Apple reports biggest annual profit in corporate history

APPLE has recorded the biggest annual profit in corporate history, defying the sceptics to make a whopping $74.9 billion over the past 12 months.

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Dick Smith in free fall on profit warning

DICK Smith shares have plunged almost 30 per cent after the retailer cut its full-year profit forecast despite a rise in sales.

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Builder sues Salim for ‘unpaid work’

CONTROVERSIAL deputy mayor is being sued by a marble importer in latest drama over a spiral staircase inside his mansion.

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NAB posts $6.34 billion profit

NATIONAL Australia Bank has lifted its annual profit 19.7 per cent to $6.34 billion.

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From Ewok to Tootsie Roll: 15 Last-Minute Pet Halloween Costumes Under $20

Want to make trick-or-treaters and party guests laugh up a storm this Halloween? Dress up your pet in one of these adorable costumes, from a lion to an Ewok to a skunk.

Swing by the thrift or craft store and pick up a few items to make these easy DIY pet costumes.

Not feeling crafty? Buy one of these ready-to-go costumes and your fuzzy friend will be all set for Saturday.

The best part? These costumes are all under $20.

DIY Pet Costumes

A little creativity will help you turn your cat or dog into anything from a dinosaur to an Ewok. Here are a few fun DIY ideas.

1. Cat

Animal Planet shows you how to turn your pup into a cat this Halloween. This easy DIY cat costume just requires a child’s black T-shirt, a bit of felt and a stretchy headband — and you can easily get all three at a thrift store.

Simply cut off the T-shirt sleeves and, if you need a little more space, add a slit to expand the neckline. Then, make sure the elastic headband fits comfortably on your pup and glue two black felt triangles to it.

You’re ready to scare your cats this Halloween!

2. Skunk

Julie Feinstein under Creative Commons

Everyone’s afraid of stinky skunks, so why not dress up your pup as this fearsome critter?

Simply grab a child’s black T-shirt, slice off the sleeves, add a stripe of white fabric paint down the back and voila! Your favorite pup is now a skunk.

3. Ghost

Tom Feist under Creative Commons

Spook the neighbors by turning your four-legged pal into a ghost for Halloween. This simple DIY costume requires a twin-size white sheet, elastic, a black marker, a needle and thread, and a patient pup.

Drape the sheet over your dog to check the costume’s size (see where the patient part comes in?) and follow these directions from PetMD to mark where you’ll cut holes for your dog’s eyes, ears and snout.

One you cut out the holes, add the elastic to the back of the costume’s neck and you’re ready to go!

4. Stegosaurus

Who doesn’t want their ferocious bundle of fur to turn into a scary stegosaurus?

This costume by Martha Stewart doesn’t even require any sewing. Just grab a child’s green T-shirt or tank top and some green felt, then use these cut-out templates to create some fearsome dino spikes.

5. Ewok

Image from Munchkin the Teddy Bear

Get ready for the new “Star Wars” movie by dressing your pup as an Ewok this Halloween. You’ll need a large piece of brown felt (not craft squares — get the “by-the-yard” felt) and a leather string or fine rope.

To fashion this costume, begin by measuring your pup. See how large of an oval you’ll need for a face hole, make a few cuts in the felt and add the leather string for decoration.

6. Bat

Image from hdtv.com

Turn your favorite cat into a bat with this easy DIY bat costume. Grab some felt, pipe cleaners and velcro.

Print out these bat wing templates as a guide for the wings. Cut a felt chest strap, add pipe cleaners to the wings for stability and add a velcro fastener to get the sizing just right. Then let your cat enjoy this comfy, lightweight costume!

Online and In-store Pet Costumes

Not into making your own? These ready-made pet costumes are cheap and fun — just order them quickly so they’ll arrive before Halloween!

7. Wide Retriever

Image from Target.com

Head into your local Target and snap up a Wide Retriever costume for your pup for just $6.99.

If you don’t feel like stopping by the store, check out Target’s shipping options to see the best way to get this adorable costume home.

8. Rufferee

If your pup’s more the officiating type, grab a Rufferee costume from Target for $6.99 and have your pet call the shots.

9. Bowtie Cat Collar

Image from Target.com

Make your cat even classier than he or she already is with this fun bowtie. It’s only $3.49 at Petco, which is 30% off the normal price for this great one-piece costume that fastens with a simple Velcro closure.

10. Jester

Image from Target.com

Think your dog’s funny? She’ll be even funnier with this hilarious jester costume from Petco.

On sale for just $3.99 (50% off regular price), this simple, stretchy costume with fun bell accents will make anyone laugh at your adorable pet.

11. Tarantula

Image from Amazon.com

Make your sweet pup creepy and crawly this Halloween with this great fuzzy tarantula costume for just $19.82 on Amazon. It even has bendable legs for easy posing.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free two-day shipping. If not, you’ll probably want to spring for the two-day option so you can have your costume in time!

12. Butterfly

Image from Amazon.com

Make your cute pup into a butterfly with this fun costume. It features an antenna headpiece and a set of foam wings for just $9.13 on Amazon.

13. Small Lion

Image from Amazon.com

We dare you to keep a straight face when you come across a kitty donning this lion mane costume.

While small dogs can also wear this fun little outfit, you’ll get a bonus catnip toy with your purchase, and this item is just $19.95 on Amazon.

14. Big Lion

Image from Amazon.com

Why should cats have all the fun? Make your golden retriever a fearsome predator with this “terrifying” lion mane costume.

It’s just $13.99 on Amazon and includes a wig that fits a large or medium dog’s neck.

15. Tootsie Roll

Image from Amazon.com

Turn your pet into a full-sized Tootsie Roll with this doggie costume for sale on Amazon for just $19.99.

Be sure to pass out Tootsie Rolls to the little trick-or-treaters who come by your door when your pet is on patrol in this awesome outfit.

Your Turn: Does your pet have a Halloween costume this year?

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. We would have shared them with you anyway, but a true “penny hoarder” would be a fool not to take the company’s money.

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

The post From Ewok to Tootsie Roll: 15 Last-Minute Pet Halloween Costumes Under $20 appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Zero-deposit homes ... there’s just one catch

ZERO-deposit home loans being offered to people buying apartments in Australia might sound like a good deal, but they have property experts worried.

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Report: Walgreens nears deal to buy Rite Aid

Shares of Rite Aid jumped nearly 40 percent Tuesday afternoon on a report that it may be gobbled up in the next major acquisition by Walgreens, the biggest U.S. drugstore chain.The Wall Street Journal said Walgreens Boots Alliance is in advanced talks to buy Rite Aid, which is based in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The deal would combine the largest and third-largest U.S. drugstore chains, based on store counts.That tie-up would make one of the world's largest pharmaceutical buyers [...]

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How to Aggressively Pay Down Debt When You’re Self-Employed

The benefits of being self-employed are extremely appealing. They include freedom, flexibility and the potential for unlimited income.

But one thing most people don’t talk about is how being a freelancer is a roller coaster for your bank account and financial goals.

When I became self-employed over two years ago, I thought I was in a good place financially. I had paid off all my debt and saved up nearly $8,000 in a bank account for freelancing ventures.

(I planned to save up $10,000, but had to move across the country unexpectedly to help my mother-in-law with cancer treatment.)

Little did I know, being self-employed was totally different from receiving a regular paycheck. Within a year I was over $12,000 in debt again.

How did this happen?! And what do I do now?

In the beginning stages of being my own boss, I made significant investments into my business, hired team members and took time off for family needs. I also had extremely erratic income and tons of surprise expenses. It wasn’t pretty!

If you’re facing a similar situation, or trying to make progress on your financial goals, you have to put in the time and effort to create financial stability.

Here’s how to reverse the momentum and start aggressively paying off your debts — even without a regular paycheck.

1. Stop Adding to the Debt Mountain

This step is actually one of the most overlooked pieces of advice. Many experts jump to advice about learning to budget or earning more money, but these aren’t the first steps.

If you want to make any progress paying your debt, you have to stop adding to the balances and take back control of your spending.

Cut up your credit cards (or hide them in a hard to reach place) and vow to stop using loans as extensions of your paycheck. Do whatever you have to to stop adding on more debt.

Do you need to downsize? Sell stuff? Move to a new city to lower your overhead? Work more hours or additional jobs?

Get into the mindset of doing what it takes to stop the debt momentum and reverse the process so you can start paying down those balances. It might take a while to get into the habit of not using credit cards and loans, but be patient and don’t give up.

2. Go on a Spending Challenge

One of the most effective ways to pay off debt involves going on a short-term spending challenge.

I put my business on a 60-day Cash Only challenge where I only spent money if I had the cash or money in the bank account via a debit card. No credit cards or loans were allowed.

If something like my 60-day Challenge isn’t for you, here are other challenges you can join:

• 7-Day No Spending Challenge: Much like my 60-Day Cash Only challenge, this one forces you to pay for the essentials, like food and utility bills, and nothing else. Once you do it for a week, you can extend it for a longer period of time.

• A Spending Diet: In this challenge, you give yourself a small spending allowance (that’s reasonable) for a specific period of time and don’t buy anything outside of your basic needs.

• Year-Long Shopping Ban: You’re not allowed to buy any new clothes, books or even take-out coffee with a shopping ban. If it’s not something you need to survive, you’re not allowed to buy it.

Once you complete one of these challenges, it will be much easier to create a new budget that you’ll actually stick to. It’s like doing a cleanse before changing your eating or workout habits.

Plus, you can allocate any money you save during the spending challenges toward additional debt payments!

3. Learn to Budget With Irregular Income

Don’t be naive about your finances. Being a freelancer forces you to think of your money and budget differently from someone who receives a paycheck each week.

It’s no secret that working with clients and running your own business is volatile for your bank account and financial goals. So it’s time to change up your budget to work more successfully with irregular income.

If you want to be self-employed, you have to learn to budget with irregular income successfully.

It will likely take two to three months for your income and expenses to level out and work within your new spending limits. Stick with it. Know that at the end of this you will actually be able to spend within your means and have money left over in the bank.

4. Level Out Your Income

Along with spending less and learning to budget better, another way to aggressively pay down your debt is by increasing your cash flow.

Aim to level out the inconsistencies of self-employment income by applying simple cash flow strategies, like these:

Get Paid Faster

Offer a discount to clients who pay you within 10 days of receiving the invoice. Give them lots of options for paying your invoice, such as credit card, PayPal or check.

Use an automated or recurring invoicing system, so you can spend less time on admin tasks.

Enforce Payment Policies

Request that clients pay 50% of the project rate upfront. Enforce deadlines and a late fee if you don’t receive payment within the allotted time. Don’t waste your time chasing down payments.

Upsell Your Services or Raise Your Rates

It’s easier to get someone who’s already said “yes” to say “yes” again.

Focus your efforts on current clients. Upsell them on your services or negotiate higher rates. What else can you offer that they need? (Maybe they don’t even realize they need it.)

Leveling out your income may also mean getting a part-time job in addition to your freelance work, or signing up to work as an independent contractor for a recurring client.

Be open to doing anything that will help create more consistent cash flow.

5. Laser-Focus Your Financial Goals

Once you learn to stick to a budget successfully and get into the mode of having money left over each month, it’s time to aggressively pay off your debt.

Put any and all extra money towards your smallest debt balance, then continue until all your accounts are paid off.

Finding extra money shouldn’t be difficult now that you’ve stopped adding to your debt mountain, “cleansed” your budget with a spending challenge and increased your income through any means possible.

Pause any other financial goals, retirement savings and travel plans until you either pay off all your debt or reach a significant milestone (like paying down $10,000). If you want to make real progress, you have to be laser-focused with your debt payoff efforts.

As with any other goal, paying off debt takes patience, dedication, and discipline to stay on track.

Think of this as a long-term change, not a short-term solution. Doing so will allow you to aggressively pay off your debt and find the financial freedom you’re looking for.

Your Turn: Are you paying off debt as a freelancer? What steps are you taking to overcome this financial challenge?

This post was originally published at Careful Cents. Carrie Smith (@carefulcents) is a financial writer and business coach who helps self-employed freelancers overcome financial mountains.

The post How to Aggressively Pay Down Debt When You’re Self-Employed appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Why You Should Start Saving for Your Wedding Now — Even If You’re Single

Saving for something big is easy — but only when you have something big to save for.

Putting away a few extra dollars a week towards your summer vacation is exciting. You can count down to the date you leave, and you know you’ll see it all come to fruition.

Saving for things out of sight is a different story — why save now for something you can’t see?

Here’s why: I’m at the height of wedding-planning madness. Which, as it turns out, is synonymous with draining your bank account.

Since January, I’ve been actively saving to afford wedding expenses, making sure to leave enough extra money in my savings account for unexpected costs — like the unexpected tuition fees that drained my emergency savings during my last semester of college.

Has it worked? Yes. Could it have been easier? Oh, yeah.

Here’s my advice to you: Start saving for your wedding now, even if marriage isn’t on the horizon for a while or you’re not in a relationship. You’ll be glad you did later on.

Why It’s Hard to Start Saving for a Future Wedding

Having to explain to someone why you’re on a tight budget while saving for your future wedding can be awkward, but it doesn’t have to be.

Create a separate savings account for your future wedding — but call it something else. If you’re embarrassed you’re saving for what seems like a fictional wedding, don’t tell anyone!

Move $200 a month into your wedding savings account. If you use more than one savings account to manage your cash, you’ll be more aware of where your money goes, which will help you stay disciplined.

You’ll save with purpose, rather than staring at a whole bunch of unused money — and thinking about how else to use it.

Why You Should Start Saving for Your Wedding Now

If you save now, you have a better chance of getting exactly what you want — and being able to afford it. I’m having a beautiful wedding, but I’m being disciplined when it comes to spending because I didn’t save as much as I should have.

While I’m being practical, starting to save earlier would have relieved some additional stress now.

Saving helps you create a practical wedding budget. If you can manage your money now, you’ll be in a good place later on.

Plus, your tastes could change, and you might decide to have a low-budget wedding — which means you could be in great shape to buy a house or take a killer honeymoon.

You’ll be able to begin your marriage in a comfortable financial situation, rather than starting out with a lot of money stress.

The more money you put away, the more interest you’ll earn. It’s not always a lot, but you might as well take advantage of it.

How to Start Saving

Saving money is easier said than done, I know. Expenses come up, and suddenly putting away $100 a month seems impossible.

So, start small. Here are a few tips:

• Make good decisions when eating out. Not ordering a drink could save you $2-$3 (or more). What seems like nothing in the moment could make a difference after just one month of dining out.

• Use additional income to pay your monthly bills, instead of using your checking account. I teach piano lessons, and that $30 a week goes toward my phone bill. That way, I don’t spend what feels like “extra” money on something that isn’t necessary.

• Evaluate your paycheck and determine what you’re comfortable saving every week and month. Make a habit of moving some of your paycheck into your savings account every pay period.

• Sign up for cash-back deals or rewards with your bank. You’d be surprised by how many opportunities your bank gives you to save, from opening new accounts to using “spare change” programs.

If you plan to eventually get married — whether you’ve met the other person yet, or not! — start saving now.

Your Turn: Would you create a savings account to save for your wedding, even if it’s not on the calendar yet? How did you save for your wedding?

Rachel Drummond is a University of South Florida alumna with a degree in Mass Communications. She’s currently trying to think of ways to make her cat Insta-famous.  

The post Why You Should Start Saving for Your Wedding Now — Even If You’re Single appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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7 Energy Stocks With Fat Dividend Yields

Energy stocks have been on the decline, but these dividend stocks can fuel your portfolio.

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Pension fraudsters contact one in seven over-55s

Michael Trudeau

broken piggy bank.jpg

One in seven over-55s have been targeted by pension fraudsters since the pension freedoms came into effect in April, with many being approached multiple times.

Research from Portus Consulting found that 14 per cent of working people over-55 believe they have been targeted by pension scheme scammers since April.

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Research from Portus Consulting found that 14 per cent of working people over-55 believe they have been targeted by pension scheme scammers since April. About a quarter of the alleged scams involved offering alternative investment products without fully explaining what they were, while 69 per cent said the suspected fraudsters offered a 'free' pensions review in an attempt to access their funds. Many times the would-be scammers offered exotic investment schemes promising high returns. Earlier this month the Treasury Select Committee said more information was needed from the government to prove there hasn't been a fraudster feeding frenzy since the freedoms came into effect. EDUCATION IS NEEDED According to separate research by Phoenix Group - a consolidator of closed life assurance funds - there are more than 1,600 dodgy companies or schemes operating in the UK which it believes are involved with scams. The City of London Police reports that fraudsters stole more than £9 million from savers between April and August this year - twice the amount lost in the same period last year. But the actual figure could be significantly higher for several reasons - first, it can take years for victims to realise they've fallen for investment fraud schemes, and only 12 per cent of people who believe they've been targeted by criminals report it to the authorities. 'The pension freedoms are to be welcomed because they give people greater control over how they use their own money,' says Portus commercial director Steve Watson. 'However, more needs to be done to educate people about pension scammers and also capture and deter these criminals.' Parminder Dhothar, intelligence and investigations manager for Phoenix Group, adds: 'Consumers need greater education on the risks of fraud - especially those taking cash and reinvesting the funds, as it is more difficult for providers to prevent them from being victims.' Results of separate research earlier this year found that one in five over-50s may have been targeted by fraudsters. Portus and Phoenix share their tips for avoiding scams: Be wary of people calling about tax loopholes to unlock your pension before age 55; Likewise be on guard with anyone offering unusual investment schemes and implying high returns; Don't let yourself be pressured into sending documents or transferring funds quickly - for example don't listen to salespeople with limited time offers; Anyone who approaches you first, without you going looking for them, should be treated with suspicion - be it over the phone, text, email or door-to-door. If this investment is really so appealing, why are they resorting to this kind of sales tactic? Check that a company is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority before dealing with you - the regulator also has a list of known scams. Be careful though, scammers sometimes work with regulated partners to gain an air of legitimacy; You should never have to pay up front fees to access funds due to you; If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is; and finally If unsure, call the Consumer Direct helpline on 0845 404 0506 or visit consumerdirect.gov.uk. To report suspected fraud call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit actionfraud.police.uk.

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Risk, Return, and Relationships

Investing obeys some of the same laws as human relationships: There will be ups and downs, and you can’t have one without the other. Photo: Tania Cataldo

Have you ever been in a meaningful relationship with another person?

It could be a friend. Or a parent. Or a sibling. Or a significant other.

No matter whom you’re thinking about and how much you value your relationship with that person, my guess is that it’s not always rainbows and sunshine.

There are fights. There are disagreements. There are moments where you feel unsupported or abandoned.

You may even be able to remember an extended period of time where you didn’t really talk much or your relationship was more strained than usual.

But through it all, you’ve stuck with that person. And for good reason! Because the good times make it all worth it.

Sure, you could go through life by yourself and never risk the pain that sometimes comes from caring about another person.

But it’s those meaningful relationships that help you through the tough times and make the good times even better. It’s through those relationships that you figure out who we are, that you gain self-confidence, and that you live a happier life.

You accept the fact that there will inevitably be some heartache because you know the benefits are worth it.

Investing is exactly the same way.

We All Want Great Returns…

Just like with your relationships, you choose to invest because of the potential benefits.

You’ve heard that you can get 8%-10% returns over the long term, which is especially exciting when your savings account is currently earning 1% or less.

You know that earning those better returns can make it much easier to reach your biggest long-term goals.

You also know certain investment accounts like a 401(k) and IRA have tax advantages that make it even easier to build your savings.

So investing sounds pretty good! It’s hard to imagine anyone who wouldn’t want those benefits.

…But We All Hate to Lose

The problem with investing is that, just like with your relationships, there can be problems along the way.

There’s no promise that you will actually get those 8%-10% returns. It could be better, but it could also be worse.

And that’s especially true over short time periods. The stock market has dropped by as much as 22.6% in a single day, and has had years where the return was as bad as negative 46.2%.

Those rough times aren’t easy. It’s scary to watch the money you’ve worked so hard to save disappear so quickly.

So wouldn’t it be great if you could get all the benefits of investing without the risk of losing money?

You Can’t Get Returns without Risk

Here’s the truth: When it comes to investing, risk and return are a package deal. You can only get the possibility of higher returns if you’re willing to take on more risk.

That’s just the way it is.

Now, there are some simple ways to minimize your risk and ensure that you’re only taking on as much as you need to.

But no matter what you do, investing with the hope of better returns always increases the chances that you won’t actually get those returns and increases the number of times your returns will temporarily be much worse than you’d like.

In other words, investing comes with a lot of ups and downs. And just like with your relationships, you have to take the bad in order to get the good.

Use This Information to Your Advantage

Lucky for you, while you can’t escape the fact that investing comes with risk, there are some simple ways you can use this information to your advantage and end up with more money in your accounts.

1. Avoid the Sales Pitch

There are plenty of people who are more than happy to sell you on the idea that they can deliver great investment returns without the risk.

Their sales pitches will sound good. Many of them will be backed up with lots of data and will look pretty sophisticated. And it will be tempting to believe them. After all, who wouldn’t want great returns without the risk?

Just know that unless they’re talking about simple things like asset allocation and diversification, they are absolutely full of it. Save yourself the money and pain and run away as fast as you can.

2. Risk Only What You Can

You don’t have to put all your money at risk when you invest. There may be good reasons to keep things safer and accept the fact that while you might not get rocket-ship returns, you will have a little more certainty about how much money you’ll have at the end of the day.

One reason to avoid risk is if you simply don’t need it. Let’s say you’ve run the numbers and you only need a 4% return to reach your goals. If that’s the case, why would you risk losing money in pursuit of 8% returns? It would make much more sense to keep things more conservative and increase your odds of reaching your goal successfully.

Another reason to avoid risk is if you can’t stomach it. Remember, you don’t have to put 100% of your money into the stock market. If you’re not comfortable with the wild ups and downs that would expose you to, you could split your money between stocks and a more conservative investment like bonds. This is called asset allocation and it’s a great way to manage risk.

3. Keep Calm. Invest On.

You know that close relationships with other people will inevitably lead to pain and heartbreak from time to time. And yet you still pursue them because the benefits are worth it.

In the same way, successful investors are the ones who recognize ahead of time that there will be bad days, bad months, and even bad years.

And instead of freaking out during those bad times and abandoning their plan altogether, they remind themselves that they knew this was going to happen. It’s just part of the deal.

So they stick to their plan. They keep saving. And they eventually reap the benefits.

You can’t escape investment risk, but you can learn to live with it. In fact, that’s the only way to invest successfully.

Matt Becker is a fee-only financial planner and the founder of Mom and Dad Money, where he helps new parents build a better financial future for their families. His free book, “The New Family Financial Road Map,” guides parents through the most important financial decisions that come with starting a family.

The post Risk, Return, and Relationships appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Lockheed Martin Stock is a Strong Buy

LMT stock should benefit from consistent defense contracts and its acquisition of Sikorsky.

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How to Guard Against Common Scams That Target Seniors

Hundreds of thousands of older Americans are victims of financial fraud and theft every year.

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6 Reasons to be Bullish on Stocks

Despite television analysts spreading doom and gloom, stocks appear poised for a great run.

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The 10 Best Websites to Find Jobs

These job-search websites range from niche job boards and alumni pages to social media platforms.

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Do We Have Our Possessions Backwards? Some Thoughts on the Stuff We Own

A few weeks ago, Sarah and I took a serious look at a piece of land for sale in the country not too terribly far from where we live now. We talked about things like where we might build a house on the land, about how big it could be, where we might eventually put a barn, and so on.

Afterwards, we both found ourselves thinking about this potential change in our lives. For me, those thoughts bent toward the practical. I wandered around our house and I couldn’t help but notice all of the stuff and that led me to a few big questions. How would we move all of this stuff? Why are we storing some of this stuff that we basically never use? What’s the point?

There are several factors that go into that thought process, many of them financial, but some that bridge into other aspects of life.

First of all, and this should be obvious from the above description, the less stuff we have, the less space we need for our next house, and thus the less that house will cost. There comes a point where additional space in our next house amounts to nothing more than storage space for our stuff, and if we’re not using that stuff very often (or not at all), that seems pretty wasteful. It’s much like buying a storage unit for a bunch of your stuff, but then never actually using or even looking at the stuff.

Second, many of those items just sitting around are worth something. They represent at least a dollar or two, and many items represent quite a bit more than that. Yet, the vast majority of those items go untouched for long periods of time. What good are they doing me? That value, however small, is a lot better off in an investment than in the form of some item I’ll never use.

Third, the more stuff you have, the more time it devours. It takes longer to find things. It takes longer to dig through several bins to find the one item you need. It takes longer to dust and maintain stuff. It takes longer to clean out a room or to rearrange a room when there’s a lot of stuff in there to move. It takes far, far longer to move when you have a lot of stuff, and it will probably cause some expenses as well.

All of those things are caused by holding on to some stuff that I rarely use.

This has been troubling me quite a bit over the last few weeks, and so today I do what I often do when something is troubling me. I turned to a handful of books on the subject that I trust and that I believe to be full of wisdom. I leafed through them until something leaped out at me.

This time, the answer I was looking for came from Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker. As I was leafing through the book, I came upon a section that really made me think.

Here’s a quote from that section, found on pages 122 and 123 of the print version:

“It’s hard to determine where everybody got the bright idea to turn their houses into warehouses, but a very simple solution to this problem is to move all unused possessions into a storage unit, which is better suited for the purpose. The problem is relatively easy to solve, but is perhaps best attacked during a relocation. Go through all of your possessions. For each possession, each book, each tool, each appliance, each toy, try to recall when you last used it and put it into one of the following categories. It’s important to be honest. To avoid ruining the statistics, a box of 500 nails should be counted as one possession, whereas your stack of plates doesn’t count as one stack of plates. You’ll likely be using only one plate at a time with all other plates being for either guests or to supplement the stack of unwashed dishes in the sink. Be reasonable.

1. I used this today (keep it).
2. I used this within the past week (keep it).
3. I used this within the past month (keep it).
4. I used this within the past six months (get rid of it).
5. I used this within the past year (get rid of it).
6. It has been more than a year since I last used it (get rid of it!).
7. I did not even know I owned this?! (get rid of it!!)

[…] Don’t be surprised if you use fewer than three percent of your possessions daily and 90%+ of all possessions less than annually. This is a normal consumer pattern, but a waste of space and money.

The goal is to [reverse that trend] so that most possessions are used daily, with fewer possessions used weekly, only a few used monthly, and only a couple of keepsakes that rarely see any use. Usually one’s possessions will then fit into one or two suitcases.”

Here’s an example of what he’s talking about. Let’s say you took an inventory of 1,000 possessions that you own. For the average American, they would likely fall into categories something like this:

30 items you used today
50 items you used in the past week
70 items you used in the past month
100 items you used in the past six months
150 items you used in the past twelve months
250 items you haven’t used in more than a year
400 items you probably forgot that you even owned until you see it again

His argument is that you should change this curve around so that the “items used today” is the highest count. It should look something like this:

70 items you used today
50 items you used in the past week
40 items you used in the past month
30 items you used in the past six months
20 items you used in the past twelve months
10 items you haven’t used in more than a year

To me, that makes sense. What’s the use of having tons and tons of things around that you only use once a year or even less frequently than that? Sure, there’s room for a memento or two, but what’s the reason for having more of them than items you use every day?

Some people might wonder why the number of items used daily would go up. Think about dishes, for example – if you had fewer plates and cups and forks, the ones you have would be used more often instead of gathering dust in the back of the cupboard. So, instead of rarely using the plates on the bottom of the stack, you’d use the middle and top plates more frequently, and the same is true for silverware, cups, and so on.

So, for the reasons stated above – the money, the space, and the time – I’ve been spending some time over the last couple of weeks moving from the traditional “consumer” model of item ownership, where most of my owned items are used less than once a year, to something at least closer to the other model, where most of my owned items are ones I use daily. I’m hoping that through this process, I can free up some money, free up some time, and free up some head space, too, while also making our next move easier.

Here are some of the strategies I’m using along the way.

Strategy #1 – If I Acquire Anything, I Have To Get Rid of Something To Replace It

This is a very simple “one in, one out” rule. If something new comes into our home, then something else has to leave. This keeps me from accumulating more stuff during this process of reducing my possessions.

Naturally, there are some exceptions to this strategy. I’m not applying it to perishable things like food or to frequently used household items like toilet paper. I’m also, for now, applying this strategy to things that are clearly mine, in that they are items that are highly unlikely to have entered our house without my involvement.

If I pick up a new board game at Goodwill or at a swap meet, for instance, I have to get rid of one from my collection. If I pick up a new item for the kitchen, I have to get rid of an older item from the kitchen that this is theoretically replacing.

It’s a pretty easy strategy that puts a cap on the total number of possessions overall. Since the overall number isn’t going up, that means that I’m not working against the other strategies on this list.

Strategy #2 – I’m Focusing Heavily on Reducing Rarely-Used Items

As is almost assuredly the case at your house, my house is full of things that are rarely used. Some of them have not been used in years. Some of them have never been used, as they were gifts or items bought on sale that were stowed away and never looked at again.

Obviously, there’s no real point in keeping the vast majority of this stuff. It’s just sitting there, gathering dust and taking up space. Simply having this stuff means that we need more space than we otherwise would need.

So, how do I find these things?

They’re buried in the bottom of closets. They’re inside bins in the rafters of the garage. They’re in the back of the bottom shelf of the pantry. They’re in the back of kitchen cupboards. They’re in the bottom drawer of bedside tables. They’re in toolboxes and other storage spots in the garage.

As I go through our house and look in cupboards and bins and other hidden places, I find more and more and more things that we just own without having any real purpose.

Those things need to go.

For now, I’m just moving from area to area in the house, spending a few hours focusing on this closet, for example, and then spending a few hours another day focusing on a few shelves in the pantry. My goal with each stop is to find all of the items that we either don’t use or barely use and simply get rid of them.

Many of the items are easy to make that choice about. I recognize that I will likely never need or want this item again and even if I did I could acquire something similar.

The tricky ones are the items that I will likely never need or want again, but if I did, it would be hard to find a new copy of that item. For those items, I ask myself what the true worst case scenario is and if it’s not really that bad, the item is going away.

Just because I might use an item again someday does not mean it is worth keeping.

This means I’m throwing away some items. Others are going to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Still others are hitting eBay or Craigslist.

It’s a slow process. It will take me many months to complete it. But that’s okay. As long as I’m acquiring fewer items than I’m getting rid of, it’s all moving in the right direction.

Strategy #3 – I’m Identifying Items I Can Effectively “Combine” By Eliminating Duplication

A surprising number of the items I own are actually just duplicating the function of other items. I don’t really need two or three tools that do the same exact thing. Instead, it’s better to just have one tool that does the job well.

Here’s an example. Right now, I have three toolboxes full of tools. Over the years, I’ve received a couple of sets of tools as gifts and picked up more sets at yard sales. Many of them are quite useful, of course, but in many cases they’re basically duplicates. I have tons of screwdrivers when I really only need a few well-made ones. I have three different sets of Allen wrenches. So, it becomes easy here to eliminate the duplicates.

Another example comes from kitchen knives. I have several chef’s knives and a few other middle-sized knives that I never use. Honestly, for almost everything I cut up in the kitchen, I use just my Global chef’s knife and a cheap paring knife. I don’t really need anything else. So why keep the duplicates?

In our basement, we still have an old DVD player hooked up, although the Bluray player we have also plays DVDs. Let’s get rid of that DVD player because it just duplicates the function of something else.

I could list many, many things like this if I’m looking carefully around our property and being honest with myself.

The real result of doing this is that I eliminate some items from the less-frequently-used counts and I move a few items into the more-frequently-used counts.

For example, let’s say I used each of our three chef’s knives twice a week. If I eliminate two of them, that moves the chef’s knife that remains into a daily use item. My weekly use count goes down by three, while my daily use count goes up by one. That’s a very good change.

Strategy #4 – I’m Purging Several of My Collections and Selling Some Valuable but Unappreciated Items

Like many people, I have a number of collections. I have a few shelves full of books, a bunch of pocket notebooks, some sports cards collected over the years, some board games, and a few other odds and ends.

I enjoy these collections, don’t get me wrong. I play a board game or two almost every day (on average). I’m an avid reader and read about a book and a half in an average week. I am constantly carrying a pocket notebook and taking notes in it.

Yet, in almost all of these cases, my collections are really bigger than I need. It’s awesome to have a small number of things that you turn to over and over again, but in most collections, you have a handful of truly valued items and then everything else is less appreciated and less used by comparison. It’s time to cut back on some of those less appreciated and less used items.

One great example of this comes from my drawer of pocket notebooks. I’ve been using them for many years and always pick some up when I see them on sale anywhere, and I also receive some as gifts each Christmas. That’s all great, but I’ve ended up with more than I can use in at least a couple of years.

My solution is to sell some of them off. I’m selling off editions that are in formats I don’t like – I prefer ones with grid or dot-grid paper on the inside – and ones that have some secondary market value, as some older ones do. Although I will eventually use the pocket notebooks I have and I view them as a temporary resource, I have plenty right now. I don’t need as many as I have, so purging much of my backlog and saving only the ones that are really perfect for my use is a great strategy.

I’m in the process of doing the same thing with my board game collection, as I’m selling off roughly half of it at a convention in a few months. Again, I’m selling off the ones that I often skip over to play other games; I’m keeping the games I most enjoy playing with my family and friends and getting rid of the others.

Over time, all of my collections will face this kind of scrutiny. Do I really need to keep all of these physical items, especially the less-appreciated ones? Not really. They don’t serve any real value if they just sit on a shelf or in a box.

Strategy #5 – I’m Encouraging My Children (and Gently Encouraging My Wife) to Do the Same Things

Part of the reason I’m doing this is to lead by example. I’m not the only one in the house with a bunch of extra and unnecessary items that could be considered “mine.”

I’ve been encouraging my children to apply these principles to their own items, particularly their toys. How many of these toys do they actually play with? How many have sat untouched for years? Maybe they could donate these toys to less privileged kids or even sell some of them.

One of the biggest challenges in this process is my wife, who is very frugal but channels that frugality into saving all kinds of things. If she buys something, she’s pretty loathe to ever let it go and she always sees potential future uses for items.

For her, the path is a slow one. I don’t push her to get rid of things, but I do talk about redundant possessions that we share, like that DVD player, and help her to see why it makes no sense to keep it.

It’s a slow change, but it’s one that I’m hoping to lead by example over the next year or so.

Strategy #6 – I’m Reinvesting the Proceeds, Not Spending Them

Obviously, these strategies are going to generate some significant revenue. Many items are being sold on eBay and Craigslist and in some private sales. I’m also planning a big yard sale next May, as I’m already filling up some “yard sale boxes” with items that we’ll sell at that point.

The trick is to make sure that I use these proceeds in an intelligent fashion. It would be very easy to take those proceeds and reinvest them in more “stuff” after I just went through this effort to reduce the amount of “stuff” that I have.

So, whenever I receive some revenue from selling off stuff, I’m intentionally investing it. I’m using it for extra contributions for our country house savings for now, but I also may make some extra contributions to our children’s 529 college savings accounts.

The goal is to make sure that selling these items doesn’t just become a method for bringing more items into the home.

Final Thoughts

My goal isn’t to become some kind of minimalist that can live out of two suitcases (though there is a bit of appeal in that to me). My goal is simply to get my possessions in line with some common sense. There’s no need to hold onto piles of possessions that I’ll likely never use again, especially when those possessions have value.

Sometimes, I fondly remember my college years, a period during which I actually held all of my possessions in my backpack and a single Rubbermaid tub. It was really easy to move from place to place and I never felt tied down by my possessions and the locked-up money that they represented.

Hopefully, through this process, I can unlock some of that money and taste just a bit of that lightness and freedom again. Perhaps you’ll go on a journey like this, too.

Good luck!

The post Do We Have Our Possessions Backwards? Some Thoughts on the Stuff We Own appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Why You Should Add Apples to Your Grocery List (Plus 11 Delicious Ways to Eat Them)

The list of reasons to eat apples is a long one. They’re healthy (fiber! vitamin C! antioxidants!), tasty and also inexpensive.

The average price for pound of apples is $1.44. That’s cheap enough to pad your grocery budget, while also setting you up for a host of healthy, affordable recipes.

But before we get to the recipes, let’s get a few things straight about apples.

How Do You Select the Best Apple?

We’ve all bitten into what we think will be a crisp apple, only to be met with a mouthful of soggy pulp.

Apple experts say the best indicator of an apple’s quality is firmness. When you squeeze the apple gently, you shouldn’t feel any give. You want the apple to feel pretty hard from the outside.

But if you do find yourself with a soggy apple, don’t despair. Some of these recipes will help you take care of those less-than-perfect fruits.

What Kind of Apple Should I Buy?

Well, it depends on whether you want to munch on the apple or bake with it.

If you’re looking for something to snack on, try a Gala (my fave!), Jonagold or one from this list. For baking, the easiest apples to come by are the Red Delicious, Pink Lady, or one of these.

Where Should I Store Apples?

In the fridge. They will last longer in there, and they taste way better cold!

What Should I Do With All These Apples?

I thought you’d never ask! Here’s a roundup of delicious apple recipes on my list for fall.

1. Apple Muffins

Image from addapinch.com

Of course we’re going to make muffins.

This is the time to break out your less-crisp apples or past-their-prime apples. You won’t notice the difference once they’re been turned into muffins. This recipe includes a cinnamon topping that will put them over the top.

2. Green Apple Smoothie

Image from girlmakesfood.com

I don’t see too many apple smoothies flying around the Internet, but green apples are a great addition to your morning smoothie. Their strong, tart taste is great for masking the bitterness of vegetables you sneak into your drink.

3. Broccoli and Apple Salad

Image from therecipecritic.com

So many textures are at play in this crunchy, creamy salad! It’s a new take on a salad I used to see on my grandma’s dinner table.

The recipe subs in Greek yogurt for half of the mayonnaise to keep the salad low in calories.

4. Spiced Bourbon Apple Pie

Image from abeautifulmess.com

Nothing says fall like a freshly baked apple pie.

And this is straight-up the cutest apple pie I’ve ever seen. The bourbon brings a new spin to traditional apple pie, but you can leave it out if you wish.

5. Apple Pie Biscuits

Image from joythebaker.com

I have to admit that I’m not a big pie-baker. I don’t have the patience! So these biscuits are right up my alley.

The recipe embraces the messiness of biscuits and adds the sweet filling of a pie. Trust me, any recipe from Joy the Baker will be delicious.

6. Slow-Cooker Caramel Apple Pie Dip

Image from themagicalslowcooker.com

This would be a perfect recipe for a Halloween party (or a normal Wednesday night).

Just pop the ingredients in a slow cooker for two hours and you’ve got a sticky, sweet, apple dip to serve about eight people.

7. Applesauce Fruit Blends

Image from familyfeedbag.com

This recipe takes applesauce in a new direction by adding other fruits for both color and flavor. The blueberry, strawberry and peach options all sound delicious, while still keeping apples as the base.

Can some jars of this treat during the fall and you’ll be eating applesauce through the winter.

8. Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Image from lecremedelacrumb.com

These quick pancakes are perfect for a morning on the go or a breakfast-for-dinner situation. Top the classic pancakes with gooey applesauce for a twist on a fall-themed meal.

9. Baked Apple Chips

Image from sallysbakingaddiction.com

You don’t need a dehydrator to make these crunchy snacks. Whipping up your own apple chips is a great way to save some money, since they’re not cheap in grocery stores or online.

They’re also excellent as after-school snacks, office-lunch sides and a fruity cure for any sweet tooth.

10. Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies

Image from amyshealthybaking.com

Much easier to make than an actual apple pie, these cookies have all of the flavor and texture you’re after on a crisp fall afternoon. Oats, apples and warm autumn spices combine to produce a pretty amazing-looking cookie.

11. Honeycrisp Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts

Image from thecozyapron.com

This recipe uses the natural tartness of Honeycrisp apples. Candied walnuts provide the sweetness and a bit of crunch.

If you can’t find Honeycrisp, Granny Smith apples would also be awesome in this recipe.

Your turn: Are you enjoying apple season? What recipes are on your list?

Lyndsee Simpson is a writer and editor in Washington, D.C. Her favorite apple recipe has two ingredients: apple + almond butter.

The post Why You Should Add Apples to Your Grocery List (Plus 11 Delicious Ways to Eat Them) appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Invest for Retirement With Market Volatility in Mind

A written plan can help investors withstand the short-term ups and downs of the market.

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How to Save $1,000 in Just 2 Months

A few simple habit changes could get you on the path to big savings. 

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4 Money Mistakes People Often Make After a Spouse Dies

You're vulnerable during this time. If you aren't careful, your finances could be vulnerable, too.


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Organization is a Frugal Shopper’s Strongest Weapon

Establishing a system for tracking savings will help trim costs. 

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5 Money-Saving Uses for Pumpkins

Turn your porch decorations into festive bowls, meals and more.

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Not-so-fresh truth about supermarket catalogues

SUPERMARKETS make out that they’re all about the fresh produce, but experts have shown that they actually put another type of product front and centre.

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Why you’re stuck with Bill Shorten

LIKE him or loathe him, but either way you’re stuck with him. One political strategist says Bill Shorten isn’t going anywhere.

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How to Retire on Less Money Overseas

Moving abroad can help you to retire sooner and with less savings.

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Launch Your Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less

By Kimi Clark Maybe you’re looking for ways to break into the work at home scene, or maybe you’re already working at home but looking for an additional source of income. If freelance writing is something you’ve ever wanted to do, or if you’re a new freelance writer, then we have just the thing for […]

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Bought the Wrong Gift? PayPal Will Cover Your Return Shipping Costs

This year, you won’t lose out on cash if you need to return any holiday gifts you buy using PayPal.

Whether it’s a fruitcake sampler collection, an ugly Christmas sweater or a painting of dogs playing poker, you won’t have to eat the return shipping costs for these well-intentioned — but not quite right — gifts, thanks to the “Return Shipping on Us” program.

How Does It Work?

If you make eligible purchases using PayPal and then decide to return them, you can receive reimbursement on the shipping costs of up to four items. The offer, which began earlier this month, is good until Jan. 31, 2016.

To take advantage of this deal, go to PayPal’s returns website and activate the “Return Shipping on Us” service. Then, if your gift doesn’t work out and you want to return it to the seller, simply follow the instructions to return the item and request your reimbursement.

To request your refund, you’ll need to prove your shipping costs, so be sure to save your shipping receipts. You should receive a refund for the costs within 14 days of your return.

Each refund is limited to $30, and, of course, other Terms and Conditions apply.

Why Is PayPal Paying for Return Shipping?

PayPal hopes this will encourage you to buy from online sellers without worrying about paying for return shipping if the item doesn’t work out.

The program also means online businesses won’t have to pay the cost of return shipping, which is a huge advantage for independent sellers.

PayPal has tested the service in several countries, including Australia, Italy, France and Spain, and it’s now open to U.S. residents.

Your Turn: With this program, are you more likely to pay with PayPal this holiday season?

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

The post Bought the Wrong Gift? PayPal Will Cover Your Return Shipping Costs appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Wallabies star’s other epic battle

WALLABIES backrower David Pocock is preparing for battle in the Rugby World Cup final. But he’s got another fight on his hands.

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‘This wouldn’t have happened on Steve’s watch’

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Coles slams Woolies over loyalty rewards

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