ITList Information Technology Blog » Budget http://itlist.com Current IT field related information Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:35:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 Saving For Retirement Early http://itlist.com/saving-for-retirement-early/ http://itlist.com/saving-for-retirement-early/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:54:21 +0000 SamElli http://itlist.com/?p=2179 You’re never too young to save for your retirement.  That’s something that not everyone realizes.  But how you plan for you retirement in your 20s and 30s can help determine the quality of your life after retirement.  The more planning the better, especially if you want to retire early and ensure that you have the money available to lead the life you want, after work.

Saving is the best way to start.  Determine an acceptable percentage of each paycheck that you want to set aside in a savings account.  If you have direct deposit at your job, practically every bank offers you the ability to denote a percentage of each check automatically to your savings.  That way you’re saving money without really even consciously trying.  Remember, start small.  You don’t have to go crazy to save a lot of money.  This is a long term strategy, so a little now will add up over the long run.

When you’ve started building up a decent amount of money in your savings account, think about making that money work for you.  If you’re money is sitting in savings, it isn’t really doing anything.  Consider putting some of that into long term stock or bond investments.  Something practically guaranteed to make your money grow.  There’s always some risk involved, so don’t over invest, but definitely take a few steps to build on what you have.

Finally, try not to frivolously spend your money.  That doesn’t mean being frugal your whole life so you can finally spend in your 50s.  But rather, don’t make purchases you can’t afford, and don’t use credit to live beyond your means.  Both catch up with you faster than you’d think, and will hurt your retirement in the long run.  Be intelligent with your money.  If you have to wait a few weeks for something you want to fit in the budget, be patient.  You’ll be better off in the long run.

]]>
http://itlist.com/saving-for-retirement-early/feed/ 0
Power of Checklist and Why Should You Have One Handy http://itlist.com/power-of-checklist-and-why-should-you-have-one-handy/ http://itlist.com/power-of-checklist-and-why-should-you-have-one-handy/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:11:49 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/?p=1962 It is often impossible for busy freelance writers to keep track of everything that they have to accomplish in order to successfully complete the work at hand. Often times, you end up missing one thing or another, and it is not before you have hit the button send that you realize the mistake you have committed. But by then it is already too late, and the process of sending an apology mail followed by the correct version of the piece that you sent starts. Generally, clients will not say anything, nevertheless, it reflects badly on your reputation and professionalism. Hence, you should work on doing the things right in the first time only, and in that checklists help a great deal.

Benefits of a checklist

A checklist offers many benefits, and unlike its how-to part, it does not require us to invest lots of time reading it. A checklist offers the following benefits:

  • It helps us know what we require to accomplish in order to get the work done before we embark upon.
  • It works as a guiding post, when we get stuck in the middle of the project and ask now what.
  • A checklist helps us verify if we have missed something in the project.
  • A checklist is easily scanable, and it should be kept handy when doing some work, as it will help us remember what needs to be done.
  • A checklist can help us properly prepare the budget keeping each item in mind.
  • It can prove to be a valuable asset when it comes to making a business decision.

Conclusion

One must keep a checklist handy whenever one embarks upon a new job. As said above, it will prove to be a very valuable tool right from the beginning.

]]>
http://itlist.com/power-of-checklist-and-why-should-you-have-one-handy/feed/ 0
Using Information Technology With Your Business http://itlist.com/using-information-technology-with-your-business/ http://itlist.com/using-information-technology-with-your-business/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:10:10 +0000 SamElli http://itlist.com/?p=1851 Information Technology is a vital component of almost every business in the modern age.  Without having a good internet marketing campaign, you’re looking at a very limited amount of success.  So you would think it’s basically a no-brainer as to why IT could change your business.  Information Technology could improve your productivity in ways you can’t imagine.  So make sure you always find the time and effort to make use of IT concepts, they could change the way you run your business for the better.

Investing in computers and computer networks enables you to develop more convenient ways of carrying out day to day operations.  IT tools can help you automate functions that normally someone would have to go through each time, enabling a person to focus on a more important task.  This way you save money for the time they don’t have to spend on a pointless task, and also allow for that person to be free to attend to a more pressing concern.

Information Technology will allow you to create a broader spectrum of easy collaboration with your staff.  By networking their computers you enable everyone to communicate quickly, and more effectively on the fly.  This way they can accommodate for changing needs and services as the changes happen in real time.  All enabling you to keep relevant no matter how quickly the times change.

Finally information management will completely change with the influence of modern IT methodology.  Through IT you can effectively store your information and vital business data in a different way, allowing you to access your archives faster with more accurate information.  This could prove invaluable, and just another reason that your business should make sure to have a plentiful IT budget.  With Information Technology you could change the face of your business, and maneuvering yourself for success like never before.

]]>
http://itlist.com/using-information-technology-with-your-business/feed/ 1
Keeping Up On Technology http://itlist.com/keeping-up-on-technology/ http://itlist.com/keeping-up-on-technology/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:07:19 +0000 SamElli http://itlist.com/?p=1487 No matter the industry you are in, keeping up with relevant technology to your field is incredibly important in your bid to remain relevant and competitive over rival companies and to the intelligent consumer.  Part of the battle is keeping up on new products as they come out, as depending upon how high tech your company is, you could have new technology coming out every few weeks with potential industry changing effects.  But there are a few keys that you can keep in mind when it comes to staying relevant.  Those being:

  1. Figure out your needs for successfully running your business.
  2. Figure the budget that you have to spend on new tech.
  3. Combine your findings from the first two, to find the most relevant technology.
  4. Allow time to test new tech and figure out realistic application within the company.

So firstly, you want to asses what you need to successfully run your business.  Target what your business is going to offer, or already offers, and look to technology surrounding that.  Whether it be computer software to better manage your clientele, or even faster computers to provide for better overall service.

Figure out how much money you can afford to spend taking risks on new technology.  For any sort of advancement in any field a certain amount of risk taking is necessary, and you need to determine how much money can be spent on those risks.  You want to have plenty to try and keep up with potential money saving/making technology, but not so much that a bad investment would hurt the company.  Never be afraid though, as that new piece of tech could solve some financial problems in ways you couldn’t imagine.

Combining your findings means using the budget you’ve made for new technology, on the features that are going to be most helpful to your company first.  Go after the tech that has the likelihood changing your company in the most dramatic ways, and target that first.  You’ll always be taking a risk, but by targeting a weak point, or point that you could strengthen, you take the positive chance of reorganizing your company to be stronger than before.

Allow for time to test every investment you make before making a final judgment as to how it will apply to your company, and whether the investment was a success or not.  Sometimes reintegration of an old system can take a while.  Or sometimes fully understanding the nuances of a new item can take time before you fully understand how to make the best use of what you’ve bought.  Give it some time, and let your investments play out, because that new technology could pay dividends like you couldn’t imagine.

]]>
http://itlist.com/keeping-up-on-technology/feed/ 0
Internet Marketing is a Valuable Part of Business http://itlist.com/internet-marketing-is-a-valuable-part-of-business/ http://itlist.com/internet-marketing-is-a-valuable-part-of-business/#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:47:05 +0000 bizblogger http://itlist.com/?p=1001 Business growth and success is based on fundamental principles that help you to achieve your goals. The first thing you need to do is make a decision regarding what you want for your business. This helps develop focus in a specific direction. The next thing is to develop a plan of action. In the last few years, the internet has become a major part of most businesses. People use the internet to conduct market research, search for products, information, services and even for entertainment.

Most successful people have recognized the need for an integrated marketing approach. There are many important reasons to have a web presence, especially since it has become so much easier and affordable. The internet can offer you valuable exposure for your product or service. Many people find it a daunting task because they have  limited technical knowledge, and automatically assume that getting set up is going to be an expensive exercise.

Before setting up your internet site you need to decide what your message is going to be. Take some time to write a list of what you hope to achieve from your site. You can have access to a vast reservoir of information and intelligence, but it is of little value if you are not prepared to spend the time thinking about what benefits you can offer the consumer. If your information is honest and accurate your site will have credibility. Take the time to work out a definite plan, know what you want your internet marketing to achieve. Unless you are able to monitor the results you have no way of knowing what value this avenue is adding to your business growth.
There are many different approaches to suit the needs and budget of every kind of business or individual. Before you make your decision check out www.gossimer.biz. They offer many different options and there is sure to be something to suit your needs. They can provide you with templates and even give you the option to customize your own web page with just basic computer knowledge. In addition to a customized service they also have many other valuable resources which you can incorporate into your business strategy. It is always best to work with a business that is a specialist in the field of internet technology. 

Once you have your site you need to turn it into a valuable promotional tool that will attract visitors. The real reason for a website is to communicate with a potential consumer. The bottom line of any marketing action is to get new clients. Focus on the reasons why your service will improve the consumer’s life. They must be able to visualize the benefits they are being offered in a clear and concise way. It is the benefits that will motivate a potential client to take action and buy into your message.

If you keep these principles in mind you will find that the internet is a valuable tool that helps you grow your business, and you will generate consumer interest and action.

]]>
http://itlist.com/internet-marketing-is-a-valuable-part-of-business/feed/ 0
Surviving Recession through the internet. http://itlist.com/surviving-recession-through-the-internet/ http://itlist.com/surviving-recession-through-the-internet/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:39:27 +0000 Janeita http://itlist.com/?p=44 While recession is not exactly seen as ‘daddy´s day at the park’ it does not necessary have to be a death sentence to someone´s career. There are vast opportunities that one can undertake to make money through the Internet even in recession. Care should be taken at this time that all measures are taken to protect ones self from any possible identity theft that may occur. The last thing you need is to have your identity stolen while you browse from web page to web page. If you have something to offer then follow these simple steps to ensure your product get to the targeted section of the market.

Make a plan about your business that outlines the service/product you intend to offer and the market segment you expect to reach. In order to execute an action , there has to be plan that governs all the steps that one intends to make. This will prepare you in advance for the many responsibilities that may arise as you undertake you mission step by step.

Create a website for yourself . There are thousands of website packages that allow you to build a website at an affordable price and even offers privacy protection.Organize your website to ensure that it is easy to navigate and attracts the attention of online navigators.This can be achieved though optimization of your website using tools such as SEO.Finally ensure that you have taken the necessary precautions to avoid Identity theft

As budget is the determining factor in any recession there are quite a few ways for you to advertise your services without having to spend a lot. E-mail marketing for example is a cheap way that guarantees this.E-mail marketing requires that one has to an organized database in operation and a system that manages the messages you intend to send out.

There are thousands of websites that claim to drive Internet traffic to ones website, this has to be carefully researched as at times there really is to gain to this , just spam and not Internet traffic. Another point is that in order to be aggressive in the market, one has to be aggressive to defend his/her product and brand, always check to ensure that untrue advertisements regarding your product are not made and that you are not hosting your competitor on your website!!

Understand the desires of your customers and always review blog posts to see what hey are saying. By doing so you will be informed as to what you need to offer your clients in order to stand out in the market by these very blog posts.

For those who do not have a product to offer at the time and may consider working as a freelancer special care should be taken when looking for at home jobs on the Internet. Never take a job that you have to pay for, after all that is the main reason you are behind a job, to get paid!!. I recommend Odesk, Elance if you wish to work as a freelancer using the Internet.

]]>
http://itlist.com/surviving-recession-through-the-internet/feed/ 0