How to Get Through a Tough Financial Emergency

We're all forced to deal with financial and other emergencies from time to time. It's not fun to think about, and we usually put off planning for it until it's too late. My husband and I recently experienced a family medical emergency and encountered a tough situation. We're both self-employed so this made everything even more financially stressful.

We quickly learned that we were not prepared to weather a financial emergency, but we have since begun taking steps to prepare. Here's how to get through a tough financial time without losing everything, and keeping your sanity and confidence intact.

1. Keep Things in Perspective

When you're going through a tough financial time it's important to stay positive and know that things will get better. Give yourself time to be frustrated, cry, scream, and then remain hopeful that the situation can only improve.

Hope is the motivating force that will keep you in the right mindset, so you can successfully handle this situation. Focus on the positives and view each day as a new chance to make everything better.

2. Surround Yourself With Positive Support

One of the best ways to keep a positive approach to life when you're having a tough time is to surround yourself with a supportive community. When you're struggling, you can reach out to your supporters for guidance and advice. They can also help you keep the situation in perspective, so it doesn't get blown out of proportion.

Make sure your positive group of supporters are people you can trust and who have your back no matter what. Community organizations, religious groups or churches, and other social support mechanisms can also lend a financial hand during difficulties. Map out the community resources you can rely on to help you during lean times.

3. Create an Emergency Backup Plan

The best way to conquer an emergency situation is to have a backup emergency plan in place. In case you don't have one already, now's the perfect time to create it.

What's your process for an emergency situation? Will you rely on savings, take out a loan, or get a second job? Do you understand the exact resources at your disposal? By understanding the options available, you can more readily navigate a financial emergency.

You should set goals because striving to meet a goal makes you happier. This is because a goal gives us structure and purpose, but also once you set a goal, your brain feels like you have already attained that goal. (This explains the euphoria we feel when we decide to “start a diet.”)

1. Our brain thinks we are finished before we start.
We need to be very careful setting goals. Our brain is hard-wired to get very upset when we lose something we already have, so we get upset when we don’t actually reach the goal. And, the bigger the potential for positive growth a goal has, the more anxiety and stress your brain is going to create around its non-achievement.

I have this process from setting yoga goals. Over the past five years I have become anxiety-riddled over the calming effect of yoga.

2. Goals are really about process – the results are ancillary.
To reach a goal you have to separate it into small steps. I did that before I had kids. I had a goal of going to a class. Then going to a specific class. Then paying for private lessons to get good. Then practicing every day.

Then I had kids, and predictably, things went to hell. I tried hiring a babysitter to do yoga (too expensive). I tried bringing my baby to yoga (in NYC the hard-core Ashtanga studios are okay with this. Probably because no parent can handle it for more than a few times.) And I tried doing yoga on my own, at home.

What would you do if you were a millionaire?

I’d have a Pilates teacher and a yoga teacher live in houses on the farm and they’d give me a lesson each day. Otherwise I don’t think I’d change anything. Oh. Hire a gardener. And a cleaning person to come every day.

What keeps you from doing that now?

Money.

The gardener and cleaning person are pretty cheap. You could hire them if you stopped buying stuff on eBay. And you can do Pilates and yoga on your own, with a little bit a self-discipline.

What I’m trying to get myself to see is that really, the millionaire money only buys the illusion of self-discipline — to do yoga and Pilates every day, and to not have to stop myself from buying stuff on eBay each day.

Then I think I’ll google self-discipline to see what other people are saying. Because every time I write about self-discipline I get to the same conclusion: It’s a muscle you have to exercise and I am too tired to exercise it. And also, give me a break: I homeschool, I work full-time, and I have a garden the size of a small estate. Who has more self-discipline? I’d have to give something up. And I don’t want to. Because, fine, because I’m a brat. So I need something new to say about self-discipline.

On Reddit there’s a great discussion about self-discipline. I’m a little put off by the person whose handle is shutuppussy. But I tell myself that person has a whiny cat and I keep reading.

The discussion is about whether it’s important to develop self-discipline or can you just force yourself? Like, if I pay someone to stand over me while I do Pilates each day, then do I have self-discipline? Probably not. But I do have great posture.

I am not a millionare, now follow me to check these Creative Ways to Save Money on Food

1. Buy Unconventional Cuts of Meat

You can make some very delicious and nutritious recipes on the cheap if you opt for meat options that make most people think twice. For instance, oxtail is a very tasty cut that is just as it is described — it's the tail of the cattle. Many high-end restaurants will serve oxtail, often braised in red wine, but most supermarkets won't even bother putting it out on display. Ask the butcher if he or she has any; they'll give you an insanely good deal on it. Other cuts worth investigating including tripe, liver, kidneys, hearts, tongue, chicken feet, and even brains. And if you're a fish lover, try fish heads. They provide great flavors for soups and stews.

2. Become a Suburban Farmer

You do not need to have a farm the size of Old MacDonald's to take advantage of homegrown fruits and vegetables; you can even start with a window box. But when I considered how much water and fertilizer the lawn was using (here in Colorado in the summer, it gets very dry), I thought there would be a better use for those resources. It does not take a lot of time, money, or effort to convert some of your garden into an area for growing herbs, vegetables, and fruits. If you check your local regulations, you may even be able to keep chickens, goats, or other farm animals. Goats are natural lawn mowers, and provide milk that you can use to make delicious cheese.

3. Use ALL of the Chicken

When I used to buy a chicken or turkey, I would strip away the meat from the bones and throw away the carcass. I never thought about using the bones. But, I found out that not only are the bones good for stock (I had always bought it in cans or boxes), but the actual bones can be used in your own vegetable garden (see above). Once the bones have been used for your stock, put them in the microwave for about three minutes to dry them out. Then, crush them in a pestle and mortar (or improvise your own) and add in some eggshells and calcium. Then, sprinkle on your garden. Not one piece of that chicken carcass goes to waste.

Technology was absent from the leaders' debate – but it is key to the UK's success

Last night’s election leaders’ debate was notable for the almost complete absence of technology, bar a hesitant reference to “IT” from Ed Miliband. Not one of the seven candidates spoke about technology as an enabler, as a tool that offers us the capability to completely revitalise our economy.

Instead, each debater focused on the small picture, rather than looking outwards to the massive technology-enabled social and economic changes happening globally.
Where was the leadership? Where was the inspiration? Where was the “yes we can” moment? And why was there no talk of the massive digital revolution happening right now, which offers us so many opportunities to solve or alleviate many of our country’s problems?
The UK has a great tradition of creativity, invention and technology from the industrial revolution to the code breakers of Bletchley Park, to ARM, the BBC Micro and the Raspberry Pi.
We are now competing in a global marketplace, in a world that is increasingly driven by technology. The UK should be leading the world with a strong, tech-savvy, tech-enabled workforce, ready to make the most of the huge opportunities a global marketplace opens up. We should be in pole position. Are we? Are we bugger.
Our schools have only just started teaching computer science properly, and the majority of UK adults have almost no practical tech education at all, which harms our future economic success and competitiveness as a nation. Which political party is taking a lead on ensuring that as a country we are ready with 21st century tech skills?
Last night I saw “pale, stale and male” middle-class white men from privileged backgrounds, all focused on either getting into or staying in power. The only candidates to mention cooperation and collaboration were female — the Green Party’s Natalie Bennett and Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party. Organisations across the UK, including government, education and the NHS, need to collaborate more effectively in order to solve problems more swiftly, and tech can help to facilitate this.
For too long we have had a political system built around competition and short termism. If we want our country to be successful we need more focus on cooperation and collaboration, both nationally and globally. In these areas technology is a great enabler.
Today’s politicians simply do not seem to grasp the positive impact tech could have to the nation’s economy, if we can educate the workforce to understand it. From virtual assistants to web designers, and executive coaches to Etsy’s knitters, technology enables entrepreneurs to go global.
The World Economic Review for 2014 ranked the UK just ninth in the world for networked readiness, or having a workforce that is able to use technology. This puts us behind the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries. At first glance, ninth may not seem all that bad. But things move fast in the tech world and governments that prioritise tech education for adults as well as school children will have the clear advantage.
The candidates last night spoke of the NHS, the economy, jobs, full employment, debts, zero-hours contracts, legislation, public sector contracts and security for working families. These are all important, of course, but what was missing was anything truly inspiring and with a real sense of optimism. One candidate did at least speak of a pride in our nation, and mentioned the global economy. What a shame that was Nigel Farage...
Farage might pay lip service to engaging with the world at large, but stricter immigration policies would do the UK tech industry and the economy in general no good at all.
A recent House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report published in 2014 claims that an “unwelcoming UK” has already led to an “unprecedented fall” in Stem student numbers. Keeping people out of our country means missing opportunities to share skills, to enhance knowledge and develop global networks, all of which are important in the modern workplace.
In the UK we have a rich heritage in technology and engineering that should give us the confidence for leadership at a global level, setting the pace and inspiring other nations to follow our great example – not focusing on how many foreigners there are in the UK. It’s embarrassing. How did we end up here?
Now is the time for a new inspiring vision of the future, from a leader who can not only lead but who is not afraid to connect and collaborate. A leader who understands and can leverage the massive opportunities available, someone that our innovative, inventive and creative population can believe in. We need a leader who understands the capabilities inherent in modern technology and has the ability to use them to solve our problems. We need that leader now.
Where is she?

Clinton benefitted from email double-standard, says former US ambassador

A former ambassador to Kenya who was fired when Hillary Clinton was in charge of the State Department on Sunday accused Clinton of benefitting from a double-standard when it came to using personal email for official business.
Scott Gration, a former air force general who flew hundreds of sorties over Iraq, spoke to CNN from Kenya about his disappointment at losing his “dream job” as ambassador, saying: “As I look back, it does seem a bit unfair.
“It does appear that there was a different standard that was used in my case and was used in hers,” Gration said.

Gration’s remarks came as the conversation over Clinton’s use of personal email while secretary of state expanded to pull in top senators, a former secretary of state and even Bill Clinton, Hillary’s husband.
“I’m not the one to judge that. I have an opinion, but I have a bias,” Bill Clinton said in remarks reported on CNN’s website. “I shouldn’t be making news on this.”
In remarks parallel to the former president’s, Senator Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat, said Hillary Clinton “needs to step up and come out and say exactly what the situation was”, adding that from “this point on, the silence is going to hurt her”. From the opposite side of the political aisle, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said on CBS that he was “a little bit worried about the security of those emails. They could have been prime targets for a cyber-attack.”
Former secretary of state Colin Powell, speaking on ABC, said he had used a personal email account sparingly in the job, but that it wasn’t his main account and there had never been a request that he turn anything over.
“I did not keep a cache of them,” Powell told CBS. “I did not print them off.”
Clinton’s use of a personal email account while she led the State Department has drawn accusations of a failure of transparency. Clinton supporters have said she had nothing to hide and the practice was not unusual.
Clinton herself has remained silent, apart from tweeting: “I want the public to see my email. I asked State to release them. They said they will review them for release as soon as possible.”
The State Department has said Clinton turned over “55,000 pages” of emails for review. It is unknown how many emails Clinton held back, if any.
Gration, as head of the US embassy in Kenya, chafed at rules barring him from using his Google email account, according to an internal State report which listed his “lack of adherence” to the ban as one of multiple reasons for his firing.
“I wasn’t flouting [the rule] … but I did raise some serious questions about the use of commercial accounts, because I thought they were helpful to me in my duties as ambassador to Kenya,” Gration said.
The State report makes it clear that Gration’s personal email was one small piece of larger problems with his leadership of the Nairobi embassy. The report also called Gration “divisive and ineffective” and said: “The ambassador has lost the respect and confidence of the staff to lead the mission.”
On Sunday, Gration’s displeasure at losing his job three years ago was palpable.
“For me this was a dream job,” he said. “It was a job where I felt I was making a significant difference … and to have that be terminated over some allegations that at the end were proven to be false … and to see this dream job of mine come to an end was very disappointing to me.
“And to now find out that, in reality, other people in the department, including my supervisor, were doing things differently and looking the other way – that’s hard.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong. I can’t speak for Secretary Clinton.”

About The Cooperative Business

Naturally, achieving success is more like staying alive. It is as much about bonding with your good friends, neighbours, spouse and relations as it is about growing and reproducing. The Creator of nature had already set these natural models to demonstrate why cooperation is vital for our success. However, unlike other organisms, human beings should seek success through symbiotic cooperation where an atmosphere of peace and trust is created.

This alliance enables flowering plants to reproduce successfully. After being pollinated, flowers ceased producing food for the bee and other insects by losing their scent, drop their petal or change their orientation or color. To us this might look mischievous but it is said to be an act of courtesy to the bee and other insects that can now focused their efforts on other plants that are still open for business. It is paramount to take into consideration the benefits of such cooperation to others especially the consumers or end users. This is where and how true success through cooperation can be attained and sustained.

In sharp contrast, the Cooperative Business Model offers their Representatives the ability to purchase paying Customers that have seen Television Interviews and decided to become a Customer. But if a community of home gardeners formed a cooperative, agreed on what niche products to grow, and agreed to trade their excess products with each other, or even sell them through a cooperative market together. The result of this cooperation between bar owners resulted in the usually busy Town disco being empty, whilst faltering bars in the area saw their earnings increase three fold in one night.

Ten struggling specialist stores could compete against a large Global Supermarket on equal terms by forming a cooperative, but rarely alone. One fact that could see the growth in a reinvented idea of old, that may mean the difference between survival or closure for many smaller scale businesses. Recently, some scholars have gotten together and noted that the Olympic Games have not stopped humans from having wars, and while that may be true, we don't know for sure how many wars have been prevented due to the mutual benefit and coming together of humans across the planet in these Olympic Games over the years.

Business Negotiation Is Really Important In Your Business

When someone pictures a businessman, they usually see a well-dressed person who is confident, daring, and personable. While all of these character traits are desirable within a good business owner, the art of negotiation is often overlooked in favor of creative passion or number-crunching skills.

Being a well-rounded business owner or operator necessitates the development and cultivation of competent person-to-person and person-to-business negotiating skills. Luckily, effective negotiating does not have to be a secret art, as learning business negotiation can and will benefit your growing business immensely.

Why Negotiate?

More often than not, you don't have a choice in choosing whether to negotiate or not. Whether your task is to secure financing from prospective investors or to arrange a supplier's drop off schedule, you will be forced to deal with other people all the time.

In order to effectively interact with your business partners and auxiliary helpers, you must be an effective listener, communicator, and persuader if you want to get the most out of your resources. Thus, learning to effectively negotiate over a wide range of topics will help you throughout the course of your business dealings.

Learn to Listen

One of the most difficult things is to be a good listener. While many of us think that we're pretty good listeners, the fact is that many people have difficulty retaining the information conveyed to us by the other party. Being a good listener grants you a number of advantages. First, you concentrate your full attention towards the other party, giving you a better sense of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Next, you show the other party that you care and that you're sincere in your business dealings. Perhaps the most important benefit to being a good listener is that you decrease the chance of missing or forgetting crucial information that you may have otherwise missed if you had not been listening carefully.

Master Your Use of Nonverbal Cues

It has often been said that the majority of the communication that takes place during negotiations is entirely nonverbal. Indeed, the role that body language plays in both normal communication and business negotiations is a large one. Learn to read body language to see if what they are saying matches up with what their body is telling you.

In addition, you can use the power of body language to alter the course of a negotation. For example, surprised or advere body cues can signal the other party that their initial price is too high. Whether or not they choose to verbally address it will most likely be affected by their recognition that their price is probably out of your league. Never underestimate the power of body language and nonverbal cues.

Knowledge is Power

Preparing for an important negotiation is often more important than your performance during the actual performance. Information is crucial in the context of a person-to-person as well as a person-to-business exchange.

Arming yourself with everything there is to know about the opposing party is critical. You can utilize this information throughout the course of the negotiation in various ways, from deducing an attractive price that both parties can quickly agree on and even more. The possibilities are nearly endless when you’ve adequately prepared for your important negotiation.

Don't underestimate the power of good listening skills, reading body language, and research. While the three of these alone won't be enough to transform you into a master of negotiations, they are good steps to begin with when first setting out in the world of business negotiations.

These Tips Will Help You Become Into A Good Business Consultant

Professionals seeking increased work-schedule flexibility and more professional autonomy are often drawn to consulting. With so many business consultants in the marketplace, it can be hard to narrow down a specific niche. One specialty area that is growing in demand is business analysis. Being able to interpret current business trends into strategic company goals is a powerful skill to utilize amid a constantly changing and ever-expanding global economy. If you are considering a career move into the area of business consulting, consider the following:

1. Skills and Education

While consultants often have a diversified background, identifying a niche and setting yourself apart from competitors is a popular way to gain word-of-mouth referrals and build brand recognition. For professionals with a four-year baccalaureate degree in a business-related field, professional mentoring in a specific area of expertise can augment other professional experience and/or internships.

There are a number of reputable professional organizations that offer a variety of career development opportunities. In addition to networking, busy professionals can also build an area of expertise through rigorous online business analyst training. Respectable online courses are often taught by industry leaders who bring their own experiences and practical knowledge to the virtual classroom. The go-at-your-own pace of online education makes it a popular choice among working professionals with busy family lives.

2. Soft Skills

In order to be a successful and popular consultant, clients need to like you, trust your services and be willing to refer you to others. Mastering a wide range of successful communication skills goes beyond just writing effective business letters. Understanding the needs and expectations of clients also involves anticipating the amount of communication necessary, as well as understanding when to pick up a phone vs. sending an email. Personality and tone of inter-personal interactions make a big difference in consulting relationships.

3. Understanding a Company's Basic Need

An executive or company is going to bring a consultant on board anticipating a positive ROI. Consultants who bring a creative problem-solving style to the table can leverage team cooperation. Consultants trained in business analysis understand that streamlining processes, improving inter-department communication and strengthening the IT tools that track profitability all play a key role in securing an aggressive success strategy. Setting goals and bringing all key stakeholders together in the day-to-day shift that needs to happen to secure the ROI takes knowledge, skill, experience and patience. For this reason, the top business analysts are generally well-seasoned professionals who continually invest in professional development to maintain the competitive edge.

4. Other Considerations

Business analyst training is one way to secure the knowledge needed to become a successful business consultant. Seeking professional mentoring through a formal career-related organization is another popular way to gain the nuances of the field. For young professionals who know that consulting is their ultimate career goal, seeking internships while in college at larger consulting firms may open the door to an entry-level job where shadowing the best of the best becomes one of the most rewarding perks of the job.

Many mid-career business managers are enticed into consulting for greater flexibility and enjoy the process of establishing a niche or specialty area through additional education in areas like business analysis. Seeking partnership with another consultant with complementary skills may also be a great strategy to increase initial client pool. With the growing demands on business to do more with less while increasing triple bottom-line effectiveness, consultants with expertise in business analysis are well aligned to meet the current needs of businesses across industry. Corporate leaders seek top consultants to offer the skills, guidance and strategies to secure the competitive edge in today’s global marketplace; being well-prepared with a success strategy of your own is the best way to secure notoriety in your niche.