The internet has made it much more convenient to find call centre jobs. The internet allows employers to post their personnel needs online. This also can make it easier if a person wishes to relocate to another location but is unable to travel there. Unfortunately, there are people out there who are not so honest. The internet has become littered with scam artists trying to steal people’s identities. When searching for a call centre job online, there are some things one can do in order to protect their identity while they use these online resources.

Be suspicious of any invitations that you may receive via email. Often these are sent by scammers. These are mass emails sent to a lot of people. These emails may be invitations to apply for jobs and come in for an interview. The scammers try to send these emails so you will provide them with important information. They often preface the emails by saying that they saw your resume and want to contact you. However, stop and ask yourself, did you actually send them your resume.

Also, you may receive requests from employers for personal information via email. Often these requests are from scammers who want to steal your personal information. Reputable companies interested in you for employment will rarely ask you to submit personal information through email.

When you do submit information online, it is a good idea to make sure that the site you use is encrypted. This will ensure that your information cannot be intercepted by hackers online. To know if a site is encrypted, you will notice that the URL will begin with https. The S at the end indicates it is a secure site. If a site you are going to submit your information to doesn’t have a secure connection, it is not a good idea to upload any information.

The franchise is an agreement in which a successful business gives an individual or a group of individuals the right to commercialize the company’s products or services within a given location in exchange for a fee. People generally associate franchising with companies from the fast-food industry. However, there are approximately 120 types of franchises in a variety of fields, ranging from financial services to health and fitness and so on.

photo credit: ceiling

How Does It Work?

The individual or group of individuals who purchases the franchise is known as franchisee. The company that sells the franchise is known as the franchisor. The franchisor sets guidelines and rules that must be followed. Once you sign the agreement, you become a part of the company’s success by incorporating in your business its brand, operating methods and other standards. In exchange, you are required to pay a franchise entry-fee and a royalty fee.

Benefits of Having a Franchise Business

Franchising has become a popular way of starting a business. The benefits are:

• The brand’s image. Nowadays, people tend to buy products or services from popular brands because they are associated with high standards and great customer support services.
• Excellent training and support. In order to maintain the franchisor’s standards, you will benefit from training courses and support from the company on how to start and manage your business.
• Future savings. Your business relies on a successful working model. Moreover, you do not have to invest in a strong advertising campaign since the franchisor is nationally renowned.
• Exclusive rights in a given territory. The franchisor will not sell more than a franchise on the same territory.
• More financing options. You will be able to borrow money from the banks more easily when you have a franchise with a great reputation on the market.

Before deciding to start a franchise business, it is important to be well-informed about the company, dedicated to make your business work and also to discuss to a franchise expert before you sign the agreement. If you are looking for business franchise opportunities then do please visit Workingmums.co.uk for more information.

Health savings accounts are a relatively new concept, developed in response to healthcare consumers demand for something similar to an FSA (flexible spending account) but without the one major drawback; HSA funds roll over year after year, whereas the consumer forfeits the remaining balance of an FSA at year end.  The funds removed from the employee paycheck are still withheld from pre-tax dollars, but use of the funds are regulated in a manner similar to IRA’s (indicidual retirement accounts).  Hence, many people are switching to HSA’s.

photo credit: Seattle Municipal Archives

Owned by the employee, not the employerOther differences that make these health savings accounts more desireable than FSA’s include,

1. Available to employees with a health plan having a high annual deductible
2. Contribution limits are higher, allowing the employee the flexibility to use this account in a manner more similar to an IRA, but with the advantage it is easier to withdraw amounts for qualified medical spending

In effect, the bill signed into law in 2003 by President George W. Bush attempts to provide the same advantages as both IRA’s and FSA’s, but without the drawbacks.  These were part of a larger reform called Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act which replaced the Medical Savings Accounts.

Within 4 years of operation, HSA’s covered over 4.5 million Americans and about three-quarters of these were employer-sponsored plans, meaning that companies were clearly using these plans as a benefit for their employees.

This is smart, for although employers could set up FSA’s, HSA’s provide the same benefits except the employee owns the account, thus making it an excellent benefit offering, especially among highly competitive fields of work.

Would You Benefit from an HSA?

 As with any plan developed by the government, there are arguments both pro and con regarding HSA’s.  Naturally, there are advocacy groups lining up on both sides of the issue and the debate is likely to continue for years.  The single largest argument against these accounts is that, unlike a traditional savings account (which is taxable, both on the income and the interest), HSA’s are subject to the same market devaluations and falls as other such investments; all fall outside the protection of the FDIC.  However, given the advantages, many consumers consider HSA’s to be a good option.

Regardless, the benefits to the employee include,

• Tax reductions – Contributions are pre-tax and not taxed unless withdrawn for sue other than medical
• Simplicity of use – Many carriers are now offering cards similar to a debit card, but for use only for qualified medical expenses; some provide checks; some offer flexible withdrawal methods
• Added Qualified Expenses – many expenses not often covered by health insurance, such as chiropractor’s, eye care, dental, and DME (durable medical equipment) can be purchased using these funds (in other words, whereas such expenses would not be covered by the deductible, they can still be purchased using the pre-tax dollars in the account.
• Simplified records – many people who use these accounts also itemize taxes; many HSA providers provide an annual statement of expenses, making tax time a breeze
• Funds for other-than-medical-use – can be withdrawn much easier than with an IRA, but is still subject to a tax penalty of 20% UNLESS the account holder is 65 or disabled.
• Rollover – because this fund is more akin to an IRA, the funds roll over to the next year and the account grows and accrues interest

If you have been given the option to consider a health savings account by your employer, take the time to review all options offered and be sure to speak to your tax advisor to receive the latest information affecting your situation.

Then, armed with this information, you can make an informed decision; most likely, you will opt in favor of these savings plans, for it certainly appears that the benefits greatly out-weight the drawbacks.

Sam Mauz is a financial blogger who works with a company that sells pay day loans. When not writing or reading about finances Sam can be found hiking or doing other outdoor activities.

Len Babauta of Zen Habits has an excellent on Unclutterer on how to create a minimalist workspace. In essence, the best minimalist workspace actually involves using no tools at all, with only yourself and mind as your work “space.” However, since that is not possible for most folks, Len has a few tips on how to maximize space with minimum clutter.

1. Have one inbox.
2. Clear your desktop.
3. Get rid of knick knacks.
4. Clear the walls.
5. Clear your computer desktop.
6. Re-examine your paper needs.
7. Eliminate unnecessary tools.
8. Simplify your filing.
9. Go through each drawer.
10. Use a minimalist desk.
11. Clear the floor.

While most of these tips are most appropriate to folks who actually use desks for work, it can also apply to those of us who don’t. For instance, writers, bloggers or online entrepreneurs might be accustomed to bringing their laptops anywhere they go. So the trick here is to keep a clean, streamlined computer desktop with no clutter. I know I usually fall victim to a cluttered desktop, cluttered task bar and browser windows cluttered with tabs. And these are a few things I’d like to be able to fix so I can be more productive.

[via Unclutterer]

For freelancers and telecommuters, tracking time spent on projects can be difficult or time-consuming. There are software out there you can use to do this, but sometimes these just don’t have the right features, or are too complicated to use.

Sure, you can always use spreadsheet applications, but those can be cumbersome, and you’re constrained to keeping track of stuff on just one computer.

My solution: Google Spreadsheets.

This lets me “time in” so I can easily track how much I spend on my different tasks. The columns I usually use are:

• Date/Day
• Start time
• End time
• Time spent for task
• Total time for the day

– The sum of the individual tasks done for the day

• Total time for the week

– The sum of the time put in for that whole week (Mon to Sun)

• Total time for the month

– The sum of all time put in for a month

Sure, I do have to copy around formulas to different cells. But it’s as easy as Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V. And I do have full control!