FinditLocal411 Blog
September 4th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
In a January 2009 article, Newsweek Magazine coined the phrase “gigonomics” to describe the ever increasing trend toward a freelance workforce. Made up of so-called “giggers” who work by the project or gig, with no strings attaching them to one company, this emerging workforce was absorbing many of the newly unemployed. Today, several million people make up the freelance or “gigger” workforce, but millions more are searching for jobs that just aren’t available. So, how does one find a gig or freelance project?
Freelance Job Auctions
There are a number of sites that allow you to submit a bid for a job. In your bid is your price, experience, samples and a description of how you would complete the work and the length of time it would take to complete it. The employer chooses the bid or bids that best suits the project. The follow sites offer many job opportunities for writers, designers, computer programmers, data entry workers, editors and others.
Stock Photography
There are sites for photographers to get involved. These portals are a place where graphic designers and photographers can post their work for sale to web designers, publishers and advertisers. Customers pay for the right to use the images. You, the creator/photographer, receive a royalty calculated on the types of use. Most are operated on a system of credits. Buyers purchase credits based on the size and type of file needed. You earn a set dollar amount or percentage of the credit. If you’re looking for ways to sell your pictures or designs, check out:
Freelance Classifieds
Find everything from walk-on movie roles to hair modeling gigs on Craigslist in the “Gigs” section. Look at sites like Online Writing Jobs, Sologig.com and iFreelance.com for writing, design, coding, data entry and more. These sites and others like them are classifieds for the gigger nation. Sometimes you can find a long-term project here after you build a working relationship with the company or individual, but the majority are one time or temporary gigs.
Take Care
Remember to watch out for scams, which abound in the freelance job industry. Some sites like Guru, elance and iFreelance charge a fee for full membership. However, a certain amount of bids or job posts is open to anyone for free. Do not pay for a service until you have deemed it cost effective and your getting the proper return on your investment. For example, a basic membership to Guru.com is $130 that you pay quarterly. It is cost effective to pay this fee if you have received enough work to profit after the fees. Otherwise, use the free account.
Welcome to the gigonomic workforce. Get out there and find that first project!
July 8th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
 In years past, the great American steakhouse was the place that families went for celebration, to commune and to indulge. The steakhouse was always within the family budget and ensured that everyone got more than their money’s worth.
The rise of health conscious eating, heart disease awareness and the Ecoli scares in red meat curtailed the business somewhat. Many of the well established places like Millennium Steakhouse in Niles, MI were able to survive unscathed. Meanwhile others tried to embrace the trends, introducing gimmicks, the latest diets foods and fads in the culinary world.
Today, the steakhouse is back. Many believe that the recession and need for comfort food brought back the trend, but other factors have conspired to usher in the era of the steakhouse once again.
Nostalgic Food
Dishes like Steak Diane, and Chicken Parmigiana are no longer staples at restaurants. They have been removed to make way for fusion foods or those with that come attached to weight loss points. Steak restaurants like Millennium Steakhouse used the traditional recipes that an original steakhouse is known for. Many families continue to return to such establishments because they can count on seeing the old favorites.
Familiarity
It feels good to go to a place where they can ask you about your usual or you can catch up on the family over dessert. A traditional steakhouse is such a place where you can find yourself coming back just because this is where you are known and your family is comfortable.
Affordability
 Many of the chic steak restaurants are expensive because of their trendy menus and décor. However, the traditional houses have been around long enough to learn that the key is to concentrate their efforts on the food once a comfortable décor is achieved. This ensures that the decorating whims of the owners isn’t passed on to the diners in higher food prices. At places like Millennium Steakhouse, the concentration is on the food over everything else, making a steak dinner affordable for just about any budget.
Millennium Steakhouse in Niles, MI is one of the last traditional steakhouses in the Michiana area. For that nostalgia, familiarity and affordability that is missing from pseudo-steakhouses, find your perfect steak and dining experience at Millennium Steakhouse.
July 5th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Let’s face it, the type of aggressive shopping that results in dinner for a family of four under a dollar per person isn’t always possible in areas like Michiana. Sure, there are nearby cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Lansing that offer the best of urban shopping. But, to execute the tips found throughout the “Save Money” media, one must frequent these retailers often on a daily basis. Doing so with the urban shopping tactics that many tipsters advise will only result in a loss of money due to gas and vehicle wear and tear.
Fortunately, there is a way to shop savvy during this recession, using local—Michiana—grocery chains. Just try these five easy tips.
Forget about samples sales
Urban shoppers swear by sample sales as a way to buy good career clothing at a low price, but this option isn’t available in our area. What we do have, however, are outlet malls that work just as well. Visit the mall’s or individual store’s sites online to find coupons, discounts and a heads up on sales.
Use those coupons wisely
Stores like Martin’s Supermarket chain, located throughout the Michiana area, encourage the use of manufacturer coupons. They do not double and triple the coupon savings like those savvy television shoppers suggest, but they do allow you to use manufacturer coupons in conjunction with instant coupons and $mart Values items (specially priced items) to maximize savings in this economy.
Coordinate your shopping list around the store discounts and coupons
 Using the $mart Values for example, create a list using the items found on Martin’s Supermarket’s Online circular’s $mart Value section. Cross reference these with the coupons in your arsenal. Depending on the Martin’s Store, you may be able to use more than one coupon per purchase (if you purchase more than one item per coupon). You may find yourself buying foods and nonfoods for up to 70 percent off the retail price!!
Stock up
When the coupon, instant savings, and specials come together in a perfect trifecta of saving, stock up! This is where you usually see women pushing shopping carts full of cake mix or toilet paper. Don’t buy more foods than you can use in a year, because the excess will just become a waste. As you build a healthy stock of goods and foods, you’ll see your investment in long-term cost-cutting. You’ll find yourself going to the grocery store less and less.
Co-Op
Many urban areas do have co-op shopping facilities that allow communal purchasing. However, you can have the same experience by forming a co-op with family and friends. Buy in bulk and then split it up to spread the savings. Many area farms allow individuals the opportunity to buy livestock for the meat. These thousands of pounds bought at a discount can be easily shared—both meat and cost—amongst your little co-op.
Taking the urban shopping guerrilla tactics to your local retailer is possible with a few adjustments. Just look the ways in which your retailer accommodates through their coupon policy, special values and in store savings. You may find that it doesn’t take an urban setting to save.
June 29th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
 Consumer identity theft is the primary focus of many government investigations. However, an ages old identity theft problem is still being perpetrated on small businesses. Once called the bust-out jobs perpetrated by the mob, small business identity thefts have now reached areas like Michiana and are performed through cyberspace by characters unknown.
The Traditional Bust-out
An identity thief that moves into the same building as yours performs the bust-out or the address is “borrowed” and the mail rerouted to a P.O. box. The thief opens credit accounts in your name, spending money on items that are then resold or credit cards that are spent until they max out. More sophisticated criminals are able to take out loans on your business credit.
After the cards are maxed out and the loans default, the criminal is usually long gone. Bill collectors usually find you, the true owner to pick up the pieces. Business owners usually find out about the scheme at the same time that their real business is being shunted to court for collections.
Modern Business Identity Theft
Modern methods work just like the infamous bust-out. The business identity is stolen, however, without needing to move to a suite adjacent to the business. Instead, the thieves get to the information needed to snatch your business credit by hacking your computers and networks. Just a few key pieces of information are needed to complete a credit application, so it is important to be vigilant and spot the crime before the collections companies come calling.
Three Ways to Stop A Business ID Theft
- Pay attention to your mail. Companies will send correspondence to the physical address of the business. If you see something strange, like a newsletter for certain credit card holders (and you aren’t one) or mail welcoming you as a customer, take note and then pick up the phone to confirm.
- Check your credit. Contact the same credit reporting agencies that monitor personal credit. Along with agencies like Dunn & Bradstreet, they can determine if your credit has been breached. Place alerts or flags on the credit if possible.
- Keep your private information close. Do not throw away un-shredded sensitive materials, use firewalls and smart internet usage techniques and carefully screen employees to prevent hiring thieves.
In the event of a security breach, don’t forget that you must, by law, report the theft to your customers. They have a right to know when and if their personal information has been compromised.
Prevention
Prevention is best way to make sure these thefts are avoided. For additional methods for keeping your identity to yourself, read the following advice pieces.
June 22nd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Depending on which day you look, the unemployment news may be good or bad, despite the actual numbers. There are so many conflicting reports spun by the media, it’s difficult for the average person to discern the state of national and local economies.
Why do you need to understand these numbers? Well, knowing the state of the economy in the area is key is making decisions like going to school vs. relocating for a job vs. drawing unemployment benefits until the layoffs are over. Here are some important numbers concerning Michiana:
Michigan Numbers
In April 2010, the unemployment rate was 14.9 percent. This means that 14.9 percent of the Michigan workforce was out of work in that month. This percentage may seem small, but consider the population numbers and that’s approximately 682,000 people out of a labor force of more than four million. Now that number comes into focus doesn’t it. The national rate is 9.9 percent.
Job growth increased nationally from April to March 2010, indicating that the end of the recession is close. However, the situation for the state of Michigan is dire as long as the state is in double-digit unemployment rates. Furthermore, the rise was less than one percent. A comparison of April 2010 and April 2009, just one year, shows that the touted improvement is still a long way away from the norm.
Education, health, mining and logging industries grew the most in April 2010. Industries like information and the financial sectors lost jobs once again in April.
Indiana Numbers
The big news in Indiana was the 22,700 new jobs added in April 2010. However, these were not jobs filled by people on unemployment, but jobs openings from businesses. The unemployment rate in Indiana was still in the double digits at 10 percent. The number actually dropped from March 2010 but was still less than April 2009.
The new job openings were in the service industry, hospitality, and even manufacturing, transportation and utilities. The growth is just in time for the opening of tourism season in Indiana. Education, construction and the financial sector actually lost jobs in April.
Michiana Areas of Focus
These numbers show that Michiana is still in the midst of a severe job crisis…but we recovering however slowly. Go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the economy at a glance section. Choose Michigan or Indiana. The numbers are changed each month, and you can track them yourself.
June 15th, 2010 at 11:50 am
 Summer is approaching and many people are looking forward to three months of exhausting job search. Our site offers many options for continuing your education. For those of you who want a break—with pay—look to the Michiana tourism industry. There are actually many jobs in the area that offer the rewards of travel and scenery, but are temporary, allowing you the opportunity to take a break from your unemployment search without committing to a new career.
Mackinac Islands
Coolworks.com is a great resource when it comes to finding jobs in the tourism industry. Spend the summer season on an island where cars aren’t allowed and natural scenery abounds. Live and work in one of the resorts on the island. Positions include everything from bar-tending to reservations managers and chefs. Click on the “Employers” to see information on room and board as well as application details.
Summer Camps
Another way to get away for the summer, with pay, is to go to summer camp. No, you won’t go as a attendee, but as a camp counselor. Look to sites like Snag A job and Career jet, where Michigan and Indiana summer camp jobs are still available. You should also visit the camp’s website (go to the jobs or careers section) for more information.
Summer Nanny
The summertime also means the end to school. Kids all over the country are home and in need of supervision. Services like Nanny Pro and Nanny Needed are looking to hire nannies in South Bend, Gary, Hammond, New Buffalo and other Michiana cities. Nannies live with families during the week, taking care of the children while the parents work. They also go on vacation with the family, caring for the children while the parents have a little alone time. You must have some childcare experience to perform this job.
Internships
Get your foot in the door of a new career through an internship. Interns learn the ropes of a career by shadowing an executive, while performing menial tasks. Sometimes, they are given the opportunity to perform part of the exec’s duties. Interns aren’t always paid, and many must find their own room and board. Be sure to review the internship listings carefully before applying.
Farmhand
Michigan and Indiana have many rural areas where large scale farms and orchards are located. If you’d want to get your hands in the dirt and be truly close to nature, take a job as a farmhand. In Michiana, farmhands are needed from March/April when planting starts to October for late harvests. Michiana farmers grow everything from berries to vegetables to fruits like apples and peaches. Find these jobs in local newspapers or by contacting the farms.
Enjoy the Summer:Take a Job Hunt Break
Finding a summer job can be the break you need to rejuvenate the search for the job you want. In addition to being a paid change of pace, a summer job prevents a long lull in your resume and will provide you with valuable experience that may just come in handy in the new career.
June 9th, 2010 at 9:15 am
 Losing your job is frustrating enough, going through it without the proper information only adds to the frustration. The pink slip from your boss doesn’t come with a “How To” guide for finding your next job. Your former company does not offer “exit counseling” to those newly relieved of their positions. Fortunately, each state, including Indiana and Michigan, offer resources to help those during their foray into the realm of the unemployed.
Indiana
Job Seeker Services
- WorkOne Seek To Provide Professional, Efficient Services
 Work One, Indiana’s employment security agency gathered its resources to create a guide for unemployed Hoosiers. In addition to a step-by-step guide on filing an unemployment claim, the Job Seeker Services section also has explains the latest in federal and state unemployment laws. There’s also a link to a Frequently Asked Questions page and the Indiana Workforce Development site, where you actually file the claim.
- Indiana WorkForce Development
Indiana Department of Workforce Development allows unemployed workers to complete their unemployment claims online. The site also provides a link to the list of requirements needed to receive unemployment benefits. This page also displays updates to important laws governing benefits and payouts.
- Indiana Department of Workforce Development
To answer any question that you may have about filing for, receiving and extending unemployment benefits, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development has compiled a list of links to the information that a newly unemployed person needs or wants to know. You can find everything from claim information, the debit card system and reporting income to appeals and other resources.
Other Assistance Programs
The state of Indiana has many other programs to help those who finds themselves without an income or a sudden income decrease. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has compiled a list of resources from child support enforcement to legal advice, food programs and insurance assistance.
Michigan
- Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency
Michigan also allows residents to file their unemployment claims online. This site offers information on claim filing and eligibility. It also provides a link to the online claims service.
- Tips for Contacting the Agency
It can be very difficult to find the appropriate information about a claim. Fortunately, The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency has compiled a list of frequently asked questions and used them to create tips on contacting their agency for information. It includes the appropriate times, numbers and circumstances under which you would call the numbers as well. There are even tips on avoiding busy signals.
- Resources to Assist the Unemployed – Public Libraries of Saginaw
 Like Indiana, the state of Michigan has many resources available to unemployed individuals in addition to the weekly benefits. You can find these and job search database listings in the Saginaw Michigan library’s Resources to Assist the Unemployed.
Having the resources to feed and shelter your family while you are out of a job is the primary concern of Michiana residents when they receive that pink slip. With the right resources, you can remove this concern and begin your journey toward another job or even a new career.
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:44 am
To get you through the rough patches, while waiting on unemployment or finding a new job, a cash job may be a good option. They are temporary jobs that do not result in a paycheck, but cash paid at the end of the day or week. There are plenty of cash jobs available in Michiana. However, taking a cash job does not exempt you from reporting the income to your employment security agency and to the IRS at the end of the year.
Tourism Jobs
Michiana is an area where many people go away for the winter and come back in the summer. This provides many opportunities for cash jobs. Here are a few to consider:
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Babysitter/Nanny
Gardener
Housekeeper
Dog walker
House Sitter
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Caretaker
Mover
Companion
Caddy at Elbel Golf Course in Michiana
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You can find ads in area newspapers like The Herald Palladium, a publication that serves the the beach communities of St. Joseph’s & Benton Harbor. Also consider posting your own ads or signs in the area on Craigslist or other classified sites.
Labor and Scrap
Other jobs may present themselves in areas where the real estate economy has been hit hard by the recession. In these areas, developers are coming in and tearing down older homes to build new ones. This provides opportunities for day labor. A person with a truck can also earn cash by picking up scrap from these sites and turning it in for cash at the local recycling centers.
Extra Hands = Extra Cash
 Contact the organizers of large events around Michiana on setup day or up to a week before the event. These places always need extra hands in pitching tents, setting up tables, cleanup the area and even for parking during the event and cleanup afterward. The Michigan City In-Water Boat Show, for example, is an annual event that hires a handful of people before the event. They are hired as independent contractors, as is normal for day labor and paid when the job is done.
Reporting the Cash
You must report the money you receive, be it as cash or in check form, if you receive unemployment or any other form of public assistance. For unemployment, report these amounts on your weekly claim form. Failure to do so can result in loss of your benefits or even criminal charges of fraud.
When working for cash, remember that the job is only temporary. Continue your job search and unemployment reporting, with the cash payment included. Look at your cash job as a way to earn extra cash, a possible resume entry and a little change of pace from your job search routine.
May 27th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Welcome to National Small Business Week! Each year since 1963, the President recognizes our nation’s small business and their owners with a week of keynote speakers, honors & awards, receptions and other events in Washington D.C.
This year’s Small Business Week comes at a great time for Michiana and Chicagoland small business owners, as our local economy is starting to swing upward with new jobs and companies popping up in the last few months.
Why Small Business?
Small business has received a great deal of attention in the past few years. As the presidential election of 2008 prodded along, citizens kept hearing that the economic recovery of America would come on Main Street, not Wall Street. This proclamation played out like a broken record until the message was clear: We must make small business a higher priority.
The Fabric of Our Communities
We’re talked about the importance of “Buying Local” on this blog before, but it bears repeating. For each purchase you make with a locally owned and operated organization, 73% of the capital stays within your local economy. If you shop for a new table at Target or Wal-Mart for example, only 43% of that purchase stays in your community. That’s a significant gap that could cost your town jobs and tax revenue. As expressed on the Small Business Week website, 60-80% of new jobs in the community are created by small businesses.
Small Businesses Thrive on Creativity
As Small Business Week has progressed, the message has been clear: Legislation and tax breaks can only go so far, creativity will win the day in this economy. It’s a message that has played out for decades, but today’s small business owners have a bounty of tools at their fingertips to promote their business.
 SEO
Search engine optimization has been around since the early 1990’s, but it has developed as a full fledged industry in the past 10 years. An effective SEO campaign helps small businesses compete with the big names for search engine referrals and online visibility.
Digital Marketing
Much like SEO, digital marketing on sites like FindItLocal411 helps your company reach audiences far outside the traditional audience of those in your surrounding geographic area. Online web-malls like the one we provide here at FindItLocal411 help small businesses sell products online when a personal Ecommerce site isn’t in the plans.
Small Business Year!
Let’s embrace the lessons learned during Small Business Week 2010 and carry them out throughout the year. The official delegation in Washington D.C. is honoring 27.2 million businesses this week, but there are even more in your community that deserve some recognition. Make sure you are supporting them and enjoy the week!
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Sometimes the hometown bank can suit your needs better than the national branch. However, many small business owners will disagree, stating that community banks are more conservative lenders and less likely to loan to a new business. On the contrary, community banks like 
When involved with a local bank, your banker has most likely considered similar projects in and around your area. Therefore, a local bank like Mutual Bank has funded many other projects within the community. Thus, they have an interest in seeing not only your business flourish, but also that it contributes to the betterment of the community as a whole. Another bonus feature is that your bank can point you in the right direction for resources that your small business may need.