Pennsylvania residents on Nov. 8 will cast their ballots for federal and state offices. In the 115th legislative district, democratic candidate Maureen Madden challenges Republican incumbent David Parker for state representative. The district includes Coolbaugh, Paradise and Price Townships, as well as Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg and parts of Stroud Township.Parker is serving his first term after winning the 2014 general election, in which he also ran against Madden. [...]
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الأربعاء، 2 نوفمبر 2016
Brown and Bonilla seek 189th district seat
An incumbent running for her fourth term in office, Rosemary Brown faces opponent Damary Bonilla in the race for the 189th District's state representative seat.The 189th District includes Barrett, Hamilton, Middle Smithfield, Ross, Smithfield and Stroud townships and Delaware Water Gap Borough in Monroe County, along with Delaware, Lehman and Porter townships in Pike County.Brown"I'm running again to continue fighting for the people of Monroe and [...]
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The YMCA Will Watch Your Kids for Free So You Can Vote on Election Day
Election Day can be stressful for parents trying to fit voting into their already-busy schedules.
That stress is magnified for families with children in schools that close for Election Day.
The YMCA of the USA wants to make it easier for parents and caregivers to vote on Nov. 8 by providing free child care.
“Taking kids to the polls may add stress for busy parents and caregivers,” the Y said in a statement. “The Y is committed to doing its part to make sure all Americans can vote.”
How to Get Free Childcare on Election Day
Contact your local YMCA for information on the services available in your area.
For example, YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga, Tennessee, will offer child care for up to two hours between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., and again between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Non-members must call to reserve space.
At First Coast YMCA, which serves the St. Augustine, Florida area, parents can RSVP online for two free hours in the KidsZone play area at any branch. Children must be at least 2 years old, and parents must print and sign a waiver to bring with them when they drop off their child.
The Y calls the initiative “Zoe’s Kids Day Out” as a part of its Zoe for President campaign, which highlights the Y’s work in fostering bright futures for children (who may someday grow up to be president).
Your Turn: Parents, how do you fit voting into your busy day? Will you take advantage of free child care?
Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder.
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Get a Free Krispy Kreme Donut on Tuesday, No Matter Who You Vote for
No matter which candidate you choose in this year’s crazy election — or even if you’re aching for a “C: None of the above” option — one thing’s absolutely certain: You should get out there and vote this year.
It’s your hard-won right and civic duty. It’s a chance to make your voice heard.
And in case that’s not motivation enough, there’s one more thing…
It’ll get you a free donut.
How’s that for an answer to that friend you have who insists voting doesn’t matter?
How to Get a Free Donut on Election Day
If you want to get at least one sweet thing out of this year’s election, here’s what to do.
Head out to your polling place and vote — and make sure you take that cheesy “I voted!” sticker they offer you.
Then, stick it on your shirt (or hat, or pants, or whatever), and wear it to your local Krispy Kreme on Tuesday, Nov. 8. You’ll be rewarded with a free donut, no questions asked.
Keep in mind the deal is only good on Election Day, so if you vote early, you’ll need to hang on to your sticker to get your free treat.
Another noteworthy caveat: Not all Krispy Kreme locations are participating.
Unfortunately, you might have to do some traveling if your go-to donut shop is in the following areas:
- The states of Connecticut and Maryland
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Bentonville, Arkansas
- Denver, Colorado
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Warner Robins and Macon, Georgia
- Wichita, Kansas
- Branson and Springfield, Missouri
- Hickory and Lenoir, North Carolina
- The Excalibur Hotel and Las Vegas Boulevard locations in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Florence, South Carolina
- Manassas, Virginia
- Anywhere in Canada (for fairly obvious reasons)
But even if you’re in one of these freebie-bereft locations, please go vote this Tuesday.
It’s still an imperative part of our democratic process.
And besides, in lots of states, your employer is legally required to give you time off to do so. Maybe you can take the whole day and make a road trip to the Krispy Kreme in the next town over.
Your Turn: Are you voting early or on Election Day this year?
Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her writing has also been featured at The Write Life, Word Riot, Nashville Review and elsewhere. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.
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Staples Will Help Its Employees Pay Off Student Loans — and It’s Hiring!
Office supply retailer Staples announced this week it’s implementing a new benefit for select employees: It will help them pay off student loans.
For now, the new program targets “new hire sales associates and existing candidates who have been identified as high potential and top performers,” according to a press release. Additional employees should receive the benefit in the future as the program rolls out.
The repayment plan will be administered by student loan benefits manager Tuition.io.
Full-time U.S. Staples employees — students or graduates — with at least one outstanding student loan will have their loan principal paid at $100 per month for 36 months.
The office supply giant is also adding 1,000 new hires to its sales force around the country, said Staples’ executive vice president of global human resources Regis Mulot in Tuesday’s press release.
Sales associates act as cashiers and provide customer service in the store. Typical to retail work, you’d have a flexible schedule. Hours per week aren’t specified and will probably vary depending on the store’s needs in your location.
You can find openings for sales associates and other positions in your area here.
In addition to the Student Loan Repayment Plan, Staples also offers employees a Tuition Reimbursement Program, which reimburses a portion of tuition fees based on their number of years of service.
Parents can also benefit from Staples’ Dependent Scholarship Program, 30 awards of $3,000 to employees’ dependents to help pay for college or technical schools.
Your Turn: Do you know any companies that offer tuition assistance? Share them in the comments!
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).
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How to Use Psychology to Maximize Social Engagement
What if there was a magic formula for social media marketing?
A formula that would allow you to snap your fingers while saying “Presto!” and have your audience instantly engaged with your content. Next thing you know, they follow, share, and leave comments.
Well, there is (sort of).
But instead of snapping your fingers, you use scientifically-backed psychological principles to maximize social engagement.
You can think of it as neuromarketing, defined as:
“the process of researching the brain patterns of consumers to reveal their responses to particular advertisements and products before developing new advertising campaigns and branding techniques.”
I’ve been fascinated with neuroscience for a while. Why? Because this stuff just works.
One of my favorite resources to make was the one on consumer psychology:
When I dug into the research, I started realizing people act in predictable ways. And then I realized that certain marketing messages could increase the likelihood of peopling acting in such ways.
Instantly, it made my job as a marketer way more interesting. I began researching all the ways I could apply these principles to blog articles, ad spend, videos, and, yes, social media.
By understanding a few key cognitive processes, you can drive social engagement and increase the effectiveness of your overall social media marketing campaign.
Here are some specific strategies you can implement right away.
The halo effect
This term halo effect originated nearly 100 years ago in 1920, when researcher Edward Thorndike conducted a study where “two commanding officers evaluated their soldiers in terms of their physical qualities (like neatness, energy and physique) and their mental, emotional and social qualities (like intellect, leadership and responsibilities).”
“Thorndike found that, if one of the soldier’s qualities was rated highly, the other qualities tended to also be rated highly, and vice versa.”
How does this relate to social media marketing?
It’s very simple.
If you establish your brand as having one positive trait, consumers are more likely to believe that your other qualities are more positive as well. In other words, they subconsciously form a positive bias.
Here’s an example. Say you build a reputation for posting top-tier, high-quality, thought-provoking articles on Twitter.
In turn, your audience views your brand as being more intelligent and competent.
This should spill over into other areas, and your audience will be more likely to think of your products/services and customer service as being high-quality as well.
The bottom line is that if you can kill it in one area, it’s easier to improve your overall public perception and thrive in other areas.
Consumers are more likely to trust your brand and will be more inclined to engage with you on social media.
Post what’s most commonly shared
What’s one of the primary goals of posting content on social media?
To get people to share it with their friends and followers.
But posting content blindly, without any rhyme or reason, is like throwing darts blindfolded. You’re just hoping and praying that something hits the target.
Fortunately, there’s a shortcut to maximizing shares.
All you have to do is post what other people share the most.
According to a study from a well-known market research company Ipsos,
“Global citizens who indicate they have shared some type of content online on social media sites in the past month seek primarily ‘to share interesting things’ (61 percent), ‘to share important things’ (43 percent) and ‘to share funny things’ (43 percent).”
Understanding people’s sharing habits drastically increases your chances of hitting your target and boosting social engagement.
This isn’t to say that every single piece of content you post that’s considered interesting, important, or funny will be wildly successful, but this does give you a general framework to build on.
Here’s a more detailed graph that provides even more insight into social media users’ sharing habits:
If you wonder what type of content is most likely to resonate with your audience, this graph can definitely help guide your efforts.
Give your audience something free
Here’s another psychological tactic you can use to your advantage.
Give away something your audience deems as being valuable, and they’ll feel indebted to you.
This phenomenon relies upon the concept of reciprocity, which says that humans feel inherently obligated to repay someone when that someone does them a favor, helps them out, or gives them something.
And this doesn’t have to be anything huge.
I’m not saying you have to give away a fifty-dollar-product to your social media followers to get results.
It can be something quite small as long as it’s legitimately valuable.
Here’s a great example:
Anytime Fitness gave their Facebook followers a free downloadable calendar to plan and monitor their exercise activities to ensure they met their fitness goals.
You could give away an e-book, whitepaper, month-long subscription, or anything else your audience would find valuable.
This simple yet effective technique subconsciously makes people want to return the favor, which can come in the form of more followers, more shares, and positive publicity.
Use social proof to create leverage
Peer pressure doesn’t disappear after high school.
Even as adults, we’re susceptible to it to some extent.
You can use peer pressure to your advantage from a psychological standpoint by creating social proof.
If you’re unfamiliar, social proof is defined as “the concept that people will conform to the actions of others under the assumption that those actions are reflective of the correct behavior.”
The premise is quite simple. You find ways to prove to potential followers or customers that your brand is awesome.
It follows then that when people see that others are digging your brand, they will feel they should too. Luckily, social media is an ideal medium for creating social proof.
Here are some specific ways you can maximize social engagement:
- Try to get an industry expert to link to one of your blog posts on their profile.
- Post a picture of a notable figure or celebrity using your product.
- Encourage customers to share photos of your product.
Here’s an example of when a Snapchat celebrity Shaun McBride (a.k.a. Shonduras) let Taco Bell take over his Snapchat account to promote the launch of their Cap’n Crunch Berry Delights.
These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are nearly endless.
Just look for ways to have others give your brand a collective nod of approval, and your engagement should grow along with your leads and conversions.
Incorporate nostalgia
As someone who grew up in the 90s, I get a little sentimental when I think about things like the original Nintendo, Goosebumps books, super soaker water guns, and Nickelodeon’s green gak.
It brings back fond memories:
Whether the past was actually as good as we remember is irrelevant. The majority of people look back at yesteryear, and their childhood in particular, through rose-colored glasses.
What does this mean from a social media standpoint?
It means that incorporating nostalgia into your campaign can significantly increase social media engagement.
Robert M. Brecht, Ph.D., wrote an article explaining the effectiveness of nostalgia in marketing.
According to Brecht,
Marketing research clearly shows a positive resonance with both nostalgic ads and the products advertised. It even shows more persuasive influence on customers.
He also made reference to a specific study and said that:
It indicates that when consumers experience nostalgia in a consumption context, they have a higher purchase likelihood with regard to the advertised products.
If you can incorporate nostalgia into your social media marketing, you can trigger a powerful psychological response, which should translate into higher engagement levels.
For example, you might jump on the #throwbackthursday hashtag on Twitter and post something that’s retro.
Or you might post pictures on Instagram that show what products in your industry looked like 20 or 30 years ago.
There are many different avenues you can take with this approach.
Create scarcity
One of the greatest fears for most people is the fear of missing out (FOMO).
We naturally want to “be in,” and the thought of missing out on something epic scares us.
That’s why the scarcity principle can be so incredibly effective.
After all, why do you think there are so many companies that use terms such as “while supplies last” or “limited time offer?”
Here’s an example that proves the power of scarcity brilliantly. A study by “researchers Worchel, Lee and Adewole asked participants to rate two jars of cookies. At first, both jars contained 10 of the exact same cookie.
Then from one jar, eight cookies were removed (making them more scarce). Now participants had to choose between the jar with 10 cookies or the jar with only two left.”
The jar with only two cookies was chosen much more often than the jar with 10 cookies.
In other words, scarcity sells.
If you’re really looking to boost engagement, create scarcity.
Make it abundantly clear that if social media users don’t take action immediately, the opportunity will be lost forever.
For example, you might have a deal where people who “Like” your Facebook page will be entered into a contest to receive a prize. But they have a limited amount of time to do so.
This tactic will trigger many people’s FOMO response, and they’ll take action.
Conclusion
Psychology is a social media marketer’s best friend.
There are several psychological principles you can implement into your social media campaign that will drive engagement and elicit a response from your audience.
This is important because it helps you get the most from your efforts and ensures the content you post doesn’t fall on deaf ears.
By providing a bit of motivation and encouragement, you can build a more engaged audience that’s highly responsive.
The long-term benefits?
More follows, comments, shares, and, ultimately, more quality leads coming to your website.
How much of a role does psychology play in your social media marketing?
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These People Found Some Bizarre Ways to Pay Off Their Student Loans
What would you do to be free of student loan debt?
Would you work two jobs? That’s how 22-year-old Jordan Arnold paid off $23,150 in student loans in just one year after graduation.
Would you find a bizarre side gig? Kat Tretina braided horse manes on the weekends and paid off $30,000 three years early.
Would you live with your parents again? Millennials are returning home in droves to try and pay off record-setting student loan debt, and most of us still aren’t sure how to feel about it.
Would you be homeless and sleep in your car or live in your van?
Would you live in a house this tiny to save $8,000 in college housing costs?
Would you flee the country? These four debt-dodgers did. It’s, er, effective, as long as you never want to return … and don’t mind leaving co-signers on the hook.
Would you join the armed forces? One woman used payment from her last tour of duty to pay off $53,000 in student loan debt.
Are You Paying More Than You Should?
It’s not fun to hear, but it’s also no surprise to learn the extremes some people go to to get out from under student loan debt.
The average student loan debt balance as of 2014 was $15,000, the New York Fed reports.
That means, regardless of what you did to save wisely and pay off your debt in a timely fashion, you likely owe lenders enough money to buy a small SUV.
And the debt grows as we age.
The average balance for borrowers in their 30s (who likely have been out of college for more than a decade) is about $31,000.
The longer you take to pay down your student loan debt, the more interest you’ll pay beyond the actual loan amount.
So, if you don’t want to give up your home — or way of life — to get rid of this debt, what can you do?
How to Pay Off Student Loans Faster
If you did what many of us do after high school, you filled out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, collected the grants and loans you were eligible for and went to college without another thought.
Six months after your last class, you got the first reminder in the mail. You might not have even landed your first job yet.
To complicate things, maybe FAFSA didn’t yield everything you’d hoped.
You needed to find additional college funding via private loans, and now you owe money to a slew of people you dealt with years ago and barely remember.
If you’re struggling to make several payments each month and keep track of a variety of interest rates and debt obligations, refinancing might help you clear the air.
Student loan refinancing combines your loans into one, so you have just one lender, interest rate and monthly payment.
Could You Save Money Refinancing Student Loans?
Along with simplifying the process, refinancing could actually save you money, as well.
Starting fresh on your loans could help you:
- Owe a lower monthly payment, in case you’re struggling to keep up with payments now.
- Get a lower interest rate, which means you’ll pay less over the life of your loan.
That means you could start paying down your debt with one affordable monthly payment. Plus, with a reduced interest rate, you’d save money in the long run!
For example, Jammie Proctor took more than 10 years off of school, before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech when he was 36 years old — with over $50,000 in student loans.
He wanted to pay off his house and start investing in his future, but couldn’t move forward with his loans hanging over his head.
Proctor saved between $6,000-$7,500 on his loans refinancing with Credible and will be debt-free in just seven years.
Simply put, refinancing could help you sleep easy — in your own bed.
Find your new rate and options at Credible.com, a marketplace that lets you see personalized rates from multiple refinancing lenders without affecting your credit score or sharing your information with lenders.
Your Turn: What bizarre things have you heard of people doing to pay off student loan debt?
Sponsorship Disclosure: A huge thanks to Credible.com for working with us to bring you this content. It’s rare that we have the opportunity to share something so awesome and get paid for it!
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).
The post These People Found Some Bizarre Ways to Pay Off Their Student Loans appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Eight Deeply Meaningful Zero-Cost Things I Do in a Normal Day to Improve My Life
In the modern world, it is incredibly easy to fall into a life routine that just feels like an endless repetition of the same overly full day after overly full day, where there are so many things to take care of that you start in on tasks the second you wake up until you fall into a daze on the couch in the late evening. Long stretches of days like that can suck the meaning and joy straight out of your life, leaving you feeling as though you’re just walking through the paces on some endless journey that will never lead to anything joyful.
People respond to that feeling in a number of different ways. Many of those responses, like engaging in retail therapy or diving into a “quarter-life” or “midlife” crisis, are incredibly financially painful and often end up causing that seemingly endless march to get even longer.
The solution, I’ve found, is to find little things to fill the “cracks” in your day that add meaning and value to life. Whenever I find myself with a spare few minutes or a spare half hour, rather than just sitting there idling, I do something that refreshes me mentally or physically or reaffirms my life. Better yet, these things have no cost whatsoever.
Here are eight things that I do with those little windows of time.
I Vigorously Exercise with My Own Body Weight
My goal is to get myself out of breath and my heart pumping for as long as I can during whatever time window I have available. I want to be panting and feel my heart beating along at a nice fast clip at the end of it, with my body really feeling the flood of endorphins that exercise can bring, but without leaving myself feeling completely dead from overexertion.
Doing this is a fine balance. Generally, what I do is keep pushing myself until I start to feel overwhelmed, then I scale back to something light, then pump it up again once I feel like I have my breath under control.
At the end of such a session, the natural endorphins from exercise are flowing through my veins and I feel like I can conquer the world, especially after a brief rest. I don’t worry so much about “targeting muscle groups” or things like that; I’m mostly focused on having a strong core, having enough aerobic health to somewhat keep up with my kids, and feeling good every day.
Most days, I simply use the free daily bodyweight workout from Darebee.com. It requires no specialized equipment and usually includes a mix of body movements that hit a lot of different muscle groups mixed in with some cardio movements designed to get the heart rate up. The variety makes it fun.
I Record Things I’m Grateful For
It’s a simple question that I ask myself: what am I grateful for in my life? What things fill me with joy? What things make me proud? What things am I glad to have in my life?
I simply spend a few minutes thinking about those things, then recording them in some fashion. Usually, I write them down in my pocket notebook. Sometimes, I’ll type them out and save them in Evernote or Day One. I don’t worry so much about making a perfect recording of those things, but I do like to save them every once in a while, at least.
How does this benefit me? It forces me to think about things outside of myself for a little bit. It reminds me that it’s not all just about me. It makes me consider all of the people and things in my life that give value to me without really expecting anything in return for them.
Considering those things makes me appreciative of what I have, even if I’m frustrated at the moment. It makes me want to work and to help nurture and protect those things that I appreciate. Almost always, after reflecting on the things I’m grateful for, I want to do something to help repay that gratitude, and when I think about how to do it, it often provides fuel for continuing through my daily routines.
I Mindfully Meditate
This one’s really simple. For five or ten minutes or so, I simply close my eyes and focus on my breathing. I breathe in. I breathe out. That’s it.
Whenever my mind starts to wander from my breathing, as soon as I’m aware of that wandering, I consciously bring it back to my breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out.
This simple technique does a lot of powerful things. For one, it calms me down. If I’m feeling anxious or agitated, it cuts through those feelings like a hot knife through butter. For another, it improves my focus. My focus on the task at hand tends to be greatly amplified for a while after doing this.
Perhaps the best reason, though, is that it’s essentially mental weightlifting. It doesn’t just have a short term effect. It improves focus and calm over the long haul, as well. I tend to think of it in terms of, say, bicep curls or sit-ups. Every time I notice my attention has wandered and I bring it back to my breathing, that’s a mental bicep curl or sit-up. If I do it regularly and do it often enough, my focus slowly increases over the long haul and my anxiety slowly decreases.
It’s a wonderful feeling, both over the short term and the long term.
I Learn Something New, Often As Part of a Long Journey of Learning
Whenever I have a window of time open, I’ll often use it to learn something new.
If it’s a short window of opportunity, I’ll do a lesson or two in Duolingo in order to learn a new language. Duolingo is an amazing free tool for learning new languages at a conversational level, which is not only useful for one’s personal life, but can help professionally as well and it has a powerful impact on your mind’s ability to learn.
If it’s a longer window, I might read a chapter of a book or a Wikipedia article on something that I’m curious about in order to gain a basic understanding of the topic. Perhaps I’ll go to Coursera or EdX and listen to another lecture in a college course.
The goal is to simply learn something new, to incorporate a new idea into my thinking or a new technique into my skillset. Doing so not only enriches me, it also adds to my overall understanding of the world and also improves my ability to learn things quickly.
I Walk or Hike with a Question in Mind
Whenever I’m struggling to come up with an answer to a problem in my life, I go on a walk or a hike somewhere for a little while – maybe just a few minutes, maybe for an hour or two. I take that question with me and spend that time alternating between thinking about the question on my mind and the environment around me.
What I find is that when I’m walking around and especially when I’m walking in nature, my mind feels calmer. When I let my attention gradually meander back and forth between appreciation of my environment and the question I have in my mind, I find that the question gets passed back and forth between my conscious mind and my subconscious mind, often building right toward a good solution.
Many, many articles have been written in this way. I’ve used this technique to organize ideas in my head so that when I sit down at a keyboard, the final article just flows right out.
Many personal problems have been solved this way. Many philosophical questions have received personal breakthroughs.
Not only that, if I’m out walking around, I’m gently exercising. My blood is flowing a little bit. If I go up a hill or walk at a fast pace, my breathing might elevate a little or I might perspire a little. All of those things are good for my long term health as well as my current sense of well-being.
I Document My World in Photos
One of the things that bothers me the most about earlier periods in my life is that I didn’t document a lot of the things that were the foundation of my day-to-day life. There are basically no pictures of the route I bicycled to work every day for years. I have almost no pictures of the various places I’ve lived over the years. I have very few pictures of the beautiful things I’ve walked by on a regular basis for years.
I’ve found incredible comfort and joy in documenting these things. I’ve started taking pictures of things that seem routine, but when I think about them, they’re pretty special to me, like a little statue that I walk past almost every day when I go on a walk or an image of my children bursting in the door after school on a normal day, or of my dog relaxing on the back of a couch.
I’m saving lots of these images in Day One and I already find it enjoyable to leaf through entries from even a few months ago. These are things that I look forward to seeing years down the road when I try to remember the little joys and little routines of my life as it is right now, because I certainly wish I had some record of the little joys and little routines of my life at earlier points.
I just take pictures of the ordinary beauty and save them. It’s simple, but it’s peaceful and joyful.
I Make Something from Scratch
Whenever I feel really overwhelmed by life, my first temptation is to kind of shut down. I want to go binge-watch a Netflix series or read a page-turning book for several hours, but I find that when I finally step away from that kind of escape, I haven’t really done anything and the problems are still there.
Instead, I’ve started to find a much better escapism in making something completely from scratch.
For example, a few days ago, I felt completely overwhelmed and I needed to check out for a little while. I could have gone to the basement and watched a show, but instead I went into the kitchen, pulled out some flour and a few eggs, and made a bunch of pasta completely from scratch. I made a bunch of sheets of it by simply mixing the eggs and flour and then spreading it very thin and repeatedly folding it over on itself and rolling it very thin again.
After a while, I diced some tomatoes, took a few herbs I had on hand, and cooked it all together to make a very thick sauce, and then I turned all of that into a tomato-cheese ravioli.
The whole thing was about as “from-scratch” as I could make it. It was honestly an excuse to “get lost” for a little while, and I did feel as though I escaped from some challenges for a bit, but when I “came back to reality,” I had actually made something really cool. We had a splendid family dinner before us, one that everyone enjoyed.
I find that this kind of “escapism” is a lot like what Matthew Crawford describes in his wonderful book Shop Class as Soulcraft. When you allow yourself to make something or build something or repair something, you can easily just get lost in the craft of doing so, and getting lost in that craft is somehow very healing for the heart and mind.
I Go to a Religious Service
A religious service is a mix of meditations and devotions and songs and touching. It’s quiet and loud. It’s sad and happy and imperfect and somehow beautiful. If you let it, it can sweep you away in its currents. It doesn’t even have to be a religion that you believe in. The simple act of sharing a religious service with people and exploring the varieties of religious experience in the world can leave you feeling deeply in touch with the world around you. When I do it, I feel somehow calmer and more peaceful and grounded, no matter the service.
I don’t try to analyze it. I try to get lost in it. I try to feel the prayers and I try to get lost in the songs. Am I communicating with or understanding a higher power? Honestly, I don’t know, but I do know that it feels good to be lost in the shared moment of a community of faith. Even better, I often feel like I understand the people around me more, as though we have some deeper bonds than I often realize in my daily life.
Almost every community of faith opens its doors to outsiders. You usually don’t have to be any sort of a member to participate, and if you go in without judgment and open your heart, you’ll often feel a connection to something bigger than yourself, whether it’s the music or the community or something else entirely. It can move you if you let it.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to bring a particular feeling into your life. You don’t need a getaway to feel calm. You don’t need a gym membership to push your body. You don’t need a yoga class to clear your mind. You don’t need a new car to feel free again.
You can already find those things in your life if you open yourself to them.
Good luck.
The post Eight Deeply Meaningful Zero-Cost Things I Do in a Normal Day to Improve My Life appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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Here’s How to Make Target’s Seasonal Free Shipping an Even Better Deal
If you’re anything like me, you have a love-hate relationship with Target.
Actually, maybe it’s a straightforward love relationship. After all, it’s not Target’s fault my wallet can’t keep up. Who knew that Dollar Spot could wreak so much havoc?
Luckily for me (and my fellow red bull’s-eye addicts — I know you’re out there!), Target’s offering free shipping and returns on every order now through Jan. 1, with no required minimum spend.
But before you open a new tab — that’s right, I see you! — hold on a second. We’re gonna show you how to make this awesome deal even better.
How to Use Target’s Free Shipping to Score Awesome Deals
The thing about free shipping is that, if you want to take advantage of it, you have to make your purchase online.
If you’re after the best possible deal, this is a strategic advantage for several reasons.
Reason one: You don’t have to go to the store, which means you save time, money and the nigh-physical distress of trying to stop yourself from buying all the cute things (read: everything) at Target.
But that’s just the start.
Shopping online gives you the opportunity to deal-stack your heart out. And with the added bonus of free returns, you’re not even taking a risk.
Here’s how it works.
1. The More (Deals), the Merrier
Find coupons, shop clearance or wait for Target’s online Black Friday deals.
After all, even with free shipping, friends don’t let friends pay full price!
2. Shop Through a Portal
Even if you know your coupon game is strong, hold up: Before you start shopping Target online, find a cash-back rewards portal, like Ebates, and click through it first.
(Note: It’s worth checking your favorite shopping portal every time you shop online — it’s super simple and takes no time. Or if you want to see which portal offers the best reward, check Cashbackholic first.)
3. Pay Smart
Once you’ve decided on your purchases — without having to grimace past the Dollar Spot! — use a rewards credit card to put a little bit of every dollar you spend back into your pocket.
This would be a good time to use your Target REDcard, which automatically saves you 5% on most Target purchases — and also gives you free shipping year-round.
If you don’t have a REDcard, any other cash-back or travel rewards credit card will do.
And if you really want to rack up the savings, use your rewards credit card to purchase a used Target gift card first. Raise is a great place to find discounted gift cards.
Of course, make sure to pay off that balance in full to avoid interest charges that’ll negate your rewards.
4. Profit
Deal-stacking is usually a great idea: Even if you’re only earning back a small percentage of your purchase, you’re still keeping money in your pocket rather than spending it.
However, when you pay for shipping, you offset those savings.
Even a relatively small shipping cost of $5 might be more than you’ve earned with these single-digit percentage cash rewards. So, depending how far away the store is, it might make more sense just to drive there.
But with Target’s free shipping deal, all of those savings go directly back into your wallet.
To say nothing of the savings you’ll reap by not having to walk past the home goods section.
Happy penny hoarding, Target shoppers!
Your Turn: Will you take advantage of Target’s free shipping and returns this holiday season?
Disclosure: Every time you click an affiliate link in this post, Kyle’s favorite Taco Bell order magically appears at his desk. OK, maybe that only happens in his dreams. But your clicks help us keep The Penny Hoarder HQ full, happy and working hard to help you save!
Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her writing has also been featured at The Write Life, Word Riot, Nashville Review and elsewhere. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.
The post Here’s How to Make Target’s Seasonal Free Shipping an Even Better Deal appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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16 Insane Airbnbs With Cheaper Rent Than a One-Bedroom in San Francisco
I recently discovered the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, and it blew my mind.
Ready for it? $3,440.
Per month. For one bedroom.
Is that insane or what? It shouldn’t be all that surprising, given SF is always making the news for rising rents and people living in vans or closets or whatever.
But seeing the actual number still astonishes me.
And it got me thinking: What could that money get you in other parts of the world — both stateside and abroad?
I decided to look at Airbnbs, short-term rentals that include furnishing and utilities — meaning they have even more value than a regular apartment.
The results? Pretty ridic.
Here are 16 amazing Airbnbs in beautiful places you can rent for the same price (or less!) as a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco.
1. 3-Bedroom CASTLE in France: $2,258
Yup, you can get a castle in France for LESS than what you’d pay for a one-bedroom in SF.
It’s accessible via a spiral staircase (swoon) and has a courtyard (of course).
Live in an Oakland basement — or live out your princess dreams? I choose the latter.
2. Adorable 2-Bedroom Villa in Italy: $3,080
I don’t know what this listing says, but it honestly doesn’t matter.
Just look at this little villa perched up high in the Umbria hills.
Can’t you imagine sitting by your private pool and sipping sangiovese and eating ALL THE PASTA and never wishing for anything again?
3. Trendy 2-Bedroom in Cape Town, South Africa: $3,028
City living at its finest. This two-bedroom apartment in downtown Cape Town is ultra clean and airy.
Within the building, you can also take advantage of a pool, sauna, gym (which is probs filled with South African hunks) and restaurant.
4. Insane 3-Bedroom Balinese House: $2,691
Are you kidding me?! I’m getting on a plane to Bali right now.
This Indonesian island is already one of my favorite destinations, and this three-bedroom (with a private pool!) perfectly characterizes the beauty and tranquility you’ll experience there.
I’m getting relaxed just thinking about it…
5. Volcano View Eco-Suite on a Nicaraguan Island: $2,936
So this jungle house isn’t that screamin’ of a deal given the Nicaraguan cost of living, but Isla de Ometepe is absolutely magical — and this place is so unique that I couldn’t not include it.
I mean, just look at it: It’s entirely solar-powered and hand-built from local bamboo, wood and stone. It’s located on an organic farm and has views of neighboring volcanoes.
Drool.
6. Gorgeous 3-Bedroom in Lisbon, Portugal: $2,938
This three-bedroom apartment is bright and charming — just like the Portuguese city it’s located in.
I adore the modern and minimal furnishings, and can totally picture myself relaxing here after a tough day strolling Lisbon’s romantic streets and stuffing myself with pasteis de nata.
Oh, and it comes with a juicer because of course it does.
7. Beachside 3-Bedroom Thai Villa with Pool: $2,548
Thailand’s one of those countries everybody dreams of escaping to.
And this villa is another one of those listings that makes you wonder: Why am I still living in the U.S. again?
Or at least that’s what it does to me.
Private pool, steps from the beach and “spectacular” sunset views? It’s go THAI-me.
8. Minimalist 3-Level Loft in Buenos Aires, Argentina: $3,318
Omg, I want to wrap myself up in this apartment’s clean and minimalist look; it’s the kind of place I’ll always dream of living in — but never actually will.
Because, you know, stuff.
But we can dream, right? You could get a whole month in this large two-bedroom for the same price as an average SF apartment.
Plus, steak and wine and salsa dancing outside your front door!
9. 3-Bedroom Mountain Chalet in Slovenia: $3,335
This alpine chalet is nestled in the mountains of Slovenia, and whether you go in winter or summer, it looks positively idyllic.
It has a wood stove, two (!!) balconies, breathtaking views and enough room for you and six of your homies.
10. 3-Bedroom Flat in Central Istanbul: $2,336
This fabulous flat is located right in the thumping heart of Istanbul.
And though it’d be exciting to be so close to all the attractions, it’d be even better to enjoy the city from your massive balcony.
Not only are there killer views of the ocean and city, there are multiple BEANBAG CHAIRS from which to enjoy them.
All for a grand less than what you’d pay for a mediocre one-bedroom in the Bay.
11. 3-Bedroom Greek Villa with Infinity Pool: $3,110
I’d feel like a total celebrity staying at this gorgeous hillside house. On an island. In Greece.
Mostly because it has an infinity pool, and I automatically associate infinity pools with the other half.
… Maybe it’s time to move to Greece and live like them!
12. Luxurious 3-Bedroom in Mexico City: $2,811
How picture perfect is that table? Now if only you could also cook picture-perfect enchiladas to be served on it…
Well, you’ll have lots of opportunities to learn Mexican cuisine if you live in this sleek apartment in Mexico City… located in the foodie part of town.
And lest you think these wondrous spaces are only available internationally, here are a few options in American tech hubs that might change your mind.
13. Modern 3-Bedroom in Austin, Texas: $3,209
TIL what 3/2/2 means: three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage. I probably didn’t know that because I’ve never looked at a house that has a garage — let alone one with room for multiple vehicles.
This big 3/2/2 clocks in at 1,500 square feet and comes with a fenced backyard, a 3D Bluray player (with glasses) and a modern aesthetic.
Don’t forget: This is in the U.S. — for less than the price of a ONE-bedroom in SF.
14. Country House Close to Raleigh, North Carolina: $2,632
Want to live in the country, while staying close to the tech nexus known as “The Triangle”?
Rent this roomy two-bedroom located 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh. The photo above is of the home’s sunroom — because who doesn’t need one of those?
Try getting a sun, er, fog room in San Fran at this price!
15. Affordable Seattle 3-Bedroom with Big Backyard: $1,966
This adorable Seattle home is surrounded by greenery and comes complete with a BBQ, fire pit and patio furniture. And a big bathtub for when you want to come back in and warm up.
At less than two grand, it’s practically a bargain when compared with SF apartments — and don’t forget Seattle’s got a lot of tech jobs.
16. Funky 3-Bedroom Boulder, Colorado, Bungalow: $3,330
Ugh, I’m obsessed with the design of this Colorado bungalow. That kitchen! Those books! That subway tile!
Ooh, and a dreamy outdoor fire pit with chairs and a hammock? Pure heaven. Plus, Google’s planning huge expansions of its Boulder campus.
So, of course, cheaper than San Francisco ≠ cheap.
But even if you’ll never be able to afford living in SF — or any of these gorgeous Airbnbs — it’s worth remembering that a change in location can also mean a big change in lifestyle!
Your Turn: Do you live in San Francisco? Think it might be time for a move?
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 16 Insane Airbnbs With Cheaper Rent Than a One-Bedroom in San Francisco appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Inflation to hit 4% in 2017
Inflation will surge to 4% next year and remain above the Bank of England’s target until at least 2020, according to one economic think tank’s latest prediction.
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Top hedge fund manager says UK is “destined” for recession
One of the UK’s best-known hedge fund managers is gearing up for a sharp stock market shock, warning the UK is “destined” for recession.
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Majority of Moneywise users plan to spend up to £500 on Christmas
The majority of Moneywise.co.uk users plan to spend up to £500 on Christmas, our latest poll results reveal.
Over half (51%) of those who voted said they’d spend up to £500 as a household. This was broken down by 25% who said they’d spend between £1 and £250, and 26% who have budgeted between £251 and £500.
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Does the performance of ethical funds stack up?
It is that time of year again when the spotlight is shone on ethical investing, all in aid of Good Money Week, a campaign that promotes investing in 'saint' stocks over the 'sinners'.
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UK tracker funds are not socially responsible
Tracker funds are financing activities that damage society and the planet because they pump hundreds of millions of pounds into fossil fuel and tobacco companies, warn responsible investment experts at Castlefield Advisory Partners.
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Best Blogging Courses to Supercharge Your Blog’s Income
By Holly Reisem Hanna I’ve been blogging for seven years now and over the years I’ve purchased a LOT of blogging courses. Some of them have been less than stellar; others were good, but only a few have been great! In fact, there are so many blogging courses on the market that it’s almost impossible […]
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