How To – Stretch the Marketing Budget

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Diane Hicks

Want to get more out your marketing budget? Or starting a new business with little left over for marketing? However lenient or tight the reins on company spending, here are a few tricks and techniques to get a bigger bang for your marketing buck!

Go Social

Take your pick, or utilize a combination of social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, for which the only cost is the time you invest! Business owners can employ social media to promote their brand and generate awareness. But it’s best to start slow and see how other businesses use it, and what they have success with. You will find no shortage of websites, blogs and online forums available to find out how to generate leads and acquire more customers through social media.

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Protect Your Debit Card

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Diane Hicks

While your debit card may look like a credit card, the potential losses resulting from debit card fraud can actually be more severe. Here are some tips from the FTC on how to protect your debit card, including:

Don’t disclose your account number over the phone unless you initiate the call.
Don’t sign a blank charge or debit slip.
Cut up old cards — cutting through the account number — before you throw them away.
Don’t carry your PIN in your wallet, purse, or pocket — or write it on your ATM or debit card.
Commit it to memory.
Never write your PIN on the outside of a deposit slip, an envelope, or other papers that could be lost or looked at.
Carefully check your ATM or debit card transactions; the funds for this item will be quickly transferred out of your checking or other deposit account.
Periodically check your account activity, especially if you bank online.

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5 Tips for Protecting Your Checking Account

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Diane Hicks

When it comes to protecting your checking account, who better to give advice than the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, headed up by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke?

The Board’s advice may sound familiar, but it’s better to listen twice than get burned once. From “don’t talk to strangers” about your account to “know your rights” under the law, these tips are worth reviewing.

Not sure what the Federal Reserve Board does, or how the Federal Reserve System works? Check out In Plain English: Making Sense of the Federal Reserve on the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Job Opportunities – Rolling Into Your Neighborhood

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Diane Hicks

Are you are hunting for a job to help make ends meet or possibly looking for a position more commensurate with your education and skill set? While our economy is rebounding, many local job seekers and businesses still face an uphill climb during this speedy economic recovery. The good news is that there is a great new resource on its way to help “drive” the economic prospects of our local communities!

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Allowance: Your child’s first step – to money management

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Diane Hicks

If your child is old enough to understand the concept of money, it’s probably time to start thinking about allowances. Most experts suggest you start a youngster’s financial literacy lessons early, by stressing saving, sharing and spending that allowance.

The first thing to determine is how much and how often? Continue reading →