The rise of health conscious eating, heart disease awareness and the Ecoli scares in red meat curtailed the business somewhat. Many of the well established places like Millennium Steakhouse in Niles, MI were able to survive unscathed. Meanwhile others tried to embrace the trends, introducing gimmicks, the latest diets foods and fads in the culinary world.

Today, the steakhouse is back. Many believe that the recession and need for comfort food brought back the trend, but other factors have conspired to usher in the era of the steakhouse once again.

Nostalgic Food

Dishes like Steak Diane, and Chicken Parmigiana are no longer staples at restaurants. They have been removed to make way for fusion foods or those with that come attached to weight  loss points. Steak restaurants like Millennium Steakhouse used the traditional recipes that an original steakhouse is known for. Many families continue to return to such establishments because they can count on seeing the old favorites.

Familiarity

It feels good to go to a place where they can ask you about your usual or you can catch up on the family over dessert. A traditional steakhouse is such a place where you can find yourself coming back just because this is where you are known and your family is comfortable.

Affordability

Many of the chic steak restaurants are expensive because of their trendy menus and décor. However, the traditional houses have been around long enough to learn that the key is to concentrate their efforts on the food once a comfortable décor is achieved. This ensures that the decorating whims of the owners isn’t passed on to the diners in higher food prices. At places like Millennium Steakhouse, the concentration is on the food over everything else, making a steak dinner affordable for just about any budget.

Millennium Steakhouse in Niles, MI is one of the last traditional steakhouses in the Michiana area. For that nostalgia, familiarity and affordability that is missing from pseudo-steakhouses, find your perfect steak and dining experience at Millennium Steakhouse.

Let’s face it, the type of aggressive shopping that results in dinner for a family of four under a dollar per person isn’t always possible in areas like Michiana. Sure, there are nearby cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Lansing that offer the best of urban shopping. But, to execute the tips found throughout the “Save Money” media, one must frequent these retailers often on a daily basis. Doing so with the urban shopping tactics that many tipsters advise will only result in a loss of money due to gas and vehicle wear and tear.

Fortunately, there is a way to shop savvy during this recession, using local—Michiana—grocery chains. Just try these five easy tips.

Forget about samples sales

Urban shoppers swear by sample sales as a way to buy good career clothing at a low price, but this option isn’t available in our area. What we do have, however, are outlet malls that work just as well. Visit the mall’s or individual store’s sites online to find coupons, discounts and a heads up on sales.

Use those coupons wisely

Stores like Martin’s Supermarket chain, located throughout the Michiana area, encourage the use of manufacturer coupons. They do not double and triple the coupon savings like those savvy television shoppers suggest, but they do allow you to use manufacturer coupons in conjunction with instant coupons and $mart Values items (specially priced items) to maximize savings in this economy.

Coordinate your shopping list around the store discounts and coupons

Using the $mart Values for example, create a list using the items found on Martin’s Supermarket’s Online circular’s $mart Value section. Cross reference these with the coupons in your arsenal. Depending on the Martin’s Store, you may be able to use more than one coupon per purchase (if you purchase more than one item per coupon). You may find yourself buying foods and nonfoods for up to 70 percent off the retail price!!

Stock up

When the coupon, instant savings, and specials come together in a perfect trifecta of saving, stock up! This is where you usually see women pushing shopping carts full of cake mix or toilet paper. Don’t buy more foods than you can use in a year, because the excess will just become a waste.  As you build a healthy stock of goods and foods, you’ll see your investment in long-term cost-cutting. You’ll find yourself going to the grocery store less and less.

Co-Op

Many urban areas do have co-op shopping facilities that allow communal purchasing. However, you can have the same experience by forming a co-op with family and friends. Buy in bulk and then split it up to spread the savings. Many area farms allow individuals the opportunity to buy livestock for the meat. These thousands of pounds bought at a discount can be easily shared—both meat and cost—amongst your little co-op.

Taking the urban shopping guerrilla tactics to your local retailer is possible with a few adjustments. Just look the ways in which your retailer accommodates through their coupon policy, special values and in store savings. You may find that it doesn’t take an urban setting to save.

In truth, there are many reasons why a community bank is better, especially for small business owners.

Lenders know the area and its needs

The loan officer at you community’s bank may even be in your bowling league or your kids’ soccer coach. They live and work in the community and are better equipped to know what a business in Michiana needs in order to grow.

At Mutual Bank, they make a considered effort to getting to know their community. Visit their Resources Page, and you’ll be able to watch videos from various members of the Mutual team welcoming you to the site with a story about what local banking means to them.

Community banks look beyond the spreadsheets

Local bankers will also consider your savings history, as well as your relationship with your checking account. Your place in the community is also a consideration, as small businesses that are firmly anchored in the community tend to survive at a much higher rate than others that struggle for a foothold. National bank chains don’t have these options and must rely only on the numbers, making your chance of getting a loan less likely.

Invested in Your Community

When involved with a local bank, your banker has most likely considered similar projects in and around your area.  Therefore, a local bank like Mutual Bank has funded many other projects within the community. Thus, they have an interest in seeing not only your business flourish, but also that it contributes to the betterment of the community as a whole.  Another bonus feature is that your bank can point you in the right direction for resources that your small business may need.

Banks like Mutual Bank are ideal for small business in Michiana, because they are a community based. So, in addition to competitive rates and multiple loan offerings, Mutual Bank is invested in the community and the success of your business. They can be a link between the business you run and the community you live in, one that strengthens your business success in the future.

The Traditional Bust-out

An identity thief that moves into the same building as yours performs the bust-out or the address is “borrowed” and the mail rerouted to a P.O. box. The thief opens credit accounts in your name, spending money on items that are then resold or credit cards that are spent until they max out. More sophisticated criminals are able to take out loans on your business credit.

After the cards are maxed out and the loans default, the criminal is usually long gone. Bill collectors usually find you, the true owner to pick up the pieces. Business owners usually find out about the scheme at the same time that their real business is being shunted to court for collections.

Modern Business Identity Theft

Modern methods work just like the infamous bust-out. The business identity is stolen, however, without needing to move to a suite adjacent to the business. Instead, the thieves get to the information needed to snatch your business credit by hacking your computers and networks. Just a few key pieces of information are needed to complete a credit application, so it is important to be vigilant and spot the crime before the collections companies come calling.

Three Ways to Stop A Business ID Theft

1. Pay attention to your mail. Companies will send correspondence to the physical address of the business. If you see something strange, like a newsletter for certain credit card holders (and you aren’t one) or mail welcoming you as a customer, take note and then pick up the phone to confirm.
2. Check your credit. Contact the same credit reporting agencies that monitor personal credit. Along with agencies like Dunn & Bradstreet, they can determine if your credit has been breached. Place alerts or flags on the credit if possible.
3. Keep your private information close. Do not throw away un-shredded sensitive materials, use firewalls and smart internet usage techniques and carefully screen employees to prevent hiring thieves.

In the event of a security breach, don’t forget that you must, by law, report the theft to your customers. They have a right to know when and if their personal information has been compromised.

Prevention

Prevention is best way to make sure these thefts are avoided. For additional methods for keeping your identity to yourself, read the following advice pieces.

• Small Business Identity Theft and Fraud
• Taking On Small-Business Identity Theft
• Identity Theft: The ‘Business Bust-Out’

Depending on which day you look, the unemployment news may be good or bad, despite the actual numbers. There are so many conflicting reports spun by the media, it’s difficult for the average person to discern the state of national and local economies.

Why do you need to understand these numbers? Well, knowing the state of the economy in the area is key is making decisions like going to school vs. relocating for a job vs. drawing unemployment benefits until the layoffs are over. Here are some important numbers concerning Michiana:

Michigan Numbers

In April 2010, the unemployment rate was 14.9 percent. This means that 14.9 percent of the Michigan workforce was out of work in that month. This percentage may seem small, but  consider the population numbers and that’s approximately 682,000 people out of a labor force of more than four million. Now that number comes into focus doesn’t it. The national rate is 9.9 percent.

Job growth increased nationally from April to March 2010, indicating that the end of the recession is close. However, the situation for the state of Michigan is dire as long as the state is in double-digit unemployment rates. Furthermore, the rise was less than one percent. A comparison of April 2010 and April 2009, just one year, shows that the touted improvement is still a long way away from the norm.

Education, health, mining and logging industries grew the most in April 2010. Industries like information and the financial sectors lost jobs once again in April.

Indiana Numbers

The big news in Indiana was the 22,700 new jobs added in April 2010. However, these were not jobs filled by people on unemployment, but jobs openings from businesses. The unemployment rate in Indiana was still in the double digits at 10 percent. The number actually dropped from March 2010 but was still less than April 2009.

The new job openings were in the service industry, hospitality, and even manufacturing, transportation and utilities. The growth is just in time for the opening of tourism season in Indiana. Education, construction and the financial sector actually lost jobs in April.

Michiana Areas of Focus

These numbers show that Michiana is still in the midst of a severe job crisis…but we recovering however slowly. Go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the economy at a glance section. Choose Michigan or Indiana. The numbers are changed each month, and you can track them yourself.

Mackinac Islands

Coolworks.com is a great resource when it comes to finding jobs in the tourism industry. Spend the summer season on an island where cars aren’t allowed and natural scenery abounds. Live and work in one of the resorts on the island. Positions include everything from bar-tending to reservations managers and chefs. Click on the “Employers” to see information on room and board as well as application details.

Summer Camps

Another way to get away for the summer, with pay, is to go to summer camp. No, you won’t go as a attendee, but as a camp counselor. Look to sites like Snag A job and Career jet, where Michigan and Indiana summer camp jobs are still available. You should also visit the camp’s website (go to the jobs or careers section) for more information.

Summer Nanny

The summertime also means the end to school. Kids all over the country are home and in need of supervision. Services like Nanny Pro and Nanny Needed are looking to hire nannies in South Bend, Gary, Hammond, New Buffalo and other Michiana cities. Nannies live with families during the week, taking care of the children while the parents work. They also go on vacation with the family, caring for the children while the parents have a little alone time. You must have some childcare experience to perform this job.

Internships

Get your foot in the door of a new career through an internship. Interns learn the ropes of a career by shadowing an executive, while performing menial tasks. Sometimes, they are given the opportunity to perform part of the exec’s duties. Interns aren’t always paid, and many must find their own room and board. Be sure to review the internship listings carefully before applying.

Farmhand

Michigan and Indiana have many rural areas where large scale farms and orchards are located. If you’d want to get your hands in the dirt and be truly close to nature, take a job as a farmhand. In Michiana, farmhands are needed from March/April when planting starts to October for late harvests. Michiana farmers grow everything from berries to vegetables to fruits like apples and peaches. Find these jobs in local newspapers or by contacting the farms.

Enjoy the Summer:Take a Job Hunt Break

Finding a summer job can be the break you need to rejuvenate the search for the job you want. In addition to being a paid change of pace, a summer job prevents a long lull in your resume and will provide you with valuable experience that may just come in handy in the new career.

Indiana

Job Seeker Services

• WorkOne Seek To Provide Professional, Efficient Services

Work One, Indiana’s employment security agency gathered its resources to create a guide for unemployed Hoosiers. In addition to a step-by-step guide on filing an unemployment claim, the Job Seeker Services section also has explains the latest in federal and state unemployment laws. There’s also a link to a Frequently Asked Questions page and the Indiana Workforce Development site, where you actually file the claim.

• Indiana WorkForce Development

Indiana Department of Workforce Development allows unemployed workers to complete their unemployment claims online. The site also provides a link to the list of requirements needed to receive unemployment benefits. This page also displays updates to important laws governing benefits and payouts.

• Indiana Department of Workforce Development

To answer any question that you may have about filing for, receiving and extending unemployment benefits, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development has compiled a list of links to the information that a newly unemployed person needs or wants to know. You can find everything from claim information, the debit card system and reporting income to appeals and other resources.

Other Assistance Programs

The state of Indiana has many other programs to help those who finds themselves without an income or a sudden income decrease. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has compiled a list of resources from child support enforcement to legal advice, food programs and insurance assistance.

Michigan

• Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency

Michigan also allows residents to file their unemployment claims online. This site offers information on claim filing and eligibility. It also provides a link to the online claims service.

• Tips for Contacting the Agency

It can be very difficult to find the appropriate information about a claim. Fortunately, The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency has compiled a list of frequently asked questions and used them to create tips on contacting their agency for information. It includes the appropriate times, numbers and circumstances under which you would call the numbers as well. There are even tips on avoiding busy signals.

• Resources to Assist the Unemployed – Public Libraries of Saginaw

Like Indiana, the state of Michigan has many resources available to unemployed individuals in addition to the weekly benefits. You can find these and job search database listings in the Saginaw Michigan library’s Resources to Assist the Unemployed.

Having the resources to feed and shelter your family while you are out of a job is the primary concern of Michiana residents when they receive that pink slip. With the right resources, you can remove this concern and begin your journey toward another job or even a new career.

Tourism Jobs

Michiana is an area where many people go away for the winter and come back in the summer. This provides many opportunities for cash jobs. Here are a few to consider:

You can find ads in area newspapers like The Herald Palladium, a publication that serves the the beach communities of St. Joseph’s & Benton Harbor. Also consider posting your own ads or signs in the area on Craigslist or other classified sites.

Labor and Scrap

Other jobs may present themselves in areas where the real estate economy has been hit hard by the recession. In these areas, developers are coming in and tearing down older homes to build new ones. This provides opportunities for day labor. A person with a truck can also earn cash by picking up scrap from these sites and turning it in for cash at the local recycling centers.

Extra Hands = Extra Cash

Contact the organizers of large events around Michiana on setup day or up to a week before the event. These places always need extra hands in pitching tents, setting up tables, cleanup the area and even for parking during the event and cleanup afterward. The Michigan City In-Water Boat Show, for example, is an annual event that hires a handful of people before the event. They are hired as independent contractors, as is normal for day labor and paid when the job is done.

Reporting the Cash

You must report the money you receive, be it as cash or in check form, if you receive unemployment or any other form of public assistance. For unemployment, report these amounts on your weekly claim form. Failure to do so can result in loss of your benefits or even criminal charges of fraud.

When working for cash, remember that the job is only temporary. Continue your job search and unemployment reporting, with the cash payment included. Look at your cash job as a way to earn extra cash, a possible resume entry and a little change of pace from your job search routine.

This year’s Small Business Week comes at a great time for Michiana and Chicagoland small business owners, as our local economy is starting to swing upward with new jobs and companies popping up in the last few months.

Why Small Business?

Small business has received a great deal of attention in the past few years. As the presidential election of 2008 prodded along, citizens kept hearing that the economic recovery of America would come on Main Street, not Wall Street.  This proclamation played out like a broken record until the message was clear: We must make small business a higher priority.

The Fabric of Our Communities

We’re talked about the importance of “Buying Local” on this blog before, but it bears repeating.  For each purchase you make with a locally owned and operated organization, 73% of the capital stays within your local economy.  If you shop for a new table at Target or Wal-Mart for example, only 43% of that purchase stays in your community.  That’s a significant gap that could cost your town jobs and tax revenue.  As expressed on the Small Business Week website, 60-80% of new jobs in the community are created by small businesses.

Small Businesses Thrive on Creativity

As Small Business Week has progressed, the message has been clear: Legislation and tax breaks can only go so far, creativity will win the day in this economy.  It’s a message that has played out for decades, but today’s small business owners have a bounty of tools at their fingertips to promote their business.

SEO

Search engine optimization has been around since the early 1990’s, but it has developed as a full fledged industry in the past 10 years.  An effective SEO campaign helps small businesses compete with the big names for search engine referrals and online visibility.

Digital Marketing

Much like SEO, digital marketing on sites like FindItLocal411 helps your company reach audiences far outside the traditional audience of those in your surrounding geographic area.  Online web-malls like the one we provide here at FindItLocal411 help small businesses sell products online when a personal Ecommerce site isn’t in the plans.

Small Business Year!

Let’s embrace the lessons learned during Small Business Week 2010 and carry them out throughout the year.  The official delegation in Washington D.C. is honoring 27.2 million businesses this week, but there are even more in your community that deserve some recognition.  Make sure you are supporting them and enjoy the week!

As Kenny Rogers said, “you gotta know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away.” In truth, no one can tell you when it is time to hang up your job search and go back to college or change careers altogether. However, there are things that you can consider before making such a decision.

Examine Your Motives

If your reasons for looking for a job begin and end with the fact it is the last job you held, maybe you should examine your motives. Spending several months or a few years unemployed for a job that you aren’t enthusiastic for doesn’t make much sense. This is especially true in the age of multiple furthering education programs, which provide training toward new skills.

Examine Your Industry

In Michiana, the steel, auto and RV industries went belly-up in 2008. However, the steel and auto industries are now making a rebound. Many of the displaced workers in Michigan and Indiana have been contacted for return to work or are already back on the job. Meanwhile, the RV industry is still down for the count. Workers in this industry may want to consider a career change or training for something new.

Examine Your Skills

Workers in the RV industry may have other skills that the other industries like steel, automotive and other manufacturing companies can use. Welders, assemblymen and even managers and inspectors can utilize their skills elsewhere, as the RV industry has yet to recover. People who have more specialized skills may want to look at ways to utilize them in other industries. This is where a craftily written resume comes in handy.

Examine Your Passion

While you are unemployed, take up a hobby, something that involves your passion. Closet writers, artists, crafters, and people with a business plan that they never before had time for can dust off these ideas and try them out while unemployed. For some, your passion may end taking a life of its own, becoming a small business or career change.

To decide whether your employment path has ended, you must take stock of your situation. The above examinations and considerations will help. However, the decision is ultimately yours.