Smoke and the City: Meet the queens of pot

SHE’S wealthy, well-educated and from a construction dynasty. Hillary Peckham, 24, is the last person you’d expect to be selling cannabis. But that’s exactly what she’s determined to do.

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Volvo replaces passenger seat with baby seat

Buckle up, baby. Volvo Cars debuted a new concept for their luxury, family-friendly vehicles — a swivel child seat built into a console that sits where the front passenger seat would normally be.

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How Amazon Same-day Delivery Works

The Amazon same-day delivery service aims to get your package to you in no time at all. Learn how Amazon same-day delivery works.

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How Amazon Same-day Delivery Works

The Amazon same-day delivery service aims to get your package to you in no time at all. Learn how Amazon same-day delivery works.

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NBA Summer League poised for Las Vegas tipoff

In all, 23 NBA teams, plus an NBA Development League team, will play 67 games in 11 days at Thomas & Mack and Cox Pavilion beginning Friday. It’s $28 at the door per person for a day’s worth of NBA summer games.

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Official: Live-entertainment tax to require detailed records

Nevada’s streamlined live-entertainment tax may have been simplified but will still require detailed accounting records, a state official said Thursday.

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Companies with more than 300 jobs for Southern Nevada OK’d for tax incentives

Three companies with diverse backgrounds are expanding or relocating to Southern Nevada, bringing more than 300 jobs paying up to $34 an hour after being approved for tax incentives by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development on Thursday.

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Businessman Foley buys prestigious Summerlin office building

Bill Foley, the businessman who’s spearheading the effort to bring a National Hockey League team to Las Vegas, has purchased one of the city’s most upscale office buildings.

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Marketing Day: Facebook Tweaks News Feed, YouTube’s Top 5 Summer Movie Trailers & 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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No Longer Twitter Exclusive, Meerkat Moves Closer To Facebook

Going for growth, Meerkat enables registering via Facebook. Live-streaming app also adds the ability to bring temporary guest hosts into events.

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Man blames tequila for taking Las Vegas’ Blarney Stone

The D Las Vegas’ owner took to social media Wednesday saying the Blarney Stone had been stolen from its display on the casino’s second floor.

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How Do Credit Cards Work?

Photo: Frankie Leon

Credit cards are complex financial tools that get a lot of praise – and a lot of flak. When used properly, they can work as a powerful complement to your financial plan. Likewise, using a credit card improperly can wreak utter havoc on your finances. Here we aim to clear up some of the mystery surrounding credit cards and their use, and answer this common question:

“How do credit cards work, anyway?”

What Is a Credit Card?

A credit card is a small plastic card that extends a line of credit – or a temporary loan – any time a consumer uses it to make a purchase.

If the loan or charge is paid back within a specified grace period – usually between 25 and 30 days – then you don’t have to pay anything above and beyond the amount you initially charged; it amounts to a short-term, interest-free loan.

However, if you are unable or unwilling to pay your full balance in that time, you will owe interest on your purchases – money charged in addition to the amount you already owe. That’s one way card issuers earn money in exchange for making these temporary loans.

Credit card interest is generally charged as a percentage of what you owe each month. The percentage of interest you’ll owe each year is your annual percentage rate, commonly referred to as your APR.

Your APR may be anywhere from 0% to 24.99% depending on your personal credit profile, credit history, or credit score. But since months aren’t all the same length, most card issuers use a daily periodic rate (DPR) to calculate interest charges. To find out your daily periodic rate, you simply divide your APR by 365, the number of days in the year.

An example: If your APR is 20%, you’ll be charged interest on your balance at a daily rate of .054%.

There are two main types of credit cards: secured and unsecured cards.

Unsecured credit cards: The most common type of credit card out there, unsecured credit cards extend a line of credit that is not secured with a deposit. That means that, each time the card is used, the bank is loaning you money without collateral. Unsecured credit cards are for consumers with good or excellent credit.

Secured credit cards: Secured cards, meanwhile, require a deposit as collateral for the line of credit. In some cases, the deposit can even be equal to the line of credit itself — for example, a $500 deposit might allow you to charge up to $500 on the card. If you fail to pay your bill, the bank may keep the deposit. Secured cards are for people with poor credit who may have trouble qualifying for a traditional, unsecured card.

• Related: Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

Credit Card Pros and Cons

Using a credit card can be advantageous or disastrous for your finances; it all depends on whether or not you use that credit responsibly. Here are some of the reasons for — and against — using a credit card for everyday spending or large purchases:

Credit Card Pros:

• Flexibility: With a credit card, you can make large purchases and spread out the payments over time. At the least, you have until the next billing cycle to pay off a purchase before owing interest.
• Convenience: A credit card can provide a line of credit you can use instead of taking out a loan at a bank. Using credit can also be a lot more convenient than carrying a lot of cash, and is often the best (or only) way to make a purchase online.
• Rewards and benefits: Credit cards offer a slew of rewards and perks you can’t get anywhere else. These rewards can include everything from cash back on your purchases to extended warranties to rental car insurance to roadside assistance.
• Build credit: Establishing a good personal credit history is important; your credit score can impact everything from the interest rates on your car loan and mortgage to whether you get hired for a job. Using a credit card responsibly over time is perhaps the most straightforward way to build good credit.
• Utility: Used properly, credit cards can even serve as useful budgeting tools.

Credit Card Cons:

• Debt: Unlike other forms of payment, using credit cards can get you into debt — sometimes enormous debt. Misusing credit cards can also wreck your credit quickly.
• Risk of overspending: Using credit instead of cash can cause you to disassociate your credit spending with the money you actually have – a phenomenon that can often lead to overspending or careless purchases.
• Interest: If you carry a balance, even small amounts of interest can add up over time, meaning you’ll end up paying far more than retail price on your purchases. High APRs obviously exacerbate that effect.

For some people, the benefits that come with using credit far outweigh any risks. For others, the risks are enough to deter them from using credit more than sparingly, or even at all. It all comes down to your personal tolerance for risk, your desire for credit card rewards or benefits, and your financial goals and discipline.

• Related: Eight Tips to Make Credit Cards Work For You, Not Against You

How Do Credit Card Companies Make Money?

When you know the various ways credit card companies make their money, it can help you try to keep your money out out of their hands and in your own pocket. While specific companies earn revenue through many different channels, they typically make money in one of three ways:

• Interchange fees: Consumers don’t pay these fees (at least, not directly). Rather, every time you use a credit card to buy something, the merchant pays a percentage of the sale back to the card issuer — in most cases, 1%-3% of the purchase.
• Credit card interest: Just as banks earn money by charging interest on car loans and mortgages, credit cards charge interest when you don’t pay back their “loan” right away, carrying a balance into the next month. With the average credit card debt in the U.S. teetering above $15,000, it’s no wonder that banks are raking in billions of dollars in credit card interest each year.
• User fees: Card issuers also charge a slew of fees to various users based on their card policies and their unique circumstances. The most common fees include annual fees, late fees, over-the-limit-fees, balance transfer fees, and cash advance fees.

Although many credit card users pay some or all of these fees at one point or another, most are completely avoidable.

For example, if you don’t want to pay an annual fee, you should go out of your way to choose a card that doesn’t charge one. There are plenty. Meanwhile, avoiding interest charges, over-the-limit fees, and late fees can generally be accomplished just by paying your bill in full each month before the due date.

The Simple Dollar Tips for Choosing a Credit Card

Getting the most out of your credit card is always easier if you choose a credit card that makes sense for your situation. Here are some tips that can help you use credit responsibly and find a credit card that is ideal for you:

If you’re considering a balance transfer…

If you have a high-interest balance you’d like to transfer, look for cards that offer a low APR for a period of at least 12 months. At least one card, the Chase Slate® Card, also waives the balance transfer fee (usually 3%) for the first 60 days of card ownership.

If you don’t want to pay an annual fee…

If you don’t plan on carrying a balance on your card and want to avoid all fees, you should look for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. Even among rewards credit cards, there are plenty to choose from.

If you are afraid of ending up in debt…

If you’re worried your new credit card will land you in debt, use it only for small purchases at first. You can also pay your bill more frequently online if you set up an online account. Sometimes checking in on your balance and paying it off weekly instead of monthly is all it takes to keep your budget on track.

If you want to earn rewards…

If you’re interested in rewards credit cards, you’ll want to spend some time researching the various offers available. Generally, you can choose from cards that offer cash back, hotel loyalty points, airline miles, or flexible travel points that can be redeemed in a number of ways.

If you want to make a large purchase and pay it off over time…

Using credit for a large purchase then paying it off over time makes a lot more sense when you have a card that offers a low APR. Look for cards with a low introductory APR at the very least. Some even offer a 0% APR on purchases for six months or more.

Does It Ever Make Sense to Carry a Balance?

Always pay your balance in full if possible. When you carry a balance, you’ll owe interest on it — meaning that, in the long run, you might end up paying $120 or more for that $99 grill you got on sale. But there are limited situations when carrying a balance can make sense.

Let’s say you use your card to make a large purchase and plan to pay it off over the course or three or four months so you don’t have to raid your emergency fund. If you charge the purchase on your card, you can pay it off over the next few months while only paying a nominal amount of interest.

Another example: Sometimes you can use credit card balance transfer offers to save money on loans you were initially paying off elsewhere. If you were paying 20% APR on a personal loan, for example, but transferred the balance to a card with 0% APR for a promotional period of, say, 12 months, you could save a ton of money if you pay it down within the year – even after paying the typical balance transfer fee of 3%, if applicable.

Although there are a few instances where it might make sense to carry a balance, doing so is almost never in your best interest the rest of the time. There is usually no reason to pay more for your bills and expenses than you have to. To avoid paying interest, you should always pay your balance in full whenever possible.

Glossary of Credit Card Terms

Here’s a guide to some common or confusing terms you might see in a credit card offer, billing statement, or the fine print of your agreement.

Basics:

• Credit card: a small plastic card that extends a line of credit – or loan – to the person who uses it to make a purchase.
• APR : Annual percentage rate, or APR, is the percentage of interest you’ll pay on your balance over the course of a year.
• DPR: Daily periodic rate is the amount of interest charged on a daily basis. Generally, this is calculated by dividing the APR by 365.
• Penalty APR: If you make a late payment, you may become subject to a higher APR for a limited period of time. This is often called a penalty APR.
• Grace period: A grace period is the amount of time you have to pay your balance in full to avoid paying interest. Usually, grace periods are 25-30 days.
• Due date: The day you are required to make payment to your card issuer to avoid paying a late fee. If you also want to avoid paying credit card interest, you’ll need to pay your balance in full by this day.
• Credit limit: Your credit limit is how much you charge on your card. This is a predetermined amount of money your bank or card issuer has agreed to extend through your credit card.

Fees:

• Late fee: Your credit card may charge you a fee in the neighborhood of $25-$45 if you pay your bill after the due date.
• Over-the-limit fee: This is charged by card issuers when you spend more than your credit limit.
• Annual fee: Some credit cards — usually those with the most generous rewards programs and benefits — charge an annual fee for their cardholders. Most annual fees range between $39 and $399; the average is around $95.
• Balance transfer fee: Sometimes it makes sense to transfer a balance from a card with a high APR to one with a low one – or even one with 0% APR for a limited time. However, it’s important to note that many cards typically charge a one-time fee for balance transfers – usually 3% of the amount you transfer.
• Cash-advance fee: While some cards allow you to use your credit card to get cash out of an ATM, most charge a hefty cash-advance fee. Interest also starts accruing on cash advances right away. In other words, there is no grace period for cash advances.
• Foreign transaction fee: Some cards charge this fee on transactions made overseas or outside of one’s home country. In most cases, this fee is equal to 1% to 3% of every purchase made abroad.
• Returned-payment fee: If you attempt to make a payment on your card and it is rejected, you’ll owe a returned-payment fee.

The post How Do Credit Cards Work? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Q2 Report: Ad Spend On Facebook FBX Outpaced Google Display

IgnitionOne finds overall programmatic display ad spend rose 33 percent year-over-year.

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Microsoft CEO Nadella Rebukes Ballmer With Nokia Write-Down

Current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is very pragmatic. He’s trying to focus the company on clear growth opportunities and areas where there’s existing momentum. Hence yesterday’s memo and press release, writing down the value of the Nokia mobile devices acquisition and announcing...

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How This Couple Saves $16,500 a Year by Living on a Boat

Have you ever lived with far too many roommates to save money?

How about living in a school bus or working as a campground host?

If you look around, you’ll find plenty of ways to save money on housing. But have you ever considered living on a boat? If you don’t mind small spaces and the thought of living on the water sounds appealing, this cost-saving strategy could save you big bucks while providing an interesting, and sometimes idyllic, living situation.

One couple who went the boat route wound up saving a ton of money, they told Business Insider. Sam Train and Francesca Spidalieri originally decided to invest in a boat so they could own a home of sorts without having to worry about selling it as they followed Train’s career as a Naval officer around the country. Faced with the prospect of frequent moves, purchasing a boat made a lot more sense than investing in a piece of property and hoping the market was favorable to sell it when they had to move.

Here’s a breakdown of the cost of living on a boat, from buying to maintaining it — and how it helps them save money.

Buying a Boat

After some shopping around, Train and Spidalieri settled on a used 40-foot Catalina cruiser. They paid $150,000 for this portable, floating home, and each month the couple pays $800 toward the boat’s mortgage.

When they first purchased the cruiser, they were living in Newport, Rhode Island, which they found was not the best location for year-round boat living. They spent about two months a year living on the boat, enjoying the sunny and warm summer months. But each time the fall chill set in, they retreated to a rental apartment where they lived for most of the year.

Deciding to Live on a Boat Full Time

However, the couple soon learned that Train’s Naval career would move them in San Diego, which is well-known for its year-round sunny and warm climate.

Knowing this big cross-country move was ahead of them, the couple took some time to consider their options. They could rent an apartment in San Diego and leave the boat in Rhode Island, they could rent an apartment in San Diego and bring the boat with them, or they could skip the hassle and expense of renting an apartment and make the boat their home. To make their decision, they did the math.

Rental apartments in San Diego were running up to $3,000 a month at the time, and the couple wanted to avoid that expense. They calculated how much it would cost to leave their boat docked in Rhode Island while renting a place in San Diego, and came to the conclusion that it made the most financial sense to bring the boat with them to San Diego and live on it there. According to their calculations, living in their boat would save them $50,000 over the next three years.

And, since the Navy was paying for their move, they were able to use their relocation allowance to foot the bill for shipping the boat to their new West Coast home.

How Much Does It Cost to Live on a Boat?

The couple recently broke down their living expenses for Business Insider. Each month, they pay around $2,200 to live on their boat. In addition to their monthly mortgage payment, they pay an $800 standard marina fee. They also pay an additional $250 supplement to live aboard their boat while it’s at the marina. This fee includes access to water, electricity, parking for both of their cars and other perks like a laundry room, a pool and mail delivery for both letters and packages. This saves them the hassle and expense of renting a post office box.

Of course, living on a boat also includes a few unconventional expenses, such as the $25 they fork over each week to get their sewage tank pumped out. They also hire a pro to wash and wax their boat once a month to keep it in top shape; this costs about $80 each month. Every few months, they also hire a diver to swim under the boat and clean the underside, scraping barnacles and giving it a good scrub to make sure it stays seaworthy. And, just as cars can break down when you least expect them to, the couple is always prepared to cough over some cash for boat repair. Each year, they budget around $1,000 to attend to any unforeseen problems that may arise with the boat.

Since storage is so tight on their boat (which is only 300 square feet), the couple also rents a storage unit where they keep the bulk of their worldly possessions. For $100 per month, they keep most of their clothing and extra linens in storage, as well as other items they use from time to time.

But space just became a little tighter for this couple: They recently had a baby. Only time will tell if they stay on the boat or opt for a more conventional location to raise their family.

Your Turn: Would you consider living on a boat if you could save this much money?

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

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NV Energy opens Business Solutions Center for Las Vegas

NV Energy, operating as Nevada Power Co. in Southern Nevada, recently opened its Business Solutions Center.

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Energize Your AdWords Campaigns With Call Analytics – July 22 Webcast

4 simple rules for successful AdWords campaigns.

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Using Second-Party Data To Expand Reach & Improve Your Retargeting

Second-party data can be extremely valuable to marketers, yet it's not as well understood or as widely employed as first- or third-party data. To help clear the fog, columnist Matt Ackley explains second-party data and its uses.

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Facebook Lets People Choose What They See First In The News Feed

With update to News Feed user preferences, Facebook gives users more control over which friends and Pages show up on their feeds.

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Top 5 Summer Movie Trailers: Google Says 81% Of People Who Watched A Trailer Online Saw It On YouTube

The new Star Wars, Batman and Jurassic World movies were the top three most watched trailers on YouTube between April and June.

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How One Mom Put Together a Chic, Professional Maternity Wardrobe for $200

Almost all affordable maternity clothing is shapeless, pink or covered in flowers. And the more stylish, beautiful options can be incredibly pricey: one blazer from Pea in the Pod costs $378!

Like many women who work in a corporate setting, I struggled to find stylish and affordable clothing during my pregnancy with my son. I wanted to look nice, but I didn’t want to break the bank to do it.

So I put my frugality skills to the test, and managed to build a wardrobe for less than $200: 27 tops, 16 dresses, four blazers, five cardigans, four pairs of jeans, three pairs of slacks, and lots more. Here’s how I did it.

1. Shop Your Closet First

Before you set out to find a good sale, start at home.

Search through your closet see what items might accommodate a growing belly — some of your favorite clothes might be perfect. For me, jersey dresses, blazers I prefer to wear unbuttoned, cardigans, drawstring pants and shorts, and long loose or stretchy tops stayed in my closet. Some of it worked until month five, and some worked throughout my pregnancy.

And if friends or family are willing, “shop” in their closets, too! I borrowed a few tops, a jacket and a dress from my mom, sister and grandma that were either a larger size than my usual options, or made of a slinky, stretchy material. My husband’s hoodies and jackets served me well for walking the dog or going for a neighborhood stroll. And I slept in his T-shirts, but I always do that.

2. Extend the Life of Your Pre-Pregnancy Clothes

If you’re like many women, your bra size will likely change throughout your pregnancy, and then again throughout your breastfeeding journey.

You could buy yourself new bras ($20-$100+ each depending on the size, brand and quality), or you could try a pack of bra hook extenders for under $3 on Amazon.

When you first need a bigger size, these genius inventions extend the size of the band so you can wear your regular bra a little longer. You might need a bigger cup size in a few months, so the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money to have a drawerful of different bra sizes. The bra hook extenders attach to the hooks on your bra, as quickly and easily as closing/opening the clasps as usual, and can stay on for washings. If you machine wash, be sure to close the clasps so that they don’t snag anything else.

Be sure to check your bras to see whether they have two or three hooks, so you can buy the right extenders; I had some of each type, so needed one pack of each. If and when you need a bigger cup size, consider sticking to your pre-pregnancy band size and using extenders. That way, you may be able to wear the bra again in the future.

Another product that many women swear by is the belly band or tummy sleeve. It might allow you to wear your old jeans and pants, opened, while keeping you covered. You can also keep things simple and go with the old elastic trick if your top is long enough. If you’re like many of us and have a ton of hair ties hidden in your bathroom drawer, this tactic is free!

One more strategy to help your pre-pregnancy clothes last longer: Give your accessories some extra love! That bold scarf or necklace can be just what your plain black dress or jeans and tank top are missing.

3. Look for Maternity-Friendly Styles

As you begin to shop — whether you’re looking at new or used clothing — think long term, focusing on garments that will work throughout your pregnancy, double as convenient nursing clothes and look great on you years later.

Start with the staples. My shopping list (in addition to what I already owned) included a black pencil skirt, two pairs of slacks and three dresses, which got my professional wardrobe off to the right start. And a pair of skinny jeans, some tank tops, yoga pants and some leggings did the same for evenings and weekends.

Lots of great posts like this one explain how to get by wearing non-maternity clothes during your pregnancy. Whether you have an item like this in your closet or you see it on a sale rack, keep an eye out for these flattering non-maternity styles.

Stretchy Fabrics With Ruching

Photos from Ralph Lauren: left, right

A stretchy dress or tunic with side or tummy ruching can be a flattering option for the office. Look for ones that hit around the knee, with a higher neckline. Pair with a black tights and an unbuttoned blazer for colder weather or AC season.

I luckily found myself at a Ralph Lauren family and friends sale around four months into my pregnancy. I bought myself three seriously discounted, knee-length stretchy dresses with ruching on the mid-section. The black one got me through countless meetings at work, and the navy and light blue ones were perfect for parties and pre-baby date nights with my husband.

Long T-Shirts

Photos from Express and Forever 21

Stretchy or cotton T-shirts with extra-room in the midsection fit a baby bump beautifully — especially if they are gathered at the hip, or have ruching in the middle or on the side.

Open Cardigans or Blazers

Photos from Purpless and Dressing for Two

A cardigan or blazer with a maternity tank top is a simple and versatile look that can work with jeans, slacks or a pencil skirt. You can find very similar garments outside the maternity section, so don’t limit yourself!

4. Look for Free Items

The biggest life-lesson I learned from my career in fundraising is, if you don’t ask, you don’t get! Tell your friends and family you’d love hand-me-downs — they might not know you’re open to the idea, and may have the perfect dress or top for you.

Look for local parent groups and listservs on Yahoo and Facebook, and post that you’re seeking used maternity clothes. I learned about my Brooklyn groups — Cortelyou Moms, FlatbushFamilyNetwork and brooklynbabyhui — from some other expecting moms at a local coffee shop, but you can browse for your local Yahoo groups under Family & Home/Parenting /Moms and Family & Home/Parenting /Parenting Babies and Toddlers. I got a big bag of free clothes from a parent group, and two flattering non-maternity tops from a women’s clothing swap

These groups can also help you make new-parent friends in your neighborhood, learn about resources in your community — including maternity clothing swaps — and compare notes online on a variety of pregnancy and parenting topics. I learned about free events for expecting parents nearby through one of the parent groups I joined — and at one event, I won a $50 gift certificate to a local maternity store!

5. Thrift Wisely

In addition to scouring your favorite local thrift stores for maternity clothes and non-maternity styles that work, check out shopgoodwill.com and thredUP’s fantastic maternity sections. On both sites, you can find great stuff starting at $4.99.

Also, check out secondhand and consignment baby stores in your area. Many of them have a fabulous maternity rack or two in addition to the baby items.

And don’t forget about those local parent listervs, Facebook groups and other Facebook garage sale groups. Many parents will post items they no longer need for a low price. I scored myself a huge bag from one of my parent groups, packed with jeans, four pairs of new black tights, 10 designer tops and four dresses, for $40.

6. Buy Strategically

If you are buying new, think outside of the usual stores you might shop in. I was surprised to find some great options on Walmart.com and was equally surprised to find that simple maternity items from Kohl’s were often more expensive than those at GAP or Nordstrom. Check Shopstyle for ideas of brands that offer maternity clothing.

In addition to these stores, I also found some great maternity departments online at H&M, Target, Old Navy, Etsy, Asos, Loft,  JCPenney, Zulily, Macy’s (which carries discounted items from Motherhood Maternity and A Pea in the Pod), Burlington Coat Factory and Amazon. I prefer the convenience of shopping online so I can test items with other clothing I own at home, and return what doesn’t work by mail or to the store, but I did shop in stores as well. If you’re going to visit stores in person, save time by making sure your local store has a maternity section. For example, not all H&M stores do.

For bras or tank tops, choose nursing styles during your pregnancy and so you’re already prepared for your nursing days, if you’re planning to breastfeed. Toward the end of my pregnancy, a wireless nursing sports bra was my favorite, and it got plenty of use during my maternity leave. Some items may even last longer: I bought a great maternity jersey tank top for $7 at JCPenney. Since the neckline was super stretchy, I was able to nurse my little guy in it, and the cut still looks cute on me now, baby-bump-free.

Here are a few more great items that helped me manage my wardrobe strategically. Consider adding them to your registry!

• The Undercover Mama: This undershirt makes any top a nursing top.
• A pack of Bamboobies: These bra pads are not only super comfortable, but will save you money, since you can wash these over and over rather than using disposables.
• A woven wrap: If you plan to babywear (I’m a big fan), consider buying one you can use to wrap your belly for support, instead of buying an expensive maternity belt for those heaviest weeks. Here’s a video explaining how to wrap your belly. Your wrap could also help cover a shirt that’s not quite long enough to cover your belly at its biggest.

7. Befriend a tailor

Free clothes or cheap maternity wear that’s not quite your size or style might end up being perfect — you just need a little help from a tailor.

Look at whether a few inexpensive alterations could help you avoid pricey new purchases. Many tailors (and even a few Etsy shops) can even convert your favorite pair of pants or jeans into maternity pants. Some tailors can also convert a regular bra into a nursing bra, as can just about any old-school bra shop.

Planning your maternity wardrobe can be challenging, especially when you’re trying to stick to a budget. But find clothing that makes you feel happy and beautiful, and you will be gazing at photos from your pregnancy and thinking “wow, I was gorgeous,” in no time.

Your Turn: How did you acquire a maternity wardrobe on a budget? Share your strategies 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!

Yevgeniya Bulayevskaya emigrated from the Ukraine as a child and comes from a long line of resourceful mothers. A full-time fundraiser at a national nonprofit organization and a lifelong frugalista, Yev lives in Brooklyn with her wonderful husband, adorable two-year-old son and a silly dog named Abram.

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Caesars unit records $24.9 million in net income in May

Caesars Entertainment Corp.’s bankrupt operating division recorded a net income of $24.9 million during May, according to a securities filing.

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Is Retiring Abroad Right for You? 10 Factors You Should Consider

Living overseas can save you money and offer new experiences, but you must look at the whole picture.

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6 Traps That Snare First-Time Renters

You want to live in comfort. Don't live with these mistakes.

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7 Signs CMOs Need To Examine Their Media Mix

Have you been debating which advertising channels to pour your money into? Columnist Scott Rayden lays out the signs that your media mix may need a refresh.

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4 Creative Ways to Get Employers’ Attention

These nontraditional job-search materials may just get you the job.

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Airline to offer charter flights between Las Vegas, SoCal

A small California airline will offer public charter flights — a type of scheduled air service — between Las Vegas and Carlsbad, Calif., north of San Diego.

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How to Live a Rich Modern Life Without Debt

My single biggest regret in my adult life is that I used debt to finance my life choices after college.

That’s about as simple as I can make it.

Debt was a huge mistake. I used that debt to get a nice car… which I no longer own. I used that debt to buy a lot of electronics… which I no longer own. I used that debt to buy a lot of restaurant meals… which I mostly don’t remember at all. I used that debt to buy a lot of books… which I mostly don’t own. I used that debt to delve into expensive hobbies… which I mostly don’t participate in any more.

Almost all of that debt went to nothing. It simply went to finance a short-term lifestyle, one that has almost completely vanished in just a few years.

Why did I let that happen? It’s simple. I believed that to live a modern, comfortable life, I had to get into debt.

Essentially, I bought into the idea that there were a bunch of things that I needed to have in order to have a life that didn’t feel like “poverty,” and I needed those things now.

The whole idea was ludicrous, of course. After a few years, I was left with very little other than an aging car, an apartment full of barely-used stuff, and a gigantic pile of debt.

What happened once I figured this out? I continued to have a pretty good day to day life, but I paid off every cent of that debt including a home mortgage within five years.

The truly sad part of this tale is that I now realize that I could have had virtually everything I actually valued from life back then without taking on a cent of extra debt. I didn’t need to have a car loan or a bunch of credit card debt to have a really good “modern” life.

Here are several key things that I figured out about life that I dearly wish I could drop in my lap in, say, mid-2002 or so. If I had understood those things then and applied them, I would probably be retired right now.

Stop Buying Stuff You Won’t Remember in a Week

This is perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve ever learned about personal finance. If it’s an item or an experience you won’t remember in a few days, you shouldn’t be spending any money on it. If it’s completely forgettable, then any money you spent on it is basically just lost.

The only completely forgettable things you should be spending money on are your most basic life needs – basic food, basic clothing, and shelter.

The thing is, people often have a memorable event where they do something they enjoy – like enjoying a delicious morning coffee with a friend – and then start repeating it and repeating it until it’s completely not memorable any more. It becomes normal and completely forgettable, and when you have an extra expense that has become normal and completely forgettable, you’re literally throwing money away.

Even “special” purchases can become completely forgettable. The first book you buy this year might be memorable, but the 30th? It just gets tossed on your shelf.

Use Credit Card Statements, Bank Statements, and Receipts to Track These Down

The trick with forgettable purchases like these is that, well, you forget about them. That’s the whole problem – they just fade away.

The solution to that problem is to simply dig through your credit card statements and bank statements and receipts every once in a while and look for these kinds of purchases. What purchases did you make that you can’t even remember – or barely remember? Look for the places where you spent that money and recognize that those are pretty wasteful places for you to go. You don’t get anything lasting out of your money spent there.

Avoid Convenience Foods

Don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with going out to a restaurant as long as it’s a memorable experience. If you’re going out with friends that you haven’t seen in a while or you’re taking your sweetheart to a very special place, by all means, you should go out to eat.

The problem comes when you go to a restaurant as a pure “time saver” and the food and experience are completely forgotten in a few days. Fast food almost always falls into this category, as do many chain restaurants. The meals are completely forgettable, relatively expensive, unhealthy, and actually don’t save much time, either. If you know you’re going to need to eat in a pinch, put a couple of sandwiches in a small cooler before you leave home.

The same thing is true for convenience stores and gas stations. In fact, it’s basically always true there. Sure, you may be really hungry or really thirsty on a road trip. That’s why it always makes sense to have a few snacks and an empty water bottle in the car – you can fill the water bottle at the gas station and eat the snacks you already have instead of the expensive ones they have for sale.

Rent, Don’t Buy, Your Living Quarters

Yes, for many, the “American dream” involves buying a home of your own. The problem is that many people mortgage their lives to do it. They lash themselves to a very steep mortgage payment, one that gives them little leeway to make other life choices down the road, and then they’re hit with all of the additional expenses of home ownership – insurance, property taxes, association fees, higher utilities, and so on.

The end result is that many homeowners find themselves pushed into a corner. They have a home that they love, but they have little money left over to live or to save for the future. Often, they “solve” this by going into further debt for automobiles and for things they want at home.

It’s a bad recipe, one that forces people into a tightrope walk where they have to keep their current employment or else they fall and lose everything. It’s not a fun way to live.

A much better approach is to simply rent rather than buy, and rent small. Look at the place where you life solely in terms of what you’ll actually do there most of the time – prepare food, eat, do basic hygiene, relax, and sleep – and ignore the “corner cases” like having big parties and such things. Don’t pay a bunch extra a month because you might someday want to do something there.

Choose a Small Place with Essential Kitchen Items

If you’re focused on just your basic needs for housing – space to prepare food, eat, do basic hygiene, relax, and sleep – you really don’t need much space for that, so don’t pay for it. Extra space means that you’ll just be filling it with stuff that you don’t really need.

The solution is to go small. Go efficient. When you do that, you cut back seriously on your housing bill without spending extra money on extra space to store extra stuff you don’t need.

If I were to rewind to my twenties, making myself single or married without children, I would live in a tiny apartment. I’d probably find the smallest place I could in a reasonably safe part of town, a place that basically had space for a bed, a bathroom, and some kitchen essentials (access to a stovetop and an oven, a few cupboards, and some counter space) so that I could easily prepare meals at home. (After all, having at least a little space to prepare meals at home becomes a big encouragement to do so, and home food preparation is a gigantic money saver.)

Those things are way cheaper than rent on a larger space or a mortgage payment. You’ll literally be saving hundreds – or even thousands – per month by going this route. That money can go straight into savings to actually buy a larger place someday – or for fulfilling whatever dreams you may have.

Focus More on Location

The thing is, most of the extra stuff you might consider doing at home is stuff you’d probably do outside of the home if you had easy access to other places to do that. For example, there’s a lot less need for a bunch of space to hold friends if you’re already near places where you can meet up together.

My recommendation for most people is to find a place to live that’s near where they work and near places where they can facilitate their social lives and friendships – or near access to public transportation so they can get to those places really easily.

That way, most of the stuff you would consider doing at home, you’ll do outside the home, which minimizes the expenses needed for a home.

Rely on Other Means of Transportation

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t own a car, necessarily. Everyone has a different situation and, for some, a car is vital. If you live in a rural situation, for example, it’s pretty hard to make things work without a car.

However, if at all possible, your primary mode of transportation should be something less expensive than a car. Your car should be a backup at best.

What other modes? Public transportation. A bicycle. Your own feet. In many cities, that’s more than enough.

Why? Cars are expensive, even if they’re paid off. You have to pay for insurance, registration, maintenance, gas, and parking. Those things add up big time, and if you can do without them, you’ll be glad you did.

If you are in a situation where you do need a car, don’t buy a new one. Buy a late model used car and drive that thing until it’s about to fall apart, then swap it for another late model used car. Keep the cycle going. Save about $100 a month for your next replacement car and you’ll always have enough to pay cash for a good late model used car when it’s time.

Use the Library for Entertainment

Many people envision a library as being a dry place with an angry librarian telling everyone to shush around the endless rows of dusty shelves full of arcane books. Those people haven’t been in a library in a very long time.

Modern libraries have books for all different types of readers, from children to adults, from page-turners to educational books, in almost every genre of fiction and nonfiction you can imagine.

They also have racks full of DVDs (and even some Blurays) of movies of all different kinds, from obscure documentaries to the latest blockbuster films, as well as piles of audiobooks. Many libraries also have equipment of various kinds that you can borrow.

The best part? These things are free to borrow. You don’t have to pay a dime for them.

The next time you’re tempted to rent a DVD from a kiosk, buy a book, buy a DVD, buy an audiobook, or anything like that, consider the library instead. If they have that very thing you want for free – or something similar – why would you spend the money for it? You can get the same exact entertainment experience by checking something out from the library that you can get from buying that item – and spending your hard earned money – elsewhere.

Find Outdoor Hobbies

An outdoor hobby serves several purposes at once.

For one, it gets you outside and moving around, which is good for your health. You’ll feel better, have more energy, and keep serious medical problems at bay.

For another, most outdoor hobbies (note: not all) aren’t very expensive. They often just require shoes and time (like hiking on trails), or perhaps one or two pieces of equipment (like soccer).

For yet another, most outdoor activities are inherently social. It’s really easy to participate in outdoor activities in a group. A team sport at a playground or a park is purely social. Even something like a hike can be a social endeavor if you invite other people to go along.

For yet another, many outdoor activities feed our natural human need to collect. I enjoy collecting a number of things that I find in the outdoors, many of them in photograph form. Our front garden has a bunch of rocks we’ve discovered, too. Total cost for all of it? Nothing.

If you don’t know where to start with this, start by thinking of things that seem pleasant to do outside and simply doing them. Invite some friends along, too. Doing this got me started playing disc golf and participating in geocaching (which has since become one of my favorite hobbies).

If you need more ideas or want to find others, start by checking out the parks and recreation website for your community, as well as by checking Meetup.com.

Try Out Community Groups

While we’re on the subject of Meetup.com, it’s a great tool for finding organizations and groups of all kinds in your community.

It’s very likely that your community has a number of clubs and groups and organizations that you’ve never heard of that would be of interest to you. The trick is finding those groups, and Meetup is basically perfect for that. It’s free and points out groups of all kinds that meet within a radius of where you live.

I personally have found several groups due to Meetup and have become a lasting member of two of them. Neither group has cost me a dime and they’ve been invaluable at extending my social circle and providing an outlet for my hobbies and personal interests.

Simply finding out about a group and attending an event or two doesn’t commit you to anything involving that group. It means that you’re finding out more about them and, if they click with you, then you’ve already got your foot in the door.

Have Some Sense About Your Wardrobe

Another challenging area for many people is clothes. Many young professionals are expected to dress well and doing so can end up creating a pretty serious expense.

Thankfully, there’s a smart solution to that, too.

Have a “Smart” Wardrobe

The one thing you really need to focus on in your closet is the number of possible outfits that will work. For example, if you simply say “these pants go only with this shirt,” then that shirt and those pants will represent only one outfit you can wear to work. If you add another shirt, your number is still only one.

On the other hand, if you say “these pants go well with these five shirts,” then you have five potential outfits you can wear to work. If you add another shirt, this number goes up to six.

Let’s go even further – if you say “each of these five pairs of pants go well with each of these five shirts,” then you have twenty five potential outfits that you can wear to work. Even better, if you add another shirt, this number goes up to thirty.

A smart wardrobe is one where almost everything goes well with almost everything else. If you have that, then the total number of clothes items you need to buy is actually relatively small. In fact, it can be quite small – six pairs of pants, six shirts, six ties, and two jackets can create a huge number of options for clothing while only taking up a sliver of closet space.

There are a couple of “catches” here. One, this does require regular laundry duty. You can’t skip “laundry day” very easily, though “laundry day” will probably only ever involve one or two loads of clothes. Two, this works best with quality clothes, so your individual items might a bit more expensive, though your overall wardrobe will be a lot cheaper and easier to maintain.

Look at Used Options First

It’s such a simple rule. I can’t believe everyone doesn’t do this by default, but they don’t.

Whenever you’re about to buy something, spend a bit of time to see if it’s available as a used item before you pay the new price.

Are you about to buy a slow cooker? Don’t go to Amazon and click “buy it now.” Instead, stop by your local secondhand store – or even give them a call – and see if they have a slow cooker available. If the answer is yes, you probably just saved $40.

This same exact story repeats for almost anything you might want to buy, from dishes to kitchen appliances, from towels to bedroom furnishings. There’s likely something used that will work perfectly for you available at a stiff discount in your community.

The thing is, you’ll never find it if you don’t look. So look. Whenever you’re about to buy something, put in a bit of effort to find it used. Check Craigslist. Check Freecycle. Call the local secondhand stores – or stop by.

Yeah, you’ll probably whiff on that at least some of the time, but you’ll get enough hits – and save enough money – that you’ll be glad you did it.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the big story: all of these changes are things you can do without disrupting the quality of your life one little bit. You still do the meaningful things you want to do. You still live the life you want to live.

You just choose to do it in a smart way so that you’re not saddled by the endless cycle of debt payments that keep you locked into your job. You choose to live your life in a way that maximizes your freedom, not in a way that maximizes your stuff. You choose to live for memorable experiences, not forgettable ones that just drain your wallet.

And you do it all without the stress of debt.

That’s what I call a pretty great life. It’s one that I missed out on during my early professional years and I am incredibly glad that I discovered it now.

The post How to Live a Rich Modern Life Without Debt appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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This Restaurant Will Pay You $10,000 to Name Your Baby Quinoa

Not sure what to name the baby you’re expecting this summer? This restaurant chain has a suggestion for you.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse is offering a $10,000 gift card to one (un)lucky winner who names their child “Quinoa” this summer. The chain is hoping to promote its new chicken and salmon quinoa bowls.

But you don’t have to name your baby Quinoa to get a prize out of this contest. Those who aren’t expecting a child (or don’t plan on naming their new bundle of joy after a grain) can also win prizes by simply changing their Twitter handle to “Quinoa.”

Name Your Baby Quinoa and Win $10,000

If you love the name Quinoa and truly want your child to have that moniker, be sure to read the full contest rules.

To enter, you must be the parent (through birth or adoption) of a baby legally named “Quinoa” and you must have the birth certificate to prove it. You must be at least 18 years old and live in one of these states:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• Washington

Don’t try and win by sneaking a few extra middle names in there and hiding Quinoa among them. You can only win if Quinoa is the child’s legal first name.

And here’s the catch: You don’t automatically win a $10,000 gift certificate for naming your child Quinoa. You have to be the parent of the first baby named Quinoa born during the contest period. If a baby named Quinoa was born on June 30 and his or her parents entered, that family would win the prize over a child born in July or August. The winner won’t be announced until after the contest ends on September 7, though, so you won’t know if you’re a winner until then — which means there could be several baby Quinoas running around with hopeful parents.

Ready to enter? Send an email to babyquinoa@bjsrestaurants.com with the subject line “BJ’s Be the First to Name Your Baby Quinoa Contest,” or drop an entry in the mail along with a copy of the baby’s birth certificate.

The prize is a $10,000 BJ’s gift card, but be aware you’ll be on the hook for the taxes associated with this prize, and the gift card cannot be used on alcohol, tax or gratuity. If you love eating at BJ’s, are expecting a child imminently, and think the name Quinoa is really cute, good luck!

. . . Or Just Change Your Twitter Handle

Of course, if you’d rather not name your child in honor of a chain restaurant’s new menu item, you can simply follow @BjsRestaurant and change your Twitter handle to include “Quinoa” during the same promotional period.

The prize might not be quite as big, but a $10 coupon for any purchase of $35 or more at the restaurant between now and Labor Day isn’t bad. And changing your Twitter handle is a whole lot easier than explaining to your teenager why you saddled her with the name Quinoa in exchange for free food.

Your Turn: What do you think of this contest? Would you ever consider naming your child Quinoa to win a prize?

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

The post This Restaurant Will Pay You $10,000 to Name Your Baby Quinoa appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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4 Cheap and Fun Summer Activities

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Advertisers Keep Running Flash Ads On Mobile Even Though It’s Almost Never Supported

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