TOBYHANNA — A second lieutenant assigned to Tobyhanna Army Depot in 1955 who rose to become the depot’s second deputy commander is among the first group to be inducted into the U.S. Army Communications–Electronics Command’s (CECOM) Hall of Fame.Mount Pocono resident Mason Linn, who served as civilian executive assistant (or CEA, now called deputy commander) from 1970 to 1990, was one of five former Army officers and civilians inducted on April 7. The CECOM [...]
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الجمعة، 29 أبريل 2016
I Want This Job: Run Snapchat for WOW air and Travel the World for Free
Fire up your emoji keyboard and start picking out the best filter for your travel selfies.
If Snapchat has stolen your heart (sorry, Instagram), maybe it’s time to take your relationship to the next level: traveling around the world.
Oh, and get paid for it, too.
Icelandic discount carrier WOW air is hiring four “SnapTravelers” to travel the world this summer.
Each will visit four of the airline’s destinations for free — flights and hotels included, plus an excursions and travel allowance that depends on your destination. The trips last three to eight days, and each SnapTraveler will visit Iceland for one of their trips.
While on the road, you’ll take over WOW’s Snapchat account (wow-air) to share adventures, beautiful views, and probably a lot of food photos. “You will gain massive social media exposure and some priceless memories,” WOW promises. Also: Potential jet lag for your entire summer.
To apply, create a two-minute Snapchat story (it’s gotta be in English) and upload it on the official contest site.
WOW is looking for “someone creative, ambitious and fun with a passion for travel, good Snapchat storytelling abilities and of course, the WOW factor,” according to the SnapTraveler page.
But think fast: your Snap story is due May 8. Winners will be announced on WOW’s social media accounts on Tuesday, May 17.
What’s Up With WOW air
WOW, easily recognizable with its magenta planes, is a newer airline, founded in 2011 and serving 28 destinations in the U.S. and Europe. One of the major perks of flying on WOW is their free stopover option, where you can visit Iceland for a few days on the way to your destination.
There are a few trade-offs for flying cheap on WOW — you won’t find seat-back TVs, gratis snacks or free WiFi on these flights. But those amenities will be long forgotten if you get chosen to travel for free!
The Snapchat contest does have one obvious catch: if you don’t live near one of WOW’s destinations, you’ll have to foot the bill to get to the closest airport WOW flies from to board your flight.
There’s no word on whether winners will be expected to adhere to the airline’s strict baggage rules — which we’re guessing is one of the ways they make up the cash you save on your ridiculously cheap trans-Atlantic flights.
But you may as well pack light if you’re one of the chosen SnapTravelers. Carrying luggage is just a drag, and let’s be honest, you’ll need both hands for all those emojis.
Your Turn: Where in the world would you most want to snap from?
Lisa Rowan is a writer, editor and podcaster living in Washington, D.C. She thinks Keflavik Airport is a fine place for a stopover.
The post I Want This Job: Run Snapchat for WOW air and Travel the World for Free appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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10 Fields Where the Glass Ceiling Isn't Even Cracked
Women in America have come a long way, well, in certain occupations. Learn more about fields where the glass ceiling isn't cracked at HowStuffWorks.
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Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1WvCzfw
10 Fields Where the Glass Ceiling Isn't Even Cracked
Women in America have come a long way, well, in certain occupations. Learn more about fields where the glass ceiling isn't cracked at HowStuffWorks.
Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1WvCzfw
Source Business & Money - HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/1WvCzfw
This Site Could Help You Decide If That New Job is a Good Fit
As a young girl, you might’ve wished for a fairy godmother.
As a working woman, though, you might wish for a fairy godboss. Or rather, a boss who understands work-life balance.
And if you want kids, a company that offers generous parental leave and a career that won’t force you to pay the motherhood penalty.
It’s not as though you can wave your magic wand and find all those qualities though; you need input from women in similar situations.
Enter Fairygodboss.
The Best Companies for Working Women
“We believe it should be easier for women to get the scoop about companies and jobs from other women,” the site says.
“Our professional community reviews and crowdsources information so you can learn what women are paid, the hours they work, and whether they believe their company is fair.”
The Fairygodboss database includes more than 9,000 employers and 21,000 reviews and tips, co-founder Georgene Huang told me in an email.
In addition to profiles of each employer, the site uses the data to generate a list of the companies where women are happiest.
Rankings are based on answers to the question: “How would you summarize your overall experience?” Companies are only eligible for the list once they have at least 30 reviews, according to Huang.
The list is updated daily. As I write this post, the top 10 companies are:
1. Salesforce
2. Apple
3. Accenture
4. Google
9. Deloitte
10. Microsoft
You can click on any of the companies for more information on why women love them. The profile pages include written reviews about company culture, plus stats on benefits like vacation and parental leave.
Although the site is aimed at women, I also want to point out men would probably be pretty happy at any of these companies, too — especially if they’re caregivers.
Looking for more resources for working women?
Check out these posts:
Your Turn: Are you a working woman who loves your company? Tell us about it!
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 Site Could Help You Decide If That New Job is a Good Fit appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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The $100,000 Challenge: March Update
We finally finished the last month of the $100,000 challenge. March was an awesome month for Nutrition Secrets. Not only did the traffic grow to 218,811 visitors, but revenue did too—it went up to $121,492.65.
It wasn’t hard to hit the revenue goals as we had enough fish oil in stock, plus we started to generate money from affiliate sales.
So let’s dive right in…
Traffic
Compared to February, the traffic went up to 218,811 visitors and 269,814 pageviews. The increase was only 18,102, which isn’t much.
But considering that the popularity of nutrition and fitness sites is cyclical (January and February are most popular) and that Mike didn’t blog much on NutritionSecrets.com in March, it wasn’t too bad.
Overall, Mike has slowed down on the blogging front. Over the next few months, he wants to try a few fun content formats such as infographics and wants to see what happens if we were to dump a few hundred grand into the blog. It won’t be much of an experiment at that point, but we are just curious to see if we can get the blog to a million visitors a month.
Nonetheless, the traffic isn’t performing too badly. Even in April, the traffic has been on an upward trend while little to no effort has been put into the blog since the challenge has been over.
Revenue
The revenue is a bit more complicated to breakdown as it is coming from two sources now: Amazon and affiliates.
In March, revenue from Amazon hit $112,573.30.
There are a few key elements to growing Amazon sales:
- Reviews – the more people you can get to leave a review, the better off you are. Most people don’t even read the reviews, but if they are high in ratings and you have tons in quantity, you are in good shape. If you have a blog that’s driving sales, a great way to get more reviews is through marketing automation. You can promote the product to your email list, and then after a few weeks of promoting your product to those people, you would send an automated email asking them to leave a review. You won’t really know who bought the product, but you would still put the review email—applicable to a portion of your list—in your sequence.
- Keywords – with Amazon, you can add keywords. Most people add basic ones like “fish oil,” but as you know, it is all about the long tail. Amazon opened it up so you can stuff hundreds of keywords now, and with the use of Google Keyword Planner, you can come up with popular variations. You’ll then start ranking for tons of keywords on Amazon.
- Combating negative Amazon reviews – similarly to what happens when people employ negative SEO, competitors sabotage your Amazon listing by taking up your front page with terrible reviews. They do this to tank your sales so they can generate more income. You fight this by building up your email list on your blog and continually blasting out to your list when you have bad reviews, asking your readers to up-vote the positive ones.
- Ads – Amazon allows ads on its platform. Whether it is profitable or not, ads help you generate more sales. And if you can increase your sales velocity, you’ll find that your listing climbs up higher and starts to stick—it stays up there even after your ads stop showing. Sure, other people can do the same thing, but most don’t.
As for affiliate income, we started to push stuff by the Truth About Abs guys. We started doing email blasts to our list in order to generate the sales, and it has been working out well. The copy isn’t too bad, but there are two reasons it’s working out well.
- We collect a lot more emails – we are generating 300 to 400 email sign-ups a day. It’s much larger than our previous numbers for one reason: we turned off double opt-in. Aweber usually requires double opt-in when you use third-party software to collect emails, but Mike called Aweber and got them to disable double opt-ins.
- Good copy – our copy converts well. You can see an example email below. And we have many more emails like this in the sequence. So, we continually send you affiliate offers over time, which helps.
Here is the email copy we have been testing:
Email – This plant food HARMS your metabolism & heart
Hi {!firstname_fix}
Sometimes it’s not the enemy you know that’s the problem, but the friend you think you know.
In this case, I’m talking about nutrition in foods. It’s common knowledge that stuff like sugary drinks are just plain bad for you. The best you can say is that your body can absorb the bad effects if you only have them occasionally.
But what about foods you thought weren’t bad, and you heard were actually good for you?
I have some bad news, and some good news. The bad: some so-called “healthy” foods may be the cause of why you work so hard to eat healthy and haven’t seen the results you expected. The good news: There’s a solution I read about from best selling author Mike Geary. Read on… (removed affiliate link)
Email – 2 Simple steps to REMOVE visceral belly fat (the DEADLIEST type)
Hi {!firstname_fix}
People often refer to past times as “the good old days” with a nostalgic tone. At least when it comes to many nutritional and health practices, I think of them more like the “bad old days.”
For example, people thought the wonders of science had delivered new, healthy products called “trans fats” that were featured in margarine, to replace that nasty butter. We now know that trans fats are about the worst thing you can coat your innards with.
People also thought they could do “spot reducing” of unattractive belly fat by using those jiggling-belt machines, or some other gimmick.
Well, belly fat certainly is still unattractive, and research says it’s also a danger sign. But research has also identified more-effective ways of getting rid of that spare tire. Here’s how. (removed affiliate link)
Email – 7 “fatty” foods for a flat stomach
Hi {!firstname_fix}
I spend full time on nutrition- and health-related activities. That’s the business I’m in.
I’m also an improvement junkie, always looking for the latest, best information. So you can imagine that I’ve pretty much seen it all: Every product, every supplement, every type of exercise.
Most of them are underwhelming. Yawn.
I’m writing you today because I recently came across something that made me sit up and pay attention. It’s a short-term blueprint for eating the right foods to burn substantial fat, and it’s all explained here… (removed affiliate link)
You can find high converting offers on sites such as Clickbank. They even sort the offers by popularity. I need to get a screenshot of our Clickbank revenue and our other affiliate income sources from Mike as he created the accounts and has the logins. Once I do, I will update the post with a screenshot (we use three networks).
The total affiliate revenue was $8,919.35.
Profit
As for monthly profit, it was high…but for a different reason than you might think. When you sell tangible products, you buy tons of inventory and then sell it over the following few months. We didn’t want to be out for our last month, so we spent a good chunk of money in the previous month, and, of course, we bought more in March.
Here is a breakdown of the expenses:
- Fish oil – $68,492.52 (including Amazon fees, shipping to Amazon for Prime, coupon-related expenses, and producing more inventory)
- Aweber – $149
- Designer – $375 (continually tweaking the site)
- Hosting – $249
- Mike – free (Mike doesn’t get paid, but he owns a percentage of the blog)
- Accounting – $290 (we are now paying a bookkeeper to help out with the books)
Total expenses came out to $69,555.52.
That brings the total profit to $51,937.13.
Of course, to maintain the growth, we would have to keep buying fish oil, but after awhile, we would cap out on sales, and our margins should be a healthy 30% plus. As for March, I didn’t spend much on buying tons more inventory as I wanted to show that selling supplements can be profitable.
Conclusion
Overall, the $100,000 challenge was fun, but I wouldn’t do it again. It’s just too much work with everything I have going on.
It was still a good learning experience. One thing I realized is how much harder it is to rank on Google today compared to 5 years ago. Almost all of my sites are old, so it is much easier for them to rank.
And although NutritionSecrets.com generated good traffic, if it were 5 years ago, the blog would have been at a million visitors a month with the same amount of effort.
So, what do you think of the $100,000 challenge?
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Energy switching on the up, but millions still missing out on big savings
The number of people who switched energy provider between January and March rose by 8% compared to the same period last year. But millions of people are yet to reap the rewards from switching away from standard tariffs, which are usually the most expensive on the market.
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/26AKT28
BT customers to be hit with up to 25% price hikes this summer
BT customers will see the price they pay for a host of services, including line rental, broadband, home phone, TV and BT Sport, hiked this summer.
Some, such as those with BT Sport HD, will see prices rise by as much as 25%.
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/26AKSLK
7 Reasons We Love Money Saving Mom — and Why You Should, Too
The internet is a big place for a couponer.
With so many coupon sources (look, here are a hundred right now!) and couponing blogs, it can be hard to even know where to start.
But Money Saving Mom has been one of our favorite go-to blogs for couponing and frugal living for years. And its proprietor, Crystal Paine, is one of our favorite people in the personal finance blogosphere.
Not only does Paine stay on top of the best deals everywhere you like to shop, she also offers great, family-oriented personal finance advice for everything from cooking to travel.
Her blog is fun and easy to follow, and sure to help you save next time you hit the supermarket.
But in case you’re still not convinced, here are seven more reasons we love Money Saving Mom.
1. She Started From Scratch
Paine’s couponing destination site started with a simple gift.
According to her “About Me” page, Paine’s couponing skills got their start when her mother gave her a copy of “Miserly Moms.”
She also outfitted her with a coupon organization box and gave her the responsibility of grocery shopping, meal planning and cooking for the family of nine (!).
That’s a lot of responsibility for a young woman still living at home — but it gave her a ton of practice and the skills she needed to become Money Saving Mom.
Paine started learning the art of frugality early, while she was still living at home. And since the skill clearly runs in the family, you could even say couponing is in Paine’s blood.
2. She’s Been There
Raising a family can be tough financially, especially for young couples still figuring out student loans — or even still in school.
But if you feel like your budget is completely impossible, never fear; Money Saving Mom knows your pain — and can help you relieve it.
Paine used the skills her mother helped her build to cut corners while her husband made his way through law school.
She made it work for their family on a “beans-and-rice budget” of $35 per week, and sharpened her creativity in order to get the most bang for every buck she spent.
Although she admits it wasn’t always fun to live so lean, she describes herself as “blessed,” and says she found ways to make couponing exciting by playing games and feeling awesome about finding the best deals possible.
We love Paine’s passion, perseverance and how she doesn’t take anything she has for granted. It’s her strength of spirit that made her the top coupon blogger she is today!
3. She Believes Everyone Should Use Coupons…
“I’m going to make a bold statement: I believe everyone should use coupons,” Paine says.
We couldn’t agree more.
As TPH founder Kyle Taylor has said before, coupons are just like finding free money!
But Paine doesn’t just philosophize about how we all should take advantage of great deals. She makes it easy to take her advice.
4. …And She Makes it Easy to Take Advantage of Great Deals
No matter how or where you shop, you can use Money Saving Mom to help you make the most of every dollar you spend.
Loyal to the neighborhood supermarket? You can look for coupons and deals by store.
Want to keep up with the latest and greatest? Easily filter her blog to see the latest coupon news — just hover over the “find coupons” tab and select “all coupon posts.”
You can even brush up on your couponing vocabulary. You’ll know what “NED Q, $0 OOP” means in no time!
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of awesome content on Paine’s page, start with her aptly named Start Here post. It’ll tell you how to overhaul your budget in a month, find the best deals on the blog and find Money Saving Mom on social media.
5. You Can Benefit From Her Creativity
If you need some inspiration for what to do with all those great coupons, check out her weekly menu plans.
Paine painstakingly (no pun intended — even when she does buy steak) lists the products she purchases and the stores they came from, including which deals and coupons she took advantage of that week.
She arranges and photographs her haul… and then organizes creative, healthy menu suggestions so you can see how all those groceries will be arranged into wholesome meals.
So. Awesome.
We love her creative suggestions — it’s too easy to throw pasta together every night when you’re on a budget!
By following her meal plans, you’ll avoid unhealthy and tedious repetitive patterns… and you might even get inspired to make something new yourself!
6. She’s Got Great Advice — and It’s Easy to Get To It
Money Saving Mom offers way more than just coupons.
Her blog is a one-stop shop: She’s got advice about travel, food, business, family life and money management. Basically, she’s an expert at being a person.
With so many awesome deals, Money Saving Mom’s main feed can become kind of hectic. And she writes tons of great posts on frugality you do not want to miss.
The solution?
Easy! Just click the “skip the deals” tab in the upper right-hand corner. All those deals will disappear (but don’t worry, they’re still there for next time!), and you’ll find tons of great personal posts instead.
For instance, check out this post on how Paine packed for a long trip with just a carry-on — no easy feat, but a definite necessity for frugal travel!
7. She’s Business-Savvy, Too
Our very favorite thing about Money Saving Mom?
She’s got two full-time jobs. One of them is “mom.”
The other? She’s a capable, full-time businesswoman — and she can teach you a ton about creating your own work-at-home business or blog.
Have a peek at the “blogging and business” tab to find words of wisdom on blogging, monetizing a YouTube channel or turning your cooking passion into profit.
And once you start rolling in those fat stacks? Be sure to stay up on her money management category, so you’ll know what to do with all of it.
There are definitely at least 85 more reasons to love Money Saving Mom… but instead of watching us list them all, why don’t you just give her a visit?
Your Turn: What do you love about Money Saving Mom?
Disclosure: You wouldn’t believe how much coffee The Penny Hoarder team goes through. This post contains affiliate links so we can keep the grinds stocked!
The post 7 Reasons We Love Money Saving Mom — and Why You Should, Too appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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A Letter to Anyone Who Wants More Than They Have Right Now
Dear friend,
Several years ago, I was incredibly dissatisfied with my life. I was in a great deal of debt. I lived in a tiny apartment with my wife and infant son. I had a job that was slowly changing from something I loved into something I didn’t like any more.
I was unhappy in many ways. I wanted something more from my life. I felt I deserved something more.
So, over the next several years, I worked incredibly hard to try to get something more out of life. I built a side business that eventually became my full-time employment. Sarah and I worked incredibly hard to get ourselves completely out of debt. We bought a house and paid the whole thing off in a little over four years. We have three kids now, live in a great area that we love, and both of us have jobs that we value.
I still want more out of life, in many areas. However, I’ve found contentment in a lot of areas as well. I’ve figured out what “enough” is in many respects.
So, yes, I vividly remember what it was like to have this burning desire to want something more from almost every dimension of my life. I know exactly what it is like to feel trapped and to feel deeply unhappy with large portions of my life.
But along the way, I figured out a few things that I wish I knew back then.
First of all, you can’t get more without giving up something else. You simply cannot “have it all.” It’s impossible. There are not enough hours in the day. There isn’t enough money. You can’t do it, no matter how hard you try.
The trick is finding the right balance for you, which won’t necessarily be the same as the balance for anyone else. For me, I figured out that I needed more time with my family and less time traveling and working weekends. I figured out that I needed less debt and I really didn’t need as much stuff as I had. It’s all a balancing act.
Learning when you truly have “enough” in areas of your life is incredibly valuable. You can always convince yourself that you want “more” in specific areas of life, and perhaps that’s a sign that your balance is out of whack. However, there’s a very deep contentment from knowing that you have “enough” in a particular area in your life. “Enough” doesn’t mean having everything. It means having enough so that you’re content with that area in your life.
Second of all, you already have more – and more to “give up” – than you think. People constantly overlook the abundance of resources that their life holds.
For example, think about the time you wasted today. What did you do today? Did you spend time watching a television show that you didn’t deeply care about? Did you spend your time browsing websites that didn’t bring any real value in your life? Did you spend any time on aimless tasks, or simply wandering aimlessly or doing nothing at all? Did you find yourself doing a task and then realizing that it was a really inefficient way of doing that thing?
What about the money you’ve wasted recently? Take a look at your bank or your credit card statements. How many of those purchases do you no longer even remember? Those were most likely wasteful. How many make you cringe? Now, take out some receipts from recent grocery store and department store visits. How many of those purchases really make sense in retrospect? All of that is wasted money.
Those are abundant resources. You have more of those resources than you’re using in any sort of worthwhile way. You let money and time slip through your fingers constantly.
Now, think about the other resources you have.
You have your health. Even if your health isn’t perfect, you’re living and breathing and thinking.
You have the relationships you’ve built in your life. You have family, friends, coworkers, mentors, teachers, advisors, and on and on and on. Those people can help you with almost anything you can imagine in your life.
You have knowledge and skills, even if you don’t recognize them. You know how to do a lot of things, and that set of skills adds up to something that probably makes you unique, especially if you figure out ways to put them together.
If you’re reading this, you likely have a lot of life basics taken care of: food, clothing, shelter, and so on. You probably have closets in your home with a lot of unused stuff sitting in there in boxes.
You have far, far more resources in your life than you think you do, and all of them can be used to build the kind of life you want.
So, what can you do? My best advice to you is to get rid of the things in your life that waste your time, your money, or your energy.
Delete pointless time-wasting apps on your phone and install something that’s actually productive or worthwhile instead.
Step back from life commitments that aren’t really providing any value for you.
Tighten your spending by cutting back on purchases that provide no lasting value for you.
These things aren’t one-time things. They’re processes without an end point. You’re going to sometimes step sideways and step backwards along these journeys. That’s okay, as long as you keep taking steps forward and getting better in terms of wasting the resources you have.
This also doesn’t mean eliminating fun from your life. It means eliminating time-wasters. Leisure time and socializing time that genuinely add value to your life are well worth it.
The next step, obviously, is to start using the resources you have on truly worthwhile and fulfilling things.
The question, of course, is what exactly are “truly worthwhile and fulfilling things.” That definition is going to change greatly from person to person.
For me, I consider saving money for the future to be worthwhile. I want to be able to step away from work at the earliest possible age. For me, that’s something that’s truly worthwhile.
I consider playing tabletop games with family and friends to be deeply fulfilling in both social and mental ways. That’s something that is incredibly valuable for me, but maybe not for you.
I consider reading a thoughtful book to be deeply fulfilling and worthwhile.
I consider quality time with my family to be incredibly, incredibly fulfilling and worthwhile. Quality time does not mean spending money on some activity; it means doing fun things around the house or going to nearby parks and so on.
Many of the other things that people do in life, things like watching television or going to nightclubs, provide very very little value to me personally, so I don’t do them. I don’t feel a need to spend time or money on things just because that’s what other people do.
So here’s the real mission for you: figure out what you want out of your life. At the same time, what are you spending time and money and energy on that isn’t providing any value to you?
If you want more out of life, the way to get there is to get rid of the things on the “not providing much value” list and use the time and money and energy you spent on them to amp up the things that you want out of life.
Instead of watching television in the evening (again, something I personally don’t consider valuable, but you may feel differently because this is about you), start taking night classes and work toward a degree.
Instead of going to nightclubs, find an interest group related to your hobby and go to those meetings instead.
Instead of wasting money on a bunch of little purchases that you quickly forget about, put money away for an early retirement so that you don’t have to work until you’re physically unable to do so.
Over time, you’ll find that you’re actually “getting more out of life,” more than ever before. You will never be able to “have it all,” but you will be able to have more. As long as your goal isn’t to “have it all” but to find contentment and a sense of “enough” in the various areas of your life, you’re going to end up with a lot of joy. Things will never be perfect – it’s always a journey towards “better” in specific areas of your life while you’re happy with other areas.
Good luck, and may you find a much better life.
Trent
The post A Letter to Anyone Who Wants More Than They Have Right Now appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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Barclays forced to contact 10,000 customers for PPI failures
Barclays has been forced to write to 10,000 customers who hold payment protection insurance (PPI) policies to explain their refund rights, following three “serious breaches” of orders from the competition watchdog.
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/1T9Q8vF
This Dad Started a Business on the Side… and It Made $5.5 Million Last Year
I’ve had a ton of “million-dollar ideas” while sitting at the bar with friends.
Only thing is, I’ve never acted on any of them. Most of them probably would’ve been flops — but then again, you never know.
That’s why I love the story of Kevin Mahoney, who was having drinks with a middle-school friend when he decided to launch an ecommerce website.
Last year, it raked in $5.5 million.
And what does he sell? Tape.
Even better, Mahoney’s work-from-home business has allowed him to support his wife’s career and spend more time with his kids.
Here’s his inspiring story.
An Idea That Stuck
In the early 2000s, Mahoney was living in New Jersey and commuting into New York City for his full-time job at a digital advertising agency.
Thanks to his commute, which was 2.5 hours each way, he left the house at 7 a.m. and didn’t get back until 8:30 p.m. His wife, who was the principal at a local middle school, was pregnant with their first child.
Mahoney was sick of wasting hours on the train. “You really lose out on all that time,” he said.
Then, while having drinks with Robert Valley, a friend he’d met in seventh grade, an idea struck.
Valley’s family owned a tape converting business. According to Mahoney, this basically means “they’ll get a 60-inch wide roll of tape and cut it into two-inch rolls.”
He asked Valley, “Why don’t I create a website for you and electronically send you the [tape] orders, and you’ll drop ship for me?”
A few months, about $1,000 and a “lot of work” later, Mahoney launched FindTape.com.
Because he drop shipped everything, he explains, “I didn’t have a huge investment — I was able to slowly ramp it up.”
“There weren’t a lot of upfront development costs because I was a developer,” he says.
“Just my time. I would definitely spend a couple hours a night, and then on weekends, I spent a lot of hours. A lot of it was done on the train on my laptop.”
Mahoney was also lucky to have creative friends who helped with the site’s logo and design. So his only real cost was about $100 per month on “pay-per-click advertising to get people to come to the site.”
He also had no employees, which eliminated much of the stress faced by small-business owners. “I never had issues with ‘Oh my God, am I going to make payroll this month?’” he says.
As FindTape.com grew, Mahoney realized it had the potential to turn into a full-time gig.
“I wrote down a number,” he says. “I was like, ‘OK if I hit this [revenue] number, I can quit the full-time job, and I’ll work from home and won’t have to commute in anymore.”
That number was $1 million. Three years later, he hit it.
The Multi-Million Dollar Success of FindTape.com
It’s been 10 years since Mahoney left his full-time job to work for himself.
He now works from home four days a week, and visits his call center — which is located inside the tape converting factory in PA — one day a week. He employs two people full time to answer the phones there.
Since he doesn’t have a warehouse or office, Mahoney’s costs remain fairly low; in addition to his employees’ salaries, most of his expenses come from web hosting and advertising.
If you’re surprised Mahoney found such success with tape, join the club.
“I think everybody’s a little surprised,” he says. “I’ll get that question, ‘What do you sell?’ ‘Tape.’ ‘Really? Just tape?’ I’m like, ‘That’s it.’”
But the fact his business is sometimes difficult to explain means little to Mahoney. What does matter? The difference it’s made to his family.
For one, it’s allowed him to support his wife’s career as a principal.
“Two, or sometimes three, nights a week, she’s at something: a PTA meeting, a board meeting, a concert,” he says. “It would have been very hard for her if I were still commuting to New York.”
That’s because he’s the main caregiver for their two children, ages 9 and 11.
“I put them on the bus and take them to concert rehearsals,” he says. “I get to see my kids as soon as they get home.”
He’s quick to note he still works “crazy hours;” the difference is it’s on his own time, and in his own home.
“Most weekends I’m working a little bit,” he says, “and most nights after they go to bed.”
But it’s still worlds better than commuting into the city every day.
“Just being there when they come home, and being able to see them when they’re not sleeping,” he says, “It’s awesome.”
Your Turn: Are you inspired by Mahoney’s story?
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 Dad Started a Business on the Side… and It Made $5.5 Million Last Year appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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12 Tasty Ways to Serve This Cheap Breakfast Staple for Dinner
It’s 6 p.m. and you haven’t thought about dinner yet. Don’t stress or shell out for Seamless just yet.
Even if your fridge is a barren wasteland, you probably have a carton of eggs.
It’s a shame that most people restrict their egg intake to the a.m. Eggs cost only a couple dollars. And even if you splurge on free range, they’re still relatively cheap.
Plus, they’re loaded with protein and heart-healthy omega-3s. A diet rich in eggs keeps your wallet fat and your waistline trim!
From fried to frittata, bread pudding to bird’s nest, here are a dozen delicious ways to eat eggs for dinner.
Photo Credit: Turnip the Oven
1. Eggs Florentine Grain Bowls with Yogurt Hollandaise
Hearty barley bowls are topped with sautéed spinach, fried eggs and healthy yogurt hollandaise sauce.
Barley is cheap, nutritious and filling, so this dinner will keep you full until breakfast, and maybe beyond.
Photo Credit: Sprinkles and Sprouts
2. Chili Pasta with a Fried Egg
Simple pantry ingredients add tons of flavor and spice to this pappardelle pasta topped with a fried egg.
The magic happens when the yolk breaks and mixes with the garlic oil — you’ll be transported straight to an Italian village.
Photo Credit: Turnip the Oven
3. Shakshuka Soup with Swiss Chard
Never heard of shakshuka? It’s a traditional Israeli dish of eggs poached in a spicy tomato-pepper sauce, usually topped with a shower of feta cheese and served with fluffy, warm pita.
This version turns it into a soup you can make ahead and freeze for up to three months. Just reheat, top with a poached egg and dinner is done.
Photo Credit: Simple Seasonal
4. Zucchini and Chive Quiche
Even die-hard carnivores will never miss the meat in this healthy quiche. The crust is made from 100% whole wheat flour, and the filling is loaded up with fresh local veggies and tons of sharp cheddar cheese.
Leftovers are delicious cold for lunch the next day.
Photo Credit: Mid-Life Croissant
5. Baked Eggs in Tomatoes with Lentils and Whipped Goat Cheese
Protein-packed, fiber-rich (and incredibly cheap!) lentils get all fancy and French in this baked egg dish topped with light and creamy whipped goat cheese.
Check out the video to see how quickly it comes together. Weeknight dinners, for the win!
Photo Credit: Turnip the Oven
6. Slow-Cooker Ratatouille with Fried Eggs
Got any leftover red wine languishing on your counter? Don’t pour it out!
Throw it in your slow cooker with a bunch of veggies and herbs and make this fragrant, flavorful ratatouille topped with fried eggs.
Photo Credit: Rhubarbarians
7. Bird in a Grilled Cheese Nest
This just might be the ultimate late-night comfort food: a grilled cheese and an egg-in-the-hole in one.
There are times to be healthy and there are times to go for it. This sandwich, with mayonnaise, two kinds of cheese and plenty of butter, is definitely a well-worth-it splurge.
Photo Credit: Turnip the Oven
8. Spaghetti Frittata with Turkey Meatballs
Who isn’t bad at eyeballing the right amount of spaghetti to cook?
If you made too much (again!), turn the extra into this kid-friendly frittata topped with juicy turkey meatballs and gooey mozzarella cheese.
Photo Credit: A Saucy Kitchen
9. Bacon Kale and Sweet Potato Hash
This sweet and savory one-skillet dinner has only five simple ingredients, and is both waistline- and wallet-friendly. In fact, this recipe is perfect if you are doing a Whole30.
Photo Credit: The Worktop
10. Savory Ham and Cheese Bread Pudding
Transform day-old bread into this luscious, savory bread pudding with ham, cheddar, nutmeg and fresh thyme.
You can assemble it in advance and then just pop it in the oven an hour before dinner.
Photo Credit: Omnivore’s Cookbook
11. Traditional Egg Drop Soup
Surprise! It’s incredibly easy to make this Chinese takeout staple at home.
This traditional version uses chicken, corn and peas along with beaten eggs to create a creamy, soul-warming soup.
Photo Credit: Little Big H
12. Asparagus Frittata with Peas, Mint and Feta
The combination of asparagus, peas, mint and salty feta is bright, fresh and perfect for spring.
Think of this recipe as a template, and use whatever veggies are languishing in your refrigerator.
Your Turn: Do you cook with eggs outside of breakfast? Which meal on this list are you most excited to try?
Lucy Baker blogs about vegetables (and occasionally desserts) at Turnip the Oven.
The post 12 Tasty Ways to Serve This Cheap Breakfast Staple for Dinner appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Why Being a Work-at-Home Mom is the Best of Both Worlds
By Holly Reisem Hanna From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a mom. In fact, every year in my School Days Keepsake Album, it would ask the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And while I had no clue what I wanted to do professionally, I […]
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Pension freedoms used by 230,000 in first year - but demand cools
Almost a quarter of a million savers have taken advantage of the pension freedoms introduced a year ago. Government figures, released yesterday, disclosed that £4.3 billion has been cashed in.
However, the data shows the amount of money taken out has progressively fallen off over the past six months.
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Generation Rent fears paying off mortgages into their 60s
Delays in getting on to the property ladder could see young people still paying off their mortgage well into their 60s, a new report has highlighted.
A third of people aged 18 to 45 expect to be paying off their mortgages beyond the age 60, according to the 2016 Generation Rent report from Halifax.
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