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Start a Home Based Business in Retirement? Part 1 – Will a Home Based Business Solve Your Problem?

Congratulations. You’re retired and you thinking about starting a home based business.You’ve probably heard that at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting each person gets up and starts his talk by saying, “Hello, I’m __________ and I’m an alcoholic.”What they’re doing is admitting they have a problem, and they want help and support in solving it.Well, now that you’re retired, you’re reading this because you have a problem, so say aloud “I’m retired, and I have a problem.” That’s right; the first step in solving your problem is to admit that you have a problem.Perhaps your problem is:

Your retirement nest egg has been severely hurt by the drop in the stock market, or You can’t afford to take the vacations you want to take, or You have trouble paying your bills, or You’re just bored.

 
Whatever your problem, you’re wondering whether starting a home based business is a solution for you, and if it is, which business opportunity should you select, and what do you have to do to make it successful enough that it solves your problem.I started a home based business because my wife had a serious accident, and I needed to spend more time with her at home. I solved my problem by starting a home based business. Before making a decision, I thoroughly researched all the data available, so I could make an informed decision.I spent months collecting data. Hopefully, by giving you the results of my search, you will find your answers in a much shorter time.Briefly, what I found out is that a home based business can be a way to solve your problem. A great many people are making a very good living from their home based business, but many, many more are not only not making money, they are losing money.People lose money because they believe the hype that it is possible to make a lot of money in your spare time without any expertise and with very little expenditure of time and money. When they find out that this hype is a lie, they give up.A home based business is like any other business. You can make a lot of money in a home based business, but like any other business, it takes hard work, marketing skills, and an investment of time and money.Also, you can run a home based business part time, but you can’t run it in your spare time. You have to dedicate a specific amount of time to your business, and allocate that time to the various tasks that you must do to have a successful home based business.The key to a successful home based business is (1) using modern marketing methods and (2) finding a mentor who will help you get started. If you do these two things, you can succeed in any opportunity you choose. However, for a retired person, some opportunities are better than others.In succeeding articles, I will discuss these points in more detail.As I said at the beginning, you probably are looking for help and support to solve your problem. If you want help in solving your problem, don’t hesitate to email me, and I will do my best to help you.

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New Orleans Education Post-Katrina

Education in the city of New Orleans has changed a great deal since hurricane Katrina took place in August of 2005. New Orleans education now revolves around the concept of charter schools. These schools were established out a need that arose in the wake of the natural tragedy. To date they have been shown to be of benefit to the children and adolescents being educating in them.

There is currently a move in the New Orleans Public Schools system to decentralize power that was previously held by the school board’s central bureaucracy before Katrina and give it to certain school boards and individual school principals. These reforms will make it possible for the charter schools to make many of their own decisions and to allow the parents of children attending public schools to enroll them in any school they wish to in the district. It is worth mentioning that at the present time the majority of public school students in the city of New Orleans attend these charters schools. New Orleans education has undergone a tremendous change in the post-Katrina days out of necessity. New Orleans is the only city in the United States where public charters dominate the educational system.

In attempting to understand the New Orleans education system in the wake of the hurricane that changed the way the citizens live their lives, it is important to understand what these schools are all about. Let us take a look at that now.

Charter schools have been garnering a great deal of attention in the past few years however they are not a brand new concept. These types of schools which are privately governed have been around for the past two decades. According to a survey published in 2009 there are more than 4,900 charter schools throughout the nation and as many as 1.5 million students are in attendance at these schools.

Charter schools resemble a type of educational reform that has not only affected New Orleans education but the education in other areas of the country as well. The state of California has chosen to embrace this new form of schooling as well. Charter schools offer a viable alternative to educating students and making sure that they obtain the best education that they possibly can.

Public charters are funded in much the same ways that public schools are funded. The difference is that charter schools are not governed by the state but in a private manner. While conventional public schools do not have to worry about being closed down if they do not yield successful results in their academics and teaching process, charter schools do have this worry placed on their shoulders from the start. Every charter school that opens its doors must be able to prove that it is successful and that its students are learning properly and learning well in order to be able to maintain their charter.

These schools are for all grades from kindergarten up to grade 12. While they are publicly funded they are open to accept private donations in the same way that public schools are. Every school charter that is established in the New Orleans educational system and elsewhere is free from some of the constraints placed on public schools. However there is a level of accountability inherent in every charter that specific results must be obtained in order for the charter to remain in place. A charter school is open to anyone who wishes to attend and these schools are not permitted to charge students fees to obtain their schooling. Be aware that these new types of schools are a component of the public education system.

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A Job Or an Internet Home Based Business? Many Moms and Dads Must Answer That Question

Many moms and dads are asking the question whether to stay in their job or consider an internet home based business opportunity.The current U.S. economic crisis has changed the lives of many families. Some Americans have seen their income reduced or sometimes eliminated because of lost jobs. Others are feeling job insecurity as their companies struggle.The employment picture appears to be improving. Job losses are declining. The unemployment rate remained at 10.0% in December. However, if the work force had not lost over 660,000 discouraged job lookers (given up on finding a job), the unemployment rate would have been 10.4%.But the current economy indicates that it will be extremely difficult to find another job if you are presently unemployed or unhappy with your present employment.When you consider the total of unemployed plus underemployed (employed but making less than before they were laid off) individuals, there are almost 27 million Americans who are looking for a job or a better paying job. It will take many years before all these people find jobs, even if the economy grows at a very high rate.However, there is no way that we will see high growth rates in the economy. The massive federal government spending is resulting in huge deficits. Higher interest rates and increased taxes will be needed to finance these deficits. Both of these will cause a major drag on any economic growth.As a result, unemployment rates will remain at high levels. Finding a job will be difficult for many Americans.We are seeing a major change in families throughout this country. Many moms and dads are considering the pros and cons of joining an internet home based business opportunity. Some are discarding the traditional path of working a job.When talking about an internet home based business, I’m not talking about a job stuffing envelopes or doing medical billing.To pursue an internet home business is not a bad thing. In fact, it is considered a blessing for some. Many moms and dads have considered this type of business before. A job loss or job insecurity can provide the motivation to make this change.Robert Kiyosaki, the best selling author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, recommends owning a business, rather than having a job, in order to create wealth.Of course, owning an internet home based business is not for everyone. A business owner must be a self-starter, be dedicated and willing to work hard, and be willing to learn and develop the skills needed for success. This isn’t an easy job.I recently heard Mr. Kiyosaki interviewed while promoting his latest book, Conspiracy of the Rich, 8 New Rules around Money. He discussed how the middle class was being eliminated and how holding onto a job was keeping families poor. He talked about how job holders were being held back by current tax laws, accumulation of debt, and coming inflation.He indicated that the working taxpayer would end up being the loser in today’s economy and the business owner would be the winner.Moms and dads need to make a decision. Do they want to play it safe and have a job? Or do they join an internet home based business opportunity?Kiyosaki asserts that holding a job, traditionally considered the safe choice, is actually the riskiest option. So the question is, what do you choose?