MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 08/28/15

الجمعة، 28 أغسطس 2015

Gulf Coast casino workers call area's recovery 'amazing'

Hurricane Katrina wiped out the nation's third-largest gaming market along the Mississippi Gulf Coast 10 years ago today, washing away 13 casinos and 17,000 gaming industry jobs. Some casino workers, who lost their homes and all their possessions, left the Gulf Coast forever.

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JB Hi-Fi’s terrible idea

WHEN a blender costs less than a juice, and a toaster costs less than a loaf of bread, something is up. Which is why JB Hi-Fi’s latest play doesn’t make sense.

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7-Eleven accused of ‘half-pay scam’

AUSTRALIA’S biggest convenience store chain 7-Eleven is being investigated over allegations of wage theft, accused of operating “a sweatshop on every corner”.

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How to fly cross-country without using airports

It's no secret that crowded airports can be a hassle and a giant time-suck for cross-country travelers. Soon, a workaround may be available for corporations and the ultra-rich. The concept is this: You don't need an airport if you can land and take off from your own front yard.

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Vegas hot air balloon company rises up again 10 days after fire — VIDEO

After a devastating fire that burned most of their gear, Vegas Balloon Rides managed to gather gear from it's parent company and get back in the air 10 days later.

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Las Vegas noted for cash sales, in-foreclosure home sales

The Las Vegas Valley ranked highly on two measures of nontraditional home sales.

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GLVAR taps officers, directors for 2016

Southern Nevada's largest professional association has named its officers and board of directors for 2016.

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With New CEO Aboard, Lands’ End Seeks To Reinvent Itself With Fall Campaign

For its fall effort, the 50-year-old retailer unveils a two-pronged approach aimed at expanding its portfolio while holding onto loyalists.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Las Vegas tourism notches second-busiest month of 2015

Southern Nevada visitation continues to roll as Las Vegas recorded its second-busiest month of 2015, tallying 3.7 million tourists to the destination, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported Friday.

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Yahoo: The Decline Of The Mobile Browser Is A Threat To Search

Earlier this week Yahoo held its second Mobile Developer Conference in New York. This was the East Coast version of its inaugural developer conference held in San Francisco earlier this year. As part of that event, which I did not attend, Simon Khalaf, Yahoo’s SVP Publishing Products, took...

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Here's why a crazy week on Wall Street could help American consumers

While a roller-coaster on Wall Street this week has left investors exhausted, potential borrowers may benefit, at least in the short term, from the tumultuous trading in securities markets.

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Marketing Day: World’s Largest Media Buyer, Native Ads & Retail Marketing Strategies

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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America's Infinite Resource: Oil

One thing has been constant: doomsayers and declinists have predicted that we would soon drill the last barrel of oil. But last month, the United States hit very close to the highest output level in recorded history.

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What’s Your Money Personality?

How sharp are your financial instincts? Do you boast a banker’s savvy sense for cents, or is your freewheeling financial style more care-free than careful? Take our quiz to discover your money personality:

How to Make Saving a Habit

Developing good money habits can help make successful finance choices become second-nature. And ditching bad habits can help you save money, too.

Need a little help honing your financial instincts? Check out these posts:

The post What’s Your Money Personality? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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4 Signs You Hired a Bad Home Inspector

Clues that reveal you may need to inspect your inspector.

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President will mark Katrina anniversary in New Orleans

Ten years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, President Barack Obama will visit the city next week to tour neighborhoods and meet with families still recovering from the devastation.

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Fewer People Pay IRA Early Withdrawal Penalty

This tax penalty is avoidable with careful planning.

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Want to Work From Home? These 25 Companies Have the Most Remote Positions

More workers want work-from-home jobs, and more companies are offering a wide variety of remote work to attract them.

Maybe there’s a job for you. Could you:

Analyze payment data for a major health care organization?

Help a computer-maker develop products for its customers who offer health insurance plans?

Recruit sales talent for a medical device-maker?

These telecommuting jobs are just a few examples posted recently by companies identified as the top 25 employers with the most available remote positions. Flexjobs, a subscription-based online service specializing in remote and flexible job opportunities, developed the list by analyzing a recent month’s worth of data from more than 30,000 companies.

“From baby boomers to millennials, working from home is the most in-demand type of work flexibility job seekers are interested in, and companies need to recognize that or they’re going to lose talent,” Sara Sutton Fell, FlexJobs’ founder and CEO, said, in releasing the list.

“In fact, 68% of recent college graduates said of all company policies, the ability to work remotely has the most positive impact on their interest in an employer. It is a trend that is here to stay.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in a June report said 23% of U.S. workers now do at least some of their work from home — up from 19% in 2003. The bureau estimates 3.3 million people work from home full time and many more are interested in flexible opportunities.

Where to Find Remote Jobs

The top 25 employers with the most available remote positions, according to Flexjobs, are:

UnitedHealth Group
Dell
IBM
Kelly Services
CACTUS Communications
Aetna
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Overland Solutions, Inc.
VMware
CyberCoders
PAREXEL
First Data
Aon
K12 Inc.
ADP
A Place for Mom
Infor
Kaplan
Haynes & Company
Nielsen
Dell SecureWorks
SAP
CACI International
BCD Travel
Humana

This list includes a variety of industries, such as health care, technology and education, and a diverse range of job titles — among them consultant, instructor, analyst, marketing manager, nurse practitioner, client service representative, software engineer and more.

The positions offer a wide variety of flexible work options, Flexjobs noted. Some were telecommuting a few days a week; others, all the time. Employers posted part- and full-time jobs. Some were freelance contracts; others, traditional employee positions.

Many of the 25 companies also were listed in FlexJobs’ 2015 Top 100 Companies for Remote Jobs.

The metro cities with the highest work-from-home rates are San Francisco, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Miami, Dallas and Boston, Flexjobs found in an earlier study. The leading career field is medical and health, according to FlexJobs’ analysis of its 2014 database.

Why Telecommuting Could Work for You

Telecommuting, studies say, can provide workers better work-life balance and reduce stress, especially for people who give up difficult commutes.

Once the purview of young mothers, the typical telecommuter now is a man in his 40s, says the HR Daily Advisor.

A worker who gives up an average 50 mile roundtrip drive to the office can save about $6,250 in annual commuting costs, according to U.S. Department of Transportation estimates. Telecommuting also reduces traffic and spares the environment.

Companies with remote workforces see absenteeism drop, retention increase, morale rise and performance improve.

Telecommuters can stay connected with home Internet connections. VPNs (virtual private networks) software allows workers to access secure employer networks, HRAdvisor notes. Teleconferencing and video conferencing programs can keep geographically separated teams in constant communication.

There are some fiscal and emotional costs involved. Those home-office phone lines and Internet connections don’t come free. Remote work lessens face-to-face contact and can cause feelings of isolation. Workers sometimes complain that they are “always on.” They also have to take steps to avoid distractions.

In looking for jobs, of course, you’ll want to sidestep scams and find legitimate opportunities.

If you decide that working from home is right for you, you won’t be alone. TechCast, a George Washington University think tank, forecasts that 30% of workers across industrialized countries will be telecommuting by 2019.

Your Turn: Will you look for a job with one of these companies?

This post originally appeared on Money Talks News. Since 1991, MoneyTalksNews has been producing both video and print to help you make more, spend less and avoid rip-offs.

The post Want to Work From Home? These 25 Companies Have the Most Remote Positions appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Here’s Where The World’s Largest Media Buyer Spends Its Money

WPP's GroupM spends $76 billion a year on media. All but one of the top recipients of that investment are digital media companies.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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The Brand’s CMO, Its CFO And An Agency Shill Walk Into A Bar…

On this Friday, we'll listen in on a conversation that could occur while a couple of C-level execs, along with their agency rep, enjoy a few drinks at happy hour one evening.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Native Ads: Effective But Are They Accepted By Consumers?

Marketers have enthusiastically embraced “native advertising” and there’s an emerging body of evidence supporting the proposition that it’s more effective than traditional display. The latest addition to that corpus comes in the form of a report just published by the MMA....

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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7 Times You Need to Talk to a Financial Advisor

You may want to manage your money on your own, but there are times when it's a mistake to go it alone.

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Measuring Accessibility In The User Experience (UX) And The Searcher Experience

Accessibility in the user experience isn't just about humans — it's also about technology, says columnist Shari Thurow. She explains how she measures accessibility and offers some tips on developing an accessible website.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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As Stocks Rebound, Report Shows Economy Growing

Global investors breathed a collective sigh of relief Thursday after stock markets started reversing the major losses from the past week.

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HSBC glitch sees thousands not paid

Laura Whitcombe

hsbc.jpg

Thousands of people have not been paid and home moves are in jeopardy ahead of bank holiday weekend after a glitch with HSBC's payment systems.

Thousands of people have not been paid ahead of bank holiday weekend after a glitch with HSBC’s payment systems.

The bank says up to 275,000 BACS payments used by its business customers are affected.

HSBC glitch sees thousands not paid and home sales at risk

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Thousands of people have not been paid ahead of bank holiday weekend after a glitch with HSBC’s payment systems. The bank says up to 275,000 BACS payments used by its business customers are affected. Businesses have been unable to make salary payments or pay suppliers as a result, meaning that individuals and companies with other banks are also affected. Those caught up in the chaos may find themselves having to use their overdrafts unexpectedly, which may incur fees, unable to make payments or withdraw cash if they have insufficient funds available. The bank has apologised. In a statement it said: “There has been a fault in the information used to process some payments from HSBC business customers. "Approximately 275,000 payments have been affected, including payments to customers of other banks. "HSBC apologises for the inconvenience this has caused. We are taking immediate steps to ensure the payments reach beneficiaries as quickly as possible. "We will work with other banks to ensure that customers do not lose out as a result of today's problems." It has not yet been able to give any indication of when the affected payments might be made. If you have been affected and incur any fees for late payment of for using unauthorised overdraft, HSBC is responsible for refunding you any consequential loss. While Friday is a popular day to finalise house purchases – particularly on bank holiday weekends – would-be movers whose solicitors send and receive money by BACS rather than the much more widely used telegraphic transfer could find that their purchase or mortgage monies cannot be transferred. The consequence could be that homebuyers find themselves parked outside their new properties unable to move in. However, one solicitor told Moneywise that none of their firm’s 160 completions taking place today have been affected.

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Nevada gaming revenue falls less than 1 percent in July

Nevada gaming revenue in July fell for the second straight month, continuing the state's up-and-down year in the casino market.

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Some Thoughts on the ‘American Dream’

Are you working toward your own version of prosperity and the American Dream… or Hollywood’s? Photo: Prayitno

One of the ideals that was taught to me as a child is best expressed today as the “American dream,” that every American should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative.

It’s a great, flowery idea, but what does it actually mean?

Let’s start with prosperity. It’s a good place to start. Google defines “prosperity” as the state of being prosperous (which isn’t particularly helpful), but also offers several synonyms: success, profitability, affluence, wealth, opulence, luxury, the good life, milk and honey, (good) fortune, ease, plenty, comfort, security, and well-being.

When I hear “prosperity,” I wind up visualizing certain things. I visualize someone who has a strong career that earns a healthy income but eats up a lot of their time and energy. I visualize someone that owns a nice house with a green lawn. I visualize a shiny car in the driveway and a well-dressed family.

That’s a vision that has been shared to me by friends, family, and popular culture for many years. It’s a tangible definition of the American dream.

Those are the things alluded to by many of the synonyms of prosperity. It’s affluence, wealth, opulence, and luxury.

I don’t have any problems with that “dream” in a broad sense. In fact, in some ways, I’m living parts of it.

Not too long ago, however, I was committed to the whole picture. I was aiming for the shiny car and the house with the white picket fence and the well-dressed family and the time- and energy-consuming career.

Over the last several years, I’ve dropped a lot of those things.

I still have a career, but it’s far less time consuming. I’m able to send my kids off to school in the morning and be here for them when they get off the bus in the afternoon.

We don’t dress in rags, but no one would claim that we’re all “sharply dressed,” other than perhaps my daughter.

The car I drive is 12 years old and was bought used off of Craigslist.

We have a nice house, but it isn’t even in the “upscale” neighborhood in our relatively small town.

What happened? What changed? Why did I walk away from the popular vision of the American dream?

It’s simple. I realized that the true American dream isn’t really about any of that stuff.

It all comes back to the idea of “success” and “prosperity.” There tends to be some consensus definitions of what those words mean in America, such as having a good job, one that pays well, and having certain lifestyle trappings.

The thing is, those are kind of like training wheels. They form lifestyle objectives for people who can’t – or won’t – develop them on their own. They make up a simple recipe to follow that will make your life comfortable and not very different than the lives of many around you.

And for many, that’s enough.

However, you don’t have to look too hard to see cracks in that image. For many people, that kind of vision isn’t enough – or it’s too much.

If you want a cultural example of this, think of the film “American Beauty.” In it, the main character, Lester Burnham, is living that “American dream” life but is incredibly dissatisfied with it. He goes through the motions of that life early in the film, but is basically joyless. As the movie goes on, he undergoes something of a transformation and, over the course of the film, begins to make life choices that move him in a very different direction, away from a soulless job and away from many of the material trappings, and by the end of the movie, he begins to realize that the things he thought he always wanted weren’t really the things he wanted after all. It’s well worth watching if you haven’t seen it.

For me, I came to realize that I valued a lower-stress job more than I valued a high income.

I realized that I valued professional flexibility more than I valued shiny cars in the driveway.

I valued being able to eat almost every dinner around the dinner table with my family more than I valued nice clothes.

I wanted to spend my spare hours wandering in nature or reading a challenging book more than I wanted a huge house.

I realized, in the end, that I didn’t really want the life shown as an “ideal” on television or in magazines. I wanted my own life, one that made me feel good every day when I woke up. I wanted a life surrounded by powerful relationships. I wanted a life full of learning and growing and sharing things. I wanted a life where I could help other people with most of my life’s energy.

To me, having those things is the definition of “prosperity.”

Here’s another way of putting it: Rather than focusing on the affluence, wealth, opulence, and luxury aspects of prosperity, I changed my focus to the plenty, comfort, and well-being aspects of prosperity.

I’m still chasing that American dream of prosperity, but I’m chasing different aspects of it than are typically shared in popular culture.

For me, one of the greatest challenges of that shift is the realization that a lot of popular culture is all about different aspects of prosperity than the ones I’m interested in.

Our culture today lauds opulence and wealth. There’s a hefty focus on the lives of the incredibly wealthy, particularly those who spend their money in showy ways, wearing $5,000 suits and $20,000 dresses and $100,000 jewelry. Commercials don’t show the efficient and reliable late-model used cars that are out there, but instead focus on brand-new shiny expensive cars with dozens of features that you don’t need and barely want.

For many, all of that sets the tone for the American dream. It’s about getting money, sure, but it’s also just as much about spending it on luxurious things. It becomes a treadmill of sorts, where you’re constantly chasing the next expensive thing, because there’s never “enough” when you’ve adopted a belief that the American dream is about filling your life with luxury.

It took me a long time to realize that this definition of prosperity doesn’t really lead anywhere that I want to go. The idea of having these trappings of wealth doesn’t make me feel happy in any way. I don’t really want to have a shiny car in my driveway; I just want one that’s reliable and can get me to where I want to go. I don’t really want the perfect house. I want one that’s comfortable and provides a place to retreat, a place to host good friends and family, and a place to explore my own interests.

The definition of “prosperity” that leads to a life that I actually want is different than the definition of “prosperity” that most of popular culture operates under.

And that’s okay.

I am very happy with my life. It feels prosperous to me because I have everything I ever really wanted. I have plenty of free time. I have a nice enough house that provides space to explore my own interests and a place to gather with friends and family. I am able to be there for my family whenever they need me, no questions asked.

To me, that is prosperity.

To achieve that, I had to abandon some other elements of prosperity. We live quite frugally and buy a lot of generic products. We live in a reasonably-sized house – in fact, one that could easily afford to be a little bigger. We drive used cars.

Those choices are ones that we make because we realized that, in chasing our American dream, those are the right choices to make. Making different choices – a big house, new cars, lots of name-brand products, lots of luxury goods – would pull us away from our American dream.

The challenge for you is a simple one. What is your American dream? Keep in mind that it does not have to look like what you see on television or what you read about in magazines. Instead, you can fill it with whatever constitutes “prosperity” to you.

What brings you a sense of lasting ease in life? What brings you a feeling of lasting comfort? What things in your life authentically contribute to a sense of well-being? When are you truly happy – not when are you supposed to be happy, but when are you truly joyful in a sustained way?

Perhaps that’s the real American dream that you should be seeking. Maybe your dream is the same as the one on television, but I’m willing to bet that for many of you it isn’t.

If you want something different, if you want your own American dream, you have the tools to make it happen. Start living frugally. Pay off your debts. Strive to spend far less than you earn. Make every effort to live your day to day life in line with whatever it is that truly brings you a sense of prosperity.

You’ll be glad you did.

The post Some Thoughts on the ‘American Dream’ appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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The Pros And Cons Of Responsive Design

When you're developing your web site and landing page strategy, there are three well-traveled mobile-friendly routes. Columnist Abraham Nord explains each of the approaches and details the potential consequences of following them.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Retail Marketing Strategies: Connecting The Dots

As more shoppers turn to their smartphones to do product research, retailers need an all-inclusive mobile marketing strategy to reach consumers at just the right time, says columnist Allan Haims.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

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Getting (and Keeping) Your First Client

By QC Event School New business owners face a list of challenges once their doors open. Among those hurdles is finding potential clients and turning them into customers. This is especially difficult for high-ticket service-based businesses like event planners or interior decorators, where clients might be wary of hiring a professional who’s never had a client […]

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College Students: Sick of Feeling Broke? Follow These 8 Financial Rules

Heading off to college this fall? If you’re like many young adults, this is the first time you’ll have so much control over your spending decisions.

But if you’re not careful, you could make mistakes that could haunt you for years to come — like racking up credit card debt.

Don’t be surprised if you’re among the many young adults who struggle to leave the nest and manage financially on their own. Without your parents there to pick up costs for things like food or laundry, you might be uncertain about how to spend what you have and what to do when it looks like you’re running short.

When I was in college, I struggled to pay for laundry. Even 20 years later, I’m not a fan of doing laundry and I would wait until I had no other choice. That left me scrambling for quarters to feed into the machine, and I often had to run over and buy something at Walgreens, just to ask for my change in all quarters.

Here are eight suggestions to help you get off on the right financial foot in college:

1. Make a Budget

You probably already know how much your classes and room and board cost, but what about those other expenses?

You know — entertainment or supplies you may need from the local drug store or grocer. Don’t forget to include how much you’ll spend to do your laundry.

To create a basic budget, figure out how much money you can spend each week in these areas and stick with it. If you’re not sure how much you’re spending (which is not good!), keep your receipts and begin tracking your expenses. From there, you can put together a budget to manage your money.

2. Be Careful With Credit Cards

College is likely the first time you’ll have your own credit card — one that doesn’t go to mom and dad.

I remember seeing plenty of people hawking credit cards during my first week at the University of Wisconsin. Fill out an application and boom — you have your very own credit card. I’ll admit I succumbed to the sales pitch; I think I got a free Badger blanket.

Once the card is in hand, the tricky part starts. Don’t overuse it. Use it for purchases you know you can pay for once the bill comes. If you can’t pay the bill when it arrives, interest starts piling up and that $5 cup of coffee will soon cost a whole lot more.

Also, shop around and see what card will get you the best deal — do you want cash back, earn points to cash in for discounted airfare or points to earn gift cards?

3. Use Cash

This tip is tied into the one above — use cash whenever possible.

Buying coffee or going to the movies? Use cash instead of credit or even a debit card. This helps you visualize just how much money you have left to spend.

4. Watch Out for Extra Fees

Whether it’s your food plan or cell phone plan, know how much you’re allotted each month.

If you don’t have unlimited texting and go over the limit, you’ll be hit with extra fees. (By the way, even if your parents pay your cell phone bills, this is still good to know — they likely won’t take too kindly to a lot of extra fees.)

The same goes for some college meal plans. Before starting school, ask about the food plan options and think carefully about just how much you may or may not be eating in the school cafeterias. Then choose the plan that best fits your needs.

5. Look for Student Discounts

Make sure you always have your college ID handy — it could save you money at a number of businesses and on mass transit fees.

If you don’t see an advertised student special, go ahead and ask anyway. Many stores may have unadvertised deals in place for college students.

6. Enjoy Free Stuff

Many college campuses offer free or reduced-cost entertainment options. Check for flyers around campus advertising upcoming activities or look on the college’s website.

Not only do the activities give you something to do besides studying, they also won’t break your bank account.

7. Check Your ATM Network

Most students head to college with debit cards, but do the ATMs on your campus accept them without a fee?

I went to college with a debit card from a small community bank and soon discovered a $1 charge every time I used it. I switched over to a larger bank with ATMs at home and at college.

Check with your financial institution to see if there are fee-free ATMs on or near your college campus. If the options are few and far between, it may make sense to go with a different financial institution.

8. Get a Job

Yes, you’re there to learn, but students who work part-time jobs while in college learn better time management skills, which will pay off down the road.

As an added bonus, the part-time gig will bring in extra money for fun activities or to help pay your tuition. Colleges and businesses around campuses are usually interested in hiring students and offer flexible schedules.

Without proper planning, you can leave college with a lot more than a degree and student loans. You could wind up with poor spending and saving habits — along with credit card debt — that will make life challenging for years to come.

But by practicing good financial practices while in college, you’ll be set for life.

Your Turn: If you’re heading to college, what questions do you have? If you’re a grad, what advice could you share with incoming college students?

Freelance writer MaryBeth Matzek managed to leave college without any credit card debt.

The post College Students: Sick of Feeling Broke? Follow These 8 Financial Rules appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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