Work From Home Choices

I have heard people say that they want to start their own internet business so that they won’t have a boss that tells them what to do and when to do it. These people say that they don’t want to have to ‘punch’ a clock.

They will work when they want to and IF they want to because they won’t have a boss telling them what to do.

They are wrong! Or, at least, they had better be wrong or they are doomed to failure. The fact is when you work from your own home, YOU are the boss and you had better be a darn demanding one.

You, the boss, must see to it that sufficient time is invested into the business every single day and that the time is used as productively as possible. You might no longer have working hours as required by others but you sure better have working hours.

Your old boss might have overlooked your being 10 minutes late getting back from lunch but you will need to be a lot tougher on yourself if you are to ever succeed at any internet business and you better forget about that old forty-hour week, too.

The internet marketing game is tough! Don’t you ever believe those advertisements that you see on TV that tell you that you can make thousands and thousands of dollars every month working on a part-time basis. [Read more →]

Today was one of the few days that this self-employed mom wished we were still had some of the benefits of being in the workforce. We had a $1,000+ bill estimate from our dentist. A year ago, we would have had a small co-payment. But after leaving corporate America, we opted to pay for health, but not dental insurance. The health insurance has certainly paid for itself several times over. (broken bones, etc.)

Our health insurance came with a “dental discount plan”. As it turns out, the discount prices were MORE expensive than not using the “discount plan” at all. Bummer.

The following articles are to help you understand dental insurance plans. You may or may not want to take the big bill from your dentist risk…
Dental Insurance - Important Facts You Need To Know
By Matt Hick

Having dental insurance doesn’t guarantee that you will be allowed to have the procedures you want and need done. Many dental patients have found some insurance carriers to be difficult to work with, denying claims and causing stress for both the patient and dentist. Here are a few facts about dental insurance everyone needs to be aware of:

FACT #1:

Your dentist can’t make them pay. Your dental insurance (and the procedures it covers) is determined by a contract made between your employer and your insurance company. When questions arise, your best course of action is to call your human resources department or insurance carrier yourself.

FACT #2:

Dental insurance isn’t a pay-all, but rather an aid. With most policies now capping at $1,000 a year per patient, dental insurance isn’t meant to cover all of your costs like health insurance, but to ease the burden of dental care a bit.

FACT #3:

Even if you have 100% coverage, your dentist may not get 100% of his fee, leaving you in some cases, to pay the difference. Most insurance companies survey the area in which your dentist is in practice, calculates an average fee for all service providers in that area including discount dental clinics, take 80% of that fee and consider that the appropriate fee, paying only that amount.

FACT #4:

If you and your spouse have policies through your own employer (but with the same carrier), the insurance company is not required to use the second policy to pay for uncovered costs, as is the case if you have coverage from two different carriers. Sad but true, insurance companies can accept payment from two different employers for coverage, but still only give the employee and his/her family members the $1,000 spending limit according to many state’s laws. I, however, you and your spouse have different carriers; you can use both insurances to cover most, if not all, of your dental fees.

FACT #5:

Many routine dental services are NOT covered by insurance companies.

FACT #6:

Your insurance carrier is not responsible for paying for dental work that has not been preauthorized - even if it’s an emergency! Be sure that your dentist’s office files for any preauthorization are necessary before agreeing to any procedure.

With so much misunderstanding regarding dental insurance coverage out there, it is very important for every patient to carefully discuss their policy and its requirements with their dentist’s business manager before agreeing to any expensive procedures to insure that they won’t be left paying for the entire bill.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Hick
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dental-Insurance—Important-Facts-You-Need-To-Know&id=797267

Indemnity or Managed Care Dental Plan - Which One to Choose?
By Puripong Koomsin

Dental care is very important and choosing the right plan will help you maintain your pearly whites in good condition. There are many dental plans to choose from depending on your needs but the best way to get the most out of a plan is to fully understand first the dental plan coverage and see if it would cover your dental necessities.

There are two major types of dental insurance - indemnity and managed care plans. Each type has its own pros and cons so it is important to determine your dental needs first and see which of the two will suit you to make sure that you will be able to maximize the dental plan you will choose.

If you want to make your own choices regarding your dental care, then you might want to consider getting an indemnity plan. This type of insurance lets the plan holder select the dental care provider they want to go to. The usual process is that the plan holder will pay first for his or her dental care services and then submit claim forms to the insurance company to reimburse the payment made.

This process usually works best for transactions between the dentist and the plan holder because some dentists do not have smooth relationships with insurance providers. The downside, though, is that the plan holder might go through a lot of paperwork. Furthermore, there might be instances that the provider does not agree that the dental work should be covered by the insurance. This means a long process before the plan holder gets to reimburse the up-front fee he or she paid for.

On the other hand, if you want lower costs for your dental care you should try asking about managed care plans. These plans have very low costs and do not require that much paperwork. The usual process for these kinds of plans is that the insurance company will pay the dental care provider and then the dentist will give the plan holders a discount as part of the insurance coverage. The downside of this insurance plan, though, is that the insurance company is the one to pick out which dental service providers that the plan holder can visit to get dental care. If the plan holder chose to get dental care from a dentist not specified on the insurance company’s list, then the dental care service won’t be covered by the plan and the plan holder will have to pay for the services from his or her own pocket.

Whether which type of plan you choose to get, dental plans usually depends on your budget and dental needs. It is wise to determine first your needs and how much you are willing to spend on your dental plan before you go ahead and sign an agreement with an insurance company. Understand first all the insurance coverage and exclusions so you won’t be caught off-guard in any situation. This way, you are sure to get what your money is worth and at the same time keep those pearly whites healthy.

If you enjoy reading this, you may enjoy read more about Discount Dental Health Care Plan and Top 11 Best Discount Dental Health Care Plan

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Puripong_Koomsin
http://EzineArticles.com/?Indemnity-or-Managed-Care-Dental-Plan—Which-One-to-Choose?&id=710394

Dental Plans or Dental Insurance — Compare The Benefits
By Marilyn Katz

DISCOUNT DENTAL PLANS

A dental discount plan may be an attractive and affordable alternative to dental insurance. Some people who already have dental insurance find that they save even more by adding a dental discount plan too. They are usually very affordable, do not have waiting periods, and often cover many procedures — like cosmetic and orthodontics — that traditional dental insurance will not cover!

DENTAL INSURANCE

Traditional dental insurance has some drawbacks. With expensive premiums, high deductibles, and low yearly maximums, it may be hard to see how a dental insurance plan saves much money at all. Many dental insurance plans will offer generous coverage on routine care like checkups, cleanings, and simple x-rays. However those services are usually fairly inexpensive anyway.

When a family needs more coverage, they may find that their out of pocket costs surprise them. Complex fillings and crowns usually still require large copayments, and many dental insurance companies do not even cover orthodontics, cosmetic work, or dentures at all!

Some of the problems with many Dental Insurance Plans include:

• Limitations, deductibles and annual maximums
• Waiting periods for major dental procedures
• Tedious and time-consuming written claims process
• Limitations/exclusions on pre-existing conditions
• Certain dental specialties, such as cosmetic dentistry, are
  rarely covered
• Consumers pay expensive monthly premiums for defined coverage
• Typically inaccessible to individuals and families unless provided by their employer

Some of the characteristics of Discount Dental Plans include:

• No annual limits, members enjoy discounts on most dental services all year long
• Most plans activate right away, within 1 to 3 business days, and have no waiting periods!
• No tiresome paperwork hassles, plan membership card is presented for discounts on most dental services
• No health restrictions and no age restrictions.
• Select plans include discounts on dental specialties, including cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics
• Consumers pay affordable membership fees for access to a network of providers offering discounts on most dental procedures
• Available directly to individuals, families, businesses and groups

Many families who have dental insurance at work find that they have more flexibility, and save more money by adding a dental discount plan! This is because the discount dental plan may cover services that dental insurance does not cover. The dental discount plans use a huge network of US dentists, and so some families find it easier to find a nearby dental provider too.

Dental plans make it easy to find dentists! They have simple online searches, by zip code or dentist name. You can find out if your current dentist accepts the plan or find a new dentist in your area.

Many families who do not have dental insurance at work will put off routine dental care because they are concerned about the cost. However, this is never a good idea. If a person neglects regular checkups and cleanings, worse problems will develop in the future. Many discount dental plans even offer free, or very inexpensive, routine care like checkups, cleanings, and x-rays.

Some dental plans also offer other medical discounts. They arrange special deals with vision care providers, pharmacies, vitamin stores, and other outlets for health needs. With dental plans costing a few dollars a month, most will do more than pay for themselves!

We make it easy to find the Best Dental Care Plans in your own town or city. Use the simple zip code lookup if you do not have a dentist, or look up plans by the name of your own dentist. You will be sure to find the major, brand name affordable dental plan that is right for you!

http://www.247quoteus.com/dentalinsurance.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Katz
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dental-Plans-or-Dental-Insurance—-Compare-The-Benefits&id=808524

Perhaps the best motto when it comes to your family’s teeth is “hope for the best, but plan for the worst.”

1.  The “few spare hours a week” big fat LIE – Many home based business opportunities pitch being able to succeed in your business in a “few spare hours a week”. First of all, do homeschool moms really have a few spare hours a week? Second and most importantly, there is no way on this planet that you can run a successful business in your nonexistent spare time.

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2. 2. Something has to give- You can’t do everything that you once did and be successful at your business. You may need to pay someone else to clean your house or let the dust collect on your knickknacks while you return calls and practice the alphabet with your youngest.

You may need to give up or reduce the amount of time spent on hobbies or volunteer work. Don’t make the mistake of believing that you can still do it all!

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3. Recognize what your time commitment to your business is teaching your children – Is it teaching them a strong work ethic or that work is more important to you than they are?

You can show a strong work ethic by example without psychologically damaging your kids. However, this is not necessarily easy. As your business grows, so will the demands upon you and your time.

My business partner came up with the best solution to this problem that I have found so far. We have specific times during the day that we spend with our kids and specific times on our business. Between the two of us, there is always one of us available to take calls.

If you are in a MLM or direct sales business, you should be able to work out a similar deal with another member of your organization.

If you are in business by yourself, you may need to turn off your phone during certain hours. This will teach your children that they matter most.

A while back, if you had tried to reach me during school hours, my answering machine would have politely told you my school hours, an alternative person to contact during those hours, and another way to reach me in a “true emergency”.

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4. Learn to delegate – I am first and foremost a control freak. I have learned well the old saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” Unlearning this has been important to both my success and my sanity.

Involving others- letting them use their talents and shine will propel your business. It will also allow you to handle other pressing matters that only you can do.

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5. Just because your spouse is able to leave corporate America doesn’t mean that you will suddenly have all the time in the world - The day had finally arrived that I had worked for dreamed about: My husband had quit his job to work our home based business full-time with me. I naively believed that I would suddenly transform into a “normal” homeschool mom.
On the contrary, I was just as busy as ever and wondered how I ever managed without Rob at home. Like I said above, “As your business grows, so will the demands upon you and your time.”

Balance may be one of the toughest challanges I face as the owner of a home based business. My children and my business are constantly tugging me in different directions. In the article below, author Jessica Williams gives practical and sound advice for creating balance between business and family.

Work At Home Tips For Moms and Dads
By Jessica Williams

A Work At Home Job is perfect for parents of young children. But it might not be perfect for you. To be successful working from home, you need to have self-discipline, motivation, and support from the rest of the family. The following tips can help a work at home mom or dad keep their sanity by helping you deal with the different issues brought up by working at home.

* Set Your Work Hours, and More Importantly, Stick to Them.

If you know that you are going to be free from the hours of 10 AM to 2 PM on weekdays - then work from 10 to 2. Get things done during that time, that way you won’t feel guilty about spending time with the family in the evening because you know you got your work done. Sometimes you might feel like your working 24/7, and not really getting much done, but by setting your own hours and sticking with them - you’ll start to see tremendous progress in your home based business.

* Give Everyone At Home Their Own Office

It’s easy to become distracted while your working at home if your three year old wants to constantly sit in mommy’s lap. Set her up with her own little desk and let her do ‘office’ work while mommy is working. Give her some crayons and stickers - some play-doh and let her get her work done too.

* Plan Big or Important Projects Around Child Care

Regular office and business tasks like stuffing envelopes or writing emails or internet research can be accomplished with the kids running around. But if you have a bigger task like an important business call or more focused work like writing, then be sure to schedule a few hours where you can work without having the kids screaming and running around. If you need to - trade a few hours a week with another mom so that you’ll both have some alone time to get things done.

* Take Yourself Seriously And Others Will As Well

Even if you like to work in a t-shirt and barefeet, take yourself and what you are doing seriously. If you begin to thing of yourself as a businessperson, the people around you will as well and will respect the boundaries that you need to run a successful home based business.

Jessica Williams is a work at home mom living in Las Vegas, NV. Her website WAHReviewSite can be seen at http://www.wahreviewsite.com

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Work-At-Home-Tips-For-Moms-and-Dads&id=844991

Setting hours that you don’t take calls can be a tough one. My business partner and I worked out a plan to stagger our business and family time. That way, one of us is almost always available but we don’t have to feel guilty about spending time with our kids.