Employee Financial Counseling – a Needed Employee Benefit

 

It is no secret that people are struggling with their finances. Many people have debts that have overtaken their lives, while others are struggling just to pay their everyday bills. All of these financial problems produce stress and distract employees when they are at work. This leads to mistakes, lower productivity and even employee absenteeism. If you want to help improve your company position then you need to help your employees manage their personal finances. Fortunately, this can generally be done with your in-office staff’s assistance.
Financial Counseling – A Benefit for Employees?

Financial counseling can be a huge benefit for employees at all levels. It can be used to identify retirement savings strategies, it can be used to help find a way to pay off personal debt or it can be used to establish a budget and more appropriate spending behaviors. Financial counseling services can also be used to help employees set financial goals for things like saving for their children’s college education, saving for a house or increasing their net worth to a specific dollar amount.

Who Offers Employee Financial Counseling

Financial counseling services can be offered by a number of different staff members on your payroll. First of all, if you have a financial advisor that works for your company then they will obviously be the first choice. However, personnel managers that are familiar with your company’s retirement savings plans and other financial products can also be utilized as a financial counseling, at least for sessions that relate to retirement planning. If the company offers financial planning services then you can offer your services to your non-financial employees like your administrative staff. Finally, if you don’t have a financial planner or advisor on payroll then you can bring in a financial advisor from a third party company to meet with your employees once a year, once a quarter or once a month.

Setting Up This Benefit

In order to set up this benefit you will need to create a policy. This policy will describe who is eligible for the benefit, what the benefit will include, how the employee will be able to access the benefit, when it is offered and what restrictions will be applied to the benefit. This policy will need to be added to your employee handbook and an enrollment form will need to be generated. When you are ready to implement this benefit you will need to hold a company meeting or at least release a memo that describes the benefit and the benefit’s policy.

Encourage your employees to know more about financial counselling. As a start, you may encourage them to write down their thoughts and dreams in an organizer, like the one I am using from Toad Diaries. I bet it will be beneficial for them.

How to Participate in January’s Get Organized Month

The group is known as the National Association of Professional Organizers. That’s NAPO for short, and yes, it’s a real organization. As January leads us into 2007, millions of us can jump into some early spring cleaning endeavors with some helpful tips from the folks at Clutter Control Headquarters.

The benefits of staying organized are well-founded in the principles of neatness, decluttering, and adopting an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ mentality. An organized office or home is a happy office or home. Or something like that. Staying organized can boost productivity, reduce stress, help you manage time. . .the list goes on. It’s a chance to lighten that work load and help you stress less.

‘Getting organized’ is a popular New Year’s resolution, but actually doing it might take a little planning. (If you’re the type that wants to create a draft or blueprint of the area beforehand, be sure to send in your application to the NAPO to become an *official* member of the club). Whether it’s the drawers in the study room, the kids’ play area, cleaning your listings in the hospitality jobs london, clearing your resume, or the avalanche waiting to happen in your closet, here’s what you can do to get started on your quest for organizational health:

Create a cleaning to-do list. There’s magic in them there words when they’re on paper, right in front of you. Checking off a to-do list as you whisk away that pile of laundry in the corner has tremendous benefits of instant gratification too.

Bring structure to your finances. Whether you’re a penny pincher or extravagant spender, it’s wise to track your bills, expenses, and income in one place. Set up an easy-to-use spreadsheet just for you; organizing your money in a tangible way can have a very positive effect on your spending habits.

Estimate your time. The best way to coordinate a cleaning frenzy in your house is to section of blocks of time for each area. Not only does this make it easier to tackle, you’ll really learn the value of 15 minutes needed to scrub that kitchen floor before you let the kids where shoes in the house again.

Make it fun. If you can get some friends or family members to join you for half a day, create a plan of attack for each project and delegate responsibilities for a group accomplishment.

Buy a bathroom organizer or closet space saver. Even though many of these come in those ‘As Seen on TV’ stamps, they really do work. Consider investing in a couple of space savers to rearrange some clutter, and avoid the missing sock fiasco every morning.

Organize your kitchen with expandable racks and additional shelves. Today’s fancy additions include hidden shelving in cabinets, hooks over doors, and clever ways to display cookware. Clear up that counter as much as possible.

Organize your bathroom and clean up that medicine cabinet. Throw away all the expired items, things you don’t use, or half-opened items. It’s time to start fresh!

Clean up your desktop or laptop. Create new files, delete old documents, empty the recycle bin, and run an antivirus program to cleanup your hard drive. Your computer will run faster, more efficiently, and help you be more productive.

Organize the office in one day. . .and create some new habits. Throw away all clutter, extra files, and paper. Section off one desk drawer to accommodate for desk toys, pens, knick-knacks, and your daytime snack. Make a new routine of cleaning up the desk before leaving so it’s fresh and new (or at least looks that way) when you arrive the next day.Since you want to manage your time better this year, these are just a few ways to follow in the footsteps of professionals. If you really can’t find time to join the fun this January, there’s still another option: hire a professional. Professional organizers can be found in local community pages, or online at the NAPO website. Good luck!

Coffee calms me down

I am a lover of coffee. I can down at least three cups a day. Well, I am a fanatic of every coffee and I think this makes me sane whenever I get into pressure at work. My boss recently told me to look for a nas server test which I couldn’t find in the internet. Luckliy, I found one two days before my deadline. As a relief of course, I treated myself with some coffee in the nearest coffee shop.

Most people take coffee to increase alertness and concentration, improve mental and physical performance, and counteract fatigue. I personally rely on coffee to perk me up in the morning, and at other times of the day when my energy level tends to dip. This energizing effect is due to a substance called caffeine, that is found naturally in plants such as coffee beans, kola nuts, tea leaves and cacao. Synthetic caffeine is also added to energy drinks and snacks and some prescription and over the counter medications such as cold tablets and diet pills. Notwithstanding these benefits, caffeine can also be harmful and, in extreme cases, even fatal. Among healthy adults, too much caffeine may result in unwanted symptoms such as irritability, palpitations, anxiety, nervousness, tremors, hyperacidity and inability to sleep.

Caffeine (by definition) is a drug that acts as a central nervous system stimulant. Like other drugs, it has both benefits and risks, and as such can be subject to abuse and addiction. Regular intake of caffeine may result in tolerance or a decreased responsiveness to its stimulant effects; it also leads to dependence, and its sudden removal can induce withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, nausea and drowsiness.

 

The changing landscape of photography

Call me a purist, but I am not one to use a smartphone and a photo filter.Still, I must admit, that I am very surprised but the quality of a lot of the things that I see coming out, specifically in the amateur stream. I’ll tell you, there are complete stock photography resources, beat them databases or web sites or groups of websites, anything along those lines, you know what every single photo is a stock photograph that has been taken with a mobile device or smartphone. Trust me, the first time I was looking at one of these, in particular, I had no idea. I thought that this was just a regular professional stock photography resource, nothing tipped me off to the fact that it wasn’t. Besides, the other thing was photography is that it’s perfect for all sorts of things. In these apps, yes they are based on Photo filters, but they’re full of all sorts of good art. I can literally go around and look at everything that so many different people are creating and posting. It’s an amazing thing. It’s so inspiring, as somebody who’s interested in photography, because there is just an endless source of new, quality work coming up, and very little of it is supported by ego. It is all amateur, on the verge of professional. Well, not all of this on the verge professional but that’s just how these things go. But, honestly, I could look at these photos for hours and never once what I think, what an amateur photo filter to put on or anything along those lines.

How Drugs Changed My Life

 

My childhood in the suburbs of Michigan could be considered perfect. I had the right friends, the kind who were part of the “in-crowd”, and therefore had access to all the raves. My parents were incredibly trusting and thought I could do no wrong. I knew how to get anything I wanted with a simply call for Daddy. All these seemingly innocent luxuries aided in sending my life in a downward spiral that I would spend years trying to climb back up.

Growing up, i searched for different products for my face. That’s when I saw a vitamin c serum for face that really help me against pores. Aside from product, I was also introduced to drugs.
It amazes me to think of how an average teenager has such easy access to drugs. My friend’s daughter informed me, to my surprise, that all she had to do was walk into school and find the right people to buy drugs from. In fact, she said most of the teenage drug dealers never even hesitate in selling and purchasing drugs in a public place. Upon hearing the stories from my friend’s daughter, I was brought back to a place in my early life when I was not ashamed to sell, buy, and consume drugs.

I should have been honest with my parents in high school, and perhaps I would not have spent months in rehab and actually have memories of my days as a teenager. Unfortunately, those days are gone with the wind for I was either too high or drunk to remember anything. I was a drug dealer, buyer, and consumer. I was in denial at its worst at the time and managed to find my way out of the once so luxuries hell I had trapped myself in.

“Just say no,” my teachers always told the class. These words, which ultimately saved my life, completed slipped my mind as I accepted my first joint. The first led to the second, the second to the third, and so on. Before I knew it, my life was an uncontrollable whirlwind of drugs and lies.

Ultimately, drugs changed my life. Drugs became my best friend. This “best friend” eventually played a part in the reason why I was sent to jail. When I was nineteen, I went to jail for being caught with marijuana, a controlled substance. The handcuffs were placed firmly… nearly too firmly, on my wrists. I’ll never forget how the cold metal of the restricting handcuffs felt. I found myself in the back of a police car with my friends, who were also high at the time, as my company. My life was slowly falling down around me. My friends were in handcuffs, I was in handcuffs, and curfew was only minutes away.

I will never be able to erase the painful memories of my mom’s tears as she became informed of the events of the night. Seeing the woman I had once used for money, the woman who had trusted me so much, now consumed with tears because of my mistakes proved to be overwhelmingly painful.

I was sentenced to rehab for three months. In rehab, I went through withdrawals, which almost ended in a successful suicide attempt. Those in charge of the rehab institution completely changed my life. I realized my former lifestyle was wrong and harmful, and not to mention, could easily have resulted in death. My life was finally beginning to pick up. As I walked out of the doors of rehab, I was changed for the better. No longer was I restricted to a certain group of friends or a certain curfew. I now had no friends and didn’t have the opportunity to go out, which called for no curfew. My new, sober life was spent indoors under the close supervision of my parents.

Drugs had been a friend and a release. I have used drugs as an excuse for many of my problems in life. Drugs had become my worst enemy and I had allowed them to send my life down a path to nowhere at full speed. Life was no longer enjoyable once the handcuffs were placed around my wrists. No longer was I going to be out past curfew with a bottle of vodka or spiked punch in my hand. Winning my parents trust back was the most challenging, and ultimately most rewarding result of my dance with drugs. I am now sober and have been since the day I was released from rehab. I have not spoken to the friends I had when I was living the criminal lifestyle. However, I have heard through the grapevine one has three children, all of which have been taken custody by social services. I thank the police officers and the individuals I met in rehab each day I wake up for helping guide my life on the right path. Drugs changed my life, and a different, positive outlook on life is what I have to show for it.

Is Drupal the Right CMS for You?

 
Drupal is what is known as an open-source content management system. You can use it for free, but it’s a powerful web development software that may be used for many purposes. Since it was introduced in 2001, Drupal has become one of the favorite CMS applications among web developers and has over 600,000 contributors and group users. Drupal is written in PHP and uses MySQL and PostgreSQL.

Drupal uses a database to compile and organize the website’s content. Then it combines the content with the template of a site to create web pages. It allows you to have total control over the website by simply logging in to the administrator page. You can create new pages, menu structures and modules. It also allows you to assign different levels of capabilities to different users. For instance, some of the users of the site can write content, but not publish it while others are allowed to edit and publish. This allows you to moderate and/or edit the content of your site through DNN .net CMS.

One of the most outstanding features of Drupal is you can restrict access to your website. You can create usernames and passwords for the people who have your permission to access your site’s pages and menus. This is useful for membership or employees-only websites. Also, you can easily e-mail the registered users of the site which makes it easy for you to keep in touch with your members or employees. You may disable the feature if you are not going to use it.

With Drupal, you can work with thousands of “modules”. The modules are from some software companies and individual programmers who contribute their expertise to make Drupal the versatile CMS application that it is.

Its versatility and the many capabilities it offers makes Drupal one of the best CMS applications available today. Incredibly, Drupal is free. However, be sure to read the fine print because some restrictions do apply. While a good number of these modules are free to download and use, some will need to be paid for. To see if Drupal is the right CMS for you, visit the Drupal website.

Balancing Act: The Principles of Good Web Design

Good website design is not about pretty pictures or the latest bells and whistles, it is about how well the site achieves a specific goal. These goals vary by organization, but ultimately it is about the end-user. The user’s experience, or in some cases the lack thereof, is what distinguishes the site from the competition. Regardless of industry, there are several key elements that exist in all good websites.

All good websites start with a plan
First and foremost, you need to define what you are trying to accomplish, who you are trying to target and how you plan to achieve these goals. Having a sitemap containing all the content you want to include and how you plan to organize it is a start. You need concrete goals about what you wish to accomplish. Is your site purely informative? Is it to generate sales leads? Is your site e-commerce enabled? Does it have a specific, measurable task? Are your goals for the site obtainable? These are all things to consider when developing your website.

Content is king
Good websites have engaging content that concise, informative, easy to understand, necessary and skimmable. One way to accomplish this is to use techniques such as the inverted pyramid, which places the most important content in the beginning of the page and least important content at the end. Another way of helping the readability of the site is to use sub-headers, typographical elements and white space.

Keep it simple
Designing a site that is overly complex will hinder its usability. Good websites are aware of structure and organization. They are also transparent to the user. The design should be intuitive and not require directions in order to be used. Design with a purpose rather than doing something just for the sake of being cool.

Error Free
Typos, broken images, scripting errors and broken layouts are not only unprofessional; they are a distraction that could ultimately leave to website abandonment. Having multiple people proofread as well as test your site on a variety of platforms and browsers can make all the difference. Remember, not everyone is going to have the latest web browser or computer. Also keep in mind that your website may be viewed on a phone or tablet.

A style guide is a must
Good web design is consistent in layout and navigation. The user shouldn’t need to look around to find the navigation, nor should they be distracted by your ever changing design. Using specific font treatments and style cues can help the user to perform tasks with ease. In addition, using consistent language will also aid the user.

A picture tells a story
The use of images to convey ideas or illustrate a point can help your readers, but use them sparingly. Users are often overwhelmed by text heavy and/or graphically heavy pages. If you find your images or copy dominating your page it might be time to re-think it. Are you trying to provide too much information? Does the size of the image need to be scaled? Can you say more with less?

Good design doesn’t have to be boring
Create a sense of style, use colors to create a mood but make sure it makes sense for the industry and user. For example, in some countries white is a color of mourning and would never be used for a wedding design. The use of bright, primary colors works well for a children’s site but not for bank. Just as small, little blue type wouldn’t work well for a website developed for seniors because they would have a difficult time reading it. Keeping your users in mind is the utmost importance. Good designers know the rules and which ones to break.

A good website design is a balancing act. It combines the color, typography and layout with writing, content and programming to obtain a user-friendly experience. Having clear cut goals, organization in addition to engaging content and a well laid out pages is essential for the site to be used as well as usable. If you need help in these, seek great digital marketing agencies and I am sure they will help you.

Apex Tuition Australia – Private Tutoring

Business Information:

  • Name: Apex Tuition Australia – Private Tutoring
  • Website: https://www.apextuitionaustralia.com/
  • Address: Level 2/700 Swanston Street, Carlton Vic, 3053
  • Phone: 0405 532 487

Description:

Apex Tuition Australia is a premier tutoring service dedicated to supporting students from Year 1 to Year 12, regardless of their academic abilities. We understand that effective learning requires empathy and insight, which is why our team consists of accomplished tutors who have recently excelled in high school. With an impressive median ATAR of 99.45, our tutors not only possess a thorough grasp of the curriculum but are also well-equipped to guide students in achieving their academic aspirations. At Apex Tuition, we are committed to fostering an environment where every student can thrive and succeed.

Additional Information:

Apex Tuition Australia is a premier provider of private tutoring services, dedicated to supporting students from years 1 through 12, regardless of their academic abilities. We understand that the learning journey can be challenging, which is why our approach focuses on personalized guidance. Our tutors, all high-achieving students who have recently graduated from high school, bring a fresh perspective to the tutoring experience. With a median ATAR of 99.45, they not only excel in their academic pursuits but also possess the insights needed to connect with students on a personal level.

The success of our private tutoring programs lies in our tutors’ ability to relate to the challenges students face. They have navigated the same educational landscape and understand the pressures that accompany various subjects and exams. This shared experience allows them to offer tailored support that resonates with students, fostering a comfortable environment where learning can thrive. Whether a student struggles with math, science, or English, our tutors are equipped to provide the targeted assistance necessary to build confidence and competence.

At Apex Tuition Australia, we believe that effective tutoring goes beyond just subject knowledge. Our tutors are trained to employ diverse teaching strategies, ensuring that each student receives the support that best suits their individual learning styles. This personalized approach is a hallmark of our private tutoring services, allowing students to engage actively with the material and develop a deeper understanding of the concepts at hand.

Parents looking for reliable tutoring options can trust Apex Tuition Australia to deliver results. Our commitment to excellence is evident not only in our tutors’ qualifications but also in the progress our students make. We continuously monitor each student’s development, adjusting our methods and materials as necessary to meet their evolving needs. This ongoing assessment ensures that every student is on the right path to achieving their academic goals.

In conclusion, Apex Tuition Australia stands out as a leader in private tutoring, offering a supportive and effective learning environment. Our unique approach, combining high-achieving tutors with personalized strategies, empowers students to overcome challenges and succeed academically. For those seeking an enriching educational experience, our tutoring services are an excellent choice.

Location:

Missing mother

Time runs so fast. A while ago it was night, and now it is already morning. The warm sunny day is about to come and yet here I am sleepless, in front of my laptop, trying to update my status on my Facebook account. Today is Sunday. I know it should be a special day, because it is considered as a family day. But losing the most important person in the family makes me think, how can it be special when someone is missing? – Someone who only knows the best for me and someone who’ve always been there through my ups and downs. Sad to say, that special person is not with me anymore.

I hate Sundays. Aside from the reason that my relaxation from all the stress I felt during the weekdays will soon be over, the other reason is something personal. It’s like a big part of myself was taken away from me. My usual happy Sundays were changed into gloomy one.

This was the day when she always wakes me up early in the morning to go to market and buy our ulam for lunch and dinner. I think this was also one of her relaxation habits after all the pressure she had from her work and also the stress she encounters every single day because of us, specifically me and my four brothers. This may be an ordinary scenario to others, but those were some of the precious bonding moments I have with my mom. Especually that time when I told her I want to know more about hosting ranking and website making and all.

 

Back then, from Project 6, we would go to a wet market near Cubao instead of just going in a talipapa near our house to buy our food for the day. We would always use our car so that we can arrive fast to the market and come back before lunch time. We also need not to carry those heavy plastic bags full of our pinamili. (Because I am too small to carry all those things.)

While we’re inside our car, my mom would always do her motherly role by checking on me. We would talk about how my school days went, check if I had found the love of my life, or just let me share my major sentiments or even the petty ones that I want her to know. (Maybe this was the reason why we always go to far markets.) Those were the times when she would put a smile on her face and let me feel that everything is okay. She would give me helpful advices, and would explain to me that some things are ought to be achieved through passion and hard work. She would let me know how she feels towards the things I have said and done, and tell me if I am doing the right thing or not.

After we parked our car, mommy and I would just go inside the wet and smelly market to know what our ulam would be. Mommy usually doesn’t bring with her a list of what to buy. She just goes straight ahead to the stalls and tries to see what she wants to cook later on. Usually, we end up buying seafood. My mom loves seafood and even exotic kinds of food. When she has money, she would buy crabs, shrimps, talaba (her favorite) and lato or seaweeds. These became my favorites too. During weekends, expect that some of these will be served on our table. After an hour and a half of buying our favorites, we would immediately head home so that she could cook something special for the family.

 

It is sad to say that we won’t be able to do it anymore because she’s in heaven now. She passed away 3 years ago due to her stage 4 cancer. Sundays became the ultimate bonding between me and my mom. I won’t be able to see her smile or even raise his eyebrows while listening to my sentiments. I’ll never forget those warm and special times, when she encourages me to do things that will make a big difference not only to me but to others as well. Now, I feel incomplete. Every Sunday, I  am often alone in the house. My older brothers are not here because they are working even on weekends just for my tuition. This is the reason why I seldom stay here because most of the time, there’s no one at home. The old times where we would all be in one table to eat and talk about anything can no longer be seen. It is quite saddening because the bond that we always do when my mother was still alive, seem to not exist anymore.

But as others say, life must go on. My life has changed since she left. On a positive note, I can say that I became a stronger and more independent individual than before. I believe that I could already face the world with high hopes and with more trust in God. If all else succeeds or fails, I know that God has a good reason and a better plan for me.  Everything that we see in this world is not permanent, all is just borrowed. We just have to give importance on things with great value and grab the chance while it still exists. That’s what I learned before mommy left us.

I never regret the time when God gave me the opportunity to take care of  my mom and let her know how much I love her . I thank God for that last 3 months I had, just to be with my mom. I stopped schooling for a year with a reason. And that reason is to have the second and last chance to take care of her, to give back all the things she had given me, and to assure her that I could survive without her.

Too bad I don’t have  pictures of me with my mom only. But I could show some pictures of her with our family.

 

The right time

No matter who you are–a rank and file employee or someone in the managerial position, you should know how to make use of time properly and respect other’s time too. For example, when you are in a meeting or in a meet-up, you need to be on time because other people will also make way just to beat the meeting time. If they will arrive in the place and you are still not there, and people will have to wait for you, chances are you likely to waste their time in waiting for you. So, be respectful of other’s time as well as they respect yours. I highly suggest you always have your alarm clock with you wherever you go. If not, you can always check on your mobile’s time so you know if you have certain scheduled meet-ups somewhere. If you are the stylish type, I suggest you wear in some wristwatch wherever you go. This way, you no longer have to check in your mobile to see the time. You just have to peak in your wrist. Right now, I am using this cute best wooden watches I bought over the internet and it does not only make me stylish and sophisticated. It also helps me in tracking time. I definitely recommend this one to everyone.