Las Vegas dodges top 5 distress rankings — but likely only temporary

From repossessions to investor purchases, the Las Vegas Valley managed to stay off of every top five list marking housing distress in May, according to California research firm RealtyTrac.

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Is this the end of the office Christmas party?

A SACKED employee who drunkenly hit on colleagues and told his boss to “f**k off” at a work Christmas party could get his job back. Could this put a booze-ban on your next office shindig?

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America’s new favourite fast food

A MAJOR new survey has revealed America’s new favourite fast-food chain — and it’s not McDonald’s. Just don’t mention same-sex marriage.

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Vegas council delays decision on Dotty’s gaming license

Las Vegas City Council members on Wednesday put off approval of a gaming license sought by popular tavern chain operators at Dotty’s, delaying action on a controversial license at least one council member had hoped to deny.

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Feds investigate airlines over possible price collusion

The Justice Department has sent subpoenas to several major airlines as part of an investigation into “possible unlawful coordination” to limit capacity increases, and thereby keeping ticket prices high, a department spokeswoman said Wednesday.

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The other side of Australia’s iron lady

SHE’S Australia’s richest woman - and one of its most private. Now a new documentary is set to show a different side to Gina Rinehart - and it features a most surprising Aussie singing her praises.

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Juhl building adds cocktail lounge; food tenants delayed

Residents in the Juhl building in downtown Las Vegas are only an elevator ride away from a new cocktail lounge that has just opened on the ground floor.

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Twitter Brings Ad Campaign Management To iOS & Android Apps

New experimental feature enables adjusting of campaigns from mobile devices.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Woes linger for state health insurance exchange enrollees

The woes haven’t ended for enrollees who had first-year sign-up troubles through the state’s health insurance exchange. Officials with Nevada Health Link said Wednesday that some consumers sent the wrong paperwork to qualify for an exemption from a federal tax for being uncovered in 2014.

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Tourism officials expecting big crowds, more travel for Fourth of July

With Fourth of July falling on a Saturday this year, some valley officials are expecting travel to the Las Vegas Valley to compete with Labor Day for the biggest weekend of the summer, and with Mayweather-Pacquiao weekend in May, Memorial Day and New Year’s for one of the biggest events of the entire year.

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Trump Hotels may be victim of credit card breach

Real estate developer Donald Trump’s string of luxury hotel properties, The Trump Hotel Collection, could be the latest victim of credit card breach, KrebsonSecurity reported, citing data shared by several U.S.-based banks.

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Marketing Day: Facebook’s Suggested Videos, Mobile Wallets & Twtrland Rebrands As Klear

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.

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Cresco man arrested after high-speed chase, flees on foot in Kalahari Water Resort

Michael Gielec traveled at a high speed throughout various roadways in Stroud, Pocono, and Tunkhannock townships, plus the borough of Mount Pocono, state police said.

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Nevadans to see slight drop in electricity bills

Temperatures may be soaring, but Nevadans should see a dip in their energy bills under an NV Energy rate decrease that took effect Wednesday. In Southern Nevada, the average monthly bill of $154.54 will drop about $4.84.

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4 Strip pedestrian bridges to be upgraded

The oldest of the pedestrian bridges that crisscross the Las Vegas Strip will be overhauled in a $26 million upgrade that will be paid for by the people who use them most — Las Vegas tourists.

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Move Over YouTube: Facebook Will Offer Video Creators A Share Of Ad Revenue

Video publishers will get 55% share revenue for ads that appear near their content in a new algorithmically created Suggested Video feed.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Mobile App Push Notifications Drive 90-Day Retention Rates By As Much As 180%

Kahuna mobile marketing report shows app retention rates at 30, 60 and 90 days more than doubled with the help of push notifications.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Earn $20,000 in a Day in This State Park By Hunting for Diamonds and Gems

Last time you went to a state park, what did you come home with? A sunburn, a handful of mosquito bites and some great memories?

Susie Clark came home from her trip to a state park with something a little more unusual (and lucrative): a 3.69-carat diamond, which she dubbed “the Hallelujah Diamond” since it was an answer to her prayers. And on June 24, Bobbie Oskarson found an 8.52-carat jewel she’s calling the “Esperanza Diamond” after her niece.

These women didn’t stumble upon the gems in any old park, though. They visited the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas — a well-known place to find jewels.

Find Gems at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Gem hunting is the primary activity for visitors at Crater of Diamonds, and people have found more than 75,000 diamonds since the first one was discovered in 1906. Ancient volcanic eruptions created all gems in the area. It’s not just diamonds; you can bring home more than 40 other types of rocks and minerals, including jasper, amethyst, peridot and garnet, since the park has a “finders keepers” rule.

Your chances of finding a gem with some diligent searching are pretty good. When Clark found her Hallelujah Diamond on April 23, 2015, it was the 122nd stone found at the park this year. Oskarson’s is the 227th. According to the park’s list of recent diamond finds, people find sizable diamonds almost daily.

No official dollar figure was released on Clark’s or Oskarson’s finds, but another woman sold a 3.85-carat diamond she found at the same park for $20,000. The largest diamond found since the site became a state park was a 16.37-carat white diamond found in 1975.

How Can I Find Diamonds?

To search for diamonds as well as other semi-precious stones in the park, you first need to plan your trip. The park is located about 120 miles from Little Rock, Arkansas. It is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, though hours vary according to season. You can even bring your dog as long as you keep it on a leash.

The park contains a 37.5-acre plowed field, which the website says is “the only diamond-producing site in the world open to the public.” Workers plow the field from time to time to bring more diamonds up to the surface. They don’t announce the plowing schedule, but it typically happens once a month or so, except in the winter.

Here’s how to make the most of your trip.

Save on Admission

It costs only $8 for an adult all-day diamond-hunting pass, while kids aged six to 12 can search for $5, and kids five and under are free. If you buy a ticket after 6 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can search until the park closes at 8 p.m. and get in for free the next day as well.

Organized groups of 15 or more people can receive half-price tickets if they notify the park in advance. However, family and friend groups don’t count for these half-price tickets, which are meant for school groups and Scouting trips.

Have the Right Tools

While you don’t necessarily need tools to find diamonds, many people like to use them to increase their chances of finding the gems. You’re welcome to bring your own tools from home, though the park also has a variety of tools available for rent or purchase. Popular tools include full-sized shovels, flowerbed trowels and sifting screens.

You can rent a small wooden box screen or a plastic bucket for $3 a day. Save your knees with knee pads, available for rent at $4 a day. A “basic diamond-hunting kit” including a folding shovel, screen set and a bucket is available for a $10 rental fee. Save yourself these fees by bringing your own small bucket, shovel and piece of window screen from home.

Dress for Success

You won’t want to wear your finest duds out into the diamond field where you’re pushing dirt around all day. If it’s rained recently, be sure to wear old shoes or boots since the field can become very muddy. If the sun’s out, be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen, since you’ll be out in the open.

Know What to Look For

The park’s website has a guide to what diamonds look like in the rough, which notes that the diamonds found at the site are usually smooth and well-rounded, about the size of a match head to a green pea, and have an oily film as well as a metallic luster — they won’t be clear, like the ons you see in jewelry stores.

Diamonds come in white, brown and yellow, and employees are happy to identify, weigh and certify your finds at the Diamond Discovery Center free of charge.

Learn Search Methods

Expert searchers recommend three main techniques for searching. The first is surface searching, which is simply walking around and looking for diamonds on top of the dirt. After a hard rain is the best time to use this technique since the downpour often washes soil away, leaving gems exposed.

Other searchers use screens to sift the top six to 12 inches of soil. A hand tool is helpful here as well.

The last method is to dig deep holes, remove the soil and wash it through a series of screens. This is a method typically used by experienced diamond hunters.

And, after your diamond searching is complete, you can enjoy the typical amenities of a park, including interpretive programs, history walks, hiking trails and fishing. What’s not to love about spending your weekend there?

Your Turn: Have you visited Crater of Diamonds State Park? If not, would you plan a trip there?

Kristen Pope is a freelance writer and editor in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The post Earn $20,000 in a Day in This State Park By Hunting for Diamonds and Gems appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Eight Frugal Ways to Unwind

In the crazy, fast-paced world we live in, it’s important to find ways to relax and unwind. Unfortunately, some of the most enjoyable ways to reach peak relaxation aren’t all that cheap.

For example, when I think of pure relaxation, I envision myself enjoying a hot stone massage somewhere on the beach. Meanwhile, others relax the most during pricey spa treatments, expensive yoga sessions, or boozy drink fests with friends.

Nothing is wrong with any of those methods, but the costs can add up quick. And if you want to save money for a new home, build an emergency fund, or pay down debt, it might be wise to cut out any “extras” until you reach your goals.

Eight Frugal Ways to Unwind

Still, having financial goals doesn’t make you any less human, and you still need to find ways to relax and improve your mood. Here are a few ideas that can help you de-stress without breaking the bank:

Read a good book.

If you have access to a library or have a small collection of books at home, you can relax with a good book without spending a dime. If not, you could easily pick up a book or two at a secondhand store, yard sale, or estate sale – or you can even trade books with friends. Sites like PaperBackSwap.com also let you trade books with strangers for a small fee. PaperBackSwap alone offers more than 4 million titles!

• Related: 28 Great Books You Can Read for Free

Work out with a good meditation or yoga DVD.

Although it’s hard to recreate a yoga class at home, you could accomplish something similar with a good yoga DVD and the right environment. Pop in your DVD, turn down the lights, and fire up your favorite candles before you get started. There are also a slew of meditation videos offering relaxing music and how-to guides for free on sites like YouTube.com.

Work in your yard or garden.

Not everyone finds gardening or yardwork relaxing, but many people do. It’s simple, satisfying work that yields tangible results — a crop of tomatoes, or a noticeably nicer lawn. For some, gardening provides an enjoyable way to work off energy and clear the mind while accomplishing an important household task.

If you truly enjoy gardening, planting vegetables, and mowing the grass, you’ll also save a bundle by taking care of these chores yourself and growing fresh produce for next to nothing. Me? I like pulling weeds.

Take a steaming hot bath.

A hot bath won’t always replace the “spa experience,” but it’s certainly more affordable. And if you can get a few quiet minutes alone, you might find it more relaxing than you think. Turn on some quiet music, add some bubbles, and don’t be afraid to lock the door to keep the kids out.

Exercise your stress away.

When you’re frazzled and busy with life or kids, a walk alone around the block can sound like heaven. And if you can step it up a notch to a bike ride or slow jog, you could even get a really good workout and unwind at the same time. Plus, exercise can lift your mood and ease anxiety — isn’t that the whole point of unwinding?

A good workout video can also work wonders for your mental health (without the added stress of a costly gym membership). If you don’t have one, you can usually pick them up at garage sales or online resale sites. Wal-Mart also offers some cheap workout titles for less than $10 each.

Exercise your mind with crossword puzzles.

One of the most important parts of unwinding — and sometimes one of the biggest obstacles to doing so — is getting your mind to stop churning through work tasks, deadlines, to-do lists, and other stressors you might dwell upon. If you want to relax while also stimulating your brain and diverting its attention from these stressors, spend some time doing crosswords or Sudoku puzzles.

While you can buy crossword and Sudoku books, both types of puzzles are easily found in newspapers and magazines or free online sites. My dad does Sudoku like it’s his part-time job, and I consider him a pretty relaxed guy.

Get out a pen and paper and start writing.

If you’ve never thought of writing as a means of relaxation, you might want to try it. It doesn’t matter whether you want to write in a specific style; putting your thoughts on paper can sometimes put your mind at ease. If you don’t feel you have a lot to say about the world at large, you can start with poetry or a love letter to your spouse or partner.

Watch your favorite movies.

When I’m bored or stressed out, an excellent movie from my past almost always does the trick. Personally, I relax most during long, violent epics like the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy or “Gladiator.” My husband, on the other hand, likes old documentaries about World War II.

No matter your taste, watching an old favorite you already own is one way to relax and unwind on the cheap. If you don’t own any movies, you can also try borrowing from a friend or renting one from the library.

Relaxing shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. After all, there’s nothing relaxing about spending money you can’t truly afford to spend. So next time you’re in need of some quiet time, try one of these frugal relaxation strategies instead. You never know; the money you save might just put you in the mood to truly relax – once and for all.

How do you relax on a budget? Do any methods on this list work for you?

The post Eight Frugal Ways to Unwind appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Is Your Shopping Buddy Making You Spend Too Much?

Going berserk at the mall? Try these tips.


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40 Financial Rules For 40 Year-Olds

Every decade of life has its financial challenges and opportunities.

In your 20s, you feel invincible.

Your 30s brings on a whole new set of responsibilities including career and family.

However, your 40s are especially important because you are closing in on retirement.

Making a huge money mistake in your 20s isn’t nearly as devastating to your long-term prospects as doing so in your 40s.

Now that you’re scared spitless, here are 40 financial rules for your 40s:

1. Finish Paying Off Your High Interest Consumer Debt

One of most important things you can do for your finances in your 40s — or at any point in your life — is to pay off high-interest consumer debt. If you have high interest debt, finish it off once and for all during your 40s. All it’s doing is holding you back. If you think just because your in your 40s and you’ve lost some of your spunk, let this newlywed couple inspire you.  They were able to pay off $52,000 of debt in 2 years.

2. Use and Pay Off Credit Cards Each Month

Just because you’ve paid off your high interest consumer debt doesn’t mean that you should avoid credit cards forever. They can be a great financial tool. Use a rewards card for most of your expenses, and pay it off each month, and you can earn free travel or get cash back. Use your credit cards regularly as part of your spending plan, and pay them off before you are charged interest.

My wife and I just got into travel hacking last year when we realized how much money we were leaving on the table in airline miles.

Plus, when I read about this blogger taking his family of 7 to Hawaii for 11 days for basically free, I knew I had to learn more.  In a short time, we’ve booked 7 round trip tickets with a few hotel rooms thrown in to boot. Not bad for some travel hacking newbies! Forbes contributor, Alexandra Talty, has some great travel hacking tips.

3. Learn a New Skill

Now is a great time to improve yourself. Think about how you can improve yourself, and learn a new skill. First of all, learning new things can help you keep your mind sharp, setting a precedent for the future as you age. Next, learning new skills can help you increase your marketability, better manage your resources, and earn more money. Make it a point to learn a new skill or two during your 40s.  Learning a new skill doesn’t have to take forever.  In fact, here’s some tips on how to learn a new skill in 20 hours.

4. Start a Side Gig

This is also a great time to start a side gig. As you get closer to retirement, a side gig can help you save more, and it can also help you create another source of income that isn’t based on your day job. Consider a side hustle so that you can reach financial independence, and so that you have a little income even after you quit your traditional job. Now is the time to establish your side business so that you aren’t scrambling later.  If you’re not sure where to get started, here are 100 ways to make $100 fast.

5. Ask for a Raise

Have you been an asset to your company? If so, now is a good time to ask for a raise. Depending on when you plan to retire, getting a raise now, and banking it for the next 10 to 20 years, could really help you increase your nest egg. Do the research. If you aren’t earning what you’re worth, ask for a raise or promotion, or consider looking for another job.

Ramit Sethi, best selling author and negotiation expert just released this awesome guide on how to negotiate a higher salary.  While most people go about asking for a raise the wrong way, Ramit suggests,

“Negotiating your salary WILL take work – but with the right system, you can do it in days or weeks.”

Anyone can ask for more money, but without the right strategy you’ll find yourself getting rejected more often than not.

6. Avoid Lifestyle Inflation

One of the great things about being in your 40s is that you are likely mostly established. You are probably making a decent amount of money. You can afford many of your wants in addition to having your needs covered. It’s important to avoid the trap of lifestyle inflation, though.

While you can increase your spending on certain things, and can enjoy an occasional treat like a family vacation, it’s important not to let costs overcome you. Don’t spend all of your money increasing your lifestyle. When you let your lifestyle inflate, your net gain is zero. You don’t want that in your 40s.

7. Boost Your Retirement Contributions

When was the last time you adjusted your retirement account contributions? Chances are you were in your 30s the last time you upgraded your contributions. If you are making more money now than you were five or 10 years ago, it’s time to boost your retirement contributions.

Instead of putting that money toward lifestyle inflation, put some of it toward your future. This could be adding more to your 401k plan at work, opening a Roth IRA, or starting a taxable investment account.  If you’re still uncertain how to get started, here’s the best way to invest for retirement.

8. Evaluate Your Retirement Account

Now that you’re upping your retirement account contributions, it’s a good time to evaluate your retirement account. Do you have access to the investments that fit your needs? How high are the fees? What kind of match do you get? Take the time to figure out whether you should stick with your company retirement plan, or if it’s time to roll your 401(k) into an IRA that you can control.

9. Get Rid of Unnecessary Fees

It’s fairly common to slowly build up fees. Fees on your telecom bills slip by undetected. You might be paying higher than average fees at your investment brokerage. If you’re not sure what your paying in investment fees, FeeX.com is a free service that will help you uncover what you’re really paying.

Maybe you are paying convenience fees or other fees. Take a look through your bills and statements. Evaluate your subscriptions. Get rid of the unnecessary fees you are paying. You’ll save money every month.

10. Refinance Your House

Have mortgage rates dropped since you bought your house? If so, consider refinancing your home. However, make sure that you avoid refinancing to another 30-year loan — unless you want to be paying off the loan in your 70s. This is a good time to lock in some savings. Just refinance for a term similar to what you already have left on your loan to save on the interest.

11. Be Wary of the Cash Out Refinance

As you refinance your home to a lower rate (and hopefully a low term), you might be tempted to cash out. After all, you’ve built up equity in your home. However, cashing out increases what you owe on your house. It can mean a longer loan term and higher costs. Think very carefully before you cash out as part of a refinance in your 40s.

12. Carefully Consider Home Improvements

Since you have equity built up in your home, it’s tempting to get a loan and use that money to improve your home. However, it’s important to understand that such home improvements are rarely investments. You’ll put the money in, but you won’t likely recoup it if you decide to sell.

Think carefully about which home improvements you make, and how much they cost. Weigh the improvements, and how you fund them, against your retirement expectations.

13. Keep Your Home in Good Repair

Make sure that you do keep your home in good repair, though. If your roof needs replacing, that’s something that you should do. Keep up with maintenance and repairs so that things aren’t as expensive to fix in 15 years — right when you’re ready to retire.

14. Take Care of Your Things

In addition to keeping your home in good repair, make sure that you take care of your other things. The better you treat your things, the longer they will last — and the less they will cost you. One of the best ways to avoid unexpected costs is to keep your things in good condition.

15. Carefully Consider All of Your Debt

Now is a good time to carefully consider the types of things you’re willing to go into debt for. Some types of debt, like low-interest business loans, can help you get ahead, even if you take them during your 40s.

Other types of debt, like high interest consumer debt, are recipes for disaster. From home improvement loans to car loans, carefully consider how the debt will impact your long term goals.

16. Check Your Asset Allocation

Take a look at your investments and figure out whether or not your current asset allocation still makes sense. You want to make sure that your asset allocation meshes with your stage in life, and what you hope to accomplish. Make sure you don’t have inappropriate overlap, that you are properly diversified, and that your asset allocation makes sense for your risk profile.

Make adjustments if necessary. If you still don’t believe that asset allocation is important, here are 10 reasons that will change your mind.

17. Don’t Raid Your Retirement Account for Your Kids’ College

We all like the idea of helping our children. And, while it would be nice to help your kids pay for college to reduce their dependence on student loans, don’t beggar your future to do it. You can’t replace the lost earning potential when you withdraw your capital and use it to pay for a college education.

Unless you are ABSOLUTELY SURE that your kids are going to support you in retirement, raiding your retirement account to pay for college is a bad idea, especially now that you need to be in high gear.

18. Don’t Raid Your Retirement Account for Your Kids’ Weddings

Your child is getting married. That’s great! But don’t raid your retirement account to pay for it. For the same reasons that you shouldn’t raid your account to pay for college.

19. Encourage Your Kids to Make Good Financial Choices

Instead of enabling your children, now is a good time to encourage your kids to make good financial choices. Actually, it would have been good to teach them earlier.

However, it’s never too late to start teaching your kids about smart finances, and encouraging them to do what they should to become financially independent on their own. That way, you won’t have to worry about supporting them instead of enjoying your retirement.

Think about the conversations and attitudes about money that you expose your kids to. Is that the example you hope to instill in your children? If not, face any shortcomings in your own financial habits, and your parenting on the topic will automatically follow suit

20. Re-Evaluate Your Priorities

No that you’re in your 40s, it’s a good time to think about your priorities, and make sure that they are still applicable. The things you set in motion during your 20s and 30s may not still be important to you now. Re-evaluate your priorities and figure out what’s important to you.

If you find that you are still working toward things that aren’t important to you now, it’s a good time to change course. It’s not too late.

21. Think About What You’ll Do in Retirement

What do you want your retirement to look like? Chances are that you have goals and interests beyond just sitting around the house all day. Think about what you want — whether it’s a part-time job doing something you love or pursuing a new hobby — and figure out what it will take to make it happen.

This might mean adjusting your current priorities so that you will be ready later when the time comes. Give it some thought, and then make financial adjustments so that you will be able to support yourself as you would like.

22. Maintain Your Emergency Fund

Hopefully, you’ve been building an emergency fund over time. If you have an emergency fund, make sure you are maintaining it. You can consider building it a little bigger as you go through your 40s (this can be something that helps you get through a child’s wedding, or helps him or her pay for one year of schooling). Make sure that you are committed to replenishing your emergency fund as you use it.

Now is a good time to consider whether or not some of that money might do well elsewhere. Perhaps keep some of it in a taxable investment account so it has the potential to grow. Don’t put too much at risk, though: You still need it available for true emergencies.

23. Avoid Panic Selling when the Markets Tank

Now that you’re in your 40s, the prospect of retirement is likely looming much larger. As a result, it’s easier to panic when you see market volatility. It’s especially important now that you don’t engage in panic selling. Over time, the market does just fine, and selling now will only lock in your losses.If you have a solid long term investment plan, don’t completely throw it over because you’re afraid. That can lead to even bigger problems down the road.

One way to avoid panic selling is removing the emotion that goes along with investing by using something like AssetLock.  AssetLock pre-determines that your comfort level is on the most you can stand to lose and automatically adjusts that number as your portfolio increases. Emotional selling is most investors downfall and finding a way to completely remove that could save you a ton of money.

24. Get Financial Planning Help

Now that you have more assets, you might be at a loss as to how to best employ them. Getting financial planning help in your 40s is a good idea because it provides you with solid help to organize your finances going forward. This is a good time because you have enough assets to be effective, and it’s still early enough to put them to work on your behalf.

You don’t need to get someone to completely take over the management of your assets, but it does help to sit down with a knowledgeable financial professional and plan out the next 20 years or so.

25. Create a Will

If you don’t have a will yet, create one now. If you already have a will, review it to make sure that it still reflects your wishes. You want to make sure that your assets are disposed of in a way you prefer.

“A will helps your family members to adjust and make order out of chaos,” says John Corcoran, an attorney and business networking expert. “It makes sure your assets are passed along in an orderly way and really makes life easier on your relatives because they don’t have to guess about your intentions or fight over your assets.” 

26. Get Estate Planning Help

In addition to a will, now might be a good time for other estate planning help. If you are in your 40s and you have been reasonably successful, you might want to look into various trusts. Consider the benefits of gifting your money instead of passing it on when it will be taxed. Think about power of attorney and health care proxy. Consult with an estate planning specialist to help you work it all out.

John Corcoran also offers this on estate planning, “The benefits of having an estate plan far outweigh the short-term hassle and cost of creating one. The estate plan ensures your family members have clear direction in case you aren’t able to make decisions for yourself, and it will maximize the amount of your assets that make it into your heirs’ hands.”

27. Start Tax Planning

Many people don’t think about tax planning. As important as tax planning is when you’re young, it gets increasingly important as you age. Consult with a tax professional who can help you figure out the best ways to reduce tax liability each year, and in the future. Tax planning is an important part of saving money now, and planning for retirement.

28. Consider Disability Insurance

If you don’t have disability insurance, your 40s is a good time to consider it. You’re in the final sprint toward retirement. What happens if the unexpected means that you can’t earn a living anymore? You could draw down your retirement sooner or deplete your emergency fund (or both). Disability insurance can help you avoid this fate. It can provide income replacement if you end up needing it.

29. Consider Long Term Care Insurance

For some in their late 40s, it’s a good time to start paying for long term care insurance. Most people are likely to spend at least some time in a long term care facility as they age. If you don’t have a large enough nest egg to cover such a stay, it can make sense to buy a long term care policy. This type of insurance can help make stays in care facilities affordable, and can help you avoid rapidly drawing down your retirement account. Figure out if long term care insurance makes sense for you, and purchase a policy now, while you can still receive a decent quote.

Financial advisor and founder of WealthAnatomy.com, Ryan Michler says,

“What is the bulk of your retirement savings going to be spent on? If you said medical costs, unfortunately you might be right. The odds of you needing some form of long-term care in retirement is very likely. With the average annual cost for assisted living at $43,000 and $80,000 for nursing home care*, you may burn through your retirement savings quicker than imagined.”

*Source: Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2014

30. Consider Renewing Your Term Life Policy

If you bought term life insurance during your 20s, your policy is on the verge of expiring. Now is a good time to figure out if you need to renew your term life policy. If you are worried about dependents as they head off to college, and you are concerned about your spouse, it’s probably a good time to renew your policy. You can usually get favorable rates when you renew without letting your life insurance policy lapse.

31. Review Your Beneficiaries

By the time you reach your 40s, chances are that you have had quite a few life changes. As a result, your beneficiary designations might be out of date. Realize that your beneficiary designations on your accounts trump what’s in your will.

So if your ex-spouse is still listed on your life insurance, or your retirement account, you might want to change that. Every year, review your beneficiaries and make changes as necessary.

32. Review Your Insurance Coverage

Now is a good time to review your insurance coverage. Do you still need to pay comprehensive on your old car? Do you need to boost your home insurance coverage due to appreciation? Is your health coverage still what you need? Make it a point to look through the policies you have had in place for 10 years or so, and make sure that the coverage is still appropriate. Make changes if you need to.

33. Take Care of Your Health

If you want to have a more enjoyable future, you need to take care of your health today. Make it a point to eat better and maintain an appropriate level of physical activity. The healthier you are, the more money you’ll save now (and later), and the more you will enjoy your life in general.

34. Try “Mini Retirements”

You don’t have to wait until you’re too old to enjoy retirement. If you have the ability to do so, consider taking “mini retirements.” You can work at something for a year or two, then take a few months off to travel and enjoy yourself. Then, when you get back, you can find another job. This type of approach takes a little extra planning, but it can be a good way to enjoy yourself after the kids move out and while you are still young enough to enjoy what you’re doing.

35. Think About Downsizing

Now is a good time to downsize your lifestyle. In your late 40s, it makes sense to think about reducing the stuff you have. Do you need such a big house now that the kids are moving out? How many cars do you need? Could you manage with less stuff? Consider simplifying your lifestyle and downsizing so that your money can be directed at your priorities.

36. Take Time to Relax

Part of life is enjoying yourself and relaxing. You might have worked at a frantic pace all through your 30s, but now it’s time to slow down a little bit and enjoy your life. Learn to relax and let go. It’s better for your physical health, and for your mental health, too. Don’t run yourself ragged to the point that you break down just as you are getting ready to retire.

37. Learn Technology

Keep up with technology. If you keep up with computers and phones and other consumer technology in your 40s, you’ll be more used to the continuing changes that come later. Technology can help you stay fresh, keep your mind active, and help you move with the times. If you want to prepare for a better life over all, it’s a good idea to keep up with tech.

38. Be Open to New Things

The ability to adapt remains important throughout your life. Whether it’s being flexible in your career so that you are marketable (and have higher earning power) or being flexible in other ways, be open to new things. Financial flexibility goes hand in hand with good health, and flexibility in other areas of your life.  Emma Johnson, Forbes contributor and founder of WealthySingleMommy.com says,

“You cannot grow as a person, professional, partner, parent, citizen, friend, athlete or artist if you do not try new things. If you are stuck in some aspect of your life, do not keep repeating the same habits or practices — switch it up! Even little, seemingly irrelevant habits can make a giant shift: Take a new route to work each morning, try a new workout routine, switch up your kids’ bedtime routine. Also, go for some big risks, too. Over the aggregate of your lifetime — just like playing the stock market — risk is rewarded.”

39. Measure Your Progress Against You

Hopefully, by the time you’re in your 40s, you have given up on trying to keep up with Joneses. But, just in case you’re still measuring your financial situation against where others are at, now is a good time to stop. Measure your progress against you, and resolve to do better for your own sake — not for the sake of impressing others.

40. Enjoy Your Money Now

While you do want to use your 40s as a time to really kick your retirement planning into high gear, don’t forget to enjoy your money now. You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and if you can afford some of the pleasures of life, go ahead and do so. You don’t want to wake up 20 years from now regretting that you completely wasted your 40s even though you didn’t have to.

This post originally appeared on Forbes.com.

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How creating a budget will improve your credit score

Budgeting sometimes gets a negative reputation as a practice reserved for people who can’t manage their money when, in fact, not having a budget is likely to jeopardize your finances — and worse, your credit score — regardless of how good you think you are at managing your accounts.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1Nxd32I

How One YouTube Star Lowered His Electric Bill by 40%

We used to all know that the best way to save money on your electric bill was to use less electricity. And we did this by turning off devices when not in use. The more dedicated among us may have turned off surge protectors, cutting off the flow of power to an electronic item completely.

Sure, that method will save you a few pennies here and there. But if you have lamps in your home (and I suspect you do), you can save money on your electric bill by replacing the bulbs.

This tip requires an initial investment, but Dylan Hacker of YouTube channel HouseholdHacker assures us that it’s worth the trouble. His video, “7 Money Saving Life Hacks You Should Know,” recently featured on JustDIY.com, concludes with the big reveal about light bulbs.

Switch Your Bulbs to Lower Your Electric Bill

“LED bulbs cost more initially, but their power requirements are drastically lower than their incandescent counterparts,” Hacker explained in the video. “They can last up to 50 times longer. It cost about 10 times more to run an incandescent bulb than an LED bulb. By paying a bit more on the upfront cost, you could swap out your old bulbs and make money back in just a couple of months.”

Hacker reports saving 40% on his electric bill after making the switch.

A quick Amazon check shows a price of about $6.50 for a pack of four GE-brand 60-watt bulbs — we’ll use GE as our example brand here, just for price comparison). Switching those four bulbs to GE LED 11-watt bulbs (the LED equivalent of 60 watts) will cost about $30.

Nervous about shelling out for a houseful of new bulbs? “Many power companies will offer rebates when you make the switch over to energy-efficient products such as LED bulbs,” Hacker notes. Some companies will have this information at front and center online; if you don’t see rebate information, try calling your provider to see if there’s a program in place.

CFLs or LEDs?

In some areas, incandescent bulbs are being phased out of production, making way for CFL bulbs. CFLs are recognizable by their curlicue style, and an eight-pack of 13-watt GE Energy Smart bulbs (the 60-watt replacement) costs just $12 to $15. CFL bulbs use about 70% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer, so they’re still a great choice if you’re looking out for the environment and your electric bill.

So why use LED bulbs at all? They last three times longer than CFLs, Sarah Battaglia explains at The Energy Collective. “Comparing the electricity cost for one year, you’ll see that you could save about $10 by switching from incandescent to LED,” she explains. “Now that doesn’t seem like much, but once you increase the timeframe to 15 years, and factor in how many bulbs you’ll need during that time, you will notice that an incandescent will cost you almost four times as much as an LED.”

Remember, Hacker says that LED bulbs last 50 times longer than incandescents. That’s a lot of light bulbs over the years.

Our take for your savings bottom line: If you’re willing to spend more now, invest in the LED bulbs. If you’re nervous about switching, move to CFLs while you wait for LED bulb prices to go down.

Visit Just DIY to watch the whole video of money saving hacks from HouseholdHacker.

Your Turn: Have you switched your light bulbs? Did you choose CFLs or LEDs, and have you noticed a savings?

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

The post How One YouTube Star Lowered His Electric Bill by 40% appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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MasterCard will test facial scans for online buys

This fall, MasterCard will start experimenting with a new program: approving online purchases with a facial scan.

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Android Wins 65% Of US Market Share With Help From Galaxy S6 Sales

According to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech's data, Android sales were up 2.8 percent for the three months ending in May.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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HMRC warns fraudsters are targeting tax credit renewals

Laura Whitcombe

scam credit card.jpg

Individuals renewing tax credits ahead of the 31 July deadline have been urged to watch out for scammers targeting them.

Individuals renewing tax credits ahead of the 31 July deadline have been urged to watch out for scammers targeting them.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned that fraudsters are using scam emails, fake websites and text messages in a bid to dupe claimants.

HMRC warns fraudsters are targeting tax credit renewals

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Individuals renewing tax credits ahead of the 31 July deadline have been urged to watch out for scammers targeting them. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned that fraudsters are using scam emails, fake websites and text messages in a bid to dupe claimants. Messages purporting to be sent from a "Tax Credit Office Agent" offering a tax refund - and including a link to a fake version of the Gov.uk website - are among the fraudulent tactics used. HMRC said some claimants had received unsolicited correspondence from criminals asking them to hand over bank details or other personal details, including passwords. The motive is simple - to try to steal money from victims' accounts or to sell their identities to other fraudsters. In the four months leading up to last year's tax credit renewal deadline, 51,000 phishing emails were reported to HMRC. This was more than double the number received a year earlier. In 2014, HMRC was able to successfully close down almost 9,000 scam websites. Nick Lodge, director general of benefits and credits at HMRC, said: "HMRC will never ask people to disclose personal information by email. We have cracked down on phishing emails and scam websites, but the fraudsters' methods are constantly changing, so people must remain vigilant. "The only way to renew tax credits and report changes online is on Gov.uk." The genuine website for renewing a tax credits claim is http://ift.tt/1f1iNan and the helpline is available on 0345 300 3900.

Taxpayers beware of phishing email scam

HMRC errors result in £4.3 billion overpaid tax credits

Renew your tax credits

read more

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3 Unique Areas To Explore When Hiring A PPC Agency

Choosing the right PPC agency can be a daunting task. Columnist Matt Umbro has some tips on what you should discuss during the sales process.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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How to Double Your Writing Speed Without Lowering Its Quality

How in the world do they do it?

Day after day, they write monstrous posts that are extremely useful and easy to read.

You know the people I’m talking about—you might even consider me to be one of them.

Here’s what a typical week looks like for me in terms of blog content alone:

• 2 posts on Quick Sprout (1,000-5,000 words each) plus an infographic
• 2 posts on the NeilPatel.com blog (about 5,000 words each)
• 2 guest posts on other popular blogs (about 1,500 words each)
• 0.5-1 blog post for the Crazy Egg blog (about 2 per month at about 2,000 words each)

Total that up, and you get around 17,000 words per week or 3,400 words per weekday.

And I’ve been able to sustain this type of volume for years.

I’m the first to admit that in technical terms, I’m not the best writer. I certainly didn’t go to college to get a degree in English or creative writing. Yet, I have thousands of awesome readers who really enjoy what I write.

There’s a reason I spent much time learning first how to write quality blog posts and then how to write them fast.

Although time is my most valuable resource, I spend a significant chunk of it every week writing. That’s because I know how effective content marketing can be for a business.

But I’m far from the only one.

Contently found that 41% of businesses struggle with creating enough content.

Wouldn’t it be easier to create more content if you could write faster?

If you need to learn how to write a great post, start by checking out my guide to writing high quality data-driven articles.

If you already write high quality posts but it takes you a long time to do it, then this article is for you. I’m going to show you 11 key concepts that you can start using today to start writing faster.

Imagine being able to write posts in half the time you currently do now! That would free up a lot of time to either write more posts or work on other parts of your business.

An extra few posts a week can greatly speed up your business’ growth, possibly by years. 

1. Get your typing up to speed

No matter how well you can remain focused for long period of times and how fast you can think of what to say, if you can’t type at a decent speed, you’ll never write quickly.

If you’re still pecking at letters, one finger at a time, it’s not going to cut it.

You don’t have to be a master typist, but you should be able to type at least 60 words per minute (60 WPM). If you could type at that speed for an hour straight, that would be 3,600 words per hour. Obviously that’s unrealistic, but you can achieve a decent fraction of that production rate.

I’d like you to take a minute to test your typing speed. Head to Key Hero, and do a quick typing test:

If you’d like to repeat it a few times to get a more accurate result, go ahead.

If your speed is under 60 WPM, you’ll have to fix that before you can worry about any of the other concepts in this article. I know it’s not the most fun thing in the world, but you’ll be grateful you did it in the long run.

Step 1: Use the proper hand placement

To type properly, you should be resting the four fingers of each hand on the keys of the middle row, with your thumbs hovering over the space bar.

If you don’t already do this, it will take a bit of practice for it to feel natural.

Step 2: Don’t look at the keyboard

You should be able to type with your eyes closed—literally. If you can’t, it means you need to practice to get you to the point when typing no longer requires an active focus (the unconscious takes care of it).

Part of this can be your posture. If you’re hunched over while sitting, it’s possible that you’re looking at the keyboard just because that’s where your line of sight is. Do your best to sit up straight when writing.

Step 3: Practice, practice, practice

Kids these days practice typing from a young age, but you might not have been so lucky. The good news is that you can find online tools to help you practice and learn. One example is the Key Hero practice tools. If you need more instruction from the beginning, use a typing tutor tool:

Alternative: Try speech-to-text software

You have a number of speech-to-text tools you can use, e.g., TalkTyper (free), Ivona (paid), and Dragon Naturally Speaking (paid). These tools allow you to simply talk to your computer while it records your words and whatever punctuation you indicate.

While you can obviously talk faster than you can type, there are some downsides to this method. The free or cheap tools aren’t always accurate, and it can take a lot of time to fix the mistakes those programs make. Even the expensive ones aren’t perfect, and they also have a steep learning curve at first.

It’s not the first option I’d recommend, but if for some reason you aren’t able to type, or type quickly, it’s a decent backup.

2. Don’t forget your ideas: make a list

How much time do you waste trying to come up with a good idea for a blog post?

It’s hard enough if you’re just writing a couple of them a week, but if I had to come up with ideas for all the posts I write one at a time, I don’t know if I could do it.

The good news is: there’s a better way. It’s called an idea list.

Coming up with ideas on demand can be difficult because it’s a creative task. Creativity comes and goes as we observe and experience different things in our lives. It’s why book writers often take years to write their novels.

You can’t just sit down and say to yourself, “Okay brain, start coming up with great ideas.”

Instead, you need to develop your idea muscle so that you can spontaneously come up with many ideas throughout the day.

The concept of an idea muscle was coined by James Altucher, who says that as you practice coming up with ideas, you get better at it.

“Every situation you are in, you will have a ton of ideas. Any question  you are asked, you will know the response. Every meeting you are at, you will take the meeting so far out of the box you’ll be on another planet, if you are stuck on a desert highway – you will figure the way out, if you need to make money you’ll come up with 50 ideas to make  money, and so on.” — James Altucher

He advises to start by trying to come up with at least 10 ideas throughout the day.

Here’s the second part: record them. Not all of these ideas will be good, but some will be, and others may lead you to good ideas.

You can use a simple notepad from the dollar store, or you can do what the team at Buffer does and record ideas in Trello:

An alternative: create a repeatable strategy

I’ve already shown you how to steal ideas for your next post. This is a strategy that you can use over and over again to get inspiration for post ideas.

It’s still not a good idea to come up with post ideas as you need them—it’s inefficient. Instead, schedule a block of time, maybe an hour, every week or month (depending on your post volume). Use this time to use your strategy to come up with as many ideas as you can.

Instead of coming up with a single idea in 10 minutes every time you need one, you can come up with five times the number of ideas in the same time frame once you get some momentum going.

Either way, you’ll be able to cut down on time coming up with ideas and focus more time and energy on the actual writing.

3. Get rid of distractions

Distractions are everywhere, especially on the computer.

The urge to check email, visit social media sites, or just click a bookmark to go to your favorite site to kill time is strong.

Maybe you’d rather check your search engine rankings again or website traffic instead of writing a post, which seems way less fun.

If you give into these urges, your productivity is going to go way down. But even if you don’t, those urges in the back of your head are going to distract you and prevent you from being as productive as possible.

In real life, there are even more distractions, especially if you work from home. Kids running around, people talking on the phone or watching TV, and temptation to take a break and grab a snack.

Distractions are everywhere.

You’ll never get rid of them all, but you can get rid of many, which will greatly boost your writing speed.

Distraction elimination #1: Work in an office or quiet space

Noise kills writing productivity. You need to be able to hear your thoughts uninterrupted. If you work from home, designate a room as your office, and make sure that no one disturbs you while the door is closed.

If you’re working at an office or co-working space, keep your door closed while writing. Tell any friends or coworkers to not disturb you while the door is closed unless there is an emergency.

If neither of those are realistic, head to a library. Libraries are quiet, and some even have dedicated rooms for silent work.

Distraction elimination #2: Turn off the tunes

Who doesn’t like music? Wouldn’t it be more fun to write while listening to Taylor Swift?

Well, sure, it will be more fun, but it will slow you down when you are writing.

Studies have shown that music is a distraction that slows down complex thought processes. So while music might help you with simple, straight-forward tasks such as lifting more in the gym, it’s going to slow down your writing.

But that’s not the full story. Those studies looked typical lyrical music.

A 2012 study showed that low to moderate levels of ambient noise can actually lead to slightly higher creative output.

Similarly, another study showed that baroque classical music can increase mood and productivity. Note that classical music rarely has any lyrics. It is soft and consistent.

So you have two options: work with no music or work with low to medium volume ambient noise or classical music.

To have some ambient sound in the background, you can use tools such as A Soft Murmur or Simply Noise.

Distraction elimination #3: Lock-down distracting websites

If you have trouble staying on task, you can block certain trouble websites for a designated time period. There are many plugins that can do this, e.g., Strict Workflow for Chrome.

You simply tell the plugin which sites you’d like blocked and for how long, and you won’t be able to access them until the time period is up.

In addition, you can hide your bookmarks bar if you’re working inside a web text application such as Google Docs. Just right-click any empty space in the bookmarks bar and uncheck “show bookmarks bar.”

Distraction elimination #4: Write offline

If blocking distracting sites doesn’t work, you can take it to the next level and disconnect your Internet altogether. Writing offline will eliminate all online distractions.

Distraction elimination #5: Finish all important tasks before writing

Sometimes it’s hard to focus because there’s something else important that you need to do during the day. If you’re thinking about this in the back of your head, your writing speed will go down.

Instead, think about doing any distracting tasks upfront, and then come back to writing later.

4. Outline your post beforehand

Before I write any post, I always outline it.

When you outline a post, you get a really clear idea of how you will be making the point you’re trying to make as well as any research or resources you’ll need to make the article as strong as possible.

You’ll notice that all of my posts have an introduction section (like everyone else’s posts would have) and also a conclusion section.

The headlines of the other sections will depend on the type of post I’m writing. There are 12 main types of posts, and I have general outlines for all of them.

The outlines don’t need to take very long to put together. Their main point is to make sure you’re not missing any important pieces of the puzzle.

I write out all the subheadlines (H2s) in the article as well as a few main bullet points below each to remind me what I should cover.

When I get to each section while writing, I don’t have to remember what I had in mind for this section before—it’s already there.

5. Research comes first

What do you think is easier to write about for me: how to ride a horse or how to write a good blog post?

Of course, how to write a good blog post is a simpler topic for me because it’s a topic that I have a lot of experience and expertise in.

The first step is to become an expert on the topic you’re writing about. It’s easy to talk/write about something you know well but difficult if you’re trying to put the pieces together as you go.

Take my nutrition blog case study. I’m not a nutrition expert, and I didn’t have the time to invest in becoming well-versed in the subject so that I could write about it credibly. That’s why I had Mike take over content creation.

This doesn’t mean you need to be an expert from day one, but you need at the very least to learn about the specific topic you’re writing about before starting.

Otherwise, task switching is going to kill your writing speed.

What’s task switching? It’s a concept that refers to having to switch between different activities. For example, having to switch from writing mode to research mode because you don’t understand a concept you need for a particular article.

While some may multitask better than others, we all are more productive when we focus on a single task.

Dr. David Meyer and colleagues conducted a study in 2001 to quantify the effects of task switching. He had subjects try to switch between different tasks such as solving math problems and naming geometric objects.

When both problems were simple, subjects didn’t lose much time going back and forth. But as the tasks became complex, the subjects lost more and more time with each switch.

It’s hard to pin down the exact cost of switching, but Meyer estimated that it could cost someone up to 40% of their productivity for complex tasks. Make no mistake, writing and researching are complex tasks.

Every time you have to switch, it not only takes a bit of time (up to a few seconds) to get into the right mindset, but it also fatigues you. Just thinking about having to switch back and forth several times an hour makes me tired.

Here’s the takeaway: learn everything you need to know about the topic you are writing about before you write a single word. This means that you should note down any relevant statistics, resources, or findings from studies beforehand.

6. Write first, edit later

Ernest Hemingway said, “The first draft of anything is garbage.”

I’m not sure how much fiction you read, but Hemingway was one of the most influential authors of the 20th century.

He won a Nobel Prize in Literature and a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction before he died. Even now, we remember his writing genius.

If Hemingway thought his first drafts were garbage, imagine what he’d think of mine or yours.

So, you basically have two options if you want to write a post that doesn’t suck.

First, you can continually edit each sentence and paragraph as you go. Or you can write your first draft like most prolific writers do, and then edit later.

Both can produce a good article, but I’ll tell you why the second option is by far the best choice.

If you continually switch between writing and editing, you have the same problem that we looked at before: task switching. You’re asking your brain to switch from trying to write to trying to edit. This kills any writing momentum you have and makes you start from scratch every sentence or paragraph.

When you write—just write—you can focus on writing only. This allows your mind to focus on what you should write now and what should come next. Similarly, when you’re editing, all your focus can be on “how can I make this better?” instead of also trying to think of what needs to be said next.

In my experience, Meyer’s guess of about a 40% decrease in productivity from task switching is probably about right.

Write first, edit second.

7. Take (smart) breaks

Unless you’re a robot, you need breaks. All people get tired.

Sure, you can get stronger over time, but you’ll still need breaks.

Everyone’s different in this aspect. Some need frequent breaks, while others only need breaks after a few hours. It depends on how much you enjoy writing, your writing ability, and a few personal factors.

If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend the Pomodoro Technique. Yes, pomodoro means “tomato” in Italian, so essentially it’s a tomato technique. It’s named after the timer that the creator used:

It was designed in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. Even though it’s not new, it hasn’t been until the last decade or so that it really became popular as a productivity technique.

Here’s how it works:

• You set a timer for 25 minutes
• You work until the timer finishes
• You take a 5 minute break
  • All of that is one Pomodoro

Now you repeat that process four times. After the 4th 30-minute period, you take a 15-20 minute break.

You can either buy a pomodoro timer or just use this online tomato timer.

This procedure is supposed to keep you focused and fresh while working.

For accountability purposes, you are supposed to start the day by making a to-do list of what you’d like to accomplish.

You put an “X” beside each item to indicate how many pomodoro periods (25 minutes of work) it took to finish.

“You will probably begin to notice a difference in your work or study process within a day or two. True mastery of the technique takes from seven to twenty days of constant use.”

The final piece of the system is dealing with interruptions. There are two types of interruptions: internal and external.

Internal interruptions are thoughts that are distracting you from working. With this system, if they are important tasks, you are supposed to write them down on your to-do sheet so that you can be sure they will get done later.

External interruptions are from other people and things (phones, emails, etc.). The pomodoro system suggests to deal with such interruptions as quickly as possible. Tell the people who want your attention now to come back later or promise them you’ll call them back as soon as you can (on a break). In the meantime, get back to work.

8. Give yourself a deadline

Parkinson’s law states that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”.

This means if you give yourself too much time to finish something, or that you don’t think it matters when you finish it, it will take longer to do. Either you’ll procrastinate because you know you can do it quickly, or it’ll become increasingly complex, which will result in accomplishing something other than what you set out to do.

Think about how most people study for a test. They put it off as long as possible and then cram everything in at the last possible minute.

While it’s not optimal from a learning point of view, it illustrates that people are capable of working extremely quickly when there’s a firm deadline that must be met.

The problem many professional writers have is that they give themselves a day to write a post, even if they may not need it. They say that if they finish early, they’ll start working on something else—but they never do finish early because the work expands to fill the available time.

When you start writing a post, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to include in the post, nothing more. Then, give yourself a deadline for writing the post, which is equal to the minimum amount of time you think you might need.

Remember that this is just for writing the post, which you want to do as quickly as possible. The quality really comes from the editing. You should still have a deadline, but don’t make it strict since you will need your creativity and careful thought.

Don’t limit deadlines to your writing only. You can also set a deadline for checking emails in the morning. Most people spend over 2 hours on email a day, when they could probably reduce it to two 10-minute periods, in the morning and at night, if they set a hard deadline.

9. Write during your most productive time

You’ve heard that some people work better in the morning and some at night, right?

Morning people are called “early birds,” while people who prefer the night are called “night owls.”

It turns out that there’s a significant amount of science backing up this phenomenon. German scientists found that night owls had a different brain composition than early risers.

This affects your circadian rhythm, which is responsible for controlling your sleep schedule and alertness throughout your day. Dr. Katherine Sharkey says that night owls have longer circadian rhythms than early risers.

We don’t need to know exactly how it works to see how it affects how we write.

If you find that you’re much more productive in the morning, write in the morning.

If you find that you’re much more productive in the evening, write in the evening.

Simple.

You will accomplish more in one really productive hour of writing than you would with more time but struggling to focus.

10. Use simple words

Do you ever pause while writing in order to think of the perfect word?

If so, you’re wasting time.

When it comes to blog posts, or any type of web content, your writing should be simple.

People have very limited attention spans and like to skim. Jakob Nielson collected data that shows an average visitor reads just 20-28% of the words in a post. If they can’t skim it, they usually skip it. That means your perfect word won’t even be read by most.

When you read complex words, it takes longer to understand them. It’s partly because they are complex words, but it’s also because we don’t see them often.

So not only do complicated words and sentences confuse and deter your readers but they also slow down your writing. Instead of just stopping and thinking about which word to use, write the simplest alternative that comes to mind.

Instead of “convoluted,” write “complex”.

Instead of “disastrous,” write “poor”.

Instead of “proficiency,” write “skill.”

Get what I’m saying? Here are 24 more examples.

If you want to see how you’re doing, put one of your blog posts into this readability score calculator.

Here are the Flesch-Kincaid grade level scores of a few popular writers. I write at about a 4th-grade level. If you use complex words often, your score will be much higher.

11. The one factor behind all great writers

I’ve given you 10 concepts so far that can help you write faster without rushing and sacrificing quality.

Even if you apply all of these overnight, you still won’t write as quickly as I do by tomorrow.

Writing quickly takes practice, a lot of practice.

Malcolm Gladwell estimates that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. If you write five hours a day, five days a week, that’s about eight years.

I’m probably getting pretty close to that number.

But even if you’re not close, you will get better every step of the way there. So, don’t get discouraged if you can only write 300 words per hour right now. Over time, if you’re truly working on writing faster, it will creep up to 310, then 320, then 350, and so on…

In just a year or two, you might be writing 1,000 words per hour—sooner if you’re a quick learner.

Imagine that for a second: you could effectively double or triple the value of your time. That’s huge.

Conclusion

If you apply just one concept in this article, you can probably increase your writing speed by over 10% within a few days.

If you currently write for 20 hours a week at a rate of 500 words per hour, a 10% improvement alone will give you an extra 1,000 words per week. This is about an article a week for most blogs or 52 extra articles per year without spending any extra time.

If you really take the concepts I’ve laid out here to heart and apply more than one, you could see an even bigger improvement.

Leave me a comment below, letting me know how fast you currently write and how you will attempt to write faster (and let me know how long it takes to type it out!).

Source Quick Sprout http://ift.tt/1GZwOhJ