Twila Van Leer

Social Media May Affect Your Career

January 6, 2015 By Twila Van Leer

Don't lose out on a job because of something you have said online. — Don’t lose out on a job because of something you have said online.

Everybody does it these days – uses social media in almost any setting. On the job, it can be very useful, but it also can be a huge stumbling block if what you share is detrimental. The impression you leave with a prospective employer, for instance, could be diametrically opposed to the one you intended. So use it, but use it wisely.

Reppler, a social media monitoring service, reports that 91 percent of employers use channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin to assess a prospective hire. Social medic profiles might give more information about a job-seeker’s personality and character than they imagine. Even passing remarks can be misinterpreted. You have the right to comment on controversial issues and to use profanity, but remember that the person who picks it up may object to such uses of the language.

If you want personal information kept private, don’t splash it on a post or tweet sites. If it’s something you probably wouldn’t tell anyone except a very good friend, you probably don’t want to share it with someone who is considering you for a job. And it may not even be you who makes the less-than-acceptable comment. What your friends have to say about you on social media could have an effect. Screen those you intend to interact with on social media and block those whose comments could hurt you if read by others.

Security features on social media applications change often. Stay current if you want to know how private your information is. Police your sites and lock down information as you feel it to be necessary.

If you comment negatively on your boss or the job, expect that it might become public. Even if the individual you have made the negative comments about is not on your list of friends, he or she may become aware through gossip. Maybe it can’t be easily traced back to you, but text is hard to discredit. Better be safe than sorry and unemployed.

On the positive side, social media can be very valuable in networking with others in your field. Share your ideas through industry-based groups and organizations. Logs and websites can help in the job hunt.

Social media obviously is not going away anytime soon, so expect that more aspects of your life, including your job, could become public. Just use caution to ensure that it doesn’t become a negative factor in that important phase of your life.

Top Ten Financial Resolutions For 2015

December 31, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

The most popular financial resolution is to SAVE MONEY.

Fewer than one in three Americans will resolve with the beginning of the New Year to get their personal finances under control. That’s too bad, because the experts tell us that making changes in money management is easier than losing weight or dropping a tobacco habit.

If you are among those who, according to the sixth annual Fidelity New Year study, are determined to take on more productive financial control, there are approaches that will increase your chances of success. (The Fidelity study showed that three in four who made the resolution in 2013 saw progress toward their goals. And about one in four achieved all the aspects they opted for.) Here is the advice from experts:

1. Save money. Before anything else, set up an emergency fund. Most financial planners advise that three to six months’ salary should be in reserve in case of unforeseen life events, such as a medical emergency or costly car repairs. Put the money into a reserve that isn’t easily dipped into, such as an online savings account. Then resist the temptation to use the reserve for discretionary purchases.

2. Pay down debt. Start with the highest-interest account and add a little extra to each payment. If you come by a lump sum, advise the lender that you want to apply it to the loan principal. That means interest savings.

3. Look for ways to supplement your income. Avoid the hype of multilevel marketers who want you on board. But if you have a skill, a hobby or specialized industry knowledge, try to find a market for it. Sell unnecessary possessions on eBay or put your artistic creations on the Etsy outlet.

4. A budget is crucial to your success. Review your checkbook for several months and see if you can pare. Order a free credit report from one of the three reporting agencies. They will provide one a year. Use the information to plan which accounts should be paid off first.

5. Every member of your household needs to understand the elements of your finances. According to the experts, this is an area that often is neglected. If you are planning to marry, make a thorough financial review part of the pre-planning. Plan together exactly how you will handle more than one income and try to develop a shared vision of how you will approach spending, debt and other issues.

6. If your employer has a program for matching savings, take advantage of it. See if your bank or credit union offers free or low-fee financial planning. Ask if there are ways you can get better earnings from your savings and investments. Opt for an automatic savings deduction from your paycheck to help you keep your resolution. Contribute the highest amount allowed, if possible, to retirement accounts or other plans designed to give you tax advantages.

7. Have your records in good order so you can file taxes early. Apps such as Mint can be useful in keeping your financial data organized and track things like daily spending.

8. If you resolve to spend less, that’s nice, but not easy to conform to. Better to give yourself an allowance and stick with it. Study your budget and all aspects of your finances regularly to see if you can spot places to cut. For instance, are you paying more for insurance than necessary? Get a professional audit to see. An energy audit may offer suggestions for cutting costs in that category. Websites such as our site can give you hints about day-to-day expenses.

9. If you have time and energy, use them to improve your earning power. Take classes, which may be tax deductible, or investigate the job market to see if you can ease up the ladder. Learn about investing money in stocks and bonds. Or invest in your own business if that is feasible.

10. Set up your computer for automatic bill paying and automatic withdrawals for savings and to meet other financial goals. A financial program such as Quicken can provide an ongoing updated picture of your finances.

With all this in mind, get ready, get set, resolve to make 2015 your best financial year yet.

Saving Money In 2015

December 29, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

31 percent of resolutions set this year revolve around money.

If you are determined to save money toward a specific goal, the first step is to decide in a concrete way how much money you are really talking about.

Write down what it is you want. Then begin the process by doing some comparison shopping for the item you have in mind. Don’t forget the costs of delivery, registration, installation, shipping, insurance and possible sub-charges. Let the bottom line contain every possible element that will play into the final cost.

For instance: you want a new refrigerator, complete with ice-maker and plenty of extra freezer space. That’s the easy part, but the hard figure – what it really will cost – is the one you need to get planted in your mind.

If you intend to finance a big-ticket purchase, consider what amount you want to pay down and then realistically figure what your payments will be. A large down payment might require a longer savings period, but result in smaller installment payments. Make it work for your particular budget.

If you want to save enough to buy your item outright, say the fancy new refrigerator, and have all the costs totaled, look at the total (probably about $1,500) and then begin to set money aside. Don’t just expect that you will have $50 or so to add to the pot now and again. Develop a savings schedule that is reasonable and stick with it.

If you want to have the new fridge in six months, that means you must save $250 per month to meet the total. If you need more time, create a nine-month schedule that calls for $167 per month. You might want to divide that between two paychecks per month, or $84 per whack.

Some people find it hard to actually stick with the agenda they have set. It’s always possible to find something you want or think you need more than putting the money into your account and leaving it alone. That’s when it might be a good idea to open a dedicated savings account that is not linked with your checking account or any account that has an ATM card. Then have the amount you have settled on automatically transferred from your checking account to that savings account on a regular basis.

That’s the set-it-and-forget-it approach and, according to the experts, it’s the best way to achieve a specific savings goal. Before you know it, you’ll be sipping lemonade made cool with ice from your new fancy refrigerator – or enjoying whatever it is you set out to save for just a short time ago.

How One Couple Paid Off $118,000 In Debt

December 26, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Amy and Mat Kroezen with their daughter, Tanami. Image From USNews.com

How about this: A couple, one of them not employed, owes $116,000 in student loans and another $2,000 in car payments. What to do? The Kroezens decided to pay off the debt in four years. Impossible? No way. At the end of the four years, the Kroezens, Amy and Matt, now the parents of one child with another en route, had essentially realized their goal.

Here’s how they did it, according to an article in U.S. News and World Report. The article starts with discouraging statistics compiled by Think Finance: three in four Americans carry debt into a new year, including credit card debt (36 percent) and car loans (28 percent.) Then the story of the Kroezens is told, holding out hope for those who have a sincere desire to beat debt.

At the outset, in 2008, Amy was a new graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta, with the huge education debt and discouraging prospects for a job in her field. She was turned down for one interior design job after another as the country slogged through a recession. One design firm suggested she wait tables until things got better.

Instead of sinking under the challenge, the Kroezens made the unlikely decision to be debt-free in four years. Eventually, she got a job and between her and Matt, a dance instructor, they were earning $32,000 to $35,000 each. They decided to live on one salary and put the other into debt repayment.

That meant that they had to move to a cheaper apartment that was closer to both of their jobs. The move provided a savings in transportation as well. Amy used an envelope method of keeping track. She cashed her checks and put money into envelopes for particular expenses, such as food, rent and other essentials. The rest of their income, at least $990 per month, went to debt.

The family was very frugal, resisting the temptation to spend for anything that wasn’t actually needed. They repaired broken household items rather than replacing them, bypassed restaurant meals. Amy built their furniture when they moved into a new home. She also makes cleaning supplies and grows some of their food. They asked family members to give them power tools for Christmas.

Attitude was everything, Amy reported. Any lapse into depression was offset with the reminder that the goals were worth the sacrifices.

A good support system also was crucial. Family, friends and a spouse dedicated to the same financial goals were essential to the program.

Amy and Matt did the smart thing by giving priority to debt with the highest interest, reducing fees and interest. Another approach is to pay off the smaller debts first to build a sense of accomplishment, but the Kroezens were determined to minimize interest.

Even after whipping their huge credit load, the family continues to live on about $19,000 per year, leaving them a nice savings pot. Frugality has become the norm in their family.

Credit card debt is usually the most expensive, followed by auto and student loans. Any loans with a variable rate can increase in cost rise quickly when interest rates go up.

The experts who contributed to the Kroezen story advise that people interested in curbing overspending create a “vision book,” with images that remind them of financial goals – for instance, a picture of a favorite vacation spot, a home or condo that is in the future, or any item on the family’s wish list. A look through the vision book is a reminder that unnecessary items eat up the money that could be going toward the desired objectives.

The Kroezens proved that achieving such objectives is possible.

5 Experts Suggest New Year’s Resolutions For 2015

December 24, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Every time you tear a page off a calendar, you gain a new day to make new ideas and progress. — Every time you tear a page off a calendar, you gain a new day to create new ideas and progress.

Deciding to do better in the New Year is a time-honored custom. But the custom also tends to become the butt of jokes when the majority of people fail to follow through. The usual resolves, such as losing weight, saving money and getting healthier, often drop by the wayside in very short order.

USA Today asked for advice from five leading national experts about how retirees can make – and keep- New Year’s resolutions. Their suggestions:

Dallas Salisbury, CEO of the Employee Benefit Research Institute: Focus on health issues by analyzing your attitude, exercise regimen, nutrition, sleep habits and quality time, including interactions with extended family. Work on the weak spots. Take a hard look at income and spending. If they are out of sync, make adjustments to fend off financial stress. Be on the watch for people who need help and do what you can to make life better for them.

Eleanor Blayney, consumer advocate for the Certified Financial Planner Board: Resolve to start early on tax issues. Don’t wait for April to plan to meet this year’s demands and to look beyond. Retirees have more leeway in managing their finances. Look at pretax options such as 401(k)s and after-tax options such as mutual funds, savings accounts and brokerage accounts. If you haven’t already opted in to Social Security, look at your possibilities. The longer you wait, the more income you can receive.

Dr. Elliott Antman, cardiologist and president of the American Heart Association: Commit yourself and those with whom you have influence to creating a health culture. Don’t wait until you have to focus on treatment when something has gone wrong. There are ways to minimize the risk of heart disease and stroke. The AHA is a resource to research these preventive steps. Visit Heart.org or the mobile app heat360 Coach, which advocates seven steps: get active, control cholesterol, eat better, manage blood pressure, lose weight, reduce blood sugar and stop smoking. Become an advocate to urge public officials to protect the environment against unhealthy pollutants.

Carol Ewing Garber, president of the American College of Sports Medicine: Resolve to sit less, do more intentional exercise. Sitting increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Even walking around your house can help. Get up and move at least once an hour. Try to walk at least a half an hour a day at least five days a week. Start slowly if you haven’t been exercising and do the exercise in ten-minute increments if necessary. Stretch, lift hand weights or do other resistance exercise, such as modified push-ups against a wall. Lack of exercise can contribute to loss of muscle and strength, impeding living requirements.

Vandana Sheth, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Eat regular meals and snacks. Skipped meals affect energy and encourage over-eating at the next meal. Keep an eye on portions. Retirees may not need as much food as they did when they were younger. Increase protein intake by eating beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, etc. Try for variety. Substitute whole grains for processed grains. Quinoa is an option that is as easy as rice and has more protein. Whole grain tortillas have more nutritional value than flour versions, as do whole grain breads. Stay hydrated, and no beverage beats water. Add a squeeze of lemon or a sprig of mint for flavor.