Identity Risk: How to Keep Your Social Security Number Safe from Frauds

With all of the technology that is used today and the entering of credit and debit card information or social security card information on an almost daily basis, it can be easy for someone to steal your social security information. 

This means that someone out there could purchase items online, get a loan or get any other financial benefit on your behalf without you knowing. Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can protect your card number so that you are safe from frauds that might occur.

Use a Different Number

Ask the merchant or business if you can use a different number than your social security number. Most businesses will offer this option, especially if you are entering information online. 

You could use your driver's license number or the identification from your passport instead of your social security number as a way to keep the information secure.

Monitor Services

When you use a transcription service from an attorney or another business, such as Caliber Litigation Services, that offers similar documents that you need to obtain, you need to look over the information that is used to ensure the service is legal. 

Most attorneys won't share your information, but you still need to look over the confirmation that you receive. You can view orders that have been placed and the information that you have entered to ensure that the numbers are correct.

Keep the Card At Home

There are few occasions when you're going to need the physical social security card when you complete an application or give someone personal information. 

Offering the number is usually sufficient as the company can perform a background check to see if the information matches the other details that you provide. Keep the card in a secure location at home where only you know to look. 

An option is to have a lock box with a combination that only you know. It's a good way to store all kinds of personal paperwork to prevent others from taking your information.

Never Send the Number in a Message

If someone wants you to send your social security number in a private message and doesn't offer any kind of security feature to keep that number from being viewed by anyone else, then find an alternative. 

Call businesses with your information. Visit the company to write down your number. Don't reveal your number on social media through a message or through an email as these options are usually not secure.

Your social security number is a link to who you are and what you can purchase. If the number is stolen, then it could result in a large amount of debt and other issues that you don't expect. If you protect your number, then you likely won't have any issues.

Avoiding the Middle Age Car Buying Impulse

We've all seen it on countless TV shows and movies. The main character, a middle-aged man, experiences great distress at the thought of getting older so he acts out by buying a flashy sports car or dating a woman much too young for him. 

Approaching middle age doesn't have to be that way and it's much more economical to rent that flashy sports car for a fun weekend getaway with your adoring wife of 30+ years. You can count on her, always. 

Car Buying Impulse

A fast car really won't make you happy. In fact, as you focus on the future, and eventually enjoying retirement, that big ticket splurge will hurt your bottom line. 

The Chevrolet Corvette is probably one of the most common cars that scream midlife crisis. According to Cars.com, a new Corvette will set you back almost $100,000. 

That could represent more than a year of your retirement, relaxation and well-deserved respite.

If you step back for a minute and consider the emotions that swirl around as you approach middle age, the realization that you probably have more life behind you than ahead of you, and that maybe you're running out of time to do everything you wanted to, it's probably tough to see the forest for the trees. 

Avoid the Midlife Crisis Car Buying Impulse

Sure, a new Corvette in your driveway will deliver a surge of immediate excitement, would be pretty fun to drive and will win you the love and affection of many a lady likely incapable of true love and affection.

Avoid the midlife crisis car buying impulse all together. It's not money well spent. The transaction will fly in the face of your hard work and savings efforts for decades. 

With one check you'll sign away more than a year of your future financial life for a fleeting, superficial experience. Your life is really just beginning. You'll see.

6 Office Organization Tips That Boost Efficiency

There are so many distractions and ill thought-out uses of space in the office. These diversions within an office are known to be counterproductive. 

The pointers below are meant to simplify the process of navigating inside of your workplace and in turn increase the speed and accuracy in which tasks are completed. 

Control The Volume

A busy office can be a huge distraction. Make sure that you and other employees have the option to work in peace. It is imperative to have noise cancellation systems in place. 

Depending on the activity in your office, you may need noise cancelling headsets or dividers, cubicles or to shut doors in order for your employees to be able to think clearly above all the racket. 

This doesn’t mean that you should be working in dead silence. Some light background music has been known to create a relaxing atmosphere. This type of environment will boost efficiency.

Organize Your Desk

Each employee should preferably arrange their monitor and other equipment how they like and in a way that is most convenient for their own style of work. However, the desk needs to be neat and tidy. 

A cluttered desk is not an efficient one. It draws your thoughts away from your task. You need to be able to find what you need quickly. There should be a limited number of items on your desk. Only what is absolutely necessary. Anything that is not used daily should be stashed in drawers. 

Create a Common Area

Employees who socialize during or outside of work hours are known to work better as a team. 

Give your employees a chance to get to know each other by creating a welcoming common area. This could be as simple as a table and some chairs. The point is that people will gladly gather around to take a break, get away from their desks, clear their heads and have a chat, therefor forming bonds. 

It could also be an ideal place for solving work-related issues. All of the above makes for a more productive office. 

Rethink Your Layout

Are the desks and other furniture placed in a way that makes sense for your office dynamic? Are the screens of the computer monitors turned away from natural light, therefor lessening the glare? 

Would an open plan arrangement, where ideas can be tossed back and forth, benefit your business? Here is a wild idea. Arrange the desks and computers in a way which enables everyone in the room to see each other’s’ screens. This may seem drastic, but it is a sure way to increase productivity. 

Organize Your Files

We are all too familiar with the fact that documents need to be stored meticulously. This includes digital files. You should use the same sorting system that you use for hard copies and it should be unified throughout the office. 

It will make it so much easier for anyone who needs it to access them, especially in the case of your absence. Whatever system works best; categories, alphabetical, numerical, ect., it is crucial that everyone is on the same page when it comes to filing. 

Documents and papers need to be dealt with the moment they enter the office, otherwise they will get lost. 

Keep It Within Reach

Each item in your office should have a designated space. The things you use several times a day should be within arm’s reach- cutting down on the time it takes you to get them. 

The things that you use periodically should be easy to find but stored away in cabinets or on shelves. Finally come the things that you do not need at the moment, but cannot throw away. 

If you do need to keep hardcopies, for example (and you almost always do at least for a certain number of years), storage Brisbane based providers suggest that you select a unit that will house all of the archived files until you no longer need them.

Creating a pleasant and organized atmosphere will most definitely have a huge impact on your productivity at work. 

These tips will not only make your office more efficient, they will make it more bearable to come to work each morning, knowing that you are walking into a work-friendly space.

Deal With Small Business Debt Now For Better Results

If you are spending sleepless nights jut by worrying about your business debt, then remember you are not the only one. Nearly 49% of the small business owners find it quite difficult to manage their business debt. 

With passing time, this has been a growing issue, which must be handled as soon as it gets out of hand. In fact, don’t wait for it to linger for long, as the more it stays the worst this scenario can turn into. 

Therefore, it is better to tackle these scenarios in the finest manner possible and no time to be sure. Handling debt can turn out to be the most difficult challenge for any group, and even for the small business owners.

Falling into bankruptcy

Whenever the businesses fail to repay the amount of time and the interest rate keeps on piling up, then they have no other option but to file for bankruptcy. This has been a generic condition for majority of ailing businesses. 

However, this has been a matter of past, as new laws these days have made it quite difficult to declare bankruptcy, just to be out of the piles. On the other hand, bankruptcy is not declared to be an easy way out as it calls for higher price. 

It can cost you thousands of dollars along with added attorney fees. Even that can hamper your credit scores, which means no loan from any financial institution later.

Dig out of the hole

There are some fortunate ways available, which can avert this danger of financial disaster for your small business growth. Some helpful tips are going to work wonder and help you control debt before it gets the chance to control you. 

The first stop has to be to do your homework. Want to know how? If so, then do not forget to check online for the details. Be rest assured to learn everything about the loan before you plunge right into it. 

This can determine the ways, in which you can pay the amount back later. Credit card consolidation loan is a smart way to deal with your debts when they are going out of control. So, check it out and learn about it when in need in order to make things go in your favor.

Calculate the debt ratio

The best way to work on this panel is by calculating the debt coverage related ratio. For that, you have to work hard in dividing the net operating income by principal payments and interest of debt. 

Majority of commercial banks always look for a ratio of 1.15 and anything above this rate. Those are considered optimal and can be handled well off easily. In case, the current ratio is lower than the 1 category or even 1, then it is time for you to boost your current cash flow.

Play it safe

For running a business, no matter how small it is, you have to convince the bank for larger loans. But, you have to play it quite safe. 

In case, the debt coverage ratio talks that the loan you are seeking is likely to be a stretch, then there are high chances that you will struggle while making payments for your loan. Try to consider these facts first before coming into any concluding point, right now.