The Email That Cried Wolf!

I know this might not deal directly with "getting your credit back" per say... but I still wanted to bring this topic up because there are quite a few of us out there trying our best to get business, increase our income, and make sure we don't fall behind the bills... otherwise that would result in our credit being effected.

With that being said... this is something you might want to watch out for and that is sending an email blast everyday or let's say....way too often!  I have a few friends who send emails out now twice a day, three times a day...and it is getting out of hand. It has come to the point where I do a quick scan... (only because I know them... otherwise I would delete it immediately)... But then I do end up deleting their emails after my quick check.

It has come to that point... If I see this person's email....I already want to delete it because it is the same "crap" that just keeps giving.... "Ouch! Right?" 

I am not trying to be harsh but if you keep sending an email blast out every day with the same "stuff" .....blah, blah, blah, blah....then it will become "The Email That Cried Wolf!"  You need to provide some kind of value to the email otherwise it will get deleted as soon as it arrives.

A fair warning if you will... when you are email blasting... try and perhaps send one out once a week and have some value to the message. I would suggest perhaps creating a blog (hopefully with some value to the readers) and then try and get your readers to that blog via LinkedIn or Facebook as an alternate substitute. Try and mix it up some so your messages have a chance of being read and instead of being shot on site.

Again... I think this might be something for all of us to consider...I am just as guilty as the next to try and exploit one's business and get our names out there. By all means don't give up on trying to spread your message, business, etc. Persistence, persistence, persistence! It is a fine balance we all need to watch out for.

We all want to increase our business but we do need to be careful of doing too much especially when it comes to emails.  You don't want people to automatically delete you when they see your name and become the "The Email That Cried Wolf!"
Cheers,

Brad Rhoades

A New Resume for the Information Age ~ Your "Social Media Thumbprint"

As social media continues to take center stage I believe the “traditional” resume will start to fade off into the sunset. The traditional one-two page format will simply not give us the entire picture of the candidates for tomorrow’s future.

For example, I might like to know how many people are in your LinkedIn? Have you started any groups on LinkedIn? How many followers are in your Twitter? What other social networks do you belong to? Are you on Tumblr? How many people are in your data base? Are you on StumbleUpon? What about Reddit? Or Hubspot?  And let’s not forget the all powerful Facebook and You Tube.

Do you have any published articles on EzineArticles.com? What about ArticlesBase.com? Any other sites that you have a presence on? Do you own any URL sites?

If some or most of these sites seem foreign… then I suggest you read Crush It! – by Gary Vay*ner*chuk.  *Gary Vaynerchuck’s book "Crush It" really got me started on blogging and thinking about Personal Branding and Social Media. Thank you Gary!  I have a list of other suggested books to read as well on this blog.

Personal branding I believe will have a huge weight for tomorrow’s workforce. Your personal brand can draw employers because they know by bringing you on board that you will add value to their company.

Example, “How much traffic can you drive to our company’s website if we hire you?” If I had two candidates of about the same skill level but one of them could drive traffic to my company’s products in a huge way…guess who I am going to hire? That right! The one that is bringing me customers on day one! So if you are not building up your network online…you might want to start thinking about it. 

How do you fit into the picture?

A quick warning!!!  To all of you college students, office workers, and alike! Interviewers are more and more looking you up online!!!  Personal Branding can be positive or negative…that depends on you!  And if it is public information…oh…it’s public!  Whatever you put on the internet…stays...on the internet.

We are living in a time where no one is safe from others viewing your personal information about you just by going online and typing your name.  

So be very careful of what you do in public moving forward. No matter if you like it or not if your photos become public….oh it is out there for the taking! You don’t want to have a future employer type in your name and they get…well….not such a hot photo of you passed out on the lawn in front of the frat house. Google does NOT discriminate what is good or bad. It puts whatever the most clicks are first, front and center. That simple! So I bring this warning actually for anyone out there.  

I was watching a CNBC show on Facebook and a lady was terminated from her position as a teacher because she slammed the parents and the students online. She thought her messages were private. Apparently not! The school fired her. Once the information is out there…it’s out there. So be careful! 

I wanted to bring up this topic because I do sincerely believe the Social Media will be something that most companies will eventually come to look at the most. Of course this may not be for all jobs…but you might want to start at least considering to add this to your tool box if you have not already done so. 

What will your “Social Media Thumbprint” look like? Will it be “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly?”

My intent for this article is not to advise you on the interview per say but to get you thinking about all of the possibilities and bring this topic for discussion.

Good luck out there and stay proactive no matter what you do. It is with action that results will appear.

 

*Looking for business social networking websites? Here are a few of my favorites...

LinkedIn

OC Metro – ocmetrobusiness.com

Biznik

Ryze

Merchant Circle

Partner up

Referral Key.com

There are more to add here! So keep on the hunt and keep searching for more opportunities! We are at the beginning of this and so we need to keep adding to our tool box.

Keep Moving Forward!!!

Gas Prices Are Rising - fuel saving tips

Gas Prices Are Rising! Gas “may” go up to $5.00 a gallon! So this might be something to bookmark for the near future.
Here are some wonderful tips on getting the lowest prices at the pump in your local area and other great tips on saving fuel.

Hey…every bit helps!




***Find the Cheapest Place in Your Area to Fuel Up!
Here are a few websites you can visit that will show you where the cheapest place to pump your gas…- GasBuddy.com
- FuelMeUp.com
- Automotive.com
And here are a couple of apps for the smart phones – same thing, you can check where to fuel up for the cheapest amount.
- TripTik
- Cheap Gas!
(Source: CNBC)

Some Driving Tips to Save Gas and Money ~

***Drive within Reason

“Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.” (Source: US Dept. of Energy)Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.15–$1.01/gallon

***Observe the Speed Limit “While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.

You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas.

Observing the speed limit is also safer.” (Source: US Dept. of Energy)

Fuel Economy Benefit: 7–23%  Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.21–$0.71/gallon

***Remove Excess Weight“Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. An extra 100 lbs in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1-2 percent.” (Source: US Dept. of Energy)  Fuel Economy Benefit: 1–2%/100 lbsEquivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.03–$0.06/gallon

***Avoid Excessive Idling“Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.” (Source: US Dept. of Energy)

***Use Cruise Control“Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.” (Source: US Dept. of Energy)

***Use Overdrive Gears“When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

***Car Pooling!Don’t forget we can share rides with our colleagues and friends. And also consider telecommuting if your work allows for it. (working from home). Take advantage of the internet and let the power of social media “do the driving!” I myself have been doing less driving and more networking via internet. Great way to save on fuel.

 

***Choosing A More Efficient Car “Selecting which vehicle to purchase is the most important fuel economy decision you'll make.

The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $768 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3.07)."

That's $3,840 extra in fuel costs over five years!  (Source: US Dept. of Energy)

Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.07/gallon.” (Source: US Dept. of Energy)

 Note: Gas Prices Are Expected to Rise (maybe to $5.00) so these tips may be worth noting and bookmarking!

Wow! When you see the saving translated into dollars….. It does make “cents”!

If you have some saving tips please feel free to share your ideas and comment below.

Also, please click the “follow” if you liked this article or others.

Thanks so much for reading my blog.

Each small step forward is a measurement of success. We can do this!

And as always…Keep Moving Forward!

Email: GettingBackMyCredit@gmail.com

College Funds – an alternative idea for savings

A quick note… I am not a “Financial Expert” per say and it is not my intent of this article to give you advice or tell you what to do…or what will work…or what will not work.

But I do think this idea warrants a discussion at the very least and I think when we can bring up new ideas or topics to light… it can benefit us all to explore what can work best for each of us.

I am 41 years old. I am telling you this because it is important how I came about this idea or this thought. The idea is a collective one from the various books, TV shows, interviews, and everything that I have encountered thus far.

I was watching a documentary on CNBC about how the students in America are having HUGE debts up to their eyeballs and this problem is becoming an increasing epidemic. This was quite alarming to me as I am sure it is to most. The students and (parents who cosigned for student loans) are falling into poverty due to the outrageous student loans. The graduated students simply cannot keep up with the month bills. And especially right now with not finding employment…how can they start repaying the loan? They can’t! The parents who cosigned having nothing left for their retirement and it seems all parties involved suffer...except for the companies who do the lending.

This led me to my idea (at least for my own family) on how I wanted to save up for my own kid's college funds.  My wife and I do not have kids just yet but it has been a conversation in recent times. When I started thinking about my age (this is where this comes to be relevant) it really made me worry about being 60 (ish) and getting close to retirement and giving away so much money at that time. But at the same time…if I do have children I too want the best for them. Who wouldn’t right?  

But I really hated the current way to save up for the college loans. My kid goes into huge debt and a huge portion of my retirement money is out the door. I just don’t like this plan (at least for myself). 

So when I was out walking… the idea hit me! What if I took the basic principle of Robert Kiyosaki’s idea – on investing in “Income Earning Assets” and use this as the basis to funding my kid’s future college funds. So for example….I spend the next 20 years acquiring income earning assets that will earn and generate the cash for their college tuition, books, living expenses, etc.  BUT….. when my child graduates from school…the assets are still mine! I can have the income redirected back to me! My kid gets an education and I get to keep my assets for my retirement. We both win!

The more I thought about this idea the more I loved this idea at least for my own personal situation. Perhaps you have other circumstances that need other ways to fund this cost.

Again, I am not an expert but I feel the pain and suffering just like everyone else and need to come up with other solutions that work best for me. Maybe you have a better way?

For me personally, I want to come up with a plan that lets my children go to college but where I am not out on the street at 65 years old either. I don’t like the idea of my kid being broke and owing thousands of dollars and having no way to pay it back. So it was this problem that got me thinking of other solutions that can be a win, win, solution.

I love the idea where I can invest in income earning assets to pay for the cost of their education but afterwards….the assets are still mine and I can also pay for my retirement down the road. That sounds better than what I see out there now.

The same thought with this basic premise...also occurred to me for paying for a future wedding! I love the idea that what if your child waited for 12 months of engagement and then you had your assets fund an account for that time period. Imagine paying for the wedding but still have your assets afterwards? Win, win. I like it!

Let me know your thoughts and comments? I would love to hear them. I am always looking for new ideas and new ways we can make our lives a better one.

Update - 2-20-2011

Cuts are in the future for college loans. It might not happen today but I would prepare for this to happen at some point in time. I think the more we prepare to "go it alone" the better prepared we will be when the help is simply not there...

"The president’s proposal aims to maintain the current maximum Pell Grant level of $5,550 while reducing the number of grants distributed.  This follows a recent Republican proposal that would reduce the maximum Pell Grant level  to $4,705, a more than 15 percent reduction and the largest cut in student aid funding in the history of the Pell Grant program."(Huffington Post, Feb. 13)

Complete story... http://www.pslweb.org/liberationnews/news/obamas-budget-pell-grant-cuts.html
As always…. Keep Moving Forward!

GettingBackMyCredit's Book List - Keep Moving Forward

GettingBackMyCredit’s Book List ~ Keep Moving Forward

Like so many of you out there, I too have had my share of struggles with the economy and pursuit of the American Dream and building a strong foundation for one’s self and for one’s family. It is this continuous pursuit of the American Dream that pushes me to keep reading, keep learning, and keep challenging myself to be a better person.

With that said… I wanted to start a list of books that I have read along the way for your consideration…I love to read business books and if you have a suggestion…please comment below. Thank so much!

This list will be an ongoing list. So feel free to check back from time to time to see the updated list. Keep reading, keep learning, and keep moving forward.


I will try to separate the books by category for your convenience. I am not a librarian so if I mess up…sorry about that. If there is a category you would like me to consider adding…please comment below and I will see what I can do. Thanks again for your input.

Together we can accomplish anything that our minds dare to imagine.

Any couple out there that “thinks they are on the same page” or thinks their debt is not an issue…please read Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s book (see below) and watch her show. I am so concerned that we are all headed not only to double dipping into the recession but I think we might be ready to lick the bowl clean. I really don’t want to see that!  If you are wondering why would I mention any of these books for Getting Back Your Credit or any of my articles for that matter??? I find that if someone is not doing well in these areas in their life…than their credit ratings usually will follow right behind the wall of dominoes. When one area starts to fall…they all seem to fall one after another. So hopefully these topics, these ideas, conversations, etc., can help out in some way.


Personal Finance

(Michael Lewis) The Big Short– by Michael Lewis*
Wow! If you are looking for answers to why our econonmy went down the toilet...this is a MUST READ!  WARNING! Reading this is a bit like finding out that there is no Santa Clause but you are an adult now and there is no Easter Bunny, and mixed in with seeing the Wizard of Oz behind the yellow curtain. Completely disburbing!

Or as Vincent Daniel, one of the characters in the book says... "I saw how the sausage was made in the economy and it was really freaky."  This is my new favorite quote!!!


(David Bach) Smart Couples Finish Rich – by David Bach
*Great book for any couples trying to work as a team and finish strong.

The Automatic Millionaire – by David Bach
*David has awesome suggestion to saving your money automatically and making sure you follow through with your plan.

Start Late Finish Rich – by David Bach
*If you are starting out late or over again….this might be the perfect book.
***David Bach has a whole series of books so it is worth checking out his other books as well.

****Debt Free for Life - by David Bach.
Now Out!  Looking for action steps to getting debt free and living a better life? This might be worth the read!


(Robert Kiyosaki) Rich Dad Poor Dad – by Robert Kiyosaki
*A timeless classic. I think I have read this book 4 or 5 times now and I am still not tired of reading it. Just a great reminder that old ways….mmmm. may need to be thought differently.

Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant – by Robert Kiyosaki
*A great follow up read on Robert Kiyosaki’s philosophies.

Increase Your Financial IQ – by Robert Kiyosaki
*One of my favorite books to read. I love how Robert thinks. It makes me think we still have a chance out there.
***Robert Kiyosaki has a whole series of books so it is worth checking out his other books as well.


(Peter Lynch) Learn to Earn – by Peter Lynch and John Rothchild
If you are thinking of investing in the stock market this is not a bad book to pick up. Peter is down to earth and makes it simple to understand.

*Peter Lynch is also a coauthor of the bestsellers “One Up on Wall Street" and "Beating the Street,” which he wrote with John Rothchild.


(Suze Orman) Suze Orman’s Action Plan – by Suze Orman
*Suze just rocks and that is all that needs to be said.
***Suze Orman has a whole series of books so it is worth checking out his other books as well. Suze has her show every Saturday night on CNBC so if you have not watched it…for goodness sake…record it and do yourself a favor.

The Money Class – New! by Suze Orman
****The New American Dream is not the things we accumulate, says Orman, but the confidence that comes from knowing that which we’ve worked so hard for cannot be taken away from us. In THE MONEY CLASS, Orman teaches us how to take control over our present—right here, right now—in order to build the future of our dreams.


(Steven K. Scott) The Richest Man Who Ever Lived ~ King Solomon’s Secrets to Success, Wealth, and Happiness – by Steven K. Scott
*Steven Scott has a brilliantly taken the proverbs and brought them into today’s language where we can truly understand the lesson at hand. Good stuff.


(Thomas J. Stanley) & (William D. Danko) The Millionaire Next Door – by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
*****Thomas Stanley and William Danko ~ I really recommend getting this book if you have not already read it. Especially with everything going on today and the economy. We are spending ourselves into poverty over “stuff” and this really concerns me.


(Loral Langemeier) The Millionaire Maker’s Guide to Creating a Cash Machine For Life – by Loral Langemeier.
*Good book to go along with Robert Kiyosaki’s philosophy on “income earning” assets. We all need ways to rethink and create opportunity. This book might help out with that.
*Loral Langemeier is also the author of “The Millionaire Maker.”


(Gail Vaz-Oxlade) Debt-Free Forever – by Gail Vaz-Oxlade
One of my recent books that I am reading. If you have not seen her show on CNBC “Until Death Do Us Part” you should check out her TV show. Great stuff. Any couple out there that “thinks they are on the same page” or thinks their debt is not an issue… *****Please read Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s book (see below) and watch her show. I am so concerned that we are all headed not only to double dipping into the recession but I think we might be ready to lick the bowl clean. I really don’t want to see that!


Social Media, Marketing, Sales, and Business


(Jim Collins) Good to Great – by Jim Collins
*Jim Collins talks about building up business that are not just OK but take it that extra step to becoming great. He is also the coauthor of “Built to Last” which is another excellent book to read on building up a business worth standing the test of time.


(Marc Gobe) Emotional Branding – by Marc Gobe
*Marc Gobe ~ If you are into marketing and pursuing how people respond to your products and your overall campaign this is great book to pick up.


(Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah) Inbound Marketing – by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah
*Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah – If you want to get a handle on Social Media than this is a must book to read. Plus if you are on a shoestring budget for marketing then this is a definite must read list.


(Mark Hughes) Buzzmarketing with a New Preface – by Mark Hughes
*Like so many of us (including myself) we have a zero dollar marketing budget! We have to work with our creativity…that is the power. If you find yourself in that situation...then this is a must have! I love this book. If you are into marketing…you need this book.

(Jay Conrad Levinson and Shane Gibson) Guerrilla Social Media Marketing – by Jay Conrad Levinson and Shane Gibson
* Jay Conrad Levinson and Shane Gibson have provided an excellent source of information on this social media and tips on how to master this arena. I would say this book and Inbound Marketing (see above) are two excellent books to get started on the social media scene.


(Gary Vaynerchuk) Crush It! – by Gary Vay*ner*chuk
*Gary Vaynerchuck book "Crush It" really got me started on blogging. Thank you Gary! And he got me really thinking about Personally Branding and Social Media. This is where I think it really does help to either start reading, get a mentor, watch shows on CNBC, or wherever, and start moving forward.


(A small thought:) If you are waiting on someone or something to come along and save the day…do yourself a favor and stop waiting. Get out there and make it happen. It won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination. But I truly believe we can either get up to bat and take a swing (at least try) or we can call the coach from home and say we just don’t feel well – not even try. I cannot accept that last choice. If you strike out trying…hey…at least you got up to bat and you took a swing. There is no shame in that.

Just don’t give up and keep moving forward. We can do this!

(More Books to Come – Keep Checking Back!!!)

***This list will be an ongoing list. So feel free to check back from time to time to see the updated list.

Keep reading, keep learning, and keep moving forward!


Email: GettingBackMyCredit@gmail.com

The Economy - Make 2011 an Opportunity and Take Action

Feeling like the world is crashing down on top of you like life itself is crushing you and there is nothing that can be done? The waves just keep coming in and there is no end in sight???

If you are….YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

This weight can be heavy and I offer two choices to think about….

Choice A… we accept our doom and gloom and continue down Alice’s Rabbit Hole.

Or…

Choice B… Let’s take this pressure cooker and make it work for us! Let’s find out how we can take this “energy” and create it into some “positive energy” or an “opportunity”.

Notice that I did not say negative energy. I believe we have the power to turn this “challenge” this “problem” this “constant pressure of the economy” …this “energy”….and turn it into whatever we want it to be. We just need to figure out how to visualize and turn it into our dreams.
And that can be challenging but I have to believe it is possible. Isn’t that the true American spirit? To be able to take our obstacles, our fears, our struggles, and turn it into something fantastic…to live the life that you have imagined.

Take a look at the image above…the tidal wave generators. I chose this image because it got me thinking… How long did mankind have to stand infront of the waves....staring at the waves crashing into the shore... before we had that big “aha moment”? Thousands of years went by!!!! We stood there...looking into the waves…..until that one day…. Bam!!!! What a fantastic idea!!! To take the very force of nature…and transform it into energy. I find that inspiring!

So let’s take this constant pain in the ass struggles that never seem to end…just like the waves that keep crashing in…and turn it into an opportunity.

Let’s turn some darn lights on in this rabbit hole!!!! Let’s make work!!!

- What do we need to do to make things brighter in our environment? What tools can I sharpen, find, revamp, or whatever, to get things moving and working again?

- Who can I partner up with? Sometimes partnering with various people can really help get things moving in the right direction.

- What about a business coach or a mentor? Find someone who can help you take that next step or overcome whatever is blocking you.

- What other websites can I explore to expand my business? What about Craig’ List?

- Can I submit any articles to get my name out? What about articlesbase.com? How about Ezinearticles.com ~ by the way if you have not explored these options I would recommend doing so. See what else is out there?

- What about creating “my own blog” to help brand my business and my company?

- Facebook page for my business?

- What else????? Keep thinking. Keep Moving Forward!

- Keep brainstorming for new ideas. Take a walk around your neighborhood and brain storm. This really works!

I suggest this choice B because I sincerely think we might be in a slow economy for some time to come. But I think this could be an OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFE TIME at the very same time. Yes, that is what I said. I think this crappy economy can also be a pot of gold for the person who can visually transform that pile of “stuff” into a pile of gold. Turn it into energy!

Think about it. Everything is on sale right now and there are a lot of opportunities out there. Houses are selling at fantastic prices. Stocks are available for low prices. There are a lot of great deals out there. We just need to figure out how to succeed in our current conditions.

I am not saying this is easy. I struggle with the same challenges myself every day. But I choose to wake up and see what changes I can make. What new things can I try? What else can I do to improve my situation? What are my possibilities? What opportunities can I create??? How can I turn waves (challenges and obstacles) into energy that I can use????

We can do this! Let’s create a way to be successful no matter what the conditions may bring.

Don’t let your past keep you from moving forward. Let’s turn our challenges into an opportunity!

"You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."Zig Ziglar

"It doesn’t matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going."Brian Tracy

"You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have a story to share? Love to hear it! Please feel free to comment. It is not about me....it is about "us."

Also...Feel free to email me at GettingBackMyCredit@gmail.com

Would You Toss Out 12 Ounces of Silver Into The Trash?

Let me ask you.... If I stacked up 12 one ounce silver coins in front of you and then handed them to you... Would you turn around and then toss them out into the garbage?

I am going to go out on a limb and say that across the board, that no one in their right mind would throw out the coins. You would of course keep them.

But what if we are doing that right now and we didn't even realize it? You might be!

What's this? It's recycling! Every month so many of us, throw out our aluminum cans and plastic bottles and this can actually add up. All of those "silver" lites we drink during the football games or other sports that many of us watch. All those Diet Cokes, regular Pepsis, Cokes, Root Beers, Red Bulls, etc. get tossed out the trash by quite a few of us. And let's not forget the bottled water, the sport drinks, and other plastic bottle beverages that we drink up each week. This starts to add up!

You might be surprised on how much your family consumes in one month. Let's say on an average your family is drinking about $25.00 a month in recyclables. You might think... "Brad, that is not that much. It is only $25.00 bucks." Well that is about one ounce of silver. (I realize the price may change as I type this.) But if you added that savings up for one year that is about 12 ounces of silver!

When I started to put it in these terms it really made me stop and think. Yeah, it may only be $25.00 dollars here and there....but if I see it in the form of silver one ounce coins...that really makes me see things a little differently.

And if you are looking to pay down a little more on a credit card debt or you wanted to start saving some money but the cash flow was too tight...this may help out some. I do realize it is not a huge amount of money but every bit does start to add up over time...One ounce at a time.

Go "Green" and Go Silver!