Outrageously Low Rates
Category: Articles
Credit Card Transaction Surcharging
To buy anything in this world you would need moany and in today’s world we have credit cards to make our work simpler. From buying groceries, gas, day trading or any sort of transactions, you will need a credit card. There’s been a great deal of talk in my virtual assisting circles about credit card transaction fee surcharging. If you’re not familiar, credit card industry laws changed not long ago that will now allow back charging the consumer for the credit card transaction fees that merchants were charged, like in case of dealing with Ebates, as described at https://dyernews.com/ebates-review/. Instead of getting a credit card you might want to look into Citrus Loans, they have lower internet rates. Only credit cards, NOT debit cards or pre-paid (gift) cards, this includes a debit card entered as a credit card.
Right now, Visa, MasterCard, American Express are allowing their merchants to surcharge customers. Here are the caveats. You must register with both Visa and MasterCard to surcharge your customers, you must post it visibly for online and offline sales on your website, invoice, or at your checkout, or if in person you must post it visibly at the door and checkout counters, and you cannot charge more of a fee than what the actual transaction fee is. Allowable fees are typically between 1% – 4%. Fees must be clearly marked on all receipts.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma and Texas—and Puerto Rico have laws that prohibit merchants from charging consumers with surcharges on credit card transactions.
If you’re a Visa merchant and want to register (here) by filling out an online form. There is also a link to the requirements to the merchant in order to surcharge their transaction fees.
For MasterCard there is also a form and other requirements to be met before you begin to surcharge. You can begin the process by completing an online form (here).
As for PayPal, they do not allow you to charge a surcharge, but you can add in a handling fee. Their policy is explained in the User Agreement.
Merchants are raising fees across the board and offering a discount for cash, check or debit card purchases. But my questions is this: How can you be sure that the fees aren’t being charged to you anyway, then the merchant adding an additional checkout fee on the receipt? Answer is, you can’t.
Be sure to check every receipt! Although full disclosure is required, this could be overlooked so always check your receipts.I’ve made it a promise to my clients – my virtual assisting clients and on our store (www.hilltop-arts.com) that no check out fees will ever be charged. I don’t think its smart to add on fees to your clients. Why not? Accepting credit cards is a convenience for me as well as them. If I’m charging a checkout fee, why take credit cards? This is a cost of my doing business and is a legitimate tax deduction. But more importantly, I don’t want this fee added to me when I’m checking out, why do I want to give that to my customers? I feel it would detract from the reputation I’ve worked for over 18 years to establish of being a quality and affordable service provider. If you are using credit card very often you have to take care about your credit history. Use the best credit monitoring service for this purpose.]]>
Staying Productive with a Chronic Illness
Keep Your Mind Active Even when I feel my worst, I find it is helpful to keep my mind active. If I’m not up to being physically active I will research my hobbies for new information, or research new herbal remedies (and no, I haven’t found one to help me yet but I’m researching that too!), or study techniques for photography. Learn New Things In an effort to keep my mind off my illnesses I’ve been learning how to work with wood. I’m not great yet but I’m loving it. I’ve created a beautiful entryway cabinet, boxes and cutting boards. I don’t care if its wood burning or constructing something – its been so beneficial in helping to keep my mind active and off my pain and it helps me to feel more productive. Exercise When You’re Able I mean, use common sense… if you’re dizzy, don’t get on the treadmill and go hog wild – you could injure yourself! However, if you’re able, mild exercise is an excellent way to help your mind – and your pain. Exercise releases endorphin’s which are a natural pain reliever, and it helps your heart too. Reach Out When you’re living with chronic illnesses it can be very isolating because getting out can be difficult. I am a huge letter writer with pen pals around the world so I spend hours each month corresponding – actual ink to paper – with friends. I joined Facebook support groups which have been very beneficial because I know I’m not alone. Reaching out- whichever way you choose – decreases feelings of being alone and improves your outlook. Ask for Help If you find that you can’t shake your depression – which is very common in chronic illness patients – ask for help! Depression is an illness and can be treated. Don’t feel you need to be strong every moment. Thanks, and be well, Kathy ]]>
New Technology
Needless to say, I think the iPad Air is wonderful. I have outfitted it with a great Zagg keyboard case, and it is just like typing on a laptop, keys are nice and large, and very responsive. I’ve also got the Jot Script, Evernote edition and have to say that is a really useful tool. Not only does it do great on Penultimate, but I can also use it for nearly every other app that allows ‘writing/drawing’. I especially love that I can handwrite a note in Penultimate and it syncs to evernote – then to all my devices.
Most people know that I’m just a huge fan of technology – when it works. And this combination really works.
Another great advantage now with the newest technology artifacts in the audio visual equipment is with the enterprise digital signage solutions which is the top quality in IPTV for digital signage in the market that will work with your Plasma, LCD, or LED system. The reason digital signage has become so popular is that it engages with the audience in a more effective way than static signage also by being more controlled and with the fact that you can now playback digital content to one or many screens.
Looking forward to putting it into practice in the ‘real world’. Look for updates on that soon.
Have a great day! Kathy]]>
Reliability
re·li·a·ble (r-l-bl) adj. 1. Capable of being relied on; dependable: a reliable assistant; a reliable car. 2. Yielding the same or compatible results in different clinical experiments or statistical trials. When you are working your virtual assistant business, do you endeavor to come in and leave at specific times? Are you available when you state? When you quote a job do you let the client know you’re approaching the top threshold? Being reliable is being trustworthy. Your clients trust you will complete their work on time and within budget. Your colleagues trust you will do the things you say you will do. I once had a client who initially sent their work ‘offshore’, believing that the low price and the ‘we work while you sleep’ slogan would take care of the project both timely and affordably. They were wrong; the client was entirely unhappy with the project and contacted me to fix it. I think it would have been simpler for me to start fresh and complete the project from scratch but they wanted me to work with what the client received back from the offshore company. Honestly, it was terrible. The project demanded I go line by line and correct where needed – which was extensive. My point is sometimes less is not more. Being reliable, but not the cheapest is often the less expensive way to go. I had another client who was completely floored by the cost of their supposedly affordable assistant and contacted me to simply provide an honest assessment of how long a project should have cost. That’s not easy to do especially since no two assistants are the same. In the end, I got opinions from several VAs I trust and we averaged out the cost and the client was still significantly overcharged. Here’s some on Reliability: State your hours of operation and stick to them. If you aren’t available on a certain day, have a calendar your clients can see so they don’t have to wonder. Email them with your calendar periodically, especially if you have out of office appointments. State your rates to your clients and stick to them. If you feel the project will require more time than you originally estimated, be sure to let your client know. Follow Through! If you say you’ll do something, do it! If someone is making their plans based on what you said you would be doing, be sure to complete your part as soon as possible to not delay the project. Your credibility is crucial to building your business. If you aren’t reliable, you aren’t credible and your business will not survive.]]>