Dinner Done

Schedules are crazy for everyone regardless of your family dynamics.  Fitting in time to cook a decent dinner can be very difficult.  I enjoy cooking but rarely find the time to do it.  These days we've relied on Dinner Done to get a decent meal on the table.  If you've never heard about it, trust me, you are missing something amazing.  Here is what you really need to know.

What is it?

Dinner Done is a kitchen where you go to prepare meals free of preservatives to put in your freezer.  Each month a new selection of menu choices becomes available.  There are usually a few new ones along with some repeat favorites.  When you go to the kitchen to prepare your meals, the recipe sits before you at a food prep station along with all the ingredients chopped and prepared.  You follow directions to assemble each meal splitting it into serving sizes that meet your needs.  All meats are perfectly proportioned, trimmed, and chopped as necessary for the recipe.  Vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and peppers are already pre-chopped.  Each ingredient has a spoodle in it that measures out the correct amount of what you need to make it quick and easy.  Because you assemble your own meals you can easily modify your dishes, excluding ingredients you don't like.  Most meals are placed in aluminum pans so you can cook them directly from the freezer, others can be made in a crock pot.  You wrap the pans in plastic and affix a label with cooking directions.  Most of the meals are main courses only, some come with pasta or rice and a few with vegetables.  Appetizers and side dishes are already prepared and frozen for you to purchase and take home if you desire.


Cost
Each meal has 4-6 servings depending on appetite and the more meals you purchase the less they are individually.  Save even more utilizing the Super Chef program where you earn a $30 gift card when you attend 3 Dinner Done kitchen sessions in a 16 week period.  If you want a variety of meals but don't have a lot of freezer space, you can also split a session with a friend.
Click here for specific costs.

Many of you are into couponing and are really pinching your pennies.  You know, based on some past posts, I'm very frugal.  (Ok, so a few friends would laugh and say I'm just cheap!)  Let me tell you a few things about why I still choose to go to Dinner done each month.

• The dinners cost us less individually than ordering take out or dining out. 
• Dinner Done meals are healthier than most fast food or restaurant food.
• We have fewer leftovers which means less waste since they often sit and rot in our refrigerator.
• I would consider many of their recipes gourmet, requiring ingredients I don't use regularly.  To purchase an entire container of something, only to use a small amount means the remainder would go to waste.
• I spend far less time deciding what to have for dinner.
• My time is very valuable these days and can be much better spent doing something other than preparing food all the time.  The "witching hour" for my kids is during dinner time which further complicates spending much time in the kitchen.
• Frozen dinners can be placed in the oven and you can schedule the oven to cook it for you. 
• Most meals just need a vegetable, baked potato, or side salad.  Many of my friends buy the steam bag vegetables for the microwave or the pre-cut and pre-washed bags of lettuce.
• I love the Super Chef program, see below!

Dinner Done Goes Above and Beyond

• Private parties- select a time and date, round up 8 or more participants, you all get a free dessert and the kitchen is open exclusively to your group.
• In store shopping-  You can stop by any of their locations to purchase ready made meals out of their freezer.
• Get it to Go!-  Dinner Done can prepare your meals for you and all you have to do is pick them up.
• Get it Prepared and Delivered to your door.  Schedule a delivery if you live within a 15 mile radius of one of their stores.  See their calendar for free delivery days too!
• Stork Sessions- Dinner Done will prepare meals for you when you have a new baby and won't charge you the extra fee for them to prep the food.
• Helping Hands Session-  Similar to the stork session, Dinner Done preps the food for you and only charges the in-kitchen rate when you are undergoing chemotherapy, recovering from surgery, or after the loss of an immediate family member.
• Snacks, wine, and sodas are available while you prepare your foods.
• During the holidays, they offer specials like:  "Everything but the turkey", Valentine's Gourmet Meals, dessert samplers, appetizer samplers, etc...
• Bring A Friend Days-  During this special, if you bring a friend who has never been, you each earn a $10 gift card towards your next visit.
• NEW- Instate shipping of meals here in Florida!  Click here for more information. 

Locations

• Tampa, FL  (Carrollwood)
• Brandon, FL 
• Centreville, VA

The Carrollwood kitchen is where I have made my meals for two years since a friend introduced me to the concept.  Usually I go once a month as part of a private party but I have attended open sessions as well.  Ana and Heather work the night shift at the Carrollwood location and are fabulous to work with, always taking great care of us. 

If you are not close enough to utilize any of their locations, try searching for a similar concept in your area by using "dinner preparation stores" in Google or Bing. 

Be sure to tell Dinner Done that Melissa from "Twice The Work" sent you if you decide to check them out!  Trust me, you will be in love!
-Melissa

Simple & Inexpensive Credit Card Processing

Months ago I heard about a device that allows you to process credit cards through your cell phone on Good Morning America.  Recently, a friend was raving about it and I must say, I'm excited!  Meet Square!

 

About Square
Square is a revolutionary service that enables anyone to accept credit cards anywhere. Square offers an easy to use, free credit card reader that plugs into an  iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. It's simple to sign up. There is no extra equipment, complicated contracts, monthly fees or merchant account required.


Processing fees:

2.75% for swiped transactions

3.5% + 15¢ for keyed-in transactions

That's it! There are no activation, gateway, monthly, early termination, hidden fees or any additional costs to use Square. Every credit or debit card we accept (Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover) have the same flat rate. These fees are static and do not change depending on how much the transaction was for. As our fees are taken out of each transaction as they occur, there is no fee schedule. Square also does not require a contract upon sign up and since we only charge per transaction, it doesn't cost you anything if you don't use it!

Additional Details

Square automatically deposits the money in your bank account at the end of every business day.  There are no transaction limits or monthly processing limits.  You can click here to read more FAQ on their help page!

Several people I know personally have been using this device and love it.  An entire group from my direct sales company have been using this out in the Midwest and love it too.  That is important to me- tried and true!  This might just be the gadget to push me into the current technology era.  My cell phone is archaic.  Time to upgrade!

Click here to sign up!

I hope this saves you time and money!  Enjoy!

-Melissa

Building Your Business During Daily Activities

Making new contacts and word-of-mouth advertising are critical for small businesses.  Meeting someone in person and establishing a relationship is a big step in gaining trust.  Your current daily activities will build your business if you take advantage of the opportunities.

Here is a list of places you may frequent to get you thinking.

• Bank
• Stores, Malls
• Schools
• Jobs
• Doctors, Dentists
• Services- Salons, Spas
• Church, bible study
• Mom's groups, playgroups, story time
• Parks, play grounds, kid play areas
• Restaurants
• Sporting Events
• Libraries

Make a conscious decision to identify people you can begin a conversation with.  To make yourself more comfortable, plan ahead for these opportunities.

• Create a 30 second commercial and decide what you will tell people about your business.
• Brainstorm a list of general questions that you can prepare to ask people you meet.  You can compliment someone, ask a question, or comment on what is going on around you.
• Keep literature pertaining to your business in your bag or car so you have something to offer people.  This could include: fliers, brochures, business cards, samples, catalogs, coupons, etc...
• Plan your errands and activities for when you can spend time talking to people, unrushed, making them a business building opportunity.
• Be a name collector.  Have a notebook and pen handy to gather people's contact information.  This is critical.  People will rarely call you!  Tell them when you plan to follow up with them.

You may see people regularly when attending activities with your kids or frequenting certain places and never mention your business!  Or, sometimes a stranger will approach you first, maybe with a comment or a compliment; you utter a quick response and walk off.  If someone starts a conversation with you, steer it towards your business. 

Talking to people with intention may be outside your comfort zone.  While that can be an issue for me, I have another dilemma.  People confront me regularly acknowledging my twins.  Repetitive questions or really stupid/rude questions are common and frustrating.  I find myself avoiding eye contact just to get in and out of the store without a big commotion.  Sometimes my solution is to make late night quick trips looking less than stellar.  I'm missing out on so many opportunities! 

You may give yourself a number of excuses to pass by opportunities: you are in a hurry, embarrassed about your appearance, in a bad mood, too scared, or your family is with you.  Decide before you leave the house to make at least one new contact that day.  Be prepared with your polished look, a 30 second commercial, prepared questions, and something to give your contact.  You'll feel ready to go and less nervous.  Find someone and start talking!

-Melissa

Working The Nooks & Crannies

In a past post, "Making Time For Business," I mentioned the idea of working the "nooks and crannies" of your day.  The idea is to take advantage of small amounts of time to accomplish tasks off your to do list.  Americans spend an average of 1 hour per day just waiting.  Take advantage of this time to grow your business!


Find Your Nooks & Crannies

• Waiting for an appointment
• Waiting for a prescription
• Waiting in the pickup line at school
• Waiting in line at a drive-thru
• Waiting at the DMV
• Waiting for the bus or subway
• Waiting for dinner to cook
• Waiting for your child to finish sports practice, ballet, or piano lessons
• Waiting for a table in a restaurant or waiting for your food to be served
• Sitting in traffic
• While your children play on a playground or in McDonald's play area
• While your children are napping
• After your children go to bed

To effectively utilize these nooks & crannies, you must organize and plan.


Choose an organizational tool

• A cell phone- if it is capable of storing all the elements
• A paper calendar and/or binder

Planning

• Create a detailed to do list daily (or the night before). You may have room to do this on your actual calendar page or you can create a binder with sheets that look like one of these:



I borrowed this idea.




A modified version.



• Be sure to include addresses, phone numbers, and any information you will need to complete tasks. Information can easily be stored in your phone or written in a paper calendar for regular access. 
• In my business, I use guest surveys, customer order forms, and file folders for reference, so taking these with me is helpful.  You could tuck paperwork like this in your calendar or binder pockets.  Even if you are home all day, having everything available will prevent you from wasting time looking for what you need when you only have a few minutes.
• Keep call lists handy: customer service follow ups, potential hostesses, vendors, merchants, downline, upline, etc...  Touching base provides good customer service, builds relationships, and creates business opportunities.
• Pack a small bag of business materials- stamps and note cards so you can mail a bill, birthday card or write out a thank you note.  I have catalogs and promotional materials that I stamp with my information or put labels on for mailing.  You can add items like these to your bag and work on them while you wait somewhere.
• See my post on "Continuing Education" and check out my Book List page for great reads to grow personally and professionally.  Keeping one of these books handy would be another great way to take advantage of a few spare minutes.

Using an organizational binder or calendar creates a great record of your completed tasks.  You can look back to see when and how many times you contacted a customer or on what date you called the telephone company.  If you are like me, you may forget whether you actually spoke to someone on the phone or just thought about doing it!


I rarely come across someone who isn't super busy.  You may not have a large block of time to devote to completing tasks but by planning and preparing your to do list, everything you need is readily available when you can take advantage of an available moment.

Do you have a different way of organizing your take-a-long tasks?  What do you bring with you to occupy yourself while you wait?  I'd love for you to share additional ideas!

-Melissa

Too bad I already have a calendar for this year because I found this fabulous calendar by Chaos Simplified!  Yes, I still use a paper calendar.  For me, it is easier to use and I can flip around and see more at a quick glance.  Check out the details and pictures I snagged off their website!  It has some really fantastic features!

The Womans Planner

Introducing the 2011 Womans Day Planner . . . Life Planner 

 Not only is this designed to simplify your days, it's now got your whole life under control!

The Features

• 3" fold over page marker - so you won't lose your place
• A newly designed monthly 'budget page' complete with fixed and variable expenses
• the keep it all together 'social planning' page
• the same amazing half page format to keep you sane
• birthdays at a glance page
• yearly finance/budget page
• household appliance tracking
• wish lists for everything your wishin' on
• xmas planning
• a page to keep track of what your saving for
• contacts
• notes
• the most incredible extra - pocket dividers in between each month to hold all those bills, cards, school notes etc.
  
  

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The unique format
It's what completely sets it apart  You no longer have to make the big decision each year, 'week at a glance' or 'month at a glance'.  The half pages allow you for both options all at the same time.
 the financial page - split into 2 pay periods in order to plan out at which point in the month will work to spread out the expenses within the income.  Now includes a space to track Fixed and Variable expenses to keep on budget.
 the social page 

• My Goals for . . .  A spot to record your goals for the month for; me, family, household and finances.
• family notes -  which could be used for homeschool lesson plans, what is going on for each family member for the month.
• What's happening this month, What's ahead for next month.
• Things on my mind - a chance to take a minute with a scripture to uplift and encourage.
• Important dates - record them and buy the cards ahead of time.

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Here's how the 'New' half page format works - 
Your 'weekly view' is always on top each month and the 'month view' is always on the bottom. The new format is due to the new pocket dividers in between each month.  Why the half page format?  This completely eliminates the 'month at view' drawback of having not enough space to plan and the 'week at a view' drawback of turning the page for the next week and realizing you totally forgot that you were supposed to have 4 dozen cookies at the school for Monday!
Use the month to jot down quick what is going on and then use the week section to record the details.

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Do you love it?   They also have an adorable planner for girls too!
















I will be bookmarking this for next year!
-Melissa

Avoiding the Post Office is Easy

Frequent trips to the post office are a big part of many businesses.  Before kids, repeated trips to the post office were inconvenient. But these days two babies, a large stroller, and a tiny post office just don't work out well!   During the holidays, post offices are so packed and I want to completely avoid them!  Here are some easy ways to mail from home! 


1.  Use an online source.  Stamps.com offers USPS-approved postage that you can print and mail from home.  Click the link below for their current offer.




2.  Use a scale to weigh materials at home.  Enter the information into the USPS website and affix pre-purchased stamps.  Here is what I do:

• Buy a scale to weigh packages at home.  You can find them at Staples, Office Depot,  Sam's Club or order them online.

• Purchase letter envelopes, manila envelopes, and bubble envelopes in bulk.  I find them significantly cheaper at Sam's Club.  You can also grab several flat rate envelopes and boxes free-of-charge from the post office or their online store to keep on hand.

• Stock up on stamps in a variety of amounts by purchasing them from your local post office, your mail carrier, or from the United States Postal Service website.  To purchase from you carrier, request a "Stamp Purchase Order" envelope (mine is orange).  You write your order and contact information on the front, enclose a check, place it in your mailbox with the flag up, and in 1-2 days your carrier will deliver the requested stamps with a receipt at no additional charge. 

• When you are ready to mail an item, fill your envelope or box and complete the address information.  Weigh your package using your scale.  Visit this USPS postage rate calculator site to enter the destination, type of package, and weight to calculate mailing options.  Be sure to  carefully read details to select the appropriate shipping method.  The final screen will tell you how much postage to affix to your package based on which option you choose.

• You can place packages under 13 ounces with postage paid in stamps in your mailbox  for pick up.  You can also arrange for Carrier Pick-Up if the package won't fit.  Click the link for more information on how to pay for postage on items more than 13 ounces so they can still be mailed from home with "carrier pick up."

Mailing from home will save you time and can expedite delivery to your customer!  It is a great way to mail out catalogs, product, fliers, pamphlets, and postcards to customers without waiting until your next post office trip or having to make repeated special trips. 
-Melissa

Calendar Control

With the holidays approaching, you may be planning to take a vacation from your business to celebrate with your family.  As the New Year begins, you'll have a fresh start to your business.  Hopefully, you have events already planned for next year but it isn't too late to tweak your 2011. 

Here are some tips on how to keep control of your own calendar:

• Use one calendar for yourself which includes all your business events, personal appointments, family events, and children's activities.  Including everything on one calendar will avoid scheduling business events when you are supposed to be at a recital or making a doctor's appointment when you should be meeting with a customer.

• You may find it helpful to color code the items on your calendar.  Assign a separate color for each area of your life: business events where you are making money, customer appointments, networking and training opportunities, children's activities, and personal appointments.  This allows you to see at a quick glance what your day, week, and month hold for you. 

• Identify, in advance, when you are available to work.  If you do vendor events or home parties, decide which nights of the week or which weekends you will work and how many events you plan to do each month to meet financial and personal goals. 

• When booking appointments with customers, avoid opening your calendar to them or asking when would be a good time for them.  Instead, give them choices.  For example, "Would a Tuesday or Thursday night be better for you?"  After they respond, say, "Would the 11th or the 18th at 7pm work for you?"  You want to fill your calendar consistently and on your terms.  This method will help prevent people from booking appointments too far out or overbooking yourself with too many at one time.

• Make a resolution to say "no" more often.  If you are one of those people who overbook your calendar with too many activities and find yourself too frazzled or too busy to focus on your priorities, you need to learn to say "no".  For example, my faith, my family, and my business are my top three priorities.  When scheduling activities, most of them should fall into those three categories.  Too many other activities cause additional stress and allow you to lose sight of what is important.  Being pulled in too many directions makes it difficult to give your best in everything you do.

Do you have a great tip to add on how you keep control of your calendar?  Please share by leaving a comment below!

Need more help with time management?  Below are some books on this topic.

~Melissa

Daily Devotion Daily Word - We Dare To Believe: Choices control your calendar - Rick Warren MInist...

Daily Devotion Daily Word - We Dare To Believe: Choices control your calendar - Rick Warren MInist...: "We are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:5 (NLT) 'You have just enough time to do God's will while you're here on earth.' Y..."

Make Time For Business

Each day, each person is given the same 24 hours to spend as they choose.  People's days can look so different, even our own days can vary.  Have you had a day where you accomplished nothing or maybe a day when you were in a groove and managed to accomplish everything on your list plus some?  What is the difference? 

Our businesses can be like cleaning house.  Under normal circumstances, it could take days to dust, vacuum, do laundry, and clean bathrooms, but if you have guests coming, you could accomplish all this in a morning!  A sense of urgency really pushes us to get things done and fast!  How do we translate this to our business in order to get things accomplished efficiently each day?

First, you must know your "why".  Why do you have a business?  Why are you choosing to work?  For many, it is because your family has a need for the money.  Seeing a low dollar amount in your bank account when paying bills should create a sense of urgency for sure!  Or perhaps you are saving for a special vacation, a new car, or some home remodeling.  Make your "why" the motivation that helps you get up in the morning and get busy!

Second, you need to know what has to be done.  Create a "to do" list to keep you focused and complete the tasks in order of priority.  (I prefer to start my list the evening before just before bed.  It takes things off my mind so I sleep better.)  Having a physical list will help you accomplish more each day.  It offers additional accountability, especially if it is visible to other family members.  You have to be your own boss and check in on your productivity daily.  A list will not lie about how much you've actually accomplished in a day.  There is great satisfaction when crossing through an item you completed!  You just might find that the busier you are, the more you get done each day!

Third, there are two approaches for completing tasks.  The first is creating a specific time to work and the second is to work your business in and around other activities throughout the day. 

#1 Utilize "office hours" or a "Focus Hour" to complete your tasks.  Scheduling specific office hours for each day holds you accountable to work your business daily for a specified amount of time.  You can list your office hours on your voicemail or in email communications to create more accountability.  Customers will expect you to be working during those times.  Even if you only work 15 minutes, work every day.  If you take one day off, it may lead to pushing tasks back another day, then another and before you know it, you haven't worked all week.  A routine creates consistency and habits.

#2 Work your business in the "Nooks and Crannies" of your day.  Use a binder or electronic organizational device to keep your To Do List handy with any materials you need to complete the items.  When you get a moment while sitting at the doctors office, waiting in line at the bank teller, or sitting in the pickup line at school, pull the list out and make a few calls or complete a few tasks.

It is easy to get caught up in other activities and fill our schedules with too many non-business activities which leaves little time for working.  I'm sure you've gone online to check your email and quickly spent over an hour on the internet doing other things.  Or you may have been glued to the tv watching shows for hours. Before we know it, we've lost site of our focus.  By creating daily lists and scheduling in work time, you'll make sure the work is done so you time to spend with your families, take care of your household, and relax!

Most moms say their family comes first, which includes providing for them financially.  Working your business a little bit each day is not neglecting your duties as a mom.  You are a role model for life skills such as: work ethic, multi-tasking, prioritizing, and sacrifice.  We want to do it all but we need to choose activities that meet our goals and needs.

Including Children In Our Business

Involving our children in our business teaches responsibility, dedication, hard work, and the entreprenerial spirit!   Here are some tasks children can do to help.

• Prepare order forms or catalogs by stamping or applying stickers.
• Organize a mailer by applying labels or stamps and licking envelopes.  Maybe they simply put everything in the mailbox for you!
• Load materials into boxes and carts or bring them to your car to prepare for an event.  They can help unload too!
• Stuff hostess or customer folders.
• File papers.

Older children can:

• Enter information into the computer (customer information, orders, receipts, mileage).
• Run errands to pick up office supplies or go to the post office.
• Make customer service calls to inform of delivery status, check on product satisfaction, or to notify about a sale or special.
• Design and print invitations for parties and events.
• Wash or clean display products or display items.
• Be an assistant at home parties or vendor events.  They can help set up your display, pass out materials, answer questions, and take orders.

Children seem to have a way of really pushing our buttons when we are focused on something else, particularly in a time crunch.  One of the best ways to redirect their behavior is to include them in what we are doing.   Assign them a task as needed or create a regular work schedule. 

Do you have little ones that are sad when you have to work, whether it is at home or out for parties, shows, or appointments?  You can make working a positive learning experience by using a reward system.  Pick a specific goal or prize, like a video game or a trip to the movies.  Use a chart or picture divided into sections to track each time you complete a targeted activity associated with work.  This can be time in your office making calls or each time you hold a home party.  You may want to choose an activity that you have a hard time completing with your children around.  Let the child put a sticker on the chart or color in a section of the picture when you successfully complete the activity.  When the chart or picture is complete, the child gets the reward. 

This system creates accountabilty for you and shows the correlation between work and reward for your child.  It gives small children something to be happy about when your attention is on work and not them.  You could also use this to reward positive behavior if the children are good while you complete a task.  I've heard moms say that their children have asked them when they are going to do more home parties so they can fill in their charts to earn their reward.  With older kids, you could make a chart with money earned towards the goal to create a math lesson!

I found an interesting article by Jean Murray entitled "Hire Your Children to Work in Your Small Business - and Save on Taxes."  Check out her article for more information.  If you decide to pay your children for helping you, there are many additional lessons to be learned about earning a paycheck and responsible saving!

 I'd love to hear how your family is involved in your business so I can add them to the list!

~Melissa

Balancing Your Day

Ok, so is it really possible or just a myth?   I'm sure I've had some balanced days in my life but after adding two babies to the mix, there have been far fewer.  I'd say that balance is one of the hardest things to achieve in life, never mind business.  There are so many elements that factor in: organization, scheduling, consistency, motivation, etc...  Of course, something unexpected could put a wrench in the whole day!  The idea of balance is very broad and I must admit one of the main reasons I feel we, woman, need support. 

The solution is not to focus on perfection but to adjust each element and work on changing one thing at a time.  Here are some things I've learned and am working to implement in our household and my business.

• Control your calendar.  Use one calendar to organize all the appointments and activities of each person in your family, as well as your business.
• Create a schedule.  Include what time you wake up, household chores, meals, children's activities, and office hours.
• Organize your environment.  This promotes better time management and reduces stress and  distraction.
• Make a written "To Do" list.  Prioritize it and use it as a visual reminder for the day.
• Be Consistent.  Continually do the things you need to do without procrastination.
• Avoid distractions.  Track the amount of time you spend on the phone, online, or in front of the tv.
• Get Motivated!  Find inspiration from text, a friend, or a group and avoid negative people. 
• Reward yourself.  Working hard all day (and night) can take its toll.  Care for yourself by allowing some time in your schedule to decompress and relax.

It sure does look simple when it is spelled out on paper.  For me this last year with my twin boys has wreaked havoc on any "balance" we had in our household.  Our attempt to rework a routine that includes balance has brought me back to many of the principles I've been taught again and again.  As we all know, things change quickly and we must learn to continually adjust!

I can't wait to hear your thoughts.  Do you have an element to add?  Which area is the biggest struggle for you?  Over the next few blogs, I'll look at each element individually to share what I've learned about each.  Be sure to check back and offer your special insight on each.  After all, I'm learning too!

~Melissa