MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 08/01/15

السبت، 1 أغسطس 2015

Food porn is big business

THE Australian obsession with photographing our meals is set to make billions for one multinational company.

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

Pinnacle merger could be casino industry model

The $4.75 billion merger of Pinnacle Entertainment and Gaming and Leisure Partners isn't your typical casino industry buyout.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1MEJj76

Casting call for 'Amazing Race' at Kalahari

If you’re an adventurer with a desire to travel the world and win big money, then the Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Manor is the place to be on Friday.The popular CBS reality show, “The Amazing Race,” will hold an opening casting call at 11 a.m. at the new resort.“It’s a good place to find active and outdoorsy people,” CBS spokeswoman Christine Park said.The show, which will begin airing its 27th season in September, features a [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1ICVDSF

Veteran Realtor turns agency over to younger hands

A well-established local real estate business is changing hands.Re/Max Crossroads, a large, full service commercial and residential company, has been sold to Yarrow Wilkins of Stroudsburg.The business, headquartered in East Stroudsburg, includes 16 Realtors and four full-time employees including Wilkins, the firm's broker/owner.Re/Max Crossroads was launched 10 years ago by Lori Ann Giovinco. In fact, the company celebrated its 10th anniversary on July 5.“I [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1E0BG2G

(No heading)

Coolbaugh TownshipMary G. Kiely Revocable Trust to Lisa Fox and Abbey M. Spector, Lot 7, Section 4, Timber Trails, $765,000Jackson TownshipMichael and Susan Tighe to Ryan and Dora Meissner, Lot 5, Lands of James Lynch, Tax Map No. 08/9 3665, $350,000Middle Smithfield TownshipJuliet and Rodelito Marbid-Cruz to Syed and Samina Rahman, Lot 18, The Estates at Great Bear, $399,000Mount Pocono [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1JYtRwA

A look at popular Ibotta,other cost-saving apps

A penny saved is a penny earned, Ben Franklin said, and I hope you’ve saved some pennies with the shopping tools we looked at in the last column last Sunday. But look out Ebates and Target Cartwheel, there’s a new generation of rebate apps out there vying for our attention.These new rebate tools get you a few cents here and there on your grocery purchases with the aim of adding up to serious savings overall for doing your shopping as usual. All are free, and best used on [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1LXz2Bl

Homebuilder forms alliance with local Realtors

Rinehimer Construction in Pocono Pines has utilized a one-stop building approach for customers looking to build a home and have added a new component: teaming with the real estate agents.Considerations such as installing granite countertops, cabinetry, stainless steel appliance, windows, flooring, air conditioning and even locally made lighting fixtures can be arranged with business satellite locations on site.It even arranges snow removal and landscaping services. [...]

Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1LXz2Bf

Allegiant airliner returns to Las Vegas after report of engine fire

An Allegiant Air flight heading to Fresno, Calif., landed safely at McCarran International Airport shortly after takeoff Saturday when a pilot reported an engine fire, an airport spokesman said.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1DhZ8h6

9 Printable Coupons for FREE Products at the Grocery Store

Before you head to the grocery store this week, check out our list of some of the best deals of the week.

And many of the items on this list are free or will even make you money! Yeah, that’s right. They’ll make you money.

Just stack the coupons/rebates like we show you, and you’ll save a fortune this week…

1. Free Scrubber Sponges from O-Cedar (Ends 12/31)

Want free sponges? If you purchase a two-pack of O-Cedar Scrunge Scrubber Sponges this week, you can receive a rebate for up to $2.59, making them free!

Just submit the rebate form and your receipt before 12/31/15 in order to participate.

2. Save up to $250 on Betty Crocker Products (Ends 8/30)

Give Betty Crocker your email address and they’ll send you more than $250 worth of coupons that can help you get free and deeply discounted canned goods, cereal, and yogurt.

You’re limited to one set of coupons here. So have your friends, spouse, family sign up so you get a ton of coupons.

3. Save up to $250 on Pillsbury Products (Ends 8/30)

Join the Pillsbury email list and they’ll instantly send you a ton of coupons that you can use to get nearly free crescent rolls, biscuits, and more….

Because of the high value of these coupons, they’ve limited it to one set of coupons per person. So get your spouse to sign up if you need more coupons.

4. Save on Any Brand of Bananas, Tomatoes, Bread, & More (Ends 8/12)

Have you downloaded the Ibotta app yet? It’s one of my favorite smartphone apps because they give you cash rebates when you buy certain groceries items each week. All you have to do is take a picture of your receipt.

And this week they have some awesome deals:

5. Free Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders (Ends 8/12)

Head over to Whole Foods this week to get a box of Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders for free.

The regular price for these is $4.99, but print this $1.00 manufacturer’s coupon before you go to the store.

When you get home, submit your receipt for a $2.00 rebate from Ibotta and a $2.00 rebate from BerryCart. Add it all up and you’ll get these for free!

6. $426.84 in Coupons from Tablespoon (Ends 8/30)

The folks over at Tablespoon are giving away 186 coupons for things like batteries, deodorant, laundry detergent and more.

Fill out their short form here (takes 10 seconds) and then select “coupon & sales“. Then click the button marked “clip all” to get the coupons. I’ve used these coupons to get a ton of products for free or nearly free.

(Side note: A few readers have reported not seeing the “coupon & sales” link. You may have to log out and log back in for it show up.)

7. Get a Free Bottle of Tide Detergent from Dollar Tree (Ends 8/30)

Head over to the Dollar Tree this week to grab a free 10 oz. Tide Simply Clean & Fresh liquid laundry detergent.

These are priced at $1.00, so after you purchase one, submit it for a $1.00 MobiSave rebate. You just need to make sure you add the MobiSave offer to your cart before you go to the store.

8. Free Diapers, Laundry Detergent, & Baby Shampoo (Ends 9/30)

Have you heard of EverydayHappy? They’re a new, premium brand of baby products.

They’ve developed 5 eco-friendly, toxin-free products including baby-safe laundry detergent & bath wash. And they have a line of eco-friendly diapers.

Fill out their form here and they’ll send you a free box of products (diapers or detergent, face lotion, hand soap, shampoo, and diaper rash cream).

This is a trial offer, so you’ll need to decide within 7 days whether you want to cancel or not. But, no matter what you do, you get to keep the free box of products.

9. Get Free Samples from WomanFreebies.com (Ends 8/15)

We love a good freebie! If you sign up for the Woman Freebies newsletter this week, they will include you on their mailing list every time they get brands to giveaway free samples.

Some of the samples include free laundry detergent, razors, and shampoo.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: We appreciate you letting us include affiliate links in this post. It helps keep the beer fridge stocked in the Penny Hoarder break room.

The post 9 Printable Coupons for FREE Products at the Grocery Store appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1JReM1j

Food icon reportedly paid 16-year-old for sex

FOR over 10 years, his face, and waistline, was plastered all over billboards and TV. But things just keep getting worse for the man who used to be hailed as an inspiration.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1JEA592

Blaze, Pieology poised to slug it out in 'make-your-own' pizza competition

Two Southern California fast-casual pizza chains are invading the Las Vegas market for a heated mano-a-mano battle in the "make-your-own" custom pizza category.

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

Caesars announces new restructuring support agreement with top lenders

Caesars Entertainment Corp. said late Friday it reached an "amended restructuring support agreement" with its largest lenders as the company attempts reduce the bulk of its gaming industry-high $22.8 billion in long-term debt.

Source Business http://ift.tt/1OH8Fio

Is Financing Furniture With a Store Credit Card Ever a Good Idea?

It’ll look great in your new living room, but is it worth risking the high interest rates of a store credit card to buy it? Photo: Crate & Barrel via Facebook

For many Americans, summertime means big transitions: new jobs, new cities, and often even new homes. And as just about any homebuyer can attest, a mortgage is often just the beginning in a series of sizeable new bills. You may need to make some immediate repairs, or you may need to buy new furniture or appliances.

Furniture and appliance retailers do their part to encourage big purchases with summer blowouts and low- or no-interest financing. When you’re considering such a big purchase, a store credit card doesn’t seem like a bad idea, especially if you don’t need to pay any interest or even make any payments for a year or two.

But are the deals as enticing as they seem? That’s the question we’ll tackle in this article.

Store Credit Cards 101

Typically, experts recommend against store credit cards for several reasons. Here’s why:

Interest rates are high: In 2014, credit cards from the nation’s largest retailers had an average APR of more than 23%, compared to roughly 15% for non-store cards. If you can’t pay off your balance right away, that’s a painful price to pay.
Credit limits are low: While this may prevent you from purchasing more than you can comfortably afford, the fact remains that you’ll probably have (or eventually earn) a much higher credit limit on a non-store card. And if you charge a few thousand dollars worth of furniture on a card that only has a limit of a few thousand dollars, this could have a negative effect on your credit utilization ratio — how much of your available credit line you’ve used up — which has a big impact on your credit score.
Card benefits are anemic: Important fringe benefits like buyer protections, extended warranties, and grace periods are not common with store credit cards. That’s right — with no grace period, you could be charged interest on your purchase immediately with a store credit card.
Credit inquiries can lower your credit score: As with all credit cards, the issuer will check your credit report when you apply for a store card. This so-called “hard inquiry” can cause a minor dip in your credit score. For some, like those who are on the bubble of qualifying for a mortgage, this can cause a headache, especially if they could have made the purchase another way.
Additional temptation: Stores often send card holders discounts or promotions as a way to drum up additional business, but if you find yourself charging things you don’t actually need because they’re a “good deal,” well… that’s really not a good deal at all.

What about using store credit cards for furniture, appliances, or other big purchases?

Our general warnings still hold true, but let’s say you have your eye on a big purchase such as matching stainless-steel appliances. Or maybe you need a bigger sofa to fill that massive new living room. The retailer is offering no interest for a year or two if you use their store credit card. Maybe you won’t even need to make any payments during that period. Seems like a no-brainer, right?

Not exactly. One of the reasons you’re tempted by the store credit card is probably a low- or no-interest offer for a long period — say one or two years after your purchase. What you may not know is that if you don’t pay for the purchase in full during that period of time, this interest isn’t actually going anywhere. You will have to pay every dime of that interest retroactively once the promotional period expires.

The same often goes if you miss one dime of your minimum payment (if a payment is required) during that promotional period: You could be hit with retroactive interest immediately.

To give you an idea of just how painful this can be, let’s look at a recent offer from Macy’s. Here are the terms:

NO INTEREST IF PAID IN FULL WITHIN 24 MONTHS, PLUS NO DOWN PAYMENT with minimum $1,999 furniture or $1,487 mattress purchase on your Macy’s Card from July 13, 2015 – August 10, 2015. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the purchase is not paid in full within 24 months. Minimum payments required. INTEREST CHARGES accrue on the promotional balance from the transaction date and all accrued INTEREST CHARGES for the entire promotional period will be added to your account if the promotional balance is not paid in full by the end of the promotional period or if you fail to make a required payment on your account when due. Minimum monthly payments of the greater of $25 or 3.25% of your promotional balance (which calculation is rounded up to the nearest dollar) are required plus any minimum payment otherwise due. Making the minimum monthly payment will not pay off your promotional balance in time to avoid INTEREST CHARGES.

Let’s say, then, that you buy $4,000 worth of furniture with this offer, and the APR on the credit card is a painful — but fairly average for the category — 24.99%. If you make the minimum 3.25% payment faithfully for the 24 months, you’ll still have a balance of over $1,800 at the end of that two-year promotional period. Pay that balance before the period expires, and you’ll be just fine: You save more than $1,400 in interest, and you’re only out the original $4,000 price tag. (You can use this calculator from the Financial Buff to tweak the numbers to your liking.)

However, if you’ve only been making minimum payments, and can’t afford that lump sum all at once — undoubtedly a common scenario for buyers who fail to plan ahead — things get hairy. You’ll be on the hook for nearly $1,400 in retroactive interest on top of the $1,800 you still owe.

Pay only the minimum payments on that new balance of $3,200, and things get much, much hairier. You could end up paying more than $8,000 for your furniture — double the sticker price — with payments stretching for more than 14 years.

Alternatives to Store Credit Cards

There are a few better ways to make that big purchase that don’t involve store credit cards: Pay cash, buy used, or use a regular credit card.

Alternative No. 1: Pay Cash

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention this obvious method: Save up for your purchase, and pay for it in full without using credit. You won’t be on the hook for any interest, and you’ll have far more latitude to negotiate. After all, the retailer often would rather take a small hit on the purchase price in order to take your cash right away and avoid paying credit-card fees.

It’s also worth remembering that experts recommend against financing anything that will depreciate in value, and furniture or appliances are a perfect example. (You may be thinking about how people finance cars all the time, which depreciate the moment they’re driven off the lot. This is true, and in an ideal world, you would pay cash for your car, too. But also consider how much lower APRs are for car loans. Right now, the national average for car loans is only 3.2% if you have good credit, according to myFICO. You also typically won’t be stuck paying retroactive interest.)

Alternative No. 2: Buy Used

If you can get past the desire for things that are shiny and new, buying used furniture can save you thousands of dollars. Ideally, you’ll be able to snag it from a trusted source to blunt fears over cleanliness. If not, Facebook resale groups and Craigslist can offer a wealth of options.

Even if you’re wary of buying upholstered pieces used, you can find great bargains on tables, shelves, dressers, and appliances. (In general, you do probably want to steer clear of used mattresses for obvious health concerns, including bedbugs.)

To buy used furniture without getting burned, keep a couple things in mind:

First, inspect it thoroughly before forking over your money: Stains, rips, missing parts, or funky smells are all obvious reasons to pass.
Second, make sure you don’t buy anything that’s been recalled, such as a crib with drop-down sides.
Third, remember hidden costs: If you need to rent a truck to haul the furniture or invest money in paint or new fabric, make sure you factor in these costs and compare the total to what you might spend on a new item.

Alternative No. 3: Use a Regular Credit Card

If you can’t afford to pay cash and don’t want to buy used, a regular credit card is probably a better bet than store credit card.

Why? First, you typically won’t have to worry about retroactive interest when you use a regular credit card (though you should always read the fine print to double-check). Second, unless your credit is very poor, you’re probably looking at a much more reasonable interest rate — the average APR is just shy of 15%, but could be as low as around 11% or 12% if you have good credit. Finally, remember that regular credit cards often offer fringe benefits such as extended warranties, purchase protection, trip insurance, and even identity-theft resolution.

If you go this route, make sure to consider a couple of strategies:

Get a credit card with a 0% APR introductory rate

If you have good credit, you may be able to land a credit card with a 0% introductory APR. This way, you get the interest-free period that you would have gotten with the store credit card, but you won’t be facing a scary retroactive-interest bill if you haven’t paid the entire balance once the promotional period expires (though we still recommend you pay off the balance entirely within the introductory period).

Every offer is different, but it’s most common for this introductory period to last from 12 to 15 months. You’ll find some of the best picks for 0% APR credit cards in our guide to the Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards for 2015.

Use a credit card with hefty rewards

We recommend going the rewards-card route only if you can pay off your balance quickly, since APRs tend to be a bit higher on these cards. But it’s worth mentioning since there are many fantastic rewards cards out there.

A big furniture or appliance purchase can trigger a nice cash-back or travel-miles bonus, and the average grace period of 25 days gives you an extra few weeks to pay off the entire purchase before you owe any interest on it. You’ll find your best bets in our guide to the Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2015.

Is It Ever OK to Use Store Credit Cards?

There is one instance where it can make sense to make a big purchase on a store credit card: when the retailer is offering a hefty one-time discount just for signing up for their card.

Going back to our $4,000 furniture purchase, let’s say the store was offering a 10% discount on your first purchase when you sign up for their credit card. You’d save a whopping $400. The trick is to be disciplined: Pay off the rest of the balance pronto — or at least within the promotional period if there’s a no-interest offer — and then cut up the card when you’re done.

Beyond that situation, if you’re absolutely set on your big purchase, don’t have the cash saved up to avoid using credit, and aren’t able to qualify for a better credit card, store financing may be your last resort.

Using a store credit card won’t ruin you if you abide by one rule: Pay off the balance immediately, or at least before the promotional interest rate expires. A store card can also make sense if you’re very financially disciplined and shop at the store very, very frequently.

If you can’t qualify for other cards, there’s also one more important way a store credit card can benefit you: It can help you build your credit. Store credit cards are easier to qualify for — often because the retailer can repossess your purchases as collateral if you fall behind on payments.

But to raise your score, you have to use the card responsibly: You should only use a fraction of the available credit limit, and you should reliably pay off the balance every billing period before you’re hit with interest.

Store credit cards may not be your only option if you have bad credit, however. Check out our other credit-card guides for those with lower credit scores:

The post Is Financing Furniture With a Store Credit Card Ever a Good Idea? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/1M3Nj0Y

Buying a car? Avoid these rip-off traps

THE car industry is expected to use finance offers to mask price rises in the coming months if the Aussie dollar continues to fall. Here are some tips to avoid being ripped off.

Source NEWS.com.au | Business http://ift.tt/1Ib0DMS

Inspiration from Carl Sandburg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jon Ronson, and More

‘Do one thing every day that scares you,’ said Eleanor Roosevelt (pictured). Photo: National Endowment for the Humanities

Once a month (or so), I share a dozen things that have inspired me to greater personal, professional, and financial success in my life. I hope they bring similar success to your life.

1. Eleanor Roosevelt on pushing your limits

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the most inspirational things I’ve ever seen was Jim Valvano’s speech from the 1993 ESPY awards. I’ve linked to it many times before, but I wanted to highlight one particular bit because of how it lines up with Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, above.

To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.

The more I think about it, the more I think that Eleanor Roosevelt might be onto something with a great fourth ingredient for a great day. Do something that scares you a little bit.

Fear is often what holds us back and keeps us from doing the great things that we’re all capable of doing. For example, I have a fear in my gut that the fiction I write isn’t very good, so I’m often really afraid to show it to other people. I have a fear of writing some of the more “out there” ideas I have for The Simple Dollar because I don’t think they’ll click with readers or add any value to their lives.

This quote tells me otherwise. It tells me that if I don’t ever do anything that scares me a little, I’ll never get better. I’ll never go beyond where I’m at right now. And that would be a true shame.

2. Jon Ronson on how one tweet can ruin your life

From the description:

For the longest time Jon Ronson reveled in the fact that Twitter gave a voice to the voiceless … the social media platform gave us all a chance to speak up and hit back at perceived injustice. But somewhere along the way, things took a turn. In this passionate, eloquent talk, Ronson explains how too often we end up behaving like a baying mob — and that it’s time to rethink how we interact with others online.

Social media gives people a chance to fight back against the injustice they see in the world around them, but that power is a double-edged sword. It also punishes people greatly for making a mistake or having a viewpoint that doesn’t exactly match everyone else. Rather than being freeing, social media often has the opposite effect.

I often get very upset with the things people say online, but it is absolutely imperative that people be able to express their ideas, learn where those ideas are strong and where they’re weak, and learn and grow online without having their personal life destroyed. Even if someone says something cruel that stabs directly at the heart of who you are, it doesn’t give you the right to destroy their life.

What it does is gives you the opportunity to change someone’s mind and someone’s heart. That’s a lot harder. It takes a lot more courage. But it is the route to a better world.

You will never change a person who believes something different than you if you wield a sharp sword of justice against them and try to destroy them and invalidate everything about them. Respond with compassion and logic, not anger and rage.

3. Maya Angelou on change

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ― Maya Angelou

Whenever I look at my financial situation today, I don’t just feel good that I have no debts and some money socked away. Instead, I feel good because I know how many years of hard choices went into achieving that financial state.

That experience has really changed how I view the world. Whenever I see someone in really good shape, I don’t just marvel at the natural beauty of their body. I also respect the tremendous amount of work that went into making that body beautiful.

Whenever I see someone that has created a small business out of thin air with little more than a lot of sweat equity, I’m impressed by the business, but I’m more impressed by the hard work and sacrifice it took to build that business.

When I see that someone has lost a bunch of weight, I’m not just impressed by their physical changes, but by the intense willpower and effort it took to bring about those changes.

Don’t focus on the result. Instead, think about the huge amount of work that went into making that result. That’s far more impressive.

4. The Byrds – My Back Pages

Ah, but I was so much older then
I’m younger than that now

I’ve always had this deep affinity for 1960s folk music. Part of it comes from the fact that both of my parents listened to various strains of it when I was a child and “oldies” stations were something we often listened to on the radio. Another part of it is that I find music most appealing when the instrumentation is simple. I am always more drawn to a guy playing an acoustic guitar on a street corner than I ever am to electronic beats in a club.

The other thing that always comes through for me is that folk music feels like the expression of the life lessons of a previous generation, expressing the things they went through, the battles they fought, and the lessons that they learned. Folk music is perhaps the most direct form of that, at least in my ears.

There are a handful of folk songs that have really encouraged me to learn how to play a guitar. This is one of them, with a refrain that really strikes home with me lately. I was much smarter 10 years ago – and twenty? I was a genius back then. Today, I don’t know all that much.

5. Marcus Aurelius on what you can and can’t control

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” ― Marcus Aurelius

You can’t control what other people do, but you can control what you do. You can’t control what other people think, but you can control what you think. You can’t control what other people say, but you can control what you say.

Every time you waste an ounce of energy on things you can’t control, you’re wasting an ounce of energy that could be using on things you can control.

You control how you spend money. You control how you spend time. You control how you spend your energy. You control your emotional responses to things.

Spend your efforts making those things as good as possible. Stop spending your efforts on what other people are doing or thinking. You’ll be so much better off when you do that.

6. Papaly

This has become my browser homepage. There’s really nothing else to say.

Basically, this is an ultra-flexible way to collect all of your bookmarks. When I first looked at it, it looked way too busy, but after a while I began to realize how it worked and then shortly after that I spent an hour centralizing all of my bookmarks there.

Now? I basically can’t live without it. Whenever I fire up my browser, that’s the home screen. It has all of the links that I regularly visit all in one place without cluttering up the screen. When I click on a link, it just spawns a new tab, so then I check out that site, close the tab, and move on.

The ability to just drag and drop and organize everything into groups and see everything all together is so useful.

Remember, though, I have somewhere between 300 and 500 URLs that I want to keep track of, so this is a great way to consolidate everything.

7. Martin Luther on planning

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” ― Martin Luther

For some people, this quote is confusing. For others, it’s inspiring. I’m in that second group.

You might know what tomorrow holds… but tomorrow hasn’t come yet. Things can change. You don’t know if you’re going to die tomorrow or die 100 years from now or never die at all.

Given that uncertainty, I will always choose to plant that figurative apple tree. Why not do things today under the assumption that I will live forever? If I behave that way, no matter what comes in my life, I can handle it.

People always want to worry about planning everything out perfectly so that they don’t leave anything behind when they die. Not me. Sure, I’ll probably die someday, but why do things that way? Why not assume I’ll live forever, so that every single day I wake up for the rest of my life, I have things to look forward to?

8. Feisal Abdul Rauf on losing your ego and finding your compassion

From the description:

Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf combines the teachings of the Qur’an, the stories of Rumi, and the examples of Muhammad and Jesus, to demonstrate that only one obstacle stands between each of us and absolute compassion — ourselves.

We are always our own worst enemy when it comes to showing compassion for others. Our own predispositions and our own selfish need to feel “better” often comes out on top which leaves us feeling negative things toward others.

It’s very hard to overcome that. It is hard to put ourselves in the shoes of others. It is hard to care for others who we feel haven’t put forward their best effort. It is hard to recognize the advantages we have.

When you manage to do that, though, the world becomes a lot more peaceful.

9. Jack London on inspiration

“Don’t loaf and invite inspiration; light out after it with a club.” ― Jack London

Many days, I find myself sitting behind my desk, typing away, throwing down words. That’s good, but it doesn’t inspire me. Mostly, it’s just completing the thoughts that I started elsewhere.

The ideas I have – the inspiration – is found when I’m out doing stuff. I’m hanging out with friends. I’m at the grocery store. I’m doing something.

That’s when inspiration strikes. It happens when I chase it, when I do things that open my life to it. It doesn’t happen when I’m sitting here.

If you’re struggling to be inspired, go outside. Walk around. Look at what people are doing around you. Look at the natural world. Inspiration will strike.

10. Zero

From the description:

In a world that judges people by their number, Zero faces constant prejudice and persecution. He walks a lonely path until a chance encounter changes his life forever: he meets a female zero. Together they prove that through determination, courage, and love, nothing can be truly something.

This is a great short animated film. Watch it by yourself. Better yet, watch it with other people – your spouse or your children or your grandchildren. It speaks for itself.

11. Donald Miller on resolution

“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for 15 minutes, and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.” ― Donald Miller

Not everything in life needs a neat answer or a solution. Most things don’t. If you worry too much about the happy ending, you’ll never be happy.

Instead, the joy is usually found in the journey. It’s found in the good feelings that you get as the song moves along. It’s in that sense of feeling great as you’re starting to lose weight or you’re starting to turn your finances around.

Don’t worry about the destination. Relish the journey. Relish the success of today. Relish the good feeling you have after exercising or the feeling of being able to pay your bills and watch that debt shrink.

12. A Father to His Son – Carl Sandburg

A father sees his son nearing manhood.
What shall he tell that son?
‘Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.’
And this might stand him for the storms
and serve him for humdrum monotony
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.
‘Life is a soft loam; be gentle; go easy.’
And this too might serve him.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.
The growth of a frail flower in a path up
has sometimes shattered and split a rock.
A tough will counts. So does desire.
So does a rich soft wanting.
Without rich wanting nothing arrives.
Tell him too much money has killed men
and left them dead years before burial:
the quest of lucre beyond a few easy needs
has twisted good enough men
sometimes into dry thwarted worms.
Tell him time as a stuff can be wasted.
Tell him to be a fool every so often
and to have no shame over having been a fool
yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
thus arriving at intimate understanding
of a world numbering many fools.
Tell him to be alone often and get at himself
and above all tell himself no lies about himself
whatever the white lies and protective fronts
he may use against other people.
Tell him solitude is creative if he is strong
and the final decisions are made in silent rooms.
Tell him to be different from other people
if it comes natural and easy being different.
Let him have lazy days seeking his deeper motives.
Let him seek deep for where he is born natural.
Then he may understand Shakespeare
and the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov,
Michael Faraday and free imaginations
Bringing changes into a world resenting change.
He will be lonely enough
to have time for the work
he knows as his own.

It’s funny. When I was younger and thought about all of the things that I wanted to teach my children, I always thought about talking to them in their early teen years.

But that’s not the reality of a parent. What I’ve learned is that I’ve already been teaching a lot of those lessons now, even to my five year old.

You don’t “parent” kids by giving them big important talks when they’re almost grown up. Sure, you can do that, of course, but those talks are really just reinforcing the principles you’ve been building into them as babies.

The nuts and bolts of being a good dad aren’t in some kind of big “father-son” or “father-daughter” talk when they’re 12 or 14 or 16. They’re when you show them how to be courteous through your own actions when they’re three or put the stops to their dishonesty when they’re five. It comes from trying to spark their imagination when they’re seven and letting them take some risks when they’re eight.

The post Inspiration from Carl Sandburg, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jon Ronson, and More appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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

Got a Sweet Spot for Yard Sales? How to Get the Best Deals

Believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to shop garage sales.

When you use the right strategies, you can walk away from a morning of garage or yard sales with a fantastic haul, including brand-new items you bought for only a couple of dollars.

I’ve scored clothing with tags on it, appliances still in their boxes and tons of stuff in great shape, usually saving 80-90% off the retail prices. Instead of paying $18 for an umbrella at the store, I’ll pay $2 at a yard sale.

But if you don’t shop strategically, you could wind up wasting your time — or worse, spending too much on an item that’s not worth buying.

Whether you’re in the market for something specific or just looking to see what treasures pop up, here’s how to shop smart at yard and garage sales.

1. Make a List

Before even looking for yard and garage sales in your area, make a list of things you’re looking for.

You know those items you “need,” but hate to pay full price for because you don’t need them urgently? Or those items you know you’ll want in a few months when it’s the right season, but not quite yet? Those are your potential yard-sale scores.

A few common examples include:

Exercise gear: Whether you’re looking for a yoga block, free weights, workout DVDs, a balance ball or resistance bands, you’re bound to find some exercise gear at a sale. Most people decide to invest in fitness at some point in their lives, but it often winds up collecting dust — until the yard sale. I got a yoga mat in perfect condition for $1!

Organization tools: Think desk organizers, filing cabinets, plastic bins, baskets and other storage solutions.

Kitchen tools: I often see canister sets, pitchers, spatulas and the like, as well as small appliances still in working order or even unopened.

Home décor: Looking to spruce up your walls? Yard sales are worth checking out, especially for Christmas items, which you’ll see at pretty much every sale.

Appliances: You’ll likely see lots of appliances still in their boxes, especially at estate sales. I once got a brand new humidifier for only $7.

Put a piece of paper or sticky note on the fridge or somewhere convenient, and every time you think about something you need, ask yourself if it’s something you would consider buying at a yard sale. If the answer’s yes, jot it down and you’ll have a nice list when it’s time to hit the sales.

Remember, the goal is to get what you need at a bargain price, not to bring home junk you don’t need. Having a list helps keep you focused.

2. Find the Sales

Start with Craigslist, especially if you live in a bigger area. For example, I start by Googling “Craigslist Pittsburgh yard sales,” which generates a list of ads with dates, times, descriptions and locations.

Make sure you note the date of the post and the date of the yard sale. If you keep scrolling, you’ll eventually run into old posts — and you don’t want to show up a week too late!

Cover all your bases by changing your search terms. In addition to “yard sales,” also search “yardsales” (one word), “garage sales,” “estate sales” and “rummage sales.”

Once you’ve checked out Craigslist, try these other options for more sales:

YardSales.net: This site is basically like Craigslist, but focused solely on yard sales.

Your local newspaper: Check the classifieds either in print or online.

Your neighborhood: Posters on telephone poles may be old school, but they work.

Facebook: Many towns and cities have Facebook groups devoted to yard sales. Find your local group by searching on the site.

3. Look for Good Yard Sales

First, let’s answer this question: What is a good yard sale?

Think about three things: location, quantity and quality.

Location

Look for yard sales held in nice neighborhoods. I love going to yard sales in more upscale neighborhoods because they often have nice, expensive, brand-name items.

The best part is these nicer items sell for the same prices as items at other yard sales. I’ve never been to a yard sale, even in a nice neighborhood, where things weren’t priced around a few dollars.

When you look at ads, use Google Maps to check the address and see what neighborhood each yard sale is in. Make a special note of those in nicer areas, and add them to your list.

Quantity

A bigger sale is likely to produce better find, since you’ll have more options.

Look for ads that use language like “multi-family sale” or “neighborhood sale.” Keep an eye out for churches, schools or organizations hosting group sales, where each family has a table.

Also look for estate sales, which usually mean a family is selling off everything from a loved one’s home. Since their goal is likely to sell everything (as opposed to make a ton of money), they’re often open to price negotiation.

Quality

This is often a benefit of finding yard sales in good locations and with more items, but small sales can be great if they advertise a particular item you’re interested in, like a piece of furniture, a hard-to-find item or a particular focus, such as “baby stuff.”

If one of those items is on your list — say, you’re expecting a baby — a small sale could be worth your time.

To find these sales, search for keywords related to your focus (like “stroller,” “baby” or “onesie”). Once you’ve found a few, look for words describing quality (“like new,” “never used/worn”) and check out any photos to see if this sale is worth adding to your list.

3. Map Out Your Route

Got your list of the yard sales you most want to hit? Great.

Plug the addresses into Google Maps to determine the most efficient route. Look at their relative locations to each other and to where you live. Planning your route this way means you’ll spend less time driving around and more time shopping the deals.

Note the times of the sales; ideally, if it fits with your route, you’ll start with the earliest ones first to get the best deals before other treasure hunters scoop them up.

Are you dying to hit a sale that’s a little further away? Use your judgment based on the ad to decide whether it’s worth the extra commute.

I usually try to find an area with several yard sales within a few miles, so I’m not spending a lot of time traveling. Make sure the descriptions of at least most of these sales are good — if one or two don’t sound that impressive but are in the same area, you could stop by and try your luck.

If driving isn’t feasible, you could bike or take the bus — just think through how you’ll get your loot home. If you’re in the market for furniture, it’s probably best to work out a good transportation system in case you find something you like.

4. Shop Strategically

How do you know if you’re getting a good deal on an item at a yard sale?

First, look at what shape it’s in — fair? great? brand new?

Next think about a typical price for the item. If you’re not sure, Google it to see the price for a new one, as well as with the word “used” to see prices for more well-loved items.

Prices at yard sales are generally very low: $0.50 to $2 for most small items and clothing, $5 to $10 for larger items or appliances and $20 to $50 or more for furniture. Generally, the larger the piece, the more expensive it will be.

If the item is priced at a few dollars or less, I discourage haggling; the seller knew it was a bargain price when she marked it. If it’s priced a bit higher and you think you can get a better deal, negotiate. Most sellers will compromise, especially toward the end of a sale because they are more desperate to get rid of things.

Ultimately, how much you should pay comes down to the value you place on the item. Will you use it a lot? Is it in good shape? Have you seen it for a better price anywhere else, or are you likely to?

And finally, disregarding all the other factors, what would you be willing to spend on the item, if you didn’t know its asking price?

Your Turn: What’s your best yard-sale score? Share your stories in the comments!

Staci Fonner is, among other things, a writer who lives in Pittsburgh, PA.

The post Got a Sweet Spot for Yard Sales? How to Get the Best Deals appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/1fScx4H