Wednesday, December 31, 2014

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Cruise Vacations


Long time readers may remember that I reside in South Florida. When most people read that they immediately think of the great weather here. While that’s true, that’s only one of great things about where I live. 

One of the unexpected perks my family and I enjoy living here is access to the Atlantic Ocean. I’m not talking about the sugar sand beaches. Actually I’m referring to how close I am to all of the major sea ports that cruise ships dock at. 

You see I live within an hour drive of the most heavily trafficked cruise embarkation port…and I use it, a lot. Over the years I’ve learned to take advantage of this luxury. I am able to book last minute cruises all the time and save myself hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars off retail cruise vacation prices.  I’ve also come across some pretty impressive ways for other people, including those that don’t live in South Florida to do the same. 

We are entering the busy season for cruise liners. Northerners love to take cruises to the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Southern Europe in the winter months because of the great weather those places enjoy.  Right now cruise companies are trying to fill cabins and offering “deals” to entice you to buy. But these so called “deal” cruise companies offer are sometimes just full priced vacations. Their marketing is top notch so the scams aren’t always easy to spot, unless you have an expert eye. Before you book your next cruise vacation take down these notes and never pay retail again. 

Depending on who you listen to, you’ll get different answers on the debate over when the cheapest time to book a cruise vacation is—well in advance  or last minute.  Some will say that cruise lines want to condition vacationers to book their trips as early as possible so they start with the cheapest prices and then increase them as time goes on. Others will argue that these companies offer their lowest fares only at the last minute to fill up any unsold cabins because their expenses are the same if they have 800 or 1,000 people on board. 

I’ve tried booking at both ends of the spectrum and there are advantages to both. After trying both ways I prefer to book early, but I will say I’ve gotten cheaper pricing booking last minute. I like booking early because most cruise lines or travel agencies promise that if they lower the price down the road they’ll give you the lower rate. 

The trick is that you’ve got to be the one to ask for the reduction, the cruise line will never be the one who initiates the reduction. To make sure I am kept abreast of any change in rate after I book a cruise I sign up for the specific cruise lines free online newsletter as well as travel agents news feeds. That way all I have to do is check my inbox once a week for any news. 

I also like booking early because a fair amount of times when a cruise I’ve booked hasn’t sold out; the cruise line has upgraded my room or given me an on-board credit for free! I’ve never gotten any kind of free upgrade when I’ve booked my vacation at the last minute.
This is not to say that there aren’t advantages to booking cruises at the last minute, and by last minute I mean 30 days in advance. The words “last minute” doesn’t mean quite the same to a cruise line company as they do for me. 30 days’ notice is plenty of notice for me to go on a vacation. 

Like I said earlier if I am just talking cruise fares, I’ve gotten better deals when I’ve waited till the last minute to book a cruise rather than booking 3-6 months in advance. But what I gain in price cuts I lose in choice. Generally last minute bookings mean you don’t get your pick of cabins. There are limited rooms left and you might be stuck with an interior unit with no ocean view. 

Besides the timing of your booking, the destination of your cruise can also affect price in a significant way. If you aren’t too particular book a cruise to nowhere. Cruises that set sail without stopping at any ports or promise any kind of sights can be gotten for pretty cheap. When you are flexible about where you cruise to, cruise liners will reward you supreme service and cheaper fares. 

The same can be said though about popular destinations. The more exotic a locale you want to visit, the heftier the price tag. Choosing a cruise that stops in well-known, tourist attracting spots like Belize in the Caribbean can make your vacation more affordable.  Booking cruises that stop in more remote locations like Russia or Scandinavia will drive up the rate. 

Unless you live near me you will undoubtedly need to book a plane ride to get you to your ship. This is what can make a cruise vacation out of reach financially for some people. To alleviate this cruise lines offer air fare along with cruise packages. They tell you that if you bundle your services together you’ll receive a discount. 

I’m sorry to say this just isn’t true. Most times it’s cheaper if you book your air fare separately. You are much more likely to snag yourself a cheap flight. If a cruise line finds a cheap flight for you, you’ll never see that extra money. That’s why it’s better if you look online at comparison sites like kayak.com or at airline sites directly to see what’s out there. 

The only time it might be best to use the cruise line air and sea package is when you are flying internationally. International flights are much more expensive and don’t have as much variation in prices or flight times as domestic flights do. Also if you book your flight and cruise together through the cruise line company and your flight is delayed or canceled the cruise liner will take care of getting you to the cruise. You won’t have to worry about anything. If you book the two separately and your flight is delayed or canceled you won’t get any sympathy from the cruise liner, they’ll set sail without you and probably won’t give you a refund. 

You can also find deals when you book a large number of rooms together. Think of cruise ships as floating hotels. And just like when you book hotel rooms, the more rooms you book the cheaper the rate you get. Cruises are great for family reunions, vacations with friends, weddings and other special events. In these instances it makes sense to book a block of rooms so that everyone will pay the same price and be near each other. In these instances you might be able to get a group rate which should give you a respectable discount. 

If you are willing to go out on a limb and book all the rooms under your name and then collect the money from the rest of the people, you might even be able to get your room for free. People that organize large group bookings often receive their room for free if they book enough rooms. Before you book call your travel agent or the cruise line directly to see how many rooms you need to book before they’ll give you a room for free as each company sets different amounts. 

You should also look for discount rates like you get on land. If you typically get a discount for meals or theater tickets, then a cruise line will probably offer you a discount as well. People who are 55 or older, EMT’s, firefighters, policemen, teachers, military or members of certain union groups are all likely to get a reduced fare price. Just be prepared to show proof of your age or occupation in order to receive such discount. 

A lot of people put too much stock into the age of a ship when deciding which cruise to book. They believe a ship built back in the 90’s or early 2000’s will not give them the same level of luxury as a newer built ship. This isn’t true. The only thing that will be better is the decor. Older ships actually offer better deals for this reason. Look for ships built 10-15 years ago, they’ll typically be a bit cheaper and still offer all the same luxuries as newer built ships. 

Getting a good deal on a cruise vacation is about more than just ticket price. Don’t limit yourself to looking at just the initial fare price. Remember that discounts come in many forms including pre-paid gratuities, on board credits and discounted shore excursions. If you see a full priced cruise vacation that offers one or more of these other types of discounts you can rest assured that you are still getting a good deal. Most of the time these alternative discounts add up to hundreds of dollars in savings and make your trip even more enjoyable. 


Keeping Money in Your Pocket, 

Nancy Patterson

Monday, December 15, 2014

Advice Experts Needed!


Let's say you have a very unique, maybe eccentric, hobby. I'll use taxidermy as an example.So let's say every spare minute you have, every hour you're not on the clock at your regular job, you devote to taxidermy. Over the years you've developed certain skills and knowledge that only a few people possess. And, until recently, unless you owned a taxidermy business, your hobby would have remained just that: a hobby. 

But since we're living in the Information Age, this highly-specialized training you possess has some currency to it. It has become a commodity.No matter if it's taxidermy or how to install custom lighting in your home or how to setup a great home theater or how to create beautiful jewelry from piles of brightly-colored beads, you can bet that any specialized knowledge you've accumulated can be turned into practical advice. And those people just starting to learn about whatever it is that you are an expert at will seek you out and reward you for your help. 

Identifying Your Commodity 

Before I tell you how to make money giving advice, I'd like to help you focus on your own area of expertise. First, here's a list of subjects I advise AGAINST: 

-Relationships 
-Love life 
-Law 

The reason I think you should steer clear of these areas is because unless you have some official specialized training - like you're a licensed counselor or a lawyer, for example - there isn't much of a market for your opinion.Because, let's face it, we all have relationships (parent, spouse, sibling, etc.), and we all have dealings with the law (even if it's just a parking ticket) but unless you bring some "inside" information to your advice-giving, your opinion isn't going to hold much currency. Even if everybody in your family and all your friends come to you for advice… that isn’t enough. 

Also, the market is already flooded with Dear Abby-style advice columns. We don't want you wasting your time in a saturated marketplace.Not to worry! Here's a list of the kinds of subjects I wholeheartedly recommend you base your little business on: 

-Home repair 
-Car maintenance 
-Gardening 
-Electronics 

These are hot markets. But remember that your advice business can be anything you have a special interest in and a special knowledge of that is of interest to enough other people to make a viable business. 

Remember my taxidermy example above: not exactly a mass-appeal area of expertise, but you can bet that the people who do enjoy it form a very loyal and interested niche willing to pay to access your expertise. 

And that's really the key to success in becoming an advice expert: finding your niche, your own corner of expertise where your opinion will carry an enormous amount of respect. 

Finding that sweet spot is a matter of research. Scan the Internet for other websites. See how many books on the subject are on sale on Amazon. Frequent forums dedicated to that niche and ask people what information they’re looking for.If you get good results in those areas, feel free to proceed. 

Getting Paid for Giving Advice 

The first step in becoming a money-making advice columnist is to establish your credibility. You can do this by starting a free blog and writing a few articles about your niche market. Once you gain a following, you can add a forum where people can ask you questions and you can dispense advice. A few tips for writing and running a successful advice blog: 

-Write regularly 
-Research the tough questions, don't ignore them 
-Promote your blog through social media 
-Use good SEO practices 
-Keep an editorial schedule 
-Solicit questions through email, Twitter, etc. 

That may seem like a lot to keep in mind, but the first bit is the most important: write regularly. Set yourself a schedule of answering, say, five questions a week. Keep up with it. Update regularly. Develop your own voice. Publish a new advice column on a certain day of the week, every week. By doing all these things, your readership will expand by leaps and bounds. 

Which brings me to how you're going to monetize your advice. Here’s the trick: all those articles you’re writing and questions you’re answering? You hold back the best information for your paid products like guides, ebooks, how-to videos, etc. 

Using taxidermy as an example, you could have an ebook called 101 Ways to Stuff a Walrus. If you offer advice on visiting Disney World, your guide could be called Money-Saving Tips in the Land of the Mouse. If you’re a fisherman, How to Catch Bonefish in the Florida Keys would be an option. 

Do you get the idea? 

List those products on your site’s home page prominently with banners and be sure to have a Products page. And also mention these paid products and include a link to the Order page at the end of every blog post and article. 

You can also make incremental income through advertising. If you have a large enough - and dedicated - following, you can contact companies who specialize in your area of advice-giving. If you're not there yet, but would like to put advertising up, look into Google AdWords. It's free and they will actually customize the ads to your website. 

You could also make money by making a members-only section of your website where folks can pay to access certain content. This could be anything from videos, to lengthy and detailed guides, to audio.Put a little hard work up front, and pretty soon you'll become the guru of your own kingdom. 

Good luck! 

John Hollister 

P.S. I just gave you the rundown on how to start turning a profit by giving out advice. But here are a few more resources to help you succeed beyond your wildest imagination! 

Resources 

Start-Up Tips 

http://hope-wilbanks.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Start-An-Advice-Column-Online 

http://www.ehow.com/how_2242443_make-money-giving-advice.html 

http://www.blogstash.com/get-paid-to-answer-questions/ 

Advice Sites Doing It Right 

http://observer.com/2011/01/the-internets-9-best-advice-columns/ 

http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/2011/06/my-favorite-advice-columnists.html

http://touringplans.com/ 

Places to Practice, Build a Reputation, and Get Inspiration 

http://www.justanswer.com/ 

http://www.keen.com/ 

http://www.chacha.com/ 

http://www.liveperson.com/ 

http://www.ether.com/

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The Vulture Culture


Welcome back, friends, to this circle of sanity, this cabal of clarity, this… you get the idea: once again it’s my task to IMPROVE your existence so you may join the ranks of the rich. This is my base assumption each time we speak: that you want to be wealthy. If you don’t wish to become wealthy, then, as they say in government, I just work here… 

But the rich are in the tiny minority of people, so how could little ol’ you join them? Do they have something you don’t? Do they have an unfair advantage over you? 

Your suspicions are correct. The rich DO have something over you, an unfair edge. It’s not a college education (many successful people are high school dropouts). It’s not inherited wealth (most started from nothing and often began as dirt poor). 

So what edge did they have?
How can we say its all “unfair” when most rich people started from nothing and often didn’t have higher education? And so follows the inconvenient question: what’s your excuse for not joining them?? 

The “edge” they have is a follow on from past discussions on the human mind and how you think. I want to talk about two obstacles you face in this regard: thinking small and not having a coherent logic about money. First, thinking small… 

Most people think in terms of “chump change.” They have miniscule goals when it comes to money. For modern proof of this, take a look at what people evidently want to watch on TV: reality shows about pawn shops, bidding on abandoned storage units, rummaging through mud in search of an old coin, searching through the attic in the hope of restoring something, buying stuff you don’t want with coupons and cheering about it… it’s a frenzied craze of late. 

We are clearly in what I call "The Vulture Culture."

People have become obsessed with, and are celebrating, breadcrumbs on the floor of the banquet hall. We are developing into a scavenger-race like something out of a ‘Mad Max’ post-nuclear holocaust.

And while most people are playing in the dirt, the rich man plays a different game -a faster game- and he never gets his hands dirty...
 

It’s because he thinks on a different level and because he has a coherent philosophy about money. 

It’s more about a question of how you think, and on what level. If your entire day is spent obsessing about small things and ‘chump change’, you’re not getting a good return on your thoughts. As Donald Trump famously once said, “You have to think anyway, so you may as well think big.”
So I must ask you if you’re "big minded"… or "small-minded." 

If your financial goal consists of a running battle from day to day, scavenging what you can here and there like some crazed biker in Mad Max, it’s time to take stock of your situation, and most of all, your THOUGHTS. Take a "time out" and evaluate where you are and where you need to be… 

The rich man was once dirt poor. But back then he didn’t participate in The Vulture Culture, he wasn’t HAPPY with breadcrumbs from the banquet. He said, “Screw this! I want to get me a seat up there on the banquet table!” 

So how about you? 

Will you give me a big, loud, “Screw this!” too?
Picture yourself on that cold floor of the banquet hall… the smell of the roast beef… the laughter and chinking of glasses… while you fight with the other rats for that bone that just landed on the floor… 

That’s your first step. You have to make a decision to think bigger, to not be content with what you have, and to actually do something about it. 

You see, what most people do on the floor of the banqueting hall is find reasons why they can’t get up on the table. They’ll complain about the system or try and change it (good luck with that). They’ll pin all their hopes on winning the lottery or a self-serving politician saving them with his empty promises of throwing a little more meat on that floor. 

Which brings me onto my second point: having a coherent philosophy about money… 

Most people are extremely confused about money to an oxymoronic degree. On one hand they crave money, and on the other they feel wealth and wealthy people are somehow corrupt, immoral, and that ‘money is the root of all evil’. You can see this in some of the postings we get on the website. I mean, it beats the crap out of me why some people are reading a newsletter specifically about making money and then they complain about ‘the system’, capitalism, how unfair everything is, yada, yada, yada. This is pure nonsense. I have more respect for a communist than someone like this- at least a communist knows his own mind! 

That is NOT a coherent logic. You have to make a choice, because this confusion in your mind is stopping you growing rich! So which is it? Are you here to make money? Yes? Great! If so, it’s time to clear out all that garbage in your head that’s holding you back- the cynicism, the laziness, the negativity, the confusion, and guilt you feel regarding wealth. 

Look, money is indifferent to you. It’s like a beautiful and sophisticated woman who doesn’t need men, and she’s repulsed by desperation and inconsideration. She doesn’t care one way or the other what you think about her. If you want me, come and get me, she says. And if you don’t, that’s fine too, because plenty of others will if you don’t.
The guy with the balls to approach her is the one who’ll get her. Do you think she gives a hoot if you go and complain about that outcome if you didn’t approach her first? 

She’s been around as long as civilization itself, and she’s here to stay. And throughout history, any time humans have tried to share her equally among the masses, she went into hiding. Just ask anyone who lives in Cuba. 

The man who has a coherent philosophy about her, the man who knows what she is, accepts her as such, and respects her… he’s the one who’ll take her home. 

Be discerning about what nonsense fills your head each day, because you’re exposed to a lot of anti-wealth propaganda on a daily basis, thanks to what is predominantly a covertly socialist media campaigning for a ‘fairer’ society. Most Hollywood stories are just as guilty- notice how the bad guy is the rich guy in movies, and how the dirt-poor underdog is the one with virtue and victory. And of course, Hollywood does this because most movie-goers ARE that working class ‘hero’, and it’s what the masses want to hear, it appeals to their mental coping mechanisms that justify their financial inadequacy. 

Compare that to the person who lets nothing but quality information into his head, someone who reads books on growing rich instead of watching reality shows about scavenging. Which person will be wealthier in the next five years? 

Don’t think all that stuff going in your mind isn’t doing anything to you! It’s the equivalent of a junk food diet slowly destroying you. Your body is a temple, and so is your mind. 

On one hand you want wealth, and you KNOW that way too many rich people didn’t have a privilege over you. But on the other hand, there’s a conflict inside you based on what society and media feeds you: that wealth is corruption and rich people are evil. This all adds up to a paralyzing affliction and an incoherent philosophy regarding money that will keep you scavenging for breadcrumbs in The Vulture Culture instead of banqueting with that beautiful woman, money. 

And if you truly don’t want to get up on that table, that’s fine too, as long as you get out of the way of others who do. At least you have a coherent philosophy now. Just make a decision and end the conflict in your mind. 

In other news… 

The world has decided that the European Union is doomed, if you’re wondering why the stock market just keeps on tanking down to oblivion. 

AND any time the whole world thinks something is about the time when things change. My view: the selling has gone way too far, and you can expect a violent pop upwards soon. How so? Because I see a contradiction that nobody else seems to be commenting on. The VIX is a measure of volatility in the market, and it’s currently quite low. Now, if the Euro really was about to come to an end, why isn’t the VIX showing as much? 

The VIX is a reliable indicator because it measures the actions of sophisticated investors, not the herd. So my money’s on the VIX being correct, and that the market surges upwards very soon, if it hasn’t happened by the time you get this letter (I’m writing this a few days before you get it).

Until next time, 

Jim Sheridan

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Will This Happen to You?


You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘make it happen’ a lot, but how do we actually make it happen? More importantly, what should we make happen in the first place?! 

We all have a mission but it’s so very rare that anyone actually discovers what it is. Your mission is determined by your gifts- and we ALL have a gift. You’ll know what it is because you feel most like yourself when you’re using it. It’s like you’ve come home. If you won the lottery tomorrow, you wouldn’t stop doing it. And it doesn’t have to change the world, fit in with other peoples’ wishes or beliefs, or be anything grandiose- as long as it fills you up with lasting passion and joy.There never has been and never will be another one of you ever again, and your gift is just as unique; often, no-one else can understand why it means so much to you.Once you identify your reason for being, you’ll quickly realize two things:

1.  Working toward your goal and/or using your gift reinforces the best and deepest elements of yourself.
 

2.  You love doing this so much that you simply can’t get enough of it.

Many people are excellent at setting goals in an attempt to “Make it happen”, but are those goals the kind that make them automatically look past discomfort and risk? The goal needs a ‘pilot-flame’ to keep the fire burning- if that goal is not self-perpetuating through passion, the result will, surprise, surprise, be NO ACTION. If you follow this logic, an interesting point arises: 

Most people believe that their dream goal is to acquire more wealth. But if that’s the case, why aren’t they more motivated to get it?Because it isn’t their dream goal- they just assume it is because they haven’t found their gift in life. 

Okay, so that sounds fine and dandy; just find your dream and the act of making it a reality will just come automatically. However, more often than not, your dream doesn’t just come to you while you’re sitting in your armchair. No, you need to get out and find it by trying as many new things as possible because: 

The more new things you experience in life, the more likely you are to find yourself! 

If you insist on doing the same mundane job, living in the same town, going on holiday to the same place etc. etc. don’t be surprised to find that real and lasting happiness eludes you! How will you know what you love and what you hate if you’ve never tried anything different?Change seems scary because there is a perceived risk involved. However, the greatest risk you face in life is not finding your true self! 

Which brings us right back to where we started: we need to take some form of action. There’s just no getting away from the fact.

I
’m not going to lie to you here; some people are just born go-getters. They don’t even think this ability is that special because it just comes so naturally to them, but to the rest of the population, they’re perceived as having a mystical gift. They couldn’t even explain how they do what they do; it’s just branded into their nature through a mixture of genes and childhood experiences. 

So is that it then? Case closed; you either have it or you don’t? It may surprise you to discover that world-class athletes- a group of people often described as gifted- are not gifted at all. Their success is the result of discipline and hard work; their ‘gift’ only came about as a result of brute force. Is Arnold Schwarzenegger a gifted actor? Ummm, no. He found his passion, he knew what he wanted and set about getting it. 

So your first step is to eradicate this notion from your mind about either being a born go-getter or not! 

Let me tell you about the first skill in making something happen. It is something called visualisation. This technique has been used by people to gain wealth and freedom throughout the centuries, and indeed most of today’s millionaires have become wealthy by having this art at the core of everything they do.

This is what separates the rich from the poor.

First and foremost, before you set a goal, you must want it badly enough or you will not achieve it. Do you want freedom that badly?

Next, we must decide exactly what we want.

The next stage is to write down this objective on a piece of quality white paper, in ink.

The next part is the most vital though. After writing that you will achieve your freedom figure, you must put a deadline by when you will have achieved it by. 

If you don’t set a deadline then you give yourself an excuse to keep saying “Tomorrow” and never get anywhere. How many people do you know who say, “Oh, I’ll start that diet tomorrow” and never do??

And when I say set a deadline, I really mean it. Saying, “By the year 2015...” is not good enough. The deadline must be as exact as the “1st September 2015”.

I know, it sounds terrible doesn’t it?! You’re going to have that piece of paper staring at you every day making you feel unsettled about the task in hand. You’re going to want to rip it down and shout “impossible!” at it. Well, are you a man or a mouse? 

Now comes the real trick. I want you to close your eyes and VISUALISE yourself achieving your objective on schedule. Actually SEE the bank statement with a balance of this figure, FEEL the release as you become free of the grind, HEAR the champagne cork popping, SMELL the interior of your brand new car........ 

This takes some practice and concentration but the results are extraordinary. Can you see what you are doing here? You are re-educating your subconscious- you are taking the pieces of that puzzle it formed earlier on in life and smashing them to pieces! It’s no good just writing down a goal and reading it to yourself- your subconscious will laugh at you. That won’t do. You need the subconscious on your side to win because it is such a powerful player in this game. The subconscious does not respond to reason, only to emotions and feelings, which is why the power of visualisation is so effective. 

Some people say they find it hard to visualise. If you’re one of them, I want you to start reading a novel instead of watching a film because this will encourage you to visualise the images and characters in the story. Television is lazy because all the visualisation is done for you! 

Another thing to practice is this: sit yourself down quietly in a room on your own and look around taking in as much of the surroundings as possible. Then, close your eyes and try to picture how the room looked in your mind. This is exactly the same principle as visualising achieving your goal. 

I’m often asked how I felt the day I was able to break free of the need to work ever again, and my response often surprises when I explain that I didn’t really celebrate or anything. Does it surprise you? It wouldn’t surprise high-achievers to hear this either because they know where I’m coming from: 

Whenever I reach a landmark achievement I barely notice. Why?Because I’d already visualised it happening a thousand times before, to the extent that the actual event seemed like déjà vu! 

Maybe that de-glamorizes the whole experience of achievement somewhat, but that’s the reality I want you to take on board right here and now. You must not only know your goal, but also constantly visualise it so completely that it’s a foregone conclusion.

Do I mess about with ‘Plan Bs’ and contingency plans? NO! Why?

Because, failure simply isn’t an option. If things don’t proceed as planned I just change course until they do, like an aircraft dodging bad weather. 

So to answer the question we started with, NO, nothing will happen to you… unless you see it happening… 


Best Regards

Mark Patricks

Saturday, November 22, 2014

The Ultimate No-Commute Job: How to Become a Virtual Assistant



Thanks to the amazing leaps in technology in the past couple of years, more and more people are finding it more economical – and more lucrative – to work from home. And one of the most highly sought-after jobs for these folks – and maybe you – is that of virtual assistant.

What's a Virtual Assistant?

That's a good question. Often, a virtual assistant does very similar work to an assistant in a conventional office environment, like scheduling meetings, screening calls for an executive, preparing reports, etc. Except, of course, they work remotely from home. They “telecommute” by email, online workspaces, phone, VOIP, instant message, even fax. This technology makes the virtual assistant’s job possible.

But because virtual assistants are usually employed by smaller companies, your role often expands, and you might be called up to do more than just answer phones and enter data into a spreadsheet. (There’s an increase in paycheck in it for you, too. More responsibility equals more money.)

You might be writing advertising copy one day, putting together press releases, updating the company website the next, or compiling lists of the best restaurants in town. It really depends on who you decide to work for.

And the decision is really yours. According to more than a few studies, virtual assistants are one of the fastest growing job markets today. And since most - if not all - your work will be completed on the computer and phone, you can work for just about anybody in the world… from anywhere in the world with a good Internet connection.

The Skills You Need

Aside from the basic, administrative skills a virtual assistant needs to have - think organization, communication, and exceptional writing skills - you'll find your opportunities and consequently your wage increase exponentially if you have additional expertise.

Can you speak more than one language? Proofread text? Be sure to advertise that. Are you proficient in complex software such as Adobe Photoshop? Highlight that in your resume. If you're good at graphic design, make sure you let it be known. Are you a whiz at spreadsheets? The more skills you have, the more selective you can be.

How to Find Work as a Virtual Assistant

You'll have the most success finding work as a virtual assistant online. And you’ll find opportunities in just about any industry you can think of: real estate, publishing, music, architecture, IT, web development… the list goes on and on.Here are a few great websites to check:

Yes, these are the main job sites you have looked at before. But did you ever notice all the virtual assistant positions? There are tons. Many don’t say “virtual assistant.” Look for language like “telecommute” and “work from home.”

Some virtual assistant positions that you'll come across will be advertised as being temporary - usually three to six months. Don't be discouraged by this. Once you show what a great worker you are, chances are your employer will want to hold on to you. Think of the three to six months as more of a probationary period.

Building Your Virtual Assistant Business

If you're fully committed to making this a full-time job, here are a few pointers that are absolutely essential for you to consider:
  1. Determine your business niche – try to narrow it down to two or three (direct marketing, administrative support, transcribing, website development, etc.).
  2. Make sure you have the experience and qualifications to fulfill the obligations of your chosen business niche.
  3. Go local – research the needs in your community first. It'll be easier for you to land a virtual assistant job from an employer if you can score a face-to-face interview.
  4. Determine the needs of each niche you're qualified in and go after the one most in demand.
  5. Make a survey of your home office. Is your current computer capable? Do you have a dedicated work space? Good Internet connection?
  6. Be realistic about your project expenditures – and your expected earnings. Will it be enough to keep your virtual assistant business in the black?
  7. Market yourself. Then market yourself some more. As a virtual assistant, even after you land a few clients, you don’t want to be stuck if one of your clients drops out. Having a full LinkedIn profile can help tremendously.
  8. Don't be discouraged if your business starts slow. They all do. But keep yourself dedicated to a daily schedule, keep a positive attitude, and conduct yourself professionally. You'll be amazed how these simple steps put you ahead of so much of your competition.

The Benefits of Being a Virtual Assistant

Aside from going to work in your bunny slippers and comfiest pair of pajamas, being a virtual assistant offers a host of other benefits. The big one is you can usually set your own schedule. Unless your employer is in the same time zone as you, you can expect to have a great deal of flexibility when it comes to your actual work hours. This makes it an ideal job for stay at home moms or those looking for part-time work.

I once worked as a virtual assistant for a firm based in the UK. It wasn't rare for there to be a lag of a day or so in between communications. If you're a night owl, feel free to get your work done during the night. If you're the person who prefers the 9 to 5 schedule, that's totally your call to make.But there is a caveat: occasionally you might be asked to work odd hours. Say, if your employer has employees working for him or her across the globe, they might want to hold a Skype meeting with everyone and that might mean an early wake up call for you, or a late night. But that's to be expected in pretty much any business these days, and it's a small sacrifice to make in order to enjoy all the great benefits of being a virtual assistant.

And every industry out there - be it entertainment, media, legal, medical, etc. - is turning to virtual assistants as a necessary part of their business. Aside from the great potential earnings you can make as a virtual assistant, the other exciting aspect of this job is the sheer amount of opportunities that will become available to you. If you love to learn, this might be your dream job – because I guarantee you'll learn something new every day!

I wish you the best of luck!

Mark Edwards

P.S. I've just given you the insider's look into finding lucrative work as a virtual assistant. But here are a few more resources to help you find and hold onto that dream job.

Resources

Job Boards

- www.elance.comwww.craigslist.comwww.monster.comwww.job-hunt.orgwww.virtualassistantjobs.comwww.indeed.com/q-Virtual-Assistant-jobs.htmlwww.virtualassistants.com

Virtual Assistant Tips

http://www.wahm.com/articles/the-top-10-paying-virtual-assistant-opportunities.htmlwww.businessweek.com/articles/2012-09-04/when-your-personal-assistant-is-virtual

www.ivaa.org/

www.virtualassistantcommunity.com/

www.virtualassistantforums.com/

www.mybusinessassistant.com/

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Why ‘I Have Nothing to Hide’ Isn’t a Good Reason to Not Care That the Government Is Spying On You


I knew the United States government was lying to me. I didn’t need Edward Snowden to tell me that. 

I just thought the lies were going to be about the existence of Area 51 or the promise of Social Security when I retire. I certainly didn’t expect that the lies the government is feeding me and the rest of America to concern the espionage of its own citizens. 

At first I didn’t care that the government was tracking my phone calls, reading my emails and keeping track of what websites I visited. My first thought was, “Well I’m not doing anything wrong and I have nothing to hide.” 

While I’m not happy with the U.S. government most days, I don’t plan on trying to overthrow it, nor do I want anyone else to.  I don’t engage in illegal activities either. I don’t deal drugs or sell firearms or steal from people. My business is in full compliance as well. I pay all my taxes, don’t sell anything illicit, and have all the correct documents and licenses in place to run my company. 

So I thought, “Let them look through my emails, my web history and my phone records. I’m not who they are looking for.” But then I heard that the U.S. government was tracking and spying on Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a.k.a. the Boston Bomber, before he decided to commit a terrorist attack against America. The U.S. government had files on him and they were mining his data. They recorded his phone calls, but didn’t analyze them. 

They had him on a list of known terrorists that was supposed to prevent him from getting on a plane in the U.S. Well then can someone explain to me how he flew to Chechnya in the year before the Boston bombing? What is all this data mining and espionage good for if it doesn’t prevent acts of terrorism? 

In essence the government has all this information about us, but they aren’t doing anything with it. They are just storing it.  In the wake of the Boston bombing the FBI and CIA were able to say that they did have files on Tamerlan, they had checked him out. A lot of good that did us. If the government is going to violate the constitution and my rights in the name of protecting American citizens against acts of terrorism, then it better actually start preventing them. 

Plus now I worry about all of this data that the government has on me and you. Can it be compromised? I mean we hear from time to time about the Chinese government and other rogue groups who hack into company’s databases and steal information or disrupt their service.  Could someone break into the governments databases and steal my information? I bet they could. And since I don’t know the full extent of the information the government keeps on me and everyone else I can’t say I feel confident that the information couldn’t be used against me one day. It seems to me that a record of where I’ve been, who I’ve talked to, what internet searches I’ve made and emails I’ve sent could be of high value to some company. It’s nothing but a liability to me. 

In addition to worrying about my information being hacked I also worry about what the government will do with it in the future. Right now they are just storing it. President Obama says don’t worry that we’re tracking your calls and internet habits because we only check it out if there are other factors that warrant an investigation. 

Beside the fact that President Obama is a known liar, I have to wonder if even he knows how my behaviors can be used against me.  And don’t think I’m just picking on Obama… This was all going on long before him and will be going on for a longtime after.  Regardless of who the next president is. 

Like I said before I’m not doing anything wrong so I shouldn’t worry right? I’m not so sure anymore. Do you know how many federal statutes that exist? Don’t worry if you don’t know, the government doesn’t either. They freely admit they can’t even tell us how many federal laws there are on the books. Literally there are too many to count. One telling fact is they require roughly 27,000 pages to detail all the federal laws that exist. And those are just the ones on the federal level! Not to mention the tens of thousands of business regulations that are in place and all the state and local laws that are on the books. 

Jeez! Suddenly I’m not so sure I’m not breaking any laws. If the federal government can’t even count how many laws are on the books then how can the average citizen be sure they aren’t violating one of them? Ask any lawyer and they’ll tell you that not being aware of a law is not a worthy defense against a crime. 

Combine this with the fact that the government has access to every email you’ve ever sent, every phone call you’ve ever made, every site you’ve ever visited, every online purchase you’ve ever made and you can be certain that they could find something you’ve done which violated one of the laws in those 27,000 pages. Are you so sure you have nothing to hide anymore? I’m not. 

Government officials will continue to tell us that in order for them to keep us safe they’ll need to violate our privacies in order to do so; they’ll tell us that it’s important to find a balance between the two sides. Fine I’m willing to take my shoes off when I go through security at the airport. What I’m not okay with is Big Government keeping track of my every move and every communication to one day use against me if they want. 

Citizens in the Middle East and other nations are afraid to speak out against their government because they are afraid of retribution. They don’t even discuss their personal feelings with their neighbors, co-workers or people outside their family. They are worried everyone is a government spy. People who speak out against the government there frequently receive retribution. 

I don’t want that to become the culture in America. Here we feel free to speak out against laws we don’t agree with and things our government does that we don’t like.  This ability is a major cornerstone of what makes America so desirable. Could this nation of free thinkers and speakers change if we start worrying that the government is spying on us and recording us? 

After learning that Big Government has all of this information on me, and that they have the power to do anything they want with it… I don’t see the upside to the argument that I have nothing to hide so I don’t care if the government is spying on me. If you have nothing to hide, you also have nothing to gain by being spied on and recorded. 

Food for thought. 


Mark Patricks