If you happen to be looking for work right now, then your expenses will still be in time for 2009 tax returns. While being out of work sucks, and looking for a new job can be frustrating, luckily certain expenses you have while looking for a new job may be deductible.

Examples of deductible expenses while job hunting include employment and outplacement agency fees, long-distance phone calls related to the job hunt,  job wanted ads placed in newspapers or journals, moving expenses if your new job is 50 miles+ away, resume preparation services, resume related experiences, and travel expenses for both …read more

Bankrate just posted a very nice piece; Seven ways to save cash on a job hunt. Tips included are:

Barter for job search assistance
Visit the local library
Visit low-cost community job centers
Group-related job hunting tasks
Use free Internet, phone services
Pack your own lunch
Save your receipts

To see all the tips, in detail, head over and read the article. It’s totally worth a read, and covers a ton of great info, but being me my brain started thinking hmmm, are there any other tips we could add to this list. I thought of a few and maybe you can …read more

When the economy changes so do employment benefits, according to a recent survey of employers conducted by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company.

Colonial Life talked to over 750 human resource managers and benefits administrators at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference in New Orleans during July. Based on current economic hardships, employers note that various changes have been occurring with regards to employee benefits. For example…

26% increased contributions from employees
12% eliminated benefits
12% offered employee-paid voluntary options
10% added benefits
9% increased employer contributions

You would expect to hear ALL bad news but it’s better than I …read more

Working, while meant to make you $ can actually cost you a lot. Luckily it’s easy to save money with some simple tips..
1. Take your lunch – I think eating out with co-workers is what cost me the most when I was working out of the house. Make a goal to only eat out once in a while so you can socialize vs. each day. It’s easier if you get everyone else on board because then people will stay at work and eat with you.
2. Get some essential clothing that match – for a job where you have to dress …read more

Effective July 24, 2009, Federal Minimum Wage is increasing from $6.55 to $7.25 for eligible employees. Is this a good deal, or not so much.

According to NPR, conservative economists are worried forced raise increases will force small businesses to lay off workers or cut jobs entirely. On the flip side, NPR notes that liberal economists say this summer is the perfect time for a wage hike, putting money in pockets, stimulate spending, and overall help, not hinder the economy.
I’m not an economist researcher or expert, so I can’t say for sure how the minimum wage increase may affect the economy …read more

The rate of home based businesses and work at home jobs have grown in this economy. People are looking for new ways to make money, but not everyone has what it takes to run a home based business. Plus, economy poor or not,  many parents, mama’s more so than dads in my experience, are looking for ways to make a living AND be with their kids at home.
Three years ago, at age 47, Barbara Rosenzweig was a stay-at-home mama selling Mary Kay. Her husband was so impressed with how professionally she ran her job that he bought her a pretty …read more