MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: أغسطس 2016

الأربعاء، 31 أغسطس 2016

Stroudsburg teen earns Eagle Scout Badge

Andrew Thornton of Stroudsburg has earned [...]

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St. Luke’s, Geisinger sign agreement

Officials at St. Luke’s University Health Network, Geisinger Health System and Geisinger Health Plan Wednesday announced the signing of a Master Collaboration Agreement. The collaboration will take advantage of the collective strengths of St. Luke’s and Geisinger to further improve access to affordable and high quality healthcare to people living in nearly 50 counties in Pennsylvania.Geisinger sought to team up with St. Luke’s based on its reputation for [...]

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AT&T is Giving Out BOGO Movie Tickets Every Week. Here’s How to Get Them

Do you love catching new movies on the big screen, but hate paying the big tab for tickets? Sometimes you feel broke before you even get to the snack bar.

Maybe you should skip your Saturday night date and hit the movies on Tuesday instead.

If you’re tied to the right phone company, you can even take a friend for free.

The AT&T Thanks Ticket Twosdays program rewards AT&T wireless customers with accounts in good standing with buy-one, get-one-free movie tickets — if you go on a Tuesday.

Buy one ticket to a regular old 2-D movie and receive another ticket to the same show for free.

How to Get Free Movie Tickets From AT&T

Eligible customers can access this offer every six days, with a limited number of BOGO tickets available each week. Visit the Ticket Twosdays site and enter your valid AT&T wireless number.

You’ll receive a text message with a validation code to enter on the website. Then click through to see what showtimes are available near you. I tested the site and found most of the movie theaters in my area participate.

You’ll also get a second text message with a link to purchase tickets if you don’t want to buy right away. (This is the part where you frantically text your friends to see who’s free on Tuesday.)

The best part about this BOGO deal (besides going to the movies for half price) is you don’t have to wait until Tuesday to snag the deal — you can plan ahead and make sure there’s a movie you truly want to see in the theater. Plus, the theater is less crowded during the week.

So make Tuesday your new date night (whether your date is a friend or your beau), and put that extra $12 back in the piggy bank.

Your Turn: How do you save on trips to the movies?

Lisa Rowan is a writer, editor and podcaster living in Washington, D.C. She only goes to the theater for loud, improbable action movies (looking at you, Furious 7).

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Love Kids Movies? Netflix May Have the Perfect Work-From-Home Job for You

Do you love kids movie and television shows?

It’s OK — you can admit it. We’re all still kids at heart, at least a little.

I’ll go first: I love holidays at my parents’ house, because we pull out our old Disney movies on VHS. My favorite is “The Little Mermaid,” and I like to dance to “Under the Sea” in the living room with my sisters.

We say it’s for the grandkids, but — come on.

If you enjoy a cozy afternoon with Mickey, Dora, Nemo or Abu (remember Abu!?), you might be able to turn it into a moneymaker.

This Netflix Job Lets You Tag Kids Content

Netflix is hiring a kids content tagger to join its Enhanced Content Kids team. In this remote position, you’ll get paid to binge-watch Netflix.

No kidding. Get the popcorn ready.

A content tagger’s job is to help identify which content belongs in Netflix Kids profiles, for ages 0 to 12, and to tag those shows and movies to help viewers find something to watch.

You know those uber-specific categories on Netflix, like “Starring Kids With Funny Hats” or “Movies to Make You Laugh and Then Nap While Mommy Eats Lunch”? It’d be your job to lock those in.

OK, I made up these particular categories — but they’re not far off, right?

Specifically, your duties will include:

Tagging kids content to categorize for different ages and themes

Backtagging projects that update titles when new tags are added or removed

Occasional special projects, like testing experimental tagging processes

Because they’re central to the job, you should genuinely love kids entertainment media and know it well.

This a cool work-from-home job for parents who are immersed in the media anyway! That’s if you can get your little ones to let you watch something other than that one movie over and over again…

This is a part-time, one-year, remote position. You’ll work about 15 hours per week and report through a third-party agency.

Wondering what it’s like to be a content tagger? Read our overview, including a day in the life of one Netflix content tagger.

To apply: Upload your resume or apply through LinkedIn here.

Your Turn: What is your dream work-from-home job?

Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).

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This Stellar Job Lets Science Writers Work From Home Part-Time ($15/Hour!)

Do you spend your days thinking about virtual reality, robots and rogue planets?

Then you might want to spend today thinking about joining the team at Futurism.

This website “covers the breakthrough technologies and scientific discoveries that will shape humanity’s future” and currently is looking for a part-time remote science writer.

But don’t space out about the possibilities just yet…. here are all the details.

How to Work as a Futurism Science Writer

In this position, you’ll work from home and write highly-engaging, timely news articles about science and technology for more than 20 million followers.

You need to have experience “writing for a popular audience” and a “passion for science communication.” You should also be “familiar with Futurism’s voice and the general science and tech landscape.”

You’ll work for at least four hours on five different days, for a total of 20 hours per week. The base pay is $15 per hour, but will depend on education and experience, according to an email from the company.

Even better, there’s opportunity to advance to full-time status when positions open up. With a company like this, the sky just might be the limit!

Here’s the link to apply.

Your Turn: Will you apply to this science job?
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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Small Business Grants for Women

You’ve analyzed your financial situation, have a good handle on how much money you need to start up or nurture the growth of your small business, and you’re ready to seek outside support. You could apply for a business credit card or a small business loan. With both of these options, though, you’ll need to pay back what you’ve borrowed (and often at unfriendly interest rates).

A third option worth exploring is small business grants. While there aren’t a ton of grants available, opportunities from small family foundations to corporations to governmental programs do exist, and some business grants are specifically for women. The applications may be wieldy, timelines lengthy, and reporting excessive, but if you’ve got the time to put into the process, you could come out of it with some hard cash for your business.

National Grants Awarded by Foundations, Nonprofits, and Corporations

One of the most dedicated proponents of small business grants for women entrepreneurs is the Amber Grant Foundation. Not only do they provide a website with free basic grant “how-to” tips and a free grant report that lists available opportunities across the country, but they also run a small funding component, awarding $500 to a different woman-owned business each month.

Of the 12 recipients they choose each year, one will be selected to receive an additional $1,000 grant. And, it’s the easiest application process around: Aside from basic contact information, there are just two questions: “Tell us about your business,” and, “If awarded a grant, what are your plans for the funds?”

The American Association of University Women offers $2,000 to $10,000 one- and two-year Community Action Grants that are dually woman-focused, in that applicants (all U.S.) must either be an individual woman or a nonprofit organization focusing on AAUW’s broader mission of promoting education and equality for women and girls on a community level. Applications are accepted between August 1 and January 15. The grants panel reviews all proposals once a year, with applicants notified by April 1.

For 13 years, women’s clothing company Eileen Fisher has funded the Women-Owned Business Grant program. Annually, they award $120,000 in grants to up to 12 recipients. Businesses must be majority women-owned and -led, at least three years old with financial records for those years, have revenues not exceeding $1 million in the year prior to application, and founded on “creating environmental and social change.”

State-by-State Grant Opportunities

Larger corporations (and some foundations as well) may manage grant-making programs for which the requirements vary widely — the most common of which is your company benefiting the state in which the corporation is headquartered or does business.

For example, Zions Bank awards one $3,000 Smart Woman Grant in each of six categories, including small business, to an entrepreneur “whose proposal promotes the empowerment of women or directly benefits women or low-income or underserved populations in Utah and Idaho.”

Googling a phrase like “small business grants for women in [your state]” is a good place to start when researching state, regional and local opportunities like Zions Bank’s, but you can also contact your local U.S. Small Business Administration-run Women’s Business Center. Most offer individual business counseling in topics such as grant funding, provided by consultants who are business owners or experts in entrepreneurship themselves.

Federal Small Business Grants for Women

While the U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants for starting or expanding a business, it is the coordinating agency for the federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. Generally speaking, these are some of the only government grants available to small businesses, and they are focused on scientific research and development, including high-tech innovations.

The SBIR and SBTT programs are open to all types of applicants, but since 2011 one of the goals of these programs has been to encourage women-owned small businesses (WOSB), and economically disadvantaged WOSBs — and, as such, some of the contracts have been set aside specifically for women business owners in these two markets.

To search for other federal grant opportunities, both women-specific and not, or to learn more about governmental funding, visit Grants.gov. This website is the clearinghouse for all discretionary grants offered by the 26 federal grant-making agencies, as well as the home for application registration and process FAQs. Note: The website can feel overwhelming — there’s a ton of information — so make good use of its quality search page.

Related Articles:

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Go Back to School With Free Chipotle: These Deals Run All September Long

In its continued effort to win back your business, Chipotle is offering even more freebies — this time, focusing on everyone heading back to school.

Every Sunday in September, kids eat free. Parents, purchase one regular entree and get a free kid’s meal.

And high school and college students will get a free drink with their meal, no matter what day they decide to get their burrito on.

This Month at Chipotle, Kids Eat Free and Students Get Free Drinks

These deals are super simple: Just head on into Chipotle and order your favorite dish.

Students must present a valid student ID before they shuffle off to the soda fountain (bottled beverages aren’t included). The deal’s open to high school, college or graduate students — including home-schoolers.

Kid’s meals are are valid for Chipotle-hungry people 12 and under. The dish also comes with a free, exclusive activity sheet from the makers of the children’s book, “Dragons Love Tacos.”

Keep in mind that these transactions still count toward your Chiptopia Summer Rewards status, so long as they total $6 or more.

Your Turn: Will you take advantage of these back-to-school deals at Chipotle?

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. We’re letting you know because it’s what Honest Abe would do. After all, he is on our favorite coin.

Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her favorite dish at Chipotle — where she totally still eats — is the barbacoa salad, no dressing, extra guac (some things are worth the extra pennies). Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.

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Manifesto

“There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

I will spend significantly less than what I earn, and save and invest the difference.

I will give ample time and energy to the small handful of things I care most about, and give minimal time, money, and energy to the other areas of my life that I care less about.

I will work toward a day, sooner rather than later, where I no longer have to work to earn an income, and I will achieve it by saving the excess of the fruits of my labor.

I will work hard with diligence and focus at the work task at hand in order to earn a healthy and steady income that gives me more than enough resources to both pay for those things I care most about and to save for the future.

I will work hard with diligence and focus to discover new income streams and new ways to earn money, so that if one avenue for earning income goes away, I’m not suddenly caught without a way to earn a living.

I will rest my body and mind adequately at night and give myself proper nutrition so that hard work with diligence and focus comes easily.

I will continue to learn more about personal finance and related fields primarily through books and other trusted sources that are focused on quality timeless information and less focused on promoting the hot mutual fund or stock of the day.

I will attempt to repair broken things around my home myself first, so that I may learn something in the process and, often, save myself the cost of hiring a repairman.

I will stay away from name brand products and use inexpensive store brand versions unless there is a clear reason based on personal experience to do otherwise.

I will open the windows instead of running the heating or cooling during most seasons, as my body was designed from birth to enjoy most reasonable changes in weather.

I will make a conscious choice to use as much of the food brought into our home as possible through the processes of consuming leftovers, using remaining scraps for soups and stock, and maintaining a compost bin.

I will consistently choose to do things rather than buy things. I choose to read books rather than to accumulate them. I choose to watch movies rather than to fill my shelves with them.

I will put aside time-wasters such as internet browsing and television viewing if I ever feel I do not have time for the other important things in my life.

I will avoid debt, but should debt find me, I will repay it as quickly as possible.

I will pay off any debts I have in the fastest way possible, which means making large extra payments on the debt with the highest interest rate first.

I will accept responsibility when I make a spending mistake or a financial mistake. When I do, I will reflect on that mistake, understand what caused me to make that mistake, and make the needed changes in my life so that they don’t repeat.

I will appreciate the things I have and the things that are free and not lust after the things that I do not have.

I will prepare most of my meals for myself, so that I can enjoy fresh and simple and inexpensive ingredients and also build the skills needed to prepare them quickly in the future.

I will find variety in my life not through opening my wallet, but opening myself to the widest array of experiences that life provides for us without having to exchange money for it.

I will build deep friendships and other relationships, not with my words or with my purchases, but with my actions. You cannot build a lasting relationship with someone on the back of the things that you’ve purchased or the things that you own, so I won’t pursue that path.

I will second guess every single purchase I consider making, just to make sure that it’s something that’s really worth the money I’m investing in it and whether I’ll really use it enough to make it worth the cost.

I will keep a careful eye on the actual dollars that I spend and be vigilant against spending too much on things that aren’t really in line with the core things that matter most to me.

I will use credit cards as a spending tool to make life easier and to earn rewards, but I will not use them to leverage purchases I could not otherwise afford or have otherwise not budgeted for.

I will use the multitude of free resources that the community provides for me, from the abundance of books and films and audiobooks and other equipment found at the library to the parks and trails and walkways maintained by the parks and recreation department, and make a continuous effort to discover new resources and opportunities that are made available for free in my community and in neighboring communities.

I will enjoy some of the pleasures of life irregularly so that they remain special and feel like a genuine treat, rather than enjoying those pleasures frequently and have them sink into part of the ordinary routine.

I will build and maintain a strong relationship with my wife, as she is my life partner who helps me face all of life’s challenges and makes every single mountain in life that much easier to climb.

I will step back from my desires and ask myself why I have them, rather than simply acting upon them rashly.

I will work to maintain and improve my personal health every single day, as the freedom I desire is best expressed with a healthy body.

I will cultivate that personal health by eating a diet primarily focused on fruits and vegetables while incorporating consistent exercise into my life.

I will choose to walk or bike to nearby destinations rather than drive there in order to both maintain and improve my own health and also save money on the costs of operating and owning a vehicle.

I will work to maintain and improve my mind every single day as well, as the freedom I desire is best expressed with a healthy mind.

I will cultivate that mental health by meditating and also engaging thoughtfully in deep ideas through reading challenging books.

I will teach my children about the basics of personal finance from an early age and make those lessons a regular part of their gradual evolution into independent adults.

I will be a constant example of frugality and good choices for my children and my friends, not through my words, but through my deeds.

I do these things because I want to live a life with little stress and abundant possibility for myself and for my loved ones, and I recognize that, for me, this can only come from the freedom to use my time and energy in whatever way I see fit. A joyous life comes not from spending money and buying things, but from being able to freely choose what I want to do with my time and energy without the overriding demands of employers or the constant need to earn money just to stay afloat.

I do these things because I want to be free and I want to be as secure as I can in that freedom as I move forward.

We are in the midst of a revolution of thought, of education, of opportunity. Through our innovations, the world is more abundant than it ever has been before, with the knowledge of the world and the tools of endless exploration and enjoyment available at our fingertips with minimal cost. The question is, do we choose to use these resources to build a life of maximum freedom or do we let those resources go to waste while chasing a never-ending path of more and more things that bring us less and less pleasure and freedom? The choice must be made by each of us.

I have made my choice. Have you made yours?

“For those who understand, no explanation is necessary; for those who don’t understand, no explanation is possible.” – Unknown

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Government consults on £500 Pensions Advice Allowance

Marina Gerner

financial-planning.jpg

The treasury has published a consultation on creating a Pensions Advice Allowance, enabling people to take £500 tax-free from their defined contribution (DC) pension to redeem against the cost of getting regulated financial advice.

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Top 35 Blogging Ideas That Are Guaranteed to Be Popular

Blogging with a purpose increases market share, consumer engagement, revenue growth, and ROI. Of course, you want to do that.

I mean, just look at this:

But a lot of people I know are still stuck on the fundamental question:

What do we blog about?

For brands, the question is easy enough to answer.

You need to understand: 1) what you’re selling, 2) to whom you want to sell, and 3) what blog topics are relevant to both.

For individuals or other organizations who want to start a blog to monetize, the question can be a bit trickier.

About a year ago, I came up with an idea. I wanted to show you how to generate $100,000 a month from a new blog.

I picked a topic and have been making progress toward that goal.

But what if you haven’t picked a topic yet?

That’s why I wrote this article. A great blog has to start with a topic.

These are the types of articles, topics, and approaches that have demonstrated massive success in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

1. Listicles

Marketers have a love/hate relationship with listicles.

They’re among the most popular articles online, used by Buzzfeed, defended by the NY Times, and even discussed at this year’s SXSW tech conference.

Some people think listicles lack quality. And that could be true for some of them. Listicles, like any form of content marketing, have their pros and cons.

But let’s face it, people love to read listicles. It’s not just a trend. It’s scientifically proven!

That’s why the article you’re reading right now is a listicle.

2. How-tos

People generally hate reading instruction manuals. When was the last time you snuggled up with a glass of wine and the instruction manual to your toaster?

How do people figure out how to do stuff?

They Google it.

WikiHow became insanely popular based on how-to articles alone.

You might be surprised to see the kind of things people are Googling.

If you can find your niche audience, cater to their curiosities, and give them some helpful answers, you can’t help but create a popular blog.

3. Politics

Politics are popular during every election year. Whether national or local, find a political topic to discuss, and join this conversation.

Politics can be dicey, however. People tend to get really polarized around political topics, so be prepared to handle some controversy.

4. Bacon

Everyone loves bacon.

Huffington Post is one of the most popular blogs online, and it has an entire archive of bacon articles.

It’s not a trend going away soon, so get on board.

5. Recipes

Recipes are a great way to draw traffic to your blog.

There’s always a new diet fad, e.g., today’s Whole30 is yesterday’s Atkins, so there’s always new recipes to be discovered.

6. Beginner guides

Before you can convince someone that you know the advanced stuff, start with 101 beginner guides.

My own beginner guides have been very popular.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Beginner guides are often the way bloggers build organic search traffic at the start, and they can even be done using infographics like this guide to Sharepoint.

7. Ultimate guides

Subject matter experts, on the other hand, are always seeking out the most credible ultimate guides for their areas of expertise.

The term “ultimate guide,” however, is a bit overused. You can use some alternate terms if you want, such as these from Business Casual Copywriting:

Essential Guide
Complete Guide
Uncensored Guide
Last Guide to ____ You’ll Ever Need

If you’re an expert on something, creating an ultimate guide is an ultimately awesome way to do some ultimately popular blogging.

8. Frequently asked questions

Be warned that posting answers to frequently asked questions online won’t stop people from asking anyway.

They do, however, serve as a resource for people, and they are often featured on e-commerce websites—but overlooked on blogs. FAQs are blogging gold in any age.

Google’s algorithm uses FAQs, questions, and other popular topics as part of its Knowledge Graph. If you’re lucky, you might score a top spot in this coveted place.

9. Interviews

The best way to set yourself apart from the ocean of bloggers is to gain insight from industry experts.

Whether it’s with people on your team or from other companies in the industry, set up interviews on websites like helpareporter.com to gain valuable knowledge from a professional.

10. Personal stories

While personal stories may not be the keyword-filled anchor pieces you want, they’re still valuable additions to any blog.

Through sharing personal stories, you give readers a chance to relate to your business on a personal level, which helps build brand affinity.

11. Charity and activism

Any type of charitable actions, events, or activism you support should be blogged about.

Crowdfunding sites such as KickStarter, IndieGoGo, GoFundMe, and the like appeal to the good in people, and showing you’re active in these communities can build your readership. Even an occasional Change.org petition can help the brand image.

12. People features

Featuring select people—customers, professionals, authorities, leaders, etc.,—is a great way to add personality to your blog and create a sense of connection.

One of the most popular blogs doing this today is Humans of New York.

Occasionally featuring a real person—including photos, quotes, and other personal information—is a great way to produce strong engagement with your audience.

13. Product teviews

Not only are product reviews a trusted resource online that will draw traffic, but they are also a revenue stream for bloggers.

If you want to monetize your blog instantly, this is a smart move.

By linking to product pages through affiliate links like Amazon Affiliates, you can monetize a blog almost entirely on product reviews. Make sure you go niche, since this provides the greatest platform for credibility and expertise.

14. Sourced news

A great way to get media attention is to report on any type of sourced news. Long before the Internet, newspapers ruled the roost, and sourced news is still appreciated by news junkies.

With the right type of curation, selection, and commentary, this is a niche you can dominate.

15. Gifs and memes

It wasn’t just listicles that made Buzzfeed so popular.

Memes and gifs are widely used on the site too.

Gifs give people the experience of a video and usually provide a ton of entertainment.

16. Myth-debunking

Every industry has facts and fiction, which is why shows like Mythbusters got so popular.

We love learning what we’ve been doing or thinking wrong this whole time, so popular bloggers debunk myths.

17. Virtual reality

VR is a growing industry that’s only going to continue getting larger as time goes on.

Analysts predict it’ll reach $3 billion in investments by the end of 2016, so jumping on the bandwagon now could drive early adopter traffic.

18. Internet of things

Smart and connected devices are everywhere these days, and IoT experts blogging about IoT topics draw readers.

If you choose an IoT niche, you’ll have to prove your mastery of the subject matter. The niche is full of people who know what’s up.

19. Automation

For B2B businesses, automation is the buzzword of the day, so any posts regarding ways to automate something is Internet gold.

Automation, of course, is broad. You’ll need to select a type of automation in order to drive truly valuable traffic.

20. Troubleshooting guides

I’m always on the lookout for reliable troubleshooting tips.

Troubleshooting guides speak to the pain many content seekers are looking to eliminate. They want to solve a problem, which is exactly what a successful troubleshooting guide will do.

21. Contests

A great way to draw interest in a blog while rewarding readers is by holding a contest.

Contests once got a bad rap as being scammy or cheap, but they are on their way back as a valuable traffic-driving technique.

24. Advice

Both Lifehacker and Lifehack rose to prominence by featuring valuable advice to readers on just about every subject.

Life advice, regardless of the subject matter, is a valued commodity.

25. Productivity tips

People want to do more faster and are always on the lookout for tools, technology, or tips to help them get more done. Productivity tips are the bread and butter of many online blogs.

26. Travel

No matter how connected we get, travel will always be a popular topic for online searches.

With 126 million passports in circulation in the U.S. today, you know people are traveling—or at least they want to.

We all want to travel somewhere exotic and new. Any advice on how to do it cheaply is always appreciated.

27. History

History lessons are a great way to fill a blog with useful information.

Long-time bloggers often get caught up on current events, so occasional forays into history help create consistent content.

28. Funny stories

There will always be a place for humor in this world.

Posts that make people laugh get shared on social networks. There’s a reason why Buzzfeed, The Onion, Clickhole, and BoredPanda are among the world’s most popular websites.

29. Parenting tips

There will always be parents around, and any parenting tips are appreciated.

Blogging moms have conferences and conventions around the country, teaching people to follow in their footsteps and growing a sustainable industry.

Dad bloggers are also coming into their own as popular and respected places of information.

30. Upcoming events

You can always tell when an event is coming up by the buzz in the blogosphere. Whether it’s global events like the Olympics or local events like a concert or book-reading, events saturate many of the most popular online searches.

31. Internet stars

Partnering with and featuring the biggest Internet stars helps grow your following, so many content creators are partnering up in order to stay competitive. If you don’t know who PewDiePie and The Fine Bros are, it’s time to do some homework.

32. Tech support

Companies that offer technology services, hardware, or software will often include technical support within their blogs.

Microsoft, Google, and Facebook have extensive knowledge bases online, and they’re only growing along with everyone else’s.

33. Gift ideas

Right about now, blogs around the Internet are preparing holiday gift guides to help guide consumers to the right presents to buy for their colleagues, friends, and family during the holiday season.

Affiliate links can help create revenue for these cornerstone articles.

34. Best-ofs

The best ____ of 2016, the 2000s, this century, and of all time are all great articles to read.

WatchMojo built an entire business on top 10 lists, and many others are following suit. Including best-of lists focused on everything within your industry is a great way to draw reader attention.

35. Respond to readers

People have always been interested in getting advice from publications, whether it’s from old-school advice columnists such as Ann Landers or new-school ones such as Dan Savage.

Responding to readers makes you a real person having a real conversation and allows you to address individual concerns to prove you care.

Conclusion

Love the Mountains? These 12 Resorts are Hiring Thousands of Seasonal Jobs

Picture this: The snow-capped Rocky Mountains are right outside your window, you drive past buffalo on the highway and go snowboarding at 12,000 feet above sea level.

Oh, you also collect a paycheck.

Vail Resorts is Hiring Thousands of Seasonal Workers

Vail Resorts — named one of the world’s 50 most innovative companies by Fast Company– is hiring thousands of seasonal workers across the country.

The company owns 12 resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in California; Park City and Canyons in Utah; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and Grand Teton in Wyoming.

Open positions range from baristas and ski instructors to lift operators and even snowmakers. You name it, it’s probably listed.

The resort’s ideal candidate is described as ”someone who pushes boundaries and challenges the status quo. You’re brave, ambitious and passionate in everything you do.”

Sound like you? If so, you can apply from the comfort of your home.

Pay starts at $10 per hour. The company says many employees stay for a career and can become senior managers or directors, making upwards of $80,000 per year, according to Glassdoor.

Many of the jobs require little to no experience, and all training and certifications are provided.

There’s a lot of potential to reach your peak.

Perks of Working in the Mountains

Living in the mountains comes with a price tag. I mean, those picture-perfect views have to be worth something.

Good news, though: Employee housing is available for full-time winter employees. However, you need to act fast because only a limited number of apartments are available.

If you live outside the resort, it may cost between $600 to $1,000 a month. So, plan accordingly.

You also could save money by ditching your car. It’s quite easy to get around the resorts. Buses run regularly and some are free, while others are available at a discounted rate.

Now, let’s talk benefits.

Obviously, you get a free ski pass — and that’s just the beginning.

Full-time employees are eligible for health insurance and paid time off. Plus, there are tons of employee leadership training opportunities and a special foundation for employees in need of grants for things like education.

All employees — including part-time! — are also eligible for a 401(k). Currently Vail Resorts matches 50% of the first 6% contributed by employees.

Those with less than five years of service also receive four $60 discount lift coupons for friends/family.

Sounds awesome right? There’s more. You can also get tuition assistance, child care services and discounts on pretty much everything, even LASIK procedures. (Yeah, that’s a weird one.)

Interested? Get Your Application Ready

If you’re near a resort, there’s a national hiring event on Nov. 5. Applicants will receive an interview and a possible job offer on the spot.

But no matter the season — Vail Resorts will call or email to schedule a phone interview.

The older I get, the more I realize we were born to wander. So take a leap of faith and let this be your next adventure.

Your Turn: Does this sound like a dream job?

Christie Post, social media video producer at The Penny Hoarder, is always finding ways to make stories visual. You can see her live broadcasts on our Facebook page. Give her a shoutout on Twitter @christiepost.

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'Slight pick-up' in August house prices

Hannah Nemeth

slight-house-price-rise.jpg

House prices in the UK went up by 0.6% between July and August, putting the average price of a UK property at £206,145, according to the latest figures from Nationwide building society.

This compares with a 0.5% rise between June and July, while annually house price growth in August was up from 5.2% the previous year to 5.6%.

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Property is best for retirement, says Bank of England chief economist

Marina Gerner

pensions-and-houses.jpg

The Bank of England's chief economist Andy Haldane has claimed that property is a better investment for retirement than a pension, in a recent interview with the Sunday Times. This follows his previous comment made in May that he doesn't understand pensions.

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Will the pension dashboard ever happen?

Marina Gerner

pensions-dashboard.jpg

In his last Budget speech, George Osborne stated that the government will ensure the industry designs, funds and launches a pension dashboard by 2019 - but how likely is the creation of a dashboard?

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6 Companies That Offer Free or Discounted Vacations to Veterans

Soldiers spend years in sometimes inhospitable places, hundreds or thousands of miles from their families.

They wake up early, run through grueling drills in the heat and try to avoid explosive devices and enemy fire. When they finish their service, some return home wounded or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

If you’ve served this country in one of the branches of the armed forces, you — and your family — could probably use a little rest and relaxation.

Good news: A number of organizations and companies provide free or discounted vacations to veterans and service members.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. Veterans Holidays

kupicoo/Getty Images

Veterans Holidays, part of hospitality company Wyndham Worldwide, offers veterans resort stays for $349 a week on a space-available basis. That’s just $50 a night for a spacious condo that includes a kitchen, living room and likely a pool and other amenities.

The company can hook veterans up with more than 200,000 resort accommodations in more than 100 countries. All veterans of the U.S. military are eligible for a free membership with Veterans Holidays, which can help make trips to the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia more affordable.

Though only veterans can make reservations through Veterans Holidays, the company says they are more than welcome to bring guests with them on trips.

2. In Honor of Our Troops

Ryan McVay/Getty Images

Another organization, In Honor of Our Troops Foundation, offers veterans one free vacation per year and discounted accommodations all the time.

Established in 2004, the nonprofit’s Vacations for Vets program offers veterans, active-duty service members and Department of Defense civilian employees that directly support troops the opportunity to apply for free vacations.

The goal of the program is to provide “rest, recuperation and healing to help military families reconnect and reestablish healthy family relationships,” according to the foundation’s website.

The foundation gives veterans the chance to spend a week in one of nearly 100 locations, including Colorado, Hawaii, California and Mexico. Though accommodations are covered, airfare is not and applicants are required to pay a small, nonrefundable processing fee ($75-$150) to apply.

The foundation asks veterans to apply at least six weeks before their desired vacation dates.

3. Vacations for Warriors

Image from vacationsforwarriors.org

Vacations for Warriors, a Colorado non-profit founded in 2014, provides free vacations for soldiers who are injured during combat. Nearly 50,000 servicemen and women have been physically injured in recent conflicts, according to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The organization recently sent U.S. Army Sgt. Rob Easley and his wife Megan to Hawaii. Easley, who lost both legs and several fingers in Afghanistan, told Vacations for Warriors he was glad to enjoy the “healing powers of the island life.”

Vacations for Warriors operates using donations of cash, transferable airline miles, hotel points and donated timeshare opportunities. The organization also received one million airline miles from American Airlines to be able to send veterans and their families to vacation destinations.

4. Disney Resorts and Theme Parks

Image from disneyparks.disney.go.com

The happiest place on earth offers veterans and military service members some sweet deals.

This year, military personnel can get a four-day “park hopper” ticket, which allows them to jump between Orlando parks, for just $196. That’s a savings of nearly $200 from the $396 regular price ticket. Visit Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom in one trip!

All active or retired members of the military and their spouses are eligible for this deep discount. Military personnel can purchase up to six discounted tickets to share with family and friends.

Disney also offers veterans and military personnel 30% to 40% off rooms at dozens of resorts, including the All-Star Music Resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club Resort, the Polynesian Village Resort and many others. Rooms and dates are limited, so it’s helpful to be flexible with your vacation plans to get the best deal.

Disney also has a special military-only resort called Shades of Green, which offers rooms to military personnel for $89 to $113 per night. The resort also offers deals of up to 40% off throughout the year. Staying at Shades of Green can also help you get discounted tickets to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other attractions.

5. Travel Companies

Darryl Leniuk/Getty Images

Though many airlines and cruise companies offer military rates, they don’t advertise them online. It’s best to call and ask directly about their discounts.

Many offer discounts to members of Veterans Advantage, which provides veterans with deals, insurance and financial services for a small monthly fee ($3 to $5).

Here’s a small sampling of travel companies that offer discounts to veterans and military personnel:

United Airlines offers a 5% discount to military veterans, active duty service members and their families in the U.S. and Canada.

JetBlue also offers a 5% discount for veterans and a special military fare for active-duty personnel not traveling on orders. JetBlue also waives baggage fees for active-duty personnel and dependents.

Amtrak offers a 15% discount to veterans and family members traveling by train.

Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruises offer special military prices, but you’ll need to call to ask about potential travel dates to get the best deal.

6. “Space A” Flights

Vasileios Economou/Getty Images

If you’re an active-duty or retired military service member, and you have some flexibility with your travel dates, you can participate in “Space A,” or space available, flights.

Here’s how it works: If you’re eligible, you can sign up at various military terminals. When a seat on a Department of Defense flight becomes available, you’ll be notified. Terminals typically post flight schedules just 72 hours in advance, so you have to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.

Space A travelers typically pay a very small fee levied by the military terminal, but otherwise, these flights are free.

Kristin Mickelson, a Navy veteran whose husband is also in the Navy, saved $8,000 on two round-trip flights from Norfolk, Virginia, to Seattle, Washington, with her family of four.

Keep in mind, this is a lot like traveling standby on a commercial airline. You may be stuck waiting around for a flight to and from your desired destination. Sometimes, you’re flying on a cargo plane, which can mean you’re traveling without many of the comforts of commercial flights.

“When traveling Space A, we try to have a ‘what will be will be’ attitude,” Mickelson wrote for MilitarySpouse.com. “We work out today’s problems today and leave tomorrow’s problems to solve tomorrow. I was amazed at how much more fun we had on vacation when I wasn’t continuously worrying about ‘the schedule.’”

Your Turn: Did you know there were so many ways for veterans to save on vacation? Did we miss one? Please share it in the comments.

Sarah Kuta is an education reporter in Boulder, Colorado, with a penchant for weekend thrifting, furniture refurbishment and good deals. Find her on Twitter: @sarahkuta.

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How to Create an Ebook in 1 Month As a Busy Mom in 7 Steps

By Suzi Whitford I wrote my ebook in the month of May, while my baby was three months old and my toddler under two. It took a lot of focus and dedication, but I knew that the payoff would be worth it. It has been 2.5 months since my launch, and I have sold more 225 […]

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الثلاثاء، 30 أغسطس 2016

Spent shells: Certain ammo hard to find in the Poconos

When Danny Solomon went to buy some ammunition at Walmart, he was surprised to find the store limited him to three boxes of shells.It didn’t make sense to Solomon.“I can buy three 100-round value packs of 9mm pistol ammo, for a total of 300 rounds under the policy,” he said, referring to what he understood was the store's policy. “Yet, I can't buy more than three 20 round boxes of hunting rifle ammunition. Stranger still, for some reason, shotgun [...]

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4 new television channels in northeastern Pa.

Two local television stations have announced a total of four new, over-the-air broadcast stations available without cable. Mission Broadcasting, Inc. owns WYOU-TV, the CBS affiliate serving northeastern and central Pennsylvania, and Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. owns WBRE-TV, the NBC affiliate. These separate broadcasters operate under a shared services agreement. WYOU has announced the introduction of two new channels. ESCAPE, a broadcast television [...]

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Bummed That Summer’s Ending? This Free Dairy Queen Treat Might Help

It’s become undeniable: Summer’s ending.

School’s back in session for almost everyone by now, and Labor Day weekend white parties mean it’s time to trade in shorts for sweaters (unless you, like me, are stuck in sweltering Florida).

In the words of Barry Westrum, executive vice president of marketing at Dairy Queen, “None of us want summer to end.”

To make the transition into autumn just a little bit less painful, the unofficial headquarters of delicious summery treats is offering up a sweet deal. And unlike back-to-school necessities, it won’t cost you a thing.

How to Get a Free Dairy Queen Frappe This Tuesday

Between 2 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, participating Dairy Queen locations will serve up one small “Ultimate Oreo” frappe per customer — free of charge.

That ought to help ward off those end-of-summer blues.

Since the treat’s a blend of Oreos, ice cream and coffee, it’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up on your first day back at work after the last big party weekend of the season.

Dairy Queen will refer to its servers as “DQ-ristas” during the event, “a nod to baristas and specialty coffee servers” owing to the Ultimate Oreo’s java jolt.

But even if caffeine isn’t your thing, you might want to swing on by.

Weekday afternoons from from 2 to 5 p.m., Dairy Queen runs its “Hardest Working Happy Hour,” offering discounted prices on a variety of sugary treats. You can get a small Orange Julius smoothie — or a plethora of other frappes — for just $2, or small flavored iced coffees for a buck apiece.

If your treat looks almost too good to eat, feel free to share it on your social channels using the hashtag #DQFreeFrapp.

If this is what September brings, I’m OK with it.

Your Turn: Will you take advantage of this sweet freebie from Dairy Queen?

Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder and ice cream enthusiast. Her writing has also been featured at The Write Life, Word Riot, Nashville Review and elsewhere. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.

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Are You the Best at Your Job? People in These 10 Professions Think They Are

Have you noticed people in certain jobs always seem a little more confident than the rest of us?

Some people just seem certain they’re doing their best work, even better than everyone else.

Meanwhile, the rest of us are constantly seeking validation and worrying someone will eventually realize they made a serious mistake hiring us.

You might be surprised who actually falls into each category.

PayScale surveyed more than 300,000 workers to examine the job titles with the biggest egos, as well as the differences between generations, genders, education level, company size and income.

The study asked employees to rank how strongly they agree or disagree with the statement, “I am a top performer at my company for jobs similar to mine,” on a scale from one to five.

Those who replied “Strongly Agree” were classified as big ego employees, meaning they have either a “high level of professional confidence, an inflated sense of self, or both.”

Some findings are what we expected:

Baby boomers are more confident than millennials — probably because they’ve been working longer.

As companies get bigger, employee confidence drops.

People with MBAs have bigger egos than any other education level.

As pay level rises, so does confidence.

Some findings surprised us, though! Check out these 10 most and least confident jobs:

10 Jobs With the Biggest Ego

People in these jobs showed the most confidence in their skills

1. Private Household Cooks

2. Chief executives

3 (Tie). Farm, ranch and other agricultural managers

3 (Tie). Art directors

5. Airfield operations specialists

6. Floral designers

7. Plant and system operators

8. Chefs and head cooks

9. Bartenders

10 (Tie). Farmes and ranchers

10 (Tie). First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers

10 (Tie). Sound engineering technicians

10 (Tie). Job printers

10 (Tie). Archivists

The survey showed almost no difference in ego between genders: 44% of men and 43% of women report being top performers. However, men traditionally are more likely to hold many of the positions with the biggest egos.

Did you notice food industry workers in the top 10 three times?

To be fair, private household cooks could be the only person in their position in the company, if they work for themselves. That could explain why a whopping 74% of them report being the best.

Why do 61% of restaurant chefs and 60% of bartenders report being the best in their company?

Well, most of us have met these folks, or at least watched something starring Anthony Bourdain or Gordon Ramsay. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

10 Jobs With the Least Ego

People in these jobs showed the least confidence in their skills:

471. Pharmacists

475 (Tie). Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

475 (Tie). Electronic home entertainment equipment installers/repairers

475 (Tie). Firefighters

475 (Tie). Millwrights (factory machinery installer/repairer)

475 (Tie). Internists (doctor of internal medicine)

480. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists

481. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

482. Occupational therapist assistants

483. Graduate teaching assistants

Penny Hoarder staffers who have held the position are unsurprised to see graduate teaching assistants in last place here, with just 15% confident in their superiority.

One writer even told me she hated the forlorn looks of students so badly that she started to bring in fresh-baked cookies to soften the blow of graded tests. Do you think your CEO relies on cookies to break the ice?

Here are a few more — mostly unscientific — observations we had reviewing this report.

Mo’ Money = Mo’ Confidence

There’s a clear correlation between pay and ego. As salary goes up, so does ego at every level.

<$25K: 37%

$25K-$50K: 43%

$50K-$75K: 44%

$75K-$100K: 45%

$100K-$200K: 48%

>$200K: 56%

This doesn’t surprise us much, considering our culture generally equates pay with worth in the workplace.

If you’re paid more than your co-workers, you’ll probably assume you’re better at your job.

Conversely, a bigger ego could make an employee stronger in salary negotiations. If you’re more confident, you may ask for more money or leave jobs that don’t pay you what you’re worth.

Creatives Have Big Egos

Maybe it’s because we’re a team of writers, photographers and designers, but we were intrigued to see a lot of creative jobs near the top of the list.

In our experience, these are not people comfortable in their own skin.

Maybe they’re reporting higher confidence because they’re actually making a living doing what they love? I can personally attest to a spike in confidence when I sell books, work with a good client or land a new job.

Superiority in creative fields might also be more subjective than in quantitative fields.

Maybe we skew our skills more positively, while someone whose performance is measured with empirical data may see their mistakes more easily.

Here’s one more theory, because I’m awfully invested in convincing you that creative people aren’t all egomaniacs.

Creative professionals often rely on their own judgment and practice to qualify for a job, rather than on a clear hierarchy of professional credentials. It certainly requires confidence.

Quants Aren’t as Cocky As You’d Think

We were surprised to see a lot of highly-skilled trades fall to the bottom of the list.

Scientists and medical specialists, pharmacists, nuclear engineers and emergency management specialists are actually among the least confident professionals, while physical laborers are often among the most confident.

In fact, confidence almost directly goes down as the level of education goes up.

Those holding solely a GED or high school diploma tie with those holding an MBA for how often they report being the best at their job, while MDs report it the least:

MBA: 45%

GED or high school diploma: 45%

Associate degree: 44%

Some college: 44%

Ph.D.: 43%

Juris doctor degree (doctor of law): 42%

Bachelor’s degree: 42%

Master’s degree (non-MBA): 40%

M.D.: 39%

If you’d asked me to guess, I would’ve put medical doctors much higher on the big ego list.

But maybe a certain humility and drive for self-improvement are necessary in these highly-skilled jobs. When you think about it, you probably don’t want your doctor believing they have nothing new to learn.

To see where your job title falls on the list, read the full report here.

Your Turn: Which of these job titles surprises you the most?

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Achieving Health and Fitness Without Breaking the Bank

Almost every week, I receive a message from a reader looking for strategies to improve their personal health or fitness without spending substantial amounts of money.

It’s an understandable question. For starters, good health and personal fitness improves quality of life and reduces long term medical costs. In general, a person who is in good physical shape is going to feel better each day than a person who is in worse physical shape. The person in better shape will, in general, have more energy, be more well rested, and be better equipped to handle both the physical and mental challenges of modern life.

At the same time, there’s a strong perception that the strategies for achieving health and physical fitness are expensive. A healthy diet is often seen as a costly diet, for example, and the keys to physical fitness in the minds of many are deeply tied to expensive equipment and gym memberships.

What makes things even worse is that the media conveys health information very poorly, and corporations with a profit motive stir up the water even more. A corporation selling a marginally healthy product is going to want to make that product sound as healthy as possible, so they’re going to do everything they can to focus on health benefits and ignore health drawbacks in their advertising and in their public relations. At the same time, most media sources are pretty bad at actually sharing the results of scientific data. After all, scientists themselves are often not good at PR and can’t afford PR, either, and it can often be easy to draw the wrong conclusion from scientific studies.

Thus, it’s not surprising that most Americans are unclear on what they actually need to do to become healthy, even on the things where there’s a clear scientific consensus. Add on top of that the fact that many of the things that actually improve health have an appearance of being expensive and time-consuming and it’s no wonder that people make some awful health choices that, eventually, turn into very expensive health choices.

In an effort to maintain and improve my own health, I’ve read a ton of books on personal health and fitness (if I had to recommend just one book, it would be A Short Guide to a Long Life) and, along the way, I realized that out of all of the information out there, there are really only a few consensus strategies that are really recommended for virtually everyone. I can literally count them on my fingers.

Simply put, if you do the following five things, you will improve your long term health outcomes. (There are a few more that are nearly 100% consensus, but I’m going to stick with just these five.) It’s really that simple. Improving your long term health will not only save you money, but it will improve your quality of life today to boot.

But are they inexpensive? Here are the five consensus strategies for personal health I’ve learned over the years, along with some tips on how to do them without blowing out your paycheck.

Eat a Wide Variety of Fruits and Vegetables and Make Them the Majority of Your Diet

Eat fruits and vegetables. It’s that simple. They’re good for you. They’ve been the backbone of the human diet since the dawn of mankind. Our systems are designed to primarily run on fruits and vegetables.

Want a simple rule of thumb? At minimum, half of what you eat should either be clearly identifiable as a fruit or a vegetable. Things like grains, dairy products, and meats should make up the other half of your diet. If you’re not sure whether you’re eating half vegetables and fruit, err on the side of more vegetables and fruit. It really is that easy.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is actually pretty accurate.

How do I make this cheap?

Many people have the impression that eating in a healthier way like this is expensive, but it’s actually not bad at all. Here are some strategies for keeping it cheap.

Buy the produce that’s on sale. Check your grocery store flyer each week and check out the produce that’s normally on sale, then buy some of that for snacks and breakfasts (like bananas, apples, oranges, and so on) and vegetables for other meals.

Learn easy ways to prepare them that taste good. Making vegetables on your plate taste good without investing much time is simply a matter of learning some solid techniques. Steaming vegetables is actually really easy, as is grilling them. It’s also very easy to make them more flavorful; usually some black pepper and a pinch of salt and perhaps a bit of butter is all you really need for most vegetables. You can also buy flash-frozen vegetables in the freezer aisle that steam pretty well in the microwave in five minutes right in the bag.

Grow a garden and preserve the extras. A vegetable garden can provide an abundance of fresh vegetables during the summer months. Not only does this provide a ton of nearly free vegetables (and fruits) for your meals, it also allows you to stretch them into the fall and winter if you preserve the extras via freezing and canning and drying.

Eat as Little Refined Sugar as Possible

Refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not just in sodas. They’re in many of the foods that we eat – everything from pasta sauce to frozen dinners can contain sugar or corn syrup.

The truth is that a little bit of corn syrup or sugar is okay, but the typical American goes far, far beyond any reasonable recommendation for daily consumption. They get sugar from their meals, from their beverages, and from their snacks, too.

Sugar overconsumption is bad because it’s an extremely high-calorie food and it causes your blood sugar levels to escalate, which can really wreak havoc with your energy levels in the short term (sure, you might get an energy bump immediately, but that bump will have a crash and it will affect your baseline levels too) and cause serious long-term conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

Beyond a very small amount of daily sugar intake – an amount virtually all Americans get with incredible ease – additional sugar is almost entirely bad for you.

How do I make this cheap?

Unfortunately, many inexpensive foods and typical American household staples are laden with sugar and high fructose corn syrup. How can you get away from these foods and still keep your food bill in a reasonable place? Here are three strategies.

Dump soda. Almost all sodas contain some type of sweetener. Whether it’s sugar or corn syrup (or something that imitates their effects), that sweetener either directly brings about the negative effects described above or, in the case of artificial sweeteners, has other side effects that you really don’t want. The solution’s simple – dump soda from your life. If you switch to primarily drinking water, you eliminate the cost of soda as well as the negative health effects.

Dump sugary additives like coffee creamer. Many additives to coffees and teas, like sweetened creamers and, well, sugar, trigger almost all of the bad effects described above. Black coffee itself isn’t a problem – it’s the stuff that gets added to it. Slowly trim back on the sweetened creamers and sugar over time. Not only will this make the coffee cheaper, it’ll have health benefits, too.

Make simple staples like pasta sauce yourself. Whenever you have a chance to make something from raw ingredients or at least from simpler ingredients, it’s going to be healthier and it’s also probably going to be cheaper. For instance, you can make a great pasta sauce out of just a bit of olive oil, some diced tomatoes, and maybe some sauteed onions and green peppers. It takes about as much time to make it as it does to boil pasta, it’s cheaper, it’s incredibly tasty, and it comes without the extra sugar. (Plus, you can make extra and store it in the fridge in a closed container for a while, as the acids from the tomatoes give it a long fridge life.)

Choose Whole Foods over Refined Foods

This one’s simple. If you’re unsure as to which food to eat, choose the one that’s closest to the natural form that it takes when it’s picked or when it’s killed. If it’s been processed into some other form, eat as little of it as you can.

Why? In the industrial food era, whenever a food is processed by a company, lots of other ingredients that you usually don’t want are added to it. Look at the ingredient list on almost any food product on store shelves outside of the produce and meat sections. It’s loaded with stuff, much of which a typical American can’t identify and much of which you really shouldn’t be putting in your body.

The solution is easy: when in doubt, eat foods that are as close to the natural form as possible. That allows you to avoid lots of unnecessary things in your food that are, on the whole, detrimental to your health.

How do I make this cheap?

Many such processed foods are really cheap – I mean, have you ever looked at a ramen packet, for instance? How can you eat whole foods cheaply? Here are three tricks.

Keep lots of fruits and unseasoned nuts on hand for snacks, and buy the ones that are on sale. It’s very similar to what I mentioned earlier. Watch the grocery store flyers and pick up fruits and nuts when you see them on sale, then enjoy them as a snack. Many nuts are heavily seasoned with all kinds of stuff, so get unseasoned nuts and add your own simple seasonings if you’d like. Make nuts and fruits your default snack.

Eat simply-prepared vegetables as a side dish for most meals. As I mentioned above, it’s pretty easy to steam some vegetables – you can even buy pretty inexpensive bags of frozen vegetables that can be steamed in the bag in five minutes. You can also grill them or saute them in a bit of oil, too – there are lots of ways to do a simple prep of vegetables to get them on the table as a tasty side dish.

Get Some Moderate Exercise Most Days

No one expects you to become a superathlete, but most medical sources do encourage at least a little bit of exercise several times a week. The most common recommendation I’ve found is to exercise moderately for half an hour five times a week.

Moderate exercise simply means that you’re doing enough to get your heart rate pumping a little bit and getting a little bit out of breath. Depending on your fitness level, it can take different exercises to reach this point, but as long as you’re doing something regularly that raises your pulse and your breathing pace, you’re good.

I suggest trying to make it a daily routine because it’s easier said than done.

How do I make this cheap?

Many people turn this into a gym routine, but it doesn’t have to be a gym routine. It just has to be a routine that you can repeat yourself. Here are some ideas for home exercise that don’t include the cost of a gym.

Make a daily walk part of your routine. I find that going on a walk/jog at whatever pace I need to do to raise my breath and pace a little is a great and incredibly inexpensive way to get that exercise. I do it as part of my normal workday as a method for clearing my mind and working through problems, and I’m often listening to a podcast while doing so.

Find exercises to do at home that you enjoy and can do every day. There are many, many bodyweight exercises you can do at home that can improve your health, from pushups and squats to planks and situps to lunges and jumping jacks. I like using my own variant on the lifetime fitness ladder for these exercises. You also might want to try a 7 minute workout for a similar effect.

Find simple ways to incorporate lifting weight into that home routine. Lifting even a little bit of weight can really amplify the health effects of exercise, as you’re working more muscles and building some muscle tone (you generally don’t build large muscles unless you’re intentionally trying to do so). One thing I like to do is to do lunges with a barbell, lifting it above my head with alternating arms. You can get a barbell at almost any secondhand sporting goods store for just a few bucks.

Don’t Smoke, Don’t Do Drugs, and Don’t Drink to Excess

If you’re intentionally putting things in your body that you don’t need for basic hydration and nutrition, they’re probably a waste of money, plus many of those things have detrimental side effects with even a little bit of consumption (the jury’s still out on very moderate alcohol use, but heavy alcohol use is quite bad).

The problem with many such substances is that they’re addictive. It can be very difficult and even quite painful to get out of a routine of using them. However, breaking an addictive habit like these habits will not only improve your health, it’ll also improve your finances as well.

Hopefully, you can go by this section and simply mentally mark it with a check, as you’ve already done it. But if not, read on.

How do I make this cheap?

Obviously, cutting the expense of alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs out of your life is going to be a money saver, so here are three strategies that work well for cutting a bad habit out of your life.

Quit cold turkey. Almost every story I’ve heard about individuals quitting a bad habit involves them simply deciding to stop at some point and never returning. A gentle slowdown rarely seems to work – the best approach is to stop, deal with the short term intense challenges of breaking an addiction, and moving on from there. Make the choice to quit and just do it.

Find social support for not using that substance, and avoid social situations that encourage use. If you have a normal social routine that involves using a particular substance, do everything you can to change it. Instead, consciously choose to spend your time on social and life situations that don’t encourage use and, in fact, subtly discourage it. You’ll be far better off with that new routine.

Learn other ways to handle stress and challenging emotions. Many people rely on substances in times of stress or even to just handle the emotional twists of everyday life. Seek out a new outlet for those feelings. (Personally, I find exercise and long walks to be a killer outlet, so try those strategies listed above).

Final Thoughts

Like it or not, poor health has a steep financial cost, and the day to day choices that many of us make put us on a direct path toward poor health. From the food we eat to the activities we choose to the ways we relieve our stresses, we often end up doing bad things to our bodies that end up costing us a ton of money over the long haul, never mind the reduction in life quality.

The best solution, of course, is to stop those routines now rather than later and establish better ones. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Cut back on sugar. Eat more raw foods. Get some regular exercise. Stop the use of any vice substances.

What you’ll find if you make those choices is that your long term health prospects improve and your long term health costs go down significantly. You’ll also find yourself feeling better, which increases your earning potential and also increases your likelihood of making good decisions.

These changes aren’t costly, either. Most of them can be done at minimal cost and some of them directly save you money. In fact, you can probably make all of the changes in this article and find yourself spending less money on food and health than you do right now.

It just requires some changes in routine, and those are the hardest changes. Your best approach for making those changes is to do it with others. Get the support of people around you for all of the changes you make and you’ll find those changes become easier and easier.

Good luck!

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