In the business world, there are a lot of requirements — keeping up your appearance, networking, etc., etc. — which in my experience can often get a little expensive!

As someone who’s saving for a wedding, trying to get out of credit card debt, make a mortgage payment and student loan payments, I’ve found easy ways to keep a little more money in my bank account.

1. Eat in the office.

It’s easy to get caught up in going out to lunch everyday during business hours. However, this can often end up costing $50 a week or more! A good way to save money is to eat in the office, at a nearby park, or to run home if you’re close enough.

Where to get the food from? I generally opt for leftovers from the dinner before. OR I hit up the nearby Kroger to find something good to make. The best way to save money here is to check the circular online before you go and scope out what’s on sale. Then, I visit some online coupon sites (such as Coupons.com, CellFire, Shortcuts and SmartSource) to see which coupons are available. I generally base my lunch choice on what deals I can get. Yesterday, my lunch (delicious tortellini from Marie Calendars) cost me about $1.15 after a store discount and a coupon!

2. Dress with basics.

Keeping a professional wardrobe can also get expensive, and dressing presentably five days a week can often do a number on your wallet. However, I’ve found that keeping a closet full of solid-colored basics is the best way to go. The reason I love basics is that you can mix and match them to create numerous outfits with just a few items. Plus, they tend to be a little easier to care for. (Don’t you just hate when things are “dry clean only”?)

Some great stores for these items include Express and H&M. While Express generally has some larger  price tags compared to H&M, you can sign up to receive Express discounts, which can often cut half the price off! Plus, if you catch Express’ “Shop the Box” sale, you can get basics for mere dollars!

3. Find alternate modes of transportation.

This is the more obvious of the three I have on this list. And I must admit, this is one I actually don’t do. Living in Knoxville, our options are a little limited in terms of transportation — especially being that I live 30 minutes from the office. However, for those of you in bigger cities or who live/work in downtown areas, this is a definitely viable option that can save you money!

Carpool with a coworker or try public transportation. Gas is still expensive, and cutting down on how much you need will definitely keep a little extra money in your wallet.

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So there you have it — 3 ways to save money in the business world. How else do you save?

By: Amanda Dickson, Guest Blogger

You truly are all you’ve got, and marketing yourself should be a priority.  You wouldn’t brand a client’s company with an unprofessional stamp- so don’t do it to yourself. Whether you are on the hunt for a new position or content at your current job and simply looking to document your experience, having a great resume is of the utmost importance.

At my workplace, I receive all of the incoming resumes and spend time analyzing them. In college, I attended resume marathons, and stalked out Career Services counselors to assist me in writing the best possible resume. I may not be a certified expert, but what I know could help you land the job you’re after. At the very least, it will allow you to look polished and professional in the eyes of employers.

A few quick points:

• If you are recently out of college, your resume should only be one page long. There are no exceptions to this. Employers do not want to scroll down and read more about your work at summer camp. Keep it brief and to the point. Use smaller fonts and widen the margins to conserve space.
• Highlight your best experiences. I recently saw a resume where the applicant devoted six lines to a part-time position at the Gap. Only emphasize what is pertinent and positive. She should have limited it to one line about Gap, citing its impact on her leadership skills, and added more about her work at the Small Business Development Center at her college.
• Every bullet on your resume should start with an action word, i.e. ‘Managed internship program and wrote training handbook.’ This positions you as someone who takes initiative and is always moving forward.
• Spend 5 minutes before submitting your resume and be sure that you are:
  • Sending it in compatibility mode, as a Word 97-2003 Document (.doc format not .docx) if you have the newer version of MS Word. Some Macs and older computer systems can’t open .docx files. Make it as easy as possible for others to view your resume.
  • Eliminating the underlined red or green spell-checked words. Right click them and hit Ignore or Add to Dictionary. It will look more polished and flow better without these unsightly underlines.
  • Titling it something with your name in it like ‘A. Dickson Resume.’ DO NOT title it something ambiguous like ‘My res version5’ or ‘spring09 resume’- both of which I have received.
  • Personalizing emails and correctly spelling names of companies and individuals. Double check spelling. Do not forward the same message to every place – it will have FW: in front of the subject and look bad.
  • Not sending it out using an old email address with ‘Soccaplaya’ or ‘xGamerx’ in it – those are real examples and they are so wrong.
  • Ending the email (that you’re attaching your resume to) on a positive note with “I look forward to hearing from you” or “I’d be glad to further discuss my interest in this position.”

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Amanda Dickson is the Marketing Communications Manager at Altitude Marketing located in Emmaus, PA. Email her or connect on Twitter @akd209.