PTT: My Personal Money Mint

Professional Tip Tuesday

A few weeks ago, I mentioned an article I found on Mint.com about credit cards in a post. That same day I went ahead and signed up for a Mint account. Why hadn't I ever signed up for it before?

Mint offers personal tracking for all of your bank accounts, credit cards, and bills. Basically your whole financial life can flow right into your 'Mint'.

This awesome website makes it easy to keep tabs on all of your finances. After you sign up, you can categorize your spending and 'trend' your expenses. With that, it allows you to make a budget and track your transactions all in one place.

The initial set up is easy! I've been periodically logging into my account and playing around a bit to start to get a feel for it. But I still have a lot to figure out on Mint. You can see below the Mint Goals page that I started looking at tonight!

The other really cool feature I am loving is the Weekly Financial Summary. Mint sends out an overview every week that includes a snapshot of your accounts and overview of your budget!

So if you are interested, I included a short video below that explains a little more of what Mint can do. This is a quick clip that gives you a little better idea of how beneficial Mint can be for personal finances!

How do you keep tabs on your money? Comment below!

Favorites on Friday - Why Not? Weekend Adventures

Favorites on Friday

A weekend of 'Why Not?'  I am writing from California once again. This little weekend trip was planned less than a week ago and I couldn't be happier about how it's working out!

~Sparkling Summer Wine~

It's also just a really pretty drink.

-Fun outdoor festivities with friends. Last Saturday, some friends and I enjoyed the nice weather with some yard games and summer drinks. One of my new favorites is a refreshing White Wine Spritzer! It is so easy and tastes delicious on a warm spring day. Click on the link above for the recipe - but all it takes is a pitcher, Sprite or 7-Up, frozen fruit, and a bottle of white wine. Mix and enjoy!

~SLC Salon~

There are trees in the salon - it was meant to be.

-I found the perfect little salon in downtown Salt Lake City that's just my style. The last thing I want to do when I am in Kansas City is waste time getting a haircut when I could be spending it with friends. I really lucked out with Array Salon!! It's the perfect spot, just a few blocks from my hotel. My stylist was incredibly easy to talk to and gave me some great ideas of things to do while I am out in Salt Lake City. 

~Cali Adventures Continued~

Not a bad way to start the day.

-It took some quick planning to make a second California weekend happen! Britt just found out last Thursday that he had to be in LA for work this week - so we had to take advantage and check out the area! This trip is especially exciting because I have family in Santa Barbara. After we finish work today, we're going to head that way and catch a funky concert with my uncle!

Do you have any go-to summertime drinks? SoCal suggestions?  Comment below!

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

Favorites on Friday - Southwest Comedians

Favorites on Friday The adventures I have had the last few weekends have been fun.. but I am excited to finally get a few days at home!! I don't even think it's possible to fit all the KC activities that I want to do in one weekend - but I am going to try :) ~The Annual MBC (Again)~ -This one makes the list two weeks in a row. It was the perfect weekend with all of the best people. Not only did I have a blast spending time with my family - but really all of the moms that attend have become my family. Such a happy weekend! ~Southwest Comedians~ -A little in-flight fun. I love flight attendants with a sense of humor. And I have had quite a few on Southwest recently. By the end of their safety instructions the whole plane is cracking up. So when I saw this video going around Facebook, I had to share! This particular flight was even going to SLC - I wish I could have been on that flight! ~Happy, Happy, Happy, Spring Happy Hour~ -Perfect weather, good friends, and a great patio. One of my favorite parts of spring weather is a good patio with friends. I got overly excited and sent out an invite for happy hour almost 3 weeks ago since I knew I would actually be in KC. So we're checking out a new place, not far from my apartment, with an awesome patio. I'll keep you updated on how it is! Have you had any flight attendants that add a little fun to your flight? What are your weekend plans? Comment below! And for past Favorites on Friday, click here!

PTT: Generations in the Workplace

Professional Tip Tuesday

One of my favorite topics to learn about is generational differences in the workplace. I happened to catch this Levo article today, "The 4 Generational Attitudes that Make Up the Modern Workplace". I think it's so interesting to read about how different age groups think things through  based on the society they grew up in.

So what are the typical working styles of generations in the workplace? And what's the best communication style?

• Traditionalist
• Born in or before 1945
• Strong work ethic, dedicated, and traditional values of authority and respect
• Communicate in a formal and direct manner, be respectful of authority.
• Baby Boomers
• Born between 1946-1964
• Competitive, personal fulfillment through achievement and accomplishment of goals
• Communicate in a way that recognizes their efforts, face-to-face communication is best.
• Gen X 
• Born between 1965-1979
• Loyal, self-reliant, entrepreneurial - value work-life balance and sense of family
• Communicate in a clear manner, explain why something is important, and give them space.
• Gen Y 
• Born between 1980-2000
• Multi-taskers, optimistic, ambitious, team-oriented and collaborative 
• Communication can be relaxed, and informal - embrace flexibility and praise good work.

Even from that brief description, you can see how these different communication styles can be very different. BUT you can also see all of the awesome qualities a diverse team could possess. A better understanding of where someone might be coming from and how they communicate can help foster more effective teamwork. 

Also, these categories obviously aren't a complete catchall. Just because someone might fit in the Baby Boomer slot, doesn't mean they can't work better in an informal and flexible work environment. But these traits give us something to think about in our workplace communication styles. 

P.S. I am including this video because I love Ted Talks - but it's only partially relevant to this post. Enjoy!

Favorites on Friday: Airport Thoughts

Favorites on Friday
I left my heart in San Francisco. I miss the San Fran sun already, but I have a very exciting weekend ahead! As soon as my plane lands in KC, I will be hitting the road to head back to Iowa City once again.

                              

~The Annual MBC~

A tribute to last years event with my beautiful mama and grandma!

-A weekend with friends and fun-loving moms! It's the annual Mom Bar Crawl, a weekend of fun my friends and I started three years ago.The tradition carries on after we've all graduated, and I couldn't be more excited for the festivities. I'd better take a little nap on the plane to rest up - gotta be in tip top condition to keep up with the moms, grandmas, aunts, and cousins :)

~Kitty Lovin'~

-I finally get to meet the latest addition to our apartment. So far I have only met little Heidi via FaceTime - but today's the day. If you know me, and my obsession with dogs, you'd never believe just how excited I am to meet this little lady! But I am an animal lover and this little kitty stole my heart at first site. I am even thinking after a little snuggle session, I could be a committed cat person too!!

~Airport Thoughts~

-85 Thoughts Everyone has at the Airport. This Buzzfeed article made me laugh as I was waiting to board my plane this morning at the Salt Lake City International Airport. I especially liked number 12-15:
- What facial expression should you make while going through security?
- What are they scribbling on my boarding pass?
- After reading the list, I would add: "Man, that person sitting below the luggage bin sure looks terrified that I am going to drop my luggage on them!"

~Sightseeing in SLC~

-After 3 months of traveling out to Salt Lake City, I finally did a little exploring this week. A few friends and I took advantage of the beautiful spring weather and walked around the downtown. We walked around the Salt Lake Temple grounds and got a beautiful view of the skyline from the top of a downtown conference center!

So are you a dog- or a cat-person? What are your typical airport thoughts? Comment below! 

Have a great weekend - and enjoy some of that warm spring weather!

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

PTT: Travel Tips Tuesday!

Professional Tip Tuesday
It's not easy to get back into the swing of things after a weekend getaway. San Francisco was just a taste of vacation - but Britt and I were able to jam-pack so many fun things into just a couple of days! So since a little time away is just as important as work.. this week's Professional Tip Tuesday is:

Three tips for making the most of a mini-vacation!

1. Do your research. 
- Even just spending a little time looking into your destination spot will give you some fun ideas! Sites like Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor have lists of the top things to do with reviews. Britt and I checked quite a few of the items off of this Top 10 Highlights of San Francisco list!

Painting the Painted Ladies along Alamo Square Park.

2. Flexibly plan. 
- It's not like you want a strictly planned out vacation - but it makes the trip a lot more relaxing when you at least have some idea. As you find activities and events to add to your must-do list, start to figure out which days might work best.

We spent a lot more time than planned at the very best farmer's market.

3. Forget full price. 
- If you find a show, restaurant, or activity you want to do - don't get scared away by the price tag. Check discount websites like Groupon or my new favorite, Gold Star, for cheap tickets to top-rated events. Even just doing a quick search for the name of the event, plus the word 'discount' will probably get you a couple of hits. Britt and I found the Sunset Bay Cruise from my Favorites on Friday post on Gold Star for half the price!

A memento from our trip!

This definitely won't be the last travel tip Tuesday.. I am already anxious for the next weekend trip! So how do you get the most out of a short vacation? Comment below!

Favorites on Friday: Greetings from San Fran!

Favorites on Friday

I have been counting down to this weekend. I used some of those frequent traveler points for a practically free, mini-vacation with Britt to San Francisco. I flew in last night - and cannot wait to explore the California city some more. 

~Sunny San Francisco~

-San Francisco makes it to the very top of my favorites list this week. I am here enjoying the beautiful weather and incredible city with my guy. We have been planning this little weekend getaway for a while and I am so excited it's finally here. We started with a tour of the San Francisco Bay on a Sunset Cruise last night. Today we're off to explore China Town and check out Golden Gate Park. Stay tuned for updates about the weekend. 

~Dottie's True Blue Cafe~

We found our San Francisco Hamburg (a little classier though). 

-Speaking of San Francisco.. we've already hit the jackpot of breakfast foods. Britt and I started off the day with a hearty breakfast from Dottie's. It has been featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives - and I honestly don't think I have ever tasted anything as good. If you are ever in San Francisco, you have to stop by this little cafe.

~The Caps Lock~

-Levo League shared this on Facebook this week and I loved it. This describes me perfectly - I am guilty of using (ok, maybe overusing) the all-caps in a text message. But whether it's a text or not, you have to live life with excitement and enthusiasm, right? :)

~Skeeball~

-Anyone want to take on this soon-to-be skeeball pro? Earlier this week, I found an awesome restaurant down the street from my hotel. The best part? They have a couple of skeeball machines. And the establishment hosts a 9-week skeeball league. I am trying to get in on the action.. but it might be too late to sign up. Either way, I think this might be my sport. I think it fits my unathletic, but competitive nature to a tee. 

How are you spending your first weekend in April? We still have almost two full days left in San Francisco.. any must-see or must-do activities? Comment below!

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

PTT: An April Fool's Sense of Humor

Professional Tip Tuesday
Happy April Fool's, everyone! I made it through the day, and only fell for one prank. BUT it felt like one of the cruelest office practical jokes ever.. someone said the coffee pot was broken.

How I felt when I thought there was no coffee.

While that wasn't my favorite joke of the day, we did have some fun at the office. A few good pranks can really brighten up the workday. So in honor of this jokesters holiday - today's tip is all about the importance of a sense of humor at work.

Why is a sense of humor so important? 
Culture is the buzz word of today's business world. Companies that have truly embraced this concept are some of the most successful. And what can make for a better company culture, than a fun-spirited office with a great sense of humor?

A great example: Zappos. This fantastic company has appeared multiple times on the Forbes "Best Companies to Work For" list. The company culture is driven by creativity and team spirit. It's easy to see that they know how to have a good time in this April Fool's video featuring a few good office pranks.

And for more fun.. dial Zappos Customer Service line at 1-800-9277671, and hit 5 for their joke of the day. Zappos wants to ensure their customers get a taste of that famous company culture too! I've had it saved in my contacts for a while now - it makes for a great afternoon pick-me-up :)

So how can a sense of humor at the office help you on a more personal note?
This Forbes article offers some great reasons to keep the good times rolling at the office. Not only does humor make the work day go a little faster, but it makes everyone feel more comfortable and collaborative.

Just make sure it's funny for everyone! :)

Any good April Fool's Day pranks strike your office? Comment below! And if you are already prepping for next year's revenge, here are a few good ideas for you.