Looking for work? You’re not alone. Unemployment has hit a 14-year high. That means hoards of people are heading to the Internet with hopes of finding a new job. There are lots of job listing sites and resources for the unemployed online. But where do you turn for reliable, up-to-date information? Here are some sites to consider when looking for work online:

Indeed.com

The site says it’s posted nearly a million new jobs in the past week. But it’s how you sort through those listings that makes this site so great. It works pretty much like the search engine Google. Put in keywords, job title or company name along with a city, state or zip code. You’ll then be able to search through the listings you like.

MarketVendorJobs.com

This is a great site for anyone looking for a job or looking for an employee in the financial sector. With so many banks getting hit hard, this is a popular area for job seekers. If this is your industry, you’ll definitely want to check out MarketVendorJobs.com.

Vault.com

Research is key for staying on top. Head to Vault.com for valuable data on industry trends, companies your targeting or schools you may want to attend. Search jobs, get help with your resume or network on the message boards.

LinkedIn.com

Networking is a great way to find a new job. Use LinkedIn.com as a social networking tool to reconnect with old co-workers or meet new people in the field you are targeting. Soon the site will let users notify members when they’re on the hunt for a job.

GlassDoor.com

This site offers a free inside look at over 18,000 companies. Find out how much businesses are paying for people in your position. Read reviews about different companies.

Looking for a job? The US Census is hiring thousands of people around the country for full and part-time work. The pay is good, the job is flexible and it won’t require a long commute. According to the website, it’s a great opportunity for retirees, college students, people who want part-time work, or people who are between jobs.

Every ten years, a census is conducted. The results from the census determine representation in government, and how funds are spent on things like roads, parks, schools, and public safety. As a census worker you will be helping to update address lists and conduct interviews with residents in your community. The great thing about the job is that you are paid weekly and you are reimbursed for mileage and expenses.

Requirements:
You must speak English, but bilingual speakers are encouraged to apply.
It is best if you have a driver’s license, but in some cases public transportation can be used.
You must bring two forms of approved identification.

To apply contact your local Census Office or by calling 1-866-861-2010. You can also print out an application, fill it out, and take it with you to the Census office. Just to make sure you are ready, take this practice test before you go.

My income isn’t down. My expenses aren’t up. So why am I trying to bring in extra cash? I guess it’s because I feel what many people are feeling out there– it’s time to tighten the budget and make saving a bigger priority. Plus I just like the feeling of bringing in money to our household in new ways. Here’s what I’m doing:

Selling on Ebay: I haven’t had much luck with this in the past. I was always one of those people that ended up losing money on my Ebay auctions because of miscalculations in my shipping costs. But I’ve decided to take a cue from my sister who just sold a bunch of Christmas ornaments on Ebay and made over $200. Every year when I decorate my Christmas tree there are a couple dozen ornaments I leave in the box. I just don’t care for them much, but they are nice, glass ornaments so I’m going to give Ebay a try.

Secret Shopping: I’ve written about this before, but secret shopping has become a hobby for me over the past few months. It’s a great way to get free stuff (food mostly) and make a little extra money, too. The work isn’t hard, but it can be entertaining at times. Just make sure you don’t get scammed by unethical secret shopping companies out there.

Selling Christmas cards: In a stroke of genius (or so I thought) I decided to join forces with a graphic designer friend of mine and create Christian Christmas cards on Etsy.com. We’re donating $2 from each sale to a local non-profit. So far we haven’t sold any, but there is still time.

What are you doing to bring in extra income?

Are you frugal or are you cheap? I had an experience the other day I thought I would share. To me it illustrated the difference between being frugal and being cheap. I sold a double oven and cook top on Craigslist last week. As soon as I listed it I had a lot of response. The first woman who came by to look at it decided she only wanted the cook top, and I told her I was selling them as a set. The second person who responded told me he was extremely interested but couldn’t pay until Friday, which was five days away. Although I didn’t really want to wait that long he explained it was on the “Dave Ramsey” plan and could not spend anything until he received his next paycheck. Having a soft spot in my heart for Dave Ramsey, I agreed to wait until Friday.

The day rolled around and the man came to pick up the appliances. They were listed for $195. The man gave my husband $200, but my husband explained he did not have change. I looked in my wallet and I had three $1 bills and a $20 bill. We thought maybe the $3 change would suffice since my husband had helped him load the heavy appliances into his SUV and since we had waited five days to complete the transaction. But rather than simply take my $3 change and pay an extra $2, the man drove up to a nearby Starbucks to make a purchase that would give him change.

We waited for him to return and finally he did. He put a handful of bills and some change into my husband’s hand, saying something about how expensive Starbucks is. Then he drove off with his new stove and cook top. When my husband counted the money it was about $.20 short. Do we care about the $.20? Heck no. We are just frustrated that this person would rather give Starbucks money than just cut his $2 loss.

Isn’t it funny how $2 was the difference between us feeling good about this transaction and us feeling cheated? We didn’t even celebrate the fact that we had made (nearly) $195 because we were dwelling on the man’s actions. And here’s the part that I need your help with. The man (perhaps in his haste to drive away before we counted the money) forgot a small part to the stove. He’s been asking for it and we fully intend to give it to him. But do you think we should call his attention to what he did? Or should we just drop it?

Halloween pumpkins

* More consumers plan to celebrate the holiday this year– 64.5% verses 58.7%.
* The average person plans to spend $66.54 on Halloween items, up from $64.82 in 2007.
* Total Halloween spending is expected to reach $5.77 billion.
* Consumers will spend an average of $24.17 on Halloween costumes (for adults, children and pets).
* The average person will spend $20.39 on candy, $18.25 on decorations and $3.73 on greeting cards.
* Young adults, ages 18-24, will spend the most with the average person shelling out $86.59 on costumes and candy.

So why the increase in spending on Halloween this year? Tracy Mullin, NRF President and CEO says, “Consumers–who have been anxious and uncertain for the past several months–may be looking at Halloween as an opportunity to forget the stresses of daily life and just have a little fun.”

Photo Courtesy of hanna_horwarth

Does being hot pay off when it comes to earning potential? Apparently the answer is yes. According to a study released by the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, being good looking can land you a better salary. Another survey done by a London University polled 11-thousand 33-year-olds and found that those labeled “unattractive” earned 15% less than those deemed attractive. For women there was an 11% earning gap between the good looking and the not-so-good looking. Feeling slightly disturbed by this news, I did a little more research and what I uncovered only made things worse:

** Good-looking students receive more attention from their teachers.
** Handsome patients get more personalized care from their doctors.
** Attractive criminals receive shorter sentences than less attractive convicts.

Photo Courtesy of Domain Barnyard

Looking for a job? Lately that can be tough, but besides canvassing the local paper or Craigslist, why not give Twitter a shot? I am a freelance writer and have had great success using Twitter as a job search tool. I am currently working on one project thanks to a connection I made through Twitter and I have a job interview next week after applying for a freelance position that I found through Twitter.

So what is Twitter?

It’s a social networking site. The value of Twitter can be difficult to grasp at first. Think of it as a site that lets you blog one sentence at a time to a group of “followers.”

Who is Using Twitter?

Anyone can use it. I’ve found old friends, local business leaders, politicians and business contacts on Twitter. You can even follow celebrities’ Twitter updates.

Why Should you Use Twitter?

Think of it as another way to stay connected or make new connections. For instance, since I am a writer in Greenville, South Carolina, I search for others in my industry who live in my community. It’s a great way to connect with new people and see what they are up to. Blog writers will use Twitter to announce new posts by including links to their websites.

How Can Twitter get Me a Job?

Twitter can help you find a job by acting as a networking resource. When you are connected to people in your industry you may see posts referring to job openings. You can also get to know people by the short posts they make. It’s a great way to make a more personal connection with someone that could be a lead to a new job. So good luck and happy job hunting!

Most of us have a dusty old computer stashed in a closet or last year’s iPod hidden in a drawer. With Gazelle.com you can turn that clutter into cash. Gazelle.com is a fast and easy way to recycle your old gadgets and get paid for it. Type in the item you have, answer a few short questions about its condition and then Gazelle calculates how much they’ll pay you for it. They’ll even send you a postage paid box for you to send it to them. Once they receive the item and have verified the contents they’ll give you your money. Here is a list of the items they’ll take:

* Cell Phones
* MP3 Players
* Digital Cameras
* Laptops
* GPS Devices
* Gaming Consoles
* Camcorders
* Satellite Radios
* Portable Hard Drives

I have a three-year-old iPod Mini that needs to be replaced. I answered a few questions and found out that Gazelle would give me $22 for it. Maybe I’ll put that money towards my new iPod.

It sounds like a movie plot– someone finds out they have money owed to them from the estate of a distant relative or cash stashed in a forgotten bank account. We all dream of uncovering hidden riches and there are ways you can find out if any are waiting for you to claim them. Here are a few ways to search for unclaimed property.

Unclaimed.org

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators operates the website, Unclaimed.org. The NAUPA represents state governments protecting lost funds that are waiting to be claimed. Simply click on your state to start the search. If you’ve moved around at all, the site says you should check out every state in which you’ve lived over the years.

MissingMoney.com

MissingMoney.com is a database of state unclaimed property records. Unclaimed property can be anything from bank accounts and safe deposit box contents to uncashed checks or escrow accounts. Start the free national search by simply typing in your name and state.

Visit Your State’s Website

Each state has it’s own method of tracking and finding unclaimed property. Many states now allow you to conduct online searches and databases for unclaimed property. If you discover that you do have unclaimed property, claiming it may require different types of verification depending on the state involved.

The stock market is in deep bear market territory for the first time in decades. The NASDAQ has fallen at the greatest percentage for the month of June since the Great Depression. What does that all mean to you?

The Bear Market means that prices on the stock market have dropped twenty percent since its last high. Although the current market hasn’t quite met that number, it has been teetering on the brink for a while. Experts say that although we are not yet in a bear market there are bear prints all around.

If you can get into the market when the Bear makes its largest impact then you stand the chance to earn the most for your investment. With the Bear market looming close at hand it is time to start talking with a financial planner. It may be about time to start moving some of your savings into the stock market (which offers a much higher yield percentage than traditional savings).

There is probably time to save money to invest when the Bear makes his move. In the end it is all speculation when it comes to the stock market. You are better off getting involved after the Bear has made his impact and not sooner.