Productivity @ Home

That Time of the Year: Planning Ahead & Getting Organized

Today, I'm going to admit to a "mess" that I need to tackle in my office. Because I'm more a blogger than a businesswoman, my business related finances are a mess this year. 

As I've undertaken more and more business travel, I have fallen into the trap of "waiting until I have time" to organize my receipts from my various trips. Guess what? Now it's the end of November, with year end tax time upon me, and I've got a ton of work to do in the next few weeks to reclaim a sense of order from the jumble of paperwork.

So along with "get this organized", I also have the action item of "planning ahead for next year" to find a system that will be workable, reliable and easy to manage. I'm currently investigating some software solutions that won't be too expensive, too complicated, and too time consuming. I hope to have something in place before the middle of December and would love your suggestions for expense tracking systems for small sized businesses.

Your turn: What are your most effective solutions for business and finance organization? What have you tried that didn't pan out as advertised?

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A Fraud's Advice on Protecting Your Finances

Every Thursday, I share my thoughts on Family Finances.

For those of us who work @ home, we often rely on other professionals to aid us with financial advice, bookkeeping, tax preparation and other financial transactions that are the lifeblood of our family or small business. A recent article at CNN entitled "Confessions of a Con Artist" spells out just how easy it is for us to unwittingly be sent into financial ruin if we're not paying attention.

In the article, convicted felon Diann Cattani spells out just how easy it was for her to start ripping off her employers:

It was a startup, so the owners relied on me to take over the company's business functions. I automated the bookkeeping systems, contracted with all of the vendors and basically did everything that it took to set up the company's infrastructure. I never established systems with the plan to steal from them, but the fact that I implemented everything made things a lot easier.

Cattani's story and her warning to "trust, but also verify" is an important reminder in times when many small business are simply a few bad transactions away from financial ruin. 

Do you employ a contract bookkeeper or business advisor in your small business or family finances? What steps have you taken to ensure oversight of those services?

Bridging the Generation Gap in the Workplace

Editor's Note: A huge thanks to Randy Hain for sharing today's guest article. Randy Hain is Managing Partner and Shareholder of Bell  Oaks (www.belloaks.com), a nationally recognized executive search firm. He has an established track record of leading successful searches and building teams in diverse industries and functional specializations ranging from individual contributors to C-level leadership. He has played the lead role in hiring, training and developing of one of the most successful search consultant teams in the industry, and has earned a reputation as a values-based leader who invests heavily in his colleagues, candidates, clients and the community.  He may be reached at rhain@belloaks.com.

 

Like many of my fellow business leaders, I do my best to stay current.  I embrace social media, read the latest leadership books and stay abreast of trends in the marketplace.  And from a workplace perspective, there is one particular conversation topic in full discourse across the country—Generation Y in Corporate America. It should be.

Over the next 15 years, we will witness the exit of almost half of our workforce, mostly from the retiring Baby Boomer generation.  With so much written about Gen Y’s challenges and overall lack of readiness to lead, we should be concerned … concerned enough to do something about it.

Bereavement Travel

This morning, I'm sitting in the airport waiting to fly to Fort Wayne, Indiana for the funeral of my paternal grandfather. Although travel seems to be a big part of my life these days, this trip was unexpected and very sudden - I hope to tell you more later in the week about my Grandpa, the father of seven, and an amazing man.

But today, I want to tell you a few things I've learned yesterday about bereavement travel. Because my grandfather's death came rather suddenly, many of us are traveling from around the country to celebrate his life together. As we know, plane fares bought at the last minute can be cost prohibitive, but the funeral home handling my grandfather's arrangements has a relationship with a special travel company that deals with bereavement travel. They were able to secure a relatively reasonably priced airfare on very short notice. I also received reduced rates from a hotel in the area when I mentioned that I was coming to attend a funeral. The "key" to the process and special assistance was a code offered by the funeral home handling the arrangements.

In doing a bit of research online, I've found inconsistent information about the advantage of flying on a bereavement fare. In my case, with several comparisons, the rate arranged by the travel planning company was by far the best, but this article recommends some other alternatives.

In any case, when you find yourself traveling in this situation, but kind, polite, but up front about the reason for your travel. I've found the customer service in each planning situation to be compassionate and helpful in locating more affordable rates. It may also help to appoint on "point person" to secure a hotel, rental car information and a centralized travel agency.  

Do You Need a Small Business Account?

I recently went through the tax process with my husband and realized that my work @ home is generating enough income that it's time for me to get a bit more serious about my finances.

This means moving out of the shoebox full of receipts and our personal checking account, and into a small business checking account that offers a debit card for business expenses.  We settled on an account with Bank of America, where we do our personal banking.  Having the debit card has enabled me to more closely track my business related expenses, but I'm still far from having a real "financial plan" for my work @ home.  

While poking around, I discoverd this "Customized Small Business Recommendations" tool that you may find helpful. The survey offers you the chance to look at your needs and determine what type of an account might best suit your situation. 

For those of you who've faced this process, what type of banking arrangements are you using to support your work @ home?  

Wise Words to Battle Identity Thieves

After having spent the last week untangling yet another stolen credit card, I thought I'd share the following words of wisdom from the super awesome Kim Komando with you:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2010-01-28-online-crooks_N.htm?csp=usat.me

We all need to be constantly vigilant of our identities and accounts online.  Time spent online, on the phone with credit card companies, in the line at the post office and not working while untangling credit card fraud is not my definition of Productivity @ Home!

Is Your Refrigerator an "Environmental Time Bomb"?

On Thursdays, I share my thoughts on Family Finances. 

Following on the heals of "Cash for Clunkers", plans are underway for a "Cash for Appliances" program later this year.  This article at USA Today provides an overview of the government's plans to emulate the automobile program and use stimulus money to encourage consumers to trade in antiquated and energy hogging appliances for new models with greater efficiency. 

How can you tell if your household appliances are weighing down your family budget?  Take a look at the following resources:

• Energy Star - Chock full of resources and lists of energy saving appliances, discounts, rebates and more
• ACEEE Consumer Guide - A great resources from the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.  Check out the individual appliance listings for specific tips to make your current appliances more energy efficient.
• US Department of Energy - Additional energy saving tips and suggestions

Prior to cashing in on government trade in programs and perhaps spending money unnecessarily, spend a few hours this weekend reviewing these tips and making and informed decision.

Home-work for Today:

• Chill Out!  Spend 30 minutes cleaning out the contents of your refrigerator, discarding outdated food and wiping down the shelves.

On the Bookshelf:

Billion Dollar Lessons: What You Can Learn from the Most Inexcusable Business Failures of the Last 25 Years

Reading Room Resources:
The Best of the Blogs from this week on today's topic

Are Poor People Lazy?
Kitchen Monki Makes Planning Your Grocery Shopping Easier
Living within Your Means

Using Geek Techniques to Prepare for Back to School

Around the country, families are sharpening number two pencils, buying backpacks and getting fresh haircuts for the annual return to school.  With two busy high schoolers in my home, I’ve been examining ways to help get myself and my boys more organized. 

This week, I thought I’d brainstorm a few ideas for using technology and other organizational tools help me get our family’s act together.  Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

• Establish a family calendar at Google Calendar. I have the ability to set up a family calendar and “share” it with my husband Greg and sons Eric and Adam.  Since all of us use Gmail, this calendar will be easily accessible every time we’re online.  Greg and I can also access the family calendar from our iPhones.
• Simplify family finances.  I’m looking for ways to reduce paper in our lives, so I’m paying as many bills as possible with online banking.  Our almost 18 year old Eric now has a student debit card that we can closely monitor during this, his last year at home before heading off to college.  Since our accounts are linked together, I can oversee and help manage Eric’s account from one centralized location.  This will also help him gain budgeting skills prior to departing for college.
• Purchase school supplies online.  I’ve been searching for bargains on some of the many supplies the boys will need this year.  I’ll also be purchasing some used books on Amazon once we receive their syllabi and reading lists from teachers.
• Spice up school lunches.  Teens can be almost as choosy as toddlers, and coming up with creative lunch ideas is tricky for children of any age.  I love the article “Beyond Peanut Butter and Jelly” at Faith & Family Live and the article School Lunches at KidsHealth.org for information on nutrition and safety.
• Get connected.  I’ve added my sons’ school website to my favorites, downloaded the annual calendar, and added the principal, high school counselor and a few selected teachers to my email contacts.  I’m also prepared to closely monitor the boys’ grades and attendance on “Power School” and have set myself a weekly reminder alert to make this a regular routine.  I have configured the system to notify me if the boys are late or tardy, or if their grades drop by a certain percentage. 
• Learn with the Library.  We love our public library system and are frequent users.  With online account access, we can quickly and easily reserve books, renew items we’ve checked out, or research events that are coming up at our local library branches.

My brainstorming list is certainly not complete, but I’m off to a great start towards being more organized this school year.  What tools help you prepare for the school year ahead, whether your children are homeschooled or attend traditional schools?  I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for making the “Back to School” transition a more sane and happier time of the year.

The Price of Productivity

On Thursdays, I share my thoughts on Finances.

Yesterday's USA Today article entitled AirTran's in-flight Wi-Fi service takes off with test flight caught my eye.  Who among us hasn't bemoaned the hours stuck on an airplane without a wireless connection as a complete "waste" of three, four, or even a dozen hours? 

I don't know why I would have expected airlines to be giving wireless connnectivity away, but for some reason the $12.95 price ($9.95 for flights less than 3 hours in duration) shocked me.  Is it worth $13 to be able to get online during a flight, check email, and perhaps get caught up on a few blog posts? 

I suspect it depends upon whose paying the bill.  For those corporate employees with expense accounts, it seems like a no brainer - get online, remain connected, and don't lose half of your workday.  But for those of us who work @ home, we need to ask ourselves the cost benefit ratio of plunking down that money and how productive we plan to be with that time. 

I have used recent flights to review books submitted to me, to edit my own manuscript, or even to watch a movie onboard and write a review of it for one of my websites.  The time offline doesn't have to be a time dump if you plan ahead and bring work with you that can be done without an internet connection.  I also wonder if Air Tran's pricetag includes wifi while at the gate, where one could frequently spend multiple hours waiting for take off.  In certain instances, if that were included in the price, I might -- on occasion -- invest in the price of on-board wifi.

Will you pay the price airlines are asking for a few added hours of productivity?  I'm not sold...yet.

iPhone Apps for Family Finance Productivity

In a continuing effort not to "reinvent the wheel" but to address the continual interest in productivity related iPhone apps, I wanted to point you today to a great post over at The Simple Dollar that features Ten iPhone and iPod Touch Apps for Personal Finance Success. 

I'll second Trent's recommendation of mobile banking applications.  I've been very pleased with my recent installation of the Bank of America app for quick check ins on my accounts.  I also love "Check Please" for mindless tipping assistance when I don't feel like doing math and "My Budget" for planning purposes.

I love that Trent has included an overview of some of the great apps from Google, which continue to make my life more productive and happier on a daily basis!

What are some of your favorite tools for mobile finance?

Ten iPhone and iPod Touch Apps for Personal Finance Success