Last week was a big reminder of the advantages of lifestyle freedom. I had several errands to run, among them was to vote. I have found that between 10:30 and 11:15 in the morning are the best times to do a lot of things because everyone else is at their job. Being my own boss, I decide when to do it.

When I went to vote, there was one other voter there. I was in and out in under 10 minutes. During lunch and after work, there was a mob of voters. I’m sure the vote time was at least 45 minutes.

I get my hair cut during these times, no waiting. At other times, there are at least one if not two people ahead of you. The stylists always ask if I am taking the day off because not only am I there at that time but I’m dressed extremely casually.

We had an issue with our cable TV signal. I was able to schedule the technician’s visit when it was convenient to me. Working from home meant that I didn’t have to take off to meet him. I didn’t have to disrupt my work longer than it took to tell him where the box was.

The carpet commute eliminates traffic frustrations as well as wear and tear on the car. The 13 gallon gas tank lasts about 3 to 4 weeks so the high gas prices were not a big deal.

If you want to enjoy a flexible schedule, boost your family budget and avoid things such as layoffs, I would invite you to start your own home based business. The residual income that you create will let you ‘retire’ whenever you want.

Technorati Tags: budget, carpet commute, family budget, flexible schedule, gas prices, home based business, job, layoffs, lifestyle freedom, residual income, retire, work for myself, working from home

Staycation is a new word that has entered our vocabulary. It’s where you can’t afford to go anywhere for vacation. I’m sorry, but I believe I deserve better.

The word became a staple in this new era of gas prices around $4 per gallon. These prices are really cutting into people’s budget. It’s the first time I have ever seen gas prices dramatically affect how people drive.

When you work for someone else, you get a double whammy with this situation. First, you have a ceiling on what you receive. In my 20 years of working for someone else, I did not have a real say in the raises I got. They were either budgeted at the beginning of the fiscal year or they were on a schedule.

The rising cost of commuting plus all the price increases of all the food and other goods that are affected by fuel prices can put a real squeeze on a family budget.

The frightening vision I receive from this scenario is someone who is trapped in a room with rising water.

My answer to this is to work for myself in my home based business. The lifestyle freedom that this has enabled me allows me to minimize the problems with rising prices. To get more income, I just work a little more. The concept of staycation doesn’t even occur to me.

Technorati Tags: family budget, gas prices, home based business, lifestyle freedom, staycation, vacation, work for myself

Gas prices are one thing that I have not had to really worry about this year. I work from home and drive maybe 3,000 miles per year. I fill up about every six weeks during the summer, every four weeks when school is in session.

To get to work, I do a carpet commute to my office. I work in what I feel like working in, usually shorts and a t-shirt. Shoes are optional. The schedule is flexible. The boss doesn’t complain if I don’t come back from lunch.

If I had to really deal with gas prices, I can increase what I am receiving from my business. I control it.

It wasn’t always like this. For 20 years, I worked on someone else’s schedule and let them control what I received. Then, five years ago, the best thing that ever happened to me was that I was laid off from a ‘secure’ job. If I was still working, I would be paying over $600 per month just getting there and back.

Gas prices, and other ‘doom and gloom’ events can become less scary when you take control of your life and your income.

Technorati Tags: flexible schedule, gas prices, work from home

Recession is the word I keep seeing over and over in the news. Business is contracting and laying off thousands of workers. Gas prices are cutting into to everyone’s budget. The unemployment rate has hit 5.7% ( I remember times when 5.7% unemployment was considered a good level.)

What is happening in the economy in nothing compared to what is happening in your personal economy. Even in the midst of the Great Depression, fortunes were made. In the booming economy, many bankruptcies are declared.

No matter which way the wind is blowing, sailing ships can go in all directions.

My economy is under my control. I determine what I receive. I am reminded of an old saying, “Dogs prefer meat, they get bones because they don’t get to choose.”

Working even part time on your side business can produce great dividends from income coming in as well as tax savings.

Set your sails to go where you want to go.

Technorati Tags: booming economy, budget, business, fortunes, gas prices, layoffs, recession, unemployment