She’s the top-ranked UFC Straw weight contender in the world and, on July 8, Claudia Gadelha will fight for the title against champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk on the season finale of the Ultimate Fighter Season 23 in Las Vegas.With so much at stake, Gadelha took time to stop in Stroudsburg where she and a local resident, Mixed Martial Arts Signatures Founder A.J. Hiller, have opened a new training gym.Hiller is one of the largest collectors of mixed martial arts collectibles, [...]
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الثلاثاء، 26 أبريل 2016
Here’s How to Get a Kids’ Book From Barnes & Noble — Totally Free
No matter how intent your kids are on staying outdoors this summer, there are going to be rainy days.
And now that I’m thinking about it, in today’s screen-mediated world, maybe it’s a challenge to get your kids to go outside in the first place.
Either way, there will be summer days when kids populate your couch. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a book in their hands instead of your phone?
Better yet: Wouldn’t it be great if you got that book for free?
Free Summer Reading for Kids at Barnes & Noble
“Reading is like a sport in at least one way: developing the skill to do it well takes practice and commitment,” according to Barnes & Noble.
That’s why the retailer has marketed its kids’ book giveaway as a “Summer Reading Triathlon.” But don’t worry, your kids don’t have to get wet. Or own a bicycle.
All your kids have to do is fill out this flier and answer questions about which books have tested their reading strength and stamina in the past.
Then, help them bring it to your local Barnes & Noble location, where they’ll be able to choose from a selection of free books, divided by grade level reading ability.
The program runs from May 17 to September 6. Be sure to check with your neighborhood location to make sure they’re participating.
And don’t worry, it’s not a ploy to get subpar books off the shelves — these are titles you and your kids actually want in your collection. I mean, Judy Blume!
Then, watch your kids get to working out… from the comfort of the couch.
Your Turn: Will you and your kids participate in the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Triathlon?
Jamie Cattanach (@jamiecattanach) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her creative writing has been featured in “DMQ Review,” “Sweet: A Literary Confection” and elsewhere.
The post Here’s How to Get a Kids’ Book From Barnes & Noble — Totally Free appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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This 7-Year-Old “Star Wars” Fan Learned About Money in the Cutest Way
What toy did you realllly want when you were 7 years old?
For me, I think it was a Polly Pocket. (Please don’t ask me why; I never even liked dolls.)
For Rudra Joshi, a 7-year-old living in New Delhi, India, it was a lightsaber.
But rather than just give in to his “nagging,” his mom, Banani, used his deep yearning as a “teaching opportunity,” reports BuzzFeed.
She told him to save his money — when he’d saved 1,000 rupees, or around $15, she’d buy it for him.
“I forgot about it immediately, but he didn’t,” Banani told BuzzFeed.
And here’s what happened…
How This 7-Year-Old Finally Got His Lightsaber
The determined Rudra collected coins from his parents and grandparents, and in three months, he’d amassed the required amount.
(I know, I know; he didn’t start a kid business like this entrepreneurial girl, but I still think it’s impressive he was persistent enough to collect $15 in coins. At the very least, it shows he truly wanted it!)
Once he’d reached his goal, Banani suggested he write a letter to Amazon.
And, like any good little 7-year-old, he followed her advice. It says, in oh-so-cute elementary school cursive:
Dear Amazon,
I have been saving to buy a Star Wars lightsaber. I have now saved 1006 rupees. If I do cashondilivery [sic.] will you please accept coins.
RUDRA 7 years
Banani sent Amazon a photo of the letter via Facebook, and a week later, its Indian office called her.
“I tried to persuade them that I’d like to pay for it but they really wanted to send it to him as a gift,” she told BuzzFeed.
So the world’s largest retailer hand-delivered a lightsaber (and other “Star Wars” surprises!) to her son, along with a note from Yoda.
Needless to say, Rudra was STOKED to get his new lightsaber. And Banani was pretty happy to have taught him a valuable money lesson, as well.
“I am glad that he learnt prudence, saving and the value of money,” she said.
Hopefully, though, he won’t expect notes from Yoda every time he saves a few bucks!
Looking for more ways to teach your kids about money? Check out these posts:
Your Turn: Have you used creative ways to teach your kids about money?
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 This 7-Year-Old “Star Wars” Fan Learned About Money in the Cutest Way appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Singing Slogans: The Famous Ad Jingles Quiz
Do you remember some of the catchiest ad jingles? Test your knowledge of the tunes with this quiz at HowStuffWorks.
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25 Free Things to Do to Make Today Feel Awesome
Here’s a key truth I’ve come to realize about my spending habits.
When I’m unhappy with myself or my life, I am much, much more prone to make spending mistakes. I’m much more likely to spend money beyond what we’ve budgeted. I’m much more likely to waste my monthly budgeted “personal spending” money on something completely dumb and wasteful. I’m much more likely to not maintain any discipline at the grocery store and come home with a bunch of stuff we don’t need.
That’s why I’ve come to realize that using simple strategies to keep my mood positive throughout the day makes a huge difference in terms of my spending habits and thus my finances. My goal isn’t to go through the whole day with a giant smile on my face, but just to gently lift my feelings throughout the day with maybe a little spike when I need it.
For me, these things are a huge help. My natural mood is a bit melancholic, though I’m not depressed. I’m generally not a person who wanders through life with bubbly joy running through me, but like everyone else, sometimes my moods are higher and sometimes they’re lower. It’s when I’m in those mood “valleys” that I make mistakes.
So, what are these simple (and free) mood-lifting strategies? Here are twenty five things I regularly do to help my mood. Some of these are tiny and only help for a minute or two. Others last and last and provide a mood boost that can go on for days. All of them provide a powerful lift to my mood and keeps me from making mood-based spending mistakes.
Converse with Someone Who Makes You Laugh
One of the most inspirational things I’ve ever heard was Jim Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY awards where he won the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award. When he received this award, he was very ill from the effects of bone cancer, but he walked up there and gave a tremendously inspirational speech. One part of it has stuck with me always:
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”
Laugh. Cry. Think. You’re going to see those things on this list.
I find that the best source of laughter is to talk to some of my closest friends. I’m lucky to have a few friends with very sharp wits who often tell jokes that will get no reaction for a while and then cause someone to burst out in laughter moments later when the joke finally hits home. Conversing with one of those friends is a guaranteed mood lifter for me, both in the moment and later on.
Watch a Movie Scene That Makes You Cry
Weirdly, whenever I’m moved to tears, I tend to feel better about the entirety of my life after that, so I don’t shy away from things that tug at my heart.
I often find that particular scenes from movies do the trick quite well for me, so what I’ll do is hunt down particular scenes on Youtube and watch them again and again.
One scene that always does this to me is this one near the end of Field of Dreams:
It absolutely nails the feeling I have about my memories of watching baseball with my father and grandfather, something deep and elemental that I can’t even describe, but I can feel on a very deep level.
Find a clip that shakes your heart. Watch it. See what happens.
Answer Your Most Burning Question by Learning
Here, we turn to the third part of Valvano’s trifecta: learn something new.
Most of us have questions inside of us. We want to understand some part of the world a little better than we did before. Taking the time to actually do that, however, is a different thing. We push that experience to the side because it’s not urgent. It’s not squawking at us like our cell phone is. It’s not demanding attention.
Whenever I take a few moments – or an hour, or whatever is needed – to dig a little deeper and scratch a curiosity itch, I almost always feel substantially better. I feel as though my understanding of the world is greater while also enjoying that sense of having relieved something that was gently bothering me. That’s a good feeling.
When doing this, I usually use Wikipedia as an overview and use the information there to find other sources that can add more detail.
Exercise Until You Have to Stop Five Times
I like going on a walk every day when the weather is nice. It brings a sense of peace to my life and I value it, but it’s not a huge mood lifter.
On the other hand, if I want to feel a good mood lifter, hard exercise does that. I go and go and go until I can’t breathe, so I stop and catch my breath for a while, and then I go and go and go again. My goal is usually to reach a point where I have to stop five times.
After I cool down a bit, I usually feel tremendous for a few hours. I’ve even joked that I feel like the “Kool-Aid man” and that I could bust through walls.
Eat a Couple Pieces of Fruit Instead of a Heavy Meal
Many days, particularly at lunchtime, I’ll skip the usual heavier thing I might eat – leftovers or a sandwich or something – and instead eat a couple pieces of fruit. I’ll grab a banana and an apple and a cup of water and eat that.
I eat just enough fruit so that I don’t feel hungry and chase it with a healthy dose of water and I feel adequately full.
So, what happens? I feel a little better, for starters. More than that, I don’t get sleepy in the early to mid afternoon, which I do sometimes when I eat a heavy lunch. Instead, I tend to get things done in the afternoon that I might not do due to afternoon lethargy. That also leads to better feelings about the day.
It’s a subtle thing, but it really makes a difference. I notice it when I eat something really heavy at lunch and feel a bit lethargic in the afternoons.
Spend At Least Two Hours Outside… Perhaps in a Park
I try to go on a nice long walk every single day when the weather cooperates (and I’m not dealing with any significant personal disaster). Doing so lifts my mood for two reasons.
First, it clears my mind exceptionally well. I do most of my “thinking” work, such as when I’m reading a book or brainstorming ideas for articles, while outside. I’ll go for a long walk or sit on a park bench and jot down notes as they come to me. I’m usually listening to a podcast while I’m wandering around, but sometimes I’ll just turn it off and listen to nature.
Second, it feels good. Moving around makes me feel more awake. The sunshine on my skin feels warm and nice and gives me a bit of Vitamin D which is great for my health. It’s also gentle exercise.
When I get back, both my mind and body feel at peace… and it feels wonderful.
Make a Giant List on Paper of All of the Things To Do You Have Floating in Your Head
This is a trick I learned from the book Getting Things Done by David Allen. He calls it a “brain dump,” which is a great term for it.
Simply pull out a few pieces of paper and make a giant list of all of the things you need to do. You probably have twenty or thirty things floating around in your brain that you need to take care of, so just get all of those things down on paper.
What you’re going to wind up with is a big to-do list, but the funny part is that it feels really good. You can feel the mental weight being taken off your shoulders simply by having all of that down on paper. It clears my head like almost nothing else.
Now what?
Do Two or Three of Those Things Immediately
Go through that list of things to do and take care of a few of them. Look for ones you can easily achieve where you’re at with the things you have in a relatively short period of time. Just take care of them.
By getting a few things done that have long been left undone, you’ll again feel pretty good about your life. It’s not fun in the moment to take care of undone tasks, but getting them done feels quite good.
Knock a few things off that list and then relax. You’ll feel happy, and you’ve really earned it.
Call Your Mom and/or Dad and Tell Them You Love Them
At the 2015 Academy Awards, JK Simmons gave a great acceptance speech in which he advocated for calling your parents:
“And if I may, call your mom, everybody. I’ve told this [to], like, a billion people, or so. Call your mom, call your dad. If you’re lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call ‘em. Don’t text. Don’t email. Call them on the phone. Tell ‘em you love ‘em, and thank them, and listen to them for as long as they want to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you, Mom and Dad. ”
Even if your relationship with your parents is strained, stop for a moment and think of what they gave you. How much shelter they provided. How many clothes they bought you. How many meals they prepared or provided for you. How many countless activities they took you to. How many times they helped you out.
Call your parents. Tell them you love them. Tell them thanks. You’ll feel good. They’ll feel tremendous.
Play Music You Love While in the Shower and Stay for a While
I have a little speaker on the far side of the bathroom. Before my shower, I’ll get it to start playing a playlist of some of my favorite music, then I’ll hop in the shower.
I’ll sing along, tap my foot to the music, maybe even dance a little bit. It feels good. My children think it’s hilarious. I get out of the shower feeling alive.
It’s so simple and so silly, but it works. It makes me feel good every time.
Play With a Child and Do Whatever the Child Does
This is a great trick I’ve learned as a parent. If I want to feel really happy and connected with my child, I shut off every distraction and just play with them on their terms. I do whatever they want.
I might wind up in a sandbox making castles and roads. I might wind up going down a slide. I might end up rolling down a grassy hill. I might end up playing catch with a ball.
Whatever it is, if I let myself get lost in that moment, I usually end up naturally laughing and smiling because it’s so enjoyable. I feel better.
Forget Your Cell Phone and Live Without It for a While
This is pretty similar to the previous idea, but it’s a good tactic to try.
So many of us are tethered to our cell phones, turning to them constantly for distraction and entertainment. The thing is, most of what a cell phone provides us doesn’t bring any lasting joy, but it does distract us from the lasting things we might see. We miss our child’s first step or first climb to the top of the monkey bars because we’re staring at a game on our phone.
So put the phone down. Turn it off completely. Nothing genuinely urgent is going to happen. Instead, focus on whatever is happening around you. Notice any urges you have to grab your phone and squelch them hard.
Eventually, your mind will lock into whatever is happening in the moment and you’ll get a lot more meaning and value out of it, plus you’re not going to be absorbing negative stuff from your phone. It’s a big net positive.
Help Someone Who Is Struggling
It doesn’t take much. Help someone load their groceries into their car. Hold a door for someone. Help someone pick up the things they’ve dropped.
Yes, it’s helpful for that person, but it also feels good after you’ve done it. You genuinely feel like you’ve made the world a better place. You feel better about yourself.
Keep your eyes open. Look for people who can use a helping hand and offer it, with no expectation of anything in return other than the way you’ll feel after doing it. You’ll be incredibly glad you did.
Tell Someone You Admire That You Admire Them and Why
There are many people in the world, both people I’ve known personally and people I haven’t, who have done things to make my life better without getting nearly as much value in return for their efforts. I’ve had teachers inspire me and change my life, mentors guide me and shape me, and on and on and on.
It doesn’t take much effort to thank those people who have done things for you and done things that you admire. It takes just a few minutes to take out a notecard and write down a note and mail it, or even to write an email.
After you send it off, though, you’ll feel pretty good about it. You’ll know that you did just a little to lift up someone who has done so much for you, and that feels pretty good.
Share That Appreciation Publicly
You can go beyond that appreciation by sharing it publicly. Post it on Facebook, for example. Tell everyone in the world how incredible someone is for what they have done for you and for others.
What will often happen is that you’ll see lots of people coming out of the woodwork to agree with you and to also thank that person.
You’ll feel good. Others will feel good. It’s a batch of pure positivity.
Make a List of Things (5 or So) You Are Grateful For
The idea of “gratitude journaling” is a well known one, but that’s because it works. If you want to feel happy about the life you currently have, gratitude journaling does it very well.
It’s easy, really. All you have to do is write down five or so things you’re grateful for. Thinking about it reminds you of the multitude of good things that your life already has, and that makes the bad things in life pale a little in comparison.
I do this once every few days. I find that I really have a lot of good things in my life, and recognizing that makes things better.
Focus on Your Breathing for Five Whole Minutes
This seems strange, but it works. Turn off your sounds, your phone, your distractions. Lean back in your chair, close your eyes, and focus on nothing but your breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out.
If you find your mind wandering, bring it back to your breath. Breathe in. Breathe out.
Do it for as long as you can. Believe it or not, if you haven’t done this very often, you’ll find yourself stopping after less than five minutes, but stretching it out to at least five is well worth it.
What happens? Your mind relaxes. It’s like the pleasure of stretching out a tight muscle that’s been holding weight for a while, or sitting down after standing for several hours. It feels good.
Remind Yourself to Smile and Do It Often
I don’t naturally smile. My default face is pretty neutral, in fact. I don’t look upset or angry or sad, but I don’t look happy, either.
Yet it’s not hard to notice that my mood lifts when I’m around other people who smile and look joyful. If people smile at me, I tend to feel a bit better and smile back.
So why not instigate it myself?
I make an effort to smile at people. Sometimes, they’ll smile back. It’s a small thing and not a huge life-changer, but it’s such a simple thing that works virtually every time I’m in public. It works.
Ask for Advice Because You Value Their Input
This seems strange, but I find that the process of asking a friend or trusted person that you actually know for advice usually ends up being a big mood lifter.
First, it can feel really good to lay out your problem for someone else. Getting that mental weight off of your shoulders is amazing. Getting help on that problem is also useful. Even better, this can often cement a bond between you and the other person.
Don’t let it be a one way street, though. Offer advice when it is asked of you. Think of it as flattering when the other person thinks highly enough of you to ask for advice.
Volunteer
Spend a few hours or so of your time volunteering for something that you care about. You’ll feel as though you made a genuine positive difference regarding something you really care about, and you will feel great about it.
I often volunteer for political campaigns. The jobs are often atrocious – phone banking or doing office work or fixing computers or taking signs to another building or so on. It’s boring work, but when I’m done, I always feel as though I’ve done something real to help the candidate or cause I care about.
The same thing happens with our local food pantry. I’ll go there and move boxes around and carry bags for people. It’s drudgery. But when I’m done, I feel great. I actually helped people get food on their table this week. I’ve made a difference in their lives.
Volunteer. It feels great.
Pick Up Some Trash in a Place You Enjoy
If you don’t have time to formally volunteer, do something smaller.
One thing I really like to do is just pick up trash in some of my favorite places, like the park nearest our house. I’ll take a trash bag with me when I walk, pick up any trash I find, fill up the bag, and deposit it in the dumpster at the far end of the park.
Again, it’s drudgery, but when I’m done, I can look around that park and it just looks nicer. Not only is it nicer for me, it’s nicer for everyone else that goes to that park. “But aren’t I doing someone’s job for them?” Maybe, but I know how busy our city’s parks and recreation department is and I know they’ll just go do something else with their limited time and resources.
I actually love doing this. I’m outside, walking around, getting a little exercise, listening to a podcast or something, and making the park look better. I feel quite good when I’m done.
Call Your Oldest Relative
Think of the oldest person you’re close to. It’s likely that the person you’re thinking of will pass away at some point in the reasonably near future.
What exactly would you say to that person if you knew that person was going to pass away tomorrow? How would you feel if that went unsaid?
Whatever that thought is, call your relative and talk to them. Tell that person how you feel. You’re probably going to make that person’s day, but not only that, you’re going to feel good, too. You’re going to be glad that the things on your mind were said when they still could be.
Walk to a Place Near Your Home That You’ve Never Visited Before
Just go out of your front door and keep walking and making turns until you’re in a new area. What do you find there?
I love doing this. I discover new things that are nearby all the time. Just doing this in my own little town has caused me to find a place that serves a really good lunch and this quiet little shop that used to sell sports cards with a friendly old guy that worked there. I found several curbside “little libraries” and countless free things people have left out for the taking.
If nothing else, the world seems a little less unknown and a little more beautiful and full of opportunity.
Make Dinner for Yourself from Very Simple Ingredients
It’s so easy to just pull dinner out of a package, toss it in the microwave or the oven, and eat shortly thereafter. It makes meals kind of joyless and disconnected.
Try this, instead. Make dinner for yourself from the simplest ingredients you can. Make vegetable soup, if nothing else. Chop up vegetables, put them in water, add some salt and pepper and basil, let it boil, taste it and add more spices until it tastes right, and eat it.
In the end, that soup is just vegetables in water, but it’s so much more than that. You feel connected to it and it feels more fulfilling. You feel fed on more levels than just one.
Go to Bed When You Feel Tired, Not Before, Not After
This is the last tip, but it might be the best one. Few things make a day better than having a great night of sleep the night before. The best way to get a good night of sleep? Just go to sleep when you feel tired. Don’t stay up because you feel “foolish” or “childish” going to bed early. Just go to bed.
A good night of sleep makes you less moody and more full of energy the next day. You’re better able to deal with life’s challenges and appreciate life’s little rewards.
In short, a good night of sleep makes you happier, and forcing yourself to stay up when you’re tired causes you to sleep less and makes the next day worse in exchange for merely having an extra hour of sitting around when you’re exhausted.
Go to bed.
Final Thoughts
Each of these things works to lift my mood. Some of these things help just a little. Other things don’t seem to help at all, but my mood drops when they’re absent. The end result of all of these things is that I’m happier and more joyful when I do these things than when I’m don’t.
The better my mood is, the more likely I am to be responsible with my spending. I’m less impulsive. I’m less prone to “retail therapy.” I’m less focused on my wants and desires. Instead, I focus more on my family, my hobbies, and being productive.
Try using some of these tactics to lift your mood a little, especially if you find yourself prone to things like “retail therapy.” It’ll likely help. If nothing else, it’ll probably feel good for a little while, which is pretty nice in and of itself.
The post 25 Free Things to Do to Make Today Feel Awesome appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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Singing Slogans: The Famous Ad Jingles Quiz
Do you remember some of the catchiest ad jingles? Test your knowledge of the tunes with this quiz at HowStuffWorks.
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Scottish Power to pay £18m for customer service failings
Scottish Power customers may be in line for a share of £15m after the energy regulator found the Big Six provider guilty of a catalogue of errors.
A further £3 million will be given to charity, which charity is yet to be decided.
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If You’re a Teacher, Head to Chipotle on This Day for BOGO Burritos
We get it, Chipotle: You really want us back.
From free burritos for all humans to free burritos for mini-humans in soccer uniforms, we’ve recently seen our fair share of Chipotle deals.
We’re particularly excited about this new promotion, though, since it’s going to some of the most deserving and hardworking people out there: our nation’s teachers.
Here are all the yummy details…
How to Get BOGO Chipotle on Teacher Appreciation Day
On Tuesday, May 3 — in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Day — educators can get a free Chipotle burrito, burrito bowl, salad or order of tacos with the purchase of another menu item.
What’s super cool is that educators of ALL kinds are eligible — including support staff, homeschooling parents and university professors!
“Educators and staff at all levels, including pre-school, elementary, middle/high school, university and homeschooling parents who present valid identification recognizing them as staff or support,” can take advantage of the deal, according to Chipotle.
Ready for your buy-one-get-one burrito?
Just bring an empty stomach and your school ID to the nearest Chipotle after 3 p.m. on May 3.
And before you go, don’t forget your extra-credit reading: how to get a bigger burrito for the same price.
Your Turn: Will you grab your BOGO Chipotle burrito?
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’re a Teacher, Head to Chipotle on This Day for BOGO Burritos appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Holy Bananas. These Coding Interns Make So Much I’m Going to Cry
Even though I work for a website, I still don’t really get what coders do.
I know they wear headphones and type numbers on a dark screen that looks like the matrix, but that’s about it.
The one thing I do know? They can earn a pretty penny.
Much prettier than, say, someone who merely puts words on the internet. (I guess when you’re building the internet, you can do that.)
I had no idea, though, coding INTERNS also commanded big salaries. After all, when I was an intern, I made zero dollars; I thought that was pretty standard.
So I was shocked when I found this list of coding intern salaries. In fact, it may or may not have made me question every life decision I’ve ever made.
But since that list was old and only based on one source, I asked the lovely folks at Glassdoor to hook me up with some better data.
Here are the insane numbers…
You’ll Cry When You See These Intern Salaries
Glassdoor shared a tool that searches the salaries of software engineer interns, which is how I found the 30 internships below.
Keep in mind these salaries are self-reported, so the data isn’t verified, and only includes companies whose interns chose to upload their information.
Still, this is a decent sampling of the monthly coding intern salaries at some of the country’s biggest tech companies:
1. eBay: $9,499
2. Snapchat: $9,000
3. Dropbox: $8,735
4. Facebook: $8,174
5. VMware: $8,148
6. Quora: $8,086
7. Groupon: $8,000
8. Palantir: $7,873
9. Pinterest: $7,675
10. Walmart: $7,674
11. Pure Storage: $7,667
12. A9.com: $7,599
13. Coursera: $7,588
14. Microsoft: $7,525
15. Twitter: $7,465
16. Uber: $7,379
17. Chegg: $7,174
18. Counsyl: $7,217
19. Lookout: $7,129
20. Wish: $7,122
21. Sumo Logic: $7,102
22. Hewlett-Packard: $7,005
23. Yelp: $6,933
24. NovoEd: $6,856
25. Amazon Lab: $6,799
26. RetailMeNot: $6,795
27. Foursquare: $6,772
28. Khan Academy: $6,736
29. Texas Instruments: $6,674
30. IBM: $6,636
Crazy, right?
When you compound those numbers with the fact many of these companies offer housing and in-office perks like catered meals and gyms, it’s enough to blow your mind.
Or, like me, really wish you were born with a left brain instead of a right one.
Your Turn: Do you want to learn to code? Check out coding bootcamps — they’re a faster and cheaper alternative to a full college degree.
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 Holy Bananas. These Coding Interns Make So Much I’m Going to Cry appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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8 Super Awkward Money Situations… and How to Handle Them Like a Pro
Just talking about money is often uncomfortable, and then there are the really awkward situations involving money…
Many years ago, I was on a blind date in a restaurant at the top of a fancy hotel. When the bill arrived, I looked out the window at my car far below in the parking lot — and realized my wallet was in it.
Like a scene from a sitcom, I awkwardly ordered another dessert and excused myself to go to the bathroom, then ran down 13 flights of stairs (if I’d used the elevator, my date would have seen me).
Wallet in hand, I ran back across the parking lot, took the elevator to the 12th floor and walked up the last flight of steps, arriving at the table slightly sweaty and out of breath. Of course, I had to eat the extra dessert on a full stomach to complete my deception.
Hey, who hasn’t forgotten their wallet at least once, right?
Here are some other common — but awkward — money situations you may have faced, along with a few tips on what to do.
1. Your First Request for a Raise
It’s never easy to ask your boss for a raise, but the first time is the worst time.
I think I presented my first request something like this: “Do I get a raise or do you want to hire someone else?”
Although I was lucky enough to get the raise, that’s not the way to do it.
Preparation and catching the boss at the right time will make your request less awkward and more likely to succeed.
Mondays are often stressful for everyone, so wait until a calmer moment later in the week — ideally, just after you’ve completed some project.
For more strategies, see my post on how to get a raise.
2. Your Credit Card Is Declined
My credit card was declined in a gas station while there was a line of people behind me.
Filling up at gas stations 1,000 miles apart on the same day is apparently suspicious activity to a credit card company (it was a long trip). Fortunately, I resolved the problem with a phone call.
Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, you’ll probably have a credit card declined at some point, and it can be uncomfortable.
If you’re traveling long distances — and especially if you’re going to another country — call your credit card company to put a note on your account.
Another easy solution is to always carry more than one credit card.
If you’re smooth enough, you might run the second card like it’s the first, so everyone can think the card just didn’t read right the first time. Having some cash in your wallet is also a good idea, just in case.
3. You Forgot Your Wallet
If you’re lucky, it’s nearby — as in only 13 flights of steps below and across the parking lot.
But maybe you left your wallet at home, and you don’t realize this until… well, until you need it, of course. What do you do?
You can have your date pay, and promise to settle up as soon as you get your wallet.
Or you can recreate a scene from some romantic comedy, and call a friend from the bathroom to have him run over with your wallet or some cash.
If you’re out with a group of friends, you’ll have to hit up one of them for a loan.
One way to make it less awkward: Pay back the money you owe immediately with a PayPal or Venmo transfer using your phone. Your date’s impression of you might quickly change from “moocher” to “problem solver.”
4. You Don’t Know Who’s Paying
You’re on a date and the check comes.
You almost break each other’s fingers when you both reach for it. Or worse, you both just leave the check sitting there… and then your eyes meet.
Now that’s awkward.
Who should pay on a first date? Men pay 68% of the time, according to eHarmony.com — but that doesn’t really answer the question. It just shows gender-based expectations in our culture haven’t completely changed.
To avoid the awkwardness, assume you’ll pay if you proposed the date, but reach for the check even if you were the one asked out.
When your date says, “I’ve got it,” you can simply say thank you. In the worst case, you’ll pay for a lesson about the other person’s expectations.
5. Your First Money Talk With a Significant Other
When you move in with your girlfriend or boyfriend — or get engaged — the time will come for the money talk.
How will you handle bills? Will you split them? Will one person stay home and the other work? Do you need permission from your significant other before making large purchases? What about retirement planning?
Although there’s a lot of advice out there on how to talk to your spouse about money, it may still be awkward the first time. It’s probably best to just dive in and do it.
Couples who talk about money are less likely to divorce, reports MSN Money — and more likely to accumulate significant assets.
6. Splitting Expenses With Roommates
Maybe your roommates are honest and expect to pay their fair share, but they might not have the same ideas as you about how and when to pay.
You might prefer to send a check as soon as the electric bill arrives, while your roommate might be in the habit of paying bills in cash — and only when a late notice arrives.
So how do you handle money matters with roommates?
It’s best to clarify everything before you share an apartment or house. Put it in writing. You don’t need a formal contract, but if you can point to a piece of paper listing what was agreed to, it’ll be easier to resolve any money issues.
To avoid many problems with splitting bills, like arguments about who’s using more water or electricity, or who has the bigger room, consider avoiding the split altogether.
Rent or buy in your name and then charge roommates a set amount. See my guide on how to rent out rooms for more suggestions.
7. Asking Parents for Help
Life happens, and there may come a point where you need to ask your family to bail you out of a financial mess.
It becomes particularly awkward by the time you’re in your 30s.
To make it easier for everyone involved, have a solid plan in place before you ask mom and dad for money — or to live in their basement. You want them to know you made a mistake, but you already know what’s necessary to correct it.
In other words, tell them in writing exactly how you’ll repay them and when, and/or exactly how long you’ll need to stay with them — and how you’ll save the money to move out.
8. Collecting Debts
It’s never really comfortable to remind someone they owe you money, but it’s especially awkward with friends and family.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to make it easier to approach the subject.
First, if you have an irresponsible friend who’ll probably never pay you back, make a small loan before he needs it.
When your friend needs to borrow big money in the future, he’ll ask someone else because he still owes you money. I can tell you from experience that this cheap “shame” insurance policy works.
Another approach is to make it clear that loans are an investment, and you expect interest and collateral.
I’ve had a friend come to me a year late to repay a loan and reclaim his TV. I simply said, “Keep the money; I sold the TV a long time ago.” I make it clear loans are business to me, not a personal matter, so I’ve never lost a friend over a bad loan.
Also, I find an email about a late payment less uncomfortable than an in-person reminder.
You can find more suggestions in our previous post on what to do when family and friends want to borrow money.
Your Turn: Have you faced any of these awkward money situations? Tell us about your experiences.
Steve Gillman is the author of “101 Weird Ways to Make Money” and creator of EveryWayToMakeMoney.com. He’s been a repo-man, walking stick carver, search engine evaluator, house flipper, tram driver, process server, mock juror, and roulette croupier, but of more than 100 ways he has made money, writing is his favorite (so far).
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A HUGE List of Free Resources to Help Run Your Home-Based Business
By Holly Reisem Hanna Leaving the security of a steady paying job to launch a new business can be a scary endeavor. Even if you’ve planned and saved six months worth of living expenses, often it takes months to start generating income from your business. And guess what? Even if you don’t have money coming […]
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