Top Business Programs of 2014

In today’s non- stop business world, it’s important to be able to conduct business from anywhere at anytime. As mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have gained popularity, the ability to send invoices, create schedules and accept credit card payments is easier than ever. However, in order to do any of these activities you’ve got to have the best apps, and after reviewing numerous ones on the market business owners consider these as some of the best.

Freshbooks

If you’re into cloud accounting, check out the Freshbooks app. Created to make accounting easy for non- accountants, you can now send invoices, track expenses and track your time no matter where you are or what you’re doing. With the Freshbooks timer running in the background, a business owner can keep track of how their time is being spent. If you’re having dinner with a client, you can use your phone to take a picture of the receipt and have a record of your expenses. If it’s an invoice that needs to be sent, you can send the invoice from the client’s office and have your money by the time you get home.

Freshshifts

One of the biggest hassles of any small business owner is making out the work schedule for employees. However, with Freshshifts employees no longer have to come in or call on a day off to get their schedule, nor do you have to figure out who needs a day off or who’s on vacation. By simply plugging in the appropriate information, Freshshifts can create a work schedule in minutes that can then be sent to employees by email, app or the web. This app makes it easy to add or delete employees from the schedule as needed, as well as create a schedule from scratch or by using a template.  It’s a perfect hybrid of time clock, schedule maker and communication tool.  Worth checking out.

Square

If you have a business where point- of- sale transactions are common, using Square can make it that much easier. A great app for those with home repair businesses or those who sell at festivals or have other mobile businesses, Square makes everything easier. Made to help generate customer feedback, allow for next- day deposits and even conduct online ordering, it’s a great example of making numerous tasks easier.

So if you’re in the market for some apps that will make many day- to- day tasks of running a business easier than ever before, consider adding these three apps to your mobile devices.

Best Employee Scheduling Software

Good employee planning software is a must for any office, regardless of size. The issue, however, is finding out which system is right for your office. To that end, in this article, we will be comparing three of the biggest names in the employee planning software business–ShiftPlanning, WhenToWork, and FreshShifts.

ShiftPlanning’s primary selling point is it’s aesthetics–simply put, the software looks good, and shows up well on mobile devices and computers alike. It also offers the same basic features as other scheduling software, as well as a few unique ones, including payroll management. However, while that sounds nifty, it’s actually rather underwhelming: because of the amount of information that it requires, for most managers, processing payroll through shiftplanning isn’t any more convenient than traditional solutions. Pricing is another issue: even the smallest offices will be paying $22 (actually closer to $25 including billing fees) per month, with prices increasing at larger employee densities. While at the top end this isn’t terrible, paying $44 per month for software for 15 employees is absurd.

WhenToWork is a little better on pricing, with further gradations depending on employee numbers. They also avoid the set-up costs that ShiftPlanning charges. However, the fact that the prices are gradated does still mean that you get a poor deal at certain employee numbers, and their top end is actually significantly worse. They also have rather bare-bones software, with fewer options for mobile devices than either of the other two companies. It’s one unique feature–online shift trading–comes with a number of issues, such as a lack of transparency, that will make most managers disable it.

FreshShifts has no similar issues: it’s software, while not as flashy as ShiftPlanning’s, is much easier to navigate and use than either of the other two. It also offers the hands-down best price for small offices of the two: under five employees, FreshShifts is actually completely free! Larger offices pay $2 per employee per month, providing competitive scaling as well as a free first month to prospective clients. Finally, Freshsfits offers the best communication between managers and employees, allowing for automatic schedule posts, excellent mobile compatibility, and lots of options when it comes to tweaking schedules.
When it comes to software, practical applications compared to price is the most important metric to use. For this reasons, most offices will find FreshShifts the ideal employee scheduling software, in terms of both price and quality.

Ways that you can Save Money on Gasoline

car-save-gas-lgEveryone these days seem to be trying to find ways that they can spend less of their hard earned money. In this article, you will learn the different methods that you can use to save your money at the pump. One of the best ways to find good deals on gas is to get on the Internet or use an app on your phone. There are many great apps and web sites that people can utilize to find the best rates for gas in their area. Finding the cheapest gas stations will really help you to keep more of your money. Even if it is only a few pennies here and there that you are saving on the gallon, that will really add up to savings for you. Next, make sure that you spend some time maintaining your car or truck. Vehicles use more fuel when they haven’t been properly maintained. So, make sure that you get your oil changed on a regular schedule. Also, make an effort to check your tire pressure regularly. Even though Al Gore was mocked mercilessly by Fox News for this, it’s actually good advice. Also, make sure that you control how much you put the pedal to the medal. Drive carefully and your car will treat you well when you go to the pump.

The Main Differences Between Credit Cards and Installment Loans

ccThere are many differences between installment loans and credit cards, but many people don’t know what some of these essential differences are. It’s important to know what these differences are so that you are able to make good, sound financial decisions.

Don’t be ashamed if you find yourself in need of these types of financial assistance. Just be aware of the perks and pitfalls to both of these types of financial loans and lines of credit. You will need to find and use the one that you find will be the closest fit to what you need. Credit cards offer a wide variety of benefits. They allow you to get cash advances. Some credit card companies give you various perks, like airline miles or cash back on purchases. However, many people can’t get credit cards if they have a bad history with using their credit.

An installment loan has the perk of the rate not changing. It also has the benefit of going right into your bank account. However, as with any loan, there is interest to worry about. Hopefully, this has given you a better idea about the differences between these two types of financial assistance that people might need.

What to use your Tax Refund For

refundYou are really excited because you are about to get your tax refund and you can’t decide where to start in terms of where to spend your money. This article will give you some good thoughts on what you can do with your refund.

Paying off debts ought to be your highest priority for the money you’re receiving. Try not to leave bills without paying for them. The next thing you may want to do to make any payments on what you have to pay on a monthly basis. If you get a special deal for paying for something ahead of time, this is a great thing to do here. If you have car repairs or repairs on your house that you need to get done, this is a great time to do this as well. If you’ve put off getting things done because of money, this makes a perfect chance to do this now. Something else that you can use your tax refund for is putting a payment down on something you’ve been waiting to buy. Another bright idea is to put some money aside for a rainy day. This is the perfect opportunity to do this as well.