Macau profits set to go up in smoke

While Nevada continues to pretend times haven’t changed, Macau appears determined to ban smoking in casinos. Is it a step forward, or an attempt to step on some controversial casino operators from Las Vegas?

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10 best primitive camping spots in America

One of the reasons to love primitive camping over other varieties is its low cost. This stripped-down version of camping can save you money, since you will need a lot less equipment to get up close to nature: just a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack and other necessities.

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Never wash your balls again

BEER pong is a sacred party sport, but there’s an issue stopping people playing. These entrepreneurial bros have fixed the game’s biggest problem.

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What it’s really like to be Ronald McDonald

“I’D GIVE the little bastards a rap on the cheek.” One man has revealed what it’s really like to be the world’s most famous clown.

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MGM sells Reno casino holdings for $72.5 million

Reno-based Eldorado Resorts aquires ownership of Circus Circus Reno and a 50 percent stake in the Silver Legacy.

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CBRE more than doubling brokers in industrial sales, leasing

CBRE Las Vegas said Tuesday that it will more than double the number of brokers in its industrial sales and leasing practice.

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Worker behind praying mantis may have hottest Las Vegas job

Officially speaking, Merritt Pelkey’s job title is director of fire operations of the flame-throwing, music-playing, 40-foot-tall praying mantis at the entry of Container Park, the popular downtown shopping district comprised of 38 repurposed shipping containers. But it’s hard to pin down Pelkey’s job description because the mantis duties are so varied.

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Amazon’s Prime Day Promises To Eclipse Black Friday

In honor of Amazon’s 20th anniversary the company is hosting “Prime Day.” It’s a one-day shopping extravaganza on July 15, 2015, which the company says will rival Black Friday. Only Amazon Prime members are eligible to participate. Beyond a celebration this is an effort to...

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Work underway on Henderson home that’s above the rest — literally

Construction started Tuesday on a local custom home that’s above the rest — literally. The 11,000-square-foot home is in Ascaya, a planned luxury community of 313 homes that rests 3,100 feet above sea level, in Henderson’s McCullough Mountains. That elevation puts Ascaya about 400 feet above the top of the Stratosphere, with views to match.

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How to stand up to your horrible boss

SOME bosses are very difficult to work with. But you don’t have to just cop the bullying. Here’s how to stand up to them.

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Events in Greece cost IGT, Scientific Games millions of dollars in revenue, cash flow

A manuever in Greece hits the bottom lines of Nevada’s two largest slot machine manufacturers, costing Scientific Games Corp., and International Game Technology millions of dollars in revenue and cash flow.

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Six-year-old social media company Digital Royalty closing

Digital Royalty, a 6-year-old social media company based in the downtown Las Vegas John E. Carson hotel building and a consultant for Bill Foley’s NHL team initiative in Las Vegas, is closing, the owner of the company said in a blog post.

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Marketing Day: Twitter Wants To Know Your Birthday, The Future Of Content Marketing & More

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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Survey: We check our phones at odd times, places

You check your phone where ? Nearly 90 percent of people admit to using their phone in the bathroom, according to a survey conducted by Verizon Wireless. Another 40 percent of respondents also admitted to using their phone at the dinner table, during a conversation or while at a movie.

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Lamar Advertising announces acquisition of Alliance Airport Advertising, Las Vegas

The company that manages advertising at McCarran International Airport has been acquired by one of North America’s largest outdoor advertising companies.

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AdMixt’s Self-Serve Ad Tool Wins Facebook’s “Innovator Of The Year” Award

Facebook honors Marketing Partners for tools that solve obstacles in vertical markets. Brand Networks, Datalogix, Kenshoo and Smartly.io lauded for "Excellence in Innovation."

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Twitter Sets Birthday Balloons As Bait To Reel In More Personal Data

Company adds profile design flourish to encourage people to share their birthdates. The information will be used to serve more relevant information, including advertising.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Photographers: Enter These Contests To Win More Than $39,000 in Prizes

Is it second nature for you to snap a picture when you see a particularly beautiful sunset or your cat does something positively adorable? Did you know you could turn these images into cash?

We’ve already covered a few ways to make money with your photos, such as working as a pet photographer, selling stock photos or trying travel photography. But while these are all businesses you could run full time or on the side, you can also make money without committing as much time by entering photography contests with cash prizes.

The four competitions below will dish out more than $39,000 in prizes, and one photo contest has a grand prize of $15,000. Here’s how to get a piece of the action.

The Weather Channel’s “It’s Amazing Out There” Photo Contest

Ever see the craziest cloud you could imagine and snap a pic? How about a breathtaking iceberg floating across the bay? If you have any great images of nature, adventure or weather, consider entering them in The Weather Channel’s “It’s Amazing Out There” Photo Contest.

Judges will select grand, second- and third-prize winners, and Weather Channels fans will vote on one photo to receive a “public choice award.” The grand prize winner takes home $15,000, second place is $5,000, third place is $1,000, and the people’s choice winner takes home $1,000.

For a shot at winning, be sure to enter by July 16. Go to the contest website and upload your photos relating to weather, nature and/or adventure. Photos must have been taken between 2013 and 2015, be smaller than 5 MB in size, and be accompanied by a caption of no more than 200 characters. You can’t enter a photo you’ve entered in any other photo contest with a $300 or greater prize. You also can’t enter images commissioned by a media organization or published for pay.

This contest is open to permanent, legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. aged 18 or older. You can enter as many photos as you’d like, and complete rules and photo guidelines are available here.

Smithsonian 2015 Photo Contest

Celebrate people, places and culture with the Smithsonian’s 2015 Photo Contest, which runs through November 30. The contest has six different categories, and you can submit up to 15 images in each one, including:

• The Natural World: plants, animals, landscapes, etc.
• Travel: U.S. and abroad
• People
• The American Experience: “photographs that tell us what it means to be an American and provide a sense of what it is like to live in this country”
• Altered Images: manipulated for artistic purposes, including alterations to color, tone, photo composites, etc.
• Mobile: best photograph in any other category taken by a phone or tablet

A seventh category, Sustainable Travel, grants an award to a photographer who “demonstrates leadership and an active commitment to travel for environmentally responsible purposes.” Entries in this category must be accompanied by a 100-word caption describing the story behind the photo. The Sustainable Travel prize is only open to U.S. and D.C. residents.

Nine winners will receive prizes, including one $2,500 grand prize. Each category’s winner will receive $500, the reader’s choice winner will receive $500, and the Sustainable Travel award winner will receive two airplane tickets. Complete rules are available here. If your photos include any recognizable subjects, you’ll need to get them to sign model releases, and you can’t enter a photo that has won another prize. All entrants must be 18 years of age or older and all images must have been taken between 2013 and 2015.

Russian Geographical Society Contest

Have you ever been to Russia? If so, do you have any great images of the country?

The Russian Geographical Society is looking for entries for their contest celebrating Russia as “The Most Beautiful Country.” In the past, this contest was just open to Russian nationals, but now they’ve loosened up their rules to allow foreigners to enter the competition. The contest winner will become the “RGS Photographer of the Year,” and receive $9,300 and an expedition.

Professional and amateur photographers of any age are eligible to compete in this contest by submitting images of Russia with an emphasis on preserving nature and promoting environmental respect through photography. All entries must be received by August 18. For more information, go to the Russian Geographical Society’s webpage.

Fields of Corn Photo Contest

The National Corn Growers Association is looking for your farm-fresh images of corn. Yes, corn. Enter the Fields of Corn Photo Contest for a chance at winning a $500 prize. You can submit as many entries as you’d like, but they must be received by November 30. The five categories you can enter are: Farm Family Lifestyle, Farming Challenges, Growing Field Corn, Scenery/Landscape, and Still Life from the Farm.

The public will vote on entries via Facebook, “liking” their favorites, and then a panel of judges will select a winner from the Top 10 in each category. The grand prize is $500, and in each category, a first-place winner will receive $100, and a second-place winner will bring home $75.

You must be a legal U.S. resident to compete, and all entries and copyrights will become property of the NCGA. These images can be used for NCGA marketing purposes and communications, so make sure you’re comfortable with that before submitting to this contest. For complete rules, check here.

Your Turn: Have you ever entered or won a photo contest? Will you enter any of these ones?

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

The post Photographers: Enter These Contests To Win More Than $39,000 in Prizes appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Sandoval, others to embark on European trade mission

Gov. Brian Sandoval, members of his economic development team, higher education officials and First Lady Kathleen Sandoval will be among those on the trip to Ireland, England, Poland, Germany and Italy that begins July 18 and ends Aug. 2.

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Summer Reading List: 23 Books to Read About Money

Photo: Josue Goge

Now that we’re well into the lazy, hazy days of summer, many of us are anxious to work through our summer reading lists. I know I am. A few weeks ago, I spent a good part of a 10-hour car ride reading Laura Vanderkam’s latest, “I Know How She Does It.”

In between changing movies out for the kids in the back seat, divvying up drinks and snacks, and answering dozens of questions, I gleaned plenty of helpful information from Vanderkam’s study of female high-earners. Among the tidbits of wisdom were tips on how to make the most of each hour of the day, how to get the most out of everything – including your career and your family – and a profiles of many career-oriented women who seem to “have it all.”

I finished that long car ride with a few more tools in my tool belt and a renewed desire to maximize my already busy schedule. But now I’m ready to move on to something new — that is, after I read “Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny,” which should be in the mail as we speak. Ahem.

Another book on my radar is one I just gifted to a few college graduates, “Next Round’s On Me: How to Achieve Financial Freedom in Your 20s,” by Martin Dasko. Although that ship – my 20s – has sailed, I thought it was an excellent graduation present for anyone trying to avoid debt and build wealth in their first decade of real adulthood.

The Simple Dollar’s Summer Reading List

To find out what my friends are reading, I reached out to a bunch of personal finance writers and bloggers to see what they recommend for the remainder of the summer. Here’s what they came up with:

Barbara Friedberg (BarbaraFriedbergPersonalFinance.com): “The Elements of Investing: Easy Lessons for Every Investor” by Malkiel and Ellis is the “perfect” investing and money book by brilliant and well-regarded financial experts. It’s written for the average Jane or Joe in about 100 pages.

Chenell Tull (BrightCents.com): I loved “The One-Page Financial Plan” by Carl Richards. The book really highlights the importance of your mindset on your personal finances. Understanding the influence your thoughts and mind have on your financial situation can help you make major strides in your life. This book helps you come to this realization, while also providing a lot of great financial tips along the way.

Deacon Hayes (WellKeptWallet.com): A book that I think would be a great read for people this summer is “The Little Book of Common Sense Investing” by John Bogle. Investing can be a very complex subject and Bogle does a superb job of taking very complicated topics and making them simple to understand. He also provides in-depth research to help people make the best decisions when it comes to investing their hard-earned dollars. Whether you are just getting started or you are a seasoned investor, this book is a solid read for anyone looking to be better when it comes to investing in the stock market.

Doug Nordman (The-Military-Guide.com): I really enjoyed last year’s “Gold Diggers and Deadbeat Dads: True Stories of Friends, Family, and Financial Ruin.”

Beverly Harzog (BeverlyHarzog.com) agrees about “Gold Diggers”: I literally couldn’t put it down. Fascinating stuff and a well-written book.

J. Money (Budgets are Sexy): My all-time favorite money book is still “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi. Any book that can get you to laugh AND get your money on lock should be a mandatory read for everyone. Especially those cracking open a beer on the beach this summer.

Jackie Beck (TheDebtMyth.com): My favorite personal finance book published this year is “The Great Debt Dump” by Toni Husbands. It’s a clearly-written, step-by-step guide to getting out of debt. I like that it encourages you to do so as part of a community.

Joe Saul-Sehy (Stacking Benjamins): I loved Ric Edelman’s “The Truth About Money.” It’s been reprinted lots of times because it’s so even-handed… but even more because it’s funny. I don’t want my personal finance heavy in the summer. This book is full of cartoons, funny charts and graphs that’ll keep you turning pages quickly. Love it.

Joseph Hogue (PeerFinance101.com): I really liked “Personal Finance: Budgeting and Saving Money” published by Pamela Jones in February 2015. It’s one of those quick and inexpensive books on Amazon, $0.99 on Kindle and just over 30 pages, but it offers several different perspectives on budgeting. I like it because it helps guide you through a few different types of budgets as well as some apps. It also talks about budgeting on an irregular income which is a biggie for us entrepreneurs.

Jim Wang (WalletHacks.com): The book that opened my eyes the most in the last year was Farnoosh Torabi’s “When She Makes More.” I’m not the target demographic nor am I in a relationship where my wife makes more, but a lot of what she covers is applicable in any relationship. Money can change the power dynamics of any relationship and it’s usually not about the money but what it represents. She comes at the issue from the perspective of maintaining and, sometimes, saving a relationship, but you’ll find the ideas work in a variety of situations.

John Rampton (Due.com): I really like Peter Thiel’s book “Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future.” It’s a book about how we need to be creating companies and changing our mentalities. We have to think differently and create companies differently because of the challenges of the future. Innovation starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places. It caused me to think about money in a different way. If we’re all getting worse with our money, we need to come up with different ways to achieve victory.

KellyWhalen (TheCentsibleLife.com): “The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money” was a great book for parents or those interested in passing on personal finance skills to kids (educators, grandparents, etc.). It was a solid with lots of practical advice for raising kids who know the value of a dollar and what it takes to earn one.

Lance Cothern (MoneyManifesto.com): I really enjoyed Todd Tressider’s book, “How Much Do I Need To Retire?“. Rather than just spout off the typical advice, Todd shows you many different ways you can achieve your retirement money goals. He also goes into detail with research to show you why he says what he says. To top it all off, this book is a quick read. You get exactly what you need without the fluff.

Larry Ludwig (TheInvestorJunkie.com): I really enjoyed “MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom” by Tony Robbins. If you can get past the filler, and the promoting of various products Tony may have an interest in, the book presents the information in a nice logical format. Though, for example, there’s nothing earth-shattering about the All Seasons Portfolio. In my opinion, the dream and goal setting section is the most useful section of the book.

Whitney Hansen (WhitneyHansen.com) agrees: It’s not every day you find a personal finance book that turns your world upside down and makes you question what you thought you knew. “MONEY Master the Game” did that for me. It was insightful and well-supported with research and interviews with very successful wealth managers. It will empower you to take personal control of your investments. I appreciated the simple language used for an already complicated topic.

As if that wasn’t enough, Andrew Schrage (Money Crashers) also suggests Robbins’ book: Although the book was first available in late 2014, try the work from Tony Robbins titled “MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom.” He’s an amazingly talented coach and an expert in a wide variety of topics, but this book in particular is great for those who want easy-to-digest and simple-to-implement strategies and tips for achieving financial freedom. It mostly centers on advice geared toward investing, but that’s a particularly relevant subject these days, with the stock market at all-time highs but with many money experts wondering when and if the ride is going to end.

Lee Huff (BaldThoughts.com): I just finished reading Derek Olsen and Carrie Olsen’s book “One Bed, One Bank Account: Better Conversations on Money and Marriage“. It was a quick and fun read of around 80 pages. I liked it for two reasons. First, there were plenty of personal stories from Derek & Carrie, as well as some of their clients, so that you could easily connect with the topics, and I really appreciated the focus on communication between partners that enhances not only your finances, but also your marriage.

Michael Gardon (The Simple Dollar): I have two. First, I really enjoyed “Risk Savvy: How to Make Good Decisions.” Risk in our everyday lives is greatly underestimated, but understanding it is key to making better decisions. This book has a ton of much-needed advice about how to interpret and understand the numbers that marketers feed us every day. Understanding base rates and how to interpret statistics properly have wide ranging implications for investment decisions, personal finance, and our healthcare. Another book I am gearing up to read is “Simple Rules: How to Thrive in a Complex World.” I’m excited to read this one. My life has gotten increasingly complex in the last few years, so I’ve been doing a lot to simplify my everyday decisions, save time, and have less worry. There is way too much going on at any one time to be in control of everything, so the simplest strategies usually perform better. This is true in investing as well as raising kids!

Michelle Jackson (ShopMyClosetProject.com): “The Average Family’s Guide to Financial Freedom: How You Can Save a Fortune on a Modest Income” is a book I found many years ago and for some reason I absolutely fell in love with it. I think what’s so appealing to me about this book is that it is written by a regular family, with real problems, and with similar hopes and dreams to most people that I know. Also, they were making an average amount of money at the time they wrote this book. But, this family was able to proactively grow their wealth with some straightforward and simple steps.

Miranda Marquit (PlantingMoneySeeds.com): My favorite is “The Millionaire Fast Lane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime,” by MJ DeMarco. It was the first book to really make me think about “conventional” financial wisdom and whether or not it really makes sense for me.

Paula Pant (AffordAnything.com): I found “The Power of Zero: How to Get to the 0% Tax Bracket and Transform Your Retirement” by David McKnight interesting food for thought. The author describes how to significantly lower your taxes in retirement (a concept that could easily translate to both the early retirement and traditional retirement crowds). He shares ideas about how to get your annual income down to the level that all of your personal exemptions and deductions would cover it, so that your income is functionally tax-free. (That’s around $20,000.) I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but life would be boring if I only read authors I agree with 100% of the time. He clearly knows a lot about the topic, and if nothing else, it’s a book that makes you far more tax-aware, particularly around retirement planning.

Valerie Rind (ValerieRind.com): Beverly Harzog’s bestselling book, “Confessions of a Credit Junkie: Everything You Need to Know to Avoid the Mistakes I Made,” focused on the ins and outs of the mysterious world of credit scores and cards. Her latest, “The Debt Escape Plan; How to Free Yourself from Credit Card Balances, Boost Your Credit Score, and Live Debt-Free” takes a more personal approach. She openly discloses her path in and out of the debt dungeon. It’s an encouraging book for anyone drowning in their own debt quicksand. Of course there is no quick and easy way out, but you can gain insight into how you got there, what keeps you stuck, how to escape, and how to stay out of debt permanently.

What is on your summer reading list?

The post Summer Reading List: 23 Books to Read About Money appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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4 best things to buy in July

The month of July is a great time to save money — not just spend it — if you know where the deals are this time of year.

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A Summer Gift Guide for Hosts and Hostesses

Know someone who loves hosting summer parties? Give them something in return.


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How One Family of 4 Lives Well on $11 an Hour

We often hear about the struggles of people earning our nation’s minimum wage. By all accounts, it is extremely difficult to survive on $7.25 an hour.

But what about the families who earn more than the minimum wage — too much to qualify for government assistance, but not enough to make ends meet without a struggle? Their stories often go untold.

Over at Wise Bread, Emily Guy Birken interviewed one family who lives well on $11 an hour. The Luhs are a young couple who live in Ohio with their two children; together, they earn less than $40,000 per year.

For a family of four, the federal poverty threshold is $24,250, and for food assistance in Ohio, it’s $31,525.

So though they don’t qualify for many assistance programs, Birken says: “By any metric, Samantha and John are bringing in a modest income, and many young parents would find it challenging to raise two kids on so little money.”

How the Luhs Make It Work

It hasn’t been easy, but the Luhs have figured out how to survive — and enjoy life — on their limited budget.

Here are our favorite strategies from their interview:

They Constantly Re-assess Their Budget

When you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck, a “set-it-and-forget-it” budget won’t work. They constantly track and adjust their spending, and when extra money comes in, they save it for non-essentials like gifts.

And if they ever run into trouble paying their bills? They already have a plan in place: getting rid of their no-contract cell phones.

They Determine Clear Priorities

Saving money is far more difficult if you don’t know what you’re saving for. This wasn’t a problem for the Luhs, who knew exactly where their priorities lay. They wanted a house, so they worked hard to build up their credit and save for a down payment on a $101,000 home.

They Stash Gift Cards for Splurges

The next time you receive a gift card, take a cue from the Luhs and hide it in a drawer. Then, when you feel the urge to splurge, you can fulfill it with one of your gift cards — and avoid spending any of your own money. Smart, right?

Of course, it’s worth pointing out that the Luhs live in a comparatively affordable area of the country. As one commenter griped: “Try buying a house on 11 dollars an hour… anywhere in the northeast United States. You might be able to get a bridge to live under in New Jersey.”

To us, though, that doesn’t detract from the Luhs’ success: In their area, the median income is $65,000 — 62.5% more than what they earn. So we’re still quite impressed with this young couple’s determination and frugality.

Your Turn: Do you make it work on $11 an hour? Any tips to share?

Susan Shain (@Susan_Shain) is a freelance writer and travel blogger who is always seeking adventure on a budget.

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Is Deep Linking The New Digital Marketing Battleground?

With the introduction of deep linking in iOS 9, Apple is taking on Google in mobile search. Columnist Alex Lirtsman takes a look at the new turf war.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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The Difference Between Content And Content Marketing

As the line between content and content marketing blurs, columnist Rebecca Lieb shares thoughts about what lies ahead for content professionals.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Retirement Basics: IRA or 401(k)?

Compare your retirement savings options to find the best plan for you.

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How You Can Form a Retirement Village in Your Community

With retirement villages, older Americans can age in place with the benefit of community and a helping hand.

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Never Hunt for a Coupon Code Again: 7 Money-Saving Browser Extensions

Gone are the days of scouring the Internet for deals and coupon codes. Instead, use browser extensions to make saving money while shopping online nearly effortless.

Whether you choose Chrome, Firefox or Safari, add these extensions to your browser to make shopping and saving even simpler and faster. They’ll help you automate your discounts, earn points and rewards, and acquire coupon codes without spending time combing through online forums — saving you time while they save you money.

Here are 10 browser extensions that help you save money — and a few of them even help you earn cash and rewards as well.

1. Honey

When you’re ready to check out during online shopping, Honey will pop up on the right of your screen with available sales and coupon codes. Simply click “Try Codes” to test whether any of them are applicable to your purchase. If so, you’ll instantly save money! Either way, you’ve saved yourself the time you’d normally spend Googling “coupon code [retailer name].”

Works with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera

2. Invisible Hand

Planning a big trip? Don’t jet out without downloading this browser extension! In addition to helping you out with your online shopping, Invisible Hand will automatically find the lowest price when you search for flights, hotels and rental cars.

While you’re shopping, Invisible Hand will discreetly notify you if the product or flights you’re browsing are offered at a lower price on another site. Simply scroll through a drop-down menu with price comparisons and click on the link to a cheaper option.

The tool boasts that it’s helped users save more than $1 billion so far, though the average savings per purchase is closer to $7.50. Still, that adds up!

Works with: Chrome, Firefox and Safari

3. The Camelizer

Are you an Amazon, Best Buy or Newegg shopper? Consider downloading The Camelizer.

This browser extension will give you a product’s price history without leaving the retailer’s page. You can also set up alerts, so that when a product’s price drops, you will be one of the first to know!

International Amazon shoppers, this one’s for you! If you’re in the U.K., Germany, France, Japan or Canada, The Camelizer can help you save money.

Works with: Chrome, Firefox and Safari

4. Coupons at Checkout

Coupons at Checkout automatically finds coupon codes without you needing to search. When you’re checking out, look at the coupon code box. If Coupons at Checkout has found one or more potential options, the box will be highlighted in red. Click on the box to see available codes and apply one to your order.

With more than 100,000 e-commerce sites in its database, Coupons at Checkout is bound to help with your savings.

Works with: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari

5. CouponCabin Sidekick

If you’re shopping online at one of the more than 1,800 retailers the site covers, the CouponCabin Sidekick will display a small bar at the top of your screen with any available coupon offers. You might save money on your purchase, get free shipping or enjoy another deal.

Even better? The Sidekick also helps you earn up to 10% cash back from your purchases. When you search for an item — say, bathing suits — you’ll see the amount of cash back displayed right in your search results.

Works with: IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari

6. PriceBlink

While you’re shopping on one site, PriceBlink is busy scanning thousands of merchants to see if any of them offer a lower price on the same item. If it finds one or more matches, it displays a small bar at the top of your screen with a drop-down menu of other options. One click takes you to the site of your choice for a better deal.

If you’re browsing one particular site, like GAP.com, PriceBlink checks to see whether the retailer offers any coupons or deals, then shows you the options. That way, you can consider your savings before ever making it to the checkout page. If there isn’t a deal right then, you can always add the item to your PriceBlink Wish List to wait for a promotion.

Works with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari

7. Wallaby

Do you have several credit cards, each with a different points and rewards system? It can be tough to know which card is best to use for which purchase, especially when you earn different amounts of points for different categories of purchases (like groceries, electronics or clothing).

The Wallaby Browser Extension helps you earn the most rewards from your purchase by telling you which credit card to use for each transaction. Just shop online like normal and when you’re ready to check out, just click the Wallaby icon to see which of your credit cards will earn you the most rewards or cash back.

Works with: Chrome

Your Turn: What’s your favorite browser extension for online shopping? Let us know in the comments!

Maryann Akinboyewa is a social media strategist and writer.

The post Never Hunt for a Coupon Code Again: 7 Money-Saving Browser Extensions appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Eurozone Leaders Hold Emergency Summit on Greece

Eurozone leaders are holding an emergency meeting in Brussels Tuesday to figure out a new bailout program for Greece, following the weekend referendum rejecting the terms offered by its creditors.

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Turning Three Big Financial Projects from Plan into Action

A few days ago, I wrote an article on becoming a “doer” instead of a “planner.” Many of us are very good at making plans for changing our life, but we’re not as good at actually executing those changes.

A big part of the strategy I offer in that article is clearly defining things to work on, things you can actually take direct action on. Many people have big ideas for changing their life, but those changes are more about “taking away” rather than “finding a new path.” It is the process of “finding a new path” where you’ll actually find success. Merely “taking away” an old routine without creating a strong new routine means you’re likely to get frustrated and snap back to the old routine.

In other words, you’re likely to find success in changing your life by actively doing something new and using those strategies to stick to it than by simply removing an old routine and flailing. Being active, not passive, is the key to becoming a “doer.”

Here are three projects that do just that. I’m going to use the “strategies for becoming a doer” from the earlier post to describe each project and how you can execute it to hit a home run in your life.

Live Out of Your Pantry and Closet

In other words, try to avoid buying anything that is not absolutely essential for as long as possible. Instead, go through your pantry, cupboards, and closet and start using – and using up – all of the stuff you already have on hand. This can cut down on your food budget, your household supplies budget, your clothing budget, and so on for at least the next month – and perhaps forever.

Break Your Plan Down to Tiny Tasks

Rather than focusing entirely on what you’re cutting out, focus on the little things you can do to make this goal work. What can you do in the next fifteen minutes or half an hour to make this goal work?

You can take on things like cleaning out and reorganizing your pantry, cleaning out and reorganizing your closet, cleaning out and reorganizing your bookshelves, going through your hobby supplies and seeing what you actually have on hand, and so on. Those tasks might lead to more things like selling unnecessary stuff on Craigslist or organizing a book swap with your friends.

Even those things might be “big,” so break it down to even smaller tasks. One task might be to pull everything out of one closet, with a follow-up task of putting everything you actually want to keep back in the closet more sensibly and another task of selling that excess stuff. You get the idea – find little things you can do right now.

Eliminate Distractions

Much of my spending comes from the temptations around me – websites devoted to my hobbies, food magazines, catalogs, restaurant reviews, and so on. Those things are very likely to take me away from my positive spending initiatives.

So, what do I do? I toss catalogs. I block websites using StayFocusd. I avoid reading reviews for things just for the sake of reading reviews (which mostly just convince me to buy stuff) and I stop reading publications that are mostly reviews for more stuff.

Those things can convince you to spend more money and they don’t really add anything positive to one’s quality of life. Get rid of them. Not only will you have more time without those things in your life, you’ll also have far less temptation to spend, which makes living off of what you have on hand much easier.

Set Up “Triggers” for Positive Behaviors

In other words, make it as easy as possible for you to not buy things when you might have otherwise done so. Here are three examples of how Sarah and I do this in our own life.

First, I put lists of books I want to read on top of the library books I intend to return. That way, I can use that as a checklist when I go back to the library. I keep that list out on my desk so I can add books to it when I hear about them, which takes the edge off the desire to buy.

Second, we make meals in advance, then pull them out the night before we use them. For example, when we’re actually making lasagna, we’ll make several pans of it and stock the rest in the freezer. Yes, this takes longer – it’s a Saturday project, usually. However, when we have those pans of lasagna in the freezer, we’ll pull one out the night before we want to use it and put it in the refrigerator, giving it 24 hours to thaw. Knowing that there’s a lasagna in the fridge just waiting to be put in the oven makes it pretty easy to “behave” and just use what we have on hand.

Third, my wife grinds coffee and sets up the coffee pot before bed. She gets everything as ready as she can to make a great homemade coffee as soon as she wakes up so that she’s not tempted to just stop at a coffee drive-thru on the way to work. The coffee is ground, the sugar is out, the to-go cup is cleaned and sitting there … all together, this makes it really easy for her in that sleepy rush as she’s getting ready for work.

These things “trigger” positive behavior at a point where we might be tempted to give up on our project by going for the “bad” choice.

Set One Specific Micro-Task to Complete Each Day

When I’m trying to hammer home a project, I make sure to complete at least one small task related to that project each day. Remember earlier, when we talked about breaking the project down into little tasks? Assign yourself one of those little tasks each day.

For example, one day’s micro-task might be to just reorganize a bookshelf, asking yourself which of those books you actually want to keep (for reference or because you might reread it) or you should sell or trade (because you probably won’t ever read it again). Another day’s task might be to make a list of all your sellable or tradable books and listing them on Facebook or Craigslist. Another task might just be to clean out a junk drawer, or reorganize one pantry shelf.

Couch Your Efforts in Positivity

For me, the perfect example of this comes whenever I actually clean out a closet or a pantry shelf. I always rediscover something wonderful that I hadn’t thought about in a long while and that makes me feel excited again as I want to use that item.

I’ll give you two specific examples. Recently, I cleaned out my closet and found a box of old electronic components that I had collected a few years ago when I was working on some electronics projects. Finding that box got me excited and made me want to start working on some new projects – and since I was using this stuff from my closet, it was basically a free activity.

I did almost the exact same thing with a bookshelf. I hadn’t maintained this shelf well and the books were stacked up awkwardly on the shelves, so I took everything off and reorganized it. Lo and behold, I found two books I was excited to read on there, one old and one new – again, they’re providing entertainment without buying anything new.

Think positive thoughts about what you’re doing. Look for cool ways to use the things you discover as you’re cleaning out your closets or your pantry or your cupboards. Consider each day that you don’t buy stuff to be a real accomplishment and feel proud of it. Think of the money you’re saving by not spending it on stuff you don’t need and feel good about that.

Share Your Plans with a Trusted Circle and Ask for Suggestions and Reinforcement

If you’re going to dive into something like this, share it at least with the other people living in your home and get them on board with it. Encourage everyone to dig through their shelves and closets to find interesting things they may have forgotten about or things they can sell. Hand out positive reinforcement to everyone who is actually doing it.

If you’re surrounded by people who are doing this and are feeling positive about it, it’s going to become much, much easier for you to do the same.

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

A more energy efficient home is going to save you money for as long as you live there. Your energy bills will drop and they’ll stay lower because you’re simply not gobbling up nearly as much energy as before. However, simply improving the energy efficiency of your home can be a big task filled with lots of projects small and large.

Break Your Plan Down to Tiny Tasks

The best way to start a big project like this is to find a checklist like this one of projects, strategies, and tactics for improving the energy efficiency of your home. That page alone provides a great list of smaller projects.

Replace furnace air filters. Replace incandescent bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Insulate water heaters and pipes. Seal doors and windows. Clean air ducts. Upgrade your thermostat. Install low-flow toilets and shower heads. Install ceiling fans (and run them in seasonally appropriate ways). Plant deciduous shade trees near the house. Replace leaky windows. Insulate walls and attic. Install solar panels.

Some of those are easy one-shot or two part tasks, but some of them will need further breakdown. Keep chopping the tasks into smaller pieces until you have a big list of things you can do in just a few minutes.

Set Up “Triggers” for Positive Behaviors

Many of these tasks require equipment and materials to complete, so one really effective way to set up a trigger for a positive behavior is to put the equipment and materials needed for a particular task near where they should go, even if you don’t have the time to do it right now.

For example, whenever we buy new LED bulbs (our house is gradually going all-LED as bulbs burn out), we’ll put those new bulbs right next to where the old ones need to be replaced. Often, we don’t have the few minutes right then to change the bulb, but if the bulb is sitting right next to the socket, it’s easy to remember and do it later.

We do the same thing with furnace filter replacement. We’ll just sit it out in the laundry room (which is where the air handling system is) so that the next time we’re in there, the task is really easy to do.

Set One Specific Micro-Task to Complete Each Day

If you’ve done a good job of breaking down that big list of energy improvement tasks into an even bigger list of tiny tasks to complete, make it your goal to mark at least one item off of the big list of tasks each day. You might choose to change out the light bulbs in one bathroom, for example, or install a low-flow shower head in one bathroom (or perhaps even just buy a low-flow shower head kit or just measure the water flow of the shower head).

This is an approach I use whenever I’m trying to take on a big multi-task project like this. I just come up with a huge list of tiny tasks, then add them to my to-do list, one per day. Marking off those tiny tasks ensures a positive step forward toward completing that bigger project.

Couch Your Efforts in Positivity

For me, seeing the results of my efforts causes me to feel good. When I can see a positive change as the result of something I did, I feel really good about it.

So, one great way to do this type of project is to start at the beginning of an energy billing cycle. Figure out what day of the month your energy meter is read for billing, then start on that day by knocking out some energy improvement tasks. When the last “old” bill comes in, save it, then compare it to a “new” bill as well as more bills down the road.

If you want to get even better at it, start reading your own energy meter. Keep track of the number each day and see how it drops over time. Day-to-day energy use is variable, but you’ll see a decline in the average. When I was really into this, I recorded the number each day and then looked at the weekly average and I could notice that weekly average steadily dropping.

It felt good. Why? Because every time that energy usage average dropped, I knew that my efforts had translated into lasting savings for my family. From that point onwards, we were going to be spending less on energy, and that felt good.

Share Your Plans with a Trusted Circle and Ask for Suggestions and Reinforcement

This is the type of project that works really well in conjunction with friends. Hop onto Facebook and post a message looking for ways to cut back on home energy use, particularly local tips. Mention the energy company you use.

You’ll be surprised how many of your friends jump in with suggestions and ideas. Many of your other friends will actually use those suggestions as well for their own ends, so your simple post won’t just help you, but will help other people that you know.

Prepare More Food at Home

Preparing food at home is one of those “self-fulfilling prophecy” kind of projects. The more you do it, the better you get at it and the more appealing it is to eat food at home. However, if you keep putting that idea off, you never get good at it and it always seems more challenging than it needs to be. It can be a real challenge to switch tracks, but you can use some of the “doer” strategies to make it happen.

Break Your Plan Down to Tiny Tasks

Cooking really is a series of tiny tasks. Meal planning is one task. Gathering ingredients is another. Actual meal preparation is yet another.

These tasks aren’t particularly hard themselves. They don’t feel nearly as daunting individually, at least compared to “making meals at home for the next month.”

So, your first step in cooking at home should be to make a meal plan for a week (or two). Decide what you’ll have for each meal, and make those first meals pretty easy to prepare. If you’re unsure what to do, look at your grocery store flyer and use the on-sale ingredients as inspiration.

Then, make a big list from that meal plan and flyer and buy everything you need.

Other tiny tasks include simply setting out all of the items and equipment you’ll need for a meal, preparing the meal, packing up leftovers, and so on.

When you start breaking things down into little manageable pieces, everything seems easier and comes together.

Eliminate Distractions

Throw away that takeout/delivery menu that’s on your refrigerator. Get rid of it. Delete the phone numbers for delivery places on your phone. Those things beg you to just call them up for convenience, which is not only more expensive but runs counter to your entire project. You don’t need those kinds of distractions.

We sometimes get food advertisements in the mail, usually with a delivery or takeout menu attached. Those things go straight in the trash, as they just encourage extra spending that we don’t really need to do.

Set Up “Triggers” for Positive Behaviors

One thing that we often do is leave the ingredients out for a meal the night before we prepare it (as late evenings are the most common time for household tasks). This is particularly true if we’re assembling a slow cooker meal the next morning for dinner the next evening.

Another nice trigger we often use is pre-cooking a large amount of beans. I’ll cook up a pound of dry black beans (making something like three pounds of cooked beans) for two or three different recipes all at once. Simply having those cooked beans triggers my desire and ability to use them in recipes (because beans you cooked and seasoned yourself blow away beans from a can in texture and flavor).

Another useful trigger is to buy fresh ingredients that don’t require refrigerator storage and just leave them out on the table so you remember to use them. We have a big fruit bowl that we use just for this purpose – and that fruit bowl will sometimes have some vegetables in there for just this reason.

Set One Specific Micro-Task to Complete Each Day

Your goal today is to make supper at home and then pack the leftovers for lunch on a future day. That’s a very specific task, one you can make even more specific with the aid of a meal plan.

You can make that task really simple – and, at first, I’d encourage you to do so. Make something really easy, like spaghetti with pasta sauce or scrambled eggs. Don’t worry about more complex dishes – worry about those when you’ve mastered the techniques of easier ones.

The best way to do this is to get a great learning cookbook, like Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, and focus on the earlier recipes that really build technique that will make later recipes better.

Couch Your Efforts in Positivity

When you make a meal for yourself, be proud of it. You didn’t pay someone else to make this for you. You didn’t burn the time to go to a restaurant where you sit around twiddling your thumbs to pay too much for a meal and then have to also tip the waitstaff.

You did it yourself, at home. There’s no wear and tear on the car. There’s no time spent traveling back and forth. There’s no tip or restaurant “premium.”

There’s just you, and the meal you made. And it’s cheaper and probably tastier and healthier than a similar meal at a restaurant anyway.

Be proud of that. That’s awesome. Don’t be afraid to feel good about it. You should.

Share Your Plans with a Trusted Circle and Ask for Suggestions and Reinforcement

You can make this type of activity very social by simply asking your friends for recipe ideas and meal suggestions on social media or when you see them.

Even better, make it into a direct social event by having your good friends over for a meal or by hosting a potluck dinner where everyone brings or makes something. This is a very inexpensive way to host a social event.

Final Thoughts

You can have all of the great plans in the world when it comes to cutting your spending or getting your finances in order, but if those plans aren’t met with action, they don’t really add up to too much.

Make plans, sure, but take action. That’s where the real difference is made.

The post Turning Three Big Financial Projects from Plan into Action appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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How To Maintain Email Customer Engagement In An Increasingly Mobile Marketplace

As consumers continue to shift toward mobile, how can brands use email to improve customer engagement? Columnist Jason Warnock has some tips for marketers.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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New offer from GLPI for Pinnacle Entertainment: $5 billion

Gaming and Leisure Properties increased its three-month-old offer to acquire Pinnacle Entertainment’s land holdings by 32 percent on Tuesday.

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How Social Conversation Can Help You Discover Your Brand’s Next Great Campaign

In a customer-centric world, social insights are the key to creating effective media partnerships, blog posts, commercials and more, says columnist John Donnelly III.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Summertime Productivity Hacks for Work at Home Moms

By Jan Pinnington A wall calendar, an egg timer, and a handful of water balloons helped this work-at-home mom stay productive during the hazy lazy days of summer. Months and months of carefully planned schedules, routines, and systematic living abruptly ends, and as exciting as summer break can be for both you and the kids, […]

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Customers are to blame for energy misery says watchdog

Laura Whitcombe

energyandmoney.jpg

There is weak competition in the domestic energy market but customers are largely to blame, an official investigation has found.

There is weak competition in the domestic energy market but customers are largely to blame, an official investigation has found.

 

Specific customer failings include a lack of awareness and interest in switching and confusion surrounding how much energy they expect to use versus what they actually consume.

 

Customers are to blame for energy misery says watchdog

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There is weak competition in the domestic energy market but customers are largely to blame, an official investigation has found. Specific customer failings include a lack of awareness and interest in switching and confusion surrounding how much energy they expect to use versus what they actually consume. The investigation – by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) – also found that weak competition between 2009 and 2013 had led to consumers being overcharged by around 5% and small businesses by 14%. This meant the Big Six energy companies raked in an extra £1.2 billion more from domestic customers on an annual basis than would have been the case had competition functioned more effectively. The CMA found that some 36% of energy customers did not think it was possible (or did not know if it was possible) to change their energy tariff, payment method or supplier, according to the CMA, which has been investigating the energy market. Meanwhile, 72% said they had never switched tariff with an existing supplier, did not know it was possible, or did not know if they had done so. This is despite the fact that switching to a better deal could save dual fuel customers of the Big Six energy firms 14% of the average bill – or £160 a year. Compare energy prices and switch provider Default tariffs Between 2011 and 2014, the Big Six made 10% and 13% more money from their standard variable electricity and gas tariffs than their cheapest deals. However about 70% of customers are currently on the 'default' standard variable tariff (SVT) despite the presence of the cheaper fixed-rate deals. These factors mean a high proportion of customers are less likely to be 'engaged' with their energy supplier – particularly the elderly, those living in social and rented housing, on low incomes or with low levels of education. This lack of engagement – which the CMA refers to as "weak customer response" in its report – gives suppliers "the ability to exploit such a position… through price discrimination by pricing their standard variable tariffs (SVTs) materially above a level that can be justified by cost differences". Despite criticism of customers' lack of engagement, one remedy the CMA is consulting on implies the energy regulator may have made things worse for them. It will now consult on scrapping Ofgem's recent rule change that limited the number of tariffs suppliers could offer to four. While this was meant to make things simpler for customers, the CMA report said that allowing suppliers to have as many tariffs as they wish would give them the incentive to tailor deals and "compete vigorously" for disengaged customers. Other measures to improve customer engagement and so boost competition among suppliers the CMA will also consider include promoting the benefits of smart meters to make billing easier to understand and encouraging consumers to shop around. It will also consult on whether a transitional price cap on the most expensive tariffs is needed "until other measures have led to a more competitive market". The CMA has ruled out capping prices and forcing suppliers to inform customers of the cheapest deal on the market across all other providers. New framework Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: "The energy market has failed the overwhelming majority of customers. Consumers don't trust the relationship between prices and profits. Millions are locked out of the benefits of the competition that exists. "The CMA needs to provide a framework that gives customers confidence that they are not getting a raw deal and protects the interests of all consumers, including those who cannot or do not switch." She added: "The remedies recommended by the CMA are encouraging but will take some time before they are finally agreed and implemented. In the meantime, we call on energy companies – who are benefiting from massive reductions in wholesale prices – to help customers and reduce bills." [Video:1]

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How to complain about your energy provider

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EE launches low-cost £39 4G smartphone

Mark King

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Mobile phone network operator EE has launched what it is calling the UK's lowest-priced smartphone – costing just £39 for existing customers or £49 for new customers.

Mobile phone network operator EE has launched what it is calling the UK's lowest-priced smartphone - costing just £39 for existing customers or £49 for new customers.

The Rook, available immediately, is aimed at the 2.5 million customers who are currently priced out of the superfast 4G service.

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Putting an Offer on Your Dream Home? Get Creative With Your Bid to Seal the Deal

Can a slice of pizza help you buy the home of your dreams? For one woman in Portland, Oregon, that’s exactly what happened. Well, it cost her a few pizzas.

If you’re looking for a little slice of heaven, a home to call your own, you may find that search to be more difficult than you expected. In many American cities, the housing market has rebounded from the housing bubble debacle of 2008 — so much that it can be tough to buy a home. Inventory is not keeping up with demand, and so many people are bidding on houses that the prices wind up going well above asking in many markets.

To make their bids stand out, some people are getting quite creative — and if you’re getting ready to buy a house, you might want to take a page out of their unconventional books. Here are some of the most creative ways we’ve seen to sweeten the deal. Some of them worked, while others… not so much.

1. Offer Free Pizza for Life

Recently, a woman in Portland, Oregon added a little extra cheese to her offer. Donna DiNicola was looking for a new home for her 23-year-old son Johnny Barrett. DiNicola and Barrett found a home that they liked, and the asking price was $249,000. Homes in that area have been selling for well above asking; the home next door recently sold for $50,000 over its asking price.

When you’re in a bidding war, you need to make your offer stand out. DiNicola didn’t expect to win the bidding war, but wanted to get her son comfortable with the bidding process.  They offered $26,000 over the asking price, then sweetened their bid by offering the owners a two-month, rent-free lease back option.

And, just as a lark, DiNicola added a kicker: free pizza for life from her restaurant in Portland. By accepting their offer, the homeowner would not only get $275,000 for the house, but also one free pizza each month, for life. It worked! DiNicola’s offer was accepted.

2. Make a Video

In the San Francisco Bay area, bidding wars, well over asking, have been the norm for many years.

To try to make their bid stand out one couple went to great lengths by creating a video. Not a video of themselves begging and pleading that their bid be accepted. No, they went beyond that.

Instead, they went to several homeowners in the neighborhood and somehow convinced all of them to sing a song about what a great addition this couple would be to the neighborhood. Crazy, huh? Despite their efforts, they were unable to secure the home; the seller accepted the highest bid.

3. Write a Letter

Writing a letter indicating that you are interested in a home used to be unusual. Now, it’s commonplace. However, the contents of the letter may help you convince the seller that your bid should receive the highest consideration, so it is often considered a good idea to write one.

“Money talks, but a letter gives a human element to an offer,” said Michael Citron, a real estate agent in Florida. “Sellers want to sell to a buyer who they’re comfortable with and can relate to.”

We saw that the video of neighbors singing a bidder’s praise didn’t sway a seller, but things worked out better for Cynthia Kelley in Coral Springs, Florida. Kelley fell in love with a big four-bedroom house as soon as she saw its doggy doors and big backyard. She wrote to the owner, explaining that she knew her three golden retrievers would love the space, and included a photo of herself and her dogs.

Kelley also explained that she was a reserve Army nurse who was called to active duty from 2005 to 2007, and was now ready to buy a home. Her letter touched the seller, who told The Denver Post he felt better selling to Kelley than to other bidders.

In another sale, Laura Kaufman, a realtor in San Francisco, represented a seller who accepted $40,000 less than the highest offer because she was so moved by a letter from a buyer who had lost his wife and was raising two daughters.

Many realtors note that sellers rarely accept less based on a letter alone, but if the story strikes a chord, they might work with that buyer to come up with a winning bid.

Regardless of your bid, do something to help your offer stand out. If you own a business, offering a free service is a great way to sweeten the deal. If you’re creative, why not write a song or film a video?

If you are in a highly competitive market, offering something interesting might be the difference between landing your dream house or not. If you are outbid on your dream home, move on. Whatever you do, don’t stalk the new homeowner; you may end up in prison.

Your Turn: Have you done something creative to help your offer stand out? Share your stories in the comments!

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!

David L. Wright is a retired CFO. He is author of the Amazon bestselling investing book: Investing for the Rest of Us and maintains a personal finance website: DollarBits.com.

The post Putting an Offer on Your Dream Home? Get Creative With Your Bid to Seal the Deal appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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