It is so inspiring to see young girls going after their dream and have so much vision. At only 21 years old, she's on her way to creating a television show for children about the ocean and its amazing creatures. Her company is called The Big Blue & You Foundation. Find out more about why she LOVES what she does!

Most industry experts agree that taking a proactive approach towards your financial concerns is a more effective way to handle the stress that it puts on you and your family in the short and long term. Let's be frank, financial problems rarely sneak up on you. Most people don't wake up suddenly 30 days late on their mortgage. When you see those issues start to become a reality, take a few proactive steps.

Take a minute and absorb these tips that can lead you to success in your business, and your life for that matter!

    Burned out, stressed out ... or just totally drained?

    Call it what you want, it's something that we might all go through with owning our own business and in order to recharge our batteries, we need a break. When was the last time you truly gave to yourself? I mean really gave to yourself — pampered yourself, or celebrated yourself for everything you do? That long, huh?

    Vacations are a necessity — whether it's two weeks or two days. You owe it to yourself! There's a new word that I learned about first on MOLI, in the Life Balance message board, called a "staycation". It means spending a vacation close to home. Our Life Balance Expert Colette Ellis said, "While I do understand the economic constraints that we are facing due to increased prices for gas, food ... well, everything! I'm wondering: is the "staycation" really our best option for creating a better work life?"

    I, for one, am not a fan of the idea of a staycation, however sometimes you have to deal with your circumstances if you want to cut costs. Now a NYC transplant to South Florida, I feel like I'm on vacation all the time and have to remind myself to go to the beach now and then and really enjoy the weather. :)

    I know a few friends who use vacation time to catch up on de-cluttering their home, do some chores, run some extra errands, or maybe sleep in a little longer. Aside from the sleep ... the rest of that sounds like work to me! I'm sorry folks, but you're missing the point. It's time to get a life…

Vacation (va·ca·tion): A period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation, especially one with pay granted to an employee.

You should have your head ducked under water, checking out exotic fish, not shoved in a dusty cardboard box digging through old 45s and books from the '80s. With stress levels being so high, it's so important to dedicate "me time" to ourselves.

You scratch your head and say, "Yeah, yeah sounds good, Simone, but I'm strapped for cash." Don't worry, you know I'll take care of ya…

Here are some vacation or staycation tips to help you save some money and yet still pamper yourself with a break!

1. Stay close to home, but, please, leave! Try a weekend getaway at a bed and breakfast.

2. Find timeshare rentals in or close to your town.

3. This should be obvious, but, if at all possible, BARTER! As a member of a barter association, I can go to Mexico with $500 barter bucks! In various exchanges, I've seen locations as exotic as Jamaica and Thailand - all on barter. Find out more about travel and barter here.

4. Volunteer! If you want to go to retreats and seminars, and not pay much for it, volunteering is the way to go. I remember being fresh out of college and wanting to attend some seminars that would set me back a pretty penny. So, instead of sulking and not going, I'd offer my bubblin' personality as a hostess. LOL! Smile, welcome, point to entrance. The job didn't get much harder than that. At one time, it saved me a cool $1,200 and I was able to see all of my favorite speakers. Of course, you still have to pay for hotel and travel, but if you're lucky, you'll find a friend in the area to crash with!

Vacation, staycation, day spas, bed and breakfast ... whatever you do, do something — and give yourself the break that you deserve.

Simone Kelly-Brown is the contributing editor for the MOLI Small Business Center. The Live the Good Life on Zero Cash column will appear every Monday. She is also the founder of The Give 'N Take Network, a national business networking and bartering system for women business owners.


 Keep Livin' Good,
Simone

Trading with others is loads of fun and an easy way to save your cash; from one-to-one barters to offering your goods to thousands in a barter exchange. It's true that once you get the hang of it, you can become a bartering machine! But hey … not so fast, Speedy Gonzalez, you might overload yourself if you're not careful. The goal is to create smart barters with balance. Here are some simple tips, so you don't bite of more than you can chew!

Many people barter their services, from consulting, coaching, hairstyling, contracting, plumbing, you name it. We know that time is definitely valuable.

So, before you say yes to a barter, ask yourself the following…

1. How much extra time can I REALISTICALLY offer each week or month without over-extending myself or cutting into my paying client's time?

2. What's my return looking like and when will it be delivered? You want to make sure this is clear. What if you spend five hours a week on a project and they don't fulfill your barter until two months from your date. Get it in writing first!

3. Is the service something that can be delegated to another team member, intern, or volunteer to save me time?

Dig Up Some Products and Perks

Don't have the time? Search for some more buried treasures to offer up.

1. Do you have access to tickets, events, restaurant discounts etc, that your barter client might need instead?

2. Instead of getting you in the flesh, have you duplicated yourself in the form of a book, e-book, CD, DVD, or podcast? Informational products work wonders. You produce it one time and can reach thousands!

3. Do you have extra inventory on a product that you can offer up?
I remember when I first started bartering years ago, I was saying YES to a lot of things, because I wanted what they had. I also remember I went through a period of over-extending myself to the point of working overtime to fulfill the needs of cash-paying and barter paying clients. Remaining a person of my word means a lot to me.

Your reputation as a person who comes from a place of integrity can go a long way and also be a predictor for how long you'll be in business. Needless to say, I kept my word after learning that STRESSFUL lesson of over-doing it. If you learn anything from my mistake, only barter when you absolutely know you have to resources and time to fulfill that order. Bartering should be fun, not a chore!

Keep Livin' Good,

Simone

Would you love to eat at a lavish restaurant at least once a week? Itching to take that dream vacation to an exotic Island? You need to refurnish your home office, but ummmm ... it's not really in the budget right now. The mortgage, sky rocketing gas bills, and your kid's tuition seem to be taking center stage instead. Without taking on the guilt of enjoying life … you CAN get many of these things and live good. I mean really good by finding cool barters. I mean, come on, that's what this is all about, Livin' the Good Life, baby!

A spark of creativity, a great connection, a desire to save, and a buried treasure or talent you possess are all you need. You can get what you desire with just some of those main ingredients to lead you to a trade that can blow your mind. I'll admit, finding good deals isn't always easy, but when you stumble upon someone who has something amazing to offer and is open to trading or, better yet, a member of a trade exchange that you're a member of, then GO FOR IT!

I looked around and found some really interesting deals that others have been able to nail and wanted to share them with you.

In Tallahassee, FL, a photographer traded for:

- A year's lease of office space

- A Jacuzzi tub

- Pavers for landscaping

- Hair, Nails, Massage, Permanent Makeup, and other personal services

- Clothing and Shoes

- Computers - Hardware and Services

- Signage

- Furniture

- Print Advertising

- Hotel Rooms

- Concrete Patio

- Restaurants
In Brooklyn, NY, Publicist Fiona Bloom was able to get a week-long vacation in a luxurious villa in Barbados for publicity work. She did it not only once but two years in a row.

In Boca Raton, FL, an owner of a human resources firm created custom employee handbooks and in exchange was able to rack up on:

- A billiards table

- Office furniture

- Event tickets

- Restaurants

On barternews.com they mentioned a barter and cash mixed that was a great savings for hotel rooms:

- Koh-I-Noor, a manufacturer of artists' instruments in Bloomsbury (NJ), bartered trade credits held in its account with Active Travel for accommodations at a hotel in Woodcliff Lake (NJ) for a four-day meeting. Jeffrey Murray, manager of sales promotion, education, and training, said, "The rate for a single room was $130, but, by bartering, we saved a third off that amount and paid a rate of only $80."

- Hi-tec, a division of a UK-based athletic shoe manufacturer, is getting more than just a reduced room rate when it holds its annual sales meeting for 150 attendees at a Fort Lauderdale resort. Hi-tec paid 35% of the room bill in trade credits along with 25% of its food and beverage costs.

Some of my very own favorites that I've been able to barter are marketing coaching for:

- Web design

- Pampering (massages, manicures, pedicures, and facials)

Ghost Writing for Someone:

- Getting my office, living room, and dining room redecorated and painted.

Team Motivation presentations for a salon's staff:

- My hair done whenever I'd like, on the house!

Now you have an idea of some things that others are doing in the barter world. Pick up your own magic lamp to conjure up your own barters that rock. Who needs a genie?

Keep Livin' Good,

Simone