Blog entries

This Week In Business: Pitch Session Edition

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:24:31 +0100

To many, I am known for my charm and my habit of procrastination, no more so by my sometimes copy editor/ oftentimes friend John.

I posted on Facebook that I was looking for a few sets of eyes to look at a one page pitch I was going to present this coming weekend.

"When's it due?" he asked.

"Tomorrow," I said. I added a little wink, you know, for charm.

He proceeded to tell me I should be more on top of this kind of stuff and that's when I told him I had decided toRead more

Two Years Later

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:08 +0100

Many people think this blog is more about me than it is.

Most of the time, I am writing about 25% of my life, carefully chosen parts even. I figure my name and business are on this publication and there is a certain level of formality I keep in the interest of clients and potential clients reading it. There is personality behind things certainly but I bet if you think of more controversial topics, you'll notice they aren't on the Breaking Even blog.

In addition to self protectionRead more

Too Cute Tuesday: Salt Dough Ornaments

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:24:18 +0100

This month, Too Cute Tuesday is changing up its usual format of cheap crafting and cool cocktailing and helping some of our regular crafters with projects around their houses.

This first week, it was Christie's turn. Christie is super-excited about having a Christmas tree in her apartment but was bummed to know she didn't have enough ornaments to decorate it (and doesn't have lots of money to throw at the problem). Enter the TCT team and salt dough ornaments!

A perfect pairRead more

Marketing Monday: Stingy Scoundrel Book

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:01:35 +0100

Every Monday I profile a person or business doing something cool to promote themselves online. Think there is someone I should consider? Contact me and let me know!

Breaking Even began as a personal finance blog back in 2007. Since then, it's become about business and other things on occasion but a money theme, even if barely noticeable at times, runs throughout. (It's no coincidence, for example, that TCT crafts mostly cost under $10 to make.) When asked what my blog is about, I say "MRead more

Book Review: Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:07:39 +0100

One of my favorite things of being a money blogger is getting great books to review. I always manage to learn something and having to review the book forces me to read about financial stuff, which hoRead more

On Getting And Maintaining A Manicure

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:58:26 +0100

A few weeks ago, I had a friend visiting for the week. The last day of his visit, Phil told me he had a surprise for me. "Don't make any plans for 3 o'clock today." he said cryptically. Needless to say, I was pretty curious.

When we pulled up to the Bar Harbor Spa, I got excited. Clearly I was in for a treat, and something I would never buy myself in a million years.

"We're getting manicures." he said. Fun!

What I didn't expect was for people to actually notice it, and treaRead more

This Week(s) In Business: Tweetup Edition

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:19:56 +0100

I usually publish 'This Week In Business' on the blog Wednesday or Thursday of each week. I realized Sunday I didn't do it last week. D'oh!
I have been quite scatterbrained these last two weeks (you can see further examples of my recent flakiness on Facebook). I am going to attribute it to the move and being busy and just try to get back on schedule this week.
Despite what some people believe, I actually maintain a separate personal and internet life, with Facebook being the point of iRead more

Too Cute Tuesday: Hula Hoops

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:07:42 +0100

Tonight's craft is sponsored by Quigley's Building Supply in Fort Kent, Maine. To sponsor a craft, contact us.

Next week, Too Cute Tuesday is gearing up for our month of giving... to each other!

Starting next Tuesday, the TCT crew will take turns helping one of our members complete a project in their house. Think of all those projects that you may want to get done but are nervous or simply dreading attempting yourself...Yup, we've got them too! Christy is kick off TCT's Month of GRead more

Marketing Monday: Calfinder Blog

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:27:22 +0100

Every Monday, I talk about individuals or companies promoting themselves in a neat way online. Feel free to contact me to nominate yourself or a friend; I'm always looking for new ideas.

When I think of groups of people who have a good excuse to not be on the internet much, I think of building contractors.

I know a few contractors (from my hardware background) and when someone wakes up super early to work hard on a construction site all day, it is perfectly understandable for them to noRead more

I'm Moving: A Follow-up

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:04:18 +0100

Great news for me this week is that I have found a new rental and I am moving in two weeks. Here's my new house, which is three times as large as the apartment I am living in right now.

I was told how hard/impossible it would be to find something affordable and year roundRead more

Why Your Friend Is Online All The Time

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:39:49 +0100

An Explanation From A Socially Needy Person
Every time I hear someone complaining about those people who change their Facebook status multiple times a day, I smile to myself. I smile because I have become that person.
Contrary to popular belief, I don't do this because I am bored or have no friends. I have a full life and real life friends. Really!
I would like to shed light on those people in your life who, like me, seem to reach out an awful lot online. Yes there are actual reasRead more

Too Cute Tuesday: Halloween Costume

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:21:02 +0100

This Tuesday, in preparation for Halloween, Too Cute Tuesday was to be a dry run for the big day this Saturday.

I decided to be inspired by the offerings Read more

Marketing Monday: Garfunkel and Oates

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:52:56 +0100

Every Monday, I talk about individuals or companies promoting themselves in a neat way online. Feel free to contact me to nominate yourself or a friend; I'm always looking for new ideas.

It's almost a sure thing to say that video is the next big internet thing.

Alright, that came out wrong. I am certainly not saying that people aren't using video effectively now but I think that in the next few years, just like now most everyone has a website, in a few years most everyone will havRead more

Why Renting A Bigger Place May Save Me Money

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:24:41 +0100

It's really interesting to shop for unique things like apartments or cars. Each is so different it's hard to compare, you can't exactly hop online and find the best deal like you would for, say, a certain model of digital camera. The whole thing is a bit more nuanced than that.
Clearly costs are an issue to me and, in looking at larger spaces, my rent is going to cost more. But there are some additional features that a larger apartment can accomodate that might make this move actually less Read more

Why I'm Getting A Bigger Space

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0100

Those of you who are my Facebook friends know that this week, I've begun the process of looking for a new apartment to rent. If I move, this will be the 26th time in my 28 years I've put my things into boxes and moved to another location.

Currently, I live in 220 square feet several blocks from the ocean in beautiful Bar Harbor Maine. Everything in that sentence sounds great, but I challenge you to measure out 220 square feet and then imagine yourself living and working from that space.Read more

Too Cute Tuesday: Pipe Cleaner Animals

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:44:15 +0100

I have been housesitting for my friends Sean and Stacy all week in a town about an hour from where I normally live. In leaving my house for the week to move into theirs, I managed to forget some key items: 1) slippers, 2) my digital camera (not this week's terrible computer camera photos), and 3) my Too Cute Tuesday bag of tricks (ie miscellaneous supplies and a binder of future project ideas).

I was talking with Sarah, the founder of Too Cute Tuesday Saint Louis, about my predicament wRead more

Marketing Monday: My Smile Bites!

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:34:38 +0100

Every Monday, I profile some cool promotional idea I run across and why I think it's effective. Have a cool marketing idea your company is putting in place? Contact me, I might write about it!

When I think of 1-800-DENTIST, I think of happy but generic looking people on the phone helping me find a dentist. Not exactly something new.

I was contacted by Jill, one of their marketing folks, about the video contest they are holding which I do find interesting.

The basic idea is Read more

Night Rider's Lament Or Taking The Road Less Traveled

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:58 +0100

Anyone who has taken a difficult step away from what they are 'supposed' to do can't say they've never doubted it. I am no exception. There are periods of uncertainty I go through where I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I've been housesitting for a couple good friends this weekend and while walking through their neighborhood and seeing all the houses for sale today, I thought "Shouldn't I be on the path towards this?" I mean, shouldn't I have a house and maybe a husband and kids by now? WRead more

This Week In Business: Back To It Edition

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:40:11 +0100

Coming back from trip is always interesting, especially realized you have agreed to housesit the week immediately following your return. This makes me glad I invested some time last week making my business more mobile! Here's what else I haven't been up to, you know, besides driving hundreds of miles.
I've given myself much more reading to do by joining some LinkedIn groups.LinkedIn is a professional social networking website but what I've heard from most of its users is that its power liesRead more

To Move Or Not To Move

nicole@breakingeveninc.com — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:02:21 +0100

There comes a time in every person's life when they realize they need to make a change, even if it requires spending more money. My moment came last week.

HavingRead more