CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says a record-breaking amount of radon gas has been detected at a newly constructed home in eastern Pennsylvania.Radon is a naturally occurring gas caused by the breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks, and is known to cause cancer.The reading, taken last month in Center Valley, Lehigh County, but publicized only Thursday was more than 1,500 time higher than safe limits, and more than double [...]
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الجمعة، 18 نوفمبر 2016
AutoZone proposed for Route 209
A national retail chain has taken interest in a property in Middle Smithfield Township. McIlvried, DiDiano & Mox, LLC (MDM) — developers for AutoZone automotive part stores — this week submitted plans to build a new store at 5118 Milford Road.Project Manager Jeffery Berneburg presented a land development plan at the township planning commission meeting Thursday. The commission will review the plan and open it to public comment during the Dec. 15 meeting. [...]
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Surprise Medical Bills are a Big Problem. Here’s What to Do If You Get One
When you visit the hospital, you do everything right, don’t you?
You’re enrolled in health insurance and understand which services are covered. You’ve checked your insurance company’s network and know which facilities are in-network and which are not.
… You think.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week found patients who visit an in-network emergency room may be surprised later to learn the doctor who treated them was not employed by the hospital, but rather contracted to provide services there.
Even if the hospital is in your health insurance network, the doctor may be out-of-network and will bill your insurance company accordingly — sometimes for thousands of dollars.
The worst part? You don’t learn this until you get the bill.
Doug Moore of Florida told the New York Times he even called his insurance company on the way to the emergency room in October 2015 to ensure his visit would be covered. A month later, he received an out-of-network bill for $1,620.
“That really makes me mad, and kind of breaks my heart,” he said.
The study looked at billing data from one major national insurer and found this happened 22% of the time, the Times reported.
More than one in five patients who went to a hospital covered by their plan received a bill from a doctor outside of their insurance company’s network.
Surprise! Here’s a Freakin’ Gigantic Medical Bill
This issue, which the researchers have dubbed “surprise billing,” is, unfortunately, on the up-and-up… technically.
The devil is in the details.
I checked in with Pat Palmer, CEO of Medical Billing Advocates of America, to find out what — if anything — we can do to avoid being bamboozled by these unexpected charges.
Palmer’s organization works with consumers to advocate for true and accurate charges on medical bills and helps negotiate for a fair and reasonable price for services. Though surprise billing is just making a splash in the news recently, she said MBAA has seen it for years.
The tone in her voice as she explained the details was enough to make me angry on behalf of even a theoretical patient.
Here’s the crux of it:
If you’ve ever checked into an ER, you know you’ll sign a slew of paperwork. Among that, Palmer explained, “In little tiny language somewhere, it says you may get bills from all these (contracted) people. It doesn’t say anything about the pricing.”
Then she echoed what we’re all probably thinking: “In an emergency situation, no one has the ability — mentally or physically — to read and scrutinize every one of those.”
If a physician were to take you to court to collect payment, she doesn’t believe that “little tiny language” would hold up.
But many patients don’t know this, or don’t want to take it that far. Most of us want to keep bill collectors off our backs and avoid harming our credit scores with unpaid medical debt.
It’s not just ER visits, either. Palmer said patients receive surprise bills from companies who contract with hospitals to provide lab work, radiology or ambulance services, for example.
Sharon Steinmann, The Penny Hoarder’s director of photography, had that experience.
After Steinmann gave birth to her first child in Alabama in 2015, she was surprised to see a bill for about $500 from a company that had apparently contracted with the hospital to run her newborn’s standard hearing test.
“I had just gotten a C-section. That’s major surgery,” Steinmann explained. “I had no idea which tests they were doing.”
She spent five months calling both the hospital and the California-based company that had run the test. Calls to the private company were fruitless.
“They were rude and dismissive and kept telling me the test wasn’t covered by my insurance,” she said.
Finally a sympathetic woman from the hospital contacted the company on her behalf. The woman called back and let Steinmann know she would no longer be responsible for the bill.
“It’s still unclear what the hell happened,” Steinmann admitted.
She didn’t dig for more detail. She was just happy to have the confounding bill dropped.
What to Do When You Get a Surprise Bill
Palmer said her company has successfully advocated to have bills eliminated or reduced for patients who get hit with these surprise out-of-network charges.
Your best defense seems to be arguing that no one explained your financial responsibility clearly.
Contact the billing department of the physician or company who billed you, and explain the physician neglected to tell you they aren’t participating in your insurance network or how much they’d charge you for their services.
On those grounds, work with the billing department to negotiate your bill down.
On the patient’s behalf, MBAA will request a doctor present a signed document showing they explained the patient’s responsibility and the patient agreed to proceed with services.
Of course, that document almost never exists.
(That document probably, actually, never exists, but I won’t speak in absolutes.)
“The hospital is the one that engaged your services,” Palmer explained, when it admitted you to its ER. No one makes you aware of your financial burden in that process.
She said her advocates will explain to a doctor they don’t believe the documents a patient signed with the hospital would stand up in court, “and that’s usually when they start negotiating.”
If the contracted physician or company won’t work with you, you can try your insurance company next. Palmer said you can argue you didn’t know you received out-of-network services, and most insurance companies will reprocess the claim as in-network — with a caveat.
Because it’s in-network, insurance will cover 80-90% of the cost, versus 60-70% they pay for out-of-network services.
The caveat, she explained, is the price of services might still be higher than the price the insurance company has negotiated with in-network providers.
If all else fails, Palmer recommends what sounds a bit like a financial threat to the provider. You can work with your insurance company to retract any payment it’s made to the doctor and instead send that benefit directly to you.
“The physician should not reap the benefits of a participating provider when they’re not participating,” she emphasized.
If the insurance company sends its portion of the payment to you, leaving it to you to ensure the doctor receives payment, you gain significant negotiating power.
Mention this potential recourse to a doctor, and they may be more likely to work with you to negotiate your bill to a fairer price. “They don’t want (to have) that money retracted and count on the patient paying the entire thing,” explained Palmer.
She also emphasizes the importance of getting any agreement in writing.
You may come to an understanding over the phone with a billing department, but you don’t have a record of that. Ask them to send you something in writing to ensure you both live up to your end of the agreement.
A final word: Palmer points out, “We cannot rule out the responsibility of the hospital itself.”
The researchers behind the NEJM study echo this sentiment, suggesting Congress could require a visit be treated as a package that includes both the doctor and the hospital.
No one knows whether the incoming administration will address this issue in its promised health care reform.
Your Turn: Have you ever received a surprise medical bill after visiting an in-network hospital?
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 Surprise Medical Bills are a Big Problem. Here’s What to Do If You Get One appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Sit Down and Eat Your Turkey: 21 Stores That Won’t Be Open on Thanksgiving
Remember when you expected nothing more out of Thanksgiving than getting to eat too much, watch some football and share quality time — and perhaps a few political quibbles — with your loved ones?
Unfortunately, as a 27-year-old millennial, my honest answer to this question is “no.”
In my lifetime, Thanksgiving has always been tied to a sometimes-exciting, but always-distracting hitchhiker “holiday.”
Yup, I’m talking about Black Friday — whose terms are, ironically, gray enough (get it?) to bleed into Thursday.
Which means you might get too distracted by delicious-looking deals to enjoy the luxurious meal… and the time you get to spend with the people who made it.
21 Stores Closed on Thanksgiving
If you’ve been following our Purple Friday initiative, you know we’re big fans of spending time, not money, with your friends and family, especially over the holidays.
In keeping with that spirit, here’s a list of stores we’ve confirmed WON’T be open this Thanksgiving.
So pull your chair back in, grab a second helping of turkey and don’t worry about missing any deals. Missing the moment is a way bigger loss, anyway.
- American Girl
- Burlington Coat Factory
- Cabela’s
- Costco
- Crate & Barrel
- Dillard’s
- DSW
- Guitar Center
- hhgregg
- Home Goods
- Neiman Marcus
- Nordstrom
- Patagonia
- Pier 1 Imports
- Petsmart
- Publix
- Office Depot
- REI
- Sam’s Club
- Staples
- T.J. Maxx
Your Turn: Which Thanksgiving leftovers will you munch on instead of hitting the shops 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.
The post Sit Down and Eat Your Turkey: 21 Stores That Won’t Be Open on Thanksgiving appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Look Good in Brown? UPS is Filling More Than 95,000 Seasonal Jobs Right Now
Because I live in Florida, snow doesn’t signal the approach of the holidays.
Rather, it’s the frequency of UPS trucks I see roaming my neighborhood. Those brown trucks could be Santa’s sleigh as far as I’m concerned. The “beep-beep” I hear each time the truck backs up is basically a Christmas carol.
Yeah, yeah. I’m totally feeding into the consumerism mentality that we need to get away from during the holidays, but there is a bright side to this.
UPS is on a seasonal holiday hiring binge.
The package delivery giant is working to fill 95,000 seasonal positions worldwide from November to January.
Currently, over 6,000 seasonal positions are available on its job page.
What Type of Seasonal Jobs Does UPS Need Me to Do?
The jobs vary.
But a popular one is the driver helper, reportedly — and more affectionately — known as “Santa’s helpers.” Basically you’ll ride along with drivers and help out with some heavy lifting.
And you won’t just be delivering packages; you’re also “delivering merriment and cheer throughout the holiday season,” according to the job listing.
Even better, the job is flexible: “It’s perfect for college students who return home (or remain on campus) during winter break. It’s a great opportunity for a stay-at-home parent looking for serious cash as the holiday season approaches.”
Other positions include customer service representatives, drivers, mechanics, package handlers, mechanics and supervisors.
What Happens When the Season is Over?
You can go back to your life.
Or you could — and maybe should — consider a full-time job with UPS.
“From the 2012 through 2014 holiday seasons, over 37 percent of the people UPS hired for seasonal package handler jobs were later hired in a permanent position when the holidays were over,” UPS’s press release states.
With that, you’d get solid pay and benefits. These include a competitive salary; medical, dental and vision insurance; a discounted stock purchase plan; a 401(k); and tuition assistance.
How Can I Get In on the UPS Hiring Spree?
Head on over to UPS’s job page and search “seasonal.” You can narrow your search by looking in your city.
If there isn’t a job open near you yet, sign up for a job alert. You can enter your area of interest and location, and you’ll get a job delivered to your inbox.
If you want more seasonal job offerings, we’ve got you covered. Or maybe you prefer a work-from-home job? Stop by our Facebook jobs page for more contenders.
Your Turn: Have you worked for UPS?
Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. After recently completing graduate school, she focuses on saving money — and surviving the move back in with her parents.
The post Look Good in Brown? UPS is Filling More Than 95,000 Seasonal Jobs Right Now appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Happy Friday! Get 2 Free Large Pizzas When You Buy This Gift Card
Groupon may have lost its luster from previous years of amazing and/or questionable deals (half-price laser-eye surgery? Heck yes!), but every now and then, we still stumble across an amazing deal.
Instead of a discount, this Groupon offers free pizza.
Purchase a $25 egift card for Papa John’s Pizza through Groupon, and you’ll also receive vouchers for two free large pizzas.
How to Get 2 Free Pizzas from Papa John’s
When you purchase the deal, you’ll get three emails: one with the gift card and two that each include a promo code for a large, one-topping pizza. All together, that’s a value of about $55.
You don’t have to redeem your free pizza codes in the same order, but think of the party you could have for just $25?!
You have to use your free pizza promo codes by Jan. 22, 2017, which means it’s time to start planning ahead for casual holiday gatherings, your “Gilmore Girls” Netflix binge-watching session or a playoff football tailgate party.
Groupon warns there’s only a “limited time remaining” to grab this deal, so don’t wait until you’re hungry to buy it!
Make This Deal Even Better
Here’s an easy way to get even more out of this offer: Shop Groupon through eBates to get 6% cash back on your purchase.
And don’t forget to use a credit card that offers cash back or points toward travel to maximize your savings. Don’t forget to pay off your balance — no cheesy circle of goodness is worth going into debt over.
I love when saving is simple. Especially when there’s pizza involved!
Your Turn: How will you use your Papa John’s Groupon deal?
Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. Adding these links helps us keep the lights on in The Penny Hoarder HQ, which makes it a lot easier to play shuffleboard after a long day of deal-seeking!
Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder. She covers the pizza beat.
The post Happy Friday! Get 2 Free Large Pizzas When You Buy This Gift Card appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Would You Pay $199 for a Year’s Worth of (Nearly) Unlimited Coffee?
How serious are you about your caffeine addiction?
If you know your devotion to java is far stronger than any New Year’s resolution, we may have found an awesome deal for you.
Bruegger’s Bottomless Mug Club memberships are on sale for 2017.
And although they’re by no means cheap, if you’re as coffee-dependent as I am, buying in could save you a ton of dough.
How Bruegger’s Bottomless Mug Club Could Save You Over $300 in 2017
The way it works is simple: Buy a Bottomless Mug Club membership, which comes with the mug itself, and you’ll get free refills of drip coffee, tea or soda for the remainder of 2016 and all of 2017.
While the deal doesn’t work for espresso drinks, smoothies and other fancy beverages, it’s good for hot chocolate and chai tea at some (but not all) Bruegger’s bakeries.
You are, however, limited to a single free refill every 30 minutes. Fine print, am I right?
Obviously, we’re talking about a pretty massive potential for cheap caffeine, here. But how good of a deal is the bottomless mug, really?
Well, let’s do some math. (Thankfully, I’m caffeinated enough to handle minor multiplication — although my gratis bottomless supply comes from the TPH office kitchen. Thanks, Kyle!)
Depending where you buy it, the mug costs between $179 and $199, but it’s $185 at the vast majority of locations.
The price of Bruegger’s beverages is also location-dependent, but according to Fast Food Menu Prices, most small drinks covered by the offer are about $1.99 — and that’s before tax.
At that price, if you bought one small coffee every workday — if you work five days a week, you’ll have 261 in 2017 — you’d spend $519.39, plus taxes.
Which means you’d save more than $300 on coffee in 2017, even if you bought the most expensive mug.
That’s not counting the caffeine fiends among you who, like me, could easily blow through a refill or three a day… and who don’t take days off from coffee.
Of course, if you don’t always get your coffee from Bruegger’s — or if you only have it occasionally — you might not break even.
But if the Bottomless Mug Club sounds like a great deal for you, here are the rest of the rules.
Bruegger’s Bottomless Mug Club Fine Print
Somewhat obviously, you have to get your refills in the mug itself — you can’t just claim to be a member and then bring up some other, random vessel.
Furthermore, the mug is non-transferrable and only the rightful owner may use it — although you can purchase a membership as a gift.
Finally, Bruegger’s will give no refunds unless it revokes your Bottomless Mug Club membership, which it reserves the right to do at any time.
The mugs are available at participating bakeries through Jan. 31, or while supplies last.
If you get yours now, you can start using it right away — meaning you’ll save even more cash on your caffeine addiction.
So for those of you already closing your browser tab and grabbing your keys, don’t worry: I can promise you no one at The Penny Hoarder will judge…
… unless you try to get two refills in a single half-hour. Then, you might just need an intervention.
Your Turn: Will you buy Bruegger’s Bottomless Mug 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.
The post Would You Pay $199 for a Year’s Worth of (Nearly) Unlimited Coffee? appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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How to Spice Up Your B2B Blog if It’s Mind-Numbingly Boring
Feel like something’s missing on your blog?
Maybe it’s your font…
Maybe your theme…
Or could it be your logo?
While most B2B bloggers focus on improving minutiae, the truth is their content is just plain boring.
As a B2B owner who engages in online marketing, you were probably told that a blog would propel your company to the top of the search engine results pages.
Little did you know, however, how tricky it would be to come up with engaging blog posts on a regular basis.
People often assume that trade blogs are dry and uninteresting by their very nature. That isn’t—and shouldn’t be—the case.
After all, who will keep coming back to your blog if they’re bored to tears whenever they visit?
Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways to spice things up.
Here are 25 useful tips to turn your B2B blog into something that delivers the returns you deserve. It’s never too late to make your B2B blog an effective part of your online marketing strategy.
In fact, I’m bursting with ideas for making industry blogs more dynamic and engaging. Here are my 25 best tips:
1. Use a talented writer
I can’t emphasize this one enough: Whoever writes for your blog should be an innately talented writer.
Moreover, they should actually enjoy writing, and their enthusiasm should shine through in their work.
It’s plainly obvious when an industry blog has been written by someone who lacks the necessary writing chops.
Even if you must pay for it, make sure your content is penned—or typed, as it were—by someone who can truly do it justice.
2. Write in the first person
Blogs are meant to be personal. Readers want connect with the human being, not the letters on a screen.
Start with a simple introduction that explains who you are and why you’re qualified to talk on the topic.
It’s okay to sprinkle in a bit of humor if you like, but not necessary.
Whatever you do, avoid the impersonal third-person writing style, which looks like this:
“[Company Name] has made several advancements in recent years.”
Instead, stick with the first person, which switches the example above to the following:
“We have made many advancements in recent years.”
Feel free to use the second person too by addressing readers as “you” from time to time.
3. Convey authoritative industry knowledge
If you decide to run a B2B blog, it should revolve heavily around your industry. The more niche you make it, the better off you will be.
With that in mind, stay abreast of the latest industry happenings, and touch upon important topics as they arise.
Stay in the loop about the latest news and trends concerning your industry, and pay attention to what thought leaders in your industry are doing and saying.
This will have you jumping out of your seat with new, creative ideas.
4. Let your personality shine through
Industry blogs are often stifled by the notion that they should be formal and professional at all times. The result is stilted, dull language and bland, uninspired content.
Go ahead and let your personality shine through in your blog. It’ll make it more fun to write, and your readers will appreciate it too.
5. Don’t overthink it
Because a B2B blog represents your company, it’s natural to want each blog post to be absolutely perfect.
However, editing it to within an inch of its life won’t do you any favors.
While posts should be proofread prior to publication, don’t fret over every last thing.
That’s a surefire way to sap your creative energy and to start hating everything about running your blog.
6. Keep it niche
To broaden their horizons a little, B2B owners often stray from their niches to cover completely unrelated topics.
This may make it easier to brainstorm new ideas, but it has the negative effect of alienating your audience.
Readers will turn to you for specialized information, so give it to them.
Padding your blog with posts covering random topics does more harm than good in the long run.
7. Skip posts about blog or website updates
To you, updates to your blog or website are probably pretty exciting.
Trust me, though: no one else cares. Sharing such news in your blog only shows that you are completely out of ideas.
If you find yourself tempted to share news about technical updates, sit down and start over. Better ideas can and will come to you—I promise.
Source: Quickmeme.com
8. Be prophetic
Be like Nostradamus from time to time by making predictions about the direction of your industry.
It may feel a bit risky—will readers come back and call you out if you turn out to be wrong?—but it’s a great way to expand your horizons when coming up with new topics to cover.
You don’t need a crystal ball to make this work.
Just stay informed about your industry and share educated predictions with your audience.
9. Express emotion
A big reason for running out of writing inspiration is feeling like you must hold in your emotions.
Here’s the thing: Readers appreciate it when you do, and it makes your content a lot more relatable.
Go ahead and express how you feel about stuff from time to time. For example, are you excited about that upcoming trade show, or are you dreading it?
Expressing your emotions should open up many new possibilities for spicing up your blog.
10. Share inside stories
Let readers in on how your company operates by occasionally sharing inside stories about interesting happenings.
Giving them a glimpse “behind the curtain” will keep them engaged and give you a lot more interesting fodder for your blog.
For example, in the weeks leading up to an important product launch, create posts about how the company is preparing.
When important new employees come on board, share the news.
11. Be personable but professional
Writing blog posts is much easier when you keep it personable. Still, because it represents your company, your blog should maintain an adequate level of professionalism.
Spice up blog posts with occasional quips about how you’re thinking or feeling about certain topics. Write as if you are having a face-to-face conversation.
Everything else will fall into place from there.
12. Go in-depth
All too often, B2B blogs merely skim the surface of the topics that matter to their audiences. Generic, fluffy posts are easy to churn out, to be sure, but they leave a lot to be desired.
Your industry blog will be far more compelling when you delve deeply into topics from time to time. If you’re worried about holding your audience’s interest through such topics, create a series of posts to break things up into digestible chunks.
This has the added bonus of keeping your readers coming back for more.
13. Interview people
I know, you’re not a journalist.
However, getting out there and interviewing important people in your industry is a great way to come up with interesting topics for your blog.
Of course, you don’t have to literally interview people face to face.
Through email and social media, you should be able to conduct at least occasional interviews that will give you all kinds of blog fodder.
14. Add images and other types of media
Internet users dislike being presented with walls of text.
A great way to enhance your industry blog is to sprinkle it with relevant images, videos, and other media.
Get a subscription to a stock photography service to ensure you have plenty of options at your disposal.
Include your own photos, videos, and other creations too to keep your audience engaged.
15. Load posts with facts and data
Online, you can find statistics and other data about virtually any topic under the sun.
Fill your posts with data from reliable sources to make it more engaging and useful.
Don’t stop there, though. Share statistics and other data regarding your business and industry too. In other words, be your own source.
16. Become an expert
Since you own a B2B, you are surely very knowledgeable about topics that relate to your industry.
Kick things up a notch by focusing your attention on a very niche area, and learn everything you can about it.
By becoming an authority on a particular subject, you will be swimming with ideas that matter to your audience.
As you learn new things, additional ideas will spring to mind more easily.
17. Write listicles
A B2B blog needn’t be stodgy or overly prim and proper (in fact, quite the opposite).
Like Buzzfeed does, create posts in a list format, publishing listicles from time to time.
Listicles are easy to write and fun to read even if they are written on dry topics.
18. Tackle tough topics
B2B blogs tend to shy away from especially difficult topics.
Getting to the bottom of something that tends to stump people who rely on your products or services requires a lot of work, but it also gives you incredible ammunition for generating interesting blog posts.
Zero in on issues nobody seems to be trying to resolve, and commit yourself to solving them.
Whether you’re successful or not, share your findings with your audience.
19. Share memes 
Source: memegenerator.net
I don’t care how niche your B2B business is—there are sure to be plenty of pertinent memes out there regarding it.
Dig them up, and share them on your blog from time to time. Provide commentary regarding the meme to keep your blog plugging along.
If you strike out and can’t find many memes, create your own.
There are tons of apps for this, so there’s no excuse for not giving it a go!
20. Don’t promote constantly
Yes, you primarily write on your B2B blog to promote your business.
However, constantly posting overtly promotional posts is not the way to go.
Tooting your own horn from time to time is fine, but don’t let that become the overriding theme of your entire blog.
Your audience will be bored to tears, and they’ll probably be annoyed to boot.
21. Share findings from surveys and polls
Use apps and widgets to quickly and easily survey clients and prospects. Share the results, and comment on them in your posts.
Don’t be afraid to seek out surveys and polls from other sources too.
Even if they are not very recent, they will probably be interesting to your audience, and creating posts around them is fun and easy.
22. Be empathetic
On the one hand, you want to come across as an authority in your industry.
On the other hand, though, you want to connect with your audience to keep them engaged.
You can’t do that without showing a little empathy here and there.
When the situation warrants it, use phrases such as “…like many B2B owners…,” “…I know how it is…,” and “…I see that all the time…” to show your audience you understand them and to give your posts more personality.
23. Tie posts to current events when applicable
If a newsworthy event impacts your industry—even if only tangentially—go ahead and write an article about it.
On social media, this has the added bonus of potentially having your post appear in trending topic feeds.
Don’t go too far, though. You may find yourself trying to tie every current event to your industry, and that just won’t fly.
When it makes sense to do so, however, this tactic can work wonders.
24. Tie related topics together
Write crossover blog posts that tie seemingly disparate ideas together from time to time.
For example, let’s say you run a business that provides uniforms to the hospitality industry.
You spend time marketing your business too, so why not write a post that explains how the right uniforms can enhance your marketing efforts?
This is great because it subtly promotes your products while allowing you to showcase your expertise in a whole new way.
25. Go there
The vast majority of industry blogs give controversy of any kind a wide berth.
This is generally a wise move, but rocking the boat a little here and there wouldn’t be the end of the world either.
Go ahead and “go there” regarding the proverbial elephant in the room from time to time.
Get stuff off your chest. Just make sure to stay tactful and professional while doing so.
Conclusion
As you can see, B2B blogs tend to be dry and boring due to preconceived notions about how B2Bs should express themselves online.
While your blog shouldn’t come across as careless and sloppy, it shouldn’t be formal to the point of complete dullness either.
Commit the above tips to memory, and keep them in mind to transform your B2B blog from one that’s mind-numbingly boring to one that’s absolutely fascinating.
Be honest: Would you voluntarily read your own B2B blog?
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Mixed response to confirmation of HS2's northern route
This week, the government confirmed its preferred route for the second phase of HS2, its high-speed railway.
When the route from Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to Leeds is completed in 2033, the number of mainline commuter and intercity trains per hour each way into and out of Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds will almost double to 48.
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City regulator says fund fees too high
There is little competition on price within the fund management industry where high charges are not usually justified by high returns, according to the Financial Conduct Authority.
The financial regulator’s market study was launched in November last year with a view to establishing whether consumers are getting good value for money when they buy investment funds.
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Earn £65k and own home outright to 'feel' wealthy
People who feel wealthy typically earn in the region of £65,000 and enjoy a total household income of over £86,000 , according to new research from Lloyds Bank.
This level of earnings is well-ahead of a national average of £34,576, but the research suggested that are other factors that add to their feelings of wealth.
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Money Isn’t Everything: 61 Companies With Amazing Employee Benefits
Finding a job can be tough, and no matter how many side hustles you might have up your sleeve, nothing beats a stable job.
But what about landing a job you actually like? I forgot that was an option until I started working at The Penny Hoarder!
We pulled together a list of 61 companies that offer not only stable employment and good pay, but also killer employee benefits.
These employers offer everything you need — and benefits you didn’t even know you wanted!
Financial Companies
1. BBVA Compass offers a bonus up to $1,000, deposited into a Health Reimbursement or Savings Account, for those who participate in the “Wellthy for Life” program and attend the company’s health-related events. The company also offers access to a breast milk delivery service for mothers who are traveling on business.
2. Regions Financial Corp. offers tuition reimbursement for undergraduate degrees and an Associates’ Homeowners Program.
3. Visa, Inc.: While benefits vary by country, all Visa employees receive health insurance, life insurance, savings plans, holidays and paid time off. Visa matches financial gifts to eligible charitable organizations on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to $5,000 per calendar year.
4. Idaho Central Credit Union offers computer wage advancements, a wellness program, a scholarship program for dependents and tuition reimbursement.
5. Quicken Loans offers infertility coverage (full coverage of procedures, prescriptions, etc.) and also full coverage of autism care, according to PR manager Chris Smith. And get this: They offer pet insurance! It’s included in their MetLife VPI policies, and it costs around $8 per pay period.
6. Prudential Financial gives you access to benefits like a life coach and nine on-site wellness centers. New moms can take eight weeks of fully paid leave and additional 22 weeks unpaid.
7. Umpqua Bank employees receive a $500 professional dress advance, 100% transportation reimbursement, tuition reimbursement and 40 paid volunteer hours.
8. South Carolina Federal Credit Union offers benefits that range from pet insurance and tuition reimbursement to on-site food vendors and volunteer opportunities.
Data and Software Companies
9. Daxko covers all member registration fees at any YMCA or JCC. Top-performing employees get helmet stickers (they come with gift certificates, too!). It also offers themed quiet rooms — including an entirely pink Barbie room and a dinosaur room. Long-time employees receive a four-week sabbatical every seven years.
10. WebPT employees can attend employee-led clubs and games, paid for by a team-building budget. There are also yearly events, like the spring carnival and the annual “Biggest Loser” challenge.
11. Appointment-Plus employees say benefits include paid gym memberships, snacks and sodas and a flexible policy regarding working from home. Plus, employees are also allowed to bring their kids and pets to work with them.
12. Acxiom offers education reimbursement, adoption leave and assistance, on-site cafeteria and child care (certain locations only), a wellness center and pet insurance discounts.
13. Asana creates software that helps teams track and manage their projects. Employees get unique benefits like $50 monthly Uber credits. They also get free executive coaching, guided meditation, untracked PTO, 16 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave for new families, gym membership and three gourmet meals a day thanks to their in-house culinary program and Eating With Wellness coach & nutritionist.
14. Gartner is an IT company with an impressive list of benefits. Perks include an employee discount, commuter checks and assistance (checks or vouchers for using public transit), legal assistance, tuition reimbursement and gym memberships.
15. Basecamp employees enjoy four-day summer workweeks, a $100-per-month fitness allowance, $100-per-month massage allowance, $1,000 annual continuing education allowance, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) allowance, one month sabbatical every three years, a work-from-anywhere option and holiday gifts.
16. World Wide Technology offers employees tuition assistance and reimbursement, fertility assistance, on-site healthcare, charitable gift-matching, a work-from-home option and volunteer opportunities.
17. RightNow Technologies (Oracle) offers a commuter benefit program, a medical plan with unique perks (e.g. autism benefits and round-the-clock phone consultations) and several income protection benefits.
18. Sandia National Laboratories employee benefits include a winter shutdown, compressed workweek, mentoring opportunities with scientists and engineers and K-12 educational outreach programs in math and science for employees’ children. Plus, this government job gives you every other Friday off!
19. Hyland offers a $10,000 tuition reimbursement for graduate courses and $4,000 per year for undergraduate (my favorite perk!). Employees also get 12 flex days, on-site clinics and fitness classes, massages, car detailing, haircuts, childcare services and travel services.
20. Software Advice employees celebrate Massage Fridays, eat from the fully stocked kitchen and host boot camp classes after work three times a week. Who needs a life outside of work here? Oh, I almost forgot to mention its generous work abroad program.
21. Epic Systems’ campus in Madison, Wisconsin, boasts community gardens, on-site car detailing, dry cleaning and a library. Employees enjoy EpicOdyssey trips, a professional development fund and a month-long sabbatical after five years’ employment.
Tech Companies
22. Google has long been considered the best of the best places to work, pioneering perks like on-site fitness centers and free gourmet food — plus unique access to new products!
23. Apple employees say they get $500 every three years toward a Mac or Macbook, 50% off Apple products and 10% off accessories. They also get a mobile discount, tuition reimbursement, gym reimbursement and a $20,000 egg-freezing stipend!
24. Facebook provides paid leave for new parents, adoption and surrogacy assistance, “baby cash to help with newborn expenses” and a wellness allowance.
25. At Riot Games, creators of “League of Legends,” company culture includes a Hackathon and “Taste the Riot” fairs. “Rioters” receive ongoing education and training through Riot U, top-of-the-line computers and massage therapy.
26. Yahoo offers on-site dental care, haircuts, dry cleaning and alterations, oil changes, car wash and bike repairs. Employees are eligible for health insurance that covers dependent parents, and they can also take advantage of an on-site fitness center and day care.
27. Angie’s List employees receive some of the most unexpected benefits, including a massage therapist and an on-site fitness center with everything from Zumba to Weight Watchers at Work. You can also get help with weight-loss goals on “Transformation Tuesdays” and reduce stress through company intramural sports, a YMCA discount and the on-site garden.
28. Hubspot employees report benefits including professional development programs, unlimited paid time off, $5,000 a year toward continuing education, as well as company socials.
Travel and Hospitality Companies
29. The Alaska Collection offers perks like free travel, flexible schedules and seasonal work. Employees can also get accommodations at company lodges.
30. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is known as a leader when it comes to providing benefits to LGBT employees, says Fortune. It also understands employees’ love for their pets — the company offers pet insurance and a pet-bereavement policy, and allows your pet to join you in the office! In addition, the company offers free healthy snacks and lunch, fitness classes and on-site dry cleaning.
31. Dover Downs Hotel & Casino actually offers jury duty pay! Employees also get free on-site parking (with preferred parking for carpoolers), free internet kiosks, as well as a break room, dining room and lounge.
32. Delta Airlines employees enjoy free flights, and employees report perks like concierge services, employee mobile phone discounts, tuition assistance and a gym membership.
33. Marriott offers discounted hotel rooms and gift shop discounts across the globe. Employees also enjoy gift shop discounts.
34. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers free transport to and from work, free coffee, commuter reimbursement, and free access to the tram, mountain bike park, ropes course and drop tower.
Retailers
35. Dillard’s offers employees competitive retail positions with flexible scheduling, paid time off and employee discounts. Every Dillard’s enthusiast needs this job!
36. Publix offers benefits like tuition reimbursement and tuition assistance for students in certified culinary schools. Full-time employees get six paid holidays, company-paid life insurance and more. Plus, no previous experience is necessary for most positions.
37. Collective Brands, parent of Payless ShoeSource, offers benefits like business travel, accident insurance and a dependent care spending account. Plus, don’t forget the employee shoe discount!
Jobs in Science, Medicine and Healthcare
38. Counsyl, a DNA screening company, has a fully-equipped gym with daily classes, catered lunch and free laundry. Employees also report receiving a $650 car allowance as part of the sales force, so you don’t need to be a geneticist to benefit!
39. Employees of Northside Hospital report they receive benefits like a gym membership, employee discounts, mobile phone discounts, child care and dependent care. And you don’t have to be in the medical field to apply for the company’s non-clinical jobs.
40. Abbott Labs is a biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturer. It offers child care, adoption assistance, employee discounts, gym membership, mobile phone discounts, tuition assistance, legal services and more.
41. Humana offers on-site health screenings, personal health coaching, tuition assistance, learning events, mentorships, survivor support and adoption assistance.
42. Mayo Clinic supports education with its own universities and tuition assistance, an employee education program and dependent scholarships. Employees can even use Mayo Clinic classifieds to buy and sell items.
43. Atlantic Health Care offers tuition reimbursement, adoption assistance, concierge services and mentorships.
44. Sanford Health employees are eligible for an employee perks program offering local business discounts, a worksite wellness program, educational assistance, voluntary benefits like cancer or accident coverage, identity theft protection and adoption assistance.
Media Companies
45. Groundfloor Media, Inc. employees enjoy paid time off to volunteer, a monthly active lifestyle allowance, annual Groundhog Day celebrations, and a weekly beer club to learn about — and sample! — different kinds of beer.
46. Dolby employees in San Francisco and London get in-office screening rooms (in-office movie theaters) and other competitive benefits that vary by location.
Universities With Great Employee Benefits
47. Miami’s Florida International University provides auto and pet insurance and legal services, among other benefits.
48. The University of Southern Mississippi offers dependent child care and half-price tuition for unmarried dependent children, allows full-time employees to take up to six credit hours per semester, and goes above and beyond with benefits like moving assistance.
49. The University of Pittsburgh offers education programs for staff and faculty, as well as spouses and dependents, including 100% tuition coverage.
50. West Virginia University offers a housing down payment program, all-ages fitness classes and tuition assistance and waivers. It also has a huge number of employee discounts good for athletic events, computer and antivirus software, Dell computers and accessories, as well as at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Apple, Enterprise, Microsoft Office and more.
Manufacturing Jobs
51. Cummins Inc. employees report tuition assistance, fertility assistance, an employee discount, gym memberships, on-site healthcare and legal assistance in addition to traditional benefits.
52. MillerCoors jobs aren’t just for beer lovers (although you do have to be 21 or older). Benefits include MillerCoors University and a company pub, where you can sample 13 varieties of beer — free of charge!
53. Stryker, a medical technology manufacturer, offers benefits like a mobile phone discount, gym membership, employee discount, job training and tuition assistance, according to current and former employees.
54. Nestle Purina PetCare employees can enroll their kids in the child care center to learn Spanish, gymnastics, computer skills, swimming and even go on field trips while their parents work.
55. Union Pacific employees have access to child care (Omaha only), adoption assistance, gift matching, a health coach, tobacco cessation programs, a transportation spending account and tuition reimbursement.
56. J.M. Smucker Company will cover 100% of your tuition costs of company-approved courses with no cap.
57. A job at The Hershey Company sounds almost as tempting as the chocolate! The company offers free admission to Hersheypark, Springtime in the Park, Hersheypark in the Dark and Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. Employees can also receive training in First Aid, CPR and other professional certifications.
58. Trupanion encourages employees to bring their pets to work! Over 233 cats and dogs hang out in the office each day. Employees also enjoy dog-walking services and free pet insurance. The company also told TPH it offers days off for pet wellness and pet bereavement.
Other Jobs With Great Benefits
59. Summit Consulting offers bikeshare SmarTrip cards and performance bonuses for $500-$750. Employees also get tuition reimbursement, executive coaching and the ability to attend seminars to help them reach their full potential.
60. Progressive Insurance offers employees on-site medical facilities at select locations, as well as fitness centers, where employees can take advantage of aerobics, yoga, running clubs and more. The company also offers adoption assistance and a Flexible Spending Account for child and elder care.
61: Bonus! If you love The Penny Hoarder, we have openings in St. Petersburg, Florida. We pay 100% of the premium on health care coverage, offer a 4% 401(k) match, allow flex-time and work-from-home options, unlimited sick time and more! Oh — we also have a beer fridge and free healthy snacks all day long.
We hope whatever kind of work you’re looking for, you will find a job that works for you! And also has awesome benefits…
Your Turn: Do you know any companies with killer employee benefits?
Carissa Richetti is an editorial intern at The Penny Hoarder. She loves writing horror stories and political activism pieces. She is a big fan of side jobs and loves to collect seashells and roam pet stores in her spare time.
Kaitlyn Perta, an editorial fellow at The Penny Hoarder, contributed research to this post.
The post Money Isn’t Everything: 61 Companies With Amazing Employee Benefits appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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The Direct PLUS Loan Program: Six Things Parents Should Know
Your kid isn’t the only one studying. If you’re searching for grants and scholarship money and researching federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans, you probably feel as if you’re boning up for the hardest, most complicated test you’ve ever come up against.
And then somewhere, in the midst of all of this, you’ve probably found a beacon of light in the darkness. You learned about the Direct PLUS Loan Program.
The Direct PLUS Loan Program is a type of federal loan that parents use to fund college costs that aren’t covered by other financial aid options. So if your teenager has landed some money to pay for college, but not enough, and the well seems to be dry, the Direct PLUS Loan Program could pay the rest of the tab for your child’s education.
It sounds like a godsend, and it can be — but it is a loan, which means you could apply for it and not get it. Plus, because it is a loan, strings come attached, like an interest rate (but at least it’s fixed) and origination fees. And if you aren’t careful, those strings may feel more like chains.
So if you’re thinking of getting involved in the Direct PLUS Loan Program but have no idea where to begin, consider this your tutorial.
Know your documents.
There are two pieces of paperwork you need to be concerned about, says Kevin Paskvan, director of financial aid at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.
“Parent borrowers must complete both the loan application and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for the loan to disburse,” he says, adding that his office has encountered parents who only completed one of those documents. Don’t be that parent.
And be careful in filling them out, Paskvan cautions. “Parents need to make sure their information is in the borrower section and the student information in the student section. We see a fair number of applications with the student listed as the parent borrower,” he says.
Don’t forget the FAFSA.
How could you forget about it? By now it’s probably a guest star in your nightly dreams. But in case you’re new to this, the FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. To learn how much in PLUS loans you can borrow, fill out the FAFSA between January and June.
Don’t apply too early.
Being too prepared can actually backfire on you, in the case of the Direct PLUS Loan.
“A federal PLUS Loan credit check lasts 180 days. If the credit check is completed too early in the process, it could expire,” Paskvan says.
Be careful about what you borrow.
This is a loan, and like all loans, you should handle it with care.
If you borrow no more than your total annual income, you should be able to pay off the debt in 10 years or less, says Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of Cappex.com, a free website about college admissions and financial aid. And that 10-year mark, or less, is what he advises shooting for.
You can get these loans extended to 25 years… but really? Do you really want to do that to yourself? It isn’t only the extra time you’ll be burdened by the payments, but all of the extra interest that you’ll be paying.
And, by the way, that annual income guideline is for all of your kids, Kantrowitz adds. So if your annual income is $80,000, and you have three kids, you don’t want to borrow $80,000 per kid, but closer to $26,000 per kid – unless you want to be paying off the debt into your nursing home years.
And seriously, be careful, Kantrowitz cautions. “About half of Federal Parent PLUS loan borrowers are borrowing more than they can reasonably afford to repay,” he says.
Dart Humeston, director of financial aid at Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., agrees that it’s easy to get in trouble with student loans. He says parents don’t think about the long-term implications of using PLUS loans.
“Unless the reason to borrow is a one-time emergency, realize that undergraduate students usually graduate in five years, sometimes longer. That means your Parent PLUS Loan debt will grow higher and higher every academic year,” Humeston says.
And if you’re thinking that your kid can take it over, well, maybe you’ll convince your children to pay off the loan — but don’t count on it, especially if they have their own loans under their name that they have to deal with. This loan will be in your name until it’s paid off. You can’t transfer it, not even later, after they graduate and when or if they’re consolidating loans.
There’s an incentive for setting up automatic payments.
If you have the payments automatically deducted from your bank account, you’ll get a 0.25% interest rate reduction. And after 36 months of on-time monthly payments, you’ll get a 1% interest rate deduction (as long as you keep making payments on time).
Critics say the credit check could be better.
If your gut is telling you that this loan is a bad idea for you, then you should probably listen to it.
“Some parents assume the government won’t give them a loan unless they can afford to repay it,” Humeston says.”The Parent PLUS loan credit check only looks for adverse credit, and many experts have stated that it should be a tougher credit check. Often parents are shocked upon discovering they are approved.”
In other words, they may approve you for the loan, but that doesn’t mean you actually have the means to pay it back without going broke. You don’t want to put yourself in that position. If there’s one thing worse than feeling as if you’re studying for the biggest, most nerve-wracking test ever… it’s failing it.
Related Articles
- What I Wish I Knew Before Taking Out Student Loans
- Two-Sided Coin: Is College Worth the Cost?
- The Best Student Loans for 2016-2017
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House price round-up: market 'resilient'
House prices in the UK continued to rise in September, but at a slower rate than the previous month, according to the latest UK House Price Index (HPI).
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