Rinehart scores royalties win against Rio

UPDATE: BILLIONAIRE Gina Rinehart has had a multi-million dollar High Court win against mining giant Rio Tinto.

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

Westpac hikes mortgage rates

WESTPAC is raising its variable mortgage rate by 20 basis points from next month, in what the lender described as a “difficult decision not taken lightly”.

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

7 Kitchen Survival Tips for Life Without a Dishwasher

When looking for an apartment last year, I had two dreams: a dishwasher, and a washer and dryer.

My years in college without either of these appliances showed me how these little luxuries make life easier. Long story short, apartment after apartment fell through for my fiance and me in the weeks leading up to our wedding.

One month before our wedding, we found a place in our budget and desired location. The caveats? No washer and dryer. No dishwasher (and, I’d later realize, no garbage disposal).

It’s not been as bad as I anticipated, and life without a dishwasher is teaching me some good lessons.

1. Establish a Good Rhythm

One of my goals for this month is to not have dishes lingering in the sink. Because I work from home, I have an opportunity to clean up breakfast dishes before I start my workday.

However, working from home also means dishes pile up throughout the day as I make lunch, make tea and start dinner.

If I don’t keep dishes in the sink to a minimum during the day, I find myself overwhelmed by the mess when 6 p.m. rolls around and it’s time to start dinner.

2. Attack Your “Trouble Spot”

I actually don’t mind washing dishes. I do mind drying and putting them away.

It’s too easy to just keep adding dishes to the drying rack without returning them to their homes in the kitchen.

The problem? Eventually, I’ll have no room for clean dishes, so I can’t wash the dishes in the sink. It’s a vicious, sudsy cycle. Before every meal and bed, I try to make myself put those dishes away.

3. Know How Many Dishes a Recipe Requires

This is something I’ve learned to do this year. There’s nothing worse than wearing yourself out making a new recipe, then meeting a sink full of dishes you didn’t expect.

I’m all about trying new recipes, but I like to know what I’ll face when the cooking is over.

4. Use Gloves

Nothing makes me feel more like a 1950s housewife than donning my gloves to wash dishes.

To be clear, I don’t use them because I have a beautiful manicure to preserve. I use them solely because having my hands in hot, soapy water for prolonged periods multiple times a day takes its toll.

5. Clean as You Go

When I’m cooking a meal, I try to wash dishes while I’m working . Even just washing a measuring cup while the onions saute and soaking a pan before dicing the peppers adds up in the end.

6. Make It as Fun and Productive as Possible

Turn on some music. Above your sink, tape a Scripture verse, poem or song you want to ponder.

Invite your roommate, spouse or child to come in and talk with you (or invite them to join in, if that’s your style).

7. Keep Disposable Plates on Hand

There are very good times to use paper plates and cups and plastic cutlery.

Hosting a large group of folks for a meal or snacks, going to an event immediately after a meal and simply wanting to be with my husband after a long day of work are all instances when I unashamedly pull out my stash of paper goods.

Using disposable dishes on occasion gives me the chance to focus on enjoying my company over a meal instead of dreading the work ahead.

Although life without a dishwasher has its frustrations, it’s been a really good thing for me in this first year of married life.

I am learning sound kitchen management principles and I am reminded daily that modern appliances are luxuries, not necessities. Until the day I need to purchase a box of Cascade, I’ll turn up the music, don my gloves and wash away.

This post was originally published at abigailmurrish.com. Abigail Murrish is a food and agriculture writer who lives in Ohio with her husband. She encourages her readers to know their food, eat well and show hospitality.

The post 7 Kitchen Survival Tips for Life Without a Dishwasher appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Finding Affordable Wedding Rings

Wedding bands are symbolic of your lasting love and commitment to your partner, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands of dollars to prove your love. What matters most is what your marriage is made of, not your ring. Photo: Light Life Studio

Ah, the wedding ring. It’s the one piece of jewelry that’s supposed to encompass all the feelings you have for the person you love most in the world, the one item you’re supposed to wear every single day until you die.

No pressure or anything.

Needless to say, selecting a wedding ring can be challenging, and there are endless options, metals, designs, and additions you can make. And it can be expensive, too: The average American couple spent $1,000 on the bride’s wedding ring band in 2013, and another $500 on the groom’s.

The good news is that there are a surprising number of affordable wedding ring options — so many, in fact, that I wish I’d written this post six years ago before I got married.

I wear my great-grandmother’s ring as an engagement ring, and my husband purchased a pretty pricey wedding ring to match it. I love my wedding set, but looking at all the options below, I know there are many more choices for brides today that are just as beautiful and far more affordable.

Tips to Find Wedding Bands Within Your Budget

Before deciding on a wedding ring, there are a few things you should do first:

• Know your budget: All the costs surrounding a wedding can be completely overwhelming, but you don’t want to forget about adding a wedding ring to your budget. After all, that’s a pretty important part of it! Take a look at your cash flow and your projected costs for your wedding. Figure out what you can afford to spend from your savings (because financing a wedding ring isn’t the best option) and then go from there. Once you know your price point, you can see what types of rings fit into that budget.
• Compare prices: There are so many retailers that sell wedding rings, from handmade sellers on Etsy to big stores like Wal-Mart and Amazon. Price compare everywhere and as much as possible. Don’t forget to factor in other costs like sales tax, shipping, return shipping, and shipping insurance should you require it.
• Read reviews: A ring might start out great, but will it last over time? After all, even 25-cent rings from the grocery store look pretty cute on the first day. Ask yourself, “What are the most durable metals?” These are all answers you can find through reading reviews and doing research. Some metals, like sterling silver, require more polishing and upkeep to look shiny and bright — but if you don’t mind that, you can find some gorgeous wedding bands for a fraction of the price of more precious metals.
• Check the return policy: You do not want to be locked into your wedding ring purchase, so get one that has a very generous return policy (and I don’t mean a seven-day return policy.) You need to make sure your fiance and you like your rings and especially like the fit of the ring. You also need to make sure no stones fall out and that it looks as you hoped it would in person if you ordered it online. Even if you are madly in love with a ring online, you shouldn’t purchase it if there isn’t a good return policy, because you never know for sure about the quality until you actually get it.

Affordable Wedding Rings

To help you with this process, I’ve searched high and low for some of the most beautiful and affordable wedding rings around. Even better, all the affordable wedding ring options below were selected for their high quality and great reviews and range in price from completely free to about $150.

I don’t want you to think all the rings below are cheap wedding rings or boring because of their low price. Rather, some of these wedding rings are so unique and eye-catching, it makes me want to get a new one!

Option 1: Use a Family Ring

Cost: Free

Of course, the best price for a wedding ring is totally free. Family heirloom rings are a great way to honor your loved ones and add a touch of tradition to your wedding, all while saving your valuable cash. Remember, there’s no law that says your ring has to match your spouse’s ring. Stay open-minded, and ask your family members if they have rings from older generations.

Option 2: Try Titanium

Cost: $22

This titanium ring is marketed as a men’s ring, but at just four millimeters, it would make a great women’s ring, too — that is, unless your lady wants some bling. If she does, I’d recommend this titanium wedding ring that is also only around $23 with gorgeous CZ diamond-simulated stones on the band.

Titanium is lustrous, lightweight, hypoallergenic, corrosion- and scratch-resistant — and extremely strong. So strong, in fact, that you may have heard rumors that it’s impossible to cut off a titanium ring in an emergency. However, that myth is untrue, according to Snopes.com.

Still, a titanium wedding ring is by no means easy to remove — it requires a diamond saw or other special tools — and bear in mind that re-sizing one is pretty much impossible.

Option 3: 10k Gold & Diamond Ring

Cost: $109

I’d have never thought you could get a gold and diamond ring for just over $100, but evidently you can. With plenty of happy customer reviews, this lovely ring appears to be a great buy.

Option 4: Art Deco

Cost: $40

If you love art deco style, then you’ll love this beautiful and elegant rose gold-plated wedding band. It’s perfect for those who love a vintage look but don’t have their grandmother’s ring to wear. The shop that makes it, MochaRings, has a reassuring 560 five-star reviews. They sell a sterling silver version as well.

Option 5: Yellow Gold With Three Diamonds

Cost: $80

If you don’t want a ring that’s too flashy but still has a little bit of sparkle, you’ll love this yellow gold wedding band with three small diamonds. It has over 40 positive reviews on Amazon and has just the perfect amount of sparkle without being over the top.

Option 6: An Ode to Shakespeare

Cost: $30

For those who love literature, history, and romance, these inexpensive sterling silver wedding rings are replicas of a ring found during the excavation of the original Rose Theater in London, where Shakespeare’s plays were performed in the Elizabethan era.

The Old French inscription translates to “Think of me, God willing.” They’re the perfect rings for those who want their wedding bands to tell a unique and timeless story. Another perk: If you lose your wedding band, they’re easy and inexpensive to replace. (Fun fact: Our editor here at TSD selected this one for his wedding band!)

Option 7: Custom Engraved Sci-Fi Wedding Bands

Cost: $75-$150

Comic-Con couples looking for personalized, affordable wedding bands can purchase these awesome Batman rings as a set. For $150, you get a men’s wedding band, a women’s band, and a pretty cubic zirconia engagement ring, too. You can get anything you want engraved on them, from your names or your favorite quote to your wedding date or even the geographic coordinates of your wedding site.

More of a Hans and Leia pair? Check out this “Star Wars”-inspired sterling silver wedding band set for $75: One ring is engraved with “I love you,” the other with “I know.” They can also be left blank or personalized with any quote, name, or other detail you wish, so long as it fits.

Option 8: Koa Wood Inlay

Cost: $120

If you prefer earth tones to bling, this titanium wedding band set with an inlay of natural koa wood has a warm, subdued beauty. Handmade in Hawaii by a seller with more than 1,600 positive ratings averaging five stars, individual rings are also available for about $60 and up.

Option 9: Blue Stainless Steel

Cost: $12

I love rings that just stand out, so when I saw this blue stainless steel wedding band for men at Overstock.com, I knew I had to include it. It has a really pretty color, more than 50 five-star reviews, and because it’s stainless steel, it’s not only durable but also affordable at just around $12. Some fast-food meals cost more than this wedding ring!

Option 10: The Personalized Handwriting Ring

Cost: $40

Want to know what’s more romantic than gold or platinum — and more unique and less expensive, too? Memories of your love and life together, in your own handwriting.

If your love wrote you a thoughtful note while you were dating, or if a particular word holds special meaning to you both, you can have that phrase or any other words that will fit imprinted on this customized, recycled-silver wedding band in your own writing.

Choose your favorite quote, you signatures, or just a date or phrase that means something special to the two of you. With over 4,000 positive reviews, this Etsy seller, Emily J Designs, has had many happy customers.

Other Ways to Save Money on Wedding Rings

In addition to the affordable wedding band options above, there are even more ways to save on wedding rings. Here are some examples:

• Get a tattoo: Instead of wearing a wedding ring, you can get a wedding ring tattooed on your finger. It will likely be in the same price range as the rings above, depending on your location and which tattoo artist you pick. And talk about a symbol of your love and commitment — this is one ring you can’t easily take off!

• Use rings you already have: No one says a wedding ring has to be a small, gold circle around your finger. Maybe you have a ring that has sentimental value, like the first ring your now-fiance gave you for Christmas. If you’re on a tight budget and you want an affordable ring, your spouse-to-be can slip that one on your finger at the wedding.

• Wait for sales and coupons: Follow your favorite jewelry stores both online and in the person. Wait for sales during the holidays, and look year round. You might get a better price in January than you would in December since jewelry is also a popular holiday gift and sales are typically quite slow in January.

• Be open-minded about the metal: There are so many new types of metal for jewelry these days, from gold to silver to stainless steel to titanium. Be open-minded. You might think you only want a platinum ring and then fall in love with one that is much less expensive. Try not to get caught up in what you’re expected to buy and instead enjoy picking out a wedding ring you love the most.

• Make a cash offer: One of the benefits of buying a wedding ring in the store is that you can offer to pay cash. Typically, if you offer to pay cash instead of financing it, the store will be more willing to be flexible on the price because they know they are getting paid all in one lump sum.

A Final Note

I know there’s a lot of pressure to find the perfect wedding ring, but really, it’s not so much about the ring as what the ring represents: A union between two people who truly love each other.

Also, a wedding ring is not a reason to go into debt, especially when there are so many options like the ones above that cost as much as one meal out. My advice is to keep looking, do your research, be flexible, and you will definitely find a wedding ring that you’ll absolutely love not only on your wedding day but for many years to come.

The post Finding Affordable Wedding Rings appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Jet Stopped Charging for Membership. Does That Mean Higher Prices for Shoppers?

Jet, the ecommerce-for-everything rival to Amazon, launched in July with an enticing offer: Test out a membership for three months before forking over the $49.99 full-year membership fee.

But either everyone got lucky or Jet is doomed: The site announced last week it would discontinue its membership model altogether.

Instead of using membership fees to finance deeper discounts, the company will compete in the ecommerce deathmatch in other ways.

What Happened to Jet?

CEO Marc Lore announced:

“We may be dropping the membership fee, but our promise to our customers will remain in place: the ability to save money by placing bigger, smarter orders; 24/7 support from the Jet Heads, our world-class customer service team; free shipping on orders over $35; free returns within 30 days; and the opportunity to earn savings at Jet by shopping on other great sites via the Jet Anywhere program.”

The site does not seem to be running off with its tail between its legs.

“With the average number of units per order twice what we expected, Smart Carts have been the rule, not the exception,” Lore noted. “Our customers are taking every advantage of our dynamic pricing engine to place orders that can be fulfilled at a lower cost.”

Those Smart Carts are made up of items Jet has encouraged shoppers to buy together for increased savings.

The move is a confusing one, for some.

Lore had previously told The New York Times he expected Jet to take five years “to grow to a point where it wasn’t losing money on every shipment,” The Times’ Brian Chen recalled. “The $50 membership fee would have been a major revenue stream contributing to Jet’s profit.”

But Lore told Re/Code last week that shoppers were getting a hang of the Smart Cart buy-more-save-more system more quickly than anyone expected. Even when Jet started to raise prices on some items, the orders kept rolling in.

Is Jet Cheaper Than Amazon?

So, with a business model switch-up just three months into its debut year, what do the changes at Jet mean for the average shopper?

To find out, I revisited The Penny Hoarder contributor Kristen Pope’s test carts from Jet’s launch in July.

I checked both Amazon and Jet to determine pricing on the same set of items Pope “bought” in July. Keep in mind that her items would have shipped to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, while mine would be shipped to Baltimore, Maryland.

Since I have an Amazon Prime account, I assumed I’d already paid for shipping and would be getting a free ride for this order of random household goods.

Using the same order Pope had originally searched, I added Tide detergent, Bounce dryer sheets, All laundry detergent and Charmin toilet paper to my carts on Jet and Amazon.

Pope noted that Jet wants you to buy bulk products, so I wasn’t surprised when two of the items I searched for were only available in larger quantities than I could find on Amazon. The 50-ounce All detergent priced at $12.88 on Amazon was only available as a 141-ounce jumbo container from Jet, but with an awesome price of $9.99.

A four-pack of Charmin Ultra-Strong toilet paper (regular-size rolls) cost $6.48 on Amazon, but was only available as a 16-pack of Charmin Ultra-Strong mega rolls for $18.80. Had I ordered four four-packs on Amazon to get the same number of rolls, I would have spent $25.92 on TP alone.

My subtotal for the four items from Jet was $45.13. According to the site, I saved a total of $2.46. I also added a first-time user coupon code to save $10, and since I added more than $35 of products to my cart, I received free shipping. Total: $32.65.

My subtotal for my Amazon cart was $35.90. On top of that, I incurred a $6.99 shipping fee for the four-pack of toilet paper, which was not sold by Amazon, and a $5.99 shipping fee for my two items sold under Amazon Pantry. I clipped a coupon for the Tide detergent to save $2.

After estimated tax of $1.25, my grand total on Amazon was $48.13. I also noted my Amazon purchases would arrive in three separate shipments. At this point, the order just felt complicated.

And remember, my Jet order would have come with an additional 12 rolls of toilet paper and 91 extra ounces of laundry detergent — if only I had a place to store it all.

The clear winner of this experiment was Jet, at even greater savings Pope saw in July.

Verdict: Too Early to Predict Jet’s Life Expectancy

Jet may not be making a profit on Average Joe’s detergent purchases, which may worry the Financial Expert Joes out there. But Jet does offer competitive pricing to regular consumers like me.

And as a person who’s struggled with Amazon over order accuracy and shipping integrity in the past, I’m willing to try a new option when it’s time to buy all my random household goods.

Your Turn: Have you tried shopping on Jet? If not, will you try it now that there’s no membership fee?

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!

Lisa Rowan is writer, editor, and podcaster living in Baltimore. She placed two Amazon Prime orders last week alone.

The post Jet Stopped Charging for Membership. Does That Mean Higher Prices for Shoppers? appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Eight Worst Halloween Treats (and Three Favorites)

With Halloween fast approaching, you might be pondering what type of candy or other goodies to stock up on and hand out this year. While it’s well within your rights to hand out anything you please, there are certain “treats” to avoid if you’re hoping to make your neighborhood ghosts and goblins happy.

Yes, it’s true. Not all Halloween treats are created equal — especially in the eyes of the children (and adults) who plan to consume them. We asked for people’s favorite and most-despised treats from Halloweens past, and here’s what they told us.

Eight Halloween Treats That Nobody Likes

Only hand out these treats if you hate your neighbors (and their kids):

Anything Homemade

We’re sure they’re delicious, but don’t pass them out to strangers. Photo: Raymond Bryson

We are huge advocates of homemade gifts and at-home meal prep at The Simple Dollar, but it’s a different story when you’re doling out goodies to dozens of kids. Nobody wants to eat a popcorn ball that was slopped together in a neighbor’s unseen kitchen.

As Kristi Carlson of Indianapolis notes, “We have several people in our neighborhood who do it, but I won’t let my child eat it for safety and food allergy reasons.”

For the same reason people check their kids’ candy for safety — or opt for their church’s Halloween program instead of traditional treat-hunting — plenty of people don’t want their kids to eat something that was made behind closed doors and not under the watchful eye of food safety inspectors.

Peanut Butter Kisses

‘PB Nasties’ taste ‘like glue, peanut butter, and disappointment.’ Photo: Walmart.com

Generic as all get-out, peanut butter kisses are the least-favored candy among trick-or-treaters. Chewy, tasteless, and covered in a plain, uninspiring orange or black wrapper, these candies are seen as borderline inedible by some.

“As kids, we referred to the orange and black wrapped, hard, super-chewy, somewhat peanut-butter-and-glue-flavored cheap candies as’PB Nasties,'” said Amanda DeWester of central Indiana.

Mindy Jensen of Bigger Pockets vividly remembers getting peanut butter kisses, too. “They tasted like glue, peanut butter, and disappointment,” she said.

Random Stuff Due to Poor Planning

If you run out of candy, it’s better to turn out the lights and close up shop than start raiding the pantry. Photo: Extraterrestrial Bob

If you don’t buy enough candy to satisfy your neighborhood, you risk running out — and being forced to hand out whatever you can find or simply closing up shop. Michelle of Making Sense of Cents says the latter option is probably better.

“I remember as a kid being handed a can of baked beans,” said Michelle. “They ran out of stuff to give and they were just handing out random stuff from their pantry!” The lesson: Buy enough so you won’t have to resort to handing out whatever you can find. You can take any leftover candy to your office and foist it upon your coworkers.

Branded Items for Your Small Business

If there’s one thing an eight year old needs, it’s something to keep his many keys organized. Photo: Chris McBrien

Even though handing out branded business items could theoretically provide some free advertising, that isn’t what Halloween is about. “Worst idea ever,” says Kelly Whalen of The Centsible Life. If you want to advertise your business, hang a sign on your door. Don’t give kids something they can’t possibly use just to further your business goals.

Food Without Proper Packaging

Photo: Abd allah Foteih

“I got a handful of trail mix from one of my grandparents’ neighbors,” says Ben Luthi of Nerdwallet, adding that the palm-sized pile of treats came with “no packaging whatsoever.”

Kirk Chisholm of Innovative Wealth endured a similar situation once when a neighbor handed out doughnuts. “Great idea, but poor execution,” noted Kirk. “Where are my kids going to put doughnuts while trick-or-treating?”

Toothbrushes

Photo: Lindsey Turner

Dentists should be happy kids are eating candy, says Sandy Smith of Yes I Am Cheap. If you’re opposed to handing out candy, you can always hand out a non-food treat that kids would actually enjoy — think dollar-store trinkets. “We always love to hand out non-candy treats,” notes Whalen of The Centsible Life, adding that kids thoroughly enjoy them.

Pennies and Nickels

Photo: Nic McPhee

Everyone likes getting money in lieu of gifts, right? Right? Well, maybe not on Halloween. It seems like every neighborhood has that one house that can’t be bothered with buying candy and gives out spare change instead.

Louis DeNicola from Cheapism.com experienced this type of embarrassment firsthand growing up. “My mom gave out pencils with a nickel, dime, or quarter taped to it,” he said. “Yeah, I was at that house.”

Candy Corn

Still gross after all these years. Photo: Juushika Redgrave

Even if you buy the kind shaped like a pumpkin, ghost, or goblin, it’s still just candy corn. Bigger than the size of an actual kernel of corn, and made of straight sugar, corn syrup, confectioner’s wax, and artificial coloring, this candy’s simple makeup hasn’t changed in over 100 years. And yes, it was once referred to as “chicken feed.”

The bottom line: Even though it’s somehow endured the test of time, it’s still one of the least favorite candies out there.

Want to Make Your Neighbors Happy? Try These Treats

While some treats are less-than-enjoyable for the masses, certain tried-and-true Halloween handouts always please the crowds. Here are a few of the top treats to consider this or any year.

Full-Size Candy Bars

“The best treats were the people who bought the FULL chocolate bars,” says Martin Dasko of Studenomics. “Anyone can buy the small sample size, but those who bought the full size were amazing!”

Depending on how many trick-or-treaters you get each year, this could get pricey. If you’re bent on being the popular house this year, however, you can save money by buying in bulk and scouring Halloween sales ads early.

The Good Stuff

If you don’t want to hand out full-sized candy cars, you can still give out the good stuff. If you’re unsure what the “good stuff” is, ask a few people you know about their favorite candy.

As a default, you could always just stick to “fun size” Reese’s peanut butter cups, Snickers bars, Milky Way candy bars, and Sour Patch Kids. Nearly everyone will enjoy those — or will at least be able to trade them with a sibling for friend for something they will enjoy.

Things That Glow

If you’re against giving out candy for any reason, hand out some glow sticks, bracelets, or necklaces instead. You can get these fairly cheap at the dollar store, and they’re fun for teenagers all the way down to toddlers. And even though glow sticks aren’t edible, they’ll help you score points among the neighborhood kids.

While you can give out anything you want this year, some treats are always a lot more popular than others. So give the best if you can, but at the very least, avoid the candies and items that will leave you friendless in your neighborhood social hierarchy.

What’s the worst candy you’ve ever received? How about the best? What do you plan on giving out this year?

The post Eight Worst Halloween Treats (and Three Favorites) appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Want to Be Friends With Miss Piggy and Kermit? Disney’s Hiring a Social Media Manager

If you’re a professional social media marketer, this might be your dream gig. Disney is hiring a Social Media Manager for the Muppets’ online presence.

That’s right: You could get paid to tweet for Miss Piggy or Kermit the Frog.

What’s the Job Like?

You’d create, edit and produce the content for the Muppets’ Facebook, Twitter and home pages, along with proprietary Disney Interactive media.

Plus, since most of the Muppets have their own Twitter accounts, you’d probably get to work directly with characters like Gonzo and Fozzie Bear.

You’d also be responsible for researching and analyzing engagement statistics to ensure the growth and success of the Muppets’ online properties — and the Walt Disney Company as a whole.

What Qualifications Do You Need?

You do need some expertise to qualify for this awesome gig, including at least four years of experience in social media or community management, and two years of management experience in general.

Plus, of course, you need to be a creative, passionate storyteller, and a whiz with social media platforms of all kinds.

Does This Sound Like You?

Head over to the job listing and submit your application — and I’d recommend a creative cover letter for a job like this one!

Keep your fingers crossed, and be sure to let us know if you land the gig! We’ll celebrate like this:

Your Turn: Will you apply to be The Muppets’ social media manager?

Jamie Cattanach is junior writer at The Penny Hoarder and a native Floridian. She’s passionate about learning, literature, chocolate and finding ways to live the good life as cost-effectively as possible. You can send smoke signals (or, you know, friendly greetings) to @jamiecattanach on Twitter.

The post Want to Be Friends With Miss Piggy and Kermit? Disney’s Hiring a Social Media Manager appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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How to Leverage LinkedIn in Every Phase of Your Career

Use LinkedIn to switch careers, ask for promotions and more.

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A Simple Guide to Paying Off Lingering Debt

Making slow and steady progress can help reduce the amount you pay on interest and fees.

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5 Simple Tips for Saving on Holiday Travel

You might be able to find a coupon for your flight, especially if you book early.

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Good news for pensioners as deflation returns to the UK

Rebecca Jones & Mark King

Pound symbol on Union Jack computer keyboard button.jpg

Inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), fell into negative territory in September 2015 – for the second time this year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), fell into negative territory in September 2015 – for the second time this year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Good news for pensioners as deflation returns to the UK

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Inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), fell into negative territory in September 2015 – for the second time this year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The fall of 0.1%, which mirrors the deflation seen in April 2015, means inflation in the UK has only been positive in three of the past nine months. The September figure was also below analysts' forecasts for 0% growth, with the falling cost of food and motor fuel contributing to the surprise fall. In the year to September 2015, the ONS says that food prices fell by 2.5% while prices of motor fuels fell by 14.9%. These two groups have provided some of the largest downward contributions to the 12-month rate throughout 2015, thanks to the plummeting cost of oil and an ongoing price war among the UK's largest supermarkets. Commenting on the data, Vicky Redwood, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said: “Deflation returned in the UK in September, although it is likely to be another very brief and shallow affair. Inflation could stay negative for another month or two, but it is still likely to rebound at the turn of the year when the previous bigger falls in energy prices drop out of the annual comparison. So we still think that the risks of a more serious period of deflation are low.” Tom Stevenson of Fidelity Personal Investing said deflation would not hurt pensioners, who would be cheered by the ‘triple lock guarantee’. He explained: “[The September deflation] is much more important than the first one in April because September’s CPI reading is the one used by the government to determine how much the state pension and some benefits rise in the following April as well as the extent to which the Isa annual allowance increases. “Thanks to the government’s so-called triple lock guarantee, pensioners receive the highest of the September CPI, average earnings growth or 2.5%. Tomorrow we will hear how fast average earnings are increasing but with expectations close to 3% then this will probably be the amount by which the state pension rises next spring. That’s good news for pensioners.” However, he added that Isa investors and recipients of some benefits, such as disability allowance, as well as those receiving private or public sector pensions linked to CPI, will be less impressed as the amount they receive is unlikely to change next year. Commenting on what the fall in inflation could mean for UK interest rates, Peter Cameron, associate fund manager at EdenTree Investment Management, added: “Inflation is back in negative territory again and it's very unlikely that we'll see the Bank of England (BoE) raise interest rates this side of Christmas.”

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How to Budget When You Rely on Cash Tips: This Bartender’s Smart System

When you rely on tips for your income, it can be hard to save money.

I’ve been a bartender for years, like about 550,000 other people in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When you go home with cash every day, it seems to burn a hole right through your pocket.

And from one day to the next, you have no idea how much you’re going to make. On my worst shift, I owed the restaurant $45 (gotta love those dine-and-dash folks). But on my best shift, I made more than $1,000 (a politician and his lawyer team hit the bar hard the night before he was sentenced).

I have a friend who absolutely relies on getting the occasional group that tips $700. His other four shifts barely pay for gas to work. With those fluctuations in pay, it can seem nearly impossible to set a budget.

Over the years, I’ve developed several strategies to get you off the financial roller coaster and on to a life of greater security. Here’s how to manage your budget when you rely on cash tips.

Look at the Bigger Picture

First, start keeping track of your income. You’ve got to know where you stand.

Track every dollar you actually make, after tipping out other staff (but before buying post-work shots). Write it down in a journal or spreadsheet after every shift, which you should do anyway in case of an audit.

Total up your income for 10 weeks, then find your average weekly income. This process helps smooth out the differences between individual shifts.

If you’re working at your job long enough, do another 10-week average, and compare it to the first 10 weeks to see how much your income varies. Now you can determine a margin of error for your budgeting.

Pick the lower of the averages, and base your budget on that figure, just to be safe.

At my most recent job, my 10-week average only different from my average of the next 30 weeks by $3, which is exceptionally consistent. That might be a rare case, but I expect you’ll find your income to be more consistent than you’d think, as long as you take the longer view.

If you change jobs, keep track of your weekly income, including the time you’re out of work. You want to know how you’re doing in the profession generally, not just at one job.

Save Creatively

While you’re gathering this data, it’s not too early to start saving and making a crude budget. Many in the service business do something like this:

Immediately Set Aside 10-15% of What You Make Each Shift

This is to help with taxes; set aside even more if you can.

Since most servers only make $2.13 per hour or so, with the rest as tips, they’re often stuck with a large tax bill every year. Start planning and saving for it now so you don’t have to sell your car (or live in it) later.

Deposit Larger Denominations in the Bank

Different people choose different bills. I deposit all $100, $50 and $20 bills and use them to pay rent and buy groceries and other necessities.

This way, you’ll use most of your earnings to build up your checking account and cover fixed expenses.

Pay All Day-to-Day Expenses in Cash

You can feel the impact on your wallet more when you use cash than when you just swipe a card. I use $5 and $10 bills for most purchases.

When Paying in Cash, Never Use Change

Always pocket your change and throw it in a jar at home. This is the DIY version of those checking accounts that round up and transfer the difference to your savings.

Change adds up fast. For years, when I was living more hand-to-mouth, this stash was my rainy day fund, and it saved me several times.

Now I use it to fund travel. My most recent jar netted me $600 to use for a trip to Costa Rica.

And as you save change, keep your eye out for valuable coins.

If You Can Afford It, Put Aaway All Your Singles

Mike Zaunbrecker, a server and bartender in Austin, Texas, puts every dollar bill he gets into a big empty protein powder canister. This helps him save even more quickly than my change jar.

I like to use change to build up my fun/travel fund, and singles to build up my savings account. Figure out which system works best for you.

Save for Something Specific Using a Wine Bottle

Alana Ramirez, a former hostess and server in Austin, Texas, saved for a trip to Hawaii by stuffing every $20 bill she earned into an empty wine bottle for months. When the time came to buy her ticket, she smashed it open.

A wine bottle helps keep your hands off your savings, since you really need to commit to breaking it to get access to your money.

But What About Paychecks?

Out of 12 or so restaurant gigs in my life, only two paid tips in the form of a paycheck cut every two weeks.

Even if you do get a paycheck, you likely don’t get a check consistent enough to base a budget on. After all, the paycheck is just your tips from a week or two, which can be quite variable.

Enter Even. The app costs $3 each week, but there are no other charges. It analyzes your past paychecks and comes up with an average for you, which it reworks every month for accuracy.

If you get a bigger paycheck, the app takes the extra money and holds it in a separate account, and if you get a smaller check, it uses that account to cover the difference.

If you don’t have enough in your “savings,” Even fronts you the money and makes up for it with the next larger paycheck. It’s not a loan, and you don’t pay interest or have to pay the money back at a certain time.

With Even, you get the same amount of money every week or two, and you can budget without having to worry about big income swings.

Take Control

Once you have a good idea of what you’re making and have developed nearly automatic savings habits, structure your finances into whatever system works best for you.

Make a budget that takes into account what you can really expect to earn, and put your cash to work by building up savings and investments. That way, you don’t fritter away all your hard earned money on shots of Jameson. (Just some of it.)

Your Turn: If you’re a service industry worker who relies on tips, how do you manage your budget?

Jeff Morrison is a bar manager and freelance writer from Austin, Texas.

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Living an Amazing Life via the Reverse Retirement Plan

One of my cousins and her husband live a life that many people find to be a bit unusual. They have what I would describe as a “life cycle.”

For two or three years, the two of them will work at a job in or near the town where they live. They both have college degrees and are able to find work that pays at least reasonably well, and they both have a lot of contacts within their respective fields.

During those years, they live as far below their means as possible. They eat inexpensive meals, minimize their use of vehicles, avoid cable television, and so on. They both read a lot and go on lots of short hikes and marathons.

After a few years, they have a lot of post-tax money saved up. Once they hit a threshold that the two of them have calculated, they start getting ready to depart on a big adventure. They either quit their jobs or take on a several month unpaid leave of absence and the two of them switch into a completely different life.

One time, the two of them walked the entire Appalachian Trail. Other adventures have revolved around national parks. Right now, they’re actually on another trip like this, walking the length of the continental divide.

The expenses of this trip are covered by their savings. At the end of the trip, they return home and pick things up where they left off, either returning to their old jobs or moving on to new ones.

Their philosophy is that they will probably be unable to do something like walk the length of the continental divide or walk the full Appalachian Trail when they’re old, so if they’re ever going to go on an adventure like that, they need to do it when they’re still relatively young (they’re in their forties). If they burn all of their years working all the time and saving for a more traditional retirement, they will find themselves retired and likely no longer able to do these kinds of things.

The Reverse Plan

I like to think of what these two have done as the “reverse plan.”

The “traditional” plan for retirement is to work along a career path for some number of years – thirty or forty or so – so that you can live a financially stable life in retirement. This path allows you to spend most of your income throughout your life, but it requires you to devote a lot of your time during most of the years of your adult life. This plan makes it difficult to take on a giant “adventure” like walking the entire Appalachian Trail, but it does guarantee security in retirement.

The retirement plan I’m on is a bit different. I’m working on a career path for a number of years – say, fifteen or twenty – that will allow me to live a financially stable life in retirement, but that retirement will come much earlier (I’m hoping for 45 or so). Unlike traditional retirement, this plan requires you to live significantly below your means as you’re banking so much money for retirement. This plan makes it difficult to leave for a big adventure in the next few years, but it does allow you to hopefully retire while you’re still able to go on a big adventure like that. The idea of spending several months after my children depart for college doing something like walking the Appalachian Trail sounds really appealing. I call this the “early retirement” plan.

The plan my cousins are on is what I would call the “reverse” plan. It does incorporate elements of early retirement, but it reorients them a little bit. Much like my early retirement plan, they are choosing to live significantly below their means and bank a lot of their income. However, rather than shooting to retire in fifteen or twenty years, they’re shooting for a more traditional retirement age. Instead, they’re using that excess money to finance a bunch of life adventures, like walking the Appalachian Trail or the continental divide.

Advantages of the Reverse Plan

The “reverse plan” has a bunch of advantages, one being obvious and some of the others being more subtle.

Obviously, the big advantage of the “reverse” plan is that it enables you to do things that seem outside the realm of possibility of ordinary life for most people. Most adults are in a situation where it is very difficult to just walk away from their job and hit the Appalachian Trail for six months. This plan simply allows you to take on those types of adventures.

At the same time, it still allows you to save for a traditional retirement. You can do both! You just contribute the usual 10% or so of your income to your 401(k) or your Roth IRA, and you also save more for adventures or other plans you may have using your post-tax money. That way, you can use that money with no strings attached depending on what your plans are for the moment.

I also consider a healthier career relationship to be a secondary advantage. Living with the “reverse” plan means that regular lengthy breaks from your career are built right into the package. Such breaks are perfect for refreshing you in your career path and leave you in a mental and physical position to be a top performer when you return from your adventure. It becomes a sabbatical from your career, giving you time away from the career pressures and time to just unwind from all of it.

Disadvantages of the Reverse Plan

Of course, every plan like this comes with some significant disadvantages as well.

For this plan to work, you have to be a prodigious saver and live well beneath your means. That’s also true for the “early retirement” plan that I’m on. It’s not easy for most people. There’s a reason that the savings rate of the average American family resides in the single digits. America is a consumer society, tempting people constantly with all kinds of different purchasing opportunities. In order to follow a different life path that doesn’t leave you chained to your career for forty years, you have to reject those temptations a lot. Some people manage to do it through willpower, but I actually think it’s easier to just check out of most of it and find other things to value.

You also need to have a strong professional network and career contacts or at least a very flexible job. You’ve got to be in a professional situation that allows you to walk away for periods and then return with professional opportunities still in hand. To do that, you need to be a strong performer at work when you’re there as well as a lot of contacts, both among your peers and among potential employers. If you have a great reputation and a lot of good contacts, it’s easier to find work when you return from your adventures, perhaps even returning to the job you held before you left.

Also, other life factors can make many options very difficult. I’m a parent of three young children. It is not realistic for me to walk out on that responsibility and go walk along the continental divide for several months. I might be able to plan out a summer adventure of some kind with my children in tow (in fact, I’ve been kind of planning this for an upcoming summer, as we’re thinking of hitting a ton of national parks for several days each during one single summer), but some things are just unrealistic due to the other factors in my life. Different people have lots of different factors that might make this difficult, from career insecurity to medical needs.

First Steps of the Reverse Plan

If this kind of thing sounds appealing to you, there are some steps you can start taking that will help you get started on this path. The nice thing about these steps is that even if you choose not to follow through on this path, these tactics will also provide at least some support to whatever path you choose.

Step One – Assess Your Goals and Figure Out Why You’re Doing This and How Important It Really Is To You

The initial appeal of the “reverse plan” often comes from people who are perhaps a bit frustrated with their current career path and have these pleasant dreams of doing something big like walking the Appalachian Trail or exploring Denali or something else like that. That dream seems wonderful and it’s just enough to get people to pay attention to something like this.

The thing is that such ideas are still just dreams. Dreams are often not counterbalanced by reality.

People are often not willing to make major changes in their day-to-day life to achieve that fuzzy dream that they have. The idea of doing the Appalachian Trail in a few years isn’t enough to convince a lot of people to actually choose to cancel their cable or live in a smaller apartment or eliminate one of their cars.

For this kind of “reverse” plan to work, you need to have goals that you actually want to follow through on in the next several years and you have to want those things badly enough to make real sacrifices and lifestyle changes to make them happen.

How do you figure that out? Look through your goals. Figure out the goals that excite you most. Then, start making a real plan for making that happen. How much will it cost? When will you need that money? Can you maintain your career through that goal? How can you save that much money in that timeframe?

A real plan for something like this is going to tell you really quick whether this is something that’s a flight of fancy for you or something that you actually want to attempt. It’s going to take a lot of work to make it happen. Is the dream strong enough to make it happen?

Step Two – Start Living Far Below Your Means

Believe it or not, 76% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That’s right – less than a quarter of us are actually living below our means. We’re in the minority, like it or not.

In order to live substantially below your means, you’re going to have to start making choices that are notably different than other people with your income level. There’s no way around it.

You’re going to have to live in a smaller place than you can afford. You’re going to have to drive an older car than you can afford – or perhaps go without one entirely. You’re going to have to eat out less than you can afford. You’re going to have to enjoy fewer entertainment options than you can afford.

Some people immediately define that as misery and check right out of the plan. They’re not going to do this because it will make their life terrible and not enjoyable and so on, and they’ll often even toss insults toward people who do choose such a plan.

My reaction to that? So what.

First of all, there are tons and tons of wonderful things to enjoy that you often overlook if you have money in your pocket. You don’t even look at many of the low cost options if you feel as though you can afford other options. If you can afford 500 channels, you ignore a television that just has twenty free over the air channels. If you can afford to eat at nice restaurants you ignore many lower cost dining options. If you can afford the best, you often ignore many other things in life.

The solution here is to just strive to find free things to entertain yourself and cheap options to fill your needs. Try them. Make yourself a meal with inexpensive ingredients. Go on a hike at parks near your home. Read a book. Create something. Make something. See what you can do without dumping out money.

Second, many people fill their life with a nonstop string of “pleasure bursts” that bring them short term joy and long term difficulty and go in for another “pleasure burst” as soon as the first one fades, masking the long term challenges that it causes. It’s a lot easier to avoid thinking about your lack of a long-term plan if you’re enjoying a bunch of pleasures every day – a latte in the morning, some entertainment in the evening, a restaurant meal or three, and so on. It makes you feel as though your life is good and there’s no need to change it, at least for a little while. When that burst of pleasure fades and you begin to see the lack of a plan… well, it’s easy to fix that with another pleasure burst, right?

The difference is that you do have a plan. You don’t need an endless string of pleasures. Instead, focus on the big picture of what you’re trying to do. What are you doing right now to make your plan a reality? Did you spend today making your plan come to fruition? Answering those questions well will make you feel fantastic and you won’t need such pleasures.

Step Two-and-a-Half – Start Saving Both for Retirement and For Your Other Goals

When you start cutting back on your expenses, you’re going to find money left over in your checking account at the end of the month. That’s the result of cutting your spending without cutting your income.

The thing is, you can cut back all you want, but if you don’t do something smart with the money that you’re not spending (or, even worse, find some other way to spend it), you’re going to find yourself not making any progress on your plan. You need to be using that money in an effective fashion.

There are a lot of plans for what to do with that money out there and they’re honestly just variations on each other depending on the risks that the creators see in people’s lives. For instance, I see identity theft as a significant risk, so I encourage people to start by building a cash emergency fund in a local bank of at least $1,000, first and foremost.

After that, start knocking down your debts, starting with your highest interest debt. Make minimum payments on all of your debts each month, but throw everything you can into an extra payment on your highest interest debt (without adding to your debt in any way). Your goal should be to get rid of all of your high interest debts and, eventually, all of your debts.

Once you have that debt under control, start saving for your goal. If it’s within the next five years, just save in a savings account. You should also be saving for your real retirement using a Roth IRA or a 401(k) plan.

Do all of that and you’re well on your way to your goals – and the best part is that even if your goals change, you’ll still be set up well for your plans.

Step Three – Start Building Strong Professional Contacts

One major challenge that people face when they’re trying to do something like this is career interruption. The idea of taking a six month break from their career for what essentially amounts to a sabbatical can seem like career suicide to some people.

However, the truth is that good performers that have a lot of professional contacts usually have opportunties available to them if they step away for a short while and return to their field. Some employers will hold a spot for top performers, filling in that spot for a while with a temporary worker. Others will simply make it a priority to re-hire such a person.

There are very few fields in which good performers with a lot of strong relationships aren’t valued. There are very few fields in which such people can’t quickly find work after a sabbatical.

So, in order to get that kind of security for yourself, you need to do everything possible to become a strong performer with a lot of positive professional relationships.

How do you do that? Seek to do everything at work as well as possible. Try to avoid getting so buried under things that you can’t produce quality work. When there is downtime, use that time to build skills or work on non-urgent tasks that still need completing. Don’t just waste time there. Avoid being negative, especially behind the backs of others. Work to establish positive relationships, especially with people who seem to be willing to treat you the same way. Do the same with your boss. Do the same with other people in your field outside the company, whether in face-to-face interactions or online via social media. Try to use social media and/or community opportunities to build a professional presence of some kind. Speak up at meetings, even if it seems scary. Volunteer for tough tasks, especially ones where you have to present or speak publicly.

Those are the kinds of things that top performers do, simply because most employees are either unwilling to or are sared to do those things. It requires work, it requires courage, and it requires putting some of your negative instincts in your back pocket.

Final Thoughts

The reverse retirement plan is a great plan for someone whose primary life responsibilities revolve around their career. If you’re single or married without kids and have some big dreams, you can make this work. My cousin certainly has – I’ve been enjoying the wonderful pictures she’s been sending from her hiking along the continental divide.

My own life responsibilities make this somewhat more difficult; for me, early retirement makes more sense. However, if you put me in a situation without children, I’m pretty sure Sarah and I would go on an adventure like this every single summer, as we would effectively work ten months out of the year and take a two month “sabbatical.”

If this seems appealing to you, don’t be scared. Start taking the steps that will make it happen. Develop a real plan. Make yourself truly valuable in your career. Start spending less than you earn and use that difference wisely.

Even if you end up not quite pulling the trigger on your reverse retirement plan, you’ll still be able to use many of the benefits of the steps you’ve taken for whatever else you may choose in life.

Good luck!

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Mortgage lending dips in August but buy-to-let remains buoyant

Hannah Nemeth

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Mortgage lending dipped by almost 9.3% in August 2015 compared to a month earlier, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). It said the lower figure was due to a normal seasonal trend, with August being a traditionally weak month for mortgage lending.

Mortgage lending dipped by almost 9.3% in August 2015 compared to a month earlier, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). It said the lower figure was due to a normal seasonal trend, with August being a traditionally weak month for mortgage lending.

Mortgage lending dips in August but buy-to-let remains buoyant

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Mortgage lending dipped by almost 9.3% in August 2015 compared to a month earlier, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). It said the lower figure was due to a normal seasonal trend, with August being a traditionally weak month for mortgage lending. However, year-on-year more cash was lent to first-time buyers, home movers, homeowners remortgaging and buy to let investors, with gross lending up 10.7% on August 2014. Bob Pannell, chief economist of the CML, explained: “Seasonal factors pushed all categories of lending lower in August compared to July. However, the mortgage market continues to see year-on-year growth, and we expect this to continue over the coming months.” The CML research shows that there were £7.1 billion worth of mortgages advanced to home movers in August – 7% down on the previous month but 8% up on August 2014. There were also £4.2 billion worth of remortgages – down 7% month-on-month but up 8% on August 2014. Meanwhile, first-time buyers accounted for £4.2 billion worth of mortgages –down 11% on July but up 5% year on year. Buy-to-let lending By far the strongest area of growth was in the buy-to-let market, which saw £1.9 billion worth of remortgage lending – down 14% on the July figure but up by 73% on August 2014. Buy-to-let house purchases also performed strongly over the year, accounting for £1.4 billion of mortgage lending and up 40% on last year’s figures (though down 13% from July 2015). Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, commented: “Fixed rates on buy-to-let mortgages have moved below 2% for the first time – a phenomenally low rate which will be attractive to landlords keen to keep costs down since the changes to mortgage interest tax relief announced in the Summer Budget. “Buy-to-let lending saw considerable year-on-year increases and the attraction of the sector is undiminished, even if landlords may think twice in the future before investing to ensure the numbers add up.” Harris was also optimistic about mortgage lending for September: “Excellent mortgage rates continue to attract buyers and those remortgaging as lenders remain keen to do business in order to meet their targets,” he added.

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Can a One-Woman Operation Still Provide Over-the-Top Service?

By Deborah Sweeney Over-the-top service is about providing every, single customer with the best possible experience. And while that sounds simple, it’s a concept with which plenty of small business owners struggle. It’s a tall order, especially when you’re a one-woman operation, since you may think the infrastructure just isn’t there to provide the same […]

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Want a Paid Editorial Internship in NYC? Business Insider Is Hiring

Are you a college student who lives and breathes personal finance? Do you have excellent writing skills? Do you want to spend a semester in NYC?

If so, we may have found the perfect internship for you!

Digital media behemoth Business Insider (BI) is hiring a paid editorial intern for their personal finance vertical.

Interested? Here’s what you need to know:

The Details

You’ll spend six months working full-time at BI headquarters in Manhattan. Though the position was posted in August, don’t worry; we checked with the author, and because they accept interns on a rolling basis, you can still apply.

BI declined to tell us the position’s pay range, but minimum wage is New York State is $8.75 an hour — and according to changes in the Fair Labor Standards Act, “interns in the ‘for-profit’ private sector who qualify as employees rather than trainees typically must be paid at least the minimum wage and overtime compensation for hours worked over forty in a workweek.”

The Duties

You’ll spend your time “researching, writing, pitching and producing features,” says BI.

Bonus? You’ll get a byline on every piece you write. (Talk about padding your portfolio!)

In addition to writing multiple stories per day, BI would encourage you to build “your own audience and personal brand through social media.”

The Requirements

Great writing? Check. Obsession with digital media? Check. Research skills? Check.

You should also be “ambitious, smart, funny, fast” and “genuinely interested in the day-to-day handling of money, from figuring out how to get good deals on groceries to learning the basics of investing for retirement.”

Though they don’t require any special qualifications, BI says experience in the following arenas is helpful: journalism, copy editing, social media, light HTML and Photoshop.

The Application

The application process is straightforward: You simply need to submit a cover letter and resume through their jobs portal.

If you’re interested in a writing or publishing career, we think this is a fantastic opportunity. After all, BI is clearly a growing influencer in the digital media space — it was just valued at $442 million.

Your Turn: Do you read Business Insider? Would you like to intern there?

Susan Shain, senior writer for The Penny Hoarder, is always seeking adventure on a budget. Visit her blog at susanshain.com, or say hi on Twitter @susan_shain.

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‘A slap in the face for South Australia’

A RADIO campaign by a lobbyist group has been slammed for its insensitive timing after it was announced that South Australia’s only coal mine will close next month.

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