10 reasons:
1. I liked the name. It was my nickname as a kid and it stuck. (It fits.)
2. I needed income to support myself.
3. I knew my work ethic and standards where higher than many other service providers and professionals I'd observed.
4. I wanted to bring income-generating work to others who need it.
5. I wanted to see that people who work for me are paid better fees than other employers.
6. I wanted to see other service providers raise their standards by teaching them a new work philosophy.
7. I wanted to show service providers that a "boss" could treat them better and show more appreciation... which could lead to long-time, loyal staff.
8. I wanted a business that would continue to bring me income when I could no longer work.
9. I wanted a business that could be franchisable, allowing other women and men to own and run a business of their own, affordably... with support along the way.
10. I wanted to see if I could help to increase economic standards in each community.
Maybe these are lofty goals, but they are do-able.
Andrea
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What to do with your unwanted timeshare
A few years ago my elderly father gave up traveling and decided his two week (back-to-back) Labor Day timeshares on the coast of North Carolina was costing him $1,000 a year in maintenance fees. He had paid two "timeshare advertising companies" upfront at least $500 each to sell his shares for him. Of course, they were a waste of money. Months went by and all they did was put a tiny ad in tiny type which was lost in a large catalog of other unwanted timeshares.
So I took on the task. I posted six photos of the timeshare unit, its location, description and map on my web site and waited to see what would happen. Yes, this is passive selling, but it cost me and Dad nothing. In a little over a year someone contacted me and offered $3,000 which was the current value of the points. I knew we would not likely find another buyer so I urged my father to accept, and they used a local lawyer in the same town as the timeshare to handle the transaction. There was no realtor commission to pay, just the lawyer fee which was nominal.
Today I heard Clark Howard say on his radio show that there was no way his caller was going to be able to sell her timeshare and urged her to just give it as a gift to family members. Obviously I don't completely agree.
My father could have done that: just give me his two weeks and then I would have had a lovely vacation spot that would have cost me only $1,000 in maintenance fees. If you have two children and own two timeshares, it would be somewhat easy to split them between the two. And of course if the timeshare sleeps six, erhaps your adult children could share if you have only a one-week share.
You could sign over a timeshare week to your children as a wedding gift so they have a free honeymoon location. Or you could simply allow friends to use your week for a fair payment for honeymoons and vacations. If you can break even on renting it out, you can keep the timeshare in your name for years to come. You can designate family members as beneficiaries of your timeshares in your will.
Or you could donate unwanted timeshares to your local PBS station and let the station figure out a way to sell the timeshares for cash OR put them in their annual fundraising auction to offer to subscribers. Consider other charities that accept vehicles as donated items.
If you give away a timeshare, you don't make money, but you stop having a money drain from the annual fees, and if you talk to your accountant, there may be a tax advantage in giving it or donating it. If you donate it, be sure to get a receipt from the recipient with a date on it.
And of course, if you insist on selling it there is eBay, Craigslist, Kijiji, etc., but I think there may be an element of danger - both physically and financially - and I'm not sure I'd attempt to sell anything of signficant value that way. I've encountered a number of scammers on those sites and an elderly person who is trusting may not fair well with a masterful scammer.
So giving away your timeshare(s) may be less hassle in the long run. But keep in mind not everyone wants to own timeshares even if they can trade for a more desired location.
But if your timeshare is sitting vacant, I'd be happy to use it so it doesn't go to waste. ;-)
Andrea
So I took on the task. I posted six photos of the timeshare unit, its location, description and map on my web site and waited to see what would happen. Yes, this is passive selling, but it cost me and Dad nothing. In a little over a year someone contacted me and offered $3,000 which was the current value of the points. I knew we would not likely find another buyer so I urged my father to accept, and they used a local lawyer in the same town as the timeshare to handle the transaction. There was no realtor commission to pay, just the lawyer fee which was nominal.
Today I heard Clark Howard say on his radio show that there was no way his caller was going to be able to sell her timeshare and urged her to just give it as a gift to family members. Obviously I don't completely agree.
My father could have done that: just give me his two weeks and then I would have had a lovely vacation spot that would have cost me only $1,000 in maintenance fees. If you have two children and own two timeshares, it would be somewhat easy to split them between the two. And of course if the timeshare sleeps six, erhaps your adult children could share if you have only a one-week share.
You could sign over a timeshare week to your children as a wedding gift so they have a free honeymoon location. Or you could simply allow friends to use your week for a fair payment for honeymoons and vacations. If you can break even on renting it out, you can keep the timeshare in your name for years to come. You can designate family members as beneficiaries of your timeshares in your will.
Or you could donate unwanted timeshares to your local PBS station and let the station figure out a way to sell the timeshares for cash OR put them in their annual fundraising auction to offer to subscribers. Consider other charities that accept vehicles as donated items.
If you give away a timeshare, you don't make money, but you stop having a money drain from the annual fees, and if you talk to your accountant, there may be a tax advantage in giving it or donating it. If you donate it, be sure to get a receipt from the recipient with a date on it.
And of course, if you insist on selling it there is eBay, Craigslist, Kijiji, etc., but I think there may be an element of danger - both physically and financially - and I'm not sure I'd attempt to sell anything of signficant value that way. I've encountered a number of scammers on those sites and an elderly person who is trusting may not fair well with a masterful scammer.
So giving away your timeshare(s) may be less hassle in the long run. But keep in mind not everyone wants to own timeshares even if they can trade for a more desired location.
But if your timeshare is sitting vacant, I'd be happy to use it so it doesn't go to waste. ;-)
Andrea
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Pantry Organized
This week I organized a pantry: one small room that was overloaded with stuff. Here are 2 of the photos: before and after:
You can read the whole story of what was involved, here on my almost-finished, updated web site: www.AndreaReynolds.com/decluttering.html
Andrea
You can read the whole story of what was involved, here on my almost-finished, updated web site: www.AndreaReynolds.com/decluttering.html
Andrea
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Tip: Organizing kitchen utensils
I don't like having my utensils in a drawer. Too disorganized.
For several years I had a white flower pot on the counter with all my utensils standing up inside it like a bunch of flowers. Then I found a clear plastic Brita pitcher and put all the utensils inside. It was lighter in weight and I could see inside the pitcher to see the handle of the utensil I wanted. But in both cases, it was difficult putting the clean utensils in and getting them out because they always got tangled.
Then this past week I obtained (through Freecycle.org) an over-the-door shoe organizer. Perfect! My basement door is very close to my stove, and I can use each compartment for related items: ladles, slotted spoons, whisks, rubber scrapers, pancake turners, etc. Here's a photo:
Andrea
For several years I had a white flower pot on the counter with all my utensils standing up inside it like a bunch of flowers. Then I found a clear plastic Brita pitcher and put all the utensils inside. It was lighter in weight and I could see inside the pitcher to see the handle of the utensil I wanted. But in both cases, it was difficult putting the clean utensils in and getting them out because they always got tangled.
Then this past week I obtained (through Freecycle.org) an over-the-door shoe organizer. Perfect! My basement door is very close to my stove, and I can use each compartment for related items: ladles, slotted spoons, whisks, rubber scrapers, pancake turners, etc. Here's a photo:
Andrea
Friday, December 26, 2008
Updated web site, lower fees
A quick post to announce the updating of the web site and the accompanying reduction of membership fees. Tomorrow I write and distribute a news release to promote my services locally but also to promote my intention to generate visibility for my counterparts (concierges) in other cities throughout North America. I reduced the membership fee by $5-10, to $5.95 for 3 months membership, $10.95 for 6 months membership, and $19.95 for a full year's membership. To find the detail scroll down to the last link in the navigation bar/menu.
Please have a look around Handy Ande. I invite you to join right away so your services can benefit from my visibility. Let's all enjoy some extra income.
Andrea
Please have a look around Handy Ande. I invite you to join right away so your services can benefit from my visibility. Let's all enjoy some extra income.
Andrea
Monday, November 10, 2008
A Bit of News
I am no longer traveling and am re-establishing my personal concierge services. You can download my brochure and my business card by clicking on the links on AndreaReynolds.com.
Now that I'm in one place I am considering establishing a network of personal concierges who want to promote their services to generate extra income. The annual membership has been $19.95. This will increase sometime in 2009, so you might want to take advantage of the low price now so I can promote your services to press and media wherever you are and bring you some business.
You can also have a 3 month trial membership for $5.95 and a 6 month membership for $10.95. I want to make these rates affordable for as many as possible.
Andrea
Now that I'm in one place I am considering establishing a network of personal concierges who want to promote their services to generate extra income. The annual membership has been $19.95. This will increase sometime in 2009, so you might want to take advantage of the low price now so I can promote your services to press and media wherever you are and bring you some business.
You can also have a 3 month trial membership for $5.95 and a 6 month membership for $10.95. I want to make these rates affordable for as many as possible.
Andrea
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Cleaning cat water fountains
I have two of those pet fountains (Drinkwell) because my original one is in storage in Ontario Canada. (I've been traveling in the US but am about to move into an apartment.) Casper has been dehydrated so I bought him a second one, same kind (Drinkwell). The interesting difference is the one I bought in Canada ($69) had 3 bottle brushes in varying sizes included in the box for cleaning the unit. The one I bought in the US ($49) did not have the cleaning brushes. I saw somewhere where you can purchase the brush kit separately. Here: http://www.thepetstoreonline.com/drinkwell-cleaning-kit---3-brush-set.html ($10)
Here are my tips for cleaning (I post this because I know of several cat owners who hate cleaning so much they allow their pet fountains to get very slimy and clogged with cat hair) :
1. Clean thoroughly at least once a week. In addition, I often will empty, rinse and refill with clean water mid-week. I also add ice cubes during the summer to cool and replenish water. Casper loves it and drinks often which keeps him hydrated.
2. Don't allow the unit to dry out before cleaning. The slime/scum is more easily removed when still wet.
3. After dumping the water out, dry your hands. You need dry hands to grip the motor mechanism, turn it and remove it. It can be a tight fit.
4. Then soak the unit parts - excluding the motor - in warm sudsy water. I do clean the inside of the motor where the magnetized propeller sits: a cotton swab works well.
5. In addition to the bottle brushes, I use a clean toothbrush to get in the corners when the pink stuff is.
6. When I don't have bottle brushes, I use a flat dish scrubber (3M and dollar store brands) and poke it down into the center with a wooden spoon handle or something similar and scrub.
7. For the hard-to-reach corners I've also used toothpicks and I found in the dental aisle a package of tiny, tiny pipe cleaners (Plackers) to use for flossing. (I wish someone would make a fountain with no angles or corners.)
8. I also give Casper Brita-filtered water when I can. That keeps mineral deposits from forming.
9. Filling the unit usually takes a whole Brita jug full of water, which I pour only after I put the unit in place. (I'm too klutzy to carry it filled with water.) Then I plug it in.
I dislike this task, but with the right tools the job gets done faster and I'm less frustrated with it. Less frustration means I'll clean it more often... usually on Sundays.
UPDATE: I tried cleaning it in the top shelf of the dishwasher but that didn't work as well. I've found that cotton swabs are useful for the tiny corners.
Now that I am back in an apartment and have collected my things from storage, I have two units. I use one at a time, and clean the other at my leisure, ready for Sunday exchange. This means Casper doesn't have to wait without flowing water until I get the unit cleaned.
Andrea
Here are my tips for cleaning (I post this because I know of several cat owners who hate cleaning so much they allow their pet fountains to get very slimy and clogged with cat hair) :
1. Clean thoroughly at least once a week. In addition, I often will empty, rinse and refill with clean water mid-week. I also add ice cubes during the summer to cool and replenish water. Casper loves it and drinks often which keeps him hydrated.
2. Don't allow the unit to dry out before cleaning. The slime/scum is more easily removed when still wet.
3. After dumping the water out, dry your hands. You need dry hands to grip the motor mechanism, turn it and remove it. It can be a tight fit.
4. Then soak the unit parts - excluding the motor - in warm sudsy water. I do clean the inside of the motor where the magnetized propeller sits: a cotton swab works well.
5. In addition to the bottle brushes, I use a clean toothbrush to get in the corners when the pink stuff is.
6. When I don't have bottle brushes, I use a flat dish scrubber (3M and dollar store brands) and poke it down into the center with a wooden spoon handle or something similar and scrub.
7. For the hard-to-reach corners I've also used toothpicks and I found in the dental aisle a package of tiny, tiny pipe cleaners (Plackers) to use for flossing. (I wish someone would make a fountain with no angles or corners.)
8. I also give Casper Brita-filtered water when I can. That keeps mineral deposits from forming.
9. Filling the unit usually takes a whole Brita jug full of water, which I pour only after I put the unit in place. (I'm too klutzy to carry it filled with water.) Then I plug it in.
I dislike this task, but with the right tools the job gets done faster and I'm less frustrated with it. Less frustration means I'll clean it more often... usually on Sundays.
UPDATE: I tried cleaning it in the top shelf of the dishwasher but that didn't work as well. I've found that cotton swabs are useful for the tiny corners.
Now that I am back in an apartment and have collected my things from storage, I have two units. I use one at a time, and clean the other at my leisure, ready for Sunday exchange. This means Casper doesn't have to wait without flowing water until I get the unit cleaned.
Andrea
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