the beer and liquor if that suits your fancy. Ah hem, you can also find the latest movies online free. But I didn’t tell you that.

4. Cut communication expenses

In this day of the electronic leash it is not if you have a leash but how many. If you have a cell phone, a home phone, and internet then some decisions need to be made. Traditional reasoning states, “You should have a home phone.” Non-traditional reasoning states, “You already own a cell phone.” Cutting one should be an easy task. Ok…kill the home phone you really don’t need it and besides if you have a calling circle or a fave five then you will save even more money. Or just say Magic Jack.

5. Ignore the Judas Goats

Judas Goats are goats used to lead sheep to the slaughter without being slaughtered themselves. If you watch enough television you will see market analyst balk at the idea of a recession but just think there aren’t any poor market analyst on television. Meanwhile back at the ranch you are struggling to eat, pay your mortgage and drive your car. Protect yourself at all times. Ignore these idiots and come up with a solid solution to solve your own financial problems.

6. Basic Cable

Who needs 150 channels? A cheaper package means lesser quality channels, however you can always upgrade if your economic status changes or football season starts. This means a whole new setup. If the cable company is charging for a DVR then send it back. Pssst…you can find most episodes of any television show online. Just know you read that here first.


7. Kill EFT's

Deep in the recesses of your bank account there are probably a few monthly electronic withdrawals you have forgotten about. Check and eliminate the ones you do not use. This means scrutinizing your bank account with the blood lust of a divorce attorney. Nothing is sacred, any EFT that is not necessary need to be removed like a malignant tumor.

8. Use pencil and paper

Keeping tract of your purchases will recession proof your life. Too many times we are caught up in the electronic doo-dads that are supposed to do it for us. However handwritten notes do not crash, have corrupted files, or become infected with the latest virus. Write down your purchases on a daily basis and track your spending. Believe me you will be startled to learn you have been sipping on that 5 dollar latte, or eating out at 12 dollars per meal every day.


9. Shop around

Brand loyalty is great, but cheapest is better. Think about it. There is no difference between the job of a Lamborghini and a Ford Festiva. They both carry people and people’s stuff around. That’s it. Surprised? Oh, you can go faster in one, you can look like a billion bucks in one. But simply put. They are both forms of t-r-a-n-s-p-o-r-t-a-t-i-o-n. So supplement 30-50 percent of your purchases with off brand items and save.

10. Take Care of Yourself

Being sick or injured is costly as hell. You loose time at work and the cost of a doctor’s visit can break your pockets…even with health insurance. And if you are thinking those 4 dollar prescriptions a Wally-world will save you…think again. Exercise, relax and limit your intake of alcohol and tobacco. Get plenty of rest and laugh as much a possible. There is nothing worse that being sick and broke at the same time.


*Little Debbie Effect

Little Debbie is a snack cake that is popular down south. They have been the cheapest source of a sugar rush on the market but when the gas crunch started Little Debbie became a way, for me, to tell gas prices were throwing things out of whack. First sign was that the snacks no longer fit the packages but were the same price. Then the snacks went up in price while occupying the larger package. Now the cakes are too expensive to be a just a sugar rush.


~Vale~

How to Search the Internet

Cyberspace has become as immense as the universe that surrounds our tiny blue planet. So finding exactly what you are looking for can be down right frustrating but this blog entry will teach you how to search the Internet with ease.

First, you need a reliable search engine because if you start with junk you more than likely will end up with junk. I recommend the almighty Google but you can use Yahoo, AfterVote or Alexa if you wish. Second, you need to understand exactly WHAT you are trying to find. There are billions of websites that contain information on just about any subject known to man be as specific as possible. Now we could go into the different types of search questions and methods but that would get boring really fast. Or we can do it the Apocalypse Papers way, which I feel is a gentler more humane method, because it doesn’t waste precious brain cells. Let’s get started.

I could tell you about Boolean searches, string searches algorithms, and keyword searches, but that would bore you to click away. However search like a pro and find exactly what you are looking for in a flash by using concise search terms. Remember the Internet is designed and maintained by really smart people that believe that there is beauty in simplicity and that Star Trek was the most awesome show ever created. So when searching:

Instead of: The actor that appeared on the “Man from Atlantis” (I am showing my age I know)

Try: Cast of Man from Atlantis (no quotes)

Instead of: What is the name of the white cheese dip they serve at Mexican Restaurants?

Try: White cheese dip Mexican Restaurant recipe

If you want a commercial by Ronco then ask by the name of the commercial. If you are looking for a song then ask for the name of the song however if you don’t know the name but know some of the lyrics just type those in the search box (believe me that actually works!) If you are looking to solve certain equations in math, believe it or not, Google has that function. So if you want to surf like a pro you have to think like one. Think brief, think accurate and think simple.


~Vale~

How To Write A Short Story

If you are considering writing then this blog entry is for you. Learning how to write a short story is just as difficult as learning how to ice skate…once you fall down a couple of times you lean how to fall and why you fell. And after having a sore bottom time after time you become a better skater.

Well first things first. There are thousands of literary websites that promote that they are the definite authority on writing. The problem, I found, with these “how to” writing websites is that they are overly technical. And for the inexperienced writer this can be confusing. For all practical purposes there are two things you should have before you even consider putting nimble fingers to keyboard. One is creativity and the second is persistence. Without either one you are going to suck as a writer.

Before you start on a journey into the world of imagination you should brush up on your vocabulary and learn the basic literary terms. Having a strong vocabulary is essential when writing but it really isn’t necessary, WAIT, before you go berserk and banish me to all things baroque. Not everyone is enhanced with an Oxford English Dictionary Unabridged shoved up their bum. You will learn new words when you mature as a writer. And what makes a great writer…an excellent reader of course!

Now when starting a short story I found that writing without stopping works wonders. Don’t worry about missing a comma splice or busting verbs. Just write as fast as you can until your writers voice demands a sip of water. Complete your story before you return to the first sentence to begin the editing process. Once you start over you can hone in on the build of your story. A short story must have a plot. A short story must move the reader along. A short story has a beginning, middle and ending. Breathe life into your main character(s) by doing a character profile on a separate piece of paper. This will make your main character(s) three dimensional and believable. Next place your story in a category (i.e. horror, romance, sci-fi, drama) and remember that it is hard to sell a story that has multiple genres.

Once you have finished your character profile, found out what genre your story will be, then it will be time to edit. Believe me the story you initially wrote won’t look anything like your completed story. When you are satisfied place your story in a box under the bed or hide it for a couple of weeks. This way when you return to it(hopefully with your muse in tow) you will have a fresh set of eyes. Yes that actually works. And with any luck over time you will become published, pretentious and have your face plastered all over bookstores sprinkled through out America.


~Vale~

How To Start Your Own Business

Starting your own business can be as simple as brushing your own teeth or as frightening as stepping off of a cliff into the unknown. How to start your own business is not as important as to why you are starting one in the first place. If you are starting one to keep up with the Joneses prepare to fall on your face. If you want financial independence or just a little extra income you might just make it.


Making the wrong choice in choosing a business to start is expensive. Finding a business niche is one of the places where you should spend a lot of your intellectual time and energy. Entrepreneur Magazine gives you a host of business options to choose from. Some of their options can be a little pricey. But it is left up to you to look around. I have found that what you know about the most is what you know about the best.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
-- Confucius

Now before you get disgruntled because you think it takes hundreds of thousands or millions to start a business remember it takes more determination that it does cash to start a business. Our country has the best business incubator in the world known as the Small Business Administration and best of all it is free. The SBA has an online resource guide for small business owners that tells you how to start your business from A to Z. Here is also the link to the Alabama Business Resource. Also there are small business mentors like Score willing to assist you if you have questions.

Once you are armed with the information and planning phase then it is time to start with your business identity. Your business identity is simply: your name and mission statement, what products you sell or services you perform, who you are as a business, and your tax structure under the watchful eye of the IRS. You can control your cost by bidding out your design work through Elance where thousands of companies bid on your business needs or through online companies like Vista Printing that offers free or discounted business supplies. Controlling your cost is essential to the survival to any business.

If you are looking for something to sell, EBay has a wholesale market. There are also independent liquidation companies that have plenty to offer. Have you ever wondered were stores like Dollar General and Family Dollar got their supplies click here? If you are thinking about international trade Alibaba has a great site where you can solicit bids from all around the world. Here is a link for finding international trade law. There is no limit to what you can sell or supplies you can find to make your business a dream. The first step is yours.

~Vale~