economy | Journey

Poll Indicates Optimism About Economy

By Miranda Wilson on Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The year of 2009 is behind us, and 2010 is charging full steam ahead. As the economy continues to show signs of improvement, economists are predicting it will only be a matter of time before businesses and jobs start ramping up again. In January, a total of 652 people responded to our survey, “Are You Optimistic About the Job Market?”

Of those who took the survey, 53.4% said they are optimistic about the job market this year, while 46.6% said they are not.

These numbers are an improvement over a similar poll that we took in March 2009. On that survey, more than 1,200 readers voted. Of those who took the survey, only 38.8% said they were optimistic about the economy over the next six months while 61.2% said they were not optimistic.

Overall, the outlook on the economy is looking up. Do you have any additional thoughts about the economy over the next six months? Share your thoughts here.

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Are You Optimistic About the Job Market?

By Miranda Wilson on Tuesday, January 5, 2010

As the economy continues to improve, experts anticipate an increase in jobs this year. They are also forecasting issues with employee retention, as they believe many will job hop into a new opportunity.

What are your thoughts about the job market, whether you currently have a job or not? As we begin 2010, do you think the job market is going to be better in the next six months?

poll by twiigs.com

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12 Tips to Update Your Cash Savings Plan and Gain Peace of Mind

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, August 19, 2009

In these current economic times, it seems that everyone is looking for new ways to make a little extra money and save what they already have. Does this sound like you? Having money in the bank for an emergency is important, but having money stashed away in case of a layoff is equally important.

With bills to pay and things you want to buy, saving might be something you tend to push to the back burner. Or maybe you don’t know where to start when it comes to saving and you just feel overwhelmed. But, there is good news! Saving doesn’t have to be difficult or a burden. To help you develop or re-develop your own savings plan, here are 12 easy tips you can start using today to help build your emergency fund and feel good about your finances.

Rent or borrow movies from friends instead of going out to the movies.
Cook at home and take your lunch to work rather than eating out.
Limit yourself to only going to the mall once a month.
Limit how many purchases you make with your credit cards.
Give yourself a “pocket money” limit. Put your cash and loose change in an envelope and use it only for items you want but don’t really need. When that money is gone, you will have to wait until next month’s budget to make additional purchases.
Make shopping lists and stick to them.
Wait 30 days before making a big dollar purchase to think it over and make sure you really need the item.
Go to the library to check out books, DVDs, and CDs.
Make gifts for others on birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
Turn off lights and unplug electronics when you leave a room to help lower your electricity bill.
Carpool to work.
Cancel expensive gym memberships if you aren’t going frequently.

These are just a few examples of ways you can cut spending costs. You should also open up a savings account at your bank and deposit the money you’re saving in there. With your money in the bank, it will gain interest each month, helping you save more in a shorter amount of time.

Developing and sticking to a savings plan may take a little time, but it is something that you can definitely do. Start using these tips today and see how much money you can save in one month. Happy saving!

What do you think? Let us know some other tips that we can add to this savings list. We look forward to hearing from you.

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5 Ways to Say Happy Birthday at Work (Without Breaking Your Budget)

By tiffany monhollon on Monday, February 9, 2009

If you’ve ever felt that one day blends into another at work, then you know that any excuse to shake things up and break from the norm is a great way to lift spirits and help your team bond. While each workplace differs on the reasons why and how they celebrate, a popular trend is
celebrating employee birthdays. Though some people dislike the attention and others choose not to celebrate for religious reasons, most people in the workplace enjoy a small birthday party.

But in times like these, budgets are tight for businesses and employees alike. So, here are five ways to celebrate birthdays at work without going broke.

1. Sign a group birthday card. Depending on the size of your workplace or team, a card signed by your group can be a simple way to help everyone save a few bucks. Another idea is to create an electronic group greeting card that everyone can customize. GroupCard.com makes it easy to make sure everyone has a chance to sign an electronic card and will schedule the delivery date for you.

2. Bake, don’t order cake. Having a monthly cake to celebrate employee birthdays is a time-honored tradition in many workplaces, but the costs can add up fast. Employers may be looking to cut budgets on items like these, but that doesn’t mean birthdays can’t be sweet anymore. One idea is to have team members bake cupcakes, cookies, or other sweets to bring to celebrate co-worker birthdays.

3. Have a potluck picnic. Instead of catering in or going out for a restaurant meal to celebrate a co-worker’s birthday, a budget-friendly alternative is to have a potluck picnic or lunch. Having everyone bring a themed dish is a great way to build camaraderie within your team and celebrate while keeping budgets in check.

4. Throw a re-gift party. If your team has a tradition of buying gifts for each other but can’t afford to this year, try a unique spin on the popular “Dirty Santa” holiday gift exchange. Have a re-gift party in honor of your team member’s birthday and ask all team members to bring a white elephant gift to exchange (just make sure they don’t bring a gift they received from a co-worker!). Other variations of this idea include having a themed gift swap. Simply select a theme, like funny things under $1, your favorite candy, or a secret recipe. Then, use the gift exchange game rules to provide an inexpensive but fun party game that gets everyone involved and preserves the gift-giving spirit.

5. Host a tournament or game lunch. Another way to celebrate birthdays at work is to schedule a game hour or tournament. Playing cards, board games, or word games can be a fun way for your team to celebrate while not spending a lot of money.

To keep team morale high, especially in times like these, it’s important to make sure we don’t cut celebrating from the workplace when budgets get cut. So, try using some of these ideas to celebrate birthdays in your workplace, or suggest these ideas to your team the next time you’re looking for a much-needed morale boost on the job.

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