By Bobbi Dempsey | MainStreet.com

Looking for part-time work? You’re in luck. There are plenty of part-time opportunities out there, especially now, as employers turn to the much cheaper resource of part-time employees, who generally don’t receive a full benefits package and receive a lower hourly rate.

These jobs can be a good choice for students, retirees, parents with young kids or people who recently lost their full-time job or had their hours cut, as well as anyone looking for a second job. (If you lost your job, you can usually earn a certain amount per week without a reduction in unemployment compensation benefits, although this varies by state).

To attract the best candidates, many companies now offer at least some benefits for part-time employees. These can range from health insurance and paid time off to employee discounts or free merchandise.

Here are three companies with lots of part-time openings available right now:

1. Six Flags (Stock Quote: SIXF)

Type of work available: Six Flags, which operates 20 parks in the U.S., is hiring in food service, games, merchandise, rides, park service and entertainment, which includes dressing up as a character.

Hours per week: Employees are usually expected to work at least 30 hours per week. The shifts available are typically night shifts that begin at 2 or 3 p.m. and last until park closing, usually some time between 10:30 p.m. and midnight. Most departments request that employees be flexible regarding shifts. Also remember that most employees will have to work weekends.

Starting pay: $7.75 per hour after completing the training.

Benefits: Employees get free admission on their days off, and earn a “buddy pass” after working 150 hours. The pass permits each employee to bring a friend in the park for free with their admission. Employees also earn free tickets and discounts on tickets and merchandise. There are also special events for employees, and each department offers special events and incentives.

Requirements: Training is provided for most positions, including those in food service, rides, games, merchandise, entertainment and park services.

The inside scoop: “The ideal candidate is a friendly, outgoing individual ready to entertain our guests,” says company rep Stephanie Helander. “After successfully completing an online application, candidates are called for interviews based on positions available. Interviews are conducted at the park and are individual interviews.”

Apply: SixFlagsJobs.com. Character candidates must set up an audition by calling 847-249-2133, ext. 4606.

2. New Jersey Turnpike Authority

Type of work available: Toll collectors

Hours per week: Part-time workers are scheduled for eight hours each Saturday and Sunday. Shifts are 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights; 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings; or 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Most new collectors will be assigned a rotation of these until a steady shift becomes available.

Starting pay: $11.32 an hour

Benefits: None

Requirements: Must be at least 18 years old and pass two pre-screening tests and a physical, including drug test. Must have a valid driver’s license and pass a background check.

The inside scoop: Part-time workers must successfully complete a one-year probation period before being considered for any full-time positions.
Apply: Online application (pdf).

3. New York State Thruway

Type of work available: Toll collectors

Hours per week: Shifts run between three and eight hours, depending on your availability. Holiday work is a must and preference is given to those who are available on weekends.

Starting pay: Starting wage of $9.66 plus an additional $.40 per hour paid worked between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., and an additional $.60 per hour between11 p.m. and 7 a.m. There are yearly raises, up to $11.21 an hour. Holidays are paid at time and a half, plus employees are provided with uniforms, paid training and free parking.

Benefits: Limited benefits for part-timers.

Requirements: Applicants must be 18 years of age, enjoy working with people and able to handle money in a fast paced environment.

The inside scoop: Lots of patience, and the ability to withstand occasional verbal attacks, is a necessity. “These positions require continuous contact with the traveling public,” a job posting warns. “Toll collectors serve as representatives of their agency and are required to act in a courteous manner while working in situations which are sometimes stressful due to inclement weather, traffic backups, etc.” First consideration will be given to successful candidates who are residents of the county and/or adjacent counties in which the vacancy occurs.

Apply: Online application (pdf).

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By Bobbi Dempsey | MainStreet.com

Chrysler and General Motors recently announced they’re ending their contracts with thousands of dealerships. That’s bad news for car dealers, but it could be a real opportunity for people looking for a good deal on a new car.

Chrysler has told the dealerships it will not be able to buy back their inventory. For those dealerships with too many vehicles, one option is to try and sell their inventory to another dealership not on Chrysler’s closure list. Barring that, the dealerships—many of whom are still reeling from the announcement—are scrambling to sell these vehicles for whatever they can get for them.

The dealerships will be closing, or at least no longer handling Chrysler vehicles, as of June 9, so you have to act fast to get in on the deals. The savings can be significant.

Dealers’ Loss Is Consumers’ Gain
“I’ve cut pricing on all of the new inventory,” says Mark Medinger, president of Savannah Dodge in Savannah, Ga. “All of these vehicles must be sold by June 9, unless an appeal is in process. Right now, dealers that aren’t in appeal are probably the most motivated salesmen you will ever find.” Although Medinger plans to file an appeal, he is still slashing his prices, just in case. “My cars are thousands of dollars under what other [non-closing] Dodge dealers are. And it’s not like I just picked a few to mark down. Every car on the lot has a price cut.”

As for his own future, Medinger, who still seemed shell-shocked from the news, hasn’t had a chance to think about a long-term plan. As the only Dodge dealership in Savannah, he felt pretty secure, especially since his sales have been rising for the past two years. In the short term, he’s hopeful he can keep going for at least a few months while the appeal process is underway.

While not out and out steals, you might be able to save thousands. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Chevrolet’s 2009 Tahoe hybrid is selling in some places for $6,700 off a $51,405 sticker price (Stock Quote: GM).

Buying a new car now can also mean significant tax savings, as reported in MainStreet’s tax column, the Daily Deduction.

Car buyers thinking of snapping up one of these deals won’t need to worry that they’ll be stuck with repair bills after the sale. “The warranty will still be upheld by any other Chrysler dealer that remains open, so that won’t be a problem,” Medinger says.

How to Find the Deals
You can find out which Chrysler dealers are slated to close by checking out the list here. The Huffington Post is compiling an unofficial partial list of GM closings, because the company has not released an official list. Keep in mind, though, that prices can vary widely even from one targeted dealer to another. Also, dealers who plan to appeal, or who are simply still in shock from the sudden news, may not have slashed prices substantially just yet, so keep watching.

A note of caution: Just because a dealership is clearing out its inventory doesn’t mean the prices will be anything special. As we saw earlier this year when Circuit City and other stores closed, liquidation sales rarely live up to the hype. So before you buy a car, make sure you do your research and check out other prices in the area and online.

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When one walks into the dining room at Sterling National Bank’s Fifth Avenue headquarters (Stock Quote: STL), there’s an immediate sense of old world elegance. The Victorian furniture is impressive, a grandfather clock stands in the corner and it feels like you’ve just walked into an old and exclusive hotel in Venice. In both form and function, this is old school banking.

Sterling’s clients, most of which are small businesses and professionals, are invited to brunch regularly. The food is prepared by the in-house kitchen and these meals are an opportunity for the president, John Millman, and chairman, Louis Cappelli, to chat with their clients, hoping to grow the relationships over poached eggs and orange juice.

“Every day the chairman, the president and senior loan officers are here actively meeting with small and midsize companies,” says Millman. “To us a small business is a very important customer.”

In Banking, Is Bigger Always Better?
Big banks like CitiGroup (Stock Quote: C) and Bank of America (Stock Quote: BAC) move hundreds of millions of dollars in business loans every day and cut business clients on a large scale. For some small business owners, doing business with the large institutions has drawbacks.

“Big banks only care about numbers whereas for community banks customers are treated like real people,” said Dan Deighan, CEO of Deighan Financial Advisors, a financial consulting firm in Melbourne, Fla.

Although many smaller community banks like Sterling move a lower volume of capital compared with the big banks, they conduct their business in a more personal manner, emphasizing the long-term customer relationship. Many community banks, which in this economic climate are often more able to lend than big banks, see an opportunity for growth.

“Relatively speaking at least, community banks are doing better as a group than other segments of our financial system,” said Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke in a speech in March. In Sterling’s case, the $2 billion small-cap community bank reported 11.4% growth in earnings in 2008 and 30% growth of net income from 2007. In the first quarter of 2009, Sterling has seen more new customers, although the numbers haven’t come out yet.

Finding Stability in an Unstable Economy

Community banks make up 96% of all banks in the U.S., according to the Independent Community Bankers of America, and most of those are still quite secure and sufficiently capitalized.

“Many have no subprime loans and stayed away from all of the exotic instruments. They are more conservative and traditional lenders,” said Paul Merski, chief economist at the association. Big banks over the years have practiced aggressive banking strategies. As a result they have billions of toxic assets on the books which in turn keep them from lending more freely.

The number of community banks increased 2% over the fourth quarter of 2008. The small business departments of many large banks are cash-strapped, Merski says, so small businesses shift to community banks not only for loans but for a closer borrowing relationship.

A Solid Relationship

“It’s a relationship bank and senior executives are available. I can go all the way to the top,” says Timothy Bryan, chairman of an IT consulting firm named Galaxy Systems and a Sterling client. Bryan is a big fan of his frequent breakfasts and lunches with Sterling executives.

“It feels great to have lunch with the president and chairman in the private dining room. They are trying to understand my business,” says Bryan, whose company has been banking with Sterling for 19 years.

Law firm Abrams, Garfinkel, Margolis & Bergson, LLP, another Sterling client, says the check-writing machine developed by Sterling to print certified bank checks right in the law firm helped increase the efficiency in their business.

“I cannot imagine large banks would do that,” says Neil Garfinkel, a partner at the law firm.

Risk Tolerance
The relationship model of community banks means they have to know their customers’ businesses well and be able to make informed lending decisions. Because of their size, they often can’t afford to make risky or poorly researched loans. On the contrary, says Merski, large banks generally lend according to formulas and broad policy decisions.

“Say one day they are cutting manufacturing loans. They cut it regardless of whether your company is doing differently than others,” he says.

With large amounts of personal capital invested, executives in community banks tend to be more cautious and take less risk when making decisions. Recently, this has led to higher capital levels and healthier balance sheets compared with larger financial institutions.

Taking Advantage of TARP
Small community banks, according to The New York Times, are the first ones to pay back TARP money. Examples include Signature Bank of New York, Old National Bancorp of Indiana, Iberiabank of Louisiana and Bank of Marin Bancorp of Novato, Calif.

As a TARP recipient, Sterling also is considering the possibility of returning the $42 million it received from the government. Millman says the bank together with many other banks didn’t really need the money, but the bank considered it an opportunity to make more loans and grow their business.

“We have seen unique opportunities in ‘08 and ‘09 because more customers that are rejected by distressed big banks turn to Sterling for loans,” Millman says.

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This Sunday is Mother’s Day, so let’s hear it for Mom!  It is easy to show her how much you care, without even cracking open your wallet.

1.    Make a card – the old fashioned way.  Grab some colored paper, scissors and glue and get those creative juices flowing!  Old pictures are always good if drawing isn’t your strong suit.

2.    Make a card – using the computer.  Are you a pro at Photoshop?  Make Mom a funny card.  Put her head on the body of a supermodel, she won’t complain.

3.    Create a photo montage.   Again, if you’re tech savvy, create a slide show of photos of you and Mom.  Be sure to save it in a format she knows how to use, so she can watch it over and over on her own.

4.    Create a photo album.  If you have access to old photos, take a few and create a small photo album of some important moments with you and Mom.  Be sure to write notes telling her how you remember those days

5.    Make Mom a simple dinner.  Your house or hers, just use the stuff you have and make dinner together.  Mom can always whip something up with what’s at hand.

6.    Go on a walk.  Enjoy the spring weather with a stroll with Mom.  If she doesn’t live in a walk-friendly area, take her for a drive to somewhere scenic.  Connect with Mother Nature as you connect with your Mother.

7.    Go window shopping.  Even when the economy is dragging, window shopping is free!  Take a walk through a mall (outdoor if possible) and you may even get some hints about what Mom would like for her birthday.

8.    Go to church.  Mom will love to show you off next to her at church.  Put on your nicest church clothes and get ready to sing the hymns as loud as she does.

9.    Clean the garage.  If Mom has a garage, odds are it could use a tidy.  If she’s not one to part with clutter, don’t force the issue this time.  Just pull out the cars and the garbage cans and give the space a good sweep then hose it down.  She’ll be thrilled every time she gets out of her car.

10.    Clean out the basement/attic.  If there’s no garage, or if mom doesn’t drive, there’s always the basement or attic.  Let Mom know you want to help her clean and organize this extra space.  Plan the time to do it together and you may uncover even more memories.

11.    Help with her garden.  Spring is the time to plant bulbs, clean out winter waste and get ready for the summer growing season.

12.    Clean her fridge.  Beyond the obvious benefit of a free meal for you, help Mom check the dates on old salad dressing, toss unidentifiable leftovers, and help her wash down the shelves.

It’s all about spending time with Mom.  Show her that you have been thinking of her, and it will be present enough.

– By Michele Steinberg, Geezeo.com

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