Friday, September 17, 2010

"I'm Broke"

Money.

We all like it...or, at least the things it can give us.

I know I sure do. Since I've been working two jobs, I seem to have quite a bit of if. Actually, so do most of the people I work with as well. Yet, I always hear:

"I'm broke."

Hmmm...

It makes me wonder how many of us, no matter how much $$ we have, end up short each and every month. Wanting and asking for more money whether it be from G-O-D or your momma.

(photo found here)
Let's be frank. Some peeps just don't know how to save for a rainy day, or any day at all. Damn, it is a lot easier said than done when you're looking at a gorgeous flat screen television, or an Ipad.
It's almost like these things are just screaming, "Buy me!"
I get it, I do. But hey, we gotta be smart. It's all about balance. You can have that television and still save money. How? Here are some ideas --
1) Instead of calling your homegurl to go eat at Cheesecake Factory three times a week, cut it down to twice a month. You'll adjust over time. Also, replace eating out with your Boo by cooking dinners at home. Last month I went out to eat over 10 times, which cost me over $250 dollars. Yeah, we all have hiccups. It's about how you recover that matters. Doing this every now 'n then is okay.
2) Take the train instead of your car. I usually spend $150 a month in gas on average. When I take the bus for the majority of the month, I save over half of that amount. Hey, multiply what I save ($75) by 12 and that equals $900...enough for a flat screen television.
3) Get a Sugamomma or Sugadaddy.
4) Open up a Checking account. If you haven't, consider doing it. This is a great way to see your transactions and track the way you spend $. I look at my statements at least 3 times a week to make sure I am on top of things.
5) Put an end to buying unnecessary items. You know you don't need that $20 T-Shirt with the words, "Oprah, don't go." And Lady GaGa will be around next year so you can hold off on buying those $500 tickets to her concert. Don't even go near Ikea. Those multi-colored desk lamps and triangular picture frames will always be there.
6) Pay off and cancel your credit cards until you only have 1. And don't allow it to go over $100 dollars.
Hope this helps. Being broke ain't fun. But, if you are smart about your spending habits then you won't ever have this problem.
Well, that is, if you don't lose your j-o-b.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Jobs and Interviewing and Fear.

(photo found here)
Jobs are hard to come by lately, but they are out there. I recently helped two of my friends by rewriting their resume in the hopes of landing them that beautiful and scary thang --
The Interview
Ugh. I know it's tough, but get over it and prepare yourself. It wasn't until I started practicing my job interviewing skills that I actually saw a huge improvement, and received a job offer. Here are a few tips, peeps --
1) Go to a local bookstore and run straight to the "Careers" or "Jobs" section and grab a few books on those respective subject matters. Buy one or two and then make yourself practice two exercises from each book a day, such as following up with networking contacts or calling companies to see if they are hiring. If you can't afford to buy the books, then just read a chapter a day and write excellent notes.
2) Practice with friends and family. But, uh, don't practice with your Boo. Ya'll know each other too well.
3) Research the heck out of the company you're trying to join. Know it like the back of your hand. I've screwed up on this before and looked like a total idiot when I didn't know the answer to an easy question about a company I failed to learn about. Ya live and you learn!
4) Dress well. Look, interviews are not for jeans and T-shirts. I don't care if you're applying to be a janitor at Burger King. Put on some slacks and a nice, ironed top. No exceptions. I've seen individuals called out for not dressing the part. Plus, you feel more confident when you look/feel good. If you can't afford to buy clothes, try a thrift store.
5) Practice in front of a mirror. This allows you to pick up on your body language and anything you do that isn't so hot, like twitch or blink too often.
6) Always start off by handing that person your resume. He or she may be looking for you to do this, or simply didn't bring it. This always makes you look good. Also, it's always great if it's wrinkle free and on a white sheet of paper. Common sense to most, but not to all.
7) Know your place. Don't pretend to be a Know-It-All. Answer any and all questions. Say what you need to say to present yourself as the best for that position and that's it.
Interviewing is hard, but it's totally fun once you get the hang of it. If you're straight out of college or a young person looking for your first job, follow the above tips and you'll be golden.