Get a Hold of your Household Budget with These 7 Tips

What can Excel do to help you with organizing and keeping track of your family finances? And for free no less?

Check out these ideas:

  1. Try the “Personal Budget Spreadsheet for Excel.” Plan for the future; keep track of expenses, budget the entire year out, plan for emergencies. This easy to use template will assist you in keeping thing orderly and easily accessible.
  2. Or budget monthly using the “Personal Monthly Budget.” Get the long and short of monthly in and out-go. The budget spreadsheet will print off on an individual page for easy use.
  3. The “Household Budget Worksheet” assists you with the details. Because there are more budget categories, the user is able to add additional expenditures to the list such as “children,” and “vacation.”
  4. The “Money Manager Template” keeps folks on their toes when it comes to creating a yearly budget, recording transactions for multiple accounts, balancing their checkbook, keeping track of monthly spending, and a new Year-to-Date option.
  5. Try the “Yearly Budget Calculator”, a combination of the “Family Budget Planner” and the “Monthly Budget Spreadsheets.” Get all you need on one worksheet!
  6. Use the “Home Budget Worksheet” to create a personal or family budget for the year. This worksheet is especially good for folks planning on making a huge change within the year, whether it is purchasing a home or changing jobs.
  7. Learn “How to Make a Budget” or “How to Budget” here: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/how-to-make-a-budget.html and here: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/how-to-budget.html.

Creating a budget not only helps with maintaining your expenditures, it assists you in planning for the immediate and long-term future. Make it a point today to try one or more of these options.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: , ,

Theater Rooms Can Enhance Home Viewing

Creating a home theater is a great way to spend time with friends and family without having to spend a lot of money every time individuals want to catch a flick. There are a few steps that should be taken in order to create the theater. First, customers can purchase and set up home theater projectors in order to have the prime theater viewing experience. Some may prefer to stick with a traditional television set, but the projector screens can be much larger while not skimping on picture quality. A surround sound system is the next step; the number of speakers and where in the room they will be placed can be selected and installed to allow all guests to hear the movies at full volume. Some of the systems are wireless, which can improve the visual appeal of the room.

After everything has been set up and adjusted to fit the room in which it is located, individuals can sit back and relax the newest blockbuster hit. Families are sure to enjoy the theater experience at home, especially when inviting over friends to enjoy the surroundings.

Some may even choose to deck out the room with red curtains to cover the projection screen when not in use, comfortable seating equipped with cup holders, and snack machines and beverages which are easily accessible for a great viewing experience and true movie theater feel. If the room is set up with television programming, guests may also enjoy spending time with friends watching big sporting events or fights, in addition to the movie hits.

Filed Under: General, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Choosing the Best Excel Chart for your Next Project

Area Chart

Image via Wikipedia

With multiple Excel chart choices currently being offered by Microsoft, you may think the choosing of the best chart for you next project, well, next to impossible.

It’s not.

Here are some hints to keep you from standing still:

  • Learn the tips & tricks. Find out how to make a chart from the free tutorial before you start.
  • Still nervous? Keep it simple. Bar charts are used frequently because they are easy to read as well as understand.
  • Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each graph choice. What will work best with the information you have? While bubble charts tend to be more visual and wisely explore the relationships between data, an area chart has many weaknesses you may not want to tackle: such as the difficulty in seeing the individual data point values.
  • Get some advice from the Excel Chart Advisor—a free plug-in for Windows 2007. Get the suggestions you need on layout based on the data you enter.
  • Make more than one chart using the data. See what chart shows off the information clearer and with more interest.
  • When your chart is finished, get some honest feedback from a co-worker or other friend. Just make sure you choose someone who can give it.

Like anything else, learning what chart goes with what data is often surrounded by a little trial and error. You may find that a particular chart doesn’t look as well on paper with the data you entered than you first figured. Don’t be afraid to work on multiple graph ideas to discover the best solution for your project.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: , ,

Reasons Why People Like Earning Online Degrees

Getting a degree online is gaining in popularity.  There are many reasons for this increase.  Here are some of the most common reasons for seeking an online degree:

  • Many like the freedom to pace themselves through their coursework. With online programs, students can also pace themselves to complete their whole degree as quickly or as leisurely as they desire.
  • Some online degrees are less expensive than regular universities. Find out more by going to earnmydegree.com, where you can get information on online degrees available by school, degree, or career.
  • Participation in online courses provides exposure to people from around the nation and even the world. You expand the connections in your network, which is valuable if you are looking for a job.
  • If you currently have a job, you can keep working while you are earning your degree. You have flexibility to do your coursework any time you want whether it is 2 in the afternoon or 3 o’clock in the morning.
  • Another reason is many of the students love using technology. They feel very comfortable using technologies such as wikis, blogs, content management systems, and PowerPoint.
  • Many people like the fact that they can take time to carefully think and craft responses to online discussions. This is less stressful than answering questions in a face-to-face class.
  • Instead of being a nameless person in a huge class, you have personal interaction with faculty. Faculty answer questions and comments in the course discussion board, correspond through email, and even hold Skype conversations with students.

With a college degree, you will be qualified for better paying jobs giving you the opportunity to advance in your career.

Filed Under: Excel Tagged With:

How to Find the Best Free Templates for Excel

Templates of all shapes and sizes are out there for everything you can possible want or need, but how do you find what will work best for you?

These ideas should help:

  • Be specific in your Internet search. Do you need a template to better handle your money, do you need to make a chart (and what kind?) are you interested in getting the best home mortgage calendar or timesheet, or do you need a template or two to help you with your school class?
  • Make a list of five of the best templates you found, and start with the one that intrigues you the most.
  • Try it. See what it does for you. Use it before trying another on your list. Give the try at least two weeks before you dive into favorite #2.
  • Make sure the template is easy to use and gives you the help and direction you need. There’s nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed when just beginning to use a template; at the same time, realize you might need some tutorial help to assist you.
  • Go beyond the ordinary. Find a template that not only does what you need it to do, but has a bit of frosting on the side. Creative templates can be used to juice up your business or resume. You can even create personalized invitations. Try the ones at Codswallop.
  • Talk to your friends and neighbors about what they use. If you see a resume you like, ask if they used a template to produce it. Asking questions merely widens your options and given you more opportunities to choose from.

Whatever template you ultimately choose, make sure you’re open to answering questions about it. “Pay it forward” by spreading the news.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: , ,

The Key to a Successful Online Revenue Stream

Online affiliate marketing programs have only come to the forefront of business marketing strategies in the last 15 years. As Internet commerce grew, so did an affinity for retailers to use affiliate programs. In 2011, the trend shows no signs of slowing down. For those who do not know what affiliate programs are, they are paid referral systems.

Essentially, when a consumer goes to a website, such as a blog, he will view advertising. This advertising can be in the form of anything from a pop-up ad to a banner ad to an image ad. These ads are typically provided by a merchant that has linked with that blog or website as part of an affiliate program. If the consumer who visits that particular website chooses to click on any of the aforementioned ads, she will be taken to that merchant’s website. When this occurs, the owner of that website gets a revenue stream from the merchant. Depending on the affiliate contract, this revenue could increase should the consumer buy an item on the merchant’s site.

There are many affiliate programs out there. Commission Junction and Link Share have long been the top affiliate programs; however, some new upstarts — most notably Instant Cash Empire — have risen in the ranks.  When choosing which affiliate program to rely on, the key is to focus on the one that can best supply you with a revenue stream. To gain a quality revenue stream, you must link with an affiliate program that has products which are geared toward your audience. If the products or ads do not entice your readers, then they will not be likely to go to the merchant’s site. This in turn does not produce any revenue for anyone.

Each affiliate program has strength and weakness. Knowing your reader’s and target audience is essential to having a successful revenue stream for both publisher and merchant.

Filed Under: General, Tips Tagged With: , ,

Best Excel Forums

You’d like to get more involved in the Excel community; find out what the talk is about, orient yourself to the new ad-ins and downloads in Excel. Where do you go?

Forums are a great help and lots of fun, especially when you consider how easily they manifest themselves in your in-box and how connected you can feel with others with more knowledge and expertise than you have.

Here’s a great list of the best excel forums you might want to consider when jumping into an Excel community.

  • Joseph Rubin has a great list of Excel related forums here: http://www.excelforum.com/.  Be a part of general Excel interests or narrow your interest to Excel programming, tips and tutorials or Excel 2008 help, plus many more—15 Excel groups to choose from. You can even go “Off Topic” by joining “The Water Cooler.”
  • “The Code Cage” offers free Microsoft Office help for every application. Learn about the forum before joining by perusing the Forum Help Videos, guidelines and rules. The Code Cage will assist you with worksheets, charting, programming and more. http://www.thecodecage.com/forumz/excel-forum/
  • “Excel Forum” gives you tips, training, and a community that enjoys Excel and knows more than a little something about it. Ask a question; get an answer quickly from an expert by narrowing your question and explaining what you have already attempted. http://www.excelforum.com/excel-worksheet-functions/
  • Have a business? Want to stay connected? Try” Excel Help Forums for Business.” A great list of 20 forums is offered here http://www.business-spreadsheets.com/forum.asp.

Choosing the best Excel forum for your tastes is important. Find one that caters to your needs as well as your level of understanding.  Joining an Excel forum is somewhat like joining a group workshop. Don’t be afraid to try another if your first choice doesn’t work out.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: , ,

Best Excel Blogs of 2011

Keeping a blog current is especially important when it comes to Excel information. What’s new in the world of Excel? What help is out there? What should I try next?

If these questions are on your list, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these blogs!

  • Automate Excel, covers topics in automation software, Microsoft Excel training and even tackles Excel classes. Discover the best books, games, news, shortcuts and more when it comes to Excel. http://www.automateexcel.com/index.php
  • Code of Excel and Outlook Blog: Get the latest information on Excel and Outlook almost daily including ad-in changes. Stay updated on blogs by subscribing via RSS feed or Email.  http://www.codeforexcelandoutlook.com/blog/
  • Klippert.com: Hundreds of entries with topics from calendars to worksheets. Get the grit here from Doug Klippert.  http://www.klippert.com/
  • The Ken Pul’s Blog greets readers on many subjects, including Excel. Learn about charts, Macros, PowerPivot and more. Excel information posted a few times monthly. http://www.excelguru.ca/blog/category/excel/
  • Get converted to Codswallop. Christ Garrett and Yoav Ezer make up the team at Codswallop. Learn about Excel and other treats; discover some great Excel templates and tips that will assist you in creating personalized invitations.  http://www.cogniview.com/convert-pdf-to-excel/
  • Daily Dose of Excel. Get all you ever wanted to know about Excel including the code! http://www.dicks-blog.com/
  • Excel Geek will take you to a football game—more or less. Get the stats here, and learn how to work through your own figures whether the stats involve football scores or pie charts. http://blog.excelgeek.com/
  • Get the latest Excel spreadsheet news at, you guessed it, Excel News. Follow links to add-ins, formulas, templates, tutorials and other Excel information. http://excel-news.blogspot.com/
  • Methods in Excel, helps you with code, DNA and other functions. http://www.blog.methodsinexcel.co.uk/

Though blogs are written by experts as well as people merely interested in Excel, something happens when you learn something new and apply it. All at once you have something new to share with someone else.

Filed Under: Excel, Microsoft Tagged With: , ,

Internet in the Classroom

Teaching children the ins and outs of the Internet may not be as necessary as it used to be, especially when you consider the amount of knowledge students today have gleaned on their own home computers—knowledge they could probably teach many of their teachers.

But one thing is for sure.

Students need direction. More often than not, students are caught fiddling with computer keys when they should be listening to a lecture, playing online casino games or e-mailing friends in favor of working on their research project.

So how can teachers help?

  • When computers are not in use, turn the monitor around.
  • Use the computer on certain days and times of the week. When not in use, shut the computer off. A computer lab within the school may help with much of this if you either can’t, or decide not to have computers in the classroom.
  • Walk around the room when giving a lecture; make sure that no one is making use of a computer when it should be turned off.
  • Don’t forget you have a school library. Other resources for retrieving information like video, film strips; even in class speakers.
  • Teach your students how to use power point but not at the expense of teaching them how to give a speech with the use of a few note cards.
  • Make use of computers in group situations where the group researches a topic together and discusses the sources he or she found when searching.
  • Teach your students the difference between .com, .edu, .gov and other website tags. Not all information on the Internet is valuable, as you well know.

The Internet can be a glorious, even a hated thing in the classroom unless you handle this forward moving technology with care. Use it, enjoy it, and then put it away for another day.

Filed Under: Internet, Software Tagged With: ,

Best free Excel Downloads & Ad-ins

Do you want to add some fun to your spreadsheet, get the latest add-ins, the most helpful downloads available? If so, what is out there and where can you get it for free?

  • Arixcel Ltd. A personal accounting ad-in, Arixcel offers users personal finance capabilities. Import bank statements, allocate expenses, forecast budgets.
  • Cells Assistant. Get help in editing cells, from formulas to values with this great add-in.
  • Duplicate Remover. Find duplicate spreadsheets easily in Excel worksheet—up to 1 million rows.
  • EasyEx. Manage vacation time for your employees; know at a glance how many days they have in absent-time.
  • Excel 1.4. Get a spreadsheet that can help you get a handle on shift schedules of up to 25 people. Vacation planner and a scheduling bar graph are included.
  • Get an Excel Makeover in less than 5 minutes by using various and distinctive templates. Check microsoft.com for details.
  • Excel Utilities. Get frequently used features in one terrific ad-on. One click will access you to frequently used features such as Paste Special, Conditional Formatting, and others.
  • Merge Table Wizard. Merge tables and find matching data among other pursuits. Keep only the spreadsheets you really need.
  • PhraseExpress. Corrects your typos as you type and organizes questions for easy retrieval that are frequently used within a document; I.e., famous quotes, common phrases, salutations and abbreviations.
  • Both PowerPivet for Excel and Windows Azure Marketplace DataMarket are great ad-ins for business professionals.
  • Timesheet 1.2.  For professionals interested in spending less time on administration and getting a handle on product accuracy and budget control. No data entry needed. Reports are exported to Excel.

Fortunately, free downloads and ad-ins are as prolific on the Internet as your next lunch. For the most part, all it takes is a moment of searching online to get the freebies you need and want, whether your interest is for business, for home, or  a combination of both options. Where will you begin?

Filed Under: Excel, Internet Tagged With: , , , , ,
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