- ~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_
-
- EPnews -- from The Entrepreneurial
Parent
a work-family resource for home-based entrepreneurs
@ www.en-parent.com
February 23, 2000
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_
Do you find EPnews useful?
Please forward to a friend, or recommend it to your favorite
Web site or
e-zine. Thanks for your support!
For easy reading, simply print
out this newsletter.
_______________CONTENTS_______________
- The Funny Things EP Kids Say
& Do!
What's It Worth? -- "Wanting What I Have"
EP Expert Q&As -- Home Office Design
Member to Member Q&A
What's Happening at EP
We Recommend
- Oxygen Spotlight
MORE Funny Things EP Kids Say & Do!
__________________________
Editorial Note: EPnews is distributed
the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every
month. The Entrepreneurial Parent web site is updated on an ongoing
basis
throughout each month -- feel free to check in regularly via
the What's New
banner on our homepage. Welcome
all new subscribers!
~____~_~____~_~____~_~____~_~____~_~_____~
A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
Sell your services to thousands
of businesses from over 120 countries on
eLance.com: It's FREE to register and FREE to use. eLance.com
is a global
marketplace, allowing you to interact with thousands of businesses
seeking
your services. Come sell your services at eLance.com NOW!
<<http://www.elance.com/home?rid=SV4>>
~____~_~____~_~____~_~____~_~____~_~_____~
THE FUNNY THINGS EP KIDS SAY & DO!
=====
Submitted by EPnews Subscriber,
Sophia Brown ([email protected]):
=====
My 2 year old son loves Winnie
the Pooh. He was wearing a Winnie the Pooh
outfit when his uncle came to visit. As he came into our home
our son said,
"Uncle Rick, I have Pooh on my pants, do you have Pooh on
your pants?"
=====
Why work at home? So you can hear the funny things your EP Kids
say
throughout the day. Share with the EP Community something your
child said
or did recently that made you smirk, giggle, or LOL. Send your
submission
via e-mail to:[email protected].
And if you need a stockpile of smiles
to get you through your EP day, pick up your own heartwarming
copy of Grace
Housholder's "The Funny Things Kids Say":
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0963871536/theentrepreneuri.
On those stressed-out EP days,
you'll be glad you did!
____________________________________
WHAT'S
IT WORTH?
"Wanting What You Have"
by deB Sechrist
One of the most thought provoking
responses to our contest this month,
where we ask for your best time or money saving tips, was from
Laurie, who
said: "After having my second child and quitting my job,
I had to learn to
want what I already have." To me, this is the cornerstone
of living a
frugal lifestyle.
In a culture driven by consumerism,
this attitude might seem
counterproductive. After all, most of us EP's depend upon being
able to
sell something to make a living, whether it is services, information
or
products. These days, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without
spending some money, and now with the internet, it's even easier
to spend,
spend, spend without ever even leaving the house. The current
rage of
e-caves is an example of what we've come to expect: sit in a
room with a
computer and order up anything you need over the internet and
have it
delivered, sometimes within moments of entering the last digit
of the
credit card number.
Being satisfied with what you
already have is a notion that our mothers try
to teach us from toddlerhood, but by the time that toddler graduates
from
high school, he has come to expect that he can (and should) have
anything
he wishes. Years of TV advertising, internet advertising, peer
pressure and
social competition reinforce the idea that one must have it all
to be
happy, accepted, or even normal.
So how do you learn to want what
you already have? Start by questioning
yourself to learn what you really value the most and why. Ask
yourself
every single time you buy something: "Do I need this or
do I just want it?"
And if the answer is that you just want it, try to not buy it.
Don't think
of it as denying yourself something that you deserve, but rather
as
doingyourself a favor by saving your money for the things you
and your
family really need. Question your motives, analyze yourself a
bit, deny
your cravings. You'll find that it is easier than you thought,
as long as
you have a positive mindset about it. Feel like you deserve a
treat? Give
yourself a trip to the library, take a nature walk, form a playgroup,
write
in a journal. There's still plenty in life that's free if you
keep your
eyes and mind open.
For years, when my younger children
were babies, we endured some very lean
financial circumstances. We did all the dollar-stretching things:
made
homemade diaper wipes, created hand-me-down networks for kids'
clothing,
made our own household cleaning solutions with vinegar, diluted
the
shampoo, learned to cut our own hair, washed and reused plastic
bags,
things like that. But somewhere along the way we shifted from
an attitude
of forced frugality and depressing near-poverty to an attitude
of
enthusiastically accepting a challenge to regain control over
our own
lives. And even though our financial situation has improved,
we still
continue to do many of those dollar-stretching things -- because
it makes
sense, and because it makes me feel good to know that I have
control over
my spending habits, over my cravings, over all the pressure out
there to
have it all.
We're looking forward to more
great money and time saving tips in the
February contest. Thank-you Laurie for your inspiring response!
=====
deB Sechrist is the mother of three, Webmanager of The Entrepreneurial
Parent, LLC and owner of deBweB, a web design business. Find
out more about
deB at http://www.en-parent.com/webdsn.htm.
_____________________________________
EP EXPERT Q&As
Have a question? Our EP Expert
Panel is available to all EPnews
Subscribers. Visit them at <http://en-parent.com/experts.com>.
If your
question isn't already answered on our site, then send it in
to:
[email protected].
They'll be glad to help you out if they can!
Q. We have a 10 x 9 foot room
in which to fit both myself and my fiancé. We
both use computers along with 2 printers. We currently have a
large desk, a
computer table plus another smaller desk, and an oak, two-drawer
file
cabinet. At the far end of the room is a window in the middle
of the wall,
measuring 5 x 5 feet. We would like to be able to utilize this
space more
effectively. I was thinking along the lines of wall units. We
would like to
be able to hide away the computer and related electronic equipment.
We're
working with a standard 8 foot ceiling. Any help along these
lines would be
appreciated. Also, cost is always important. We don't want to
go into debt
over this!
Thank you,
Cynthia Morris
A. Dear Cynthia,
You and your fiancé are
so lucky to have a good size dedicated room for a
home office. There are lots of opportunities for you to maximize
your far
wall with the window. And, the beauty of it is that you can do
it with
ready-to-assemble or modular units for well under $500, all the
while
gaining valuable storage space.
From the description of what
you have in your home office already, it
sounds as if you are in dire need of additional filing and storage
space.
It's the number one problem in most home offices today! Lack
of storage.
You have a prime opportunity to give yourself a wall of storage
for both
you and your fiancé. Here are some ideas:
--> Online furniture stores
have a dizzying array of ideas. Here's an ideal
and affordable solution from Staples.com (www.staples.com).
The site sells
the Sauder Library With Doors for $139.99 each. They are handsome
units
with three shelves and a bottom storage area with doors. Buy
two and flank
each side of the window with a unit--one for you and one for
your fiancé!
Here are the specs: each unit is 71 and 1/4-inches high which
is ideal for
your 8-foot high ceilings, 29 and 3/4 wide which fits in well
either side
of the window and 13-inches deep which doesn't cut into valuable
floor
space. There are wire management grommets so you can indeed place
a
computer on the bottom open shelf. If you're interested, go to
Staples.com
and do a search with words "wall unit" and the Sauder
Library should show
up. Most likely, the unit will be in the store nearest you so
you can see
it for yourself. If you're interested in other sites with great
home office
furniture styles, see Living.com, Furniture.com and Shop121.com.
Living.com
and Furniture.com have design consultants you can ask advice
from via email
and phone. If you find a piece you like, take advantage, lots
of these
sites have great discounts for first time buyers and shipping
is free for a
limited time no matter how large the furniture! And, they'll
set it up for
you, too. Take advantage now!
--> You're safe using modular
storage cubes for a wall like yours. There
are lots of options. Also on Staples.com site is a modular storage
idea
that is more modern than the more traditional-looking Sauder
Library. The
Fellowes Neat Ideas storage cubes are 14-inch square cubes, each
cube holds
50 pounds. Buy a pack of four cubes for about $25.00. You can
put perhaps 8
cubes on each side of the window for maximum storage. If you're
interested,
the item number on the site is FEL46414.
--> If custom is more of what
you had in mind, there are ways to go about
it without breaking the bank. Find a California Closets (www.calclosets.com
or 1-888-336-9709 for a free, in-house design consult), Closets
By Design
(www.closets-by-design.com
or 1-800-BY-DESIGN), or any other closet
organizer (you can find them in local papers, sometimes they
have little
kiosks in a local mall or look them up in the yellow pages).
They'll come
to your house, measure, design and install a perfectly sized
storage unit
for your wall around your window and in your budget range. Or
you can see
if there's a Techline store (www.techline-furn.com
or 1-800-356-8400) or
consultant in your neck of the woods. They are pros in designing
offices
for the budget-wise, and would be happy to do a storage unit
for a wall.
Or, call on a carpenter though they are awfully busy these days
and it's
hard to find a good one that has time for a small project.
--> See if there's a Container
Store in your area. For locations, see
their Web site at www.containerstore.com
or call 800-733-3532. Or, call to
see if there's an Ikea near you at www.ikea.com
or 1-800-434-IKEA. Each
store typically has an in-store room planner that can help you
figure out a
solution to your wall, and you aren't bound to buy products there
if you
don't find anything you like. They have great, affordable solutions,
too.
Good Luck! I envy the amount
of great storage space you're destined to add
to your home office!
Best regards,
Marilyn
=====
Marilyn Zelinsky is our EP Home Office Design Expert and author
of
Practical Home Office Solutions (McGraw-Hill, October 1998) and
New
Workplaces for New Workstyles (McGraw-Hill January 1998). You
can learn
more about Marilyn at: http://en-parent.com/Experts/exp-zelinsky.htm
And check out Zelinksy's books
-- they're terrific!!
Practical Home Office Solutions:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070633657/theentrepreneuri
New Workplaces for New Workstyles:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/007063324X/theentrepreneuri
_____________________________________
MEMBER TO MEMBER Q&A
From EP Forum Moderator, Jeralynn
Burke, of www.E-Scent-ials.com:
"I would like to get everyone's
input on inexpensive methods that they have
used to get their name out there. What's worked well and what
HASN'T worked?
For instance, has anyone purchased
classified ads in magazines and
newsletters (specialty or niche markets), or local newspapers
(if you run a
local business), either to sell your services or products? From
what I have
read, classified ads can be very effective because readers are
already
looking to buy something. Prices vary depending on the publication
but are
usually affordable.
We personally have tried a classified
ad in "Dog Fancy" magazine for our
Petpourris, but while responses for catalog requests were okay,
orders
were minimal...I wonder what other forms of inexpensive paid
advertising
works?
Please share your ideas and first-hand
knowledge so we can all benefit from
our collective experiences!
Write to: [email protected]
OR post your ideas at:
http://www.en-parent.com/EP_Community_Forum/EP_Community_Forum.html
Thank you!"
_____________________________________
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT EP
EP Gift Basket Contest:
Only a few days left to enter
the February EP Contest! Win an EP Gift
Basket full of your choices of goods and services totalling $100.
To enter,
answer the survey question at http://www.en-parent.com/contest.htm
Good
Luck!
EP of the Month:
By searching through the new
member forms we've processed throughout
February, we'll be selecting our next "EP of the Month"
by this weekend. If
you have friends, ezine subscribers, other discussion group cybercolleagues
or visitors to your own site that you think would like to be
considered,
feel free to remind them them to register as a Member of EP (it's
FREE) in
the next few days! They can do so at:
http://en-parent.com/member.htm
Thank you!
_____________________________________
WE RECOMMEND
My ParenTime Free Listing
www.myparentime.com/addirectory/linkexchange.html
=====
Business Thinkers
www.businessthinkers.com
=====
Attitude Box -- product that helps develop better learning and
behavior
skills in children
www.attitudebox.com
=====
Donut Box -- a site that sells "Calling Cartons (R)",
which are customized
donut boxes with your company logo that hold donuts, bagels,
muffins and
other treats and are used to promote a company, product or service.
Looking
for a new twist to customer service? Hmmm.... (or rather, Mmmmm....)
www.donutbox.com
___________________________________
OXYGEN SPOTLIGHT
Read how your fellow "EPs"
take a break from their workload in:
"Take Five: Great Breaks
to Take at Home"
an article that will be running
this weekend, 2/25-27, at www.ka-ching.com.
Many EPnews subscribers shared their tips a few months back,
so read what
they have to say and then share YOUR "Take Five" rituals
on the Homeward
Bound message boards at:
http://boards.ka-ching.com/cgi-bin/webx.kc?13@@.ee6b46a
We'd love to hear your work-at-home
variation of the age-old "coffee break!"
Also, don't forget to stop in for Lisa's weekly chat, Monday
nights at 10:00
p.m. EST, at: http://www.ka-ching.com/community.
This week we can take the
topic further and talk about excercise, music & mayhem --
all welcome
distractions when we need that break...
All EPs are welcome!!
______________________________________
MORE FUNNY THINGS EP KIDS SAY & DO!
=====
Submitted by EP Forum Moderator, Jeralynn Burke (www.E-Scent-ials.com):
=====
This evening I was explaining
to my 5-year old daughter how some words and
names have different ways of being spelled, such as two and to.
She thought
about it for a little while and then said to me, "There
are lots of ways of
spelling nothing, right?" I replied, "No, there's only
one way to spell
'nothing.'" Without pausing she asked, "Okay, what
does t-v-a-f spell?" and
of course I said "Nothing." To which she answers, "See
Mom!"
___________________________
CONTACT/SUBSCRIPTION INFO
The Entrepreneurial Parent, LLC
is not engaged in rendering legal or
financial advice. If expert assistance is required, the services
of a
licensed professional should be sought.
This newsletter may be redistributed
freely via the Internet. Re-publishing
of separate articles for your print publication needs approval
first; write
to: [email protected] for permission.
© 2000, The Entrepreneurial
Parent, LLC
Editor: Lisa M. Roberts
EP Webmaster: Deborah Sechrist
POB 320722, Fairfield, CT 06432; http://en-parent.com
Ph:/Fax: (203) 371-6212, Email: [email protected]
Community email addresses:
Subscribe: [email protected]
Unsubscribe: [email protected]
List owner: [email protected]
Shortcut URL to this page:
http://www.onelist.com/community/EPnews
|