Debra Conrad.com

There is a great deal of discussion these days as to whether we should stop spending and hoard our money or whether whe should go ahead with our everyday life as usual.

Narrowing the matter right down to our individual selves is the best way to come to a clear decision on the subject.

Saving for Hard Times Brings Hard Times 

Perhaps you have thought that you could cut down the amount of money you spend for food, for clothes, for amusement. But remember that if you spend less money for food and clothes and amusement, the groceries, the markets, the dry-goods and clothing stores are going to lose just that much income, and if every other man and woman in your community cuts down also, the income of the other business men who will drop to such an extent that hard times will become prevalent in your community. 

Multiply your neighbors and your community by the millions of people and the thousands of communities in the United States, an you will see what a serious condition can be brought about by false ideas of what constitutes real economy. 

The business of your community and of the country, the normal buying and selling, should go on as it has been going on during the past two or three prosperous years. Then there will be no real depression, no hard times.

With large crops to be harvested during the coming year, and with the tremendous increases that are about to be made in our Army and our Navy, those of us in other lines of business must work harder than ever to make up for the unusual demand.

But if the people get a wrong idea of economy, start to save more than a sensible proportion of their income and become panic-stricken, then we are going to have hard times that will result in hundreds of thousands of men being thrown out of work, a sudden halting of production, and a general stagnation of the country's business.

Stopping Waste Is Real Economy 

The only real economy at the present time is the avoidance of waste. Don't buy a big steak in order that you may use the good end and throw away the poor. Be sure that every ounce is properly used. If you can afford such extravagance yourself, there are hundreds near you who will be glad to get what you have been in the habit of throwing away.

Avoid waste, but don't make the mistake of contributing to a stoppage of business. If, for instance, a man's house needs a coat of paint and its owner does not paint it, wastefulness and not economy influences him. To let a house go without paint is to insure its decay.

This will apply to every line of business. Do what you can to keep the wheels of business going as usual and urge your friends to do the same.

Don't Dam The Circulation 

With more zeal than wisdom, certain short-sighted gentlemen and well-meaning societies have urged the hoarding of pennies, the waring of last year's clothes, the reduction of food-supplies, and the elimination of luxuries. Fortunately the far-sighted business men of the country, the bankers, the engineers, and the other leaders, who are in a position to know, have pointed out that the real economy is to avoid wastefulness-not to dam the circulation of the nation's money.

The people who have money to spend should continue to spend, business should continue to spend, business should go on as usual, production should be kept up to a high mark, so that there will be employment for all and plenty of everything for the men in the service of the nation as well as for the men in the services of private individuals.

Reprinted from The Dutch Boy Painter - A Magazine Devoted to the Interests of Good Painting - 1917 

Doesn't turning 50 hit you gob-smack in the face? Where did life go? I feel all the aches and pains of old age creeping into my body… and I hate it!

Are you as tired of working for a paycheck as I was? Anyone who is close to turning a half century old has got to take stock of the situation and wonder… where will I be at 60? and 65? and 67?  Still working just so I can have the money to do some fun things in retirement.

You know what gets me??? I watch the 65 and 67 year olds try to do the things they could have done at 50 and they are too tired to enjoy most of it.  

So… what would I do?  A friend of mine just asked me yesterday what I thought she could do to make a self-employed living.  Isn't that the $64,000 question. If I could guarantee you an income doing something you love and you wouldn't have to worry about money… wouldn't you be climbing over each other to buy my idea?

Gee… I wish I had the answer for everyone.  

I am working at my new career… not making much yet, but making a ton more than I was last year.  The key is to learn about anything that might interest you and pick a mentor or coach to guide you through the rough stages.

I found this neat idea recently and am investigating it (in my spare time ).  I use a boatload of photos in my new career and most of them are of things I can't just go out an take a picture of anytime I need one.  Beside that… I don't want to take the time to go out and take pictures that I can easily find online.

Here is the sticky point.  You just can't go online and find any picture on a website and use it as your own.  Copyright laws pertain to websites, and the law will get you in trouble eventually if you break it.

I learned that buying photographs to use for my websites, books and other ventures isn't expensive.  Most cost about a buck and they are clear and crisp photographs that I can crop and use to my hearts content.

So where do these photo's come from???   My favorite website to purchase photos at is istockphotos.com

Now, I am seeing some photos are being sold 50 - 60 times.  If the photographer gets half, that is still $25 or $30 for really just one picture.  What if you uploaded to a photography sales website and sold 6000 images??? (I have seen that statistic) That is about $3,000… that's dollars!!   Okay, now aren't you as curious as I am? It's not a living wage but it would help pay for some travel!

And… I found out their are other places to sell photographs, not just these websites.  I also figured out this could just be a side business… it does not have to be full-time.

I also learned that you just need a Digital Camera… A nice one, but not top of the line.  You DO NOT have to be a professional.  Just learn from one book how to take quality pictures and take pictures of things others (like me) can use on their websites, marketing materials and other printed materials.

Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks for Photoshop Elements teaches with simple lanquage, screen shots of each project as it is being edited and a ton of shortcuts and tips that will help you learn Adobe Elements fast.

I use Adobe Elements as my photograph editing software.  It is simple to learn, no extra bells and whistles and I didn't pay a hefty price.  It usually sells for around $80.  It is worth every penny if you own a digital camera!

Did you notice that you have invested less than $100 for extras other than a camera.  This idea could be the least expensive career change you could make. What do you have to loose?

I already have a camera, in fact I have several that will take excellent close up, landscape and portraits.  So I don't have much to invest at all to try out the idea of making money with a digital camera.

I do need someone to guide me through all the trouble spots.  Don't you always want to jump in, and wouldn't it be helpful to be coached by someone who has already been there - done that?

I found the step by step, hand holding system also.  I am starting to work the Camera Dollar System step-by step… I'll let you know how it goes.

Leave a comment if you have tried this system or have any other thoughts to offer. 

Do you remember the day you figured out who you were?  Maybe you haven't had that day yet, but it's coming…. and soon!

Let your brain wander to that "what if" space, and you will find many ideas trapped inside.  Now… What If you could do just one of those things?  Holy Cow… you could be an ____.  (Fill in the blank yourself)

I grew up with a father who could make and fix anything.  He never purchased anything that wasn't a bargain and usually it needed to be fixed.

We had an antique store…my mother was the shop keeper.  I had so many dusty corners to explore.  But… the real treasures were in the storage area. Broken bits of furniture and rusty curly items to were all stacked up for me to rumage in.  Some might call it junk, but I always thought they were treasures.  

I still glue and nail and paint pieces and parts into some nonsence or other.

Many ( so many I don't like to count) years ago… I picked up a book.  You have to understand something first, I was always artistic but…. I was brough up to believe that art wasn't going to pay the bills.  "Go to school, get a business degree… it will last you a lifetime" YUCK!  I did go to school, and I did major in business, and it has served me well.  I hated every minute of it!

Now, back to the book.  This book is huge and not like any other book I had ever had in my hands.  Published in 1990 so you know it was one of the first of it's kind.  The author of Decorative Style - Kevin McCloud is a master in his field.  

The pages are full of many decorating styles - from Sante Fe, Miami Deco and French Country.  The photographs are huge and so many options for creating a style are pictured.  All the materials, tools, and techniques are listed so I could re-create each fantastic style.  

Here is the kicker:  All the materials and tools are inexpensive and creative. The techniques are so easy to follow and master.  I learned to create beleavable fresco's, wheatherd wood, rusty iron, verdigris copper and a ton more.

Some of the rooms featured in this book are, medieval bedroom, Sante Fe dining room, Gothic Revival study, New England living room and a Venetian studio.  This book goes way beyond any magazine or decorating book I had ever seen.

After using some of the techniques in my own home, friends and neighbors began to notice.  They of course… wanted some of this art in their own homes.  

Holy Cow! I was now an Artist!  

Make sure you browse around some of my other websites listed in the sidebar–>

Have fun and Let's Go Paint!