Tyrone P. Miller Sr. proudly served his country in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, a staff sergeant cook for nine years in the Army before eventually retiring and taking a job as a chef in Monroe County.He enjoyed riding his bicycle, caring for his wife of more than 31 years, Harriet, and doting on his two grandchildren, Paris and Wayne.“I miss my husband. I want him back, but I know that I can’t have him back,” Harriet Miller said in an emotional [...]
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الجمعة، 24 يونيو 2016
Need Extra Money? Airbnb Will Give You $150 for Renting Out Your First Room
There’s no doubt about it: Airbnb is revolutionizing how we travel.
As a traveler, it’s often my first stop for accommodations. I love booking stays directly with local hosts — it’s usually more affordable and always more unique than a hotel.
And for the hosts?
Turns out, it can be quite lucrative. It’s a chance to meet people from all over the world — while also earning a flexible side income.
If you’re curious about hosting, now might be the time to give it a try.
In certain cities right now, Airbnb will give you a $150 bonus just for creating a listing and accepting your first booking.
Here’s how it works…
How to Get a $150 Bonus to Try Out Airbnb
Airbnb says it sees 200%-300% more bookings between June and August — meaning hosts can earn a lot during these hot summer months.
Wondering just how much?
Here are the average earnings of the top 10% of active listings in:
- Atlanta: Up to $850 per week
- Boston: Up to $1,500 per week
- Philadelphia: Up to $500 per week
Plus, if you live in one of these cities, Airbnb will give you a $150 cash bonus just for creating a listing and accepting your first booking.
Here’s how to jump on it:
1. Create Your Airbnb Account
Between now and August 31, 2016, make a hosting account on Airbnb.
Or, log in to your existing account, and create your first listing.
Here are the links to register in Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia.
2. Make an Airbnb Listing
Make a listing for your spare room or property.
Be sure to spend time on your description, and add high-quality photos with lots of natural light.
To qualify for the $150 bonus, the listing must be:
- New and not duplicated from another Airbnb listing, as well as associated with a first-time host
- Priced at $65 per night or more, excluding cleaning fees and taxes
- Located within 25 miles of the intersection of: Decatur St. SE and Edgewood Ave. SE in Atlanta; Hancock St. and Derne St. in Boston and Market St. and 15th St. in Philadelphia
3. Complete an Airbnb Reservation
Now, all that’s left to do is start hosting!
You must accept and complete at least one reservation for your new listing, with guests beginning their stay on or before August 31.
I can’t tell you how your rental will fare, but I can tell you many others have had great success hosting with Airbnb.
The Penny Hoarder contributor Paula Pant put one of her Atlanta properties on Airbnb and eventually earned over $28,000 in a single year.
Even after the added expenses, hosting on Airbnb earned her about $600 more per month than being a landlord.
Or take NYC host Seth Porges, who earned $60,000 in two years by renting his second bedroom, according to the New York Post. He used the money to develop a hit iPhone app.
And, it turns out, it’s not just about the money.
If you visit Airbnb’s blog, you’ll find all kinds of inspiring hosting stories — some people have even fallen in love through the platform.
“I honestly thought I’d never get married,” says one lucky host. “And here I was, basically never leaving this house because I was up to my ears in textbooks studying, and taking care of my dad and these guests. Then this woman of my dreams literally knocks on my door.”
They’re now engaged, living in the house where they met and still hosting visitors from around the world. Oh, and earning money while they’re at it.
Want to give it a shot?
Here are the links to sign up to be an Airbnb host in Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia.
Your Turn: Will you try hosting a traveler with Airbnb?
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!
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 Need Extra Money? Airbnb Will Give You $150 for Renting Out Your First Room appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Want Free Hot Dogs? Do This on Twitter Right Now
Are hot dogs on your summer barbecue shopping list?
If you’re on Twitter, you have the chance to win them for free — but you have to act quickly.
Tyson Foods is giving away coupons for a free package of Ball Park Angus Beef Franks (original, bunsize or lean), which typically retails for $5.99.
It’s going to be luck of the draw at this point: The giveaway runs through June 25 at noon, and you may not know if you’ve received a coupon until a few business days after the contest closes.
You might as well enter. You have nothing to lose but a smidgen of your dignity.
How to Win Free Hot Dogs This Weekend
Here’s how it works:
1. Follow @ballparkbrand on Twitter
2. Make sure your account is public/unprotected
3. Change your Twitter name or handle so it includes the words “Angus” or “Frank”
4. Tweet from this hot-dog loving Twitter handle using hashtag #BallParkAngusGiveaway
5. Wait.
The first 10,000 people to submit legitimate entries will win this tasty giveaway. If Ball Park sends you a direct message to alert you to your prize, you’ll have one day to provide your full name, email address and mailing address.
After that, you’ll receive your coupon in the mail within four weeks.
So you may not get this freebie in time for your Independence Day party. But a late-summer evening by the grill — with some free hot dogs — still sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it?
I know I’m looking forward to some free hot dogs!
Let’s see if I can win some free hot diggity dogs with #BallParkAngusGiveaway! #hotdogs #freebie #worktoday @thepennyhoarder
— Lisa Frank Rowan (@Lisatella) June 24, 2016
Your Turn: Will you enter this contest for free hot dogs?
Lisa Rowan is a writer, editor and podcaster living in Washington, D.C. She loves hot dogs.
The post Want Free Hot Dogs? Do This on Twitter Right Now appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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This Company Will Pay You to Live and Work in the Grand Canyon This Summer
Still looking for a summer job?
How about one that lets you wake up every morning to one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders?
Two organizations are still hiring for positions inside Grand Canyon National Park: The Grand Canyon North Rim and Bright Angel Bicycles & Cafe.
All you need is an adventurous attitude — even housing is provided!
How to Work at the Grand Canyon This Summer
Here are the details on the two positions, which I found on my favorite summer jobs website CoolWorks:
Grand Canyon North Rim: Food and Beverage Team
Want to build your culinary career? Check out these positions, which start now and run through mid-October.
Openings include line cook, pantry cook, kitchen utility staff, deli manager, deli attendant and server assistant. You’ll need to have some culinary experience, attention to detail and the ability to work well on a team.
We’ve reached out for details on pay, and will update this post when we hear back.
Dorm rooms with private baths — and three “nutritious meals”! — are provided for $12 per day, which amounts to approximately $360 per month.
There are also “planned travel adventures,” “numerous employee discounts” and a “low-cost employee pub.”
Click here to learn more and apply.
Bright Angels Bicycles & Cafe
At this family-owned joint, you’ll help with both bike rentals and cafe service — all from within the national park!
Wages start at $8.05 per hour, but the listing says a shared tip pool “generally equals $3.50 to $5 extra per hour of work” — which means you could earn more than $13 per hour.
You’ll receive a 50% in-store discount and free bike rentals, as well as shared housing for $180 per month.
Click here to learn more and apply.
And don’t forget: Working in a remote area like this means there aren’t many opportunities to spend your paycheck.
So you should leave with a nice tan, new friends — and a healthy savings account to fund your next adventure!
Your Turn: Would you work in the Grand Canyon?
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 Company Will Pay You to Live and Work in the Grand Canyon This Summer appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Cut in interest rates predicted post Brexit
All the immediate predictions for UK interest rates following today’s historic Leave vote signalled a downward move.
This will add further pain for UK savers who have already endured seven years of rock bottom interest rates. Mortgage borrower might see downward movement too but banks could be more cautious about lending.
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Will Brexit affect Brits buying homes in the EU?
According to UN figures, around 1.2 million Brits currently live elsewhere in the EU, with many located in France, Spain and Ireland.
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Referendum fallout: Early winners and losers via graphs
Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his resignation, and the Labour party has called for a vote of no confidence in its leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Here at Moneywise, we’ve collated a few key charts hinting at the winners and losers in the immediate aftermath.
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7 Psychological Insights That Will Help You Develop a Powerful Facebook Strategy for Business
What is the most powerful tool in your marketing arsenal?
Is it keyword research? Copywriting? Beautifully designed ad campaigns? Maybe….
But the driving force behind all of these things?
Psychology.
You see, sales and marketing are really about understanding consumer psychology.
Why do people buy? What makes them click on your Facebook ad? What sort of stimuli do most people respond to?
I’ve been interested in consumer psychology for quite a while. It started innocently enough. I was curious. What makes customers interested in a product, service, person, or brand? Why do people click on headlines? What makes 100%-refund-guarantees so assuring? How will this influence conversion rates or customer loyalty?
Asking these kinds of questions helped me develop a deeper understanding of my customers.
And then I figured out something more. Consumer psychology applies to just about everything in business.
Even social media.
What did I do? I started using my knowledge of psychology to improve my Facebook strategy.
And guess what?
It worked.
It wasn’t just my personal brand that started growing by leaps and bounds. My clients got the benefits too!
I’m not going to keep these techniques a secret.
I wanted to share with you the psychological insights I learned so you can dramatically improve your game by leveraging Facebook marketing more effectively.
So, what are the most important psychological “hacks” you can start using today to improve your social media marketing?
1. Kick rational advertising out the window
Most people are emotional creatures, not rational.
Many of us analytical types tend to think that everyone else sees the world in terms of ones and zeros like we do. But this is simply not the case.
Most people act emotionally, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It just is.
One of the most effective things you can do to improve your Facebook strategy is to quit relying on rational thinking as your main driver and start relying on customer’s emotions to take the wheel.
Great…But how do you do this?
One of the most effective methods is to convey emotion through facial expression. Try using ads that have someone’s face on them, whether it’s a real photograph or a drawing.
I do this often, simply by adding an image of a face to my posts. It’s simple. It’s quick. It’s effective.
Seeing a face is way more appealing than seeing some inanimate object.
It works not only on posts, like the ones above, but on sidebar ads too.
People are already browsing through Facebook, looking at pictures of friends and family. Using headshots or other shots that include facial expression is a natural way to enter into your customer’s newsfeed unobtrusively.
Facial expression is the only universally understood language, and the human brain is wired to process facial cues far more easily than written word.
In fact, according to a study from Caltech, people may have specific neurons in their brains that respond to individual people!
This means that when you see my face, Tony Robbin’s face, Donald Trump’s face, or Brad Pitt’s face, you have a neuron in your brain dedicated to only them!
Pretty cool, huh?
Take a look at some of the ads below.
Notice how the headshot of Noah Kagan smiling instantly changes your mood and instills trust.
This ad from AdEspresso offers almost no rational reason for clicking on it, but the positive emotion instilled by the cartoon and the eye-catching red (more on that later) makes me want to click on it.
Notice how Tim’s confident (or smug?) facial expression communicates confidence about the method he is teaching without any extra information.
The face is enough to build my trust and encourage me to interact with the Facebook ad.
Do you see how powerful conveying emotion through facial expression is? Use it in all your Facebook ads, regardless of the topic.
2. Use color to catch attention and convey your message
Something that many marketers are aware of but rarely utilize is the power of color.
The human brain evolved to see red colors more vividly. This was a huge advantage to hunter-gatherers who could now spot ripe red fruits out of green leafy trees as well as potential dangers like venomous snakes and fish.
This is a huge advantage to marketers.
Red in your ads will catch users’ attention much more effectively than any other color.
However, the combination of red and blue is even more powerful as blue is more calming and relaxing.
For example, let’s reexamine the AdEspresso ad.
Notice how the ad uses red to grab your attention and direct you to the “Try it now” button but combines it with some blue text to give the ad a more calming and friendly tone.
This is an easy psychological trick you can use to your advantage in your next campaign.
Colors are powerful. They’re a language unto themselves.
It’s time to start speaking this language with your customers. Why? Because it’s a language that is neurologically innate. We’ve learned the language of color through nature and through the complex development of our species.
Color has a way of communicating that doesn’t depend on effective ad copy or even a smiling picture of a model. Choosing the right color can drive up your engagement and improve your Facebook marketing.
3. Slash the price (by just one cent!)
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to find something in a supermarket that costs exactly $1 or exactly $5?
That’s because, once again, the human brain has evolved to discern the difference between prices based on the left-most digit.
That’s the power of pricing.
For example, the reduction of one cent—from $100.00 to $99.99—is perceived as more significant than the reduction of 40 cents—from $99.99 to $99.59.
While the brain may suck at math, this is an incredibly easy-to-implement tactic that can increase your Facebook ad conversions almost instantly.
This doesn’t work every time or in every situation. However, I have learned that odd styles of pricing are far more effective at luring customers in than flat, round numbers.
Give it a try. Run a split test with differing price points, and see which one wins.
4. Use now as a trigger word
Our brains are not wired for our modern technological era.
It sounds odd, I know. After all, most of us run around virtually tethered to some electronic device—wearing it, talking to it, and interacting with it.
But the brain is still trying to adapt to these devices, no matter how marvelous they are.
Our brains are still way back in the day when we were living on plains, hunting and gathering for survival. This means our brains are still wired for one of two basic responses: fight or flight.
You’ve heard of fight or flight, haven’t you? The idea is simple: fight or flight is “the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which readies one either to resist forcibly or to run away.”
The fight or flight response takes its toll on the entire body in various ways. Some of these effects are obvious—like sweating. Other effects are subtle—like digestion slowing down.
Either way, our bodies respond.
Here’s how one science website describes it:
In response to acute stress, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is activated due to the sudden release of hormones. The sympathetic nervous systems stimulate the adrenal glands triggering the release of catecholamines, which include adrenaline and noradrenaline. This results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. After the threat is gone, it takes between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels….In the face of something frightening, your heart beat quickened, you begin breathing faster, and your entire body become tense and ready to take action. This response can happen in the face of an imminent physical danger (such as encountering a growling dog during your morning jog) or as a result of a more psychological threat (such as preparing to give a big presentation at school or work).
In other words, our brains are wired to make impulse decisions.
Using the word now is a great way to capitalize on the brain’s propensity for impulsivity and get your customers to click on your Facebook ad.
Here’s how one Inc. writer describes the word now:
Immediacy is what everyone wants: Get what you want now. Make a change now. You can start now. Tomorrow is too late, yesterday is over, and now is exactly the right moment to start.
Humans are wired to want now. It’s just the way we are.
Cater to that desire in your ads or social campaigns, and you’re sure to improve your scores, conversions, and engagement.
5. Focus on the images, not the words
According to most modern studies, the brain processes images much faster than text.
This means that when you are designing your Facebook or other social media campaigns, you should focus more of your time and energy on the images you are using than the text you include.
Social media today is a visually driven world. The more visual content you have and the better it is, the more successful your social media campaigns will be.
6. Create scarcity
We’ve established that the brain is wired for impulse decisions and fight or flight. Thus, ads featuring products with (perceived) scarcity instill a sense of urgency, influencing a customer’s desire to purchase.
Notice how the “Only 24 Hours Left” warning creates a sense of urgency to buy.
You want it more because it’s scarcer.
It’s called the scarcity principle, and it will work wonders for your social media strategy!
7. Use odd numbers for opt-ins
I was just about to write the conclusion to this article when I realized…
I can’t end on an even number!
Why? Because odd numbers are, for whatever reason, more psychologically appealing. Odd numbers improve engagement, increase click-throughs, and attract more eyeballs.
The simple takeaway?
- If you are running a Facebook ad with a giveaway to increase email opt-ins, use an odd number to help increase conversions.
- If you are posting an update about a listicle, use an odd-numbered headline.
- If you are using a number in any place in your Facebook updates, use an odd number.
For example, the giveaway “9 Powerful Hacks to Massively Increase Facebook Ad Conversions” would convert much better than “10 Amazing Ways to Improve Your Conversion Rate” (according to science).
Conductor’s research showed that odd-numbered headlines have 36% more clicks and a 20% higher CTR than non-numbered or even-numbered headlines.
The same principle holds true for Facebook ads, Facebook articles, and Facebook opt-ins.
Odd numbers just work.
Researchers have discovered that the mind considers odd numbers to be more natural. A list-driven article like this one, therefore, has a more trustworthy neurological connection due to its odd-numbered status.
Conclusion
More often than not, I find that most Facebook ads fail to utilize any of the above tools, and that is a shame because using human psychology is one of the most proven and consistent ways to increase your sales and conversions.
And the thing is none of these psychological insights are hard to implement!
That’s the power of consumer psychology. Knowing a few insights can be powerful and can positively impact your marketing efforts!
If you want to see any of the above advice in action, simply run an A/B split test, utilizing the power of color, facial expression, and trigger words. You’ll be AMAZED at the results.
Like with everything, however, don’t take my word for it. Go out there, and do it for yourself: test, test, test, and see what gets you the results.
I’m still curious. What kinds of psychological hacks are you testing and trying in order to improve your Facebook strategy?
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Toys“R”Us opening store at the Crossings
Toys“R”Us is opening a new outlet store at the Crossings Premium Outlets in Tannersville on July 1, the company announced on Friday.
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Don’t Eat That Weirdly Shaped Cheeto! It Could Be Worth $60,000
Cheetos are one of life’s guiltiest (and greatest) pleasures.
I’ve never seen any other “cheese” that leaves such a telltale residue on your fingers, but let’s not think about that…
Instead, let’s focus on what matters: the crunchy, neon goodness — and the fact an oddly shaped Cheeto could win you $60,000.
That’s right: Find a Cheeto that looks like something else — an animal, a famous person, an object, etc. — and you could win some serious cash.
Here are all the chee-tails.
How to Win $50,000 for Finding Unique Cheetos
Cheetos is on the hunt for uniquely shaped Cheetos, and it’s willing to pay for them.
If you peruse Cheetos’ Community Gallery, you’ll see the other Cheetos you’re up against. There are kissing Cheetos, a sorry excuse for a sea monster and a surprisingly convincing squirrel.
You can enter up to 50 Cheetos per day, and every Monday from now until August 15, a panel of judges will select one finalist.
Each finalist will win $10,000, and the four with the highest cumulative scores will advance to the voting round.
Public voting will take place between August 24 and 31; the Cheeto with the most votes will win the $50,000 grand prize!
That means your weird Cheeto could be your ticket to winning a total of $60,000.
According to the contest’s official rules, submissions are judged on:
- Visual interest (33%): “How unique is your Cheetos snack and how well does it match your description”?
- Buzzworthiness (34%): “How buzz-worthy is your Cheetos snack, title and description”?
- Creativity (33%): “How creative is your title and description of the Cheetos snack”?
Think you may have found a winning Cheeto? First, resist the urge to eat it.
Second, follow these instructions:
- Take a photo of your Cheeto; the site suggests using a white background and no flash.
- Place your Cheeto in a plastic bag for safekeeping. If you win, you’ll be asked to “authenticate” it.
- Create a profile on the Cheetos website.
- Upload your Cheeto’s photo, then add a creative (and unique!) title and description.
- Select one of the following categories: activities, animals, fantasy, history, music, science, sports, transportation or other.
- Click “Submit.” If your Cheeto wins, you’ll be notified by phone, email or mail.
No telling yet if there’s an award for the orangiest fingers… but at least you’ll enjoy yourself while searching for the winning Cheeto!
Your Turn: What’s the weirdest-shaped Cheeto you’ve ever seen?
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 Don’t Eat That Weirdly Shaped Cheeto! It Could Be Worth $60,000 appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Competition watchdog criticises energy providers for soaring bills
Gas bills have more than doubled and electricity bills have risen by 75% in real terms over the last decade, leading to the competition watchdog announcing a raft of changes to shake up the energy market.
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How to Anticipate Replacement Expenses and Save Tons of Money Along the Way
Things break down.
Your car breaks down. Your washing machine starts making a loud “clunking” noise. Your air conditioning fails and the heat starts rising in your home.
For the large majority of Americans walking the “paycheck to paycheck” tightrope, such events are incredibly unwelcome. Suddenly, you have a huge expense dropped on your lap that you’re going to have to deal with and, likely, you don’t have the spare cash to make it work.
The solution many people use is to just throw it on the credit card, but doing that is effectively just “kicking the can down the road.” You’re still going to face that bill, but now it’s going to be higher than before thanks to all of that credit card interest you’re going to be paying.
This is not a recipe for financial success. This is a recipe for, at best, staying in place.
Of course, there’s a much better approach to this problem. It starts with anticipating these kinds of unexpected expenses and, when you know they’re coming, preparing for them in advance.
Why do it that way? It’s simple. It is going to cost you far less money to save $200 a month for a big bill starting today than to put $200 a month toward a credit card bill after the fact. Saving now means that interest is going to work in your favor – you’re actually going to earn a little bit on your money in your savings account. Using a credit card later? Interest is going to work against you big time, adding quite a lot to your overall expense.
Take a $2,000 expense, for example. If you know it’s coming about ten months from now, you can save $200 a month and you’ll have that $2,000 when the time comes (plus a little bit extra in interest). On the other hand, you can throw it all on your 19.9% APR credit card and start making $200 a month payments… and in that case, you’ll have to make an additional extra payment just to cover the interest. Yep, $200 down the drain for nothing.
This strategy has two key parts, of course: anticipation and preparation.
Anticipation: Five Strategies for Identifying Upcoming Expenses
The first part of the strategy involves taking steps to clearly identify big upcoming expenses before they happen. Here are five specific things you can do to help identify those expenses.
Note the end of warranties. Here’s the reality: most manufacturers are primarily concerned with ensuring that your device lasts just beyond the end of your warranty. Beyond that, they don’t mind a bit if your appliance fails, though they’d prefer it lasted just long enough so that the brand doesn’t leave a negative picture in your mind.
Thus, for many products, the end of the warranty period (including any extended warranties you might be able to purchase) is the point at which you might want to consider the idea that a replacement may be coming up around the bend.
Practice “careful maintenance.” “Careful maintenance” simply means that you follow the exact maintenance schedule for your item that’s described in the owner’s manual and you pay attention when you’re doing it to any problems with or changes in the item.
Have you ever read your automobile manual? How about your washer or dryer manual? Your air conditioner manual? People invest thousands of dollars in these things, but many people never bother to crack open the manual to learn how they’re supposed to take care of their valuable equipment.
The first thing you should do once you have a new major appliance in your home is learn how to maintain it. Most appliances require some form of maintenance that’s usually overlooked by homeowners, things like vacuuming the dust off of the back of the appliance or regularly cleaning out the ductwork or running a load with a particular cleansing agent.
Whatever the manual tells you to do, follow it, and follow the schedule it suggests.
Along the way, practice three tenets of “careful maintenance” that center around paying attention to what you’re doing.
Listen for sound changes. Listen carefully when the device is running. Does it sound different than it used to? Louder? Is there a new repeating noise?
One thing I often do is record brief sound clips on my phone of the sound of an appliance running when I’m standing close to it. That way, I have a source with which to compare the sound of the appliance running right now versus the sound it had several months ago. I do the same with our automobiles.
I’ve also found that if I pay attention to the sounds of our appliances and automobiles every once in a while, I usually notice any changes in the sound. Often, a change in sound is an indication that a part is starting to wear out, which means that repair or replacement may be on the horizon.
Look for visual changes. At the same time, when I’m performing the maintenance described in the manual, I look for visual changes to the appliance or the car. Does it look different than before? Are there any markings related to wear and tear?
I look for rust, for scratches, and for obvious wear. I also look for continuous marks on anything that spins, which might indicate that a bearing is failing.
Again, taking photographs can be a good idea. Take pictures of all of the places where you practice maintenance and then use them as a comparison point in the future to see whether or not wear and rust are increasing over time and at what rate.
Watch for functional changes. Pay attention when you’re actually using the appliance or the automobile, too. Is it functioning differently than before? Are clothes taking longer to dry? Does the house not cool down as quickly? Does the car steer correctly? Does it vibrate in an unusual way?
If you notice the functionality of any expensive appliance or automobile beginning to change, pay attention. It’s very likely a sign that some sort of repair is going to be required in the near future, which means an upcoming expense.
Preparation: Four Strategies for Handling Upcoming Expenses Now to Save a Lot of Money
Obviously, the best strategy for handling appliance and vehicle replacement is to always be saving for it. If you have a paid off car and start saving half of a car payment each month, you’re going to have plenty of resources in hand to replace that vehicle when the time comes. The same is true for every major appliance in your house – putting $20 or $40 away each month for an appliance replacement can completely take care of the cost.
Even if you don’t follow that strategy, however, there are other things you can do to avoid having to go into debt to cover appliance and vehicle replacements.
Start saving for the replacement immediately and set a target date. As soon as you have any real indication that you may need to repair or replace an appliance in the future, start saving in earnest for that replacement immediately. Don’t wait around – start right away. Figure out how much you’re going to need plus how much you can sock away each month and you’ll have a good idea as to how quickly you can get to the amount of savings you’ll need.
Do your homework on reliability and necessary features. While you’re savings, start researching. Hit the library and look at back issues of Consumer Reports to see what they say about various appliances and automobiles. Ignore the “gee whiz” features you probably won’t use very often – instead, focus on core functions that you really need and, above all else, reliability going forward. Which brands build things that are reliable? Consumer Reports is a great place to start.
Start shopping in advance once you know what you’re looking for. Once you’ve identified several models that work well for your needs, start shopping for those items now. Look at local car sellers and appliance retailers and see what kind of prices they have on those items. Visit lots of places to shop around – after all, you have some time, so take advantage of it.
Strike early if you find a huge bargain. Sometimes, during this process, you’ll stumble upon a huge bargain. Maybe a business is going out of sale. Maybe a company is discontinuing a line for some reason or another. Whatever the reason, you might just stumble upon a huge deal that you were able to find because you were patient with shopping around and gave it plenty of time. If that means striking early before the old appliance or automobile fails, so be it. If you’re saving 75% by buying now, then it’s well worth it.
Final Thoughts
Appliance and car replacement is a perfect example of how performing maintenance and paying attention can save you tons of money. The maintenance will extend the life of the item; paying attention to the maintenance will alert you to problems before they turn into crises.
The earlier you’re aware of such problems, the more time you have to prepare by saving money, doing research, and shopping around, all of which will reduce the financial impact of an appliance or car failure and all of which will conclude with more money in your pocket than if you weren’t paying attention at all.
Good luck!
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- 10 Money Lessons Learned the Hard Way
The post How to Anticipate Replacement Expenses and Save Tons of Money Along the Way appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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Popcorn Buddha's expansion into Stroudsburg a 'once in a lifetime opportunity'
Craig Campeotto lives near the corner of Phillips and Eighth streets in Stroudsburg. So does his mom. The property at the street corner was on his paper route when he was a kid, and it was always within walking distance as he grew up and graduated from Stroudsburg high school.Soon Campeotto, owner of Popcorn Buddha, will walk to work at the property everyday in what he called a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”The Minisink Hills-based popcorn manufacturer and [...]
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Leave vote: What it could mean for your money, property and investments
After months of anticipation, UK voters have decided – in an historic move – to leave the European Union some 43 years after joining its predecessor, the European Economic Community, in 1973.
Prime Minister David Cameron has also today resigned, saying a new Prime Minister should be in place by the start of the Conservative party conference in October.
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What does Brexit mean for pensions?
Following the news that the UK has voted to leave the European Union we ask what impact the move will have on your pension, whether you are years away, approaching retirement or already retired.
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Leave vote: What it means for your investments
Many investors will want to run to their nuclear bunkers now that the apparent end of the world is nigh. But emotional reactions are usually the wrong ones when it comes to investing. Here’s a summary of the best reactions from investment experts to the Leave result.
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Can Eating More Potatoes Help You Save Money and Lose Weight?
I’m always on the lookout for a good hack. Whether it’s trying butter in my coffee in the morning for sustained energy (didn’t work), writing while using binaural beats for increased focus (kind of works?), or taking a cold shower every morning and then running up a hill in lieu of a longer workout (works, but not for the feint of heart), I am 100% open to trying new things that might improve my life.
So, when I heard about a book called “The Potato Hack” on one of my favorite health podcasts, my ears perked up. Author Tim Steele described how his three- to five-day diet eating nothing but potatoes helped him take back control of his health.
I know — I have a spotty history with some food fads. But before you tune out, let me assure you this is nothing like a juice cleanse peddled by a reality TV star. It is not intended for people who want to starve themselves to look good on the runway. This is a short-term diet in which you eat until you’re full, and you consume one of the most nutrient-dense foods on Earth: potatoes.
And since I’m always on the lookout for ways to save on my grocery bill, I was interested in this diet from a frugality standpoint. Potatoes are dirt cheap. If I mix a few potato-only weeks into my year, maybe I’ll end up with a few hundred dollars more to invest by the end of it.
At the very least, I hope this article can serve as a defense of the much maligned, humble potato. Far from being a scourge that raises blood sugar and packs on fat, the potato can be a cheap, healthy meal option.
The Potato Hack
I wanted to learn more about all things spud-related, so I reached out to Tim Steele to get the lowdown on his potato-hack plan and how he came to espouse it.
“I was obese with metabolic syndrome at age 44,” Steele says. Around that time, he started dieting in earnest — but he didn’t like all the restrictions and found he would quickly regain weight when he fell off the wagon.
“I was looking for a better way of losing weight and for a long-term maintenance plan,” Steele says. “At the time, Chris Voigt, Washington State’s potato commissioner, had just completed a 60-day ‘potato-only’ publicity stunt in which he lost 21 pounds and had improved markers of health. I thought, ‘Why not?’ and gave it a shot.”
Yes, Washington State has a potato commissioner. But even more surprising, Steele discovered that an all-potato diet really worked. “I lost about 10 pounds in two weeks, and found I could easily lose five pounds a week eating just potatoes,” he says.
But if you were hoping to lose weight with a diet of French fries and bacon-and-cheddar-smothered baked potatoes, think again. The basic protocol of the potato hack, Steele says, is, “Eat potatoes, plainly cooked without oil, served without garnish.”
That may sound bland, but Steele lays out dozens of recipes and other ways to mix up that simple formula in his book. “I call one of my favorites ‘PBD,’ or potatoes by day. Just as it sounds, eat nothing but plain potatoes for breakfast and lunch, and then a sensible dinner. This can be done very long-term, months even, to lose and maintain weight.”
With a good non-stick pan, Steele says, potatoes can be ‘fried’ without oil. His favorite go-to dish is hash browns, prepared in a ceramic pan, cooked until crispy, and served with salt and vinegar. “People often find they like these ‘no-oil’ recipes better than the way they usually prepare potatoes,” he says.
So how does the potato hack diet work in practice? “The basic hack is usually done in three- to five-day increments, separated by days or weeks of normal eating,” Steele says. After that, he says, if you eat sensibly, you’re unlikely to regain the three to five pounds you lost doing the hack. “In fact, many people end up losing more when they return to their normal diet with a new appreciation for hunger and a knowledge that they’re not metabolically broken,” Steele says.
Is It Healthy?
The potato often gets a bad rap, but it’s not the poor spud’s fault. It’s more about the company it keeps — like vegetable oil.
“Potatoes have taken some very hard hits lately,” Steele says. Just this month, a story went viral saying four servings of potatoes per week leads to high blood pressure. “This story has since been refuted by many, many nutritionists and scientists,” Steele says. “It also included fried potatoes, and only looked at a simple correlation. Yet, the story is out there, getting lots of publicity.”
The biggest problem, Steele says, is that potatoes are mostly eaten as French fries and potato chips. “Potatoes have become a delivery vehicle for oils and fats, and this need not be the case,” he says. “Potatoes can be prepared in very healthy ways: baked and served with just a bit of butter or sour cream, for instance, oven-baked French fries, or mashed potatoes made with milk — or better yet, broth.”
Another recent study showed that when kids are given unlimited access to mashed potatoes at meals, they eat 25% less food overall. The study concluded, “Potatoes provide valuable shortfall nutrients for children as well as adults including potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron and fiber, and bioactive phenolics. Potato is also a source of high-quality protein and has favorable ratios of high nutrient-to-energy density and protein calories-to-total calories.”
One common misconception is that potatoes are bad for blood sugar, but Steele says that’s not the case at all. “In fact, an all-potato diet was once a cure for diabetes,” he says. “Some very diet-savvy people may say, ‘Potatoes are a high glycemic food! That’s bad!’ But study after study, and personal observation, shows that the glycemic index is wildly exaggerated and not a good predictor of the healthfulness of the food.”
It Saves Money, Too
Whether or not you go all-in on the potato hack diet, the potato is a cheap, nutritious staple to help bulk up your grocery haul on the cheap – and that’s something anyone can appreciate.
In fact, in terms of nutrients per dollar, the potato reigns supreme. A 2013 study determined that, when building a school lunch program, potatoes presented the best value in terms of nutrients. “They measured things like fiber, vitamins, and minerals,” Steele says. “Beans came in close behind.”
Most people trying the potato hack eat about 10 to 15 pounds of potatoes during their three- to five-day stint, Steele says. “It’s rare to spend $15 for five days of potato hacking,” he says. “Even the most expensive organic heirloom potatoes in a supermarket are under $1 per pound.”
Fifteen bucks compares quite favorably with the cost of some other diet plans – not to mention the average American’s weekly food budget. Steele calls the potato hack the cheapest diet you’ll ever try. “There are no hidden costs or follow-on products or supplements needed,” he adds. By comparison, popular diet plans such as Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Medifast, and Jenny Craig cost upwards of $65 a week for special food and sometimes tack on additional “support fees.”
“Most of these programs require you to buy only their specially formulated — mostly fake, highly processed — foods, and a whole slew of supplements,” Steele says. “The potato hack uses only whole, real food packed with nutrition, at a fraction of the cost.”
Tips to Get Started
Thinking of giving the potato hack a try? Steele offers the following suggestions:
- Expect to go through three to five pounds of potatoes per day. For planning purposes at the grocery store, Steele says you can figure on eating three to five pounds of potatoes per day of the hack.
- Mix it up. Steele also recommends buying a variety of different potatoes so you don’t burn out on one type. “Try cooking in inventive ways: hash browns, oven fries, waffles, cold, roasted — don’t just try to eat cold, boiled potatoes,” he says.
- Prep some potatoes before you begin. “Cook about five pounds the morning you start or the day before, and keep it in the fridge,” Steele suggests. “That way, you’ll always have some cooked spuds on hand.”
- Make a game out of it. “Try to make a game out of it by seeing how long you can go — but three to five days is enough,” he says. “You can expect to lose three to five pounds in those three to five days, but don’t freak out if it’s not linear,” Steele says. “Weigh in at the beginning and end of the program, rather than several times a day.”
- Don’t starve yourself. Finally, Steele says, don’t purposely try to limit how much you eat, and don’t try stretching your stomach either. “Just eat until full each meal and have a potato snack if you’re still hungry,” he says. “I hear people say all the time, ‘I only ate two small potatoes, I was starving, and I lost no weight!’ Well, that’s not the potato hack, my friend, that’s called starvation.”
My Experience
I decided to put my money where my mouth is and give the potato hack a try. For three days, I ate nothing but spuds.
The best part for me was something that Steele doesn’t talk about much: It really helped me save my “decision energy.” I loved never having to think about meal prep, planning, or execution. I boiled and baked a ton of potatoes, and I ate them when I got hungry. No staring at the fridge for minutes on end trying to decide whether that lettuce is salvageable, or wondering if I have the energy to throw together a burger. I could just grab a potato and get on with my life. I felt like this style of eating made me more productive overall.
I can also confirm that this diet makes it almost impossible to overeat. I didn’t end one meal clutching my stomach, wishing I could go back in time and not have that pint of ice cream. I felt light and energized for the majority of the three days.
As a downside, I will say that Steele might be slightly underestimating the craving factor. After just a day, I really wanted some protein. Even when you’re technically filling yourself up, it still takes a lot of discipline not to want a bite of that string cheese your girlfriend is eating. And after three days, I was straight up daydreaming about steak.
Still, I am glad I tried it, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give it another go if I feel like my diet is off track.
For those looking for a cheap and simple way to get a little leaner — and to save some serious money in the process –Steele’s potato hack could be worth a try. One final note: Don’t be deterred by people calling you weird. If anything, it’s weird to eat processed foods with ingredients that require a PhD in chemistry to pronounce.
Related Articles:
- 25 Flexible, Healthy Foods I Buy Constantly (Especially On Sale)
- How Vitamin Supplements and ‘Super Foods’ Can Devour Your Savings
- Using What’s Already in Your Pantry to Make Amazing ‘Free’ Meals
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