AmEx and Ikea Have New Parental Leave Policies — and They’re Game Changers

Fed up with the lack of paid parental leave in the United States?

You’re not alone.

A recent poll found 78% of voters support establishing a national fund offering workers 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave.

Not only are politicians taking notice — companies are, too.

While many startups have instituted progressive parental leave policies — like Etsy’s 26 weeks or Netflix’s full year — change has been slower for those of us who don’t live in Silicon Valley or skateboard to work.

Until now.

In dominoes that are hopefully the first of many to fall, American Express and Ikea recently (and generously!) expanded their parental leave policies.

The Rockin’ New AmEx and Ikea Paid Parental Leave Policies

This is what’s up:

Ikea will now offer up to four months of paid parental leave for salaried and hourly employees, while American Express will give 20 full weeks (five months!) to both part- and full-time employees.

And that’s not all: American Express will also reimburse expenses of up to $35,000 for two adoptions or surrogacies, up to $35,000 for reproductive and fertility treatments, free access to lactation consultants and free breast-milk shipping while traveling for business.

Why are these changes such a big deal?

Well, let’s consider American Express. Compared to hot tech startups — or practically any other company, for that matter — it’s ancient. It was founded in 1850, 70 years before women even gained the right to vote.

So the fact it’s creating progressive policies that accommodate working women and families of all sorts is insanely cool. (Several other financial institutions offer 16 weeks, some only to primary caregivers.)

As for Ikea, the progressive part isn’t a surprise; it’s based in the world’s most annoyingly perfect country.

What is surprising? The fact it’s a brick-and-mortar retailer — and extending the policy to salaried and hourly workers alike. No other retailers in the U.S. even come close.

Finally, unlike some of the aforementioned startups, which are based in specific parts of the country and often require specialized skills, AmEx and Ikea have a plethora of locations and positions.

AmEx employs 21,000 in the U.S.; Ikea, 11,000. Compare that to Etsy’s 979 global employees, and you can see why this matters: Many Americans will have the opportunity to take advantage of these new policies.

Here at The Penny Hoarder, we’ve even listed work-from-home jobs with AmEx before.

Though they’re filled now, they could open up again in the near future — so follow our Facebook Jobs page to be the first to know!

Your Turn: What do you think of these policies? Do you wish other companies would follow suit?

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.

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8 Cities With the Most Expensive Commutes — and a Few Ways to Save Money

I commute 5.6 miles to work each day: 5 miles via my car, 0.6 miles via my feet.

In all, the trek takes an average of 30 minutes — a most perfect podcast period.

I drive one of those recalled diesel Volkswagens, so although I’m killing the environment, I get good mileage. If I’m not traveling any extra, I can probably go a month without the $50 refill for my tank — maybe even longer.

Plus, parking’s free (hence the 0.6 mile walk).

My biggest commuting concern is timing the traffic signals.

As it turns out, I’m actually pretty lucky.

LendingTree just released a whole bunch of numbers about the cost of Americans’ commutes. And, it looks like the commute for a lot of you is heckin’ long — and pretty pricy.

8 Cities with the Most Expensive Daily Commutes

Planes, trains and automobiles… We all have our commuting preferences. (Holla if you’ve got a plane!) However, 64.4% of us drive to work, according to the Pew Research Center.

So let’s consider: Which cities are the most expensive for workers to drive and park? And what’s the best, cheapest alternative if you live in those cities?

1. New York: $546.47 per month

I’ve never lived in NYC, but I know I’d never, ever try to drive to work.

For me, it’s because I’m not good in traffic. Plus, the price to park is insane: $430 a month. (That’s more than I paid for rent in college.)

Your best bet is to take the bus or subway; the monthly cost for that is $116.50.

2. Boston: $532.89 per month

Although Augustana made Boston seem appealing back in high school, I can’t say the price of commuting does the same.

Think about taking the bus or subway, which is nearly half the price of New York’s public transportation, ringing up at $84.50 a month.

On the bright side, Boston boasts the shortest commute distance at 5.6 miles.

3. Chicago: $525.87 per month

The average commute distance in Chicago is a rounded 10 miles.

However, you might want to ditch your car and jump on the bus or subway for $100 a month. It could save you more than $400 each month.

4. Miami: $476.90 per month

Miami has a $239.50 registration fee for cars — but that’s a one-time thing, according to LendingTree. Get that out of the way, and you should be fine.

Of course, you’re better off taking a bus for an average of $112.50 a month. Whatever you do, though, don’t take a taxi. The average monthly cost for that service is $2,059.64

5. San Francisco: $472.70 per month

Its daily commute pairs well with its cost of rent.

Interestingly enough, it’d only cost you an average $20 more per month to take an Uber to work, which seems a heck of a lot more convenient.

Again, you’ll want to jump on the bus or subway if you’re looking to save. That cost is pretty low at $73 a month.

6. Baltimore: $461.55 per month

OK, I don’t think LendingTree is being fair to Baltimore. Like Miami, it adds in the vehicle registration fee of $135 and $138 title fee. Again: That’s a one-time thing.

Take that out of consideration, commuting to work by car — including parking — averages under $200 a month.

But it’s only $68 to hop on the bus or metro.

7. Philadelphia: $432.13 per month

Philadelphia: Where dreams of parking your car go to die.

This city has some of the highest parking costs at an average of $313.25 a month. For that, you might as well take Uber. In total, the average ride cost will be only a few cents more per month.

Aside from DC, Philly has the highest public transportation cost at nearly $150 a month.

I’m just going to go eat a cheesesteak now.

8. Seattle: $395.78 per month

Driving and parking in Seattle isn’t so bad. I suspect I’d spend about as much on Starbucks. (Just kidding.)

Whatever you do, don’t opt for Uber in this coffee-fueled city. The $1.35 per mile rate makes it the second most expensive, behind New York City.

Public transportation averages $63 a month.

Other Factors to Consider — Plus Alternatives

Commuting to work is full of variables. I realize it’s not just the cost — although that is a main concern.

There’s also the whole time thing. The average American spends 26 minutes commuting to work — nine days of commuting each year, according to The Washington Post.

You do have some options, though. Consider landing a work-from-home job; we post a ton about them on our Jobs Facebook page.

You could also ask your boss about working remotely. Even if it’s one day a week, you’re saving time, money, gas and one extra headache.

Your next option? Make some friends at the office.

Be the social butterfly you are and team up with others to carpool. Many large cities have parking lots specifically paved for carpoolers. Then, you can split the mileage, the gas and the parking fee — maybe even answer an email or two before walking in the office.

Some cities will even pay you to carpool.

Award for most innovative? One of our employees chooses to ride his electric bike to work.

Your Turn: How much do you spend a month on your commute?

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.

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Is It OK to Buy Holiday Presents at a Thrift Store?

We’re all familiar with thrift stores. Long racks of used clothes. Shelves piled with random knickknacks and housewares. An endless assortment of secondhand picture frames. The occasional treasure that keeps thrifters coming back.

But in the thick of the holiday season, we hit on a question of etiquette: Is it acceptable to give someone a Christmas present you bought at a thrift store?

Let’s put on our Miss Manners hats and find out.

Is It OK to Give Gifts From a Thrift Store?

Some might say it’s a faux pas.

Your snooty Aunt Sadie might well turn up her nose at some previously owned doodad you unearthed at Goodwill. Others on your shopping list are probably more accustomed to receiving brand-new gifts accompanied by gift receipts.

“Last year I bought four gifts from Goodwill to give as Christmas gifts. There were some mixed emotions,” reader Danielle Abeyta wrote in our Facebook community group.

“Some people liked and appreciated the gifts, but a couple did not. They kind of looked down on it because of it being secondhand.”

But it turns out that many of our dedicated Penny Hoarders are totally OK with buying presents at thrift stores — within reason.

“I’ve given my kids and husband items I’ve purchased secondhand,” Tonya Williams said. “I think it depends on the gift. I’ve found the most amazing original art at thrift stores and would be thrilled if someone got me something they thought I would love.”

“If it looks tattered or used, of course I wouldn’t give it,” added Kathy Dion. “But if it’s something the person would like, I’d do it.”

If you ever hunt for gifts at your local thrift shop, you’re not alone. The U.S. has about 3,200 Goodwill stores, 1,200 Salvation Army family stores, nearly 400 St. Vincent de Paul Society stores and countless thrift stores run by individual churches and charities. Like any retail outlet, virtually all of them see higher traffic during the holiday season.

“We hear that ‘white elephant’ or ‘Secret Santa’ gifts are popular at Goodwill, as people are looking for unusual and fun gifts to find for friends, family and co-workers,” said Goodwill spokeswoman Lauren Lawson-Zilai.

Know Your Audience

The key, thrift shoppers say, is to know who you’re buying for. The better you know your target’s interests, the more likely you’ll find a gift that suits them.

Of course that’s always the case, but it’s even more important when buying at thrift stores. It’s tougher (and often, impossible) to return a gift to a thrift store than, say, Macy’s.

“It’s appropriate if the recipient is receiving something you know for sure is what they would be interested in,” Terry Boblet wrote in our community group. “I once gave a set of vintage cinnamon and sugar shakers from a thrift store to my boss. He liked 1950s vintage.”

“You have to know the giftee,” Julie P. Brusca added. “I bought a costume jewelry necklace at a resale shop for a girlfriend and she loved it. But I know she likes retro stuff. If someone prefers new items, I wouldn’t risk giving them something used and trying to play it off.”

Cheap Christmas Gifts to Buy at Thrift Stores

Toys: If the toy works, the kid won’t care about all the layers of plastic packaging it originally came in. Wipe it down with disinfectant wipes, stick it in a gift bag and you’re good to go.

DVDs and CDs: Check for scratches.

Books: They’re so cheap at thrift stores, and there’s such a big selection.

Jewelry: Ditto.

Clothes: This one’s tougher. You’d have to know the recipient’s size and taste. For the women on your list, make sure to check out the belts and scarves, too.

Purses and bags: You can find designer labels in surprisingly good condition.

Frames: Every thrift store everywhere has a huge selection of framed posters and artwork. Look for cool, unique frames. If you don’t like what’s inside the frame, ditch it and replace it with a family photo or a print by your loved one’s favorite artist.

Do’s and Don’ts

Finding thrift stores is a breeze. Nonprofits like Goodwill, the Salvation Army and the St. Vincent de Paul Society have store locators on their websites. Or, use thethriftshopper.com to see thrift stores near you.

Here are some insider tips from a couple of my thrift-shopping friends and relatives:

• Mornings are the best time to hit thrift stores because you get first pick of the items they put out overnight.

• Location makes a difference. Thrift stores near wealthier areas tend to have nicer stuff.

• Take your time looking through the racks. Thrift shops typically aren’t as strictly organized as regular retail stores.

• Skip the used electronics. If you’re on a budget, you’re better off getting something new and cheap at Walmart or on Amazon.

• If you ignore the previous tip and buy electronic gear, test it before leaving the store.

• Inspect items closely before buying. Check for cracks, chips, holes, tears, stains or rust. Test drawers, zippers, buckles and snaps.

So, is thrift store Christmas shopping really acceptable?

It’s a fine line to walk. It’s a way to find unique and personal gifts, and make a connection. At the same time, you have to take care not to insult anyone on your Christmas list.

Reader Erin McElroy says it comes down to knowing your loved ones well: “I think it depends on the recipient. I love gently used items, but I have friends that would be offended.”

“But it is the thought that counts.”

Your Turn: Would you buy a Christmas present at a thrift store?

Mike Brassfield (@mikebrassfield) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. When he’s not working, he’s reading or being a dad. He can be reached at mike@thepennyhoarder.com.

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Attention Ladies: Here’s an Affordable Way to Live in NYC — With One Catch

Oh, how I remember my days in a college dorm.

The “Step Brothers”-style bunk beds… the tiny window permanently smudged and painted shut… the rug stained with who knows what… the influx of female hormones up and down nine stories of box-sized rooms…

By the time May swung around, I was ready to get outta there.

Would I go back? Reflexively, I’d say heck no. But if it meant only paying $1,100 a month in New York City rent?

Plus two free meals, cleaning services, included utilities and 24-hour security?

Yeah, I’d reconsider.

How Can I Find Affordable Rent in New York City?

Apparently, rent is affordable in the Big Apple — if you live in an adult, all-female dorm.

This week, the New York Times wrote about The Webster Apartments, marketed as “a benevolent institution whose mission is to provide safe, affordable, temporary residences for working women of modest means.”

The institution isn’t new. Doors opened for the first time in 1923, and the building’s Facebook page boasts nearly filled-to-capacity occupancy ever since.

Women still take advantage of this co-living space, forking out a mere (by NYC standards) $1,100-$1,800 a month for a private room in the 13-story building.

Compare that to $2,747 a month, the average one-bedroom apartment rental rate in New York City as of November 2016, according to Rent Jungle.

The Insane Perks of Living at The Webster Apartments in NYC

The Penny Hoarder photographer Samantha Dunscombe lived at the complex back in the ’90s when she was in her early 20s and spent a semester participating in a work-study program.

As a photographer (and a human who enjoys a breathtaking view), her fondest memory is the building’s rooftop.

“We used to spend a lot of time hanging out up there,” she says. “It was amazing because you could see the Empire State Building.”

The room was furnished with the essentials: a bed, desk, chair, dresser and bookshelf.

Dunscombe also remembers each room having a sink — a nice perk when you use a community bathroom.

She says the room was small, but she never spent much time there.

“You’re in New York; you’re not hardly in your room anyways,” she says.

I ask about the included two meals a day, utilities and cleaning service referenced by the New York Times.

Dunscombe doesn’t remember any of that, but she also doesn’t recall ever having to clean. “Well, I know I didn’t clean,” she says, laughing.

What Would You Give Up to Afford NYC Rent?

Just like living in an all-female dorm, there were — and still are — rules.

No boys — that’s the big rule.

Dunscombe describes it as “hardcore.”

“People were hawkish with that,” she says.

Instead, there are six “beau parlors” where women can receive gentlemen callers… or you can just opt to go to their place.

No similar restrictions are in place for female friends, platonic or otherwise.

The Webster Apartment’s site explains: “You may arrange to have a female friend stay overnight on a cot in your room for $50 per night (including breakfast.)”

There’s no curfew, but doors lock at midnight, and you might need to ring in if you need to get in after that.

The rules never bothered Dunscombe, though. The building was safe and free from bugs and rodents, and most importantly, affordable.

For her, that was enough.

Your Turn: Would you give up your romantic freedom for more affordable rent?

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.

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Rail passengers can claim for 15 min delays as 'Delay Repay' takes force

Gary Adams

city-rush.jpg

Train passengers can now claim compensation for shorter delays as the government’s ‘Delay Repay 15’ scheme has taken force.

Train passengers can now claim compensation for shorter delays as the government’s ‘Delay Repay 15’ scheme has taken force.

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Government scraps Lisa penalty fee for first year

Marina Gerner

goilden-egg.jpg

The government has announced it will scrap the much-criticised 5 per cent penalty fee for those who cash in a Lifetime Isa (Lisa) during the first year.

The government has announced it will scrap the much-criticised 5% penalty fee for those who cash in a Lifetime Isa (Lisa) during the first year.

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These 15 Stores Offer Free In-Store Pickup — Even as Late as Christmas Eve

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house…

… there was probably a whole lot of stirring, despite what the famous rhyme would have you believe.

Once adulthood hits, the simple, wide-eyed joy of Christmas sometimes takes a backseat to the onslaught of holiday stress. Sure, the decorations are merry and the food is good, but there’s just so much to do.

But if you find it’s suddenly Christmas Eve (when did that happen?) and the bottom of your tree’s still bare, never fear. Consumer culture means most retailers stay open on Dec. 24, many with extended hours.

And if you want to seriously mitigate your creeping yuletide tension, check it out: Lots of those retailers offer free, same-day in-store pickup. Even on Christmas Eve.

In-Store Pickup is the Penny Hoarder Hack You Didn’t Know You Needed

So what’s the big deal about in-store pickup, anyway? You still have to leave the house, after all.

That’s true: It’s not quite as convenient as having your goods delivered to your door.

But in-store pickup is actually genius on a variety of levels, starting with the fact that it’s almost always free.

That means you get all the benefits of online shopping (finding things easily! browsing by category! comparing items across tabs! not discovering an empty shelf where the thing you wanted once was!) — without the associated extra cost of shipping. Yes, please.

What’s more, online shopping means you have the opportunity to stack deals — that is, use cash-back portals, rewards credit cards, discounted gift cards and more to boost your savings. (Here’s our full guide to deal-stacking.)

Since shipping costs are usually enough to swallow whatever you stand to gain by stacking deals, in-store pickup is pretty much the perfect solution.

And although you have to go to the store, you’ll avoid most of the craziness. You won’t have to bump carts with anyone while searching for your items, and often you won’t even have to wait in the main checkout line — you can hit the less-popular customer service desk, instead.

All of this to say nothing of the fact that sometimes, you just need the darn thing that day. Like on Christmas Eve.

Speaking of which…

15 Retailers That Will Offer Free In-Store Pickup on Christmas Eve 2016

Here’s where to head when the holiday catches you short.

1. Apple

Apple stores will be open on Christmas Eve, although hours will vary — check out the schedule at your local branch (get it?) here.

As far as placing an order for in-store pickup, it couldn’t be simpler. According to an email from Apple PR rep Ashley O’Brien, “if the store is open, customers can pick up.”

2. Bed, Bath & Beyond

Bed, Bath & Beyond offers a slightly different take with its “reserve online” program — you’ll only be charged a $1 authorization until you head to the store to pick up your reserved item, which will be available within two hours.

Per a phone rep, Bed, Bath & Beyond stores will be open on Christmas Eve, though hours will vary — and you can still reserve items online that day, so long as they’re in stock.

3. Best Buy

According to Best Buy public relations specialist Katie Huggins, Best Buy will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve, and customers can place an order for store pickup as late as 4 p.m. that day.

4. The Home Depot

The Home Depot will be open on Christmas Eve, and you can pick up merchandise you order online that day within two hours.

5. J.C. Penney

Your local Penney’s will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and yes, you can pick up your order in the store — so long as you place it by noon.

“This year marks the first holiday season for JCPenney to offer buy online, pick up in store same day service in all stores,” wrote corporate communications rep Joey Thomas in an email.

6. Kohl’s

Kohl’s is open Christmas Eve and does offer free store pickup, but we haven’t been able to confirm whether or not it’ll be available on Christmas Eve. We’ll update this post as soon as we hear back.

And a quick note about its policy the rest of the year: If an item is out of stock, you can’t get it shipped to the store — it has to come to a personal address.

7. Macy’s

This retailer doesn’t just offer in-store pickup — it rewards you for choosing it. You’ll get an extra 15% or 20% off pass for your next Macy’s store purchase.

Most Macy’s stores are open on Christmas Eve, though hours might vary. To take advantage of same-day in-store pickup, the deadline for your order is 12 p.m. local time.

8. Nordstrom

Nordstrom offers free same-day store pickup, and it even has gift-wrapping services.

Most Nordstrom stores are open on Christmas Eve, though they may have shortened hours. According to a customer service phone rep, store pickup will be available on Christmas Eve, but orders should be placed on Dec. 23, “just to be safe.”

9. Pier 1

You’ll be able to pick up merchandise in-store on Christmas Eve, according to Pier 1 public relations manager Melissa Simon, so long as you submit your order at least two hours before closing time in your market.

Check out your local Pier 1’s holiday hours here.

10. Target

Target’s same-day in-store pickup will be available on Christmas Eve, a representative confirmed on Twitter. Check with your local store for hours, but they probably won’t be overly restrictive. My local branch is open until 9 p.m.

Orders placed before 7 p.m. are “usually ready for pickup within two hours” of placing the order — again, per a tweet.

11. Toys R Us

The kid-focused store is going all out for the holiday season.

From Saturday, Dec. 17 through Friday, Dec. 23, Toys R Us stores nationwide will be open every day from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. local time, and they’ll be open 39 hours straight from 6 a.m. Dec. 23 through 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Luckily, if you want to avoid most of the craziness that’s sure to ensue, you can place an order for in-store pickup as late as 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

12. Babies R Us

While Babies R Us isn’t following the big kids’ aggressive schedule, you can still place an order for store pickup on Christmas Eve.

Babies R Us stores will be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 24, and you can place your online order as late as 4 p.m.

13. & 14. Sears and Kmart

Sears and Kmart go above and beyond free in-store pickup: If you join the free Shop Your Way membership club, you don’t even have to get out of your car! Just park in the designated spot and someone will hand-deliver your item.

Sears stores will have extended hours all holiday season, and they’ll open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and Kmart will be open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Both stores will offer same-day in-store pickup services on the holiday — but to be safe, place your order at least four hours ahead of your desired pickup time.

15. Walmart

To minimize the rush of last-minute holiday shoppers, this year Walmart is expanding its in-store pickup services.

You can order eligible items online as late as 6 p.m. on Dec. 23 and pick them up anytime on Christmas Eve, according to Fortune.

Your Turn: Are you finished Christmas shopping yet?

Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder and the kind of annoying, type-A person who finished her holiday shopping weeks ago. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.

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Cross Boots Off Your Holiday Shopping List: Today, You Can Save Up to 50%

‘Tis the season… for great deals on boots?

The stars aligned this morning to reveal deep, sweeping discounts across the internet on boots for the entire family.

Whether boots are on your gift list or you’re shopping for yourself (we won’t tell!), here’s where to find the deals.

Where to Find the Best Deals on Boots This Week

We don’t have evidence that stores worked together to put all their shoes on sale this week, but here’s where to look if you’ve been dreaming of a new pair of boots.

Target

Take 50% off at checkout when you purchase select men’s, women’s, boys’ or girls’ boots online.

Fashion and winter-weather styles are both included. Clearance items are excluded. Offer expires Dec. 14 at 11:59 p.m.

Cole Haan

Select items are 50% off at checkout. Feast your eyes on chic booties for $100 or knee-high riding boots for $200. This offer ends at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 14.

Even after the discount, the prices might not strike you as “penny hoarding,” but fans from our staff report these shoes are built to last.

Ugg

Best-selling styles are discounted by 30 to 50%, including the Michelle Classic Slim, which costs $134.99 instead of $195.

Order by Dec. 15 to get free standard shipping.

Macy’s

Take an extra 15% off sale and clearance items with promo code MERRY. Macy’s clearance shoes note the original price, first sale price, clearance price and final cost after discount code for each pair.

The code expires Dec. 15, and you’ll get free shipping if you spend $49 or more.

Aldo

Many styles are marked down 50% for a limited time. Prices shown reflect the discount, which brings the price of many pairs of boots down to under $100.

Get free shipping when you spend $70 or more.

It’s OK If These Sales Don’t Shock You

Discounts of 50% or more have become the norm since the recession, but retailers reduced inventory this year hoping they wouldn’t have to offer such deep discounts to boost sales, the Wall Street Journal reported.

It looks like the plan is backfiring, as sales of up to 50% off this season’s items have been the norm since the week before Thanksgiving.

But that’s not your problem.

Your bonus mission, should you choose to go on a shoe-buying adventure today, is to make sure you earn cash back on your online purchase. Consult Cashback Monitor before checking out — for example, you could get up to 10% cash back at Macy’s.

Your Turn: Will you buy boots or shoes this week? Are you buying gifts or shopping for yourself?

Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder. She is picking out the perfect pair of shoes as you read this post.

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Price-Drop Protection: This App Will Shake Down Retailers for the Money You’re Owed

Many of America’s biggest retailers have generous price-matching policies to make consumers feel better about making a purchase without hesitation. If you buy an item at Home Depot, for example, and it goes on sale a week later, you can bring in your receipt and be refunded the difference. Many stores will also match competitors’ advertised prices.

Since stores change their prices all the time and no one wants to overpay, price-matching makes people feel better about pulling the trigger on a purchase – particularly a big one, like a snowblower or dishwasher. But the truth is, most people forget about or can’t be bothered to follow up on the refunds they’re entitled to. (Have you really gone back to Amazon.com to double-check the latest price on that coffeemaker or toy you bought last month?)

The other truth is, people are entitled to a lot of such refunds. “Nearly every retailer has a low-price guarantee, but most shoppers don’t realize they can get a refund if the price on a purchase drops,” said Eric Glyman, founder and CEO of Paribus, an app that works to secure refunds for consumers. Paribus estimates that consumers miss out on up to $15 billion a year in price-drop refunds that are rightfully owed to them.

That’s why Glyman, a 26-year-old Harvard graduate who worked retail jobs in high school, founded Paribus. The app, now owned by Capital One, reviews e-receipts in your email inbox and continually searches for price adjustments on any items you’ve purchased. When it finds a price drop, Paribus files a refund claim with the retailer on your behalf, and the money gets refunded to the credit card used to make the purchase — behind the scenes, without any effort on your part. The app also checks for rebates and missed promotional codes that could have been applied to your purchase.

Paribus is free to use, but keeps 25% of any refund it successfully recoups for you. So if the price on that coffeemaker dropped $10 the next day, and Paribus was able to secure the refund, you’d get a credit of $7.50 on your statement. The app currently works only with about two dozen online retailers, but they include some of the biggest names in shopping: Amazon, Costco, Home Depot, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Apple, Sears, Gap, Old Navy, J.Crew, Zappos, and others.

More than 700,000 people are currently using the app to save more than $1 million every month, according to the company. Doing the math, that’s only a bit more than a buck a month. But when it comes to free money, every bit helps. And it adds up — especially during the holiday season, when Paribus expects to refund its users more than $2 million.

While the company says there are multi-layered defenses embedded throughout Paribus and Capital One architecture to ensure that customer information is protected, consumers worried about security or privacy can simply create a separate email address designated for their online shopping, and allow Paribus to access only that email. (I find this strategy helpful regardless, so my personal inbox isn’t flooded with promotional emails from every retailer I’ve ever visited.)

Consumers are already on the defense against savvy online retailers, many of whom use dynamic pricing — rather sinister algorithms that automatically adjust prices depending on a user’s ZIP code, device, or browsing history – to get you to pay more for the same item. Every algorithm that works in our favor, then, is a nice tool to have.

Related Articles:

• The Best and Worst Price-Matching Policies for Holiday Shopping
• 10 Heartfelt Holiday Gifts for People Who Don’t Need More Stuff
• Five Stores With the Best Return Policies for Holiday Shopping

The post Price-Drop Protection: This App Will Shake Down Retailers for the Money You’re Owed appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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14 Advanced SEO Tactics That Your Competition Doesn’t Know About

Believe it or not, SEO is still an ultra-powerful tool in 2016.

I posted recently that SEO isn’t dead—far from it. If Google is still taking it seriously after all these years, you should too.

In fact, SEO might be more powerful than ever, and for one simple reason: Most sites are neglecting their SEO.

A lot of people have convinced themselves that SEO isn’t worth pursuing. Others tell themselves it shouldn’t be a priority.

It’s an easy mistake to make, and believe me, I’ve been there. I wasted time not taking SEO seriously, and it hurt me.

What does that mean for you? If you pay attention to your SEO, you’ll see real results. It might take some time, but it’ll be worth every second.

And it doesn’t hurt to be in the know. If you do some simple research on little-known SEO techniques, you’ll be miles ahead of your competition.

To get you started on the path to SEO mastery, here’s a list of 14 advanced SEO tactics your competition doesn’t know about.

1. Expand your presence

You’ve heard the saying “don’t put all your eggs into one basket.” That’s true for SEO, but so many people still focus on only one or two aspects of SEO.

For this tactic, you’ll concentrate on becoming more visible across multiple platforms.

One way is to create as many social media profiles as possible for your brand. In short, you need to be actively involved on as many networks as possible.

And don’t skip some channels because you think they’re unpopular. For example, you might not include Foursquare or Periscope in your current social media strategy, but if you do utilize them, you can reach an audience you wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

Think of this technique as marking your territory. Your SEO will organically improve because you’ll be in more places. It’s a simple yet powerful strategy you can start using today.

2. Create a mobile app

You probably think I’m crazy, but hear me out: creating a mobile app can help bolster your SEO.

Granted, this is a rather expensive option, but it’s also an investment.

How exactly can an app boost your SEO? Google is now indexing apps on Google search with Firebase App Indexing.

When people are searching for keywords in your niche, they could find your app, and that creates some juicy SEO.

For example, when you search “reserve a restaurant” on Google, you’ll find an app on page one:

When your app pops up on a Google search, it automatically becomes a valuable resource.

But back to the main point—you can see the benefits of having a high-ranking app on Google. Yes, it’s costly, but it’s so worth it.

3. Fix any crawl errors

According to Google, URL errors are “specific errors Google encountered when trying to crawl specific desktop or phone pages.” Some common examples are 404, DNS, and server errors.

While these errors seem harmless, they have a big impact on your SEO. If you have any crawl errors, your SEO is hurting.

But don’t worry—crawl errors often have simple fixes. I highly recommend checking out Moz’s awesome article on fixing crawl errors.

4. Optimize your images

If you haven’t been optimizing your images for SEO, start now—there’s no time like the present.

And if your site is especially image-heavy, you need to put the extra work in here. As a result, you’ll get a faster-loading more SEO-friendly site.

Here are a few easy ways you can enhance your images’ SEO:

• Give your images specific names (e.g., traffic-analysis-graph.jpg)
• Give your images keyword-rich alt titles (but don’t go overboard!)
• Use the smallest possible file sizes (but don’t sacrifice the quality)

5. Use latent semantic indexing (LSI)

Although latent semantic indexing (LSI) is very powerful, not very many sites are using it. And that’s a shame because LSI can give your site a serious SEO boost.

LSI is the process search engines use to find related keywords in addition to your main keywords. In other words, LSI finds synonyms for keywords.

For example, if you’re writing an article about Facebook, you’d include “social media network” as an LSI keyword.

Let’s take a look at LSI in action. When you Google “buy new laptop,” one of the first pages that pops up is this TechRadar post:

Right away, you can see that “best laptops” is one of the post’s keywords.

You can see other keywords and phrases sprinkled throughout such as “budget” and “affordable.” And sure enough, when you Google “budget laptop” and “affordable laptop,” the post appears on page 1.

This article is a great example of how LSI can improve your SEO. Take it for a spin, and you’ll see just how effective it can be.

6. Optimize your landing pages

When you create your landing pages, are you thinking about SEO? If you’re not, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.

You’ll be driving tons of traffic to your landing pages, but if they’re not SEO optimized, you’re doing yourself a major disservice.

Let’s take a look at a landing page from Copyblogger that I analyzed on NeilPatel.com:

Copyblogger’s landing pages perform so well only because the team put a lot of work into them. Here’s how you can do the same:

• use one or two long-tail keywords to write your landing page;
• make sure your copy is at least 2,000 words long;
• make sure your copy is strong, clear, and relevant to your audience.

It’s not rocket science, but it does take effort. Put in the effort now, and reap the rewards later.

7. Spy on your competitors’ keywords

This is a sneaky trick that will put you way ahead of your competition.

By spying on your competitors’ keywords, you can see exactly what you’re up against and compare your own performance to that of your competition’s.

You can use SEMrush to easily find keywords. This is a crazy useful tool, and it’s free!

Enter the site of your choice (e.g., quicksprout.com), and you’ll see something like this:

You can see the top organic keywords, their volume, and traffic amount. But I especially like that you can see a site’s main organic competitors as well.

If you scroll down, you can also see the top paid keywords and competitors. And if you need more detail, just click on “View full report.”

Don’t forget to enter your own site on SEMrush. Like I said, it’s a crazy useful tool, and you should use it regularly.

8. Fix your broken links

I use a lot of links in my blog posts. Unfortunately, linking isn’t a set-and-forget process. What’s new today is old tomorrow, and some links you use may die in the future.

If your site has lots of broken links, search engines will view your site as less accessible. That’s why you need to make sure all of your links, both internal and external, are alive and healthy.

I like using SEO Spider by Screaming Frog to check for broken links. Plus, it’s handy for a lot of other SEO areas.

9. Sniff out unnecessary code

Code is good, but you know what they say about having too much of a good thing.

In this case, if your site has excess code, search engines will take longer to crawl your site, which is bad. On-page JavaScript and CSS are among the main offenders here.

Your code should be as lightweight as possible. This will also help your page load time, and a faster load time means better SEO.

10. Fix any errors in your code

Excess code is bad, but erroneous code is even worse.

Errors in your code will also cause search engines to take longer to crawl your site. Too many mistakes can signify that you have a poorly maintained site, which will cause your SEO to tank.

You can check for errors using W3’s markup and CSS validation services. Depending on the size of your site, it may take a while to fix the errors, but it’s well worth the effort.

11. Tell a story with your internal link structure

This idea comes from Ben Oren of Search Engine Journal. He says that your link structure should tell a story. In other words, when you read your anchors consecutively, you should get a clear idea of your site’s theme.

When you’re creating your anchors, make an anchor story of your own. Link from your newer posts to your older posts, and make sure you’re following internal linking best practices.

12. Join question-and-answer sites

People are hungry for knowledge. That’s why so many people post on Q&A sites like Yahoo! Answers and Quora.

But there aren’t many answers out there. That’s where you come in.

The trick is to compose a thorough, well-written answer to someone’s question, preferably a question that doesn’t have many answers. You need to write the best answer possible and include links to your site when it’s relevant. (Don’t get spammy here!)

By doing this, you’re accomplishing two things at once. First, you’re helping the person asking. Second, you’re getting attention to your links, exposing them to countless readers. You’ll be seen as a valuable resource by the community, and people will be more likely to click your links.

13. Use infographics

Infographics pack a huge SEO punch. At Kissmetrics, we used infographics to generate over 2 million visitors and 41,142 backlinks. And our infographic strategy is still flourishing:

For your infographics to be super powerful, you need two things: great design and great content. Don’t overlook the content when creating infographics. Lots of people do, and guess what? Their infographics don’t perform well.

I also recommend coupling your infographic with at least 2,000 words of high-quality content. That’s because Google won’t index the text on the infographic itself, so writing longform content will give you extra ranking power.

14. Consider making videos

Video marketing is relatively new, and it’s absolutely blowing up.

Marketing Land found that videos make up 62% of all Google searches. And it’s easier to get a video to rank on page 1 of Google than a site.

If you’re not making videos already, check out this post for more on enhancing your SEO using videos.

Conclusion

SEO is more alive than ever before.

If you want a thriving site in 2016 and beyond, you have to have a firm grasp of SEO principles. And if you go beyond the basics, it’s even better.

Need another reason to start taking SEO seriously? Here’s one: as SEO moves forward, many sites will stay in the past. They won’t pay attention to Google’s algorithm updates or the effect of mobile use on SEO.

But if you stay up-to-date with SEO, your site will improve by leaps and bounds while your competitors’ sites get left behind in the dust.

You can tell I’m a fan of SEO. That’s because I know the power of SEO. It’s not an outdated gimmick—it’s a long-term strategy with lasting benefits.

Put in the work to keep your SEO in tip-top shape. Trust me, it’s so worth it.

What’s your SEO strategy for out-hustling your competition?

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Why You Might Want to Wait Another Week to Buy Holiday Gifts

Christmas and Hanukkah are a little over two weeks away — but before freaking out and frantically ordering all your gifts, remember…

This might be one of the very rare instances where procrastination has its benefits.

That’s because Free Shipping Day 2016 is coming up.

And, just like it sounds, it’ll get you totally free shipping at nearly 1,000 retailers.

Here’s what you need to know.

When is Free Shipping Day?

So far, Free Shipping Day has announced 830 participants, including big names like Target, JCPenney and Cabela’s. Last year, Amazon and Walmart got involved, too.

All the participating retailers’ names will be revealed at 12:01 a.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 16, 2016, which is when Free Shipping Day 2016 officially begins.

For the following 24 hours, you’ll get free shipping on anything you order from those sites — with no minimums.

And don’t worry about not making it under the tree: Your packages are guaranteed to arrive by Christmas Eve (which, this year, also happens to be the first night of Hanukkah).

So if you’ve been slacking on your gift-buying, don’t fret. Mark your calendar for Dec. 16 — and revel in your (productive) procrastination ‘til then!

Your Turn: Have you bought your presents yet? Or do you plan to take advantage of Free Shipping Day?

Disclosure: We appreciate you letting us include affiliate links in this post. It helps keep the beer fridge stocked in the Penny Hoarder break room.

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 Why You Might Want to Wait Another Week to Buy Holiday Gifts appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Some Thoughts on Subscription ‘Crates’ and Monthly Delivery Clubs

Connie writes in:

What are your thoughts on things like “coffee of the month” clubs or crates? Are they good gifts or do they just send junk?

This started as a mailbag question and, as my answer grew and grew, I realized that this question deserved its own separate post.

First of all, what is Connie asking about specifically? She wants to know about subscription services that send items in the mail on a regular basis – usually monthly – to the recipient. These have taken off in popularity recently as “crates,” which are often collections of small items centered around a theme like the Loot Crate, whereas the older style “X of the month club” sent you a single item or perhaps two items based on the theme, like the jelly of the month club.

I’ve received several of these subscriptions as gifts over the years, as has my wife, and we’ve contributed to buying subscription gifts for others, so I’ve experienced the contents of many different subscription boxes. In general, I would not recommend them as a gift, with some exceptions.

I’ve found that subscription clubs only really prove to be good gifts and provide reasonable value if a few factors are true.

First, the person has to be mildly interested in what the subscription club delivers, but not too big of a fan. For example, my wife has tried two different “coffee of the month” clubs in the past – Driftaway Coffee and Craft Coffee – and she enjoyed both of them. However, she’s a coffee fan and not a coffee fanatic. She uses a pretty ordinary drip coffee pot.

On the other hand, I have a good friend, David, who is a coffee fanatic. He has hundreds (possibly thousands) of dollars invested in his coffee equipment and is very meticulous about the exact types of beans that he wants. On the surface, you might think that a “coffee of the month” club might be a great gift for him, but it turns out that it’s actually a pretty poor gift, because he’s very selective about the beans he uses and he’d probably just give away most of the shipments because they weren’t the variety that he prefers.

The same thing is true with me and some of my key hobbies. I’m passionate about board games and about books, but I would not enjoy either a “board game of the month” club (like Board Game Bento) or a “book of the month” club. I’m fairly picky with regards to both types of items at this point because my passion for both reading and playing board games has driven me deep into the hobby.

In general, if you would be wary about picking out a specific item related to a person’s obvious interest, then a “crate” or a “X of the month” club isn’t a great gift.

Second, a more general interest crate tends to provide a bunch of items that the recipient doesn’t want, so they’re usually not worthwhile either. My prime example in this category is Loot Crate, which offers to deliver a monthly box of “geeky goodness,” but the problem with “geeky” is that it is so broad and covers so many more specific interests that most of the contents of the box fail to hit the mark with the recipient.

A friend of mine receives this and generally finds one or two items in the “crate” worthwhile each month, and it’s usually things that he wouldn’t buy himself and is of lesser value than the sticker price on the entire crate. The rest of the crate is either given away or becomes trash can fodder after a while.

So, crates and “monthly subscription services” tend to only hit the mark when they not too general and also when the recipient isn’t a “superfan.” What else?

Third, the stuff that’s delivered has to actually be quality stuff. Many crates and subscription bundles deliver boxes full of stuff that, frankly, mostly gets thrown away by almost everyone that receives it. Some of them are very good, but others? They’re really low quality, filled with things that are obviously being dumped at a discount price by the manufacturer because it’s not good or are blatantly inadequate samples.

The best approach to figuring out whether a crate or monthly subscription is worthwhile or not is to read lots of reviews and listings of the contents of various crates. You’ll often be surprised that many of the more well known and heavily promoted ones have awful contents because, clearly, the companies involved are spending their money on marketing and are trying to collect a nice profit.

(I’m trying very hard not to name names here, as I’m not in the business of trashing specific products, but you won’t have to look too hard through specific crate reviews to find ones that provide subpar stuff. I’d rather give space to things I actually find value in than space to things I think are poor.)

If you’re considering getting a subscription service or a “crate” subscription for someone as a gift, my advice to you is simple: do your homework, both on the person and on the service. I wouldn’t give a subscription to someone who is really picky or obsessive about a particular topic, nor would I just give someone a general-purpose subscription. I’d also do some homework on the subscription service itself to make sure that it ships quality goods.

In general, the best subscription boxes I’ve found were matched to a notable but not obsessive interest for the person (like my wife and her Driftaway Coffee) and consisted of quality items, which I found out through research.

If this sounds like a lot of effort, well, it is. There are a lot of landmines out there when buying a gift like this, as many services are junk and many others, while good, are just a poor fit.

A much better approach in many cases is to simply do some homework on the person and then find a gift that matches that specific person. You’re much more likely to find a specific item that the person would like and they’ll really appreciate the thought involved.

I would basically never buy such an item for myself. I would vastly prefer to pick out items on my own and bargain hunt for them. These services, in my opinion, work well as gifts when carefully matched to the recipient and researched for quality.

To close, I’m going to list the crates and subscription services that I personally have used and found to contain quality items that matched the recipient well, or services that have been used by my friends, along with who they would match, because I know I will receive some inevitable questions in that regard.

Both Driftaway Coffee and Craft Coffee are very good “coffee of the month” subscriptions, perfect for someone who appreciates good coffee but isn’t necessarily someone with a $1,000 coffee maker.

My children have greatly enjoyed a year’s worth of Tinker Crate, Doodle Crate, and Kiwi Crate. Each of these is effectively a “project in a box,” with the Tinker one focusing on engineering type projects, Doodle focusing on art projects, and Kiwi being appropriate for younger children. All three have been solid and enthusiastically enjoyed by our children; I’d rate Doodle Crate as the best of the lot as it is basically jumpstarted two hobbies for my daughter. These are solid children’s gifts, in my opinion.

A friend who is pretty much constantly sketching and drawing and she absolutely adores Artsnacks, which is a monthly subscription service that delivers art supplies. She’s basically the type who goes into an art supply store and is curious about everything in there, but is willing to sketch on anything with anything on hand. In other words, she’s pretty much the perfect match for a kit like this. She reports that the contents are almost always great quality and there’s always a variety, but some months it can feel like the contents of the box didn’t add up. She also reports that it’s only good if you work in a lot of different media, so if you’re specifically only into drawing with watercolor pencils or something, this won’t be good.

My father-in-law reports that the Craft Beer Club delivered a great product with lots of variety, but that it’s probably somewhat expensive compared to just picking out twelve bottles at a store and that it would only be enjoyed by people who enjoy pretty much every variety of craft beer; if you don’t like, say, porters or IPAs, those would go to waste. This seems like a somewhat expensive but fun gift for a craft beer fan who enjoys variety.

Quite honestly, every other subscription service I’ve tried or my friends have shown me – and I’ve seen quite a few – has not stood out to me as a real value in any way. So, I’ll go back to my final suggestion: Do your homework and lean toward picking out a specific item you discovered yourself rather than a subscription service. Only get a subscription service if you know it’s providing good quality stuff and you know it’ll be a hit; otherwise, you’re paying good money to have overpriced junk delivered to your friend.

Related Articles:

• Finding Meaningful Gifts Without Breaking the Bank
• 10 Heartfelt Holiday Gifts for People Who Have Everything
• Flexible Holiday Gift Ideas for a Frugal Person

The post Some Thoughts on Subscription ‘Crates’ and Monthly Delivery Clubs appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Shake-up of financial protection rules on the cards

Helen Knapman

financial-protection.jpg

A shake-up of the rules that protect consumers when financial services firms go bust has been proposed by the regulator.

A shake-up of the rules that protect consumers when financial services firms go bust has been proposed by the regulator.

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Buying a House? HGTV’s Scott McGillivray Offers 5 Money-Saving Tips

Legit Work-at-Home Jobs – No Fees

By Holly Reisem Hanna With advances in technology and with corporate attitudes towards telecommuting turning around, there are more remote positions than ever before! In fact, according to FlexJob’s annual analysis of the top companies that hire remote workers, there was a 36% increase in the number of remote jobs from 2014 to 2015. But […]

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Productivity Apps Are No Match for a Simple Timer

There are roughly 17 trillion apps and computer programs that promise to improve your workflow, keep you on task, and help you get things done. As a Type A person who’s always looking to be more productive, I’m the prime target market for these apps. I’ve tried many of them, and the same thing always happens:

1. A quick burst of dopamine as I dive into something new.
2. A period of a few days where I devote myself to learning all the ins and outs of the app.
3. After about a week, I get frustrated or bored with the app, stop using it, and ultimately delete it.

There is one app (looking at you, Evernote) that I’ve spent hours trying to fit into my life on multiple occasions. I’ve downloaded and then deleted it four or five different times. Every time I read a new blogger touting Evernote’s ethereal ability to increase their productivity, I decide to give it another shot. But it never quite meshes with the way I like to operate, and it always ends up in the trash heap. I’m just happy I’ve never splurged on the premium version.

This isn’t to say that these sorts of apps aren’t helpful to many people. I’m sure they are. I just want to put forth the notion that the time I’ve spent researching, downloading, learning, and then dismissing these apps has caused me to be far less productive over the years than if I’d simply disregarded apps all together.

Here are a few reasons why 99.9% of apps are a net negative on my productivity, how even the act of searching for them causes me problems, and how I use simple, timeless methods to stay on task instead.

Paralysis by Analysis

If I go into the iTunes App Store and search for “productivity,” I’m soon faced with a dizzying array of choices. Day planners, calendars, note takers, list makers — it goes on and on. I can spend hours perusing the selection, reading reviews, and wondering why one app has 4.2 stars and the other one has a 4.3 rating

Next thing I know I’ve downloaded two meditation apps and a picture editor, having forgotten about the task I even wanted an app for in the first place.

This, it goes without saying, is not a productive use of my time. It would take a miracle for whatever app I downloaded to save me the time I just wasted in the iTunes Store.

It Didn’t Used to Be Like This

I’m not a Luddite by any means, but I do like to think back on how great, accomplished people from past centuries managed to be so productive with such limited technology.

Any fan of the hit musical “Hamilton” has learned about how Alexander Hamilton wrote almost every single one of the famed Federalist Papers over a one-year period. He pumped out thousands of pages of compelling text, by hand, while also practicing as a lawyer. My lawyer friends of today can barely keep their eyes open after work, let alone think clearly enough to craft papers that would help shape the constitution of a new nation.

How did he do all this, without using Evernote, Scrivener, or Workflowy? He must have at least used the famed “Get Things Done” method, right? Nope. He just set aside time to write and stayed focused. While of course Alexander Hamilton was a singular talent, I think a big part of the equation was that he lived in a time in which entertainment wasn’t as easily accessible and smartphones weren’t ubiquitous.

Now, we live in a world filled with temptation and distraction. Our attention is fragmented among many competing devices, and this has a real effect on our brains. We can look at the effect of merely getting notifications on our phones to prove this point. A 2015 study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology showed that getting a notification on your phone while performing a task “significantly disrupted performance on an attention-demanding task, even when participants did not directly interact with a mobile device during the task.”

The same phone that should in theory be making you more productive and efficient is sabotaging your productivity at the same time. Furthermore, no study is needed to prove that the act of going on your phone to search for an app can easily spiral out of control. I tend to jump on my phone with noble intentions only to find myself, within 15 minutes, watching a YouTube video of a man trying to beat a Kodiak bear in a hot dog eating contest (the bear wins, easily…).

So, how can we start to combat these negative effects, while also becoming less reliant on the next great app to save us from our inefficient ways?

Use Simple Tech That’s Always Been There

One thing that improves my overall workflow is taking small breaks away from the computer to stretch and rest my eyes. Knowing myself, instead of installing an app that tells me when to stand up and stretch, I just set alarms on my phone. Just the act of setting the alarm helps to keep me focused as well, because I know a quick break is coming soon.

I didn’t do 10 hours of research to determine how many minutes constitutes the optimal break time, how many feet into the distance you should look out your window to counteract the negative effects of staring at a screen one foot from your face, or any other such nonsense. I just set a timer, take a three- or four-minute break, move around a bit, and get back to work.

The great thing about this method is its simplicity. No fancy app needed. Just a timer. In the olden days, the same thing was accomplished with a watch, or even an hourglass. Manually setting a timer will never translate into a best-selling app, but it’s just as effective as anything out there.

Create Time and Space for Doing ‘Deep Work’

Tenured professor and prolific author Cal Newport recently wrote a book called “Deep Work,” which I was inspired to read after learning about it on the Simple Dollar. He makes a compelling argument that the only way to be truly productive is to intentionally make time to do work for a prolonged period of time in an undistracted environment.

When I really want to get things done now, I don’t go searching the app store. I go to the library or my bedroom, and I turn my phone on airplane mode. I set a timer for one and a half hours, and I resolve to focus only on one task during that time. I put on noise-cancelling headphones, grab a cup of coffee, and get to work.

This strategy won’t miraculously make me capable of Hamilton-esque work output, but it at least gives me a routine that I know will bring out my best. I usually find that I get more done during these 90-minute bursts than I would have in five hours had I been free to surf the web and chat on my phone while I was supposed to be accomplishing a task.

Summing Up

After much searching, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never find that one perfect app that will make me uber-productive. And that’s okay. I think looking for a magic productivity app is like a dieter looking for a magic weight-loss pill. It’s a lot easier to hope scientists can dream up the perfect drug than it is to buckle down, start eating healthy, and follow an exercise regimen.

Similarly, if you’re putting off a new goal or project because you want to use the best possible new app or program to make it worthwhile, you’re just lying to yourself. Accepting that is the first step toward embracing the inner workhorse that lives within all of us, whether we use fancy new technology or not.

Related Articles:

• Think You Don’t Have Time to Focus on Your Money? Think Again
• Can a Cold Shower Boost Your Health and Productivity?
• Managing a Never-Ending Pile of Things to Do
• 10 Apps I Use Every Day to Help My Productivity

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Richard Buxton: The FCA is "definitely pro-passive"

Kyle Caldwell

passive-and-active.jpg

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is "promoting passives" through its recently published study of the asset management industry, says Old Mutual chief Richard Buxton.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is "promoting passives" through its recently published study of the asset management industry, says Old Mutual chief Richard Buxton.

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Pension freedoms: the six biggest concerns

Kyle Caldwell

pension-confusion.jpg

The fear of running out of money tops the "worry list" of savers' concerns, both ahead of and during retirement, a poll of 252 financial advisers has found.

The fear of running out of money tops the "worry list" of savers' concerns, both ahead of and during retirement, a poll of 252 financial advisers has found.

The survey, conducted by fund manager Schroders, asked advisers to name their clients' biggest concerns. A third of the votes, 33%, went to worries over "running out of money/how long they will live".

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Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/2hs9XXG

Sequential card numbers to blame for Tesco Bank cyber attack?

Helen Knapman

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Sequential card numbers may be to blame for the cyber attack on Tesco Bank, which resulted in 9,000 customers being hit by fraudulent transactions and costing the bank £2.5 million.

Sequential card numbers may be to blame for the cyber attack on Tesco Bank, which resulted in 9,000 customers being hit by fraudulent transactions and costing the bank £2.5 million.

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Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/2hslO8f

Pension providers reducing fees and charges but "there is still more to do"

Gary Adams

Pension providers have made “significant progress” to reduce costs and charges, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). But many savers are still being hit by high pension charges.

Pension providers have made “significant progress” to reduce costs and charges, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). But many savers are still being hit by high pension charges.

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Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/2gzstZX