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الجمعة، 13 يناير 2017

Haulers must pay $56,806 to Monroe Waste Management Authority

Two trash haulers faced court this week.  Both sued for dumping in landfills not approved by the Monroe County Waste Management Authority, one waste hauler settled for $11,000 while another is now ordered to pay the authority a total of $45,806 in damages and attorney fees.Murray's Roll-Off Service in Mount Pocono and Complete Hauling & Mobile Dumpster Service in Lackawanna County were defendants in separate Monroe County Court trials scheduled for Tuesday on the [...]

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10 Ways to Save Money So You Don’t Have to Move Back in With Your Parents

Yes, I moved back in with my parents after college.

And, yes, I’m lucky — admittedly a bit spoiled — but I’ve saved tons of money in the past nine months.

I’m not the only one, either. Right now, more than ever before, more 18 to 34 year olds live with their parents than any other living arrangements, Pew Research Center reports.

For ye haters, I’ll say it again: I know I’m lucky.

But it’s not all home-cooked food and freebies. There are plenty of adjustments required — especially after foraging on my own for six years.

So what if you don’t want to move back in with your folks who love political debates? Or a pesky college-aged brother who still occasionally tattles on you. Or the pet bird with headache-inducing squawks…

…anyway…

10 Ways to Save Money Without Moving Back in With Your Parents

Since working at The Penny Hoarder, I’ve learned there are plenty of other ways I can save money — ways that don’t cause my angsty high school ’tude to bubble up.

Below are some of my favorite ways to save money — ways that will eventually allow me to venture out on my own again, and hopefully keep you from having to make the move back home.

1. Drive with Uber.

I’m always startled by apartment rental prices as I peruse Zillow. And I don’t even live in that big of a city.

But think of it this way: The bigger the city, the more people — and the more Uber requests. OK, that’s my line of logic — it’s not #science.

Driving with Uber during nights and weekends, especially in big cities, could easily help you pay rent. In fact, I recently interviewed six Uber drivers, two who do just fine driving full time.

A couple only drive on the weekends but still make up to $300 — a nice chunk of money, in my opinion. Wanna see how much you can make? Folks told me signing up is super simple.

2. Get fit.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m the absolute worst at keeping my workout goals in check. After about two weeks and three skipped workouts, I give up.

But financial motivation helps big time.

I downloaded the Achievemint app a couple of weeks ago. Basically, it rewards you in points for making mindless, healthy efforts — like just taking more steps. When you get 10,000 points, Achievemint lets you cash out for a $10 Amazon card.

If $10 doesn’t do it for you, HealthyWage might. This site allows you to place a bet on your weight loss goals. Jaclyn Brown lost 140 pounds and made more than $5,000.

3. Start investing — no tricky financial jargon required.

Heard that phrase “make your money work for you”? Me too, but I never really understood it — or how I could employ my money.

Investing is a big fat financial resolution for me. And although the jargon and numbers totally scare me, there are so many apps out there that make investing way too easy.

For example, I’m going to try Stash, which comes highly recommended from several of our staff members, including Jamie Cattanach. Like me, she knew little about investing but got started by investing $5 a week — without thinking about it. Right now, you can get a free $5 to invest just for trying it out through this link.

4. Stop worrying when the next sale will be.

Sometimes, when shopping online, I sit around and twiddle my thumbs waiting for a sale to strike. Unfortunately, sometimes I miss the sale — and that product I needed.

But Paribus helps.

After you download it, the tool scans your email archives for receipts. It might sound a little intrusive, but we use it here at The Penny Hoarder to save a buck or two.

Here’s how it works: If it detects purchases from Amazon, Target or one of its other 16 retail partners, it tracks the item’s price. If the price drops, it issues you a refund for the difference..

Every penny counts, right?

5. Participate in a clinical trial.

Have any aches or pains? I’m constantly complaining about my latest malfunction. But it’s not all so bad.

You could actually get paid to help yourself — well, the doctors — work to find a cure. Basically, you’ll be a human guinea pig, but they take good care of ya!

Right now, there are four open trials worth looking into right now:

  • Migraines – If you’ve never had a migraine, be glad you can just take my word for it: They really, really suck. Local research studies may offer payment/compensation up to $625 (learn more here). These studies help doctors discover better ways to treat — and hopefully eliminate — migraines.
  • Psoriasis (M3 Global Research): Psoriasis psucks! But, if you’ve got it you can earn $5-$100 taking online surveys and contribute to advancements in medical treatment — without even leaving your couch!
  • Cluster headaches: If a doctor has diagnosed you with a cluster headache, you could qualify for a variety of studies that pay up to $300, depending on the study and number of study visits. You may also receive no-cost study-related care for the length of the study. (Learn more here.)
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis: Do you wake up really stiff in the morning? That’s one common sign of rheumatoid arthritis, which affects more than 1.3 million Americans — 75% of whom are women.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis in the knee or hip and are otherwise healthy, you may qualify for studies offering compensation up to $625 depending on the number of study visits. You can find more info here.

Just a head’s up, you’ll need to provide a valid phone number and see a study doctor to see if you are eligible, and complete the study-required visits, before you’ll be compensated for participating.

  • Sleep: No real health issue, but just wanna get paid to nap? That’s me. NASA has actually paid participants $5,000 a month to stay in bed. Worth taking a month of sick days for? Maybe. Take note from Jillian Shea, who got paid $12,000 for participating in these studies.

6. Sell your stuff — or other people’s stuff — online.

Moving back home, I had tons of stuff I needed to purge.

This included items that simply didn’t fit in my car for the long trek home, as well as items from high school collecting dust.

My first instinct is to donate — get rid of stuff as quickly and effortlessly as possible. But really, you can make good money off the possessions you don’t want by selling them online through platforms like letgo.

This Craigslist-esque site allows you to buy and sell just about anything by location. You just take a photo of the item with the app and post it online.

However, a lot of people just want to get rid of items as quickly as possible. If you don’t have anything you want to get rid of, offer to sell other people’s items. My roommate in grad school did this and would accept a percentage of the profit.

7. Earn cash back from basically anywhere you shop online.

Ebates is an online tool offers consumers up to 40% cash back at more than 1,200 online stores — although 5% to 10% cash back is more common. Either way, it’s money.

Plus, when you sign up, you get a $10 welcome bonus. Then, you search the site to find your desired retailer — like Amazon — and click “Shop Now.” Within 48 hours, you’ll see the money in your account.

8. Do 10-minute car inspections — no experience required.

I know nothing about cars, but I do know I could handle this job.

One of our readers, Maryellen Honkomp, reached out to us about OnSource, an app for visual car inspections. You do the inspection — and it’s all from an app.

No mechanical experience is required, and inspections take about 10 minutes. Honkomp banks up to $40 in 20 minutes — just by using her phone and taking some photos.

Not bad, right?

9. Make money surfing the web.

Do you use the internet? Funny question; of course you do.

The Digital Reflection Panel — think of it as the Nielsen for the internet — pays you more than  $200 a year. And you really don’t have to do anything.

Once you connect the device to your wireless router, you’re good to go (aside from a few updates).

Our writer Kelly Smith walked through the setup process.

10. Get money back after your next grocery run.

So far, I’ve touched on how to make money from your online purchases, which are sometimes wants — not needs.

But we all need groceries, and if you’re like me, you dread grocery shopping. But using a cash-back app like Checkout 51 or Ibotta really make the task a bit less painstaking.

– Checkout 51 is a rebate app that updates with new offers every Thursday. Peruse the offers, and pick the ones that apply to you. Once you buy them at the store, upload a photo of your receipt and you’ll get a rebate. When your account hits $20, you can cash out.

– Ibotta is a pretty similar. You’ll download the app, unlock the rebates you desire, shop, scan the items’ barcodes and upload the receipt. You’ll find cash in your account within 48 hours.

Moral of the story? I know I can do it… move out of my ’rents house — and start paying rent. There are plenty of tools out there to help me make and save money.

…one of these days, right?

Your Turn: How did you get by without moving back in with your parents?

Disclosure: We don’t hesitate to pick pennies off the sidewalk when we spot them. But the affiliate links in this post help our earnings grow even quicker. Plus, it’s a lot cleaner than sidewalk money.

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 10 Ways to Save Money So You Don’t Have to Move Back in With Your Parents appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.



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Your 2017 Tax Refund May Be Delayed: Here’s Why

Are you the type who files your taxes the first day of tax season? If so, you’re probably used to being among the first of your friends to get your tax refund. Lucky. (Seriously, who are you super efficient people?)

Well, if you’re ready to start stalking your mailbox, you might have to sit tight a little longer than usual. Your refund may be delayed this year — but blame the IRS, not your mail carrier.

Tax filing season begins Jan. 23 this year, so some people could theoretically have their refund in hand around the first week of February, especially if you file electronically and bypass the Postal Service.

Unfortunately, if you’re claiming the earned income credit or additional child tax credit, you can expect your refund to be delayed until the week of Feb. 27.

The IRS says that tax refund delays are likely for these filers because of a new law designed to protect taxpayers from fraud and identity theft takes effect this tax season. It gives the IRS some extra time to double-check returns for shenanigans that cost the agency an estimated $5.8 billion in 2013.

The tax refund delay is expected to impact around 40 million low-income families across the country.

Where’s My Refund?

In an ideal world, a delayed refund would be a mere hiccup for taxpayers.

The reality is, though, a lot of families rely on it to pay down outstanding bills or make necessary purchases they’ve been putting off.

If you’re really in a jam, a few of the major tax preparation outfits like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt offer refund advances — in exchange for doing your taxes, of course.

I’ve heard from my social circle that some people pre-spend their tax refund on fun things before they actually have their money in hand. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you charging expensive new kicks to your credit card in anticipation of a hefty tax return is kind of a recipe for disaster.

There’s no rule saying you can’t use your refund to splurge on something new, but wait until you’ve got the money in your bank account — even if it means being patient for a few extra weeks.

Not sure what to do with your tax refund once you receive it? Here are some smart ways you can spend $100.

Your Turn: Will the tax refund delay affect you this year?

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She doesn’t love taxes, but she does like Twitter, so go look her up @lisah and say hi.

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10 U.S. Companies Employees and Customers Really, Really Hate

We’re all about a shiny best-of list, especially as we reflect on the past year.

But a lot of people in America agree: 2016 has been a helluva year. So let’s take a quick moment to reflect on something that’s just the worst: companies with terrible customer service.

Using ratings from J.D. Power, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Glassdoor employee reviews and its own annual customer satisfaction survey, 24/7 Wall St. named America’s most hated companies.

Can you guess what companies make the list?

Drumroll, please…

10. Sprint

Sprint has the lowest ACSI rating of any wireless telephone company and the worst customer service rating out of more than 100 companies included in 24/7 Wall St.’s survey.

Plus, many customers are just fed up with the product. A study by mobile performance measurement company Rootmetrics showed Sprint had worse overall performance than Verizon and AT&T across categories.

9. Sears

Apparently customers and employees alike hate this company. It’s one of the lowest-rated department stores by ACSI.

Employees don’t love the company, either. It gets lower than average ratings on Glassdoor. Fewer than 1 in 3 employees would recommend a job with the company to a friend.

They wouldn’t want to subject friends, apparently, to “low wages and unprofessional upper management,” reports 24/7 Wall St.

8. DISH

Customers have begrudgingly come to expect bad customer service from their television service providers. DISH is no exception.

24/7 Wall St.’s survey revealed 47% of respondents reported a negative service experience with the satellite TV service provider.

But it doesn’t stop with customers.

“Few companies are disliked by their own employees as much as DISH,” the report says.

DISH has one of the lowest employee satisfaction ratings of any major company on Glassdoor. Only 38% of employees would recommend a job at the company to a friend.

Maybe to an enemy?

7. Spirit

Ah, an airline whose motto may as well be, “You get what you pay for.”

Unsurprisingly, Spirit is the lowest-rated airline by the ACSI. And every traveler on Twitter.

“Poor customer service is typically not a point of pride for any company,” 24/7 Wall St. quips. “However, for many years, it was a part of Spirit Airlines’ marketing strategy.”

Unfortunately for the airline, many others are catching up with its race to the bottom in prices — without sacrificing the customer experience.

6. Facebook

Not liking a company doesn’t always mean you won’t use its services, apparently.

Facebook’s nearly 200 million users in America aren’t stoked about the site’s privacy policy and data collection… buuuttt how else will we learn what Harry Potter character our friends would be in an apocalypse?

The company also gets flack for what its worst users do on the site.

The public is holding Facebook accountable for the spread of fake news, in spite of its continued rejection of its categorization as a media company.

5. Wells Fargo

Well, no kidding.

Not only did Wells Fargo fall hard in the public’s eye, but it fell in 2016, when we were already crabby from a daily onslaught of bad news.

Last fall, the company agreed to pay $185 million in fines to settle allegations that its employees created millions of fake bank accounts for customers.

Regardless of scandalous headlines, Wells Fargo was among the most-complained-about banks (by transaction volume) in 2016.

And don’t forget a few pesky class-action lawsuits against the company.

4. McDonald’s

America’s had a love-hate relationship with this fast-food giant for decades.

We hate its concerted efforts to get us to eat dangerously unhealthy food — and too much of it. We hate its anti-union labor practices and low wages.

But billions and billions of us L-O-V-E its salty, salty goodness.

Customers don’t have high expectations for service in a fast-food restaurant. Still, “McDonald’s has the worst customer service rating of all 17 industry competitors reviewed by ACSI,” says 24/7 Wall St.

Oof.

3. Mylan

The internet was outraged last year when EpiPen manufacturer Mylan hiked the price of the lifesaving device.

Even though it quickly announced a savings program and recently released a generic version of EpiPen, people with severe allergies who depend on it are still not happy.

Plus, EpiPen’s price isn’t the only drug price causing Mylan problems. It’s just the most publicized.

2. Bank of America

With bad press around that little “oopsie” of a major economic recession and historic bailout earlier this century, Bank of America could use some good vibes from its customers.

Not happening, unfortunately.

In 24/7 Wall St.’s survey, about 44% of respondents said they had a negative experience with BofA’s banking and credit card operations. The company was among the worst of any in the survey.

And don’t leave employees out!

The company paid $2 million in fines in 2013 for a decade of racial discrimination against 1,100 employees. It also paid to settle a gender bias lawsuit last year.

Keep on keepin’ on…

1. Comcast

Are you shocked?

This is not the first time Comcast has donned the crown of America’s worst company, and it probably won’t be the last.

Comcast covers the two industries — internet and television service providers — with the worst average scores by ACSI. Still, it has significantly worse customer satisfaction than either industry average.

Quite simply, it’s the worst of the worst. We hope you wear the crown proudly, Comcast.

Your Turn: Are these the worst companies in America? What changes would you make?

Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).

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Netflix and Scam: Here’s How to Protect Yourself From Phishing Emails

Netflix and chill panic.

Scammers went phishing in the very large pool of Netflix users this week. FireEye, a cybersecurity and malware protection company, discovered the phishing campaign this past Monday.

Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) lures customers with “click here” tactics to get them to provide information.

In this case, scammers sent emails asking Netflix users to update their personal and payment information. After victims did so, they were then redirected to the real Netflix home page without a worry.

Do you know if you were affected?

What You Need to Know If You’re a Netflix User

First things first: Chill.

At this time, the phishing websites are inactive, FireEye reports.

But phishing is incredibly common, says Steve Weisman, professor at Bentley University and author of the fraud and identity theft blog Scamicide.

In fact, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said it’s the biggest threat to our country’s cybersecurity.

And the act is especially common among big-name sites and products such as Netflix, Amazon and Apple, because phishers don’t even have to get their hands on an email list, Weisman says.

Practically everyone uses these services… so why not just take a blind guess?

Phishing comes in the form of emails, texts and even phone calls, seemingly from someone you trust. The phisher tells you that you need to take action, such as updating your account info.

In this recent Netflix incident, victims were told to update their account information. That’s easy enough, and heck, you don’t want to lose access to “Gilmore Girls.”

By supplying their names, dates of birth, addresses and payment information, users gave phishers access to their bank accounts.

4 Ways to Detect Phishing Scams and Reel ’Em In Fast

This ain’t the first phisher, nor will it be the last.

To keep yourself — and your money — safe, Weisman offers these solid tips to keep in your back pocket for any time you receive a request to provide personal information:

1. Check the email address.

Even if the email you receive looks like it’s from Netflix, take a hard look at the address. What email provider has it been sent from? Look behind the @ sign for the extension. Is there something in place of a “.com”?

Take an extra step, and copy and paste the address into Google. See if it directs you to Netflix’s page or if other people are abuzz about a new scam.

2. Read the email.

Hark back to your high school English classes, and check for bad grammar and misspelled words. I’m not so sure phishers have editors.

3. Even if it looks legit, don’t trust the logo.

Weisman describes the look of the recent Netflix phishing photo as “terrific” in that it really did look legitimate.

However, it’s so easy nowadays for hackers to get their nabby hands on a logo using a screen shot and set up a website.

4. Visit the real website.

There, you can check email addresses, find a legitimate phone number to call and read through FAQs.

In fact, Netflix’s help page contains a warning about phishing and advises, “Netflix will never ask for any personal information in an email.” This includes payment information, Social Security and/or tax identification numbers and account passwords.

Netflix also encourages you to report an suspicious emails by forwarding them to phishing@netflix.com.

And always follow Weisman’s motto: “Trust me, you can’t trust anyone.”

If It’s Too Late and You’ve Been Affected by a Phishing Scam…

The advice Weisman offers for victims of mobile shopping scams holds true in this case, too.

If a phisher has hooked your bank account, contact your bank or credit card company as soon as possible.

You’ll also want to file a police report, which sounds dramatic, but it might help if you have to dispute the charges at a later date.

Sure, the cops probably aren’t going to catch the hacker, but having that police report on file says, “Yes, this happened, and yes, I was being a responsible human being about it.”

So if someone bought a car in your name and creditors are calling you for money they say you owe, you’ll have that report on hand.

You’ll also want to notify the Federal Trade Commission to file a consumer complaint or report identity theft — and you can do it all from behind your screen.

Your Turn: Have you ever been affected by a phishing scam?

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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Moneywise First 50 Funds: Trackers beat actives in 2016

The tracker funds selected for Moneywise’s First 50 Funds list for beginner investors beat the performance of the active funds on the same list during 2016.

The tracker funds selected for Moneywise’s First 50 Funds list for beginner investors beat the performance of the active funds on the same list during 2016.

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Wells Fargo Wants to Give You $250. Here’s What You Have to Do

Wells Fargo really wants your business, and it’s willing to pay you $250 for it.

The third-largest bank in the U.S. is offering new customers $250 when they open a new Wells Fargo checking account and make either 10 debit card purchases or $500 in direct deposits.

The deal appears to be fairly simple and straightforward, although there are some details you should be aware of.

What You Need to Know

Here’s what you need to know about the offer:

  • The deal is available through Feb. 17.
  • You need a minimum opening deposit of $25.
  • You can’t already have a Wells Fargo checking account.
  • You have to make the 10 debit card purchases or $500 in direct deposits within 60 days of opening the account to get the bonus.
  • The direct deposits must be from your salary, pension or Social Security, and your employer or an outside agency must electronically send them to your Wells Fargo account. Transfers from one bank account to another don’t count, nor do deposits made at an ATM or bank.
  • You get the $250 bonus within 45 days of qualifying for it.
  • Wells Fargo will charge you a monthly service fee of $10 for your checking account unless you do one of these three things each month: maintain a $1,500 balance, make $500 in direct deposits or make 10 debit card purchases.

Wells Fargo’s Very Bad Year

The deal follows a rough 2016 for Wells Fargo.

Its CEO resigned due to a scandal. The bank got slapped with a $185 million fine for secretly opening millions of unauthorized bank and credit card accounts without its customers’ knowledge. By the end of the year, it acknowledged that business was suffering, with noticeably fewer new customers opening accounts.

For its part, Wells Fargo says it has changed its ways. Among other steps, it fired 5,300 employees and overhauled its employee compensation plan that led to the scandal.

Your Turn: Would you open a new Wells Fargo checking account for $250?

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. When he’s not working, he’s reading or being a dad.

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The Proven Guide to Using Live Video to Build Your Personal Brand

2015 was a banner year for video and, in my opinion, a big year for video marketing—something that ramped up through 2016.

We saw a lot of brands jumping on the video bandwagon as Snapchat gained steam, Instagram unleashed live video, Twitter released video auto-play, and Facebook introduced video ads and, of course, native live streaming.

Live streaming has become one of the best ways to forge an authentic, one-on-one connection with customers. Brands are using live video to build a larger, stronger presence and reach audiences on the fly like never before.

As a professional, you can leverage live video to give your personal brand the same kind of lift.

You should strongly consider live video, given that by late 2017 video is expected to make up more than 70% of all traffic on the web.

Here’s how you can get the most out of live video to bolster your brand.

1. Make your videos personal

There are a lot of ways to present information in videos, but most fit into two formats.

Type 1: The video focuses on objects, backgrounds, or scenery while you narrate. In some videos, I’ve seen marketers record in “first person” while they travel. You see what they see, and they narrate.

image05

Type 2: The camera is on the broadcaster, so you’re in the center of the frame. The viewers’ eyes are on you while you’re talking and presenting your information or ideas. The occasional pan to include surrounding sights or other people occurs, but for the most part it stays on you.

image06

The second type is what you should stick with when working to build your personal brand. Videos should stay personal because that’s how you’re going to make a personal connection and build your brand.

It’s easy to turn off a video of a place or an object like a whiteboard. It’s not as easy to do that when you’re in the video, making eye contact with the audience, speaking to them directly.

2. Don’t script it

If you’re not used to streaming or broadcasting live and the idea of speaking off the cuff makes you nervous, you should relax. Everyone feels that. Eventually, you’ll get over it with practice as long as you keep at it.

Just don’t make the mistake of trying to script your videos.

Reading from a script ruins authenticity. It’s okay to be prepared, but you want your video to feel natural. People are attracted to those who are confident in themselves and capable of being themselves.

Rather than trying to read from a script, which creates an off-camera glance or stare with unnatural delivery, prepare yourself with a handful of bullet points.

Those bullet points can guide your delivery, and you can fill in the rest as you go. Don’t write those down; rather, keep those bullet points or target ideas in mind. Recall them, and practice a few times before you go live, and you’ll be good to go.

Jason Carr did a great “impromptu” live feed en route from his old job at Fox 2 Detroit to his new job at Local 4 Detroit News.

Hey!

Posted by Jason Carr on Monday, May 23, 2016

3. Go for quick delivery

Even the most devoted among your audience are going to tune in only for so long. If you want to grab people on the fly and grow your audience quickly, make sure you’re consistently providing a fast delivery on your ideas.

Long videos aren’t likely to get clicked on, so keep content as short as possible.

When I’m browsing content and a video grabs my attention, one of the first things I check is its length. I’ll happily drop a few minutes on a video, but those that exceed 6-10 minutes had better have a serious hook if they want me to click.

Wistia’s study on video length shows that shorter videos consistently get more engagement.

image01

For a live stream, aim for 5 minutes or less. If you’re consistent with short clips, your audience will be more likely to tune in again and again because they know the delivery is quick and the value comes fast.

4. Don’t go cheap on hardware

There are plenty of options for live-streaming when it comes to equipment. When you’re out and about, a quality smartphone can be good enough to live-stream on the fly without too much worry over lighting and sound.

But if you’ve got a static setup in your home office, workplace, or studio, you need to be a bit more concerned about your equipment.

Sound quality is especially important. If your audience can’t hear you, there’s no reason for them to stay tuned in.

Always do a few test recordings to sample the sound and make sure everything sounds great before you go live.

5. Be funny, but with a purpose

Don’t make the mistake of trying to be funny just because you think you need to be funny. It can come off as poorly as a forced joke before a serious speech. On the other hand, don’t be stoic and serious because you’re afraid people won’t find you funny.

The right type of humor, with a purpose, can keep people entertained and will help improve your personal brand. The content you share is more memorable when it’s funny and encourages viewers to return and share what they’ve seen.

image03

When working humor into your live stream, always remember to work within the boundaries of your brand message and personality.

6. Maintain authenticity

Avoid going over the top just to drive a point or create controversy for the sake of trying to gain views. You don’t want to grow your personal brand in a direction that doesn’t accurately reflect your true character.

image00

When you try to create a character that doesn’t match you or say things out of character, the audience will eventually catch on, and it will reflect poorly on you. You wind up confusing your audience when you act differently from one video to another.

7. Diversify your content

Don’t just rely on live broadcasting to build your personal brand. It’s only one tactic—a part of a much larger and robust content strategy.

While it’s a great way to share ideas, think of it as a means for repurposing some of your best content.

Go through the topics you’ve covered while guest-blogging or writing on your own site. Review Q&As or interviews you’ve done, and pick out the gems. Use those as the foundation for a quick live broadcast to share great information.

Use live feed videos in addition to other content marketing methods to reach more audience segments and grow the visibility of your personal brand.

8. Build your audience to promote your stream

You won’t see much traffic when you initially start live streaming, which is why it’s important to start building your audience early on. There’s no better time than now.

Promote your other content through social channels to draw traffic and increase engagement for your articles and ideas. This way the initial engagement is in place, and you have some kind of baseline audience when you begin.

If you’re using native streaming on Facebook or broadcasting on other channels and sharing through social, you can always promote the replay.

The bulk of your viewership will come from video replays, which also might be shared on other channels.

Most importantly, be sure to actively engage the people joining your live stream. This keeps the comments up, spreads the visibility of the viewers’ activities, and encourages sharing.

image04

9. Always bring value

Every video you create needs to have a purpose, not just random rambling. Whatever takeaway you’re providing should be made clear almost immediately. That’s the hook to get the attention of the viewer.

With the uptick in video and live streaming and with on-demand content available via mobile devices, people have developed pretty short attention spans.

Share that value upfront to keep them engaged.

Be obvious right from the start about the topic you want to cover. Say, for example: “Today, I’m going to talk about…” or “I’m going to show you…”

Remember, a live stream is another form of content marketing. When producing content, you always need to provide value, perhaps in a form of a takeaway. That’s what keeps people coming back and greatly increases the odds of shares, opt-ins, and continued engagement.

This clip from a tour of Arnold Palmers’ office by his long-time friend Doc brought sheer storytelling gold for golf enthusiasts who followed the live stream.

image02

10. Brand yourself

Don’t forget one of the most important points of live streaming to build your personal brand: introduce yourself.

It doesn’t matter what you’re talking about or how short the video is going to be, always tell your audience who you are. You could also include where you are if you’re trying to brand yourself by location.

You never know who is watching, and every video could be their first introduction to what you’re sharing, so always start out with “Hey, it’s so-and-so, and I’m at…”

11. Go live regularly

With live streaming, there’s nothing wrong with creating a schedule and sticking to it. It won’t seem any less authentic, but it’s not absolutely necessary—not like having a blogging schedule.

What’s most important with live streaming in terms of frequency is just doing it often and regularly.

The more often you stream live video, the easier it gets. Your comfort and confidence will increase, which will ultimately improve the quality of the videos and the value you share.

Your audience will also come to expect regular videos and will look forward to your live stream, which is the keystone of personal branding: getting people to return and stay engaged, trusting in you to share your knowledge.

Conclusion

Live streaming is incredibly easy and doesn’t require a huge investment, but it can do wonders for your brand. It creates a visual connection with your audience, especially the segments who prefer video over reading.

Keep those videos short, stream valuable content frequently, and you’ll see consistent growth in the number of live views as well as post-live replays of your content.

Have you been using live video? What have you learned?



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Deal of the week: Saga launches flat rate loan for over 50s

Over 50s who struggle to meet the criteria of high street lenders can now take out a flat rate loan with Saga Money.

Over 50s who struggle to meet the criteria of high street lenders can now take out a flat rate loan with Saga Money.

What’s the deal exactly?

Saga is offering loans between £1,000 and £25,000 for a flat rate of 7.9% APR to all successful applicants.

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Here’s How Walmart and Sam’s Club Plan to Help You Get Healthy

Every January, we make the same New Year’s resolution: I’m going to lose weight this year. For us well-fed Americans, that’s the most popular resolution. Unfortunately, most of us won’t succeed.

On Saturday, Jan. 14, your local Walmart and Sam’s Club locations will try to help out. They’re offering free health screenings at more than 5,200 stores across the country.

Walmart Stores Inc., the parent company of Walmart and Sam’s Club, says this is its largest free health screening event ever. The goal is to help hundreds of thousands of Americans learn vital information about themselves that will help them keep their health on track.

“Knowing your numbers is critical to achieving your healthy resolutions and to maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” said George Riedl, president of Walmart Health & Wellness.

When and Where Can I Get a Free Health Screening?

Walmart: Walmart Wellness Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 14, at more than 4,600 stores. Free screenings include blood glucose, blood pressure, vision and — for the first time — body fat and body mass index. More than 10,000 pharmacists will offer immunizations in select stores.

Sam’s Club: Free screenings are open to the public, not just members. Screenings will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time at nearly 620 Sam’s Club locations. Screenings include blood glucose, blood pressure, vision, hearing, body fat, total cholesterol and HDL (good cholesterol). Again, pharmacists will be on hand to offer immunizations.

Why Get a Health Screening?

There’s a reason so many of us resolve to lose weight every Jan. 1.

More than one-third of Americans are classified as obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making body fat and body mass index among the most important health numbers to understand.

Obesity can lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer — some of the leading causes of preventable death. Physicians advise that getting a basic screening is the first step toward learning how healthy you are and how much healthier you need to get.

Walmart and Sam’s Club say that in 2016, they provided nearly a half million free health screenings to people across the country. Sam’s Club offers free health screenings the second Saturday of every month from January to October.

Your Turn: How have you resolved to get healthier in 2017?

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He’s going to lose some weight this year.

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You Can Now Snapchat Your Friends From 39,000 Feet (For Free!)

Here’s something to consider as you book your travel plans for 2017: JetBlue is now offering free in-flight Wi-Fi on all domestic flights.

JetBlue recently announced that it’s finished rolling out its “always-free and speedy” in-flight Wi-Fi to each of its 227 planes throughout the U.S.

JetBlue is now “the only airline to offer free, high-speed Wi-Fi, live TV and movies for all customers on every plane,” said Jamie Perry, vice president of marketing at JetBlue.

Other airlines in the U.S. still charge for Wi-Fi use aboard their aircraft. American Airlines and Delta offer daily Wi-Fi passes for $16, while Southwest charges $8 per device.

Get Access to the Internet the Minute You Board the Plane

Called Fly-Fi (because duh), the new Wi-Fi service is available from gate to gate, meaning passengers don’t need to wait until the plane reaches a cruising altitude to connect.

Instead, travelers are free to use their devices from the moment they board the plane.

This means you no longer have to memorize the seat-back brochures while you wait for takeoff — just board the plane, toss your bag in the overhead bin and start answering those emails (as soon as you climb over that grumpy guy in the aisle seat who refuses to stand up).

JetBlue promises speeds of up to 20 Mbps per device — which is impressive considering there can be upward of 200 devices connected at any one time.

Anything you would normally do on the internet (tweet, post, upload, stream — even shop for groceries online so that they’re waiting for you when you get home) you can now do during your flight.

Passengers will also be able to stream Amazon Video to their devices and can even earn points for every eligible dollar spent on Amazon while on board.

…And the Perks Keep Coming

JetBlue also boasts several other in-flight perks, including 36 channels of free DIRECTV, audio/visual on demand touch screens featuring blockbuster movies and crewmember picks, extra legroom, and free snacks and drinks.

JetBlue is definitely on the right path — and you have to wonder if this will persuade other airlines to follow suit. I mean, a roomy(er) flight where I can binge-watch my favorite shows while eating free food?

That sounds like my next vacation.

Your Turn: What in-flight perk would you like to see more airlines offer?

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s going to stay put in sunny Florida until this winter nonsense is over.

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Forget Pen and Paper: This Trendy DIY Chalkboard Costs Less Than $10

Paying Your Mortgage With A Credit Card

Paying Your Mortgage With A Credit Card

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Seniors Forced To Pay For Old Student Loans

Seniors Forced To Pay For Old Student Loans

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More financial support to be offered to bereaved families

More families will be entitled to financial support following the death of a spouse or civil partner, from 6 April this year.

More families will be entitled to financial support following the death of a spouse or civil partner, from 6 April this year.

The new ‘bereavement support payment’ will replace the current complicated system of the bereavement payment; the ‘bereavement allowance’ and the ‘widowed parent’s allowance’.

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Does ‘Spending Pennies to Make Dollars’ Really Make Sense?

You come home from work. There’s a big pile of laundry that needs to be sorted and washed. You also need to make dinner. You have dreams of using evenings to start building a business, but with tasks like this (and many other things) interfering with that plan constantly, it’s very hard to get a business rolling.

What do you do?

Well, you could just leave the laundry and eat the absolute simplest meal you can possibly prepare, then get cracking on your business plan. Eventually, though, you will be facing Mount Laundry and it will become a crisis.

Another option is to prepare a well-rounded and inexpensive meal, but that’ll take a while, and then do the laundry, but then you’re left with little time for doing things that will earn more money.

The third option, of course, is to outsource those simple tasks. Hire a laundry service. Order food to be delivered. That way, you’re not spending your time on those tasks and can devote your time to getting that small business running.

Many entrepreneurs, both successful and otherwise, follow that last strategy. Their philosophy is simple: They believe that they’re spending pennies to make dollars. In other words, they believe that the money that they pay for services like laundry or food delivery or other things that save them time in their personal lives allow them more time for entrepreneurship activities, from which they can earn far more money than they would save by doing those personal activities themselves.

As someone who went through a period in life where I was building a successful small business (The Simple Dollar) at the same time that I was trying to maintain a career while also married with a newborn at home, I can really understand that temptation. If you truly believe that you’ve got a great entrepreneurial idea and that it will earn you a ton of money if you’re able to launch it, the cost of laundry service or food service or some other time saver will indeed seem like a great investment.

But is it a good investment?

The Small Business Administration estimates that two-thirds of small businesses utterly fail within two years. Many more only become marginally profitable. For each small business success story that you hear, there are several that outright failed and a few that are modest successes.

That’s not to say that entrepreneurship is a mistake; it isn’t. For hardworking focused individuals, it can be an incredibly powerful way to earn money. It can turn an idea that you cultivate in your spare time into something utterly life-changing.

But it’s risky. Most of the time, you’ll fail at it.

The real question isn’t whether it makes sense to turn pennies into dollars, but when is the right time to turn pennies into dollars. Here are my thoughts on the issue.

Have your personal finances in order before you start “spending pennies to make dollars.” If you do not have your finances in order, you should be focused on taking immediate action to cut down your debts and install some good personal spending practices. That needs to take priority over any sort of entrepreneurial activity.

It’s simple: if you don’t have pennies to spare, you shouldn’t be spending pennies, even if you believe that those pennies will make dollars. Put yourself in a position to have pennies to spare by relying on frugality and more straightforward employment methods and use your excess money to cut down your debts.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother with entrepreneurship if you’re in a financially difficult situation. It just means that you shouldn’t invest money in the idea. Instead, proceed slowly. Use the time to think through your entrepreneurial ideas.

Which brings me to my second point…

Have a plan. If you want to launch a small business, write a business plan. The Small Business Administration has some wonderful tools to help you through the process of writing a plan for your business idea.

The process of writing a business plan is invaluable. Although I started The Simple Dollar on a whim (mostly as an outlet to journal and evaluate my own financial success), I soon wrote a business plan for the site, evaluating various risks and costs and thinking about how I could market the site to attract new readers. Without that plan, the site would have floundered in anonymity and likely have been forgotten many years ago.

The same thing is true if you’re trying to launch a strong career. Often, the early stages of a career require tons of time, tons of learning, tons of work, and tons of networking. Write a plan for that, too. How will you build connections to people in your field? What education and skills and resume lines do you need to advance to the next rung on your career ladder? How will you get them? How can you build a name for yourself in your field? Think about those questions. Come up with answers for those questions.

Never, ever throw yourself mindlessly into work without a plan. If you’re starting a side gig without a plan, it will almost always fail. If you’re dreaming of great career success but don’t have a plan for how to achieve it, it will almost always fail.

If you’re not setting yourself up for success from the get-go with a smart plan in place, spending pennies to make dollars is the equivalent of throwing money down the drain.

Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. If there’s one truism in your professional life, your personal life, every aspect of your life, it’s this: You’re going to fall down again and again, and the only way you’re ever going to succeed is by picking yourself up, brushing yourself off, figuring out how you stumbled, and then moving forward again in a way that avoids that mistake. I failed at more than a dozen side gigs and microbusinesses before The Simple Dollar took off – no joke.

Here’s the thing: you need to be in a life situation where if you fall down, it is possible for you to stand back up again. If you’re putting yourself in a situation where failure means complete financial disaster with no direct route to continued income, you’re making a giant mistake.

It has nothing to do with “walking the edge” in order to “push yourself to greater success.” That’s a myth. The truth is that many entrepreneurial ventures succeed and fail based on things outside of your control. Many career advancements succeed and fail based on things outside of your control. You can have the perfect plan, but sometimes perfect just isn’t good enough.

If you put all of your eggs in one basket, even if you execute perfectly, sometimes you’ll drop that basket and find yourself with nothing. Never, ever put yourself in that situation.

Instead, make sure that you have other secure sources of income before you start diving into entrepreneurship. Have a steady job in place or a skill set that allows you to easily find employment if things don’t work out.

Multitask unimportant things. One strategy that I was forced to employ during the early days of The Simple Dollar when I was balancing a full-time job, a marriage, an infant at home, and launching the site was multitasking unimportant tasks. Things that did not require my full focus became opportunities for multitasking, even if it looked crazy.

Take my example above, where a person is facing entrepreneurial needs, a big pile of laundry, and dinner that needs to be made. Prepare something quick for supper, sort laundry while it’s going, and use a voice recording app on your phone to brainstorm while doing it. I did this very thing many evenings (using a whiteboard instead of a voice recorder) back in those days.

Rather than trying to balance exercise, child care, and a need to get groceries sequentially, I’d strap a large bag on my back and walk with the stroller to the grocery store 3/4 of a mile away, load up on groceries, and walk back home at a very brisk pace with the weight on my back and the stroller to push in front of me. I’d get home panting and wheezing from the exercise, have the grocery shopping done, and I’d have taken our baby outside for some fresh air… and he was usually napping when we got back home. Heck, I’d even brainstorm during this activity by having a little pocket notebook on the stroller to jot down brief notes.

(If you haven’t figured it out, one of the best secrets of entrepreneurship is to brainstorm and think through your plans whenever you have mental downtime.)

By layering together tasks like this, you get far more value out of your time and you’re freeing up a lot of time to use in other ways, like entrepreneurship. Look for ways to layer three or four low-focus tasks together into one continuous activity and you’ll find yourself with extra free time without having to pay for it.

Here’s the moral of the story: Spending pennies to make dollars addresses a real problem with an overly simplistic solution. Rather than creating value, you’re mostly just swapping one resource for another unless you do it in a smarter fashion. Don’t toss aside smart personal finance management in an effort to earn more money, because you’ll often find that you’re not improving your financial state at all.

Good luck!

Related Articles:

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Here’s How Much Money I’ll Save on Groceries by Switching to Trader Joe’s

The TPH team loves Trader Joe’s. Whether they’re talking about their favorite must-have items or its stellar policies, my colleagues rave about TJ’s.

So I’m the black sheep here in the office, because I’ve always sworn by Winn-Dixie. I love its fuel rewards program and easy-to-use app.

Plus, on top of working full time, I also go to school full time, which means I don’t have time to hit up multiple grocery stores. Winn-Dixie always has everything that I need, so that’s a big reason why it’s my preferred store.

Lately, though, I’ve been wondering: Should I switch to TJ’s? Everyone’s so obsessed with it — maybe it could be my one-stop, more affordable shop!

I decided to try grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s — and the results blew me away. Here’s what happened.

How I Spend My Grocery Budget at Winn-Dixie

I’m not a fan of couponing; with my busy schedule, it’s just not reasonable for me. I want to get in and get out while I’m at the store and not spend hours preparing for my trip.

I also have a strict diet, and I don’t want my fridge to end up empty. I’ve had to figure out how to manage these factors in limited time without breaking the bank or failing my diet.

The best solution I’ve come up with so far is shopping at Winn-Dixie. It has everything I need: I get discounts with my Winn-Dixie card and I get 5 cents off every gallon of gas for every $50 I spend there.

Here’s how much I spent on my last trip to Winn-Dixie:

  • Veggie chips: $3.99
  • New England Coffee: $6.00 (with WD card discount, originally $7.69)
  • Package of five chicken breasts: $8.99
  • Ready-to-cook beef: $17.30
  • Cauliflower head: $2.99
  • White mushrooms: $3.59
  • Spaghetti squash: $4.39 (93 cents off with WD card)
  • Jumbo red onion: $1.43
  • Organic bananas: $2.09
  • Three-pack romaine hearts: $2.99 (30-cent discount with WD card)
  • Sabra hummus: $3.99
  • Cabot light cheese: $5.00
  • International Delight sugar-free coffee creamer: $3.59
  • Fage nonfat greek yogurt: $7.50
  • Almond milk: $3.39
  • Weight Watchers cheese sticks: $4.29
  • 2% milk: $3.59
  • WD frozen mixed fruit: $3 (with 69-cent discount)
  • Frozen broccoli: $2.59
  • Frozen brussel sprouts: $2.59

Total (before tax): 93.29

Since I shop for myself and one other person, that works out to about $46.65 per person. This amount of food usually lasts us a week and a half.

Even better, this grocery trip helped me get 5 cents off each gallon of gas with Winn-Dixie’s fuelperks! program. Winn-Dixie also has special deals on select items that can give you anywhere from 5 to 25 cents off a gallon per item (learn more about the Winn-Dixie fuelperks! program in this post.)

What Would My Groceries Cost at Trader Joe’s?

I’ve heard plenty about Trader Joe’s — mostly about how it is so cheap and amazing — but I wasn’t sure what to expect when I decided to do all of my grocery shopping there.

I tried to find products that matched what I bought at Winn-Dixie, which wasn’t always easy, since Trader Joe’s mostly sells its own brands.

Here’s how much similar products cost at TJ’s:

  • Veggie chips: $1.99
  • New England Coffee: no match, so I chose Joe medium roast for $4.99 for 14 ounces
  • Package of six chicken breasts: $5.49 per pound, $8.78 total
  • Ready-to-cook beef sirloin tri tip: $8.49 per pound, $14.52 total
  • Cauliflower head: $2.99
  • White mushrooms: $1.99
  • Spaghetti squash: $3.29
  • Jumbo red onion: $0.99
  • Organic bananas: $0.29 each
  • Three-pack romaine hearts: $2.49
  • Hummus: $1.99
  • Cabot extra-sharp cheddar Cheese: $6.99 per pound, $4.33 total
  • Coffee creamer (regular; no sugar-free option available): $3.49
  • TJ’s nonfat greek yogurt: $4.99
  • TJ’s almond beverage: $2.99
  • Light cheese sticks: $2.99
  • 2% milk: $2.49
  • Frozen mixed fruit: $3.49 for 12 ounces
  • Frozen broccoli, organic: $1.99
  • Frozen brussel sprouts: $0.99

Total (before tax): $73.22, or $36.61 per person

Where My Grocery Budget Goes Furthest

Before taxes, shopping at Trader Joe’s saved me $20.07. That would add up quickly to about $60 a month. Whoa.

But what about my beloved fuelperks!? Would they make up the difference?

For every $50 you spend at Winn-Dixie, you get 5 cents off each gallon of gas, up to 20 gallons. But if your purchase is more than $50, the extra amount rolls over to your next purchase. So when I spend $93.29 on a grocery trip, I earn 5 cents off each gallon, and the first $6.71 of my next purchase earns me an additional 5 cents off per gallon.

If I bought the same $93.29 worth of groceries three times a month and saved my fuelperks until the end of the month, I’d be able to get 25 cents off each gallon of gas.

My car has a 15-gallon tank and takes premium gas, which cost $2.949 at my last fill-up, so redeeming my fuelperks! means a tank of gas would cost me $40.49.

But I fill up my car three times a month, and the other two tanks of gas I’d need would cost me the full price of $44.24.

That means my fuelperks! would only save me about $3.75 a month, compared to just paying full price for gas.

Even if I was more strategic with my shopping, purchasing items with double or triple fuel rewards and stacking my fuelperks! to get a free tank of gas each month, shopping at Winn-Dixie still wouldn’t be cost-effective for me.

Switching to Trader Joe’s would save me $56.46 a month — which could add up to $677.52 per year.

Those savings would come with a few reservations.

TJ’s didn’t have sugar-free coffee creamer, which was a little disappointing. I’ve cut down my spending on fancy lattes, so I make my own coffee at home — and, because of my food restrictions, I pretty much depend on that sugar-free creamer. To get it, I’d have to hit up another grocery store — something that I like to avoid.

Also, I’ve had TJ’s dairy products go bad more quickly than I expected. Maybe that’s my fault for not checking the date before I bought them, and it also might depend on the store. Whatever the reason, it still makes me a bit skeptical.

Overall? I should probably keep my eyes on the prize and pick up my sugar-free creamer elsewhere. Think of all of the things I could do with an extra $600 a year!

Your Turn: Will you make the switch to Trader Joe’s to save some money? Let us know in the comments below!

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder and a senior at The University of Tampa. She would like to thank her editor for being good at math.

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Sky customers warned of future price hikes

Sky customers are being warned to expect an increase to their line rental charges in March this year.

Sky customers are being warned to expect an increase to their line rental charges in March this year.

Although Sky would not confirm details of any future price rises to Moneywise, small print in a newspaper advert spotted by This Is Money states that Sky’s line rental prices will increase on 1 March 2017.

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Nutmeg to shake-up fees and launch passive portfolio range

So-called “robo-investor” Nutmeg, has announced a shake-up of management fees for both new and existing customers, as well as the launch of passive portfolios.

So-called “robo-investor” Nutmeg, has announced a shake-up of management fees for both new and existing customers, as well as the launch of passive portfolios.

From Monday 16 January, the fees new investors pay for Nutmeg’s 10 actively managed portfolios will change to the following:

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Neil Woodford: why my performance in 2016 was disappointing

The commodity rally in 2016 was one of the main factors behind "a disappointing year from a performance point of view" for Woodford Equity Income, manager Neil Woodford admits.

The commodity rally in 2016 was one of the main factors behind "a disappointing year from a performance point of view" for Woodford Equity Income, manager Neil Woodford admits.

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Freddo bar price rise imminent

School kids everywhere (limited to two in a shop at a time, of course) are set for a disappointing term if reports about a 20% price rise in Freddo bars are to believed.

School kids everywhere (limited to two in a shop at a time, of course) are set for a disappointing term if reports about a 20% price rise in Freddo bars are to believed.

According to The Guardian, the tiny chocolate treat, currently priced at 25p (from 10p in the 90s), will be rising to 30p this spring.

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Peer-to-peer lending set for growth in 2017

After a year in which more than £3 billion was exchanged through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks in the UK, 4thWay, a research agency dedicated to the sector, is expecting to see a lot more action within the burgeoning system in the coming year.

After a year in which more than £3 billion was exchanged through peer-to-peer (P2P) networks in the UK, 4thWay, a research agency dedicated to the sector, is expecting to see a lot more action within the burgeoning system in the coming year.

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