If you haven't heard, this Tuesday, November 8th, is Election Day! 

Here's everything you need to know for the big day: 

Confirm Voter Registration: If you're uncertain about your voter registration, you can figure out your status here.  

Find Your Polling Location: Now that you know you're registered, it's time to get to the polls! Google makes it easy to find your polling place with this link.

Enter your address, and you'll see your polling location, as well as requirements for voting, and who's on the ballot.

You can also find your polling location here.

Get Educated: The Presidential race isn't the only important one in this election. Get up to speed on who's running on state and local levels, as well as important ballot and local measures.

Ballotpedia gives you a view of your sample ballot, who stands for what, and any other information you might need to know in order to make an informed decision on Election Day.

VOTE: All of this information is only useful if you get out there and vote on the 8th. Happy voting!  

Sourcing and generating leads is one of the most time consuming, yet crucial, tasks for any business. Finding qualified companies, pinpointing the right contact person and reaching out can take days, or even weeks. When you've got a million other things to watch over to ensure business is running smoothly, you don't have time for weeks. 

Luckily, you've got your Fancy Hands assistants who can help grow your business, while you take care of the rest. 

How? 

Your assistants can do a number of things to help: 

• Create target lists of potential clients, and find the contact info for the appropriate contact
• Reach out via email or phone call to each contact on that list with sales materials to potentially schedule an intro meeting
• Coordinate an intro phone call or meeting between you and the interested potential clients
• Update a spreadsheet or your CRM database with all acquired information

Ready to watch your business grow? Get started now.

It’s the last full week of summer! Learn how Fancy Hands can help you get a jump-start on a productive fall without giving up any time of what’s left for some fun in the sun! Check off your to-do list by simply sending in an email, text message, or phone call and one of our assistants will get to work for you right away. While you soak in some of the last rays of summer, we’ll be hard at work preparing you for weeks to come. 

Monday: We'll help you find back to school supplies! Know that you got the best price for all back to school necessities. 

Tuesday: We'll help you fix your computer! We can schedule an appointment with a tech professional to get your computer back up and running ASAP.

Wednesday: We'll help you find a daycare! Find the best place around for your child with the help of an assistant. 

Thursday: We'll help you sign up for an exercise class! We'll find time in your busy schedule for a zumba class here and there. 

Friday: We'll help you get to work quicker! An assistant can help find a new rout with less traffic.

Check out your dashboard for a new suggested request everyday. You may be surprised with what a Fancy Hands Assistant is capable of! 

Looking for new ways to incorporate Fancy Hands into your life? Here are a few new request ideas that you may have never thought of before. We’re here for you from the smallest tasks to the largest requests; there is almost no limit to what can be done! Put one of our assistants to work right away on one of these task ideas. 

Monday: We'll help you find a place to volunteer! With all this free time you now have, spend some of it giving back. 

Tuesday: We'll help you find a place to hike! Find trails perfect for all experience levels with just a push of a button. 

Wednesday: We'll help you get tickets to a play! We can make sure you get the best seats for the best price.

Thursday: We'll help you get your air conditioning fixed! Don't sweat the heat any longer. We can schedule an appointment with a great HVAC company ASAP.

Friday: We'll help you move your high school grad into college! We'll find you a truck to rent so you can haul everything to school in just one trip.

Check out your dashboard for a new suggested request everyday. You may be surprised with what a Fancy Hands Assistant is capable of! 

The theme of this week’s suggested requests is planning, planning, planning! Make plans effortlessly with the help of a Fancy Hands Assistant. You have hundreds of assistants right at your fingertips that will take the stress out of your week. You’ll amaze yourself at what you can accomplish with just a push of a button.  

Monday: We'll help you schedule a dentist appointment

Tuesday: We'll help you plan a marriage proposal

Wednesday: We'll help you plan a birthday party

Thursday: We'll help you find a caterer for your barbecue   

Friday: We'll help you plan date night

Check out your dashboard for a new suggested request everyday. You may be surprised with what a Fancy Hands Assistant is capable of! 

This week Fancy Hands wants to help you make the most of your summer! Get to where you want to be faster and easier than you would ever expect. Requesting help from an assistant minimizes research time and propels the process of planning your summer activities. From planning vacations to preparing for parties, our assistants are ready to help 24/7. 

Monday: We'll help you reserve a karaoke room

Tuesday: We'll help you find vacation rental homes

Wednesday: We'll help you find the perfect wedding gift 

Thursday: We'll help you book swimming lessons 

Friday: We'll help you plan a camping trip

Check out your dashboard for a new suggested request everyday. You may be surprised with what a Fancy Hands Assistant is capable of!

Believe it or not, July is already coming to an end! Make the most of your dwindling summer time by delegating tasks you may have never thought of requesting before. Our assistants are great at anything from creating social media content to finding a new best friend! Check into your Dashboard every day for a new suggested request and find out how we can save you time and money with just a few clicks of your mouse! 

Monday: We'll help you find coupons for the grocery store

Tuesday: We'll help you find a great landscaper  

Wednesday: We'll help you find a new puppy

Thursday: We'll help you create social media content  

Friday: We'll help you find a birthday present

Check out your dashboard for a new suggested request everyday. You may be surprised with what a Fancy Hands Assistant is capable of! 

Summer is finally here and that means travel season! Whether you are looking to take a quick weekend trip or a long relaxing vaca we can help. The hardest part of taking a vacation is always planning one so let us take care of the details! Here are a few ways we can help:

1. Not sure where exactly you would like to go? We can research the top travel locations in your area, in America, or around the world! What ever type of travel you are looking for we can help you make the best of your time off by helping to pick a sick location. After we can also help you pick the perfect hotel for your stay. 

1. Okay, so now you know where you want to go… but how will you get there? We can help with that too! Our assistants are able to help you find car rentals, flight itinerary, or train schedules to get you out of work and in that beach chair as quickly as possible!

1. Eating out can be a hassle especially in a place you have never been before. Allow us to help by finding highly recommended restaurants in your destination and make your reservations. Don’t waste your valuable vacation time on an hour wait list or even worse… at the joint that serves the fish tacos with a side of food poisoning! 

1. Allow us to help you make the most of your vacation by researching any and all tourist attractions, events, or “off the beaten path” activities to personalize your days off. We can find the cheapest boat rentals around, find tickets to your favorite band you just found out will be in town, or compile a list of the top museums in your destination. 

1. So you had a blast on vacation but now you’re back and reality has caught up to you! Allow us to help you call back those people who left angry voicemails, find someone to pick all those weeds that have seemed to grow exponentially since you left, and reschedule those doctor appointments you had put on hold. 

There is nothing easy about planning your vacation but allow Fancy Hands to make your life easier before, during, and after your time off!

Welcome to our monthly post about interesting facts your assistants have learned from working on requests over the past month. 

What kind of sunglasses does Leo wear? There are HOW many blogs on Essential Oils? How do you make a Leprechaun trap?

This isn’t an April Fool’s joke. Find the answers to these questions (and more) below! 

“You can find out what frames/sunglasses your favorite celebrity was wearing on tv or in the movies at SunglassesID: http://www.sunglassesid.com/“- Jessica O.  

“I learned that there are some very interesting developments being made in the automotive field involving autonomous vehicles for public transit, as well as for future public availability/purchase. Apparently 2017 will be an exciting year for technological advancements.”- Samantha H. 

“I learned what a leprechaun trap is and how to make one. AND there's a popular new treatment called Kybella that they're injecting into under-chin fat and it dissolves the fat cells! Crazy!”- Tammi D. 

“I learned that, through Fancy Hands, I can escape my wheelchair and my small apartment and travel, in a virtual manner, around the world and beyond. In March, I was in Cambodia helping a social worker who runs an amazing program for youth. I was in Maine locating the perfect home to host an upscale bachelor party weekend for 18 people. I was in Chicago planning a birthday celebration that had a small guest list and a huge budget. And I traveled to a galaxy where the Force has reawakened as I provided assistance to a client who has played a part in the Star Wars franchise for a long time. All this without ever going out my front door! Thanks Fancy Hands.”- Susa C. 

“ I have learned how to create not one, but two Slide Masters on Power Point Presentation and how to Apply a built-in theme to save time and frustrations over creating the same background for numerous pages.” - Heidi W. 

“I learned that there are over 200 blogs that blog about Essential Oils!”- Zella Y. 

“There are services available that will help you plan your entire stag party. They don't just offer the typical adult type venues either. Have fun with a paint ball war among your friends or go dirt bike riding and even wake boarding are some adventures that they can make happen. Pretty cool right?! I had no idea this was even a thing.”- Kelley P. 

“I learned about travel options in China and Yiwu Market - a wholesale market that has almost anything imaginable. Everything we buy really is made in China and available for pennies in wholesale quantities. We pay outrageous markups.”- Susan B. 

Join us at the end of the month to find out what interesting facts were learned in April! 

Welcome to our monthly post about interesting facts your assistants have learned from working on requests over the past month. 

Dinosaurs in Oklahoma? Shipping micro pigs from China? You’re going to want to read this. 

“I've learned that the most popular Twitter accounts for January were:

@KatyPerry

@JustinBieber

@taylorswift13

@barackobama

@YouTube” - Aaron S.

“I've learned, there's new technology coming for commercial window tinting, no need for films anymore, just get a smart glass and change your window from clear to shaded with the touch of a button.

I also learned you cannot ship micro pigs from China to the US as pets because they are genetically modified.”- Edgardo G.

“I've learned that the price of roses increases in a ridiculously dramatic fashion in the days leading up to Valentine's Day. Order early fellas!”- Jessica O. 

“I learned venues in San Francisco don't care if you have a 20ft inflatable with your event.

I learned there's a huge statue of a dinosaur in Woodward, Oklahoma.”- Jessica D. 

“I've learned that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to find a salon in Serbia that will do a Brazilian wax on a man. In conjunction with that, I have learned that a product called sugar scrub will wax your nether regions without as much pain as wax”- Susan C. 

“I learned that shipping containers are being recycled globally and architects are turning them into amazing micro-houses. In Amsterdam, Keetwonen is the largest container project in the world and they are used for student housing. Google the images, it's so cool :)”- RK S. 

Join us at the end of the month to find out what interesting facts were learned in March! 

Looking for something do to this weekend? Here's 5 things we can help with to brighten up your winter weekend.  

1. LOCAL EVENTS: Looking to check out some new music? Interested in free events for the kids? We'll help you find local events happening in your 'hood, and let you know how to get there. 

2. FOOD: Let us make your brunch or dinner reservation at a new spot or an old favorite. 

3. DAY TRIPS: We'll help you plan a quick day or overnight trip, whether you have a car, want to rent one or prefer public transport. 

4. AROUND THE HOUSE: You're finally going to hang those shelves- yay! We can find out where you can get the tools and supplies you need for your at-home projects. Prefer to have someone else do it? We can help you with that, too.   

5. MOVIES: Whether you're trying to catch up on all of the Oscar films before Sunday, or still need to see 'Deadpool,' we can find you movie times and get you tickets.  

Happy Weekend! 

Valentine's Day is already three weeks away.

That's right.

THREE! 

If you're running behind on planning, or want to get a head start on gift deliveries- we're here for you! Here are some ways that we can make you look good (like, really good) this Valentine's Day: 

FLOWERS, CHOCOLATES,  OVERSIZED STUFFED BEARS: That's right. We can order flowers, chocolates, stuffed bears and much more for you this Valentine's Day. Surprise your loved one with something special. If you order through us, we have an exclusive discount with 1800Flowers.com where we get 20% off everything on the site. Tell us what you're looking for, and we're get it ordered for you for delivery by Valentine's Day. 

BRILLIANT IDEAS: Planning is hard. Luckily you've started early and you've got your assistants to help you decide what to do, and how to do it! We can help with everything from finding a great deal on a real BnB in the mountains to finding the perfect gift. 

RESERVATIONS: Once we've helped you figure out what to do, let us help you plan your itinierary for the day/night (or weekend, or week...). We can make dinner reservations, spa reservations, mani/pedi reservations. You get the picture. Let us make your reservations and make sure you've got the perfect plan in place. 

HOMEMADE GIFTS: Looking for homemade gift ideas? We can help with that, too. We'll even help you get the supplies you need for a gift that'll put Martha to shame. 

Now that you know you've got the tools, start building the perfect Valentine's Day for the person you love. Especially if the person you're planning for is you.

"You spent how many hours on the phone with Comcast?!"- You, after checking out our Fancy Hands Year in Review: 2015.

Find out how many hours we spent on the phone with your least favorite cable company, plus tons of other stats and fun facts about what you delegated to us in 2015! 

'Tis the season...to be gifting!

This holiday season, give a unique, easy and worthwhile gift to clients and colleagues: a subscription to Fancy Hands! You can purchase the gift now and it’ll be delivered in the form of a fancy gift email on a date of your choosing. It can even be delivered immediately if you’re racing the clock.

Perks of a Fancy Hands gift subscription:

·      Access to a full team of virtual assistants to help with personal & business needs

·      Appointment scheduling & free conference calling

·      Sales and marketing research and prospecting

·      Items purchased on your behalf and delivered to your door

As a bonus, our gift subscriptions are discounted every day through 12/20. The discount drops every day, so act now and save more.

Save time for yourself and for someone else. Give the gift of productivity this holiday season, and everyone wins!

Cyber Monday is upon us! Check out some highlights below for the best deals on clothes, gadgets and more!

*If you're looking for the perfect gift for the person who has everything, check out our own Cyber Monday deal which will give you 20% off of all Fancy Hands gift subscriptions today only!* 

AMAZON:

Amazon is pretty well known for providing daily deals for an entire month, so you’ll be able to check back for the daily deal each day. If you’re only interested in the deals on Monday, here are the things you need to know:

Amazon Echo on sale for $149

Kindle and Kindle for Kids Bundle: $30 off

Kindle Fire: $34.99

Fire Kids Edition: $84.99

Amazon Fire TV: $25 off

Amazon Cloud Drive: 1 year of Unlimited Photo storage $1/1 year of Unlimited Everything storage $5

4k UltraHD $349.99 (reg. $899.99)

Sparin Ultra Slim Mini Bluetooth Keyboard $10.90 (reg. $29.99)

Singer 7258 100-Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine $124.99 (reg. 299.99)

It’s recommended to bookmark this page so you can easily go back daily to see what deals you can get.  

BEST BUY:

Apple Products up to $50 off an iPad Air & $100 off certain MacBooks

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7in 64GB for $450 (reg. $600)

Samsung 4K Flat 65-inch $1,700 (reg. $2,300)

Samsung 4K Curved $3,000 (reg. $3,500)

XBox One Controller save $10 with purchase of select Xbox One console

GoPro Hero4Silver for $400 includes 64GB memory card & $80 gift card

Dishwashers 25%-40% off select dishwashers

Free installation with purchase of KitchenAid Dishwasher

Up to 35% off LG and Samsung microwaves

Up to 50% off select cookware

MICROSOFT:

Xbox consoles starting at $299. Save $50 on select consoles + $60 Microsoft Store gift code and a select game of choice

Up to $30 off of select Xbox One controllers

Several games on sale including GTA V ($42, reg. $60)

$40-$50 off of select drones

STAPLES:

Apple iPad Air 2 & iPad mini 4 are both 25% off (any capacity)

16GB iPad Air is $319 (reg. $399)

16GB iPad mini 2 $254 (reg. $299)

Amazon Echo $149 (reg. $179.99)

Office Home and Student 2016 $99.99 (reg. $149.99)

Amazon Fire TV $74.99 ($99.99)

Xtreme 2600mAh Portable Battery $4.99 (88% discount)

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 128 GB 12” Display $799.99 (reg. $999)

LOWE’S

iRobot Braava 380T Wet-Dry Robotic Mopper $254.15 (reg. $299)

Stanley Fatmax 25ft Locking SAE Tape Measure $22.48 (reg. $24.98)

Stanley 16oz Flat Straight Handle Hammer $6.98 (reg. $9.98)

Dewalt 5 Tool 20v. Max Lithium Ion Cordless Combo Kit $429 (reg. $579)

Studiosync Shelf with Bluetooth Speakers $29.98 (reg. $49.98)

TARGET

15% discount website wide with the code CYBER15

 *Target will have several items on sale all week, but they will be revealed daily

KOHL’S

Take an extra 20% off with promo code DEALSEEKER + additional savings all week here.

JCPENNEY

Over 50,000 online deals available Monday only + a chance to win 1 of 10 $10k cash grand prizes

OVERSTOCK

 Up to 50% off + Extra 10% off select furniture

Extra 10% off home décor

Up to 60% off + Extra 10% off select bedding & bath

Up to 70% off + Extra 15% off select jewelry & watches

Extra 10% off kitchen & dining

Up to 40% off health & beauty

VICTORIA’S SECRET

Select bras 2 for $49.50

Yoga pants 2 for $65

Up to 40% off over 200 styles of clothing

Pajamas 2 for $75

Free shipping on $50 + $20 off $125

Free secret reward card with any purchase worth $10-$500 off your purchase 12/1-15

GAMESTOP

Xbox bundles starting at $299

Buy 2, Get 1 Free on any vintage game title

Xbox One Elite Controller + Halo 5: Guardians, $209.99

PS Vita Aqua Blue $169.99

GUITAR CENTER

15% off sitewide + massive markdowns & flash deals all day! 

DSW
30% off 3 pairs of shoes + free shipping (w/no minimum) 

GAP/OLD NAVY/BANANA REPUBLIC

40% off all items, no exclusions. 

HAPPY SHOPPING! 

It’s hard to believe, but another year has gone by and it’s time to start preparing for family and friends, hopefully some fun(?) and food. Lots of food. 

Holiday planning can be stressful, especially if you’re hosting. Feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to get started? Here are some helpful things we can do to help take some of that stress off of your, er, plate. 

 MEAL PLANNING

You’re hosting Thanksgiving- yay! Your sister’s vegan, your uncle is dairy-free and your second cousin twice removed doesn’t eat gluten. You’ve got this. Send us the dietary restrictions and we’ll come up with recipes to make the perfect meal for everyone. 

HOUSECLEANING: BEFORE AND AFTER

When you’re running around prepping, cleaning is the last thing you want to do. Let us help you find a reliable cleaning service to make your home sparkle before your guests arrive and after they leave. It’ll be so clean, even your mother will be happy. 

CATERING

Skipping the cooking this year? We don’t blame you. Send us your meal requirements and we’ll find and help you order a delicious, hassle-free meal. 

TRAVEL COORDINATION

 Oh yes, it is the middle of November already. Let us help you find the best deals on last-minute holiday travel and accommodations. Save yourself from sleeping on an air mattress in your childhood bedroom, which has lovingly been turned into your parents’ gym.   

BEING A GOOD HOUSEGUEST

 We’ll help you have a nice flower bouquet delivered to your family or friends. Or we'll find a nice wine to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. Whatever you want to bring, we'll find it. We can even arrange to have you pick it up on the way there so you arrive in style. 

There you have it: another Thanksgiving and you’re going to crush it. Now let’s get out there and have a good one, team! 

You may have noticed a little tab that’s now showing up on your Dashboard. 

What is it? Great question: This tab leads you to a page full of Fancy Hands pro tips. If you click ‘See More’ you’ll be directed to a page that has tons of tips for making using Fancy Hands like a pro. 

This page will show you everything you need to know about getting started with Fancy Hands. You’ll find information such as what types of requests you can submit, what can be contained within a request, and what our assistants can do for you. 

Interested? Check it out! 

Wilko van de Kamp is a best-selling author, award-winning photographic artist and long-time Fancy Hands client. He also runs a weekly magazine called Living By Experience where he shares helpful tips for making the most of your time. Keep reading to find out how Fancy Hands has prevented Wilko from becoming his own assistant. 

Time is the one currency we all cannot get more of. We’re all on borrowed time, which sooner or later will run out. Yet we fill our time with being “busy”, claiming we “don’t have time”. It’s time to get your priorities in order, and starting making time for the things you love. Get your time back, before it runs out!

If you don’t have an assistant, you are one (quote by Raymond Aaron)

I’ve had a few assistants in the past that have helped me with building certain parts of my companies, and there have been several situations where I would just delegate anything I didn’t want to do myself. Not because I didn’t have the time for it, but simply because I didn’t feel like doing it. The fact I didn’t feel like doing it was a form of feedback I was ignoring. Some things I didn’t feel like doing shouldn’t be done in the first place as they didn’t serve any purpose. When I started focusing more on my core business, my assistants got more productive too. I don’t just delegate for the sake of delegating, I delegate for the sake of saving time. True efficiency meanseveryone gets to focus on the important things.

When was the last time you scheduled a difficult meeting? How many times did you have to email back and forth to select a date, time, and location that worked for everyone? How many travel websites do you visit to research your next vacation, trying to make sense of it all? How much time do you spend waiting on the phone listening to annoying music and (even worse) on-hold messages? Did you know this can end today? Don’t worry about the back and forth of scheduling meetings anymore. Spend more time enjoying your vacations instead of planning them. Stop making phone calls you don’t want to make. And much more.

Having a personal assistant used to be something reserved for the rich and famous, but not anymore. Thanks to the internet you can enjoy the benefits of having a “virtual assistant”, saving you time every day. Your time and money are worth more when you are able to concentrate on what you do best and leave the rest to an assistant. Virtual office assistants work from their own home-based offices and are highly trained in their skill areas as well as a variety of technologies. Many of them have advanced degrees as well as years of professional experience. Not only can a virtual assistant relieve you of mundane, everyday tasks, but also in many cases, s/he can even help you grow your business.

One of the biggest benefits to hiring a virtual assistant is the ability to delegate work to people who have better skills, and can do work you don’t know how to do, don’t have time to do, or just don’t want to do. The next big draw (when considering virtual assistants over bricks-and-mortar assistants) is that virtual assistants only clock-in and work when you need them and use their own resources. In other words, they’re not charging you to sit there and play solitaire on a computer you purchased for them.

Is it time to hire your own Virtual Assistant?

Top 10 Ways Solo-preneurs Use Virtual Assistants

1. Your VA receives calls routed to his/her home office phone so a call from your prospective customer does not go to voice mail.

2. You need to confirm appointments for the week. Your VA calls the appointments and notes who is confirmed and who must be rescheduled. Your VA even updates your calendar online, if you’re using a mutually accessible calendar program.

3. By using online invoicing software, billing can be done off-site by your VA. You email information to the VA, who then does daily electronic billing or accounting services to get your billing done.

4. You are preparing a marketing plan and need further information. Your VA can contact possible advertising outlets on the Internet, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, etc. and acquire information on pricing, publishing dates, publishing deadlines, payment policies, etc. All information is compiled into a report for you to review.

5. You are preparing a direct mailing and need to verify your database. The database is sent to your VA via email attachment. Your VA telephones each name and verifies name, spelling, title and address. All corrections are made, old names are deleted, and new names are added. The corrected database is “zipped” and returned to you via email attachment.

6. You need a brochure, business card or flyer for your business. Your VA can design, type and print your advertising material using your own artwork or stock art. Your VA can also make the materials ready to print by a professional print shop and simply email the file to the shop for printing.

7. You have a blog or website, but do not have time to update entries regularly. Brief ideas and thoughts or links can be emailed to your VA, who then helps with research or even updates your site for you.

8. You dictate letters, reports, notes or memos and e-mail it to your VA the MP3 file of your recording. S/he transcribes the audio and emails the completed transcript back to you.

9. You cannot keep up with the volume of email and are missing important messages. You or your webmaster set up a general email account (info@). Your VA retrieves all email, sorts, responds to routine requests, and forwards items of importance to you at your personal email account (myname@).

10. You would like to write a book, but can’t get organized. Your VA can compile rough drafts, notes, fragments, letters or memoirs and get them into an editable form to begin the process of formatting the book, research publishers, and send out queries.

Virtual assistants are here to stay. The above shows that virtual assistants can and do work well for most small and home-based businesses and especially solo-preneurs. Over the next couple of years you can expect your conversations with regards to virtual assistants to go from “What is a virtual assistant and what does a virtual assistant do?” to that of “Who provides your virtual assistant services?”

Implementing the use of a virtual assistant, especially through a virtual staffing agency, is a low-cost, low-risk undertaking. If the virtual assistant doesn’t work out, you simply request another, perhaps for a better fit. What’s more, coupling the use of a virtual assistant (or several virtual assistants) with your already up-and-coming business can catapult your income and success to the next level and beyond.

To see the full post, click here. 

Lawyer, entrepreneur and all around leader, Cynthia Conlin knows how to make the most of her time. Cynthia has been using Fancy Hands for around a year and she's written about her experience using Fancy Hands on her blog, Facing The Sun. Keep reading to see how Cynthia delegates to her assistants! 

I read about Fancy Hands in a blog a while back and figured I’d give it a whirl.  Since then, my life has changed for the better.  Fancy Hands is a team of personal assistants to whom you can assign specific tasks.  Now, they won’t come over and do the dishes (but please sign me up if someone launches that service), but they can accomplish anything that can be done remotely with a phone or computer.  They also do it in a friendly manner, and they are accessible via web browser, iPhone app, or email.

While I don’t use Fancy Hands for things that involve client confidentiality, I still have plenty of other uses for a virtual personal assistant, and I have truly put them to work!

Fancy Hands has four monthly plans, starting with the “basic” at $29 a month for 5 tasks per month.  If you do not use all the tasks, they roll over.  Plus they give you free extra tasks for things like connecting your social networks.  I have not yet reached a point where I need to upgrade but so far have gotten great value from the service.  Since I enrolled last October, Fancy Hands has, for me, processed a total of 46 requests, placed 262 telephone calls, sent 11 emails, and spent more than 17 hours on the phone.  This is a huge value for me, and I’ve been hooked.

Another thing that I love is the convenience of the iPhone app.  If I wake at 2 a.m., which I’m akin to do on occasion, suddenly remembering something that needs to get done, I can pick up my phone and delegate the task right then.  This ability has put me at ease on more than one occasion as I am able to fall back to slumber knowing that a particular task is sufficiently delegated.

Here are a few things my personal assistants at Fancy Hands have helped me out with:

Scheduled Appointments

I received a promotional postcard showing that if I test-drove a new Fiat 500X I could get a free tote bag, but it required me to call and schedule an appointment when the dealership was open.  In the late evening, I told Fancy Hands to take care if it for me.  The next morning, my personal assistant booked an appointment on my calendar, and I never had to pick up a phone.  (Fancy Hands has access to my calendar through Google Apps, so my personal assistants can review and book appointments directly onto my calendar. Awesome.)

Had a Ceiling Fan Replaced

I have a house I rent out, and the ceiling fan needed to be replaced.  I asked Fancy Hands to locate a competent and honest handyman in the area and coordinate a time for him to meet with the tenants and replace the fan.  They did this entire job seamlessly, and it saved me a lot of time searching the web and making phone calls.

Researched Transport Services

I had a client who needed to transport a car from Orlando to Georgia.  Now I know that this is not a legal issue, but sometimes when you are a lawyer, your long-time clients tend to come to you with all kinds of issues.  Practicing law is part legal analyzer, part counselor, part problem-solver.  So, when I can, I try to help my clients as much as I can.  For this issue, I asked Fancy Hands to search for transportation services, and, within a day my virtual assistant responded with a whole list of contacts and exact price quotes that I was able to relay to my client, which, in the end, makes me a better problem-solver.

Compared Prices

After buying a new color laser printer, I asked Fancy Hands to determine what company sells the most inexpensive toner cartridges and compare them with my existing vendors.  My Fancy Hands assistant researched prices and gave me a full report including my usual vendors and a few more, with direct links to the exact toner I needed.  I was able to click on the links and buy toner in about two minutes, and the new vendor’s rate was about $15/cartridge lower than my usual vendor, saving me a total of $60!

Tracked Down Garbage Men

One week, the city waste management service skipped our address and failed to pick up our overflowing recycle bin.  Normally, I would just have to suffer and be buried in recyclable garbage for another two weeks.  However, Fancy Hands took care of it for me by calling up the waste management company and asking them to send a truck over.  Within 24 hours, a truck came by, and the recycle bin was emptied.  Success!

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If you’d like to try Fancy Hands yourself, please use this special referral link because you can get 50% off your first month, and they will credit my subscription with referral credits.  Super awesome deal.   They are not paying me to write this blog, but because the service has been so helpful to me, I am giving it a glowing review.  I cannot recommend this service enough.

See the full post here. 

Planning a summer move? Check out these very helpful moving tips from our friends at FlatRate Moving!

Everyone dreads moving in the winter because the thought of dealing with ice and snow on moving day is a nightmare. 

However, summer has its own challenges that often get overlooked. You don't want to wait until your big day to be aware of some of these obstacles that could put a speed bump in your plans.

• Schedule Movers Early - Lots of people just like you have purposely scheduled their move in the summer. This is a busy season, which means moving companies have full schedules. So, you may have a hard time finding a company with an opening. If possible, aim to move Monday through Thursday. Movers generally have a little more flexibility in their schedule on these days. If you’re short on time, you can enlist the help of Fancy Hands to research and book your move, making your experience as stress free as possible. 

• Pack Heat Sensitive Items Separately - If you are planning a summer move pack DVDs, video games, candles, photos, and other items that are super heat sensitive together in a few boxes to be transported in your car. If they can't go in your car, at least have the movers load them on the truck last, so they are the first to get moved into the home at the new location.

• Move Early or Late in the Day - When possible plan your move early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The heat of the day is usually most intense starting around noon and lasting till about 3 pm.

• Dress Appropriately - If you are standing around watching the movers then your wardrobe may not be such a big deal. If you are doing a self-move, you should wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Dark fabrics attract the sun. Ideally, you will avoid cotton, as it stays soaked when you sweat, and can make you feel uncomfortable. Moisture-wicking athletic wear is ideal. A wide-brimmed hat will protect your face and ears, but if you just wear a ball cap or visor apply sunblock to your ears. It is also a good idea for everyone to wear gardening gloves. Sweaty hands make it hard to hold onto smooth surfaced furniture. The gloves will provide a bit of traction.

• Take Breaks - You may want to hurry and get everything done, but your body needs a break to cool off, so it can lower your core temperature. Encourage your movers to stop and rest for a few minutes periodically, as well.

•  Stay Hydrated - It is easy to become dehydrated quite quickly when you are sweating in the heat. Have plenty of bottled water handy for everyone. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, as they dehydrate you faster.

• Cooling Cloths - You can buy cooling cloths online and in stores. You just pour cold water on one, and put it around the back of your neck. There are cooling bandanas available, too. Frogg Toggs is a popular brand with a full line of cooling products.

• Be Prepared for Bad Weather - High winds can be very dangerous and torrential downpours and hail can really make things soggy. Have a few rain tarps handy. If you hire movers they should have some, but if you move yourself pick a couple up wherever camping supplies are sold.

• Protect Kids and Pets - Ideally, kids will be with a sitter all day. Otherwise, they will need a place to stay cool in the shade. Pets will also need to be kept somewhere cool, and they will need water bowls available at all times. Never leave a pet in a parked car. Even if it is only in the 70s, the temperature inside a closed car can raise to over 100 degrees in less than 15 minutes. If you need a pet to stay in the car while movers are going in and out, park in the shade and leave it running with the air-conditioning on. Check on them frequently, just to make sure they haven't managed to turn the air off.