This article asks what if the things so many of us want – nice house, higher-paying jobs, fancy car and expensive private schools for our children – turn out to give us more stress than they are worth.  While it is mostly true that the burden and stress associated with lower-income earners lessens as they earn more money and move up the social ladder, this holds true to a certain point.  In fact, once you get to a certain level, the benefits associated with increased wealth go away.  Research has shown that as you continue this climb, the stress associated with living the “high life” increases so much that it can eliminate many of the positive aspects of succeeding!

Scott Schieman, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto, conducted surveys that depict this.  In 2005 and 2007, he surveyed 1,800 Americans from a variety of income levels (he is now extending this research to more than 6,000 Canadians) and found that “people with higher levels of education and in higher-status occupations and mid-to-higher income brackets are experiencing higher levels of stressors.”  Why is this so?  Well, the responsibilities that come along with success can make life more difficult if you are work-devoted and highly-driven – two of the characteristics that led you to succeed in the first place.

Let’s say you are in the position of being able to work from home.  Some may find that to be dreamy whereas others look at it as a nightmare since they feel the need to always be on and answer every email, text message or phone call they get regardless of the time.  Some also strive to have power which can lead to even more stress when you have to manage others.  Then there are what sociologists refer to as “micro-impression-management activities.”  These include things such as wearing the right clothes, looking a certain way, having a nice house and the perfect family – qualities needed to remain credible.  I know many people would gladly trade their problems with these but it just shows that stress is relative to what we are going through.

I found this study to be interesting.  I, like many others, do sometimes wish I had more money.  I am content with my life but of course having more would be nice and sometimes more money equals more problems!

Srully Blotnick, an American author and journalist, did a study from 1960 to 1980 of 1,500 business school graduates, tracking their success after graduation based on their career choices.  These students were separated into two groups – those who chose to do something for money first and their passion second, and those who chose to follow their dreams and then worry about money later.  The study revealed that 83 percent of the graduates chose money over their dreams and only 17 percent decided to work in a field they were passionate about regardless of the pay.

This was not a large case study but, of the 255 graduates who chose work that truly absorbed them, 100 were millionaires 20 years later.  Out of the 1,245 graduates who decided to chase a bigger paycheck over what they were passionate about guess how many were millionaires 20 years down the road.   If you said “one” you are the winner.  That’s right, just one person that decided to follow a paycheck over passion actually earned a lot of money.

Once again, I don’t want to come across as saying that money is not important.  If your passion is to become an author I say go for it but, you might have to have another job on the side while you are working on your dreams.  My point is, if you do a job just for the money, you will very likely be dissatisfied with it.  This feeling will ooze over into other areas of your life.  I was actually in this boat a few years ago.  I was teaching first grade at the time and was offered a job selling high-end flooring in which I could potentially double or even triple my teaching salary.  I decided to take this job for the wrong reason – only to make more money.  For those of you that are unfamiliar with teaching, first grade is probably one of the most challenging but rewarding grades one can teach.  You have students come in at the beginning of the school year not being able to sound out a simple three-letter word and, by the time May comes, they are reading chapter books.  So I went from doing that to selling a $3,000 area rug that I could care less about.  I think it goes without saying that I was a HORRIBLE salesman – at least in that field.  I was not passionate at all about my job and this feeling affected other areas of my life.  Tracy even noticed that I had lost my “spark.”  After a few months of being a lousy salesman, I got back into teaching was happier making $37,000 a year doing that than I would have been making $100,000 selling flooring.

I think if there is a plus to the economic crisis our country is in, I think it is that many are realizing this.  Many people have been laid-off and/or fired and, thus, have been forced to find another career.  They have realized that almost no job is immune from being down-sized or eliminated.  Since this is the case, you might as well do something you are passionate about even if the pay is not large.  I know some that got into a career because they thought the large paycheck would make them “rich” but, after time realized this was not the case.  You see, a large bank account may mean you have a lot of money but does not automatically make you wealthy; working in a field that brings you fulfillment and has meaning to you can be worth more than any paycheck you might receive.

We rent our local township hall for the day, and yesterday around 3:30pm, a group of five adults and two children began our work.  We had to arrange the tables including tearing down and moving all the extra ones.  Then we arranged the needed ones in our set up and began decorating the hall to make it festive and fancy.  We had a few more people continue arriving until we had about 10 adults working together.  We had the room totally set up, the welcome table ready, all the places set for dinner, and all the food ready to go in just over one and a half hours.  That was the shortest amount of time it had ever taken us in the preparation, and it was done by teamwork.

When we were finished later that evening, everyone pitched in to help put everything away, tables back the way we found them, and the hall cleaned up.  We were done in about an hour because we worked as a team.

Keeping this example in your mind, think of various areas that the importance of teamwork shows up.  It can be at work when your department is all working to get a project done on time for the deadline.  It can also be as “simple” as your family working to maintain a garden together.  No matter, the simpleness or complexity, working as a team makes any load much lighter.

Scripture confirms this fact very clearly in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

And what makes a good team?  The absolute best team is made up of like minded believers who trust each other, are seeking to glorify God, and all want each other’s best.  This group which is seeking no selfish gain will have the ability to be the most effective.

I think these two quotes can effectively sum up the heart of teamwork.  “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” (- Andrew Carnegie) and “It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit. (- Robert Yates).

And while a team does have natural leaders develop within it, that group must work as a team to fully accomplish their goals.   Are you willing to be a team player for our Messiah?  And what are some stories of the importance of teamwork you can share?

Good Work Environment

I’ve learned having a good work environment is extremely important when working from home.  You should designate a space in your home as your official office or work space.  Report to work in that space each day at the same time just like you would if you were going to your corporate office.  Your space should be removed from everyday traffic and noise.  While we do have an office in our house, it’s located in a high traffic zone (just off the kitchen).  It can get quite noisy with young children so I’ve found that our upstairs guest bedroom is a great workspace.  I polished it off by purchasing an inexpensive desk from IKEA.

Keep Work Hours

I have work hours when I report to my corporate office and I generally try to keep the same hours when working from home.  Sometimes I can work a little longer since I don’t have a long commute.  This works great for me and my company.  They get more time from me and I get more time with my family.  I have also learned that I have to make sure my work doesn’t take over family or personal time.  I have to be careful to draw boundaries and know when it’s time to wrap up the day.  At the same time, I need to make sure I’m taking breaks for lunch.  For some strange reason, I find it easier to skip over breaks when working from home.

Stay in Contact

While I love the flexibility in working from home a few days out of the week it’s important to stay in contact with coworkers and my manager.  There are many days I don’t need to go into the office.  It doesn’t make sense since my team is in another city and so is my boss.  But I choose to do so to get out of my house and interact with people in the office.  I also make sure that I’m staying in touch with my manager throughout the day.  I’m always accessible via mobile phone, email and instant messenger.  It’s also important to make sure your manager knows what you’re accomplishing and that you’re always available when needed.

Stay Organized

Being organized is really important for me.  I go through the same routine as I do when I work in my corporate office which includes maintaining my task list, prioritizing tasks and identifying what is most important for me to accomplish for the day.  I need this organization and task management to keep me on track while working at home.  For some it is easy to get side tracked when not in their corporate office, but staying organized and working in my designated work space insures I’m able to accomplish my work and continue to add value to the organization.

If you can keep all these things in mind you’ll find working from home can work for both you and your employer. At the end of the day you’re being paid to perform a job for your organization.  You should be able to perform as effectively at home as in the corporate office.    If not, working from home may not be the best option for you.

Do you work at home?  If so, what tips have you found critical to your success?

To Do's

Maintain a to-do list – No brainer, right? Well, I think it’s extremely important to have a running list of things you need to get done. At the beginning of the day I review my list, emails, etc. and prioritize what I think I can reasonably get accomplished that day. Perhaps I do have a full calendar of meetings for the day. Therefore, my list of things I hope to accomplish for that given day is going to be much shorter. If something absolutely has to get done, but can’t because of the schedule there are a few options which brings us to the next tip…

Say no – Yes, I think we all have to learn to say no to certain things at work in a professional manner. Maybe your approach for saying no is getting permission from your boss to miss a meeting so you can get your high priority task completed. Or, maybe you have the flexibility as a manager to move a meeting to another day, cancel it all together or simply say you can’t attend a meeting but will happily get caught up later if necessary.

Make time – Another great way to accomplish a tasks and be more productive at work is to carve out the time on your calendar. In other words, schedule a meeting with yourself. No one else will be able to schedule for that time and you can go to a conference room or quiet area to complete the work without interruption. I know on occasion my previous boss would just tell me to go to a conference room and block my calendar out for the day in order to complete the project.  Some bosses let people work from home to focus.  If you can get your boss’s buy-in this is a great strategy!

Understand the level of urgency – You say you must get the task completed, but is it really that important? Are you creating the urgency or is someone creating it for you? I find that about 90% of the time the urgency is created by me. The stress about the work is created by me. Again, I’m a self motivated, type A type personality, so you can see where I’m going. So, what’s important is to really evaluate when that work needs to be completed. I’m not saying put work off and not be productive, but truly evaluate whether or not it needs to be completed today, tomorrow or next week to keep things moving along.

Pick the right priorities – All that being said, we need to make sure we’re picking the right priorities. What adds the most value to your organization or project? What is required to keep a project moving? What are your bosses biggest interests? These are the questions you should be asking as you prioritize and choose your work. It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing the work we want to do, but it may not be the most valuable work for the company or your career.

Use the right tools – The final tip is to make sure you have the right tools that fit your situation best. By this I mean that some people like software, spreadsheets and some like pieces of paper to keep track of their to-do’s. Whatever it is make sure your tool is always available and handy for you to take notes and add new items to your list. Make sure you keep a calendar as well. Spend 10 minutes at the beginning of each day working with your planning tool, organizing and setting priorities.

I know there are many more tips to be more productive at work and I know all the readers have their own experiences to share. I think work can be productive everyday, but we have to set realistic expectations with ourselves and our boss on what can be reasonably accomplished to maintain work-life balance.

What are your tips on how to be more productive at work?

I’ve been working in my professional career for 14 years and you’d think I have it all figured out.  Keep work over here and the rest of my life over there and all will be good!  Ha, that’s far from my reality more often thank I’d like to admit.  Work has it’s way of creeping into every area of our lives and if we’re not careful we’ll burn out and wear ourselves down. I think we’re especially susceptible to imbalance when we love our work and have a passion for it.  The work just seems to take over at that point.

While I’m by far no expert at getting enough work-life balance I still thought I would share a few tips I’ve found useful and try to follow in my own life.

Tips to Get More Work-Life Balance

Find a job with an employer that believes in work-life balance

Finding balance © by James Jordan

This seems like a no-brainer, but I would have never mentioned this tip if my current employer wasn’t so up-front about their desire to provide work-life balance to their people.  We have a culture of people that are committed to hard work and doing a great job.  However, our culture also respects the need for family and the personal lives of our people.

Not a lot of companies are as forthcoming about work-life balance and don’t make it a part of their human resources program.  I can’t stress enough to find out how serious an employer is about work-life balance during the interview process.  If they can’t speak to how they instill this in their culture you need to look elsewhere!

Set expectations with your boss

While an employer may support work-life balance you still have to set expectations with your boss.  You have responsibilities in this too!  Make sure you work out a reasonable work schedule with your boss.  Perhaps you work 7 AM – 4 PM versus normal business hours.  You might even come in later and leave later.  You need to also make sure your boss knows your priorities outside of work and that you’ll be sticking to them unless it’s a special circumstance.  This might mean no cell phone calls after dinner or stating you won’t be checking email at night.  I know these things may sound like I’m crazy, especially into today’s work culture, but you have to set these expectations and your boss needs to understand them and be willing to work with you.

Set your limits and stick to them

Another one of your responsibilities is to set your limits and stick to them. I know some people may work into the evening and after dinner.  Some people can’t work after 4 PM everyday because of family or other personal responsibilities.  That’s fine and I think we have to recognize everyone has a different definition of work-life balance as well as different personal lives.  But whatever your definition of work-life balance is you need to know what your limits are and stick to them if you want to remain stress free and healthy.

Keep your focus on the most important priorities in life

You have to know what the most important things are in life and make sure they are your top priorities all the time.  I think I can safely so that work should never be the most important priority in life for anyone!  However, why do we let work take-over and control much of our personal lives.  We read email at night, return phone calls, let work creep into all of our thoughts and so on.  Our focus should be on spending quality time with our families and doing activities at night that renew us for the next day.

Learn to say no

So, what do you do if you’re in a work environment without proper work-life balance?  What do you do if your boss keeps pushing for more and more?  What do you do when the emails are flooding your inbox at night when everyone decides it’s more important to work than anything else?  Say no!  Truly, it’s in our own control to tell our boss that now is not a good time.  It’s in our own control to avoid reading email.  We have more choices than we realize sometimes.  But, what if I get fired, you might ask?  Personally, if I get fired because I’m not keeping up at night, then I’m going to trust that God has a better plan and is saving me from a lot of pain!  Saying no is a personal responsibility we must uphold to protect our health, focus on more important personal priorities and stay healthy to perform the best job we can for our employers.

This post was important for me to write because I always need to remind myself of these tips to make sure I get enough work-life balance in my own life.  It’s not easy when you have a demanding job, lot’s of responsibilities and when you’re a type “A” personality like me!  However, I believe both employers and the employees have a responsibility to support and stand up for work-life balance.  After all, the company will reap great benefit in the end as the employee will be more motivated and likely to stay with the company longer.

How do you make sure you get work-life balance?

I have seen this first-hand.  I am not saying I know everything about personal finance but I have had some positive media exposure and have helped others get a better handle on their money.  I have been a part of numerous financial presentations that were FREE to attend.  I would have thought given the state of our country’s economic situation, many would jump at the chance to learn how to manage their money better but, unfortunately, the attendance for these events has remained pretty low.

Photo © by jessiejacobson

In the recent GOP debates, Rick Santorum has cited a study by the Brookings Institute on the causes of poverty.  He cited three things that a person needed to do in order to avoid living in poverty.  These three things are not that difficult for the average person to do.  To avoid poverty, one simply must:

• Stay in school and earn a high school diploma
• Don’t get pregnant until you are married
• When you get out of school, get a job

This Brookings Study cited by Mr. Santorum was actually in a book by Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill titled “Creating an Opportunity Society.” To avoid poverty, this book states:

Our research shows that if you want to avoid poverty and join the middle class in the United States, you need to complete high school (at a minimum), work full time and marry before you have children. If you do all three, your chances of being poor fall from 12 percent to 2 percent, and your chances of joining the middle class or above rise from 56 to 74 percent. (We define middle class as having an income of at least $50,000 a year for a family of three.)

In addition, Mr. Haskins goes on and states:

Higher marriage rates among the poor would benefit poor adults themselves, their children, and the nation.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, children living in single-parent families are about five times as likely to live in poverty. There’s also a high probability they’ll drop out of school, get arrested, be involved in teen pregnancy themselves, have more mental health problems, and be less likely to be employed or in school as young adults. Indeed, parents themselves are physically and psychologically better off when married than single.

I know things are usually easier said than done but I found this to be very interesting.  As a teacher, I know many say that we should throw more money into the educational system to help those students that have been born to single parents and may live in poverty.  I do feel that education is very important (that is why I became a teacher) but there is only so much a teacher can do.  As a country, we can continue to throw money into our schools in hopes of improving the lives of our youth.  We already spend a huge amount on educating our youth yet, the economic situation for those that drop out of school, have children before getting married and don’t work remains bleak.

If you choose to do those 3 actions alone, you only have a 2% chance of being poor.  Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the “quits rate” — the percentage of employees who voluntarily leave their jobs every month — dropped in early 2010 to a low of 1%.  This number has since crept up a bit to 1.5% in July and 1.6% in September of 2011.  The economy has no doubt kept many people in jobs they simply do not like – sometimes you just have to do what is necessary to make it through tough times.

Photo © by Zach Klein

Many of those who decide to quit their jobs do it within a pretty short period of time.  According to a recent study conducted by Bullhorn, a recruiting and applicant-tracking software developer, almost half (46%) of employees who quit do so within 18 months of being hired.  The number one reason according to the report is a bad cultural fit – an employee’s feeling that he or she just doesn’t belong and can’t get ahead.

So, when will you know if it is time to throw in the towel and look for a new job.  Kate Wendleton, president of national career-counseling network The Five O’Clock Club, has identified eight specific symptoms of a bad fit. “If you’ve noticed three or more of these warning signs,” she says, “it’s time to update your resume and launch a job search.”

Bad Fit Symptoms

1. Your values don’t match those of your coworkers or higher-ups

Wendleton has seen many instances of employees who don’t fit in because they won’t go along with unethical (or even illegal) practices, but a clash in values can take many other forms. Your description of your company as “bureaucratic and stifling” suggests the culture isn’t right for you.

2. Your boss doesn’t like you

This probably applies if “you don’t support his approach or agenda, or she never solicits your opinion,” says Wendleton, adding, “If you’ve ever done or said anything to undermine your boss, you might as well get out now.”

 3. Your peers don’t like you

Being treated like an “outsider” is a clue. “If you feel isolated, gossiped about, and excluded from the inner workings of the organization, and if you have no sense of camaraderie at work,” Wendleton says, “it’s time to start planning to move on.”

 4. You don’t get assignments that make the best use of your abilities

When the fit is bad, all the plum projects go to others, while you get the ones that play to your weaknesses, Wendleton says — a sign that “your boss doesn’t trust your judgment or believe you will do a good job.”

 5. You always get stuck with the “grunt work” no one else wants

“You can lobby for better projects and ask for assignments that will showcase your skills and heighten your credibility,” Wendleton notes — but don’t be surprised if you don’t get them.

 6. You are excluded from meetings that your peers are invited to

Obviously, this is unmistakable evidence of outsider status, says Wendleton: “You don’t feel that your ideas are valued or your contributions are central to the company.”

 7. Everyone else at your level has an office, while you have a cubicle in the hallway

Whatever your formal title, Wendleton observes, a lousy workspace “telegraphs your place in the informal hierarchy loudly and clearly.”

 8. You dread going to work

“If the idea of going to work makes you anxious or physically sick, and if you find yourself counting the hours until you can leave, you need to start job hunting,” says Wendleton. Life’s too short for this.

I know quitting your job and looking for a new place to work is so much easier said than done but, there are many out there who are just going though the motions at work.  If you happen to be in this group, I hope you feel somewhat encouraged that you can find a new job that is a better fit for your talents and passions.  Having a job that you enjoy and feel a sense of purpose at should be a goal for all of us.  You may not make more money in a different field (that is why it is so important to handle your money better) but the rewards of looking forward to going to work everyday are priceless!

This is my 12th year teaching. I currently teach special needs students and also have taught pre-k, kindergarten, first grade and second grade. I knew I wanted to be a teacher after having Mr. Stutzke in 9th grade Civics class. He was an amazing educator and inspired me in so many ways.

Upon entering college and declaring my major (elementary education) I heard from others that I would not make any money and would probably be broke my entire life. I realized at that point that I still wanted to be a teacher even though the pay was not as high as some other professions.

Old Classrom © by Art Poskanzer

The basic fact is that if you spend more than you earn, you’ll eventually be in trouble. It doesn’t matter if you make $10,000, $100,000 or even $1,000,000 a year; the same principle applies. Think about some of your friends. Do any of them make a lot of money but have nothing to show for it?

There might be some who press the snooze button numerous times on Monday morning because they dread going to work. If someone makes $500,000 a year but is unhappy Monday through Friday do you feel that person is “wealthy?” I do not. Sure, they may have less monetary worries than others but are they truly “rich”?

Many of these same people spend money and buy things to make themselves “happy.” Once the weekend rolls around, they can come up with some great reasons to buy things. “I work so hard and put up with so much, I deserve________________.” Fill in this blank with clothes, jewelry, eating out, and so on.  So many people do this in search of happiness.

Let’s face it, buying things can bring about a sense of joy. But only for a moment. If I go out and buy a shirt it feels great. The first few times I wear it, it feels good. Then, after five or six times of wearing this shirt, something happens—it becomes old. How many of us have looked in our closet and said, “I have nothing to wear” even though we have 50 outfits staring back at us? At one point in time we liked these clothes (or at least we liked them enough to buy them) but, after a while, that feeling goes away. If we base our feelings of happiness on materialistic things, we will be in a constant cycle of having to buy things to make ourselves feel happy.

That is what is so great about being a teacher. Most get into teaching because it is a calling – if you got into it for a large salary your college professor lied to you. For the past five years I’ve taught what is known here in Georgia as severe/profound special needs class. Many of the students I currently teach have IQs below 30, some are in wheelchairs, some are fed using a feeding tube and most use nonverbal cues to communicate.

A lot of people have told me that I must have a big heart and great patience to teach these students, but the truth is that I feel like I’m the lucky one; these students actually teach me more than I could ever give them. They get joy out of what many of us take for granted. I had one student who was happy as he could be when he was eating marshmallows out of Lucky Charms cereal. I currently teach a little girl who smiles the biggest and prettiest smile I’ve ever seen when she sees Blue from Blue’s Clues.

In these days of consumption and wanting more, I get reminded on a daily basis of the little things that most of us can find happiness in but overlook in the pursuit of wanting more. As a teacher I may never drive a Rolls Royce, live in a 5,000 square foot house or take exotic vacations; however, I get to wake up on a daily basis and get to go to a job that I am passionate about. That, to me, is priceless!

Have you made a similar career choice or a decision to become a teacher because of your passion for the work?  If so, let us know about it in the comments.

In many of the interviews I give, I try to inspire and show others that they can live on a moderate income.  It may not be easy and there are sacrifices that have to be made but it can be done.  With the recent economic conditions in our country (along with many other countries), I am afraid this is becoming much more difficult.  Here are three real challenges:

Home

For the average person, his/her home is the biggest asset he/she will have.  Now, with the housing crisis, this no longer holds true.  Many owe much more on their homes than they are worth and who knows when the housing market will improve.

Stock Market

Another way the average American builds wealth is through investing.  I do feel that the stock market will go up over time (historical data shows it grows around 10% a year) but many have seen their IRA’s, 401k’s and 403b’s shrink.  For those wanting to retire in a few years, this downturn could not have come at a worse time.

Pay Raises

Another way the average person earned more money is through a raise that most of us were accustomed to each year.  For many, that is out now.  As a teacher, I have not had a significant raise in two years.  In fact, with unpaid furlough days, there have been some years where I make less than I did the year before!

I have not been one that thinks CEO pay should be capped but I am beginning to re-think this a little bit.  I have always felt that private companies have the right to pay their CEO’s whatever they want – they are private.  However, when I read that a CEO makes millions of dollars while the pension of a loyal employee tanks, it makes me go hmmmm.  Like I mentioned, if a company chooses to pay someone a lot of money, that is the company’s decision.

When you look at the big picture though, you can see why the recent Occupy Wall Street protests have been gaining steam.  Many are just fed up that they cannot get a job and then see how much some companies pay those in charge.  I don’t know what these protests will lead to but, even as a conservative, can understand why they are upset.

Final Thoughts

I have seen plenty of people take advantage of the system and feel entitled to live off of others.  I don’t care what side of the political spectrum you are on – that is just plain wrong.  There are now many people out there that would love to have a job and hate having to live off government money but  just can’t find work.  Maybe these protests will lead to some positive change and help companies re-think how they are paying their employees.

What do you think – is middle class America disappearing?

Everyone in my neighborhood knows that if they have anything (I mean anything) made of metal that they want to get rid of, it’s easy. Broken bike frames, old lawn furniture, a box of aluminum cans, a useless dryer, just set it on the curb and poof, it’s gone. “Willy,” an old fellow who drives a beat-up truck makes his rounds and will scoop it up with a smile.

You don’t have a magic metal man in your neighborhood? Well, that man could be you if you realized how valuable metal is. “Willy” makes about $100 a day grabbing other people’s useless junk.

What does he know that we apparently don’t? There’s gold in junk! Scrap metal is big business and the scrap yard will take anything! Some metals, like aluminum, bring about $1 a pound (at the time of this article). Other metals don’t pay as much but still bring money. Willy knows the value of recycling!

Most people realize that scrap metal can be recycled, but it’s just one example of how to make money recycling. There’s value in recycling just about everything. Take bailed cardboard. It brings about .10 cents a pound in my neighborhood. Not bad!

Now, maybe you’re not up to this kind of recycling for money. There are lots of ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle that save you money. And yes, you can even make money recycling!

So, leave the heavy lifting to Willy. Call your local metal scrap yard and they’ll send someone to pick up your broken washer, or bicycle frame.

Let’s focus on easy ways to save money and make money recycling.

1. Reuse an item in a new way. My mother could make 25 things from a milk carton. She had some creative ideas, like cutting off the bottom of the milk carton and using the handle to create a giant scoop. One year, she made piggy banks from milk cartons. And, of course, they’re great for storage. Finding new uses for old items gives them new life and keeps you from having to make a purchase.
2. Compost your table scraps. Not many people think of this as a money saving project, but it is. Creating compost for your garden means you’ll have great veggies without having to purchase fertilizers and bagged compost.
3. Turn clothing that can’t be used for resale into craft projects. People have been doing this for ages. Teddy bears made of chenille blankets were once quite popular. Quilts can be made of old shirts. I even have a talented friend who dissembles wool sweaters and re-knits them into fashions and household goods. This is a very popular trend for serious knitters!
4. Use every item completely. The perfect example of using an item completely can be found in copy paper. Reuse the back of your copier paper. Then after the paper can no longer serve that purpose, shred it and use it for packing when shipping items. In an ideal recycling world the person who receives the package would make that shredded paper into a paper Mache piñata for her kid’s birthday party!
5. Make money with gently used household items in five ways:
1. Have a yard sale.
2. Donate the items. Get a receipt and take a tax write off.
3. Take the items to a resale shop or vintage store to sell them or for a commission.
4. Sell the items on Ebay or Craigslist.
5. Trade the items with a friend or neighbor for something you need.

You can even throw a trading party for friends. For a women’s party, have everyone bring their used clothing, shoes and handbags for trade; donate the rest to charity. Or have a block party where you trade your excess items of any type.

If you have more recycling ideas on how to make money recycling, how to reuse interesting objects or how to save money by reusing specific items, share your ideas.

By simply sharing your recycling ideas, you can make a positive difference!

Photo credit: Paul Black 2011

While campaigning, President Obama suggested raising the minimum wage to $9.50 by 2011.  Now might be the time for him to re-visit this idea.  As the economy has tanked, wages have stagnated, and many that have jobs are having trouble meeting their families’ basic needs. Accounting for inflation, weekly wages have actually fallen by 1.3 percent in the past eight months, and the Commerce Department reported that consumer spending, which makes up 70 percent of the economy, dropped in June for the first time in nearly two years.  To raise the minimum wage puts a little more money in pockets of the lowest-paid workers.  Many of these workers would spend that additional income immediately which could help restore the consumer spending that businesses need to grow.

Raising the minimum wage would also help workers whose salaries are at lower end of our economy.  Low-wage work is becoming the livelihood of an ever-growing number of workers. A new analysis by the National Employment Law Project finds that while the majority of jobs lost during and after the recession were in mid-wage occupations, roughly three-quarters of jobs added since job growth resumed are low-wage.  While the number of low-paid workers is growing, their wages are declining: workers in lower-wage occupations (with median wages under $13.52) have seen a 2.3 percent decline in real wages since the recession began.

On the other side, I know there are arguments against raising the minimum wage saying it would lead to job loss.  This theory was tested in 1993 by Alan Krueger, Obama’s nominee to head the Council of Economic Advisers, and economist David Card.  They published a study comparing over 400 fast-food restaurants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  In 1992, New Jersey raised their minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.05 an hour whereas Pennsylvania kept theirs at $4.25.  This study found that relative to stores in Pennsylvania, fast food restaurants in New Jersey actually increased employment by 13 percent.  Now, this was just one study but many still use to this to contradict the point that raising the minimum wage would lead to job loss.

Like I mentioned before, I see both sides of this argument.  I know many business owners invest their lives into their companies and feel it is unfair to have to pay some of their employees more.  On the flip-side, with the economy showing no signs of recovery right now, it is important to look at as many options as possible.  Raising the minimum might be one of these options.

What do you think about raising the minimum wage?

Photo credit: jypsygen