If you live in one of the large, expensive metropolitan areas, you’ve probably fantasized about how much farther your dollar would go if you chose a different place to live. I remember distinctly when my husband and I purchased our second home in Santa Barbara, and my mother (Alice) sent me a clipping from the Indianapolis Star that showed the Governor’s Mansion had recently sold for the same price. But how would you go about choosing another place to live?

To answer that question, I did a little research and found two articles on the subject that give good advice on some great cities to live in using different criteria. The first source, Forbes online, used violent crime rate, unemployment rate, average salary for college graduates and cultural opportunity as criteria. Redbook magazine also had some suggestions, using “reasonably priced home(s) in good locales” as their criteria. Here’s the list they came up with:

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We understand. As frugal as you may be trying to be, it IS possible that you absolutely need a new car. Some people (you know who you are and you might even be contributors to our website), drive their old “beaters” as a badge of honor. My girlfriend Karen has a Ford Expedition that is so old that the auto mirrors and seat don’t work and she routinely gets “gas hog” written in the dirt on her back window because she lives in green-loving Palo Alto. I would say that she is a candidate for a new car.

If you are in the same boat with Karen, it is a great time to bite the bullet because there are so many good financing deals and some of the most generally reliable car companies (Toyota and Ford) are in trouble financially. We are definitely not car experts at rubbingnickels.com but we’ve searched the web for some advice from reliable sources like Forbes.com on what you can do to make sure that you make a smart car purchase. And we’ve filed this article under “Investing and Saving” because buying a care is certainly an investment.

Here’s some advice that we found on buying a new car:

1. To save money on gas, buy the SMALLEST car that will meet your daily needs. If you only drive a large soccer carpool once a month, don’t get an 8 passenger SUV!

2. ALWAYS use Kelley Blue Book to know what the invoice price is on the car you want. This will help you immensely in your negotiations with dealers.

3. Don’t EVER buy a car at the beginning of the year when the newest model is in the lot (unless you are the heir to Saudi Oil money). You will pay a premium for the car.

4. Put down as much of a down payment as you can possibly afford and if you can avoid it, and finance for the shortest period possible to save money on finance charges.

We this helps you and we’re truly sorry about your old car!

Darcy Ratner
Rubbingnickels.com

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Today, we’re talking to Gabriella, who recently turned her travel blog into a subscriber-only website that provides readers access to unique travel experiences and great deals on travel. She has insightful advice for those of us who are trying to “make money on the internet”. You can contact her at info@theexplorateur.net if you have any questions about her site or her experiences.

Tell us about your business: The Explorateur is a website that showcases honest reviews on hotels, information and insider tips on new happenings in the travel world, and exclusive offers at amazing hotels worldwide, for subscribers only.

Why did you start this business? I love to travel, have a passion for discovering new places. I am also aware that no matter what budget people have, they are always looking for a good deal on travel. And, with The Explorateur, we always have a great exclusive for them at a fantastic, unique hotel or venue around the world.

What is your background? I started out working at a tour operator, in the department handling contracting and advertising programs. After 6 ½ years I took a different direction and started my own company (Trumarketing) that handles sales, marketing and PR for hotels and destinations worldwide. I launched The Explorateur as more of a hobby and a blog, but it quickly took shape and turned into a more comprehensive venture with a more defined goal and reach.

What skills did you need to acquire for your new endeavor? The ability to adapt to a VERY dynamic, ever-changing environment. Everything about travel is different now: the way people get information, the way they process it, and the things they’re looking for. We have to be on the pulse of what makes sense for people who love to travel. We also have to negotiate the best deals possible and utilize different forms of social media to enhance our visibility while minding our own limited budgets.

Biggest challenges? Information overload. There is so much info, so many people saying so many things that it’s almost impossible for a consumer to keep up. But, by carving out a niche such as a pathway for exclusive deals, it keeps readers engaged and loyal to the e-publication.

What have you learned and advice to others: Always be willing to learn and take constructive advice- nobody knows it all and part of the biggest challenge in starting your own venture is tackling the unknown. Look to people who can help advise you or guide you based on their own experiences, while following your ideas and instincts as well.

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This week we’re talking to Stacee Gillelen, who started a Cottage Industry called Dragonfly Designs: Jewelry with a Conscience. If you are interested in her jewelry or jewelry-making classes you can visit her website at www.jewelrybydfly.com.

1. Tell us about your business: We are a socially conscious jewelry company that offers jewelry making classes for adults and children, Jewelry making parities for adults and children, handmade jewelry, jewelry making supplies, custom design, date nights & Jewelry making year round camps (winter, spring, summer & day camps for children ages 5 and up).

2. Why did you start this business? Because I fell in love with the art of making jewelry and wanted to share my passion with others. This business allows me to combine all of my passions into one career (jewelry making, teaching, children, and giving back to society) while making a commitment to outreach programs that promote equality, the environment and support women & children.

3. What is your background? I am a mother of 4 young children and when my second was born I left a 17 year long career at Bank of America (the last 5 years as a VP/Bank Manager). I returned to school to work towards a career as a social worker for children when I discovered my love of jewelry making. I completed certificate in early childhood education, and subsequently started my own business.

4. What skills did you need to acquire for your new endeavor? I had to learn about a business that I knew nothing about. I had to learn how to create, manufacture, price, market & sell my product, including where to sell it (trade shows & how that process worked). I had to meet with business lawyers to set up my corporate structure, human resources to set up an employee handbook, pay structure, hiring documents. I had to learn an accounting system, and how to set up a website, create a logo etc..the list of responsibilities is endless when you own your own business.

5. Biggest challenges? My biggest challenge remains to this day to be cash flow.

6. What have you learned and advice to others? I love what I do and can’t imagine doing anything else but when you work for yourself the work never ends, never! I’d advise others to do their homework and get a realistic picture of what it takes to start a business. However much capital you calculate that you need to start a business, triple that number. Decide if you want to dedicate all of your time to your work. I’ve heard it said that it takes 7-10 years to become an “overnight success”. I equate owning a business to having a child, you can do the research and talk to friends all you want but until you’ve actually done it you have no idea what you’ve gotten into; it’s something that you have to experience to fully understand. My advice is love what you do and don’t take the step of starting your own business lightly.

Take a look at her website. She has some gorgeous pieces. We wish her good luck with her Cottage Industry!

Darcy Ratner and Julie Arnheim
Founders, Rubbingnickels.com

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Our Cottage Industry tab features small business opportunities and budding entrepreneurs. This week, we’re talking to Catherine Lieber Shimony and Joan Shifrin about the Non-Profit Organization that they have started to help alleviate poverty and promote social justice by strengthening women-led development initiatives for marginalized communities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

1. Tell us about your business: Global Goods Partners (GGP) is a nonprofit, fair trade, international development and education organization all tied into one. Essentially, we create opportunities to generate income for our global partners and help fuel our partners’ community development goals. The first step is identifying effective women-led community organizations (CBOs) with a strong development focus. These groups are at the forefront of creating positive social change within their communities. Once we have decided to partner with a CBO, then we provide technical assistance to both strengthen their community development programs and their micro-enterprise in craft development. GGP brings handcrafted products from the CBOs to the US marketplace which translates into income-generation for the women and their families as well as income for the CBO to support their community development/social change programs.

2. Why did you start this business? During our careers, my partner and I saw the real benefits to family and community that result when poor women are empowered by earning an income. We saw an opportunity to contribute to local organizations that support women’s empowerment and economic independence. We wanted to contribute to the sustainability of the important social change work being implemented by the women-led CBO’s while at the same time develop a sustainable livelihoods program for the women artisans who wanted to to continue with their traditional crafts.

3. What is your background? Catherine and Joan, the two co-founders, attended the same graduate school program in international affairs, JHU SAIS and pursued careers in international development mainly in the nonprofit sector but also with experience in the private sector.

4. What skills did you need to acquire for your new endeavor? Analytical skills, to think innovatively and creatively, management skills, cultural awareness and understanding, respect for your colleagues everywhere, and the confidence that your work makes a difference in people’s lives.

5. Biggest challenges? Growing our market share in this challenging economy.

6. What have you learned and advice to others? Trust your instincts. Try not to take on too much. It’s important to start small.

If you’d like to find out more about Global Goods Partners, visit their website at www.globalgoodspartners.org.

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This week we are talking with the creator and maker of Book Boxes, Diane Thodos. Book Boxes are real books with fabric lined boxes inside them. Here’s what Diane had to say about starting her Cottage Industry:

1. Tell us about your business: I make Book Boxes – hollowed out books lined in velvet to hide small valuables on a book shelf. They are designed to blend invisibly with the books on your shelf and are the perfect place to safeguard jewelry, cash, watches, collectibles, coins, stamps, small antiques, letters, documents, credit cards, keys, cell phones, TV remotes, and other small valuables with simplicity and convenience. The price of Book Boxes average between $14 and $24 per book depending on the size.

2. Why did you start this business? To have independence. I wanted to have freedom to move my time around for my main career and also I wanted to earn effective profit from my labors, not share the money with someone else.

3. What is your background? I have an art degree.

4. What skills did you need to acquire for your new endeavor? You need to be good with your hands and good at listening to customers needs. I learned a lot about new uses for my product this way and could expand my reach.

5. Biggest challenges? Affording individual health coverage. Also you need physical energy and stamina for this labor-intensive business.

6. What have you learned and advice to others: To take the road less traveled and you can find new freedoms and well as responsibilities. Thinking outside the box can have minimal risk with good rewards.

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