Holiday Group Text Etiquette

The 2015 holiday season is here, whether you are ready or not. It's the time of year you are grateful to spend with friends and family, sharing those special moments and catching up on what has been missed during the year.

I love the holidays, but I HATE GROUP TEXT MESSAGES! It never fails, the morning of the holiday people feel the need to text everyone in their phone at the same time, within the same message sending their well wishes. Then everyone within that message starts to respond and those who don't have a group text function sends "who is this" individually.  😩😡👊 It's exasperating!

People- please stop! Every holiday, I feel the need to send a warning asking not to text & especially don't include me in your group messages. It's disrespectful to include a bunch of people you know in a group message that may not know each other. Before you send that group message, ask yourself this:

1) Does everyone in this group message know each other? If so...then group message may be appropriate.  If not, send individually.

2) Is it really necessary to text people when you're active on social media? More than likely, everyone you are texting has already ready your holiday wishes photo quote posted on FB, twitter, IG, SC, Kik, and all other outlets used.

3) Do you regularly speak with the people you're sending a message to? If not, don't text.

Be considerate of people's time.

Don't be that annoying friend or family member.

Be smart about sending group text, and remember to never include me 😉

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Unboxing Subscription Boxes- How to Choose a Box that's Perfect for You

According to Google, a subscription box is a package of retail products sent directly to a customer on a reoccurring basis. Subscription boxes are a new marketing strategy and a method of product distribution. This fast growing business model allows companies to curate and send specialized products "handpicked" just for you straight to your door. The first step of subscribing to a "box" is for members to complete a profile of their likes and dislikes depending on the products for that particular box. Once the profile is complete, members pay anywhere between $10 to upwards of $100 per month to have these products shipped directly to their front door.

 

Forbes Magazine published an article in 2014, asking the question if these subscription boxes are worth the money. Birchbox, arguably the most recognized name in the "Box Pop" world, has over $96 million annually in sales. But with this amount of success, is the Subscription Box worth it for the customer? Birchbox specializes in beauty and grooming products and sends sample & full size items to their subscribers, and most of the reviews I've read have been really positive.

 

So, with the thousands of Subscription Boxes available today, how do you choose the box that's right for you?

• First step is figuring out what you want to be surprised with every month. Nothing worse than getting a surprise that doesn't excite you.
• Next step is figuring out your budget for that category, if you want to spend anywhere between $10 to $100 per month, there's a box for you.
• Third step is finding the box in that category within your budget that best fits your needs. Ask yourself, what am I looking to gain from this subscription box? If you're into beauty, you may be looking to find bright lipsticks that match your complexion. If you're into gadgets, you may want new phone accessories that boost productivity.
• Final step, and this may be the most difficult, is to choose a box! This could also be the most fun part because YouTube, Google, and Social Media sites are great places to research subscription boxes. Look for reviews and YouTube videos of actual subscribers who detail the contents of their boxes. Don't overwhelm yourself with options, and trust your instinct.

Websites like Subscription Boxes and My Subscription Addiction can help filter the clutter of box pop.  Now that you're well equipped to purchase your first or even next subscription box, comment below on what's your favorite and why.
 

How to use your tech gear and apps to Make Money

With all the talk lately about extreme couponing, saving and investing money, cutting your monthly expenses, and general cost saving tips, I thought I would highlight ways to use your tech devices to make a little extra cash during the week. All you need is a smartphone, a valid email address, a PayPal account, and a little patience to set everything up.

Gigwalk - Gigwalk is an app available on IOS and Android and it is a platform that manages a mobile workforce to better get work done. With clients like Unilever, 7-11, and Frito-Lay, Gigwalk enables anyone with a smartphone and the ability to follow instructions to make extra money just by downloading the app. You must have a linked PayPal account in order to get paid for your gigs.



EasyShift- Easy Shift is another app similar to Gigwalk that uses crowd-sourcing technology in order to immobilize a national workforce. The tasks available on Easy Shift are quick, fun, and relatively simple, and payments are made promptly through PayPal.





iSecretShop- I Secret Shop is a mobile secret shopping app that deploys "agents" to shop discretely at local restaurants, stores, service shops, and agencies. I secret Shop assignments require a very high attention to detail and some ask that you purchase items in store. On a normal basis you are reimbursed for your purchase and paid a little extra for your time. Payments are made through PayPal and could take up to 45 days.



If you own a FitBit I found this blog post on Penny Pinchin Mom that shows you How to Make Money on your Activity Tracker. It's really easy to get paid for things you are already doing. Also, if your company has a wellness program, check out the details because some programs include incentives for healthy, active lifestyles and these incentives could include earning additional money for each quarter.

Are you a Google Play Store fan? If so, did you know about Google Opinion Rewards? Download the app and answer quick surveys to earn Google Play credits to buy apps, music, movies, games, and books in the Google Play Store.

Shopping apps like RetailMeNot ShopKick and Shopular gives you instant access to coupons for you to save in store immediately. Shopkick also has an option for you to "checking in" at that location to accumulate points for freebies. Who doesn't love freebies?

There are hundreds of other ways to save money, make money, and get free stuff. But now you are equipped with my top tools to be able to do this in your spare time and often doing the things you normally do. Just remember, if it doesn't make dollars, sometimes it doesn't make sense, but often times it could pay you cents! Ha!

Leave a comment below on your favorite money making or money saving app.

Blogs that Assist at Work

Lately, I've been working on "work me" and I realized I need to have more resources that can assist "work me" while I'm at the office. Therefore, in this blog, I'm going to give you my favorite sites for a little work advice and or motivation. These sites are not listed in any particular order...


Nicole Williams- Works is a site I visit regularly for career advice, and just to see Nicole William's trending topics. Since we share a name, I must show support :-). The site talks about style, etiquette, and gives inspiration to those just starting in the workplace.
 

Ms. Career Girl- This site gives readers insight on careers, lifestyle, and relationships. It's for the young everyday girl who is seeking how to navigate this sometimes crazy world.


Network of Executive Women- I have the pleasure of being a member of this non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women, growing business and transforming the cpg/retail industry’s workplace through the power of our community.


The Corporette- This is a new blog that I've come across that has some pretty solid advice for today's working woman. From career, to fashion, bargains, and being a working mother, this site covers a lot of topics concerning the modern woman.


Daily Worth- Money, Career, Business, and Life are all trending topics for working women. This site is the leading financial media company and it takes a serious look at women and their search for financial stability.


These are just a few of the websites that I have been reading lately, and I know there are many more that I don't even know exist. Please leave your suggestions in the comment section and I'll be sure to check those out.

Top Apps for getting Work Done!

Let's face it-- everyone is a professional multi-tasker! We're juggling work emails, social media posts, employee and client phone calls, all at the same time and all day long. To top it off, we're traveling, usually by car or plane, and we don't always have our work pc fired up with internet access. Ahhh, the joys of working remotely.

Well, I don't have the ultimate solution for your multi-tasking woes, but I do have a few phone apps (available on android and IOS) that can help make your work day run a little more smoothly. I use these apps (listed below in no particular order) on a daily basis and I recommend you give them a try and let me know what you think.

1. CamScanner - Ever needed a scanner on the run? This app allows you take a photo of document and turn it into a PDF that can easily be emailed.

 2. Cloud Storage Apps -  #MyLifeSavers These apps allow you to save documents and photos to the "cloud" on one device, then access these documents and photos on another device. If you're like me, you have a work laptop, a smartphone, and a tablet (or 2) and the clouds gives you one place to store your work where it can be accessed virtually everywhere. There are multiple apps for cloud storage, but my favorites are Dropbox Microsoft OneDrive (formally SkyDrive)  Google Drive SugarSync


 3. Microsoft One Note This app is everything! After I completed online and in office training on OneNote, I realized the capabilities are endless. Take notes, pictures, voice memos, video, documents, calendar invitations, and emails and save everything about one topic all in one place. I love the integration of this app with the cloud storage apps and outlook. If you need tips on how to use OneNote, youtube is a great teacher.


4. Google Now This is a great app for connecting with things around you. It gives you information about weather, traffic, suggestions relevant to your location, topics you're interested in, and information from other apps. When you use Google Search, it keeps that data and gives you updated information on that topic. Google now even tells you where you've parked, the distance you are from a saved location, and gives you updates on events around you. It's like a personal assistant (but not annoying).


  5. Microsoft Office for Tablet Users - Sorry Apple, I think this app is for Android users only. We all get inundated with Word Documents that need to be edited, Spreadsheets that need to updated, and Presentations that need to be changed last minute. Microsoft Office for Tablet Users allows all this to happen on the fly. You can create, edit, share, and save documents all while waiting for you next meeting to start.


I know there are a lot of other really great apps out there that increase productivity, but these are my personal faves. And yes, I'm a Samsung user so everything is Android and I'm a little biased over IOS.


If there is an app that you use regularly, tell me about it! Post your comments and questions below. Now-- get out there and get Productive!