Sixty-five employers seeking workers are lined up for the Working Pike Job Fair on Friday at the Best Western Inn at Hunt’s Landing, says Mike Sullivan, executive director of Pike County Economic Development Authority. Other employers are on a waiting list, because 65 tables is all the space can hold, he says. Sullivan expects the fair to [...]
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الأربعاء، 13 أبريل 2016
"More than Money" host celebrates 25 years of radio broadcasting
"More than Money with Gene Dickison" marked 25 years of broadcasting live financial radio shows on March 26th on AM 790 WAEB in Allentown.Dickison has hosted more than 1,200 shows in that time, a press release said.The show was originally based in Stroudsburg, then moved to Hazleton before finding a home at WAEB 15 years ago. Dickison estimates he has answered more than 15,000 listener on air. He notes that both radio and the financial advisory profession [...]
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Stop Flushing Money Down the Toilet! This Simple Tool Saves You $35 a Year
Do you know 27% of your home’s water use comes from just flushing the toilet?
Each person averages five flushes per day at home, according to Conserve H2O — or 20 flushes per day for a family of four.
Every flush costs money, and they can really add up.
But we found an easy tool to cut your toilet’s water use — and cost — almost in half.
How Much Does It Cost to Flush Your Toilet?
Toilets have come a long way in recent decades, but a lot of homes are still equipped with old, inefficient systems that waste money.
If your toilet was made before 1994, it probably uses between 3.5 and 7 gallons of water per flush. Even newer toilets use up to 1.6 gallons.
So your family could be flushing up to 140 gallons of water down the toilet every day.
Between average water and sewer rates, you’ll pay about 0.3 cents per gallon.
At 3.5 gallons per flush, your family is paying about $76.65 per year just to flush the toilet.
Not everyone has the option to replace the old john, and some of us aren’t too keen on the “let it mellow” rule to save water.
Reduce Water Use Without Buying a New Toilet
An easy way to reduce the amount of water you use — and the cost of it — is to minimize the amount of water needed to fill the tank after each flush.
You can do so by putting something in the tank to take up space.
The Tank Bank is a tool made for that exact purpose. It clips onto the side of your toilet tank and displaces approximately 0.8 gallons of water per flush.
Clip two Tank Banks inside your toilet tank to save 1.6 gallons of water per flush, and you’ll save $35.04 — or 46% — on your water bill every year.
A pack of three Tank Banks is just $12.99, and they never need to be maintained. Click below to buy yours now, and continue to save money year after year.
Your Turn: What tricks does your family use to save money on water?
Disclosure: Clink! Clink! Clink! That’s the sound of pennies hitting our piggy bank, thanks to the affiliate links in this post. It’s a better savings plan than stopping traffic to pick up loose change — and safer, too!
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).
The post Stop Flushing Money Down the Toilet! This Simple Tool Saves You $35 a Year appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Barrett Twp. officials to address fate of Buck Hill Inn tonight
Could Barrett Township officials fund the demolition of properties at the old Buck Hill Falls?Township supervisors are scheduled to consider such an action at tonight’s meeting, but using open space funds would be a tough sell, at least for Supervisor Loree Guthrie.“I can’t really speak for where it’s at right now because I missed the last meeting, but I can tell you that from what I know of the proposal I’d be against it,” Guthrie said [...]
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Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1V1Uo6P
If You Buy Your Summer Flights on This Day, You Could Save 60%
Wanna get away this summer? Of course you do.
If the only thing standing in your way is the cost of a plane ticket, we’ve got some good news: Summer flights have decreased in price over the past year.
When compared to 2015, “overall domestic summer airfare (flights departing and returning during June, July or August), is down from a median price of $330 to $286,” reports travel search engine Hipmunk.
Even better, Hipmunk examined exactly when to buy plane tickets for summer travel — and according to its data, you’ve still got time to firm up your plans!
Keep reading for the details and dates…
When to Buy Plane Tickets for Summer Travel
Though none of the cheapest days to buy flights have passed us by yet, you’ll have to act soon if you’re traveling in early summer.
By booking ahead of time, you could save as much as 60% off last-minute tickets, reports Hipmunk.
If you want to travel on these popular holidays, for example, here are the timeframes when you should book, based on data from 2015:
Memorial Day: Five weeks prior (This year, that’s April 25.)
Fourth of July: Six weeks prior (This year, that’s May 23.)
Labor Day: Seven weeks prior (This year, that’s July 18.)
And if your dates are flexible, here are Hipmunk’s guidelines:
For the cheapest tickets, book “two months before the beginning of summer or five to seven weeks prior to their departure month, with a vacation in August needing the least amount of lead time and a vacation in July the most.”
These charts will help clarify when you should pull the trigger:
Want to save even more money on travel? Check out these posts:
Your Turn: Where do you want to go this summer?
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.
The post If You Buy Your Summer Flights on This Day, You Could Save 60% appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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This Loophole Could Be Worth an Extra $30K in Social Security Benefits
Forget tax day — April 29 could be a much more important deadline for married baby boomers.
Because of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, an often-overlooked Social Security loophole will stop accepting new applications at the end of this month.
The “file and suspend” option allows 66-year-olds to file for Social Security, but delay their payments and allow their spouses to receive “spousal benefits” in the meantime. The spouse must be at least 62 at the time of application.
Why would anyone bother? It could help you — or your parents — get thousands of dollars more in the long run.
Why Baby Boomers Should Use Social Security Spousal Benefits
Chicago Tribune reporter Gail MarksJarvis explained it best:
Under file and suspend, when a married person turns 66, he or she can file to claim Social Security benefits but then ask to hold off on getting paid benefits. It’s usually a husband. The reason: By taking the official action of claiming the benefits, he sets in motion a rule in which his spouse can then claim what are known as “spousal benefits.” Those benefits are a portion of what the husband would receive based on his own working years.
Why go through all this?
For each year you delay your Social Security payments, your benefits increase about 8%. Your Social Security benefits at age 70, for instance, are almost guaranteed to be higher than if you started drawing payments at age 66.
This strategy could help some couples get $30,000 more in Social Security, one financial planner told the Tribune, though the amount depends on your income and how many years you paid into the program.
If you don’t apply by April 29, you can still start drawing Social Security payments any time after age 66, but there won’t be a spousal benefit to cash in.
You can start drawing Social Security payments as early as 62 years old or as late as 70, but the longer you wait, the bigger benefit you’ll receive.
Are You or Your Parents Eligible?
Not only are tons of baby boomers just figuring out this legit loophole exists, but some Social Security workers are just catching on, too.
MarksJarvis explained many eligible couples had recently been denied spousal benefits because agents weren’t clear on how the program is administered — so if you or your parents have been denied, it might be worth checking again.
To find out if you or your parents are eligible, visit the Social Security Administration’s online retirement planner.
Your Turn: Will you try to cash in on this benefit before it expires?
Lisa Rowan is writer, editor and podcaster living in Washington, D.C.
The post This Loophole Could Be Worth an Extra $30K in Social Security Benefits appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Motif Investing Review – Investing With Experts
When I started this Motif Investing review, I already knew that the best way to invest might also be the most boring way to invest.
Buy and hold. Buy and hold. Buy, and, yeah . . . hold!
Long-term investing is my recommendation for the masses, and unfortunately, that’s just not a very exciting way to invest.
Think about it. What’s exciting about throwing your money into a well-diversified portfolio and having it sit there for 20, 30, or 40 years? Not much. Well, that is, until you retire and realize you potentially have enough money to fill a swimming pool.
Personally, I get excited about investing. But I understand that for most people, it’s a chore they do because they understand the importance of investing in their future.
I’m always looking for ways to make investing exciting for people while warning them of the dangers of day trading. Thankfully, there are new companies cropping up everywhere that promise to add some spice back into investing.
One of those companies is Motif Investing.
So buckle up, we have a lot to cover.
Let’s Get This Motif Investing Review Started – What’s a Motif Anyway?
Traditionally, if you wanted to invest a sum of money, you would probably meet face to face with a financial advisor who would select a portfolio of stocks and bonds to match your risk tolerance level.
This is still an excellent way to invest, but what if you’re the DIY-type and want to learn a bit about the investment process yourself? Well, you’d have a lot to learn. How much should you invest in emerging markets? How are large cap stocks doing? What’s an outrageous amount to pay in mutual fund fees? What are the best places to open a brokerage account? These are just a small fraction of the number of questions you might have to answer in order to construct a solid portfolio.
If you don’t know much about that stuff, you’re not alone. It’s very, very difficult to create a comprehensive portfolio that’s tailored to your needs and risk tolerance level.
That’s where Motif Investing saves the day. Motif Investing allows you to invest online in things you already know about.
For example, let’s say you study electric vehicles and think they are the way of the future. You can invest in a “Battery Charged” motif with Motif Investing.
You see, motifs are groupings of stocks that are based on a single idea. You could invest in a “Robotic Revolution” motif or a “Medical Devices” motif. Simply visit the Motif Investing website, type in what you want to invest in, and you’re almost sure to find a motif related to your interests.
This is cool. Really cool.
Why? It gives the masses a way to invest in what they believe in without having to understand investing rocket science.
Motif Investing also allows you to invest in a way that makes sense. For example, if you want to invest $5,000 into Apple, you can do that – you aren’t forced into buying a certain whole number of shares. While that’s powerful, the most powerful feature is you can invest in what you believe in – and not in what you don’t.
How Motifs Are Constructed
As stated earlier, motifs are a basket of stocks based on a single idea. When you select a motif, you can read the full details about the motif. The stocks are grouped together into segments.
For example, the “Robotic Revolution” motif is split into the following segments:
- Military & Defense
- Medical Applications
- Industrial Solutions
- Maritime Exploration
- Consumer Products
Next to each of the segments, there are percentages that indicate how much of the entire motif that segment represents. This is helpful, as it allows you to understand how each motif is weighted. If you don’t agree with how the motif is weighted, you can always choose another, yet similar motif.
Under each segment are the stocks. You’ll know exactly what you’re investing into and what percentage of the portfolio each stock represents.
Who Builds These Motifs?
There are over 150 professionally-built motifs. That’s a lot to choose from.
These professionally-build motifs are separated into categories that allow you to find what you’re looking for very quickly:
- Sectors
- Income Strategies
- Trading Strategies
- Global Opportunities
- Values-Based
- Asset Allocation
So, really, no matter how you like to pick your investments, there are groups of motifs for you.
If you’re hungry for more, there are more than 180,000 motifs that were built or customized by people in the Motif community. That’s a lot, people.
Yes, that means you can create your own motif and share it with your friends, family, or fans. In fact, that’s exactly what I did during the Grow Your Dough Throwdown 2.0. I chose a few stocks and created the Good Financial Cents motif. I have a whole bunch of goodies in this motif, including AT&T Inc. and Cincinnati Financial Corp., just to name a few.
How Much Do Motifs Cost?
This is one of the best parts of Motif Investing: it’s inexpensive to use the service.
Some services might charge around 10 bucks for a trade of one particular stock. With Motif Investing, you’re just going to pay $9.95 in total for up to 30 stocks in a motif.
And yep, that’s if you buy a motif as it comes, if you customize it how you want it, or if you build it from the ground up. That’s pretty straightforward.
You should know, however, that this pricing also applies to when you sell motifs, buy additional entire motifs that you own, or if you rebalance positions in a motif. This isn’t surprising, and the pricing structure here still represents an excellent deal.
Additionally, keep in mind that the minimum investment amount is $250 for these buy and sell orders unless you do a “Sell All” order to sell an entire motif you own. Please note that on the FAQ page, it states that “you can start investing for as little as $300.” This higher amount is listed so that you can pay the fee for buying or selling motifs. It’s a good suggestion anyway, as if you’re going to invest in motifs, you’re probably going to want to put even quite a bit more money into the motif to make it worth your fee.
Now, you may be thinking, “Okay Jeff, I get the motif thing, but what if I want to buy and sell individual shares within a motif I own?”
That’s a good question. You might want to do so if you find a particular stock no longer really makes sense for a motif you own. Thankfully, you can buy and sell individual stocks and ETFs in motifs you own and it only costs $4.95 per stock or ETF. While that’s steep compared to buying or selling whole motifs, it’s still not that bad.
Oh, and by the way, you can also buy and sell individual stocks and ETFs outside of motifs you own for the same price. Bonus!
There are some other fees with Motif Investing, but most of them you’ll probably never experience. Here’s a list of Motif Investing fees and additional pricing details.
Let’s Talk Motif Investing Returns!
When you invest with Motif Investing, remember, you’re most likely going to be investing in a diversified way. However, your portfolio is probably not going to be as diversified as a portfolio designed by a professional financial advisor.
Say, for example, you invest in a few motifs. Yeah, you’re diversified, but those motifs probably don’t closely represent the market as a whole. That’s why I feel you’ll find your returns to be more volatile than, say, investing in an index fund. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s something to know.
While Motif Investing boasts a 16.3% average annualized return using their pre-built professional motifs, it’s important to remember that this figure is using data starting at their creation which was not that long ago (from January 1, 2012 through July 31, 2015). While they represent this fairly on their website, it’s important to note that you simply should not compare this figure with long-term historical returns of the stock market – it’s apples and oranges.
Is Motif Investing Right for You?
This, my friends, is the important question. Is Motif Investing right for you?
Like just about every investing service out there, Motif Investing isn’t right for everyone. However, it is right for quite a few people. Here are some thoughts . . . .
Investing for Retirement
Investing for retirement is probably the most important reason to invest. How does Motif Investing fit in retirement investing?
Well, the good news is that you can open a Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, or Rollover IRA account with Motif Investing. There are no fees for opening or maintaining such an account. However, there is a $95 account termination fee. This, obviously, isn’t a big deal if you’re going to be keeping your retirement account for a long time.
With the low minimum investment and the ability to create a retirement account, Motif Investing is positioned to take a lot of clients who may not be able to afford investing the minimums often required by financial advisors.
On the other hand, I do have some concerns about people who might use Motif Investing to invest in only a few motifs; say, “Minimally Invasive Surgery” and “Modern Warfare.” Investing in a few motifs with all of your retirement money isn’t the wisest thing to do. I mean, sure, maybe world war breaks out and outpatient surgeries become exceedingly popular, but placing your bets on just a few motifs isn’t what I’d call “appropriate diversification.”
Motif Investing is great for those who are just starting out with investing for retirement and who can have the self control to diversify well. If that’s you, try out Motif Investing.
Investing for Short-Term Goals
Because individual motifs probably have a higher likelihood than a well-diversified portfolio to be volatile, and if you’re looking to invest for the short-term, Motif Investing probably isn’t right for you.
Instead, here are 11 of the best short-term investments for your money. These investments are much better suited for you.
Investing for Fun
I can see how Motif Investing would be great for people who are already investing for retirement and want to invest some money on the side – just for fun.
With a variety of fun motifs to choose from, Motif Investing is great for those who want to “play” with some money on the side to see what happens. Of course, this should still always be done in a serious manner.
For example, let’s say you’re a fan of planes, trucks, trains, and just about anything with an engine that moves things. You might have some fun investing in the “Transporting America” motif. Of course, I would always recommend investing in things you believe in, so make sure you believe in the future of transportation before you invest in it.
If you’re already financially secure and want to have a little fun with some extra money, try out Motif Investing.
Closing Thoughts
Motif Investing is a unique and easy way to invest in what interests you – all at a relatively very low price.
It’s unique because you can invest in what interests you and invest in whole dollar amounts instead of having to invest in whole share amounts. This is what sets it apart from the competition.
It’s also an easy way to invest because it’s online. The user interface is pretty straightforward, and you don’t have to understand the complexities of investments to make an informed decision – the information about each motif readily available.
Finally, the price is right – especially if you buy in bulk.
I hope you enjoyed this Motif Investing review. Try it out and tell me what you think in the comments!
Please note: This Motif Investing review contains affiliate links that result in a commission that I’d earn for you signing up for the services listed (this doesn’t cost you more). Remember: I wouldn’t recommend anything I wouldn’t use myself.
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4 Ways to Make Your Content Gripping to Readers
Do your readers hang on to your every word?
I bet they don’t.
Okay, that’s not fair because mine don’t all either.
The facts clearly show that a large chunk of your readers will skim your content, no matter what.
But that still leaves a lot of readers.
And these readers can choose to skim as well, read somewhat closely, or read every single word you write.
I think you’ll agree that the last option is the best for us as content creators.
Think of the blogs you read on a regularly basis. How many recent posts have really gripped you?
I mean those cases when you read every single word because you couldn’t help it.
Maybe one or two?
It’s certainly not common. And because it’s challenging to create content that does grip your readers, you won’t be able to achieve it in every case.
But that’s the goal that you should have in mind. It’s what I’m always trying to do when I write a blog post, guide, or guest post.
In this post, I want to share four methods that I personally try to use to accomplish this.
Start incorporating these tactics into your own content, one-by-one, and I guarantee that you’ll start seeing more comments, more subscribers, and better on-page metrics (like time on page, bounce rate, etc.).
1. We NEED answers as readers
The first requirement for gripping content is that it needs to be interesting.
It doesn’t matter how well-written something is if your reader doesn’t have at least some interest in it.
I’m going to assume that you can come up with some decent content ideas fairly interesting to your audience.
More importantly, you need to use a principle called curiosity gaps as often as possible.
Curiosity gaps have less to do with what you’re writing about and more with how you are writing—to maximize interest.
Here’s what a curiosity gap is:
The more we are interested in finding an answer, and the less of an idea we have of what the answer actually is, the more curious we are. A curiosity gap is the space in between what we know and what we want to know.
Sites like Upworthy and Buzzfeed use curiosity gaps in their headlines all the time, despite their claims that they don’t.
And it’s because they work.
Joanna Wiebe, from Copy Hackers, implemented curiosity gaps on a pricing page and increased clicks on it by 927%.
Using curiosity gaps to make your content gripping: Okay, neat, but how do you actually use curiosity gaps in your content?
You can’t control what your reader already knows; that’s going to be different for everyone.
What you can control is how much they want to know the answer to something.
It starts off with the benefit that your content provides. That’s where you get the initial interest.
The benefit might be:
- Showing how to make an extra $1,000 a month
- Teaching how to use a tool to save 5 hours a week
- Learning from your 10 biggest mistakes as a business owner
- Or anything else that most of your readers would want to find out.
If you emphasize a good benefit in your headline and first few paragraphs, you’ve already built up some interest—perfect.
Now, you need to deepen the curiosity gap by increasing your reader’s desire to know the answer even more.
There are a few ways to do that, but the best way is to surprise them.
Take that first example I just gave you: a method to make an extra $1,000 a month.
Most readers will be interested in it, but they’ll also assume that it’s going to be straightforward, like working an extra 5 hours a week or getting a second job.
Instead, you need to surprise them.
What if we changed it to: A non-obvious method to make an extra $1,000 a month.
Now, the reader is even more interested because they don’t even have a good guess at your answer.
But you can apply this within your content itself, not just the headline and first paragraph.
Tell the reader that you’ll reveal a trick or secret of yours to get even better results from whatever you’re writing about.
The final note I need to make here is that you need to deliver on your surprise. If you promise a non-obvious method, it needs to actually be non-obvious, or you’ll lose your reader’s trust.
2. If you saw an angel, wouldn’t you pay attention?
We’ve all seen it on TV: a guy sees a girl he thinks is beautiful, the music starts playing, and light begins radiating outwards from her.
All of a sudden, he can’t focus on anything else but her.
That’s obviously not completely realistic, but it has some truth to it:
When we are in awe of something, or even just impressed by it, we focus our attention on it.
Can you guess how this applies to content?
If your reader is impressed by either you or your content, they’ll be glued to every word on the page.
The tough part is finding a way to impress your readers.
One of the best methods to do that is to use the “halo effect”: once we see someone or something in a positive light, we rate them highly in other aspects as well.
For example, studies showed that we naturally think that beautiful people are kinder, more trustworthy, and smarter than less attractive people.
But it goes beyond just basic traits.
One study had subjects grade a written essay, but only after they saw a photo of the supposed author. Some study participants were shown photos of attractive authors, and others were shown photos of unattractive authors.
Here’s the twist: the essay was the same regardless of the author photo the subjects saw.
The researchers found that the clearly attractive authors got a rating of 6.7 out of 10, but the unattractive writers got only 5.9 out of 10.
On a different essay with the same setup, the attractive authors got 5.2, while unattractive authors got only 2.7.
Basically, if a reader thinks highly of you in one area, their opinion of you will transfer over to other areas and, in particular, your content.
When we like people or are impressed by them, we give them the benefit of the doubt.
You’ll see a few things when you come to Quick Sprout or any of my other blogs, starting with a picture of me in the sidebar:
No, I’m not ready for GQ, but I had professional pictures taken and cleaned myself up the best I could before the photo shoot.
Present yourself in the most attractive light you can, and that will carry over to your content.
It’s not all about looks: I went over only a few studies about the halo effect above, but there are many more. And others prove that the effect applies not just to looks but indeed to all traits.
If someone is really nice, we think that they’re probably smart.
If someone is really accomplished, we think their content must be amazing.
And so on…
You can see that I use the halo effect further within the biography under my picture.
When someone first finds out who I am, they see that I’ve worked with massive companies and have founded two successful companies.
When someone gets to my content, they’ll see I’m not just some random guy. Instead, they’ll think something like:
Holy crap, this guy is successful! He must know what he’s talking about, so I’d better pay attention.
But don’t think the halo effect is about tricking people. It’s about making sure they see your best traits as soon as possible.
Find a way to impress people either above or beside your content or within the content itself (tell a story that relays an impressive accomplishment).
Your face isn’t the only thing that can be pretty: Think about what makes a person attractive.
It’s not just their actions or looks. It’s also things like their clothes.
Pop quiz:
Which content do you think readers would rate higher:
- a guide with minimal formatting?
- a guide with a beautiful design?
The answer is obvious. The same content will be rated higher when it’s designed well, and that’s because of the halo effect.
That’s one of the reasons I spent so much on design for my advanced guides (in the sidebar):
Yes, the content is great, but the design is as good, or better, than that of almost any other piece of content on the Internet.
Readers have carefully read the whole guide throughout the years not only because of the content but also because of the design.
You don’t necessarily have to go to the same length, but do whatever you can to improve the look of your content (images, formatting, font, etc.).
3. Explain complex topics like your readers are 5 years old
Think about the last piece of gripping content you read.
Chances are you weren’t scratching your head every 5 seconds or heading to Google because you didn’t understand something.
The best content isn’t written in complex terms, which is why some of the smartest people can’t write content to save their lives.
This is a very simple tweak you can make to instantly make your content more gripping—just write simpler.
You don’t have to write as if your readers were literally 5 years old, but you want to write in a way that will allow 95% of them to understand everything you wrote without having to look up words, acronyms, or other terms or concepts.
4. The same old angle is never gripping
Remember when you were a kid and when learning basic addition was fun?
Most people enjoy new things.
What they don’t enjoy is repetition.
Once you learned how to add, did you really want to spend hours every day doing it?
I’m guessing no—because doing exactly the same thing over and over is boring.
This goes back to the curiosity gap. If there is no gap (because you already know the end result), there’s no curiosity.
And yet marketers regularly produce content that is very similar to tons of other content already out there.
For example, if you search for “guest post guide,” you’ll find a few different guides from well-known sites:
But you can go down hundreds of results, and you’ll still find more guest-posting guides.
Who’s going to find those interesting after they’ve learned 99% of what they need from those first few guides?
Approach it from a new direction: I’m not saying you can’t write about topics that have been written about. But I’m saying you need a unique angle that hasn’t been done (at least not too much).
More lectures on addition will be boring to anyone who can already add. However, teaching someone to add in their head could be new and fun.
Readers and students will always pay more attention to new angles and new ideas.
My challenge for you here is this: the next time you’re writing an article, see if it’s been done before. Search for similar articles.
If you find several, you need to change the approach you take to your article because chances are many of your readers have already seen those other ones.
For example, you might want to write an SEO guide.
Well, there are hundreds out there that go over all the basics of SEO, so there’s nothing you can add to that.
However, you can take unique angles to appeal to specific audiences. For example:
- How to SEO a Joomla site in under 10 minutes
- How SEO for a local business differs from SEO for a typical website
- How to set up your social media accounts for better search rankings
Be different.
Conclusion
If you want true fans, you need to create content they love.
They can’t just like it because in that case they’ll often skim it.
You want them to read every single word because they can’t help it. These readers will then sign up to your email lists, buy your products, and help share your content.
This isn’t easy, which is why I showed you these four ways to make your content more gripping.
Start by applying a single method, and once you have that down, start with the next one.
Track your results before and after applying each tactic, and I think you’ll be happy with the improvements you’ll get in reader engagement.
If you’ve found any other technique particularly useful to make your content more compelling, please share it with everyone in a comment below—and I’d love to hear about it too.
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Circulation: A Simple Case for Charity
Yesterday, I published an article entitled What Spending a $10,000 Windfall Can Teach You About Your Everyday Finances in which I briefly spoke about the idea of spending that windfall on charitable causes. First, I directly discussed the idea of donating that windfall:
When I think about charitable giving, I think on the local level, much like I do with political giving. The charities in my area that deserves the most attention, in my opinion, are the local food and clothing pantries, which do amazing work in terms of keeping food in the bellies and clothes on the backs of many people in our community.
Later, I talked about the benefits of giving to charity:
The people and things in our community have a lot to do with the quality of life that we enjoy here. Happy, healthy, and secure neighbors and happy, healthy, and secure families nearby add up to a more joyful experience for everyone in our community. The better the community is for everyone, the better it will be for us. That joy reflects back when you see happier and more secure neighbors, well maintained resources, and an abundance of community activities and events. Truly, the best way to have those things is to give of yourself.
This is an idea that I believe in deeply. When you give to charity, particularly on the local level, you improve your community in a number of ways, and those community improvements bounce back to you in countless ways.
One of the big consumers of my spare time is charity work. In the last year, I’ve spent quite a few hours working for a local food pantry (as well as serving on multiple oversight committees). There was one particular experience during one of my food pantry shifts that really made an impact on me and helped me to see the community benefits of working at a food pantry.
An Experience with Charity
I was at the food pantry during a normal evening shift when people come in to receive their food. Our normal process is that each person that can demonstrate need can come in and receive a bag of food for each person living in their home. So, if you have a married couple with three kids that qualify, they can get five bags of food to take home with them.
I usually didn’t deal with that end of the paperwork. Instead, my role is usually to keep the shelves stocked and help people carry things and reach things as they’re choosing items from the shelves.
Unexpectedly, one of the people who arrived in the food pantry was a parent to one of the children that my kids knew. This parent was actually a very good parent – he had multiple nice, energetic children that my kids had played with many times in the past. His children were polite and well cared for – the kinds of kids I’m perfectly happy for my own children to be playing with. I didn’t react any differently toward this parent, as I generally just help people get food when I’m there without any comment unless questions are asked, but I knew that he recognized me as well.
Afterwards, when I reflected on seeing that parent there, I actually felt incredibly happy. I felt as though I could clearly see how my time and energy and donations for a local charity directly helped someone I knew, and how the ripple effect from that actually lifted my children and the community as a whole.
First of all, I knew that the food this guy took home with him would go directly on his children’s plates. That little kid that I’ve seen my own kids playing with would have some good meals in the coming days, regardless of what his family’s financial state happened to be like.
Second, having those meals would add to stability in that home. Those kids would feel more secure about having food to eat at home and that their parents would take care of them. It’s not the ultimate solution to home stability, but it is unquestionably a step in the right direction.
Part of the result of those factors is that those children are better equipped to do well in school. Obviously, this isn’t the perfect solution here, but it is a step in the right direction. I saw that father pick out breakfast cereals, eggs, milk and other items that will put a good breakfast in the belly of those children, putting them on a path to have a good day at school.
Because of that, those children will be less disruptive and better equipped to participate in the classroom. That doesn’t just increase their own learning situation, but improves the learning environment of all of the children in the school. Those kids are going to be less disruptive and require less direct attention from the teacher. Not only that, those children are going to learn more as well, setting them on a better educational track which potentially leads to better economic outcomes for those kids.
In terms of a more direct benefit to me, my children share a classroom and a playground with those children, and if those children go to school with a breakfast in their belly and a better sense of stability at home, those children are going to be less disruptive in class and more peaceful on the playground. That means a better learning environment for my own children, along with peers that are more peaceful and more conducive to learning on the whole.
The Idea of Circulation
The idea that I’m describing, in which my own charitable work ends up rippling through the community and providing some benefit to my own family (and to everyone else in the community), is sometimes described as “circulation.” It’s the “stone in a still lake” effect – when you make a change in one person’s life, the effects of that change ripple out in unforeseen ways, affecting things in ways that you never quite see or expect.
The challenge with circulation is that you often don’t directly see the effects of what your good deeds actually do. The story I’m telling above is of just one family, but on a given week at the food pantry, as many as fifty or sixty people will come through. Each one of those people has their own life story and many have their own families that receive some positive benefit from the charity. It’s like throwing a big handful of stones into a still pond – there are so many ripples everywhere that you can’t possibly understand or see all of the positive effects, and many of them bounce off each other and create even more positive ripples.
I think that circulation is a great way to describe it. Eventually, the ripples that come from that positive act cycle around and affect me in some positive ways, usually in ways that I can’t see or connect to the charitable act. For me, the rare instance when I can see that circulation, as in the story I told above, is very valuable to me. It’s just that there are many, many more stories like that that I don’t see.
The Challenge of Charitable Giving
This is obviously a good idea on paper, but when we look at our own resources, it becomes a much more difficult situation. The reality is that all of us have limited resources to give. There are only 168 hours in a week and most of those hours are accounted for if you’re working, eating, sleeping, and carrying on basic life functions. Most people are also very financially restricted as well. It’s easy to see the positive circulation effects of charity, but it’s a lot harder to make the choice to take something out of our lives and toss it into the still waters to see the ripples.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re considering charity but are really stretched financially or are in the midst of a financial recovery.
Even small amounts help. A $5 donation to your local food pantry buys a surprising amount of food. Food pantries often have agreements with various other organizations and businesses to buy food items at a discounted price, so your $5 donated to the food pantry goes farther than spending $5 at the grocery store.
Donate your own unwanted items. Let’s say you clean out your pantry and find a bunch of extra boxes of spaghetti that you won’t be using any time soon. Those boxes can make a great donation to a charity. The same is true for almost any extra nonperishable food items or any extra household supplies. If you’re not going to use them, someone else can get a lot of good from those items. You can use the same approach with your extra clothes and the local clothing pantry.
Give your time. If you have a free evening once a week, consider donating your time to a charitable cause. Charities have all kinds of uses for spare hours that people donate, often doing things that you wouldn’t expect like filling out paperwork, reorganizing things, cleaning, or other basic tasks.
Give your skills. If you have skills that might prove useful to a charity, such as grant writing skills or IT skills or speaking skills, don’t be afraid to offer up those skills, either. Most charities can find a way to put those skills to use, which will save them a lot of money as they don’t have to hire out for those skills. They can use that money for their own cause instead.
Give without charitable structures. You don’t even have to give to a charity. You can give by being a positive member of your community. Smile at people on the street and in the store and greet them positively. Give people assistance in the moment, like returning their shopping cart for them in the parking lot. Do this without regard for the recipient – help the well-dressed person and the roughly-dressed person equally. Little moves like this lift the recipient’s day and create that very circulatory effect I was talking about earlier.
In the end, it’s up to you to build the kind of community you want to live in. You build it both with your big actions and choices, like donating time and money to a charity, and your little ones, like helping someone who’s struggling to load their groceries into their car. Regardless of the positive action you choose, it creates a circulatory effect that raises the lives of people throughout your community and ends up reflecting back on you in ways you likely will never directly see, but in those rare moments when you do see that circulation at work, it makes you feel pretty good, too.
Charity isn’t about opening your wallet and getting nothing in return. It’s about opening your heart and all that you have and getting some amazing circulation in return. Good luck!
The post Circulation: A Simple Case for Charity appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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This Insurance Company Will Give You $600 a Year for Buying Healthy Food
Life insurance sounds a little morbid, doesn’t it? We usually think about it as a way to take care of your family once you’re, uh… gone.
John Hancock wants to change that — and give a little life (ha!) to its insurance programs.
The company has teamed up with Vitality, which administers health benefits programs for employers and insurers.
If you live a healthy lifestyle — or you’re willing to adopt one — you could save on your insurance policy and your grocery bill.
Any John Hancock life insurance policyholder can sign up, though you may be seeing this, and similar programs, in more workplaces soon. Davina HealthCare Partners, biotech company Amgen and eye-care product developer Alcon have all signed up for health benefits programs for their employees, according to MarketWatch.
What This Program Means for Your Grocery List
Vitality offers a HealthyFood benefit through NutriSavings, alleging you could save up to $600 per year on the groceries you’re probably already buying at 70 different stores, including Wegmans, BJ’s, Giant, Stop & Shop and even Walmart.
Participate and track your savings by registering your discount card at your favorite grocery store. Log in a few days after your store visit to see how healthy your cart was and how much you’ll get in cash rewards.
The NutriSavings HealthyFood sample items list is pretty wholesome. If you’ve ever bought wheat bread or whole-wheat pasta, you’re headed for a discount.
Frozen vegetables are on the produce list, as are bags of mixed greens for salad. And it’s not just name-brand items — items like apples, eggs and milk are eligible, too.
The Great for You item list specific to Walmart is extensive: If you’re craving apple juice, collard greens or a bowl of Raisin Bran, you can get a discount.
Other Ways to Save and Earn with Vitality
After you’re issued your John Hancock life insurance policy, take a quiz to find out how healthy your lifestyle really is. Set goals and get a free Fitbit to track your progress and earn Vitality Points.
Based on your level of participation, you can save up to 15% on your premium for the next policy year.
Members are also eligible for discounts and rewards from retailers like Amazon, REI and Whole Foods. One of the easy ways to earn points is to watch short videos about healthy habits.
Would You Reveal Your Eating or Exercise Habits to Your Employer?
It’s typical to offer details about your lifestyle when getting a life insurance policy. Usually, the company wants to know you’re not morbidly obese or smoking three packs a day before issuing a big policy.
So signing up for John Hancock’s Vitality program might not seem like a stretch for current members.
But what about employers who offer programs through Vitality?
Would you take part if your boss or HR department encouraged you to make better life choices?
MarketWatch found that 85% of employees at insurance brokerage firm Lockton’s Kansas City, Missouri, office have joined its Vitality program since 2011. The few employees who decline to participate usually cite reasons like privacy concerns or not needing the discounts, an HR representative reported.
Vitality told MarketWatch that privacy is paramount, explaining that it sees more complex data than John Hancock or any other partner, and that data is never sold to a third party.
Your Turn: Would you sign up for the Vitality program if you had John Hancock life insurance? What about if your employer offered the program?
Lisa Rowan is a writer, editor and podcaster living in Washington, D.C.
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Can Socially Responsible Investing Add Meaning to Your Money?
How would you like to earn a little money while also making the world a better place?
That’s the premise behind socially responsible investing, a relatively new movement that aims to change investing from a purely profit-driven endeavor to one that incorporates your personal values as well.
It’s a cool idea. But does it work?
I talked to a number of financial advisors with a wide range of opinions on this topic to get a better sense of what socially responsible investing is, what the pros and cons are, and how you can get started. Here’s what they said.
What Is Socially Responsible Investing?
One thing is clear: Socially responsible investing means different things to different people. There’s no one clear definition because everyone has a different idea of what it means to be socially responsible.
In general though, it’s a matter of aligning your values with your investments.
“I simply call it values or belief investing,” says Peter Creedon, CFP® of Crystal Brook Advisors. “If you have strong beliefs about religion, climate, war/defense, eating organic, non-GMO, wind, solar, or even support for a country of origin, why not incorporate those beliefs into your investment strategy and portfolio?”
In practice, this typically involves some combination of the following two things:
- Choosing NOT to invest in companies that don’t align with your values. As an example, you could start with the entire U.S. stock market and remove tobacco companies, or those that practice animal testing.
- Choosing TO invest in specific companies that are working to further causes you believe in, like clean energy or income inequality.
And there’s a key difference between this approach and something like charitable giving — because it’s about the investment return you receive, in addition to the cause you’re supporting.
Which means that the goal is really to invest in companies that are both doing good in the world AND are economically viable. When done well, this approach can create even more financial resources that can then be used to do even more good.
Kasey Ring from Upward Personal Finance explains it this way: “Socially responsible investing is about investing in companies who support forward-thinking technologies, environmental or humanitarian issues, and are stewards of a better society.”
The Benefits of Socially Responsible Investing
First and foremost, it’s simply a good feeling to know that you’re supporting companies you believe in.
“I would rather just invest with those who align with me and leave the end result to come however it may,” explains Ben Martinek of Bona Fide Finance. “Ultimately, getting the largest return in my portfolio is not the most important priority to me. There are some things that money cannot buy.”
But there’s more to it than that. While socially responsible investing is a relatively small movement now, it has the potential to grow. And by being part of the early movement you may make it more likely for positive change to happen.
Marcio Silveira, CFP® of Pavlov Financial Planning explains: “If enough investors have these concerns, they will increase the valuations of securities issued by socially responsible entities, and these higher valuations mean lower cost of capital. The lower cost of capital allow the ‘good guys’ to take on more projects to make the world a better place.”
The returns may be pretty good, too. Multiple advisors I spoke to pointed to a paper from TIAA-CREF showing that socially responsible investors may in fact be able to expect the same returns as other investors.
And Tyler Landes, CFP® of Tandem Financial Guidance believes that it can also lead to improvements in investor behavior, which we know has a significant impact on investment returns.
“Behaviorally speaking, it can help an investor to think proactively and to focus more on what money can enable them to do, rather than on their fear of market performance and having enough.”
The Downsides of Socially Responsible Investing
Of course, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Socially responsible investing is still a new and relatively unproven venture, and there are some big potential downsides to it.
The biggest drawback by far seems to be the cost.
“These funds are typically a lot more costly than a plain vanilla index fund,” says Silveira. “They have to cover the cost of selecting socially responsible companies, the costs of marketing the product, and the profits of the fund manager.”
That’s big because cost is the single best predictor of future investment returns. Higher costs typically lead to lower returns.
Another potential issue is lack of diversification, which is one of the best tools investors have for decreasing their risk. With a smaller number of companies to choose from, it can be harder to spread your investments out over a number of industries and countries.
Some advisors see this improving, but still feel that the smaller opportunity will cause problems going forward.
“Costs and returns should improve but achieving the same return for a given level of risk will most likely never happen,” says Mark Struthers, CFP® of Sona Financial. “Technology and economies of scale will improve the ability of fund managers, but the restrictions will always affect performance.”
Tyler Gray, CFP® of Sage Oak Financial adds: “SRI investors should be keenly aware that sticking to their convictions may cost them something in terms of higher investment expenses, increased risk, and/or lower investment returns.”
Finally, it can simply be complicated to create an investment portfolio that exactly aligns with your values. Daniel Frankel, CFP® of WealthCollab gives this example: “A tobacco company may have a very strong green initiative that is making a big impact. Which is more important, the environmental impact or smoking?”
How to Get Started
The advisors I spoke with recommended doing two things before diving head-first into socially responsible investing:
- Create your overall investment plan. What are you investing for? How much should you be saving? What is your target asset allocation?
- Clearly define what socially responsible means to you. Do you want to avoid certain industries or practices? Do you want to invest in specific initiatives?
Once you’re clear on those two things, you can start to choose specific investments.
Gabe Anderson, CFP® of Crafted Wealth, suggested The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment as a tool for finding mutual funds that fit your values and Motif as a low-cost platform for purchasing those investments. Landes recommended the website Social Funds as another tool for finding socially responsible funds.
Kasey Ring takes a different approach, choosing individual stocks and bonds for her clients. “I encourage this approach since it reduces the fees charged by mutual funds,” she says.
That comes with risks though, too, since most investors don’t have much success trying to pick individual stocks. This is a situation where working with a good financial planner can make a lot of sense.
Alternatives to Socially Responsible Investing
A few of the financial planners I spoke to emphasized that socially responsible investing isn’t the only way to support your core beliefs, and in some cases may not even be the most effective.
“In my opinion, Socially Responsible Investing is not an efficient way to help the world become a better place,” says Silveira. “Donating to charity can be a lot more effective and has current tax benefits. A great resource to find charities with strong impact is Give Well.”
Or as the immortal Jay-Z once said: “I can’t help the poor if I’m one of them. So I got rich and gave back, to me that’s the win/win.”
Of course, this isn’t an either/or proposition, and as socially responsible investing grows it may be able to make a big impact on the world.
“If words alone are not enough to force advancements in social, environmental, and governance practices, then maybe it can be done through financial means,” says Andrew Novick, CFP® of The Investment Connection. “Put your money where your mouth is!”
Matt Becker is a fee-only financial planner and the founder of Mom and Dad Money, where he helps new parents take control of their money so they can take care of their families. His free book, The New Family Financial Road Map, guides parents through the all most important financial decisions that come with starting a family.
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How I Manage My Money in Just 15 Minutes Each Month
When I became an adult, my long-term life plan was to have fun, live hard and most likely die in some fiery way around the impossibly old age of 27.
Now that I’m 30, healthy and have a full-time job, I have to accept I have a life to plan for. I’m going to work for a while and one day, retire.
I’m going to want to do big things.
And to do them, I’ll need money.
So I’m adulting like crazy and getting my money under control.
But even as an adult, money isn’t something I want to spend a lot of time thinking about.
I don’t just want it under control. I want it off my mind.
So here’s what I’m doing upfront to ensure I won’t have to think about money for more than a few minutes every month.
Caveats I’m Aware Of
I’m quite aware that I’m the only me who exists. You are not me.
A lot of things affect your financial situation.
That’s fine. You do you. I’ll do me.
But you can still follow these money management steps to start wrangling your finances and set goals for your future.
1. Review and Record My Net Worth
Time to set up: 10 minutes
I need to know what I’m starting with. Thankfully, it’s not a lot, so this part’s easy.
I created a spreadsheet for all of my financial information. On the “net worth” tab, I included my:
- Assets
- Savings
- Debts
2. Plot My Income
Time to set up: five minutes
Next, I need to know what money is coming in. This is mostly simple for me, because I’m paid a salary — the same amount, twice each month.
I also do some freelancing on the side, so I have to factor in the less reliable income. It’s a little trickier to plot.
Your income may be challenging to plot, too, especially if you rely mostly on inconsistent freelance work, fluctuating hourly wages or tips.
In that case, use this method to get an idea of your average income, and work with it. You’ll just need a little extra time to get started on this process.
Also leave yourself room to track extra income, like you may be earning through cash-back websites, selling miscellany from your home or occasional boosts like bank bonuses.
These likely won’t be consistent, so don’t include them in your monthly income. Instead, make sure you’re noting how much is coming in when it does, and have a plan for how you want to use it.
3. Negotiate Monthly Bills
Time to set up: 25 minutes
To streamline monthly bill payment, I’m:
1. Negotiating rates to save money.
2. Entering the info for all accounts into a spreadsheet.
3. Scheduling automatic bill pay for everything.
I have no interest in negotiating with customer service, so I submitted my cell phone and Internet service bills to BillFixers.com.
I spent about 20 minutes studying the details of the service, finding PDF copies of my bills online and submitting them. BillFixers saved me $60 this year on my Internet bill.
I also spent five minutes setting up automatic bill pay for every bill, including rent.
To avoid a mishap leading to an overdraft, I turned on my bank account’s low balance alert.
If you want to completely take the guesswork out of it, set up a separate checking account just for bills and allocate a portion of your paycheck there either through direct deposit or an automatic transfer.
Or partition your budget with Mvelopes. This app helps you create a budget and designate your income toward bills, necessities and other spending.
4. Create a Budget for Necessities
Time to set up: 15 minutes
After bills, I have a number of fairly consistent basic monthly expenses. That’s where my budget starts.
I use Mvelopes to create a budget for these necessities. The web and smartphone app organizes my income into digital “envelopes” so I can better allocate my income:
I split my monthly necessities into these categories:
- Groceries (weekly)
- Toiletries (monthly)
- Gas (weekly)
Now I know how much money I’m making, how much I’m spending to get by each month, and how much I have left to tackle the bigger financial tasks.
The next step is to tackle debt.
5. Get My Debt Under Control
Time to get estimate: 10 minutes
My major debts are student loans, one closed credit card and a car loan.
I’ve never had a problem paying on the car loan, but the others are racking up interest and weighing me down.
Debt consolidation and student loan refinancing are a little more complicated than some of the other budgeting steps I’m taking.
But I got off to a good start using CommonBond. In about 10 minutes, I was able to get estimates on available personal loans to pay off my debt and student loans.
I can add these estimates to my budget and move forward with refinancing — and finally get out from under these debts!
Finally, I can start saving — and decide what to do with my “leftover” money.
6. Decide What Small Stuff I Need to Save For
Time to set up: 5 minutes
I think of savings as two separate things:
- The short-term things you’ll spend money on but can’t afford with one month’s pay
- The long-term savings you don’t plan to touch until you buy a house, retire, travel the world or achieve some other gigantic life goal
These two goals require different approaches to saving money.
The first is more tangible: I need to decide what short-term goals I want to save for.
My biggest savings priority is travel. I can do it frugally, but I also want to allocate as much extra money toward traveling as I can.
Other short-term savings goals include getting glasses this year and setting up a Christmas fund to spread the expense over a few months — instead of all at once.
Where is the money going to come from, and how am I going to save it?
Instead of holding myself to a set amount each month, I want to draw savings for these extras from extra money.
To do so without thinking about it, I created an automatic savings account with Digit.
Digit links to my checking account and monitors my spending habits and income. Every two or three days, it determines a small amount of money to set aside in an FDIC-insured Digit savings account.
I spent five minutes setting up my Digit savings account and connecting my checking account for automatic withdrawals.
My Digit balance will grow automatically every few days.
When I want to access the money for my small goals, I can transfer any amount back into my checking account just by sending a text. It’ll be there the next business day.
The service is fee-free, but these savings won’t accumulate interest, which is why I like them for short-term goals.
For long-term savings, I’ll need a system that allows me to take advantage of compound interest and other financial terms I try not to think about.
7. Automate Long-Term Savings
Time to set up: 40 minutes
I’m not sure what my gigantic life goals are. But since I now have a job, I know I’ll at least probably retire one day. So I’m going to need money.
I already contribute to a 401(k) at work, which took about 15 minutes to set up.
I spent another 15 minutes using this tool to ensure my 401(k) is sufficient to get me through retirement.
For one more super-simple investing method, I use Acorns.
This smartphone app rounds up purchases with your debit or credit cards to the nearest dollar and invests the digital change in a basic stock portfolio.
You can withdraw money from your Acorns account anytime and stash it elsewhere. But if you let it be, this is a really easy way to see your money grow without complicated investing or a huge upfront cost.
I spent about 10 minutes setting up my Acorns account through the app.
For more automation, check out these IFTTT recipes for saving and managing money:
- Save receipt details to a Google spreadsheet just by taking a photo.
- Send friendly reminders to the people who owe you money (friends or clients).
- Use IFTTT with Qapital to automate savings based on your pre-set trigger events.
8. Start an Emergency Fund
Time to set up: 10 minutes
The idea of having an emergency fund makes me cringe a little. I’m a recovering twenty-something, and I like to live for today, man.
But I also work in the personal finance world, so I’m constantly reading about how important it is to have one. Also, common sense.
So, begrudgingly and without a goal or deadline, I’m doing it.
I use my Summit Checking Account through Aspiration. It accumulates .05%-1.5% interest, depending on your balance, and I can access it when I need to with my debit card.
I designate 5% of each paycheck to this fund, which was easy to set up automatically with my payroll manager.
9. Call My Mother
This step isn’t 100% necessary… but she’s going to be so proud of me!
10. Check in Once a Month
Now I can just check on my monthly bills and bank account periodically to make sure nothing is out of order.
I spent just two hours upfront getting my money situated, so now I only have to think about it for a few minutes each month.
The best part about all this automation is I don’t have to keep any of this information in my head. Bills are paid automatically, money is saved automatically and my debts are under control.
The money left over from my paycheck is mine to spend however I want. I don’t have to think twice when buying something as long as I have cash on hand.
And I never have to feel guilty about spending money on all the hard living a girl’s gotta do.
Your Turn: Have you taken any steps to automate your finances?
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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Government U-turns on extra stamp duty for 'granny flats'
House buyers won’t have to pay the extra 3% stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on certain houses with an annexe, the Government has announced.
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Rents rise by almost 5% across UK
Rent on properties outside London rose to £755 a month in the three months to March 2016 - 4.9% higher than the same period a year ago, according to latest data.
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