Author Archives: Guest Writer

Why Routine Living Can Leak Your Money

As we get older and more set in our ways and daily routines especially with a family, there is a tendency to live within a zone of comfort that could ultimately be costing you a lot of money. Like budgeting, your financial life is a living, breathing element of your life that needs to be updated and refreshed on an ongoing basis.

Here are just some of the ‘living comfortable’ money leaks you may be overlooking in your household:

Bank Accounts

You may have had the same bank accounts for years and be proud of your loyalty. Perhaps you use the same bank for so long because it is convenient. Whatever your reasoning for sticking with the same financial institution is, you might want to do some investigating to ensure you are getting the best deal. Compare two or three other bank’s terms and incentives against yours. Pay special attention to the fees being charged for the services you use most. You may be able to save hundreds of dollars in a year by transferring your banking services to a new company. Consider online accounts where the perks are particularly competitive. You may also want to check in regularly with your current bank to see how competitive they agree to be.

Grocery Choices

Many people go to one store for the same brands of products time and time again. However, by not branching out you can be spending hundreds –even thousands –more than you think. There is a significant increase in the popularity of discount grocery stores and the amount of money you can save over time on non-brand named products can be large. Keep your eye out for fliers from markets and stores you don’t normally visit and plan to do some test shopping. Try selecting items you haven’t tried before to incorporate some less-pricey food options into your life. You can always stick with some of the routine items you get from your regular store but venture out from time to time to see what else is out there.

Credit Cards

Similar to the comfort zone you may have with your bank, it may be time to look over your current credit card benefits compared to newer cards on the market. Credit card providers have been streamlining their services to cut down on the risk but there are still many new perks being offered to keep companies competitive. You may have a rewards card from 10 years ago still earning airline miles you never use. Look into getting a cash-back credit card or one where the reward benefits actually fit your lifestyle. A key thing to remember here though is never close the old credit card accounts. Doing so can hurt your length of credit history which can drop your credit score.

Budgeting Methods

You may have been working the same numbers month after month for years but there are many more resources available now to help you increase the efficiency of your budget. A free online budget calculator and other personal finance software can be instrumental in adding perspective to your financial goals. There may be new ways for you to save more money and reach financial goals more efficiently that you are missing out on. Sure it can be good to stick with what has been working but it also doesn’t hurt to step out of the box and see what other tools are now available (especially for free) that can help you better manage your money.

There are many other areas of our lives where our comfort zones prevent growth and money-saving opportunities. Take the time to regularly review how you manage your money, where you are spending, and how better your income can be spent. When it comes to money, a little change can go a long way.

Debbie Dragon is a professional freelance writer, specializing in personal finance. She frequently writes for Vertex42.com which offers a large selection of free spreadsheet templates and financial calculators.

Is it Possible to Learn a Foreign Language as an Adult?

Having tried and tried again to learn various foreign languages since graduating from a very expensive college, I have resigned myself to the fact that it is nearly impossible. But then, when I take a minute and start to think about all the men and women who learn foreign languages as a result of a work requirement (in a short period of time to boot) or because they are married to someone of a different nationality, I begin to wonder, is it really that difficult? Research shows that except for minor considerations such as hearing and vision loss as a result of age, an adult learner is not handicapped when it comes to language acquisition.

So, this begs the question, what seems to be the problem? Linguists would agree that there is a “critical period” during which there is a heightened ability to learn a second language. However, what that period is has not been defined. Back to the question at hand: Why am I unable to pick up anything other than my mother tongue? The answer, in my opinion, is all about context and emotion.

First, the context in which adults learn has a major influence on their ability to converse, read, and write in a new language. Many times as adults, we become hooked on the idea that to acquire a language, we must learn it. In other words we must know the grammar rules, syntax and construction. However, this is not how we were taught as children. Before we entered our first English class, it is safe to say that most of us had a decent command of the English language and could converse with our families. We did that by listening. Children learn inductively and through interaction. As children we listened to those around us speaking and over time began to understand and recognize patterns. Then, we started to form sentences and soon after, began to speak. Acquiring the language, therefore, took precedence over learning it.

After having tried and failed many times to speak another language, I believe that it is essential to be immersed in an environment in which the language is used. The few times I have made significant progress in my foreign language aptitude was when I was visiting that foreign country for an extended period of time. Just because we are adults does not necessarily mean we need formal lessons – sometimes informal teaching goes just as far.

Second, as an adult, the idea of learning another language can be a psychological challenge. As young children, we are not nearly as affected by what others think or as worried about failure. As adults, we fear failure and sometimes lack the self-confidence to really take the plunge. We worry that our pronunciation will be off or that people will not understand us. To address these feelings, adult foreign language teachers must be able to reduce anxiety and build self-confidence in the learner.

Finally, it is impossible to ignore aptitude. Just as some of us are destined to be mathematicians or physicists, some people are just better at picking up foreign languages. Perhaps it is the way their brain is wired. All in all, learning a foreign language requires time and dedication. One must also understand what method of learning works best. That means in an attempt to succeed you might have to purchase Rosetta Stone, take a language class at the local university and travel to Spain for six months. It is a very individual process, the only caveat being the last of these choices would certainly be the most fun.

This post comes from Michael, chief editor of DoughRoller.net, a site that helps consumers manage their finances and obtain their free credit score

The Best Time to Buy a Car

Guest Post By Edward Pacheco

Portrait of Boxleys new car

When buying a new car the main goal for most people is to get the most vehicle for the lowest price. There is nothing better than walking out of the dealership knowing that you got the best of them. Many people do not realize it but there are times when you can get a lower price simply by going car shopping at the right time. In general, it is a somewhat known fact but that there are a few certain times of the year when dealerships are under pressure to move inventory. It is during these certain times that will do whatever they can to sell vehicles.

The end of the calendar year is one of the best times to buy a car. The day after Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas are thought to be the best two dates to buy a car. Though you can realize significant savings throughout the months of November and December in general, the largest discounts will be available these two days. The car dealerships know people are in a buying mood these two months, and actually they are able to sell a higher volume during this period which in turn allows them to offer a few at a lower price without feeling bad. Also, dealers are typically anticipating the slowdown of sales that occur in the months of January and February. These two months are usually slow regarding sales because people tend to have less excess money to spend after the holidays. By moving a lot of inventory in November and December they can compensate for the slowdown in January and February, and might just give you the deal you’re looking for.

The end of the model year of a certain car is also a great time to buy a new car if you don’t mind giving up on buying the “newest.” It should be noted that the end of the model year does not always coincide with the end of the calendar year. In fact, the end of the model year usually occurs somewhere in the middle of the calendar year. During this time, the dealerships want to get rid of the old models to clear room for the new models. This creates a sense of urgency that makes the dealerships slash the prices on the older models. Many times, especially on popular models, the older ones can sometimes be had at the price that the dealership paid for the car. The dealers need room to provide a prominent position for all the new models, and it’s worth it for them to get rid of the old ones. My neighbor recently purchased a new Mercedes (2009 E350) for $12,000 off the original price since the new 2010 (new design) Mercedes came in.

The end of the month is also a good time to buy a new car regardless of where the month falls on the calendar. Car salesmen have a monthly quota that they must meet. To that end, they will be interested in moving as many cars as they have to at the end of the month in order to meet that quota even if they don’t make money—some may be depending on the quote to keep their job. The pressure is on them to make sales so it is easier to work out a better deal. One other thing, be sure to check any available rebates or incentives on the models you’re looking at, you may be in for a treat.

The nice thing about car shopping today is that you have so much information available to you. It is possible to go online and find all the information you want very easily on all of the models you are thinking of buying. When you’re a knowledgeable buyer, you will be equipped to haggle with the salesman since you know how much the car is worth, and how much others are asking for it. The easiest method: Request several free price quotes from various dealerships online (you fill out a few questions about the type, make and model of car you want they will send you back a price quote). Then you use this to your advantage. If you want to contact all the local dealerships in your area in one step and have them fight over your business, consider researching at InternetAutoguide.com and using the “Get Real Dealer Pricing” option for whichever car you’re interested in!

Income Tax Preparation Software

Most adults have at some point in their life either prepared their own income tax return, or contemplated doing so. Income tax software programs have become increasingly easy to use while at the same time becoming more sophisticated. Accuracy has improved tremendously from what it used to be, due in part to simplified user instructions. There are two methods of entering the data:

  • In the interview method, the program asks questions, the user enters the answers and the program completes the form.
  • In the form method, the user enters their information directly onto the form or a field or worksheet attached to the form.

Both methods work equally well; the interview method is probably easiest for those new to tax preparation. For the individual contemplating their own income tax preparation, the following five are popular options.

H&R Block At Home
H&R Block at home, which was formerly TaxCut, offers a variety of tax preparation software choices, from their very basic program to their premium & business program, which is for small business owners and includes corporate and partnership returns, as well as non-profits, estates and trusts. A free, downloadable one-state tax preparation module is included in all the Block programs, but e-filing the state return costs additional except for the premium & business program.

 

H&R Block At Home Online
H&R Block also offers a best-of-both program that enables the individual to prepare their tax return online at the Block website, then send it to a local office for one of their tax professionals to review; one free session of tax advice is included. In addition, this program is available with their worry-free audit support, which guarantees that in the event of an audit, they will provide an enrolled agent to represent the taxpayer.

Turbo Tax
TurboTax is another popular income tax preparation software program with four levels of tax preparation, and a five-star rating, slightly higher than the H&R Block program. The basic TurboTax program is free for federal preparation and filing, although there is a charge for e-filing the state return. For those with simple returns, this is a good option and includes common forms such as Making Work Pay, Child & Dependent Care Expenses and Education Credits.

TurboTax’s three upgrades include free federal e-file but charge additional for state e-filing. The upgrades to TurboTax cover standard deductions for those who itemize and forms for business owners, those with rental properties, stocks, bonds and mutual funds, etc. All TurboTax tax preparation programs start for free, with payment due at completion of the return.

TaxAct
TaxAct income tax preparation software has an average four-star rating and their four levels are the lowest priced programs available. The free edition has free e-filing for the federal return; both federal and state start for fee in the deluxe edition, with payment being made when the return is filed. The small business edition has state modules integrated into the program and includes free e-file for both federal and state returns. TaxAct conveniently has a bundling option that allows a customized combination of their upgraded software programs.

IRS
For taxpayers with a 2010 adjusted gross income (AGI) of $58,000 or less, the Internal Revenue Service offers free tax preparation software at their website. The program is courtesy of the Free File Alliance, which is a collaboration of industry leaders in tax preparation software. Users select the free file option, then select from a list of companies that fit their needs, or there is an option to help the taxpayer locate an appropriate company.

For the taxpayer who wants to prepare their own income taxes, there are a multitude of available options that will simplify what is without doubt a daunting and arduous task. However, it can be done and for less money than a tax professional would charge.

 

Caught in a Rut? 4 Tips for Climbing Out (guest post)

There’s a bleak, helpless space between being generally satisfied with your life and being clinically depressed. About one year ago, I entered this space and thought I’d never get out. It’s a terrible position to be in because you can’t really complain about all that much - you have a job that pays the bills and leaves you with enough to enjoy yourself, a partner who meets your emotional needs, and a decent group of friends to fulfill your need for human interaction beyond a romantic relationship. So what was really wrong with the picture? Nothing. Except that my engagement with life had dissipated, and all those things that had previously inspired in me passion and motivation lost their luster. It lasted for months, and I’m convinced this period of ennui would have lasted infinitely longer had I not done something about it. If you’re suffering from a chronic case of the not-quite-depression-but-close-enough, here’s how I climbed out of my rut.

1. If you’re in the hole, but can’t pinpoint anything really wrong in your life, you’re simply in denial about something big that’s bothering you but that you’re afraid of addressing.

Sometimes I’m amazed by how far we’ll go to repress, ignore, and otherwise obscure problems with which we don’t want to deal. But then again, it makes sense. If we admit there’s a problem, we’re also admitting to ourselves that we can take action but out of self-doubt, we simply haven’t. Whether it’s a partner, a job, or something else, spend some time thinking if you’re really satisfied with it. Don’t be afraid to admit that you need to make a big change. Mine was leaving a long-term but unrewarding relationship.

2. Don’t force yourself out of the rut; it doesn’t work.

When I began noticing that my outlook on life had slowly slipped, I was scared. I then did everything I could to get myself out - I tried overhauling my diet, exercising more, attending therapy, meditation, the whole nine yards. While these little things were beneficial in different ways, after trying everything, I was still feeling sunk. Then I stopped obsessing about finding a zillion different “mood-lifting” techniques. Instead, I cut myself a break and told myself that I won’t feel this way forever; it may just take some time.

3. Change your living arrangements.

As mentioned before on Brip Blap, making changes to a structured routine is a terrific way to bring some excitement back. I’m going to take things a step further and suggest changing your environment as drastically as you are reasonably able. When my one bedroom apartment lease came to an end, I seized the chance and moved in with a friend who was looking for a roommate. I think the reason this one move was so effective was not simply that it was a big change. It was merely a matter of association - I had begun to associate my lack of desire with my environment. Once I left that environment, I had a completely new backdrop with which to engage a new mental orientation. If you can’t completely move to another place, consider the advantages of rearranging furniture or switching up rooms.

4. Chip away at a meaningful project without putting too much pressure on yourself.

I’m not talking about the grand New Year’s resolutions type of goals. I’m talking about something that requires little effort but lots of time. For me it was finishing Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, the French author’s 4000 page magnum opus. It was a goal that wasn’t life-or-death. If I failed to meet the goal, I wouldn’t have been extremely disappointed in myself. It was just something to fill those spaces of time when we tend to nurse negative thoughts. As luck would have it, In Search of Lost Time also happens to be filled with inspirational wisdom that sticks with you. But taking up any kind of low-impact time-filler with something meaningful, whether it’s putting together one of those 1000 piece puzzles or beating a video game of which you are particularly fond, is a wonderful way to bide your time while the storm passes.

Of course, there isn’t much I’ve covered here that hasn’t, in some way or another, been addressed in self-help books or productivity blogs. But the main take away that I’d like to share with others is this: restoring your once active, positive, and curious mindset isn’t impossible. It’s all about confronting big problems that you’re sitting on, making smaller changes to shake things up a bit, and being as patient as possible. The rut always comes, but if you do something about it, it does eventually pass.

This guest post is contributed by Raine Parker, who writes on the topics of accounting degree. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: raine.parker6@gmail.com.

how russians celebrate the new year

russian food

russian food

This is a guest post from my wife, Bubelah, originally posted on another blog. I’ve reprinted it here, although I’ve taken out some of her commentary and added my own - so by this point it’s a “joint” post. But it’s still written as if she wrote it? Confused? Forget it, read on…

New Year’s Celebration is a big holiday for a Russian family; in our family the holiday is accompanied by lots of traditional foods, vodka, cognac and champagne drinking. I call it the “New Year Russian Style.” For Russians, the New Year’s Eve celebration is bigger than Christmas or any other holiday or all of them combined together. It arose during the secular regime of the former USSR. The celebration lasts all night and spills over to the next day. The preparations for the celebration of the New Year are as busy as for Christmas in the western world.

Before moving from New Jersey to Florida, we usually were the hosts for my family. But since we moved, we’ll be visiting my sister’s house in Long Island and celebrating there. One thing that won’t change, though, is the elaborate menu.

The “Russian table” is an overwhelming experience if you haven’t eaten it before. Dishes begin with cold foods and zakuski (appetizers) and course after course is added throughout the night. Alcohol flows freely. The highlight of the evening will usually be a large meat dish; in our family this is usually a dish called shashlik, which is the rough equivalent of shish-kabobs. By the time it arrives, dozens of plates of food will be crammed onto every square inch of the table; the idea is that your New Year’s table should be full and abundant to invite an abundant year into your lives.

Father Frost (in the form of my husband Steve, wearing a costume) will visit us with a big bag full of presents. Presents don’t have to be anything big. If you know a person you can tell what they like the most. And I know that my husband loves to drink coffee all day long - you can guess what he is getting for New Year’s.

But the real magic of the holidays is about festivities, food, laughter and drunken dancing on the table with your family. Have a healthy and abundant 2011!

photo Some rights reserved by mathiasbaert

10 Tax Deductions You Don’t Want to Overlook

Millions of Americans overpay on their taxes every year.

Although some of these tax deductions are small, missing too many of them can add up to a lot of money. To make sure that you don’t make a costly mistake that could mean missing out on major savings opportunities, check out these 10 frequently overlooked tax deductions.

Out of Pocket Costs for Charity

While most people already know that they can deduct donations of cash or goods, many are unaware that they can also deduct all of their out-of-pocket expenses when they volunteer. This includes everything from transportation – including mileage, parking fees and tolls – to other travel expenses when away from home, such as meals and hotel stays. It is strongly recommended that you have good documentation to back up these expenses and that you never attempt to deduct an expense unrelated to charity.

Job Hunting

If you are actively seeking a new job, any expenses incurred during the search can be deducted. You are permitted to deduct money spent to send out resumes, including paper, ink and stamps. You can also deduct any internet expenses – such as posting your resume to different job sites – and any travel expenses sustained to and from interviews. It is important to note that you cannot deduct job hunting expenses for your first job.

Moving Expenses to Take a New Job

You can take this deduction even if you do not itemize. As long as your new job is at least 50 miles farther from your old residence than your previous job location was from your prior residence, you are allowed to deduct mileage and the transportation of your household goods to your new location.

Refinancing Points

If you buy a new home or refinance your current mortgage and buy points, you can deduct the cost of the points. If you purchased a home, you can deduct the cost all at once. If you refinanced, however, you have to take the deduction over the course of the loan.

Home Improvement Loan Interest

While most people claim interest on their home loan, many overlook interest paid on a home improvement loan. As long as the loan is intended for a major renovation, you will be able to deduct any interest paid.

Tax Preparation Fees

If you paid to have your taxes prepared or purchased software to complete your taxes, these fees are deductible. You can also deduct any fees associated with e-filing your tax return.

State Sales Tax

All taxpayers have the option to deduct state sales tax. Typically it only makes sense if you are living in a state that has no income tax because you have the option to decide between deducting state and local taxes or state and local sales taxes. For the individuals that live in states that have an income tax it is a no brainer to deduct that instead of the sales tax since it is likely a lot larger. This deduction may not save you a lot, but why pay uncle sam more than you need to.

Student Loan Interest Paid By Parent

If you are a parent and are paying back your child’s student loans, you can deduct the interest you paid, up to $2,500.00.

Transportation for Medical Visits

Many people forget to deduct transportation to and from doctor visits. You can deduct mileage if you take your own car, in addition to parking and tolls. If you take a bus or pay cab fare for transportation, those expenses are also deductible.

Jury Pay Turned Over to an Employer

If your employer paid your full salary while you served jury duty and you turned over your jury duty pay to your employer, you still have to report the jury duty money as income; however, you are allowed to deduct the amount that you turned over to your employer.

Tax laws are complex and constantly changing. It is very common for people pay more in taxes than they have to each year. If you feel you missed a large deduction in the past, consider filing an amended tax return. To file an amended tax return you have three years from the due date of the return that was filed. When filing your taxes, it is a good idea to use tax software or go to an experienced tax preparer to help ensure you take advantage of all the deductions that apply to you.

This guest post was provided by BackTaxesHelp.com, a website that helps taxpayers find the best solution to their tax problems. Visit their site and find more information on IRS levies, tax penalties and more.

interview question: what were your job responsibilities?

This is a guest post from Ron Haynes, editor of The Wisdom Journal.

Have you actually prepared for your next job interview? Interview preparation is a matter of researching the company, the open position for which you’re applying, and even researching yourself. How do your skills, experience, and education match with the open position’s demands? How do you “fit” with the company culture? Those two questions are the ones you have to embed into every answer you give to any interview question.

What were your three most important responsibilities on your last job?

This appears to be a simple information gathering question, but many times it’s followed up with “What special skills or knowledge did you need to perform those duties?” These two questions combine to give the interviewer a larger view of your functional background as well as an insight into your depth of understanding. If you’ve had any specialized training, this is a perfect time to mention it. It tells your interviewer that your previous employer felt you were a good investment of the time and money spent on training (this is an endorsement in and of itself). It also tells the interviewer that such an investment won’t have to be made on his dime!

WORST ANSWER: Make certain your answer contains the responsibilities that match the job to which you’re applying. It doesn’t do any good to answer “ringing up customers, ordering product, and controlling inventory” if you’re applying for an accounting job.

BEST ANSWER: Responsibilities that match your interviewer’s greatest wants or needs will raise your value in the interviewer’s eyes most. Since you’ve done your homework and know what those needs are, you’re already ahead of the game. If you’ve recently graduated college with an accounting degree but your only experience was in working at Old Navy as a cashier, think about how your experience applies:

 

Example: “My top three responsibilities were to account for all cash, checks, and credit card receipts at the end of my shift and balance those with what our management information system calculated. I was responsible to audit the cycle counts of all merchandise in my area, and I also trained newcomers to the company.”

See how those responsibilities match what an accounting firm might like to see? Always, always, always tailor your responses to match what your interviewer is looking for. Yes, he probably knows what you’re doing, but the fact that you’re already thinking like an employee and matching your former responsibilities to the ones demanded of the open position proves you’re the best candidate … and the best candidate usually gets the job offer!

 

relaxation and busywork

dirty dishes in the kitchen sink

dirty dishes in the kitchen sink

While trying to manage all of my many responsibilities, I found that my productivity suffers the most when I let myself worry too much about the busy work I have to do each day. I used to put so much pressure on myself to get everything done that I usually got nothing done and instead wound up sitting on the couch watching television. Afterwards, I often felt extremely guilty for not only failing to get everything done, but also for wasting perfectly good relaxation time.

So after a few months of this, I finally figured out a way to keep up my productivity, get the busy work done, and still have time to relax. I decided to try to combine my relaxation time with the busy work. I don’t always do it, but I’ve learned that with certain tasks, I can adjust my attitude and actually become quite relaxed by the mindlessness of them. I found that by combining relaxation time with the tasks, I actually create more quality time for myself at the end of the day, and I get my bigger, more important tasks accomplished much quicker.

I first got this idea one day while washing the dishes. I came out of a weird trance to discover how intently, but calmly I was wiping dry each dish. I realized that the activity of it, the routine of flipping the dish over, then stacking it, was actually pleasing to me. I usually hate doing dishes, but that day I was sort of enjoying myself. I realized that if only I could change the way I thought of doing the dishes, then I could get something out of it. Instead of thinking of it as a chore, I started thinking of it as a puzzle to solve or a game to play.

I understand that this sounds a bit childish, but I think in order to be able to accomplish these tasks, I had to change my perspective. I tried applying this new perspective to the other tasks I hate, like folding laundry and answering emails. I was mostly successful this way too. I combined, for example, my email checking with my morning coffee. In the mornings, I like to sit outside and drink my coffee as I wake up. Because my mind is so used to the relaxation of this activity, I found that adding one simple task to it, like checking my email, didn’t actually disturb me all that much. I told myself that I could enjoy the morning and answer one or two emails. Then later, I wouldn’t feel stressed about those two emails while I was working on a bigger, more important project.

That has been the greatest advantage of this experiment so far: I have more energy to focus on the bigger things in my life, because the anxiety over the little things has lessened. Combining my relaxation time with my busy-work has allowed me to sort of enjoy both. Then at the end of the day, I can really sit back and relax, knowing full well I’ve accomplished all my goals, and all because of a slight attitude adjustment.

This guest post is contributed by Olivia Coleman, who writes on the topics of online colleges and universities. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: olivia.coleman33 @gmail.com.

Photo: Some rights reserved by miss pupik

Insufficient Education: Then and Now

Steve writes about the “31 Causes of Failure” included in Napoleon Hill’s seminal work on financial success, Think and Grow Rich. High on that list, holding down the #4 slot, is education. The discussion of education tends to center on keeping your mind active with constant learning activities, or on “continuing education,” which can amount to community college classes, seminars, or self-help books. There are many professions, nursing and teaching among them, that require some element of continuing education as a prerequisite for retaining a professional license. Accounting is another, and you can get a degree like Warner Pacific’s bachelors of accounting for adults as a great start before pursuing advanced degrees.

But there is also a case to be made for redefining insufficient education within the context of the economic changes that have swept this nation over the past decade. The last three years have seen a prolonged financial and employment downturn, but in both cases they are signs of trends that have been underway for some time. The offshoring of the U.S. manufacturing sector has been devastating to millions of wage earners and (former) homeowners. Nonskilled jobs have been followed to the developing nations by skilled positions including IT jobs, accounting and actuarial jobs, many other white collar support roles, even freelance writing: I am constantly underbid on writing gigs by people in Bangalore or some other exotic time zone.

It is not unreasonable to suggest that insufficient education today may be because a job for which a bachelor’s degree was sufficient a decade ago now requires a master’s degree. That may be due to the increasing complexity of some professions – civil engineering comes to mind – or it may mean that employers can be more selective in their baseline requirements for professional employees. The IT requirements for many jobs have shot up over the past ten years; today you can find graduate degree programs in nursing informatics and financial engineering – two examples of professional niches that didn’t exist for the last generation.

For someone who is currently unemployed, has gotten through college and put in several years of successful work experience based on those undergraduate studies, the suggestion that they lack sufficient education isn’t a fair statement. The education that many of us obtained prior to entering the work force simply isn’t applicable in today’s domestic economy or doesn’t meet newly established benchmarks for professional advancement. Fixing a situation like may require a more concerted effort than continuing education.

Today a wealth of online graduate degree programs designed for experienced and/or working professionals exists. Many are part time, for those of us who are still working; others are accelerated programs that can get you through a master’s program in a hurry. And today, most of them are offered by traditional universities that have expanded into distance learning. The morphing job market can be a frightening situation, especially for people who have embarked on a career track. Sometimes the best insurance for someone who has to change direction is an advanced degree to bolster those years of experience.

Article Source: Bob Hartzell is an in-house editor for Masters Degree Online.com. He writes about the current state of traditional and for-profit education including student loans, scholarships and distance learning.

The Perfect Salary for Happiness

Maybe you’ve already heard. But for those who need a recap, a recent Wall Street Journal article has brought the nations’ attention to some buzz-generating findings from a Gallup survey about the economy. Princeton economist Angus Deaton and psychologist Daniel Kahneman have interpreted Americans’ responses to the survey and have found that there is a threshold, above which, money no longer contributes to “day-to-day contentment.”

The magic number: yearly earnings of $75,000.

That’s right. The emotional well-being of one who makes less than $75,000 a year rises with all gains in income, but for those who earn more, there is no change. Thus, this survey suggests there is a ceiling at which money no longer adds to daily happiness. However, there was no plateau found with regards to what the researchers called “overall life assessment,” or “broader satisfaction with one’s place in the world.” It’s still apparently true that the more money one earns, the better they feel about life in general.

What it says about us

This income plateau concept makes for some pretty interesting social commentary. Essentially, the survey seems to indicate that money, after a certain point, matters only in the larger scheme of things. Once one reaches a certain point where bills, rent, and mouths to feed are no longer an issue, then money does not add or subtract to or from one’s daily contentment.

But doesn’t that fly in face of our consumer mindset? What about the prevalent (predominant) culture of the impulse buy? The world in which weekends are spent perusing dinette sets at Pottery Barn or trying on clothes at Macy’s rather than spending time with our loved ones or going for a walk on a sunny day. Advertisements tell us to buy, Buy, BUY to look better, fit in, and feel better about ourselves. So logically if you have more money you can buy more things and feel more of that instantaneous buyer’s rush, you’ll be happier in the short-term, correct?

Well, apparently, wrong. The study reveals what the Don Drapers of the world don’t want you to know. Buying things can’t ultimately make you feel better. It may provide a quick jolt of pleasure in owning something new, but that fleeting feeling barely registers a blip on that day’s happy radar.

What you can’t put a price tag on

In this humble writer’s opinion, day to day happiness is the result of living comfortably, of taking care of the things necessary to living for one’s self and one’s loved ones and taking care of them well, such as living in a decent enough house in a safe neighborhood, without too much worry for the future. Luxuries like fancy clothes, sports cars, and McMansions - on a daily basis, do not matter so much.

But take some time and reflect on your own priorities. What matters more - happiness in the moment or happiness in the larger scheme of things? Do the findings of Deaton and Kahneman illustrate that money does not buy happiness? Do you live like it does?

Joseph Gustav enjoys musing on topics related to the economy and employment as a guest blogger for Pounding the Pavement and Guide to Career Education.

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