A long abandoned Pocono landmark has finally been sold.A deal for the former Laird Technologies Building at 1 Shielding Way in Delaware Water Gap finalized on Thursday and it is hoped that the new owners will restore it to the vibrant property status it enjoyed when Laird announced in 2007 that it would close the facility and transfer all production and support services out of state.“Yes, I completed the deal [on Thursday]. I purchased it,” said Paul Alendarov, of [...]
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الجمعة، 22 أبريل 2016
How Quitting Your Job Could Help You Make More Money
Are you feeling undervalued in your position at work?
Negotiating for a raise might be a smart move, but research shows there may be a smarter one: Quit your job.
Full-time employees who switch jobs get a higher raise than those who stay with the same company, according to the most recent Workforce Vitality Report from ADP.
Employees who quit one full-time job and move to another a new one see an average 6% wage increase, compared with 4.6% for those who stayed in the same job.
Industry, Age, Tenure and Gender Matter
Unsurprisingly, a jump to a new company is significantly different depending on your age.
For employees 25-34, a new job means a 10% wage increase; while at 35-54, it’s only 4.9%; and just 2.2% for those 55 or older.
Similarly, how much time you spent at your last job influences how much of a raise you can get at a new one. Job hop too often or not often enough, and your prospects are far worse.
Those who spend two years or less at a previous job see only a 2.7% raise in a new job, Quartz reports. Stay 10 years or more, and the raise is just 2.2%.
The sweet spot to quit is after three to five years. Full-time employees see a whopping 8.3% raise with a new employer after this time.
Stay six to nine years, and the average raise is still relatively good at 6%.
A little more surprising is the gender difference in wage growth.
In the same report for 2015, women showed overall greater wage growth than men. For women staying at the same job, wage growth was 6%, compared with 5.6% for men.
But men saw a much more significant jump in wages when switching jobs: a 10% increase, compared with 7.9% for women.
The difference might be related to types of employment. Female-dominated industries like education and healthcare show smaller raises for job-switchers than male-dominated industries like finance, information and business services.
Overall, most industries show a higher increase in wages for taking a new job. But these are the best industries for job-hopping:
- Leisure and Hospitality: 10.1% raise (vs. 5.7% for staying in place)
- Trade, Transportation and Utilities: 9.8% raise (vs. 4.3% for staying in place)
- Information: 7.5% raise (vs. 6.4% for staying in place)
- Finance and Real Estate: 6.7% raise (vs. 5.3% for staying in place)
In construction or manufacturing, you’re better off staying put and negotiating a raise. Employees in these industries get average raises about 1.5% higher when they stay put compared with job-hopping.
Employees know the benefits of quitting. Nearly 2.8 million employees voluntarily quit their jobs in January, up 17% from the year before, CNN Money reports.
This shows workers are more confident in their value.
When you know how much you’re worth and your employer knows you’re willing to leave if you don’t get it, you can be stronger in salary negotiations.
How Can You Use This Information?
If you’ve been thinking about taking the leap, but are worried about throwing yourself into the uncertainty of a job hunt, this information could be just the push you need.
Job security is nice, of course. But these data show you could be missing out on better opportunities if you never make a leap.
Even if you’re satisfied with your job, you could use this trend to your advantage in salary negotiations. Read our story about how one IT professional got his boss to offer him a 45% raise after he started a hunt for a new job.
More generally, note that company loyalty isn’t always the most lucrative path anymore.
When you’re willing to demand what you’re worth — and willing to leave over it — you’re much more likely to get it.
Your Turn: Have you switched jobs for higher pay?
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 How Quitting Your Job Could Help You Make More Money appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Casting Call: Heres How to Be a Zombie on The Walking Dead
Besides the ultra-mysterious and disappointing ending to Season 6, I’d still consider myself a pretty devoted fan of “The Walking Dead”.”
And so, I’ve of course wondered what it’d be like to play a zombie as a TV extra.
The good news is I may not have to wait too long to find out — the show recently put out casting call for Season 7!
How to Be One of the “The Walking Dead” Extras
Since filming starts in Georgia this May, the show is casting for zombies right now, Movie Pilot reports.
The only catch?
You have to be really, really skinny — which makes sense, since the zombies have supposedly been roaming, festering and battling Michonne’s badass sword skills for years at this point.
More specifically, you must be:
- At least 18 years old
- Have a 32-inch or smaller waist (for men) or be a size 0-2 (for women)
- Bonus points if you have “large eyes, thin faces, small noses and long slender necks”
Sound like you?
Email two photos, your clothing sizes, height, weight and contact info to ECAtvExtras@gmail.com.
How Much Do Zombies Make?
As for what you’ll earn, it depends on what kind of “walker” you get to be.
As a “background zombie,” this Reddit user was paid a minimum of $64 for up to eight hours of work.
“After eight hours you got paid for each hour, and after 12, you’d be paid a little more per hour,” the user explained.
“Hero [featured] zombies are paid [$88 for eight hours], then $11 for each hour after. You’d also get a $50 stunt bump if you did a stunt, which I got for falling.”
If you become a stand-in for a character, the rate goes way up: This guy earned $600 for two days of work.
That’s it. I’m off to start a juice cleanse — and somehow figure out how to enlarge my half-Asian eyes — so I can be on the next season of “The Walking Dead.”
If nothing else, at least I’ll figure out who Neegan chose before the rest of y’all!
Your Turn: Do you wish you could be an extra on “The Walking Dead”?
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 Casting Call: Here’s How to Be a Zombie on “The Walking Dead” appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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7 Reasons Your Outreach Emails Arent Getting Responses and How to Fix That
Almost any online marketing campaign these days includes email outreach.
While social media has its place, email is universally the most personal form of contact you can make online.
Well-written outreach emails can get links, joint venture opportunities, clients, and just about any other good result you can think of.
The only problem is that most people can’t write a good outreach email.
If you’ve sent a few thousand and have read some other guides on the subject, you likely have a good grasp of the basics and can write okay emails.
But are you honestly getting the responses you’re looking for?
The fact that you’re here right now probably means that you know you could do better.
And that’s okay.
By the end of this post, you won’t be sending just “okay” emails. You’ll be sending good to great emails that almost always get a response as well as much better conversion rates (for links, sales, etc.).
I’ll go over the 7 most common mistakes I see marketers, even smart ones, make on a regular basis.
Be honest with yourself because otherwise you won’t be able to spot your mistakes and make improvements.
1. Are you a liar, or do you seem like one?
I get several cold outreach emails a day. By now, I’m pretty good at spotting an outright liar or even someone who is just stretching the truth.
In a large portion of those emails, I see an opening line that sounds like:
I’m a huge fan of Quick Sprout…
Okay, cool.
The only problem is that I don’t recognize your name from comments (on Quick Sprout posts) or from social media.
Surely, a “huge fan” would at least be subscribed to my email list. Surprisingly, a fairly large percentage of these emailers are not.
Right away, I feel lied to and usually delete the email.
A lie like that makes me assume that the emailer just searched for the top marketing blogs to pitch something to—no thanks.
Can you validate your claims? I’m always talking about creating data-driven posts and backing up all your claims with charts and studies.
Emails are no different.
If you claim you are a fan of someone or you enjoyed their work, prove it.
Here’s one example:
I’m a huge fan of your work on Quick Sprout. Your emails Monday morning always get my week off to a great start.
Assuming you’re actually on the email list, so far I believe you’re not lying.
Another common opener is to tell someone you liked one of their articles. If you really liked it, you would have shared it on social media, left a comment, and, most importantly, applied it.
Don’t just say you liked an article with nothing backing it up; no one believes it.
Instead, try something like:
I loved your post “How to Leverage Q&A Sites to Generate Traffic.”
Since I read it, I created a profile on Quora and have already driven 400 visits to my site.
The hardest thing to fake is sincerity. Don’t say you’re a huge fan or you love a post if you don’t mean it.
2. You’re asking for a lot of work
Chances are you’re emailing fairly well-known bloggers in your niche.
They’re busy people.
Even if they aren’t incredibly popular, assume they’re busy anyway because most people are.
Common sense should tell you that busy people are trying to get through emails quickly so that they can do productive things (emails usually aren’t considered such).
So, if you’re asking them to do a lot of work on their end, they’ll be understandably hesitant.
Let me give you an example of a line that I often see in outreach emails:
Here’s the link to my content: (link)
Please take a look at it, and let me know if you have any thoughts and if you think it’s a good fit for your audience.
Do you see the problem with that?
You’re asking the person to review your work, give feedback on it, and determine if it’s appropriate for their audience.
The first reaction of any blogger will be:
Why on Earth are you sending me this if you’re not positive that it’s a match for my audience?
What could you do instead? Always minimize the time and effort that the person on the receiving end needs to spend if they decide to help you out.
To improve the above example, you could change it to:
Here’s the link to my content: (link)
I’m sure it’s a great fit for your audience because:
- (reason 1)
- (reason 2)
Just say the word, and I’ll create an original summary of the results that you can copy and paste in a future article.
Now it’s clear to them that you’ve done your homework and you understand their audience. As long as a quick glance at the content reveals that it’s of a decent quality, you might be onto something.
Finally, offering to write a custom introduction or summary and making linking to your content easier will make the email even more enticing.
To finish off, let me give you a few more examples of what marketers ask in outreach emails that is too much work:
- Watch this video and see if you enjoy it
- Look at my new tool and see if the features are worth sharing with your audience
- I’ll write a guest post for you, but please suggest some article ideas
Before you send an email, always ask yourself: “Am I asking this person to do a significant amount of work?”
If so, find a way to reduce it.
3. This might sting—you’re not special
I didn’t really mean that; I am sure you are special in your own ways.
I’m referring to the fact that most emails do not reveal anything special.
If you ask someone to link to your content, why should they link to it and not to any one of the other hundreds of articles about the same topic?
Most emailers never address this question in their emails.
Let’s look at an excerpt of a bad email:
I’ve just published a guide to making beets. If you’re writing a post in the future that mentions beets, please consider using it as a reference.
What’s special about that? Absolutely nothing.
Now, let’s look at a better email:
I’ve just published a guide to making beets. It is the only beet-making guide that has step-by-step pictures as well as a complete video tutorial. I know I’m biased, but no other beet guide is as useful for a beginner as mine is.
You need to be able to quickly explain why your content or offer is special. Why should this person help you or work with you over all the other people out there (some of whom have already contacted them)?
4. I don’t know you
Take a link building technique like the skyscraper technique. It involves a lot of cold outreach.
The average conversion rate is about 5-10%. That means you’d have to send 1,000 emails to get 50-100 links (pretty good).
It’s a great technique that has its time and place, and I recommend it often, but it can easily be improved by removing the cold outreach.
If I get an email from someone I don’t know, it’s unlikely I’m going to do them a favor right off the bat.
If there’s any indication that they’re just after a link, their email goes in the trash.
That’s why you get about a 5-10% conversion rate even though you’re targeting the right people with the technique.
But when I do know someone? Of course, I’ll read the email, and if it’s a friend or even just a casual acquaintance, I’ll help them if they have a reasonable offer.
Get to know someone before you ask for something: This is the hardest part of being able to create great outreach emails—there are no templates for it.
However, learning to build relationships is also the easiest way to skyrocket your success.
In general, you can break down the process into the following steps:
- Make contact - You have a mutual interest in your niche, so use it to have a brief conversation through email, social media, or comments, preferably about their content.
- Provide value – Anything you can do to help them out goes a long way. If you have any special skills, e.g., design, offer to create custom pictures for their content or update some graphics in their sidebar. If you’re a writer, offer to update and upgrade a few outdated posts. Be creative.
- Then ask for something – At this point, you’re probably at least 4 weeks into the relationship (yes, it takes time). If you follow the other points in this post, you should be able to write a good email to ask for a link or whatever you’re after. You’ll have a much higher success rate (double or triple at least) than if you did it with a cold email.
All of this takes planning and having a genuine passion for your niche. If you don’t care enough to spend weeks getting to know people in your niche that you could work alongside for years, you’re taking the wrong approach.
5. I hate it when there “aer” typos
This is going to be a short but necessary section.
There is no excuse for typos in a short email.
One might go unnoticed, but two or more will be easy to spot.
It shows a lack of attention to detail and effort. If you’re asking me to work with you or link to your content, having typos is not a good thing. I’ll assume that you produce content of the same poor quality and will delete the email.
Almost every email service has a spell checker these days: use it.
6. No one wants to be “templated”
I’ve hinted at it so far, but let me be crystal clear:
Email needs to be personal.
If your email starts with “Hi”or “Dear Sir,” it’s likely going into the trash.
If there’s nothing about it that shows you know me well, it’s also likely going into the trash.
Bloggers are rightfully skeptical of emails with little personalization in them. They are often sent out to hundreds of other bloggers to try to get links or something else.
Yes, some bloggers don’t care, but most do these days. If you ever want a great reply rate, don’t dismiss this crucial aspect.
While templates are useful to help you work out the general message you’re trying to capture, take the time to personalize every single email you send.
7. It’s all about you
Think of emails as conversations.
In real life, would you rather talk with someone who never shuts up about themselves or who cares about your wants, needs, and thoughts?
For 99% of people, it’s the second one.
When you write any outreach email, always write it from the perspective of what’s in it for the person I’m emailing?
Always explain how what you’re asking for benefits their business.
If you’re asking for a link, don’t do what everyone else does and say: “I think your audience will love it.”
It’s not horrible, but be honest, that’s not a real benefit for the person you’re emailing.
Asking for a link is typically a one-way street, which is why I recommend giving value well before asking for one (in reason #4 of this post).
Conclusion
Email outreach is one of the most effective ways to grow your business. You can use it to get more links (for SEO), generate more sales, and form partnerships.
However, most people make several mistakes in their email outreach campaigns and rarely get positive replies.
You might never write the “perfect” outreach email, but never stop trying to improve them.
Create a checklist based on the 7 things I went over in this post, and use it to make sure you are not making any of the mistakes before you send out an email.
This is how you spot problems, fix them, and learn from them. Eventually, it will all become second nature.
I’d love to hear about how you’ve used email outreach in the past and what results you’ve achieved. Just leave me a comment below, and I’ll see it for sure.
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Just 18% of Bank Customers Pay 91% of These Fees. Are You One of Them?
We all have a friend who’s constantly paying overdraft fees.
Whether she’s using overdrafting as a line of credit because she’s flat broke, or is simply ultra-disorganized, it’s not a smart financial strategy.
She’s one of the 18% of bank users who pay 91% of overdraft fees, according to a new study by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
I knew banks made $11 billion from overdraft fees last year, but I had no idea it was from such a small percentage of the population.
If overdrafts are a way of life for you, they don’t have to be.
Here’s what you need to know about overdrafting — and how to prevent it.
Are You a Heavy Overdrafter?
The Pew study examined “heavy overdrafters,” or people who incur more than $100 in overdraft and nonsufficient funds fees each year.
With the average fee clocking in at $35, that’s around three per year.
“For these consumers,” the report says, “overdraft service is not just an occasional courtesy but an extremely expensive form of credit that is also high risk because it lacks the consumer protections that accompany other credit products.”
Of these heavy overdrafters, the study found:
- 52% paid $300 or more in fees last year
- 67% have a household income of $50,000 or less
- 68% are millennials and Gen X-ers
- 24% pay the equivalent of one or more weeks of wages in fees each year
The purpose of the study — and its startling numbers — is to urge banks to change their policies. But until they do, the responsibility lies on you.
How to Avoid Overdraft Fees
Here are four ways to say goodbye to heavy overdrafting:
1. Opt Out of Overdraft Protection
Yes, you can opt out of overdraft protection entirely — and if you’re a heavy overdrafter, this is probably a good idea.
If you do this, your debit card will simply be declined when you have insufficient funds.
It might be a bit embarrassing, but it’s way better than paying a week’s worth of wages in fees.
Read: What Makes a Good Bank Account When You’re Broke? Here’s What to Look For
2. Turn Off Automatic Bill Pay
Normally, I love automating my finances.
But if your bank account balance is often low, just one bill can cause an overdraft.
So turn off auto-pay. Instead, set your bills to be due on the same day each month. A few days prior, sit down and review your finances and pay each bill manually.
Read: How I Manage My Money in Just 15 Minutes Each Month
3. Start Your Emergency Fund Now
If you set up an automatic transfer of $10 each week from your checking to your savings account, you’ll have $40 in a month, and $520 in a year.
Though it might not seem like a lot, it’ll undoubtedly help with unexpected expenses that might normally cause you to overdraft.
Read: I Sucked at Saving Money Until This Tool Helped Me Bank $1,774 in 10 Months
4. Use Apps to Monitor Your Balance
If you have a smartphone, download your bank’s app so you can quickly see how much money you have in your checking account.
And if you have internet access, use a free tool like Mint to monitor your finances.
It’ll even send you an alert when your checking account balance drops below a pre-set amount!
Read: A 7-Step Plan to Create an Effective Budget
Overdrafting shouldn’t be a often-used tool in your financial arsenal.
We all get in a bind sometimes, but taking these steps will hopefully give you other options to choose from — without a $35 fee!
Your Turn: Are you a heavy overdrafter?
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 Just 18% of Bank Customers Pay 91% of These Fees. Are You One of Them? appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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What Packing for an Amazing Weekend Can Teach You About Your Financial Life
Imagine, if you will, that it’s Friday morning. (This shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for some of you, considering that this post is first appearing on a Friday morning.) After work today, you’re going to spend a really fun weekend doing things that you enjoy with people whose company you enjoy. You can imagine whatever kind of weekend you want, but don’t make it over-the-top extravagant. Just make it really fun without spending thousands of dollars.
Now, imagine that, for this weekend, you’re going to be living out of a healthy-sized backpack and a duffel bag. Everything you need for this amazing weekend needs to fit in those two bags. You’re going to need enough to last through the full weekend as well as get yourself ready for work on Monday.
What are you going to pack in those two bags?
Take that question seriously for a few moments and give it some real thought. What would you pack for this kind of weekend?
My list is pretty easy.
I’d pack a couple of pairs of blue jeans, some nice dress pants, a couple of t-shirts, a pair of nice dress shirts, underwear, socks, and an extra pair of dressier shoes to pair with the sneakers I’m wearing. I’d also pack a jacket in case the weather turned. If I had some extra space, I might pack an additional t-shirt and perhaps an additional dress shirt. I really don’t need a giant wardrobe.
I’d pack my laptop and my Kindle and chargers for both of those things as well as a charger for my phone. I’d probably also include my tablet computer to be on the safe side. I’d also pack a good set of headphones.
I’d probably stick in a few of my favorite smaller board games: a chess set, a deck of cards, a small box of other card games, and maybe a single longer strategic board game like Age of Steam.
I’d include a couple of my writing journals and a handful of pens. I’d also toss in a few blank pocket notebooks, because I always seem to run out of those.
I’d jam my favorite pillow into the duffel bag.
I’d include my Synthroid prescription and probably some Fisherman’s Friend cough drops, as well as some snack bars and a water bottle.
I’d make sure to remember my travel toiletry bag, which contains some soap, some shampoo/conditioner, some deodorant, a razor, a toothbrush, some floss, and some toothpaste.
After that… you know, I really can’t think of anything else I might include. Almost everything fun I might do would be taken care of with the stuff in those two bags.
Again, what exactly would you include in your two bags? My guess is your list would have some significant overlap with my own… but not perfect overlap. You’d probably include a few items that cater to your own personal interests and drop the items that cater to my interests, but the very basics, like toiletries and basic clothes, would be pretty similar.
So, here’s the interesting question: what exactly is keeping me – or keeping you – from living out of those two bags? What else do you or I need in addition to those things besides minimal living space?
Think about it seriously for a second. What else do you really need?
The thing is, there’s a lot of sense in living with just two bags. Having just that stuff and nothing else carries with it a lot of time and money freedom.
You would have far lower bills. For one, you’d need only the most minimal of living space, with a bed and a place to prepare food and maybe a chair and a table. You wouldn’t really need much more than that, which means that your rent (or mortgage), your property taxes, your insurance, and your utility bills would be a pittance.
You would have an abundance of time. With a small place to live and a relatively small handful of possessions, your time spent on cleaning and maintenance would become quite small. This would give you an abundance of free time to follow your interests and passions.
You’d have far less reason to buy much of anything beyond basic essentials such as food. Why shop? You don’t really need much stuff at all.
Pretty much any financial goal you have in your life becomes well within reach because your expenses are so low.
Yet, behind all of that, you actually have everything you need to live a deeply joyful and fulfilled life. Those two bags contain everything you need for a spectacular weekend, and you don’t need much more than that to maintain yourself throughout the week.
Many people respond to this type of example by saying, “Oh, I can’t do that…” To that, I ask why not? Why can’t you do that?
Are you worried about what other people might think of you? Honestly, it shouldn’t matter.
There’s a simple argument that can be made about why you should not worry even a little bit about negative pushback against positive changes you make in your life.
The truth is that the vast majority of people you meet won’t have any idea that you live minimally. Of those that do, the vast majority won’t care one little bit – it’s not even going to register on their radar. Of the small group of people left over, most of them are actually going to be positive about it, either because they find the idea appealing themselves or because they’re genuinely supportive of you.
That leaves you with a pretty tiny group of people that might have a negative response. You can probably count those people on one hand. Out of the hundreds of people you know that won’t care or will react positively toward your changes, don’t you think it’s silly to have your choices driven in any way by the handful of people who might react negatively?
You should never, ever allow the negative opinions of a few steer you away from your own positive choices. Ever.
Perhaps you simply can’t imagine living without all of your stuff. That’s fine, but the question really becomes how often do you actually use your stuff? If you’re not using your stuff that often, then why do you have it at all? Why do you pay for space to store stuff that you basically never use?
Not too long ago, I heard a podcast episode – I’m not sure which one it was, sorry – that described an experiment that a person did in which he took all of his possessions and put them in boxes in his living room. Over the next few months, as he needed items, he pulled them out of the boxes. After six months or so, he just got rid of everything that was in the boxes. Period.
The argument there, of course, is that anything that you don’t use for six months has no reason to be in your home. It takes up space, requires you to have a bigger home to store it all, takes time to deal with, and is effectively just money sitting on your shelf since you could sell that item and invest the proceeds. Not only that, if you did discover later on that you needed a particular item, you could still reacquire (or borrow) it.
Another factor is the so-called Pareto principle: The Pareto principle (also known as the 80–20 rule, the law of the vital few, and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. In other words, 80% of the benefit you get from your possessions comes from 20% of your possessions, thus it makes a ton of sense to downgrade your possessions significantly and eliminate that barely-used 80%.
What 20% of your possessions do you actually use on a regular basis? That leads right to the next question: what 80% of your possessions do you barely use? Then, why do you keep those possessions, especially when you could sell them, free up a lot of space in your home, and actually put some money into your accounts and give yourself some financial breathing room?
The “two bag” argument is a pretty powerful argument for downsizing your possessions drastically. Even if that seems beyond the pale for you, it at least makes a case for moderate downsizing and being smart about future purchases.
In the end, it still comes down to one key thing: if you can have an amazing weekend and be ready for your workweek with the content of two bags, what do you really need with more? Use that mental approach with everything that you buy and everything that you choose to keep for only the vaguest of reasons.
The post What Packing for an Amazing Weekend Can Teach You About Your Financial Life appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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10 Frugal Summer Vacation Ideas for People Who Dont Fly
The summer travel season can be a letdown if you don’t like to fly. While your friends are packing their bags and jetting off to amazing locations abroad or across the country, you’re stuck at home wishing you could snap your fingers and magically land on some tropical beach.
But, you don’t have to stay home and watch Netflix all summer if you refuse to get on an airplane. There are many beautiful sights and cities here in the U.S., and plenty of ways to reach them without walking through body scanners and hurtling through the atmosphere.
If you want to get out of your geographic area and see another part of the country, Amtrak has an entire page dedicated to deals. Since train travel is fairly cheap and can offer beautiful views of the countryside along the way — that you can actually sit back and enjoy while someone else does the driving — it can perform double-duty as both a mode of transportation and a fun part of your journey.
Feel like a road trip? Gas prices are predicted to be at their cheapest levels in 12 years this summer, so why not pack up the family car and hit the road, Griswold style? If you don’t have a car or don’t want to subject it to a cross-country trek, you can consider renting a car with unlimited miles — or even an RV — and plotting a course to some must-see sights. With a loaded trunk and the kids in the back, you can enjoy the scenery and some family fun as you drive to your destination — and, best of all, you won’t have to pay for airfare or rent a car when you get there.
Summer Vacation Ideas for People Who Don’t Fly
Whether you decide to take a train, car, or even a boat, here are some frugal attractions to consider in every corner of the country.
Visit a national park
To celebrate the 100th birthday of the National Park Service, you can gain free entry into any national park April 16-24, 2016. But even after this week, you can easily turn a national park visit into a frugal vacation or weekend getaway.
Use FindYourPark.com to search for national parks and local accommodations, whether it’s in your immediate area or on the other side of the country. From Rocky Mountain National Park and Yosemite in the West, to Great Smoky Mountains or Dry Tortugas in the South, to Acadia in the Northeast, National Parks offer landscapes to please nearly everyone, nearly anywhere in the country.
While the cheap campsites inside these parks fill up fast, much of the time, and depending on the park, you can find affordable lodging nearby. Think a rustic cabin, a family-friendly motel, or a historic bed and breakfast right next to one of America’s natural wonders – some of the most scenic places on earth.
Go camping (or even glamping)
Whether you’re visiting a local campground or a state or national park, camping is always a frugal option – and summer’s the perfect time to do it. If you don’t have the right equipment on hand — tent, sleeping bags, cooler — see if you can borrow gear from a family member or friend. And even if you have to buy a tent, it’s still bound to be cheaper than airfare or paying for a pricey hotel.
If you don’t like roughing it, you can also try “glamping” – a form of camping that lets you enjoy the outdoors, but with some of the comforts offered by hotels and resorts. Luxury camping company Under Canvas offers a few glamping resorts at National Parks across the U.S. While you’re still technically “camping,” these resorts offer access to real beds and an on-site staff.
Visit a regional theme park or water park
While Disney World may call itself the “happiest place on Earth,” there are more reasonably-priced theme parks and water parks within driving distance of just about anyone in the United States.
In the state of Indiana, for example, you’ve got Holiday World Theme Park & Splashin’ Safari – a great theme park destination for the entire family. Not only do they offer free soft drinks and sunscreen, but they have one of the best water parks in the entire Midwest, and there are plenty of affordable places to stay nearby. Lake Rudolph Campground, for example, adjacent to the park, offers inexpensive rentals on everything from campsites to cabins and even rental RVs.
Next door in Ohio, you’ll find the family-friendly King’s Island as well as the iconic Cedar Point, which is often considered the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World.”
Six Flags theme parks are a touch pricey, but certainly cheaper than a trip to Disney, and they’re all over the country – including locations in California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
If you have kids in tow, you can also consider a road trip to the Wisconsin Dells, a theme and water park haven in the middle of Wisconsin. There, you’ll find extremely affordable lodging options in addition to world class parks and attractions.
Go ‘shelling’ in southern Florida
If you love the beauty of shells and enjoy scouring the beach for some treasures of your own, a trip to Southern Florida may be in order. Dubbed the “shelling capitals of the world,” Sanibel and Captiva Islands have long been known as ideal destinations for shell collectors and enthusiasts.
According to information provided by the Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, the area’s geography and east to west orientation of the water puts it in the perfect position to catch shells of all shapes, varieties and colors. Since many shells arrive fully intact, you can save money by scouring the beach for your very own souvenirs.
After gathering your own share of shells, you can also visit the Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum, the only museum in the U.S. dedicated to shells and mollusks.
If you need a rental car, Hotwire.com offers car rental options for as little as $11.95 per day. Pick up an affordable rental on your way to southern Florida, then shell your day away without a care in the world.
Athens, Ga.
The college town of Athens, Ga., is known for its music scene, and it’s no wonder — this is where R.E.M., the B-52s, the Indigo Girls, Widespread Panic, and many other bands across every genre got their start. However, that’s not all this eclectic and diverse city has to offer. From wildly inexpensive food and hotels to award-winning bars and nightlife, Athens offers a nocturnal culture of its own. Visitors to Athens can also go to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the Georgia Museum of Art for free, making Athens a great stop for a family trip, too.
The college town of Athens, Ga. has a great music and dining scene that won’t break the bank. Photo: Georgia DCA
Southern California
Home to five of America’s top 25 beaches, including La Jolla Shores, Coronado, and Carlsbad, the eternally sunny stretch between Los Angeles and San Diego makes for a perfect getaway — and a fairly cheap one, if you avoid staying in LA or its pricier suburbs.
After all, whether you enjoy swimming, surfing, reading, or just building sand castles, the beach itself can provide hours of free entertainment and relaxation for the whole family. So let one of these beautiful sandy stretches be the focal point of your vacation, instead of the expensive tourist traps of Hollywood. (Bonus: Amtrak’s scenic Surfliner route services this area.)
Lodging options in seaside cities like Oceanside, Encinitas, or Costa Mesa, Calif., can be fairly inexpensive even near the water. And Costa Mesa, next to Newport Beach, is also running a promotion that could make your summer getaway free this year. The sweepstakes will run from April 1 to May 15, 2016 and the winner will be chosen on May 30, 2016 (you can fill out the entry form here). Winners will receive two nights at Ayres Hotel & Suites, a pair of passes to Disneyland, and a $1,000 American Express gift card, among other prizes.
Discount cruises
While flying is the most obvious way to get out of the country, you can also cruise away from the coast – no plane required.
“One of the most frugal ways to travel this summer for people who don’t like to fly is to embark on a dream cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines,” says John Drabkowski, founder and CEO of Red Hot Cruises. Their 24 ships “feature musical performances, casinos, comfortable stateroom accommodations, and delicious food and drink,” he adds.
And if you think you don’t live near a cruise port, think again. Carnival cruises depart from cities like Galveston, Texas, Long Beach, Calif., Mobile, Ala., Norfolk, Va., Seattle, Baltimore, and Charleston, S.C., as well as bigger and more obvious ports such as Honolulu, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, and many cities in Florida, making cruising a viable option for people who live nearly anywhere in the country.
Lake Chelan, Wash.
While Seattle is known for its dreary and rainy weather, Lake Chelan, which is just three hours east, boasts more than 300+ days per year of sun. Because of its location, Lake Chelan is also an easy “one-tank getaway” for much of the Pacific Northwest.
Lake Chelan is home to more than bright and sunny weather, however; the area has 24 separate wineries, water activities including water skiing, jet skiing, and boating, and plenty of mountains and valleys perfect for hiking and sightseeing. Meanwhile, local businesses offer an array of activities for sports junkies, including zip lining, skydiving, and paragliding.
Lake Chelan’s website offers a list of hotels, resorts, and campgrounds if you need a place to stay nearby – and some of the options are downright cheap. Rooms at the local Midtowner Motel, for example, start at just $92 per night during peak summer season, and $62 for late summer and early fall.
Jekyll Island, Ga.
If you live anywhere in the south or the lower Midwest, you’re probably within driving distance of the beautiful Jekyll Island on Georgia’s southern coast. Thanks to the many bike trails, miles of beaches, historical buildings and landmarks, and wildlife, you’ll never run out of free things to do here.
In addition to some top-notch resorts, Jekyll Island also boasts its own 18-acre campground where you can park an RV or pitch a tent under the stars. If you want to stay in a hotel but keep it on the cheaper side, Jekyll Island is also home to a Holiday Inn Resort and a Hampton Inn & Suites.
‘Mayberry’
If you’re looking for a quintessential American getaway, look no further than Mount Airy, N.C. The hometown of Andy Griffith and known as the inspiration behind Mayberry on the “Andy Griffith Show,” Mount Airy offers a bundle of perks and activities for families looking to enjoy quality time on the cheap.
Attractions include the Mayberry Courthouse, a history museum, the Andy Griffith Museum, and an iconic downtown. Plus, you can enjoy 15 local wineries, three state parks within a 30-minute drive, and so many affordable dining options you won’t be able to choose.
The Bottom Line
When you want to have good, clean family fun, you don’t have to go somewhere far-flung. The United States is home to a wealth of sights and attractions you just can’t find anywhere else – and there’s bound to be one or more you can reach by car or train.
All of the beauty, wonder, and fun you can imagine is just a train, car, or boat ride away.
What are your favorite attractions in the United States? Do you have anything else to add to this list?
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- Five Cheap Vacations to Take This Summer
The post 10 Frugal Summer Vacation Ideas for People Who Don’t Fly appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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This Customer Complaint is Nearly 4000 Years Old and Its Hilarious
“I’m going to write a letter!”
We’re familiar with this cry of outrage, a cliche at this point.
It comes from a disgruntled mother, old man or time-wealthy millennial after a retail establishment fails to offer a baby-changing table, honor an expired coupon or hire their friend.
We value our right to complain to the businesses that wrong us so much that we dedicate entire apps and websites to it.
But the customer complaint was not invented with Yelp or passive-aggressive tweets.
It is, apparently, nearly as old as written language itself.
The British Museum displays the oldest known written complaint — inscribed in a clay tablet in Mesopotamia almost 4,000 years ago.
The Oldest Known Written Complaint
A man named Nanni wrote the letter in 1750 B.C. in response to a sub-standard delivery of copper ingots from a merchant named Ea-nasir.
I’ll give you a second to recall seventh-grade history class.
And because I already looked it up on Wikipedia, I’ll explain that copper ingots are chunks of copper ore. Nanni would have been buying the raw material for his contemporaries to use to create tools, cookware and other things you’ve seen in museums.
Ea-nasir promised high-quality copper, but when Nanni’s servant arrived with payment, he deemed the copper “not good.”
Instead of remedying with an apology or a coupon for free ore on his next visit, Ea-nasir rudely told the servant, “If you want to take them, take them; if you do not want to take them, go away!”
The bad service infuriated Nanni so much that he created this tablet, inscribed with a lengthy complaint.
What do you take me for, that you treat somebody like me with such contempt?
Think of the manpower deployed to administer this complaint!
A guy like Nanni isn’t carving out letters himself. So at least one man was involved to inscribe this tablet.
That man had to be literate, which wasn’t common in Mesopotamia. He also had to find a clay tablet, which weren’t incredibly hard to come by, but you certainly couldn’t pick one up at the corner store.
Someone must have tried to stop Nanni from his frivolous use of resources and man-hours. But he was just so mad.
Nanni dictated, and someone inscribed this tablet — full front and back, by the way. Then someone had to deliver it.
This isn’t a huge Mount Sinai-style tablet, at least. It’s just 4.6 inches tall by about 2 inches wide. It’s like a thick iPhone covered in cuneiform writing.
But it still required at least one guy, maybe a horse and maybe one of those carts they ride behind the horse. I’m picturing a guy in a cart making last-minute additions to the tablet on his way, not paying proper attention to the road.
That’s at least three people and a horse to get this message to the merchant. And there’s no sign of a reply from Ea-nasir.
That should make you a little less angry next time your local restaurant’s Yelp profile takes a few extra seconds to load.
You can rest easy knowing you’re not alone: The disgruntled opinions of the masses have been falling on the deaf ears of the likes of Big Copper for millennia.
Your Turn: Have you ever written a letter to complain about customer service?
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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Insurers may block annuity sales
As the government publishes more details of its plans to create a secondary market for annuities from April 2017, frustrated policyholders are being warned that some insurance companies may not allow them to sell up.
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I Paid Off $11K in Student Loans in 4 Years Making $15/Hour. Heres How
As a young person, getting on top of your money lets you take control of your life.
Your best friend asked you to be in her out-of-state wedding? No problem! You got in a fender-bender? Bummer, but no problem.
And it definitely feels like successful adulting when you can write a rent check without anxiety.
Plus, nothing is quite as satisfying as paying off a student loan AND still being able to pay all other bills, put food on the table and go out to celebrate.
I should know — I’ve paid off nearly half of my student loans.
I graduated in 2012 with about $24,000 in student loans, which is just about average for my class, and I’m proud to have knocked out $11,000 of that debt in less than four years.
It seems incredible when I think about it: I’m 25, live on on my own and only make $15 an hour.
My situation is average — I don’t have any unusual skills or strategic moves to help me.
So how do I do it? Budgeting.
How to Budget to Pay Off Debt
I started making a budget a few months after my loans went into repayment.
I was constantly worried I wouldn’t have enough money — partly because I didn’t know where it was going!
I knew I made enough to cover rent and my normal expenses, but adding student loan payments made me feel like I was in constant danger of not being able to pay an important bill.
Something had to change.
So, I started budgeting by following these simple steps, which I’d recommend to anyone… student loans or not.
1. Track Your Spending
For a week, a month, whatever. Track everything.
Keep a list, and add to it every time you pull out your wallet, whether it’s on a spreadsheet or a simple notepad.
Become aware of your spending habits. You need to know exactly where your money is going.
Bonus: You might decrease your spending just by being more attentive. I didn’t want to write down a $1 snack at work, so I didn’t buy it. That was $1 more dollar I could put towards my loans!
2. Set Some Financial Goals
Come up with a few short- or longer-term money goals, and write them down.
Maybe you want to put as much money possible each month toward your student loans, like me. Or maybe your goal is to go on a dream vacation, build a six-month emergency fund or stop living paycheck to paycheck.
My long-term goal was to fully pay off my student loans, and each month, I aimed to pay at least $50 more than the minimum payment.
3. Analyze Your Spending
Go back to your tracked expenses, and examine them.
What did you spend the most money on? Are you happy with how much you spent?
Be honest with yourself. Does your spending match your goals?
If not, it’s OK. Mine didn’t. Just acknowledge where you’re overspending and move forward.
After realizing how much I spent eating out, I said goodbye to Panera, and hello to bagged lunches.
4. Build a Budget
During extensive Googling (I may have been procrastinating), I found YNAB, or “You Need A Budget” — which I love.
But all you really need is a way to plan what you want your money to do for you, whether that’s an Excel spreadsheet, YNAB, Mint or even pen and paper. Use what’s comfortable.
First, enter how much money you have now. Not what you anticipate having, but what you have now.
Next, list where your money goes: rent, car repairs, fun money, groceries, student loan payments, retirement savings, etc. It can be as detailed or simple as you want.
And don’t forget an emergency fund! (Says the girl who had an unexpected root canal. Ouch.)
Here’s a more in-depth guide to creating a budget.
5. Give Every Dollar a Job
This is a YNAB mantra: Make sure to budget all of your income. Every. Last. Cent.
Your monthly bills are straightforward. And by looking at your list from step one, you can anticipate how much you’re going to spend on groceries and restaurants.
But the real trick is planning for less common expenditures, like car registration.
You’ll eventually use every dollar you have, so plan for it. Prioritize your categories, and make sure every time you get paid, you give all those dollars a job.
6. Be Vigilant with Your Spending
Record every transaction.
The list you started with was good practice, but now you have to make it a habit. Making a budgets is relatively easy, but it’s not a “set it and forget it” deal.
Check your categories to see how much money you have available before shopping or going out.
Recently, I bought several T-shirts at Target. I hadn’t planned on it, but I looked at my budget, saw I had enough money in my clothing category to cover the cost and went for it. Guilt-free impulse buying for the win!
If you go over your budget by a few dollars here and there, it’s fine. Pull money from a different category, and learn from it.
I adjust something pretty much every month. Recently, I had to pull some money from my grocery category and put it into my household goods category because I ran out of toilet paper, paper towels and Clorox wipes all at the same time. Whoops!
7. Be Realistic
A budget is not set in stone. Setting realistic expectations is the secret to successful finances.
You know you. If you know you’ll want to splurge on certain things, don’t stress. Instead, build it into your budget.
I set aside enough money to go to two movies every month. It removes the guilt and makes it easier to stick to my plan. I don’t feel like I’m missing out, and I’m still putting as much as possible towards my loans.
Being realistic is the only way to make your budget stick.
What Will Your Budget Help You Achieve?
Budgeting is simpler than you think, and it helps you achieve your financial goals much faster.
Realizing I’d about halved my student loan debt in less than four years was an amazing feeling!
You probably won’t always perfectly stick to your monthly budget, but it’s OK. Just adjust as needed.
But make sure you’re only spending money you already have, even if it’s tempting to pull out your credit card.
You have the power to take control of your money. All you have to do now is start.
Your Turn: Do you set a monthly budget? How do you manage your money?
Emily Wynn is a young professional passionate about helping her peers figure out their money. Often, personal finance seem overwhelming, but she’s on a mission to show it’s not.
The post I Paid Off $11K in Student Loans in 4 Years Making $15/Hour. Here’s How appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Homes on London Marathon route up by 15%
House prices have gone up on average by 15.6% year-on-year along the London Marathon route, with the average price of a home now hitting £712,416 – £95,997 more than last year, according to research by online estate agent HouseSimple.com.
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