More bad news for Woolies

JUST when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for Woolworths, more bad news. Woolies has been beaten in another crucial area.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1LImI68

Dodgy industry set for shake-up

IT’S one of the dodgiest industries in the country, ripping off Aussies with poor advice and high commissions. A new plan could change all that.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1CxFSq7

Google exec dies in shock accident

A GOOGLE executive has been killed while attending a popular festival, the second tragedy for the company in recent months.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1fHQ5LM

Gay conversion therapy a ‘fraud’

IT TURNS out, gay conversion therapy doesn’t actually work. A company that claimed it could turn gay men straight has been found guilty of fraud.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1Ken2KT

Nevada economic growth accelerating despite problem areas, analysts say

Economic growth in Nevada is accelerating faster than in the U.S., economic analysts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Center for Business and Economic Research, said Thursday, but housing remains tight and the state trails woefully in advanced industry.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1Gvp0lr

Australia Post to shed up to 1900 jobs

AUSTRALIA Post workers are bracing for up to 1900 jobs to go as losses spiral beyond $1.5 billion in the group’s letters business, it can be revealed.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1BFb1MY

Here’s the Sizzler cheese bread recipe

WHILE everyone mourns the imminent death of Sizzler, we have some good news. The recipe for the famous cheese bread has been revealed.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1Lt0qqT

ABC offices in security lockdown

THE ABC has been forced to tighten security at its offices amid threatening phone calls following Monday’s controversial Q&A episode with former terror suspect Zaky Mallah.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1KeiqV4

‘Greece is taking steps backwards’

CRUCIAL high-level talks on the financial future of Greece collapsed for the third time in as many days with bitter exchanges and accusations of blackmail.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1KeiqUZ

Proposed MMA bill fails again in New York Legislature

Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship’s losing streak in New York state continued Thursday when officials of the mixed martial arts promotion and media outlets learned that the proposed MMA bill failed again in the New York Legislature.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1GvdHcS

Tesla’s first building phase nearly complete, legislators told

The first building phase of Tesla’s massive battery factory being constructed in Northern Nevada is nearly complete, a legislative panel was told Thursday.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1BPVZVi

Tinder looking for Wall Street love

POPULAR dating app Tinder is on the prowl for a rich hook-up as its owner prepares to split off as a stand-alone company.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1BEY5GX

Southwest grants Delta temporary right to keep Dallas flights

Southwest Airlines Co. has agreed to make room for rival Delta Air Lines Inc. in its gates at Dallas Love Field Airport while the carriers await a long-term resolution of their dispute in court, the airlines said Wednesday.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1LydeNG

Marketing Day: Mobile E-Commerce Report, ICANN Proposes Policy Changes & Best Time To Tweet

Here's our recap of what happened in online marketing today, as reported on Marketing Land and other places across the web.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1GuLVNT

Mobile Is Converting: Accounts For More Than 30 Percent Of US Ecommerce Transactions In Q2

Online retailers and travel firms find success with apps. Cross-device measurement is becoming increasingly important.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1GuzEcg

Texas congressman re-introduces bill to legalize online poker

Republican Rep. Joe Barton re-introduced legislation Thursday that would legalize online poker in states that choose to play. It would set up a system rooted in the Department of Commerce and carried out by individual states to license and regulate game sponsors.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1HjEHQG

Uber, Lyft could be on Las Vegas streets by Labor Day

It appears that it will take the state about two months to draft new ride-sharing regulations, stage workshops on the new rules, fine-tune the standards and ultimately adopt them. So, figure the likes of Uber and Lyft could be chauffeuring riders around Las Vegas and Reno by Labor Day.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1eJQgWy

Facebook Touts Big Atlas Mobile Attribution Success For Live Nation’s Madonna Tour

Concert promoter saw a 66% increase in ticket sales tied to mobile devices, an fact that Facebook says would have been impossible to know without Atlas' "people-based" measurement.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1e6auZD

ICANN Proposes Policy Changes To Remove Privacy Protection Around Domain Name Owner Info

Details that currently can be listed as private - like an owner's name and address - could be made public under the new policy.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1NkyRPJ

JETT Gaming’s takeover of Searchlight Nugget approved

Herbst family-owned JETT Gaming will take over the Searchlight Nugget next week after the Nevada Gaming Commission Thursday signed off on the purchase of the historic gaming site in tiny Searchlight.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1eJK5C3

What Is a CPN, or Credit Privacy Number?

Photo: morebyless

A credit privacy number, or CPN, is supposedly a nine-digit identifying number that you can use instead of your Social Security number, or SSN, to protect your privacy on credit documents. Sometimes CPNs are referred to as secondary credit numbers, or SCN numbers. Others may call them credit profile numbers.

Whatever they’re called, officials say CPNs are bad news. First, they don’t actually exist, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Second, if you use any number in place of your Social Security number on a credit application, you are committing a federal crime.

If that’s not enough to stop you in your tracks, keep reading for more details on what CPNs are supposed to do, why they’re actually a scam, and how else you can maintain privacy and protect yourself from identity theft.

What is a CPN supposed to do for me?

There are a couple of reasons that the idea of a CPN might appeal to the average (and not-so-average) Joe:

• Cut risk of identity theft: When an identity thief gets their hands on your SSN, they can do a lot of damage. The less you use your SSN, the less chance someone will be able to find it and use it fraudulently to open accounts in your name, file a fraudulent tax return as you, or steal medical or employment benefits. A CPN would seem like a good solution to this problem.
• Maintain privacy: Our Social Security numbers can link us to a lot of things — where we live, what we buy, even recent medical procedures. Using a CPN, in theory, would allow someone to cover their tracks a bit better. Some sources even claim celebrities and elected officials use CPNs for this reason.

Will a CPN give me a clean slate if I have bad credit?

Some less-than-reputable companies also claim that if you have a very spotty credit history, you can use a CPN to apply for and receive new credit. Unfortunately, you can’t leave behind your old, tarnished credit history and establish a shiny new one by simply using a new number in place of your SSN. You could even be charged with fraud. Here’s why:

• Your SSN isn’t your only identifying information: Your creditors will use your name, address history, and other basics to connect you with old accounts — not simply your SSN. So simply producing a new number doesn’t make all your old debts disappear in a snap.
• Your creditor can simply reject your application: It’s your right to withhold your SSN by simply leaving the box blank when you apply for credit. However, doing so might very likely mean your creditor exercises their right to trash your application without a second thought.
• Using another number when your creditor asks for your SSN is a crime: If you put a so-called CPN on an application where an SSN should be, you’ve technically committed fraud not just once, but twice. That’s because both misrepresenting your SSN and lying on a credit or loan application are federal crimes, according to the FTC.

How do I protect myself from CPN scams?

Maybe you’ve come across a company that promises you the chance to start again by using a CPN number to apply for new credit, untangling yourself from a checkered credit history in the process. As I discussed above, that’s a very unlikely scenario. In fact, you should be very wary of any company that claims to produce CPNs.

Unfortunately, here’s what typically happens: The company has purchased an actual, albeit “dormant,” SSN to pass off as a CPN number. It may have been the SSN of someone who died, or perhaps it belongs to a child. Either way, its owner hasn’t used it recently to apply for credit, so it may not immediately trigger red flags with the creditor.

Here are several signs that a company is trying to scam you with a CPN:

• The company tells you it’s perfectly legal to apply for credit using a CPN in place of your SSN. It’s not — it’s actually fraud. You also risk being charged in an identity theft case if investigators determine the number was a stolen SSN.
• The company instructs you to lie about other information that may connect you to your old credit history. A creditor uses more than your SSN to check your account history.
• The company tells you to use an EIN, or Employee Identification Number, to apply for credit. Businesses use EINs for specific financial reporting purposes, but they are not for personal credit applications.
• The company demands that you pay for a CPN or any services before doing any work for you. It’s common (and illegal) for scammers to demand upfront payment before providing services.
• The company promises that you’ll no longer be associated with your old credit accounts. As I mentioned above, creditors use more than your SSN to identify you and your past accounts.
• The company promises that you’ll be able to obtain new credit with a CPN. No one can guarantee whether a creditor will accept or deny an application on any basis.

Is there any such thing as a legitimate CPN number?

Some sources claim that you can legally obtain a CPN by consulting an attorney. Your attorney supposedly can then file an application for a CPN from the Social Security Administration on your behalf. All you have to do is have a compelling reason and fill out some paperwork.

However, according to Jay Mayfield, senior public affairs specialist with the FTC, CPNs simply aren’t legitimate. But because there’s so much misinformation out there, “the area is ripe for scammers,” he said.

If CPNs are bogus, how else can I protect myself from identity theft?

If the idea of a CPN appeals to you simply because you want to maintain your privacy and reduce your risk of identity theft, you can employ several measures to protect yourself without falling for a CPN scam:

• Shred sensitive documents when they’re no longer needed: One of the easiest ways an identity thief can swipe your personal information is by simply lifting it out of your trash.
• Use public Wi-Fi sparingly: It’s relatively easy for hackers to steal personal data that’s sent or received over a public Wi-Fi connection. If possible, wait until you’re home or on an otherwise trusted connection to do your banking and shopping.
• Choose your passwords wisely: Experts recommend using passwords with several letters, numbers, and characters — not simple words that can be found in the dictionary. You should also refrain from using the same password across the Web.
• Be skeptical of fishy phone calls, emails, texts, or other unsolicited requests for personal information. Remember that scammers can pose as representatives of institutions that you may trust, or even as friends and family.
• Consider an identity-theft protection service: While it’s certainly a good idea to monitor any bank or credit accounts on your own, you can go a step further and get an identity-theft protection service, also called a credit-monitoring service, for increased peace of mind. These services can alert you to a range of things, including when new credit accounts or public records are created with your information. They also provide identity-theft insurance to protect you from expenses you may incur when rectifying the situation.

It is also possible to change your Social Security number with the Social Security Administration, but the requirements to do so are extremely strict, and run-of-the-mill fears over identity theft would not meet the criteria. In fact, many victims of identity theft still won’t be permitted to change their numbers unless they are suffering ongoing harm because of continued misuse of their original number. Even then, “using a new number will not guarantee you a fresh start,” cautions the SSA.

Steer clear of jail by forgoing bogus CPNs

Unfortunately, shedding a bad credit history isn’t as easy as using a new number instead of your Social Security number on credit applications. In fact, no matter what a company may say, using a so-called CPN instead of your SSN on such documents is a crime. For the same reason, it’s also a crime to use any number in place of your SSN purely because of privacy concerns.

It is your right to withhold your SSN on credit applications. Of course, it is also the creditor’s right to reject your application because of this. But when Uncle Sam is involved — think filing your taxes, applying for unemployment, buying a gun, or just registering a vehicle — you’ll be required to use your SSN.

Bottom line? If someone tries to tell you a CPN number (or an SCN number) is a good idea for any reason, don’t just walk away. Run.

The post What Is a CPN, or Credit Privacy Number? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/1e609Ni

Molycorp files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

Molycorp Inc., the only U.S. supplier of rare earths, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday along with its North American subsidiaries to restructure $1.7 billion of debt in its U.S. and Canadian operations. The mine is near the border of Southern Nevada and California and employs Las Vegans who commute to work there.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1JlZCok

Post Office to stop selling premium bonds from 1 August

Laura Whitcombe

premium bond.jpg

The Post Office is to stop selling premium bonds from 1 August after National Savings and Investments (NS&I) pulled the plug on a 46-year face-to-face sales arrangement.

The Post Office is to stop selling premium bonds from 1 August after National Savings and Investments (NS&I) pulled the plug on a 46-year face-to-face sales arrangement.

From August, anyone wanting to buy premium bonds will have to do so directly from NS&I. They can buy online at nsandi.com or by phoning 0500 007 007 at any time of day or night.

Post Office to stop selling premium bonds from 1 August

Feed Copy: 

The Post Office is to stop selling premium bonds from 1 August after National Savings and Investments (NS&I) pulled the plug on a 46-year face-to-face sales arrangement. From August, anyone wanting to buy premium bonds will have to do so directly from NS&I. They can buy online at nsandi.com or by phoning 0500 007 007 at any time of day or night. Alternatively they can apply by post by completing an application form that can be requested by phoning the above number, or downloaded from the website and returning the form to NS&I. Existing bond holders can buy more by making a direct transfer from their bank account as long as they have their 'premium bond holder's number' to hand. Natural step Jane Platt, chief executive at NS&I, said: "The majority of our customers already use direct channels to buy their Premium Bonds, and so moving to 100% direct sales is a natural next step for NS&I." She added: "After such a long-standing relationship we know it's important that we help our customers with the transition. We'll be writing to those who have recently bought Premium Bonds through the Post Office to let them know about the end date on counter sales and to assist them with using our direct channels for purchases from 1 August." NS&I explained that the move was part of its contribution to help reducing the cost to the taxpayer of government borrowing. In a statement, the National Federation of Subpostmasters said: "This is very disappointing news, particularly for our elderly and more vulnerable customers who rely on face-to-face support from subpostmasters with handling these types of transactions." Earlier this month, the maximum amount that can be invested in premium bonds rose from £40,000 to £50,000, meaning the limit has risen by £20,000 in little over a year. Only one year ago was the former upper limit of £30,000 increased to £40,000, at which point a second £1 million prize was also introduced.

Are premium bonds worth having?

Do I have to pay tax on my £10,000 premium bond win?

read more

Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/1fG2srM

10 Brilliant Ways to Live Like You’re Rich, Even on a Small Budget

From our eighth-floor balcony, my wife and I watched the full moon rise over the ocean. Prior to that we walked in the surf, soaked in the hot tub, swam in the pool and had drinks at the hotel bar. In the morning, we had a full breakfast (included with the room) before driving onto the beach in Daytona, Florida (one of the few places you can do that).

The total cost of our luxurious stay at the Hyatt was about $30 for drinks and tips. The room cost only points from a credit card.

A deal like that is great if your income isn’t what it used to be (our case), or if too much of your money still goes to student loan payments. But even if you have a decent amount of disposable income, it makes sense to look for inexpensive ways to live well. The less you spend on this or that little luxury, the more of them you can have, right?

And the good news is that you can feel rich, have great experiences and buy luxury items for a lot less than you might think. You just have to learn how to live large on a small budget. Here are 10 ways to do exactly that.

1. Go to the Symphony for Free

Many symphony orchestras have a free night every year or other free events. For example, the Nashville Symphony has their Free Day of Music each year. The Houston Symphony has 10 free Summer Neighborhood Concerts this year, and in Los Angeles there is the Symphony in the Glen Free Concert program, which has put on 42 free concerts in the last 21 years.

Sometimes these free events are just for residents of the community, while other times they’re open to everyone who shows up. So when you Google “free symphony,” search several times, each time adding the name of any city near you.

2. Buy Quality Used Clothing

If you want to dress nice for that symphony concert, thrift stores are one place to start. You can find decent suits, and dresses tend to go especially cheap. I’ve also bought decent outdoor clothing at thrift stores, including a North Face vest. One financial blogger reports he bought a North Face parka for $5 and sold it for $85 on eBay, so you might fund your quality clothing purchases by selling an item now and then.

And speaking of eBay, it’s a great place to find name-brand pre-owned clothing for a fraction of what it costs new. For example, J Brand jeans that sell for close to $200 new are regularly sold in excellent condition for $25 to $40. For other great places to buy quality used items, see this post on reselling clothing online.

3. Take an Inexpensive Cruise

When we moved to southern Florida, we wanted to get out on the water. We found a coupon for the Naples Princess for $24 each and spent a couple hours cruising inland bays. Later, we found a coupon for the Big M Casino cruise. We had five hours at sea and a gourmet buffet for just $10 each (normally about $28). Yes, we played a few penny slot machines and a game or two of bingo. But the entire day still cost less than $50.

Combining coupons with day cruises is one way to keep it cheap, but longer cruises don’t have to be expensive either. In their Guide to Cruises Under $200, CruiseMates.com lists a Carnival Cruise Line four-night trip to the Bahamas for $179. They say the key to inexpensive cruises is “shorter itineraries and older ships.”

4. Buy Cloth Napkins

Little luxuries at home can make you feel richer. Cloth napkins are a good example of this, and they might even save you some money versus using disposable paper ones. If you really want to dress up the table, learn how to fold napkins into fancy shapes.

5. Stay in Luxury Hotels Cheap or Free

Travel credit cards and hotel cards can make nice places pretty inexpensive. We used the points from our Chase Hyatt Card for the night in Daytona Beach. We’ve also used our points for free nights in Miami, Denver, Coral Springs, Tampa and Lake Tahoe. In addition to the stays using points, we get an “anniversary” night at a category one to four Hyatt each year, which isn’t bad for a $75 annual fee.

You might consider a Marriott Rewards card too (I just signed up). You get a free night as soon as your application is approved, and if you spend $1,000 on the card in the first three months you get 50,000 points, which are good for up to six nights. The annual fee is $85, but it’s waived the first year, so you could get up to seven free nights the first year just from buying your groceries and such, and cancel the card before the 2nd-year fee is due.

6. Buy Quality Used Art

Want better paintings on your walls? Try rummage sales, flea markets and thrift stores. While you’re dressing up your home with high-quality art you might even get lucky, like Zach Bodish, who found a signed Picasso print worth $6,000 at a thrift store for just $14.

7. Buy a Used Luxury Car

They’re all used cars once they’ve been driven home, so why pay extra for “new”? Even luxury cars drop dramatically in price over the years. One car dealer who specializes in them says “they go for less than 1/10th of their initial price 10 years later.”

So if you think you can’t afford a luxury vehicle, think again. For example, according to Cars.com, a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which sold new for as high as $54,000 depending on the style, now sells for a range of $5,653 to $14,761.

8. Buy Other Pre-Owned Luxury Items

You can also find designer purses and other nice items for a fraction of what they cost new. Watch for auctions on eBay for starters, and check resale sites like Tradesy. You can often find quality watches and jewelry at shops that sell coins and collectibles. And, as always, check those thrift stores.

That’s how one shopper got a designer handbag worth $500,000 for just $30. More likely finds are quality items for five or ten dollars that cost 10 or 20 times that new.

9. Find a Cheap Home in an Expensive Town

You don’t always have to be rich to live where the rich live. Consider Naples, Florida, which shows up on more than one list of cities with the most millionaires. Yes, after purchasing a home for $47 million, sellers recently listed it for an asking price of $68 million, and small two-bedroom homes on the street where my wife and I lived can sell for over $300,000. But when we lived in Naples, we bought a condo for $89,000, with the pool just a few steps away.

Keep an open mind and you might find that some types of housing or homes in some areas are far less expensive than the averages suggest. And there are a lot of nice things that come with living in a town full of wealthy people. In Naples, we went to the symphony for free, went to free outdoor concerts, and as residents we didn’t have to pay for parking at the beaches.

10. Eat Cheap at an Expensive Restaurant

Is there an expensive restaurant that you would really like to visit? Maybe it’s got a great view or unique decor, or some other attraction (good food would be nice too).

Try this to make it affordable: After you eat dinner at home, put on your best thrift store luxury outfit, watch and jewelry, and go to that fancy place for dessert. Usually a piece of tiramisu or pie with ice cream won’t break the budget, even at an expensive place. You’ll get to enjoy the service, decor, view, and ambience (most of what you go for) at a fraction of the price others pay.

Your Turn: Have you found ways to live large on a small budget? Share them in the comments!

Steve Gillman is the author of “101 Weird Ways to Make Money” and creator of EveryWayToMakeMoney.com. He’s been a repo-man, walking stick carver, search engine evaluator, house flipper, tram driver, process server, mock juror, and roulette croupier, but of more than 100 ways he has made money, writing is his favorite (so far).

The post 10 Brilliant Ways to Live Like You’re Rich, Even on a Small Budget appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1SNHkOm

Facebook Testing Lead Ads To Simplify Filling Out Forms On Mobile

New ad unit automatically populates forms with contact information that consumers have shared with the social network.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1LrStlX

3 Times It's OK to Let Your Credit Score Take a Hit

If you're strategic about it, watching your score fall may be a sign of good things to come.


Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1LG7rm9

When’s The Best Time To Tweet? For Maximum Clicks, Buffer Says 2 A.M.

Tweets in the wee hours produce higher engagement per tweet, according to a report by the social management platform.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1BDR9Kb

How to Get Rid of Your Unwanted Timeshare

Long after its appeal has vanished, you can still sell (or give away) the timeshare you never use.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1TP39yu

Portfolio Analysis: a $1.31 Million Portfolio That Flunks on Cost and Risk

This portfolio is unsuitably risky for its late-60s owners, who are seeking investment income.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1JlutRT

How to Use Public Speaking Skills at Work

These talents will pay off when giving feedback, pitching ideas, negotiating and more.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1dioOO4

5 Retirement Lessons From Warren Buffett

These simple principles will help you build lasting wealth.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1HgDcEG

Bank makes getting a mortgage easier

A BANK has become the first to loosen the ‘stress testing’ interest rate used to determine whether customers can meet a mortgage.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1dikJcT

Applying SMART Goals to Personal Finance

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with an old friend of mine about personal finance and The Simple Dollar. He was familiar with the site to a small extent, but was still peppering me with a lot of questions about my own financial turnaround and how I built various side gigs (including The Simple Dollar).

Inevitably, the conversation turned to goals. I attribute setting goals and achieving those goals to be the main reason I was able to fix my financial state and find the type of career success and flexibility I have always wanted. Goals made it possible, period.

He listened for a bit as I described some of the goals I’ve set for myself. I set a goal of debt freedom and achieved it. I set readership and writing goals for The Simple Dollar and achieved them. I set some savings goals and achieved those.

After I listed a few and then paused, he said one simple thing.

“You’re describing SMART goals.”

Now, when he said that, I thought that he merely meant that my goals were “smart,” but he quickly went on to elaborate on his point. By SMART goals, he was referring to a common practice for goal setting often used in business environments.

SMART goals are goals that embody five distinct traits – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-limited. The idea originated in 1981 in an article written by George Doran and has been expanded and remixed in countless ways ever since.

In my friend’s workplace, the concept of SMART goals is used to define the projects that his company works on, including all of the sub-projects and small individual tasks that people work on. Most of his work, he says, is simply fulfilling short- and medium-term SMART goals that were developed as a group when figuring out how to handle and divide up larger projects. Usually, a large project has a SMART goal as a center, then it’s broken up into smaller SMART goals, and then those are broken down, and so on and so forth until people have goals that can be achieved in a pretty short timeframe, usually somewhere between a day and a week.

The thing is, that almost perfectly describes how I handle things in my own life. I have big things that I want to achieve, and so I break them down into smaller and smaller pieces until it’s something I can achieve this week. I call it my “life pyramid” and I described it in detail several months ago.

The idea of a SMART goal almost perfectly describes how I was already creating goals in my life. Those goals led me to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, start a small side business that eventually wound up becoming my full time gig, be an active father for three young children, maintain a strong marriage, build a strong social network, and be active in several different community organizations. All at the same time.

Of course, the foundation of all of that was getting my financial house in order. Without fixing our financial trajectory, I would have never been able to achieve those other things. In light of that, let’s focus on how to translate the idea of SMART goals into real personal finance goals that you can achieve for yourself.

Specific

The first element of a great goal is that it is specific. In the words of Wikipedia:

The [first] criterion stresses the need for a specific goal rather than a more general one. This means the goal is clear and unambiguous; without vagaries and platitudes. To make goals specific, they must tell a team exactly what’s expected, why it’s important, who’s involved, where it’s going to happen and which attributes are important.

In other words, a SMART goal addresses the five “w” questions.

What? What exactly is it that you want to accomplish? What is your goal boiled down to five words or less?

For example, you might say that you want to achieve debt freedom, or that you want to save enough money to retire at age 65. Maybe it’s as simple as saving up for a full house down payment.

Whatever it is, it’s your goal with all of the details stripped away, stated in as few words as possible.

Why? You have a goal. Why do you want to do it? What is the reason you want to achieve debt freedom? Why do you want to retire early?

In essence, this is meant to tie together your money and your life. If a big goal isn’t really in line with what you truly want from your life, you’re going to have a hard time finding success with it. You need to find the connection between what you truly want from your life and what this goal is.

Where? Where will you be working on this goal? This is a pretty minor issue – and is an assumption for most goals – but it can sometimes be important. You may want to specify where you’ll exercise or where you’ll study (to avoid distraction).

Who? What other people are involved in your goal? Who do you need to work with to make it happen?

This can be very important for goals where successful execution requires the involvement of others. For example, when I set personal finance goals, my wife, Sarah, is inherently involved in them. It’s just simply part of the goal, whether I directly state it or not. However, thinking about the “who question” reminds me of how big of a stakeholder she really is and how her active participation will make or break that goal.

Which? Does your goal have any additional constraints? What exercise will you be doing? What financial accounts will you be using? Again, sometimes additional constraints are necessary and sometimes they aren’t, but it’s always worthwhile to think about them.

Measurable

A measurable goal is one that has a very clear definition of success. It has a target you can actually measure. From Wikipedia:

The second criterion stresses the need for concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of the goal. The thought behind this is that if a goal is not measurable it is not possible to know whether a team is making progress toward successful completion. Measuring progress is supposed to help a team stay on track, reach its target dates and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs it on to continued effort required to reach the ultimate goal.

Here are some of the questions you should consider when thinking about the measurability of your goal.

How much? Exactly how much money will I need to retire early? Exactly how much debt remaining will I need to have in order to consider myself to have paid off my debts?

Setting an exact number here gives you a measuring stick and a target to shoot for. Comparing that number to where you’re at now gives you an easy way to identify your progress toward that goal. If you have $100,000 in debt and your goal is debt freedom, every $1,000 you pay off is 1% progress toward that goal.

How many? Other goals revolve around “how many” of a certain thing is achieved, which is often just another way of looking at “how much.” How many push ups do you want to be able to do, for example?

The key thing to always ask yourself is this: how will I know when it is accomplished? This finishing line needs to be as clear as possible, and the clearest way to express that is with a number representing your goal that can be easily measured at any time. For example, your debt, your 5K time, your down payment savings, your count of books read this year, your sit-up count, your net worth, your current weight, and so on.

Achievable

An achievable goal is one that you can actually attain. It signifies improvement – and often significant improvement – from your current state, but it’s not one that is beyond the boundaries of reality. From Wikipedia:

The third criterion stresses the importance of goals that are realistic and also attainable. Whilst an attainable goal may stretch a team in order to achieve it, the goal is not extreme. That is, the goals are neither out of reach nor below standard performance, since these may be considered meaningless. When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills and financial capacity to reach them. The theory states that an attainable goal may cause goal-setters to identify previously overlooked opportunities to bring themselves closer to the achievement of their goals.

The key aspect of an achievable goal, in my eyes, is research. This involves spending time to see if this goal is actually something that is possible for you to do with a little bit of breathing room added in.

For instance, a goal of losing 100 pounds in one day is obviously not achievable. No one can do this.

Instead, setting a goal of losing 100 pounds in one year is much more achievable. Many people have done this. It requires simply losing an average of just under two pounds a week for a year.

Often, turning a goal from unachievable to achievable means just tweaking part of it. It might mean lowering the target number or extending the timeframe.

Realistic

What makes a realistic goal different from an achievable goal? It has a lot to do with the people around you. From Wikipedia:

The fourth criterion stresses the importance of choosing goals that matter. A bank manager’s goal to “Make 50 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by 2pm” may be specific, measurable, attainable and time-bound but lacks relevance. Many times you will need support to accomplish a goal: resources, a champion voice, someone to knock down obstacles. Goals that are relevant to your boss, your team, your organization will receive that needed support. Relevant goals (when met) drive the team, department and organization forward. A goal that supports or is in alignment with other goals would be considered a relevant goal.

For example, it might be achievable for me to save $50,000 for a trip this year, but is it realistic in a two person marriage with three children running around? Not so much.

Often, goals can be seen as achievable if you ignore the people around you or assume that they will provide maximum help. Usually, you can’t ignore them and they won’t provide maximum help to you.

The best way to reformat a goal here is to take in consideration the other people in your life who will also be using the resources that your goal will eat up. When you eat up time, you take it away from other things in your life – family, loved ones, friends, hobbies, and so on. Is that a realistic choice? When you use money, you take it away from all other areas of the family budget. Is that a realistic choice?

You can start by making a list of people and things who will have to do something to help you in your goal. Are those people willing to give up their time for you? Their money use? Are those things going to be okay if you cut back on their time or money use? Are you going to be happy trimming back on the time and money use for these things?

Time-limited

Great goals are also time-limited, in that they are completed within a very specific time frame. This provides some pressure to consistently work on a goal. From Wikipedia:

The fifth criterion stresses the importance of grounding goals within a time-frame, giving them a target date. A commitment to a deadline helps a team focus their efforts on completion of the goal on or before the due date. This part of the SMART goal criteria is intended to prevent goals from being overtaken by the day-to-day crises that invariably arise in an organization. A time-bound goal is intended to establish a sense of urgency.

This is where you ask the sixth “w” question: when? When can I actually achieve this whole goal? A year from now? Six months from now? Five years from now? What is my deadline?

Once you’ve set that, you can start using that time limitation to start making realistic plans for the goal.

What can I do today to achieve this goal?
What can I do this week to achieve this goal?
What can I do this weekend to achieve this goal?
What can I do this month to achieve this goal?
What can I do in the next three months to achieve this goal?
What can I do before the end of the year to achieve this goal?
What can I do in the next twelve months to achieve this goal?

I actually find it very useful to address these questions in the reverse order:

What can I do in the next twelve months to achieve this goal?
What can I do before the end of the year to achieve this goal?
What can I do in the next three months to achieve this goal?
What can I do this month to achieve this goal?
What can I do this week to achieve this goal?
What can I do this weekend to achieve this goal?
What can I do today to achieve this goal?

This way, I can start breaking down the big steps into progressively smaller ones. I find this to be key when formulating a plan and making it actionable today.

Those questions tie into the time limited nature of your goal and force you to develop a robust plan for making it happen. I find a lot of good pressure from time limitation, particularly in the form of asking myself what I can do today to achieve the goal.

Example: Paying Off Your Debt

The simple goal of “paying off your debts” is a great one, but it’s not a SMART one. How can you turn it into a SMART goal?

Specific: “My wife and I will pay off all of our debts.”
Measurable: “My wife and I will pay all of our debts down to $0 from the current balance.”
Attainable: This is an attainable goal. Many other people have done the same thing.
Realistic: Is it possible to make forward progress on this goal given our current state of income? Is it something your spouse is truly on board with? If yes, then the goal is realistic.
Time-limited: Use a debt calculator like this one to come up with this number. “My wife and I will pay our debts down to $0 by June 2019.”

Your goal of “paying off your debts” just became a specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-limited goal. You can measure your progress along the way and know that you put in the work in advance to ensure that this goal can actually work if you put in realistic amounts of effort.

Example: Contributing to Retirement

The simple goal of “saving for retirement” is also a great one, but it’s not a SMART one. Let’s work on that one, too.

Specific: “I plan on contributing to my 401(k) at work so that I can get matching funds from my employer.” You’re identifying “where” and “why” quite clearly here.
Measurable: “I plan on contributing 10% of my income to my 401(k) at work so that I can get all of the matching funds from my employer.”
Attainable: As before, this is quite attainable. Many people have contributed that much and more.
Realistic: Is it possible to contribute 10% of your income to a 401(k) given your current financial state? This likely means a 7% (or so) smaller paycheck. Can your household finances survive? Can you make simple changes to make it work?
Time-limited: “This week, I plan to set up a 401(k) at work with 10% contributions from me so I can get all matching funds.” You have a clear time limitation on that goal.

Your goal of contributing to retirement just became specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-limited. Time to visit that human resources officer!

Final Thoughts

Above all else, the purpose of SMART goals is to make you think about your goals before you sign off on them. If you dive right into a goal without some forethought, some planning, and some organization, you’re basically dooming yourself to fail right off the bat. Very few goals are perfect as soon as you think of them. They need and deserve some degree of refinement, and the idea of SMART is to give you some basic steps to refine those goals.

Although I’ve never really organized the goals in my life in such a specific fashion, I have found that SMART goals have actually popped up over and over again in my life. I’ve used SMART goals – without really understanding the SMART idea – for almost every major achievement I’ve ever accomplished in my years on this earth. Seeing that standard for goal setting put together in a single framework that’s pretty easy to follow – and to share with others – is a great thing.

If you’re struggling with a big goal in your own life, try applying the SMART framework to it and see what happens. You might just find that the big scary goal isn’t quite as big and scary as you once thought it was. You might also find that the goal you’ve attempted and failed at in the past suddenly becomes much more realistic and achievable.

Good luck!

The post Applying SMART Goals to Personal Finance appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/1JllHDu

Quick Tips To Grow And Maintain A Healthy Email List

How do you get your email marketing list off the ground and then keep it growing by leaps and bounds? Columnist Eric Dezendorf offers some tips.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1eJ3QcX

32 Free Apps That Help You Make Money With Your Phone

Chances are you’re one of the two-thirds of Americans who has a smartphone. And those don’t come cheap. So why not put a dent in your phone bill and use the thing to earn some money?

We searched high and low to put together this list of free apps that will help you make money. You can earn rewards that are redeemable for cash and gift cards by doing some pretty simple, mindless tasks on your phone: playing games, browsing the web, taking surveys, watching videos, taking photos and more.

While these apps will definitely make you a buck or two, don’t expect to make enough to quit your job.  Still, those pennies and dollars definitely add up. Using these apps could be a great way to sock away some extra cash for a big purchases like a Need a Vacation? 10 Creative Ways to Save for Your Next Big Trip or holiday shopping.

Get Paid to Kill Time

Got a few minutes while you’re standing in line or waiting at the doctor’s office? Instead of spending your downtime on Facebook or scrolling through Instagram, why not download one of these apps to make a few bucks? These apps pay you to take surveys, play games or test out new tools.

1. Cashpirate

Android users can download Cashpirate to earn money playing games, watching videos, downloading apps and taking surveys. You’ll get “coins” for these activities, which you can then cash out through PayPal or for gift cards. New activities are added throughout the day, so it’s worth checking whenever you have free time. For a more detailed explanation, check out this reddit thread.

2. ESPN Streak for the Cash

Sports-obsessed? This one’s for you. With the ESPN Streak for the Cash app, you make predictions for upcoming games in 10 different sports. If you keep a long streak of correct predictions going, you get cash rewards.

3. Google Opinion Rewards

Google Opinion Rewards lets Android users earn free apps, music, movies, games and books through the Google Play store. Get credits in exchange for taking short, anonymous surveys on your phone. Credits vary depending on the length of the survey.

4. GrabPoints

With the GrabPoints app, all you have to do is watch videos or GrabPoints TV on your phone to accumulate points. Other ways to accumulate points: Take surveys, download and test apps, play games and refer your friends to join. Redeem your points for gift cards to Amazon, Target, iTunes, Gap and more. For now, GrabPoints is only available for Android. An iOS app is coming soon.

5. InboxDollars

Like playing games on your phone? Why not get paid to do it? Sign up for InboxDollars and you can immediately cash in on their $5 new member bonus. Then you’ll get paid to play games like Solitaire, Bejeweled and Wheel of Fortune. You can also earn money by taking surveys. Once you’ve racked up $30, you can request a payout via check, which you can expect in a couple of weeks.

6. i-Say Mobile

Take surveys on your phone with through i-Say, and get points you can redeem for PayPal cash or gift cards to Amazon, iTunes and other stores. You’ll earn about $1-2 by taking 10-15 minute surveys. i-Say also has a loyalty structure, meaning once you get going and take more surveys, you get bonus loyalty points.

7. Perk Pop Quiz

Trivia fiends will love this one. Download the Perk Pop Quiz app and pick from one of the many trivia categories — The 90’s & the 2000’s, Music & Movie Quotes and Famous Slogans are just a few. The more correct answers you rack up, the more points you get. You can redeem those points for gift cards to Amazon, Starbucks, Nike, GameStop, Target and other stores.

8. User Testing

Before new apps launch, companies pay users to test them out. Sign up at usertesting.com to apply to become one of their testers and take a sample test. Once approved, test apps on your phone and get paid for what you think. For every 20-minute session you complete, you get $10 via PayPal within seven days. For this one, you’ll need to try the apps, and then submit a voice recording with your feedback.

Save and Make Money on Groceries

If you’re a true Penny Hoarder, you likely cook at home more than you eat out, which means a big part of your budget goes towards buying groceries. Take advantage of these apps, many of which offer 5 Ridiculous (but effective) Ways to Save On Your Groceries on groceries you already buy.

9. Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is a rebate app for your phone. Each Thursday, they update their list of offers and rebates. Select the ones you want, buy those items at the store and snap photos of the items and your receipt. Once your account reaches $20, they’ll send you a check.

10. Ibotta

Ibotta is a rebates-made-easy app. Instead of mailing in your receipt and UPC and waiting for a rebate check, scan UPCs of groceries you’ve purchased, snap a photo of your receipt and collect rebate cash through PayPal. Use Ibotta to get rebates on stuff you already buy at the grocery store like eggs, milk and bread. The catch: You have to buy certain brands and can only shop at certain stores.

11. Nielsen Homescan

Sign up to become a Nielsen Consumer Panelist, then use your phone to scan what you buy at the grocery store. You’ll accumulate points with each scan. The longer you stick with it, the more points-earning potential you have. You can cash in those points for gift cards or items from the NCP catalog (items include electronics, jewelry, household items and toys.)

Bonus: Even if you don’t actively scan your groceries after every shopping trip, Nielsen Mobile Panelists get paid $50 a year just for keeping the app on their phones.

12. Receipt Hog

Similar to Ibotta, Receipt Hog gives you cash payouts for shopping. But unlike Ibotta, you don’t have to buy certain items or shop anywhere in particular. All you have to do is snap photos of any and all receipts. You can also take paid surveys on the app. Receipt Hog rewards you with Amazon Gift cards or cash via PayPal.

13. SavingStar

SavingStar is another app that offers cash back on your groceries. Before you shop, check the app to see what offers are available at your grocery store or drugstore. Scan your receipt to redeem the offers, then get cash deposited into your bank account or PayPal account. Bonus: SavingStar’s Healthy Offer of the Week gives you 20% off on that week’s designated produce item. Past Healthy Offers have included bananas, apples and tomatoes.

14. Walmart Savings Catcher

This one only works if you shop at Walmart. But if you do, definitely take advantage of Walmart Savings Catcher.

Scan your Walmart receipts, and the app will compare sale prices of items you bought at other stores in your area. If it finds a lower price elsewhere, you get the difference as a Walmart eGift Card. You can print out the gift card or save it on your phone to use during your next Walmart trip.

Do Odd Jobs

You can make a bit more cash with apps that require you to do a little work. These apps are middlemen between you and big consumer brands that want to check in on their products in various stores and ensure consistency. It’s kind of like doing market research — and you’re the collector of the data. Keep in mind that these apps need to track your location to find jobs, which can drain your battery.

15. Field Agent

Becoming a Field Agent is kind of like mystery shopping — except you don’t have to buy anything. Download the Field Agent app and look for assignments in your area. You may be asked to take photos of displays in stores, scan barcodes and record prices. You’ll be paid $2-8 for these short jobs, and can collect your cash via PayPal.

16. Gigwalk

Similar to Field Agent, use Gigwalk to find small, paying gigs in your area. Large companies want to keep tabs on in-store displays, see if products are available and check to see if prices are correctly displayed, and Gigwalk helps connect them with locals. So you’ll visit stores, snap photos and respond to questions.

Gigs can take anywhere from five minutes to a few hours to complete, and pay anywhere from $3 to $100 via PayPal. To get offered those higher-paying gigs, you need to prove yourself as a reliable and active Gigwalker.

17. iPoll

Next time you’re out shopping, pull up iPoll to see if you’ve got any opportunities to snap photos, take surveys or offer your opinion to earn cash. iPoll gives you “missions” to complete at grocery stores, retail stores and other shopping locations. You can redeem your rewards for gift cards, airline miles and magazine subscriptions, to name a few. Bonus: Right now they’re offering a $5 sign-up bonus.

18. Rewardable

Download the Rewardable app and look for tasks nearby. You might be asked to snap photos of signs of a display in store, report on how well shelves are stocked and record the prices. The tasks take a few minutes and are worth $4-7. There are also smaller tasks that help you earn “acorns”; these jobs are easier to complete, but are worth less. Rewardable pays out your earnings via PayPal.

Sell Photos, Books and Clothes

Instead of physically taking your items somewhere to sell them, stay at home and sell from from the comfort of your couch.

19. Bookscouter

Want to clear out your bookshelves? Bookscouter will let you know which buyback company will give you the most bucks for your books. Scan each book’s barcode, compare vendors to see which one will offer you the most cash, then fill out your info to get a prepaid shipping label.

20. eBay

You already know you can make money by selling everything from coupons to used books to other people’s clothes on eBay. But did you know the site has an app you can use to snap a photo, write a description and upload a listing? It’s an easy way to become an eBay seller in just a few minutes. Just keep in mind that the site keeps a percentage of your sales.

21. Foap

Turn your smartphone photos into cash with Foap. It’s a stock photography website, so you need to have an eye for taking quality photos. Once you download the app and sign up for an account, you can add your photos to the marketplace. When someone buys your photo, you make $5. So if 20 people buy the same photo, you make $100.

22. Popular Pays

If you’re Instagram “famous,” meaning you have thousands of followers, get the Popular Pays app. Brands will pay you to take photos of their products and broadcast them to your followers through your Instagram feed.

Prices vary depending on the brand and how many followers you have. You can also get stuff like free coffee if you have at least 500 followers.

Get Paid to Shop

While you’re already out shopping, keep these apps handy to make a few extra bucks.

23. Mobee

Mobee is a mystery shopping app that asks you to rate the customer service, cleanliness and other criteria at stores in your area. Once you complete a “mission” by answering  five to 10 questions, you get points you can redeem for gift cards, prizes or cash.

We tried a Mobee mission at Subway that paid $8. Though the payouts aren’t as high as other mystery shopping companies, we can’t complain about a free sandwich!

24. shopkick

Shopkick pays you simply to enter certain stores such as Macy’s, Target, Best Buy and JCPenney. You get “kicks” to walk in the store, scan barcodes and make purchases. You can redeem your kicks for gift cards to Target, Starbucks, Sephora and other stores.

Passive Income: Make Your Phone a Billboard

These apps all fall into the passive earning category, meaning you don’t have to do anything special to rake in the rewards. It’s an easy way to make a few extra bucks without much work.

To earn from most of these apps, you simply agree to be served ads on your phone’s locked screen. So if you don’t mind seeing ads every single time you pick up your phone, this is a great way to make some passive cash. These apps are all Android only.

25. AdMe

With AdMe, you keep your Android lockscreen as-is, then get served ads once you unlock your phone. You’ll get $1 upon sign-up, then will slowly rack up more cash as you normally use your phone.

It’s hard to say how much you’ll make. AdMe knows people try to game the system by constantly unlocking their phones, so they’ve got a secret algorithm that factors this in and minimizes fraud. They simply tell you to use your phone as you normally would, and they’ll reward you. Once you hit a $10 balance, you can get your cash through PayPal.

26. Bing Rewards

Want to get paid to search? Sign up for Bing Rewards and go to your dashboard on your phone. Use Bing as your search engine and make an extra $5-10 per month. You get paid in gift cards for stores that include Amazon, Target, Sephora and Starbucks.

27. Fronto

Fronto serves you news, deals and promos to your Android lock screen. Each time you slide left to interact with the content, you earn more points (but you’ll earn points even if you don’t.) You’ll earn anywhere from a penny to $2 per offer. Redeem your rewards for cash through PayPal, Amazon or Starbucks gift cards, or coupons.

28. ScreenPay

ScreenPay sends offers or promotions to your Android lock screen. You can boost your earning potential by referring friends to join and by sharing more info about your interests and demographics. When you join, you’ll get credited $1, then $3 every month afterwards. Once you hit $5, you can cash out through PayPal.

29. SlideJoy

With SlideJoy, you’ll see an ad, news story or promotion every time you look at your Android phone. You’ll get around $6 per month, depending on how many advertisers they have that month. Payouts are through PayPal.

Get Paid to Share Data

Companies want to learn how consumers use their phones, and they’re willing to pay you if you allow them to peek in. These apps run in the background, anonymously transmitting your data to companies. And allegedly, they don’t slow down your phone or drain your battery.

Information these apps collect includes the times of day you browse the web most, how long you stay on websites, which websites are popular and which ones aren’t.

30. Google Screenwise Panel

Join the Screenwise Panel and download the app to earn an instant $6, then earn $3 for each week afterwards. If you use it during your birthday month, you get $5 more. Cash out these rewards for gift cards at Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, Starbucks, CVS, Walmart and other stores.

31. Media Research Panel

Sign up for the Media Research Panel and agree to let the company collect data about your cell phone usage. You’ll be paid $5 per month, per device. Simple as that! Plus they’ll send you a $5 bonus after the 12th week.

32. Smart Panel

First, you need to take a three-minute survey to see if you get approved. Then you can download the Smart Panel app, keep it on your phone for two weeks and get $15. For every additional month you keep the app on your phone, you get $5. You redeem your rewards as an Amazon gift card or through PayPal.

Your Turn: Which money-making smartphone apps make you the most? Which ones are not worth downloading?

Disclosure: We have a serious Taco Bell addiction around here. The affiliate links in this post help us order off the dollar menu. Thanks for your support!

Betsy Mikel is a Chicago-based freelance copywriter. She loves biking all over every city she visits to find its best taqueria.

The post 32 Free Apps That Help You Make Money With Your Phone appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1GK9t3r

Is Google’s Mobilegeddon Scaring Website Owners Into Bad Design Decisions?

Columnist Brian Massey believes Google may be doing businesses a disservice by recommending a responsive Web design to improve the mobile experience.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1IfKyr1

Delicious and Affordable Summer Recipes

Whether you're grilling or having dessert, you can find cheap treats for the warm weather.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1BOIm8R

Win a four-day escorted tour of Bruges for two

brugescomp.jpg

Bruges is the getaway destination this month for one lucky Moneywise reader, courtesy of Riviera Travel.

In partnership with Moneywise, Riviera Travel – the UK’s largest overseas escorted tour operator - offers exclusive luxury holidays and weekend breaks to readers.

The prize is based on a three-night bed and breakfast stay in Bruges at a Riviera Travel’s designated three- or four-star hotel. Dates for the holiday to be determined and will be subject to availability. The prize is non-refundable. Once booking is confirmed, normal booking conditions will apply.Transfers to and from Lille station are included.The winner must be 18 or over.

Win a four-day escorted tour of Bruges for two

read more

Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/1GK3ziY

How to Tackle Your Student Loans Before the Grace Period Ends

Use the six months to create an easy repayment plan.

Source U.S. News - Money http://ift.tt/1CvyNWS

Publishers Have Begun Prepping For Facebook’s Instant Articles Launch

Newsrooms have begun readying content for the coming Instant Article ramp up. With some publishers planning on launching 30 to 40 articles each day, the 'instant' gold rush is near.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

Source Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips http://ift.tt/1RyK284

How to Become a Successful Party Plan Consultant

By Angie Nelson You’ve just signed up as a party plan independent consultant and you’re excited and eager to get going on what you hope will be a lucrative career in direct selling. You’re impressed by the business plan and believe in the income potential that could be yours in exchange for hard work and […]

Source The Work at Home Woman http://ift.tt/1eIKN2f

Debt management firms still failing the vulnerable

Laura Whitcombe

debtstamp.jpg

Vulnerable customers continue to be sold unsuitable debt management plans (DMPs) that impede their ability to repay what they owe, the City watchdog has reported.

Vulnerable customers continue to be sold unsuitable debt management plans (DMPs) that impede their ability to repay what they owe, the City watchdog has reported.

Debt management firms still failing the vulnerable

Feed Copy: 

Vulnerable customers continue to be sold unsuitable debt management plans (DMPs) that impede their ability to repay what they owe, the City watchdog has reported. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the industry - which it deems to be "one of the UK's highest risk consumer credit sectors" – has made an effort to improve but the quality of the advice provided by some fee-charging debt management firms is "unacceptably low". The year-long review, which finished in May, revealed companies are failing to adequately assess customers' financial circumstances before recommending a course of action and not making clear the type of service they provide or that free advice is available. It also found instances of advisers giving inaccurate information when signing people up to DMPs. It gave the example of one fee-charging company misleadingly telling a customer that the free part of the debt management sector was "owned by the banks" and that the customer should only use the free services if "they were prepared to do all the work themselves". Other companies failed to give debtors alternative options to DMPs. In one case, a customer on a low income who told an adviser she had ruled out bankruptcy because she thought she would lose her car was not informed her assumption may have been incorrect. Instead, the adviser recommended a debt management plan that would take 125 years to pay off. The watchdog said companies that are free for customers were "generally of a higher standard" than those that charge fees "but there is still room for improvement". Last resort Linda Woodall, acting director of retail supervision at the FCA, said: "People who turn to debt management firms do so as a last resort. When they find themselves in this position it is vital that they are able to access suitable advice that allows them to make informed decisions about their future. "Debt Management firms play a critical role in the consumer credit market, but far too many are not meeting the standards we expect and we will be looking for significant improvement. " The FCA has required companies falling below expectations to review past cases and compensate customers who may have been harmed by their practices. Most debt management companies are currently being assessed for FCA authorisation, a process in which the level of any fees charged will be assessed. The watchdog said: "If firms wish to continue providing debt management services, they will have to demonstrate that they meet the consumer credit rules, including treating customers fairly." Lesley Robinson, UK debt advice director at the Money Advice Service, said: "This review's findings are clearly disturbing and present a challenge to the debt management sector. However, we would urge those who are experiencing problem debt not to be put off from seeking debt advice as soon as possible. We know that nine in 10 people who seek debt advice go on to take action to reduce their debts, changing their lives for the better. "And everyone should know that free debt advice is available, throughout the UK – no-one should pay for receiving debt advice or indeed debt management."

Video Embed: 

How to get out of debt

read more

Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/1fEhqOJ

Shop at Whole Foods? Go This Day Every Week to Save the Most Money

Throw the old “Whole Paycheck” nickname to the curb. It’s about time to feel like a shopper in control at your local Whole Foods.

It’s true that organic and natural food items can come with higher price tags. But just because you want to eat healthy (or just really love those oven-fresh cookies in the bakery section) doesn’t mean you can’t shop smart at this grocery giant.

Stop digging in your couch cushions for spare change. Business Insider’s Mallory Schlossberg recently shared 22 ways to save money at Whole Foods. And the best tip on the list is just a matter of scheduling.

Wednesday = Whole Foods Day

On Wednesday, you can take advantage of double the number of sales as you can on other days of the week.

“New weekly sales start on Wednesday and run through the following Wednesday, so there are actually double sales every Wednesday,” Molly Siegler, culinary content coordinator at Whole Foods, told Business Insider.

It’s time to plan ahead for two weeks of sales in a single day. It might be a grocery shopper’s dream.

If you can get to Whole Foods on Wednesday, Siegler suggests making your meal plan and shopping list based around the weekly deals, rather than wandering aimlessly and picking up low prices on a whim. To get the scoop on sales, check Whole Foods’ sales flyers, printable coupons and The Whole Deal shopping guide.

But you might want to check the sales flyers on Tuesday night, too — on Wednesday, you’ll only be able to see the coming week’s sale items, even though the weekly sales overlap.

Fresh vs. Frozen

Here’s a bonus from the Business Insider list: Go ahead and buy frozen food at Whole Foods. You might feel compelled to buy fresh items because of the wholesome, healthy environment the store tries to create.

But if that fish isn’t local, the fillets you’re eyeing at the seafood counter have probably already been frozen for transport. Buying a frozen package of the same variety of fish could offer serious savings.

If it’s out-of-season fruit you’re craving, steer clear of the produce section. Head to the frozen aisle for lower prices on fruits and vegetables.You’ll get the same nutrients along with your savings.

Want to know how else you can save when you shop at Whole Foods? Read the post on Business Insider.

Your Turn: How do you save money when you shop at Whole Foods?

Lisa Rowan is a writer, editor, and podcaster living in Washington, DC.

The post Shop at Whole Foods? Go This Day Every Week to Save the Most Money appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1LwyWSc