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	<title>The Official Blog of Detour Services &#187; Affordability</title>
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	<description>Executive Assistant and Personal Assistant Services for Chicago's northside</description>
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		<title>Beware the $10 Assistant</title>
		<link>http://blog.detourservices.com/2010/04/beware-the-10-assistant/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.detourservices.com/2010/04/beware-the-10-assistant/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:17:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Affordability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Assistant Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[administrative support]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[freelance executive assistants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small business help]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work from home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.detourservices.com/?p=487</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When you buy a $10 pair of shoes, what do you expect from it? What about from a $100 printer or $1000 car?
I&#8217;m often asked about the standard $10-an-hour pay offering by those advertising for assistants on Craigslist. I must assume that these entrepreneurs get responses because otherwise, they would stop asking.
For my part, I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-297" title="writing-a-check" src="http://blog.detourservices.com/wp-content/uploads/writing-a-check.jpg" alt="writing-a-check" hspace="10" width="35%" align="right" />When you buy a $10 pair of shoes, what do you expect from it? What about from a $100 printer or $1000 car?</p>
<p>I&#8217;m often asked about the standard $10-an-hour pay offering by those advertising for assistants on Craigslist. I must assume that these entrepreneurs get responses because otherwise, they would stop asking.</p>
<p>For my part, I usually respond to this inquiry by saying—they probably got what they paid for.</p>
<p>There probably is a reason that the ad answers are willing to settle for this wage. The bottom line is, they accept $10 an hour because (for whatever reason) they are not able to get someone to pay them more than that.</p>
<p>Even if there are extenuating circumstances, I feel that the small business runner would be taking a big risk. Once a good assistant begins to realize that he/she is being underpaid and is able to command a higher price elsewhere, then the entrepreneur will either have to step up and match the demand or be willing to start all over with someone new and of perhaps a lower quality.</p>
<p>When you own a business, I know that business is you. And you deserve an administrative professional who is capable, experienced, and trustworthy. Not someone purchased at a bargain basement rate.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Pre-Order The Big Bad Book Graphic Novel</title>
		<link>http://blog.detourservices.com/2009/11/pre-order-the-big-bad-book-graphic-novel/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.detourservices.com/2009/11/pre-order-the-big-bad-book-graphic-novel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:13:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Affordability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Client News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[graphic novel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Czerniawski]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nikola Jajic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[publishing assistant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Big Bad Book]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.detourservices.com/?p=401</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Big Bad Book, published by Alterna Comics, is available for pre-orders at 45% off the eventual retail price! This graphic novel comes from the creative team of Nikola Jajic and Michael Czerniawski and features the art of Sergio Giardo, Rick Hershey, Bob Cram, and Cliff Kurowski.
Synopsis: A normal guy with a normal life gets [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.detourservices.com/wp-content/uploads/the-big-bad-book.jpg"><img src="http://blog.detourservices.com/wp-content/uploads/the-big-bad-book.jpg" alt="The Big Bad Book graphic novel" title="the-big-bad-book" width="35%" hspace="10" align="right"/></a><strong>The Big Bad Book</strong>, published by <a href="http://alternacomics.com/" target="_blank">Alterna Comics</a>, is available for pre-orders at 45% off the eventual retail price! This graphic novel comes from the creative team of <strong>Nikola Jajic</strong> and <strong>Michael Czerniawski</strong> and features the art of <a href="http://www.giardo.com/home_en.htm" target="_blank">Sergio Giardo</a>, Rick Hershey, Bob Cram, and Cliff Kurowski.</p>
<p>Synopsis: A normal guy with a normal life gets caught between Thor and Loki in a godly battle of silly yet cosmic importance.</p>
<p>112 pages, Black &amp; White art,<br />
ISBN: 9781934985144</p>
<p>Currently in Diamond Previews (<strong>DEC09 0644</strong>)<br />
Releases February 2010</p>
<p>Pre-order directions:</p>
<ol>
<li>Go to <a href="http://www.dcbservice.com/" target="_blank">Discount Comic Book Service</a>.</li>
<li>Click on &#8220;Preorders&#8221; in the left-hand column.</li>
<li>Click on &#8220;Other Comics,&#8221; again in the left-hand column.</li>
<li>Choose Alterna Comics in the &#8220;Publisher&#8221; drop-down.</li>
</ol>
<p>And there it is! At 45% off!</p>
<p>More things to do:<br />
Visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Thebigbad-Book/1666075517" target="_blank">The Big Bad Book</a> Facebook page<br />
Visit <a href="http://thebigbadbook.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">The Big Bad Book blog</a><br />
Read a review at <a href="http://fistfightatthearthouse.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/random-comic-review-the-big-bad-book/" target="_blank">Fistfight At The Arthouse</a> and another one at <a href="http://geekinthecity.com/?p=2779" target="_blank">Geek In The City</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Recommended Reading to Help You Save Money</title>
		<link>http://blog.detourservices.com/2009/03/recommended-reading-to-help-you-save-money/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.detourservices.com/2009/03/recommended-reading-to-help-you-save-money/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:07:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Affordability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organizing Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Assistant Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[avoid late fees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[downgrade cable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal assistant affordability]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.detourservices.com/?p=296</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Money Ning has an article today titled &#8220;19 Ways Laziness is Costing You Money.&#8221; If you take a look, you&#8217;ll see how disorganization and procrastination can really reduce your income and affect your savings.
Unnecessary expenditures, such as late fees, can really hurt a business&#8217;s bottom line these days. A healthy cash flow is even more [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-297" title="writing-a-check" src="http://blog.detourservices.com/wp-content/uploads/writing-a-check.jpg" alt="writing a check" hspace="10" width="40%" align="right" /><a href="http://moneyning.com/" target="_blank">Money Ning</a> has an article today titled &#8220;<a href="http://moneyning.com/money-tips/19-ways-laziness-is-costing-you-money/" target="_blank">19 Ways Laziness is Costing You Money</a>.&#8221; If you take a look, you&#8217;ll see how disorganization and procrastination can really reduce your income and affect your savings.</p>
<p>Unnecessary expenditures, such as late fees, can really hurt a business&#8217;s bottom line these days. A healthy cash flow is even more important since credit remains tough to come by.</p>
<p>For those who keep letting money seep away from them despite the best of intentions, there are a number of ways that a personal assistant or business assistant can help.</p>
<p>Perhaps all you need is one email reminder each week about what&#8217;s due and what&#8217;s coming up. For the truly sidetracked, outsourcing all accounts payable functions may actually prove cost-effective.</p>
<p>Of course, tasking someone else to stay on hold with the cable or credit card company is an easy one to make. Let your assistant get you a changed rate or another tier of service. Paying a monthly fee for something you don&#8217;t use is like paying a full-time employee to surf the internet.</p>
<p>Times are tough. Make sure each cent you spend is out there working hard for you.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Queen Bees Must Learn to Delegate</title>
		<link>http://blog.detourservices.com/2008/10/queen-bees-must-learn-to-delegate/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.detourservices.com/2008/10/queen-bees-must-learn-to-delegate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:29:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Affordability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Assistant Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[delegating responsibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[opportunity cost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small business outsourcing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.detourservices.com/?p=165</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I recently found and completely agree with How&#8217;s your hive buzzing? from Mann Made Blog. The article equates a business owner with a Queen Bee, the head of the hive.
The theme is about opportunity cost, but the analogy makes it easy to understand. Give up the tasks that others can do for you so you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="size-full wp-image-166" title="bee-on-flower" src="http://blog.detourservices.com/wp-content/uploads/bee-on-flower.jpg" alt="bee on flower" hspace="10" width="25%" align="left" />I recently found and completely agree with <a href="http://www.mannmadetime.com/blog/2008/06/30/hows-your-hive-buzzing/">How&#8217;s your hive buzzing?</a> from <a href="http://www.mannmadetime.com/blog/">Mann Made Blog</a>. The article equates a business owner with a Queen Bee, the head of the hive.</p>
<p>The theme is about opportunity cost, but the analogy makes it easy to understand. Give up the tasks that others can do for you so you can focus on the things that only you can accomplish.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Use Organizational Services to Get a Hold on Your Finances</title>
		<link>http://blog.detourservices.com/2008/08/use-organizational-services-to-get-a-hold-on-your-finances/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.detourservices.com/2008/08/use-organizational-services-to-get-a-hold-on-your-finances/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:48:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Marie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Affordability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organizing Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[benefit of organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal assistant affordability]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.detourservices.com/?p=9</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Organized people have more money.
Perhaps this is not the case overall, but organization certainly brings an individual more money than he or she would have otherwise. These households do not buy that unnecessary third box of baking soda. These families do not overlook a choice tax deduction. These people know what is the best deal [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Organized people have more money.</p>
<p>Perhaps this is not the case overall, but organization certainly brings an individual more money than he or she would have otherwise. These households do not buy that unnecessary third box of baking soda. These families do not overlook a choice tax deduction. These people know what is the best deal on higher priced items.</p>
<p>A personal assistant can help your life become more organized. When you know what you have, you&#8217;ll have a better idea of what you need. Your money situation becomes clearer and the amount of waste lessens.</p>
<p>A good, professional personal assistant can even help you figure out the cost effectiveness of his or her services.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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