MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 01/27/17

الجمعة، 27 يناير 2017

Credit Score Scale: What is a Good Credit Score?

DIY Downer: Lowe’s Ends its Build and Grow Workshops for Kids

Do you like waking up on Saturday morning knowing you have a fun activity lined up for the kids? Then you might be disappointed to learn that Lowe’s has ended its in-store Build and Grow program.

The program offered hourlong workshops where kids could complete hands-on projects led by Lowe’s staff.

“We were proud to host the program for over 10 years and appreciate all who came out and supported it,” said Lowe’s spokesperson Jennifer Popis in an email. “We do not have programming that will replace Build and Grow but continue to explore new and fresh ways to inspire, educate and engage with customers while making a difference in the communities we serve.”

Lowe’s Still Offers Tutorials — Just Not in Stores

If your family is adept at do-it-yourself projects, you can still take advantage of Lowe’s How-To Library.

Even better? Lowe’s YouTube channel, chock-full of tutorials for visual learners of any age.

A few how-tos worth checking out:

Make a Fruit Bowl from Wooden Dowels — We almost guarantee the kids’ version will look better than yours, adults.

Woodworking Projects for Kids: How to Build a Box — The perfect starter project

How to Build a Raised Garden Bed — For the advanced DIY family

How Do I Use a Power Drill? — OK, we might know an adult who needs this one…and she might be writing this post.

Meanwhile, competitor the Home Depot offers frequent in-store DIY workshops, including seasonal options for children and parents.

Your Turn: Did you attend Lowe’s Build and Grow clinics with your kids?

Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder. She is DIY inept.

The post DIY Downer: Lowe’s Ends its Build and Grow Workshops for Kids appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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This Job Will Blow You Away With Its $51K Pay and Amazing Outlook

I threw caution to the wind when determining my career path.

Eh… Who cares if I struggle to find a job and barely make ends meet as a writer?

But there are others, perhaps those smarter than me, who actually pay attention to the job market.

If you’re one of them, listen up. You’ll want to hear about the fastest-growing profession in the U.S.

What’s the Fastest-Growing Profession?

A recent Environmental Defense Fund report found that solar and wind jobs are growing at rate of 20% annually. The field is creating jobs 12 times faster than the rest of the U.S. economy.

Specifically, it found that wind-turbine technician is the fastest-growing profession.

The report doesn’t come as a total surprise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that wind-turbine technician would be the fastest-growing occupation between 2014 and 2024, with an anticipated growth rate of 108%.

How Much Can You Make as a Wind-Turbine Technician?

According to the BLS, the median pay for a technician in 2015 was $51,050 a year — or about $24.55 an hour. The bottom 10% earned less than $37,010, while the top 10% earned more than $71,820.

Where are the Wind-Power Jobs Booming?

The report mapped out the states with the best wind-power job prospects.

The state with the most promise was Texas, with a projected 24,000 to 25,000 jobs. Oklahoma followed with an estimated 7,001 to 8,000 potential jobs. Colorado, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois could each add 4,001 to 7,000 wind-power jobs.

What Do Wind-Turbine Technicians Do Exactly?

As a wind-turbine technician, here are some typical job functions, reported by the BLS:

Inspecting towers, which involves climbing.
Performing maintenance and repairs.
Testing and troubleshooting.
Collecting data for research purposes.
Servicing underground operations.

Not afraid of heights? Good.

How Do I Become a Wind-Turbine Technician?

Typically, energy-efficiency jobs pay higher than average and don’t require college or advanced degrees.

Wind-turbine technicians usually attend a technical school, reports the BLS. There are also associate degrees programs, which usually take two years to complete and are available at technical schools and community colleges.

Interested in more of the fastest-growing jobs that don’t require a college degree? Check out this story. And for all your job resources, visit The Penny Hoarder’s Facebook jobs page.

Your Turn: Are you considering becoming a wind turbine technician?

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 This Job Will Blow You Away With Its $51K Pay and Amazing Outlook appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Panda Express is Starting the Year of the Rooster With Free Chicken

The Chinese New Year is this Saturday, and fast-food chain Panda Express is celebrating the start of the Year of the Rooster with a fiery new freebie.

On Saturday, Jan. 28, every Panda Express in the U.S. will hand out red envelopes — each containing a coupon good for a free Firecracker Chicken Breast entree and a free 22-ounce Dr Pepper on a future visit.

The red envelopes will be available all day, and you don’t have to make a purchase to get one, according to a Panda Express representative.

Firecracker Chicken Breast is a temporary menu item that’s returning for a limited time. It features chunks of marinated chicken tossed in a wok with bell peppers, onions and a spicy black bean sauce. It’s… zingy.

Through Feb. 21, the chain will also give out free Chinese New Year celebration kits when you buy its Family Feast — three entrees and two large sides. Kits include a red table runner, Chinese New Year stickers, a dragon car decal, a “Know Your CNY” card game and two red envelopes.

Red envelopes are traditionally given out during the Chinese New Year as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Panda Express has certainly enjoyed some prosperity, having expanded to 1,900 locations worldwide.

Your Turn: What do you think is in store for the Year of the Rooster?

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. For personal reasons, he’s partial to the Year of the Pig.

The post Panda Express is Starting the Year of the Rooster With Free Chicken appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Would You Trust a Facebook Bot With Your Personal Finance Information?

If Siri and Facebook Messenger got together and had a love child, her name would be Cleo.

Cleo is a smart personal finance bot that sits quietly in Messenger waiting for you to ask her questions about the state of your bank accounts and budgets.

You can ask her things like:

“What’s my balance?”

“How much have I spent at Starbucks this month?”

“How’s my budget looking?”

“What bills do I have left to pay this month?”

Cleo responds with a detailed answer that even includes emojis for a little extra sass.

The bot already understands over 10,000 questions. Thanks to built-in artificial intelligence software, the more you use it, the smarter it gets.

Cleo currently only works with U.K.-based banks but is “expanding shortly” to other parts of the world.

Are Personal Finance Bots Safe?

Cleo may be the newest personal finance bot to join the Facebook Messenger family, but it’s not the only one. Mastercard, American Express and Bank of America’s bots are among the many money management bots available to Facebook users.

But are they secure?

Cleo’s developers say the bot is “extremely safe and secure.” It uses the same type of security features banks use to encrypt data and keep it away from prying eyes.

The company says Facebook can’t see your information either and that’s it’s “merely the platform that Cleo uses to chat with you.”

Similarly, American Express says, “Card Member account data is provided to Facebook via the Amex bot for Messenger in a safe and secure manner.”

OK, that’s vague.

It’s in a financial organization’s best interest to keep personal information safe, especially since data breaches can cost many millions of dollars. The lack of transparency about precisely how data is secured is understandable since companies don’t want to connect the dots too clearly for criminals.

Unfortunately, that leaves consumers in the dark about whether personal finance bots really are safe to use.

If you’re debating whether to use automated personal finance tools on your favorite social media platform, consider this: Nothing on the internet is completely out of reach for determined criminals.

Your turn: What’s your take on money management bots?

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Follow her on Twitter @LisaH.

The post Would You Trust a Facebook Bot With Your Personal Finance Information? appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Here’s How You Can See 9 Oscar-Nominated Films for Just $4 Each

Whether you’re a total cinephile or just someone who really loves a good movie once in a while, this one’s for you.

Regal Cinemas and Cinemark are both offering $35 passes to see this year’s Best Picture nominees in the lead-up to the Academy Awards on Feb. 27.

See Oscar Nominated Movies for Cheap

On Jan. 24, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its list of 2017 Academy Awards nominees. Nine films were nominated for Best Picture, including the ultimate nod to classic Hollywood, “La La Land.”

In years past, silver screen junkies have scrambled (and paid through the nose!) to see all the Oscar-nominated films in theaters before the swanky awards show takes place.

But these deals make it possible for movie connoisseurs to see all nine nominees for just under $4 each at participating locations.

Here’s How to Get Your Pass

Regal’s Best Picture Film Festival will run from Feb. 17-26, while Cinemark’s Oscar Movie Week will run from Feb. 20-26. Passes are available now; they might move quickly, so I suggest getting yours sooner rather than later.

Both theaters offer seating on a first-come, first-served basis. You’ll still have to stand in line at the box office and flash your pass to reserve your ticket for each showtime. Non-passholders can also purchase full-price tickets to the festival showings, so be sure to head to the theater a little early to claim your seat.

But don’t let that deter you from grabbing the $35 pass. You’ll save more than $7 per movie (compared to a regular adult ticket) if you take full advantage of this offer. In fact, if you were planning to see just three of these movies in the next month, you’d be better off getting your hands on one of these passes.

Cinemark’s pass also includes admission to five marathon showings of Oscar-nominated short films taking place Feb. 24-26.

You can purchase a pass online or at the box office at participating Regal and Cinemark theaters. Pass pickup starts Jan. 27 for Regal Cinemas and Feb. 20 for Cinemark.

You can find a schedule for Regal’s festival showings here, while Cinemark’s schedule varies by location.

If you were planning to watch the nominated films before Oscar night anyway, this deal seems like a no-brainer.

Your Turn: What film gets your vote for Best Picture this year?

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her mom is the biggest movie fanatic she knows, so she’ll be passing this deal along!

The post Here’s How You Can See 9 Oscar-Nominated Films for Just $4 Each appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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Federal employers await hiring freeze details

Major employers such as Tobyhanna Army Depot are uncertain how the current federal hiring freeze would affect them, if at all.

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Want 3 Free Bagels? Of Course You Do. Here’s How to Get Them at Bruegger’s

Many food chains give you something for your birthday. But when it’s their birthday? Why not celebrate that, too?

Bruegger’s Bagels turns 34 on Thursday, Feb. 2. Instead of celebrating with cake and ice cream, the breakfast and coffee stop is doing what comes naturally: giving out free bagels.

Want to carb up for free?

How to Get Free Bagels

First, sign up for the eClub to receive emails from Bruegger’s. You’ll get an email with the option to either show a mobile coupon for your three free bagels or print your coupon.

Then, visit your favorite Bruegger’s location (there are more than 250!) on Feb. 2 between opening (which varies by store, but it’s darn early) and 11 a.m. If your favorite store happens to be at Virginia Tech or Raleigh-Durham Airport, you’ll need to find another location, as these bakeries are not included in the promotion.

One coupon per person, please. Take note that the offer is good for regular bagels only. Specialty bagels aren’t included, nor are cream cheese and other spreads.

P.S.: Signing up for Bruegger’s eClub means you’ll get a freebie on your birthday, too. There’s really no downside.

Your Turn: Will you visit Bruegger’s on its birthday? What flavor bagels will you order?

Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder. She loves bagels, but not as much as she likes pizza.

The post Want 3 Free Bagels? Of Course You Do. Here’s How to Get Them at Bruegger’s appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

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How to Make Your Content Marketing Impossible for Competitors to Copy

The more advancements in digital marketing we make and the more information on how to spy on competitors we share, the more those things are being adopted in various industries around the world.

That means you’re more likely to be the target of a spying competitor.

It’s all fun and games until they start using the same tactics to replicate the work you’ve been doing.

Sometimes, competitors will piggyback on your hard work to steal market share and customers.

When you’ve got a direct competitor shadowing your content marketing strategy, social engagement, and audience outreach, it’s enough to inspire vengeance and make you lose focus!

I speak from experience. This has happened to me several times.

It makes you question whether it’s something that should be promoted. Where’s the line between spying to replicate a competitor and just monitoring for awareness?

It’s enough to make you question the ethics of competitive intelligence.

What drives the competition to shadow you?

I’m reluctant to put any kind of blame on influencers and marketers, but we should share some of it.

As an industry, we’re constantly creating content, teaching business owners:

how to analyze the social activities of competitors
how to steal their social followers
when it’s okay to swipe content from competitors and copy them
how to steal backlinks from competitors
how to swipe rankings and spy on the competition

Of course, none of that would be an issue if there weren’t people who wanted those shortcuts and resources in the first place.

The main issue is the individual who is your competitor. They are in business for the same reasons you are—to make money. They want to gain market share; they want the audience’s attention; and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

The problem is that many of them don’t have the resources to do what you’re doing.

When you create 10x content or find something that’s worth curating to provide value to your audience, your competitor grabs that same resource and shares it.

Then, they take your blog topics and spin them, maybe adding just a little more value to try to make them better than yours.

In my situation, many competitors have simply copied/pasted my articles onto their own blogs!

Why do people do this? It’s probably because they lack in one or more areas:

time
skill
resources
creativity

That’s likely one of the reasons why over 60% of marketers have trouble creating engaging content.

Some of them are playing “follow the leader” rather than generating anything unique for their audiences.

They may not have the skill to understand who their audience really is or the creativity to come up with something original. Perhaps they feel that they don’t have the time to source their own materials, so they ride your coattails.

Here’s how you can shake them off and stop it from happening.

1. Produce the best content

Creating original content is not an easy task, especially packing in a lot of value. A long-form post can take hours to research and write. Some articles may even take days to produce. That’s a significant investment.

To prevent a competitor from spinning your hard work into a “new” piece by sprinkling in some extra value, make your content as comprehensive as possible.

This is the approach that helped Peep Laja build such a tremendous following when he first launched ConversionXL.

Rather than adding to the noise in the industry with shorter posts, he created comprehensive articles of great length around a specific industry gap, loaded with value for the reader.

Every data point, fact, and statement was backed by authoritative research and case studies. Peep’s posts were, and still are, exhaustive in nature.

If you take the same approach, you’ll make it virtually impossible for a competitor to spin your content into something with more value.

And because of the exhaustive nature of the content, they would need to commit considerable time to come up with a different angle—which is almost the same as researching and producing original content.

That’s something you know they’re not willing to do.

Competition aside, the biggest benefit is the value you’re providing to your audience. When you step up the quality of your content, your followers notice.

You will see not only stronger relationships develop with your brand but also a lot more shares and engagement around your content.

2. Don’t just curate. Cooperate

Finding great content to curate is like gold. It’s content you didn’t have to spend time producing, but your audience will still enjoy it and appreciate the information.

That’s why it’s all the more frustrating when your competitor keeps sharing the same things you post.

If you’ve got an influencer from whom you regularly curate content, make a connection with them.

Rather than simply sharing the content they produce, find some way to cooperate with them.

This could include:

Interviews
Guest posts on their site
Co-authoring great content
Working together on infographics or other visual content

If you co-produce something with them or guest-post, you can share that like curated content when it goes live. It’s branded to the influencer, so your audience will pay closer attention.

It looks like curated content but also carries your brand with it.

Do this on a regular basis with influencers and other businesses that share audience interests with you, and you’ll make it next to impossible for a competitor to swipe the content you’re “curating.”

That’s unless they want to share something that talks about your brand. If they’re not paying attention, that just might happen.

3. Diversify your content

If it becomes a recurring problem, remember that it’s relatively easy to take written content and spin it into something else.

The web is full of derivative content, with business owners and marketers echoing each other nonstop.

Diversification in your content can make it a lot harder for this to happen. Creating derivative content from a blog is easy, but it’s not as easy when things have a little more production value.

Put your greatest effort into creating other types of content that are far more difficult to swipe. That would include:

Branded explainer videos, how-tos, and tutorials to educate and entertain your fans
Shorter videos and branded images on Instagram
Detail-packed infographics
Comprehensive slide decks
Interactive content that boosts engagement

Any kind of content that requires more resources and skill to convert into a derivative will stop competitors in their tracks.

Likewise, by diversifying your content, you’ll be distributing it through different channels, which improves your overall reach and visibility with new audience segments.

Conclusion

If you’ve had enough with competitors gaining from your hard work, sweat just a little harder and create something that makes it impossible for them to capitalize on unless they work just as hard.

From that point forward, no measure of spying or chasing will earn them the market share you’ll be conquering as a result of your efforts.

Have you had a competitor attempt to follow your content strategy? How did you handle it?

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Sky to hike broadband, TV and call prices: details revealed

Helen Knapman

sky-logo.jpg

Sky customers will be hit with a range of inflation busting price hikes from 1 March.

Moneywise warned Sky customers that price rises were likely after an advert was spotted stating that price changes were due on 1 March.

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These 4 Low-Cost Screening Options Can Help You Avoid Cervical Cancer

A scary study released earlier this month shows a woman’s chances of dying from cervical cancer is higher than previously thought.

But don’t freak out.

The good news is the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says cervical cancer is preventable.

The study reveals that 4.7 out of 100,000 white women die from cervical cancer (up from 3.2). For African-American women, the rate jumps to 10.1 per 100,000 (up from 5.7).

Why the disparity between races?

Though the study doesn’t offer an explanation, many in the medical community say a lack of access to proper health screenings may be partly to blame.

“I have long known that health disparities exist between and among social groups,” says Dr. Jennifer Caudle. “This is not a new phenomenon and it is not unique to cervical cancer, but it still takes my breath away that racial disparities in health continue to be so robust.”

Cervical Cancer Screening is the Key to Preventing It

There are a few things you can do to lower your chance of getting cervical cancer, according to the American Cancer Society,:

Don’t smoke

Avoid exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV)

Get the HPV vaccine

Use condoms

The Office of Women’s Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommends women ages 21 to 65 should get regular Pap tests (also called Pap smears) to screen for early signs of cervical cancer.

Where to Find Affordable Cervical Cancer Screening

Most insurance plans cover the entire cost of Pap tests.

If yours doesn’t, or you don’t have health insurance at all, here are four affordable ways to get screened for cervical cancer.

1. Medicare

If you qualify for Medicare Part B, you’re eligible for free cervical cancer screening once every 24 months.

Women at high risk for developing cervical cancer or are of childbearing age and have had an abnormal Pap test in the past 36 months are eligible for free screening once every 12 months.

2. Planned Parenthood

Here in Florida, a Pap test at Planned Parenthood will set you back $228.

The good news is most locations offer services on a sliding fee scale, based on your income. Qualification levels and procedure costs vary by state so contact your local Planned Parenthood office for details.

3. Community Health Clinics

Community health clinics across the country provide low- to no-cost women’s health services, including cervical cancer screening.

Use the U.S. Department of Health’s clinic locator to find a location near you.

4. CDC-Funded Cervical Cancer Screening Providers

The CDC underwrites the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to provide screenings to low-income, uninsured and underinsured women across the country.

Find a provider through the CDC’s interactive map.

What My Doctor Told Me About Cervical Cancer

Pap tests are no fun. I mean, could they be more undignified and awkward?

Please, though, don’t put it off.

I apologize in advance to my editors and actually the whole TPH office, but I’m about to talk about my cervix.

I always get annual Pap smears. A couple of years ago, my results came back abnormal and I completely freaked out because I was afraid it meant I had cervical cancer.

My doctor patiently explained to me cervical cancer isn’t something that comes on suddenly and kills you with no warning. It takes years and years to develop.

She told me there are lots of warning signs regular screenings can pick up. Treating those issues right away prevents people from developing cervical cancer down the road.

My doctor also pointed out that in her 20-year practice, the only women she’d treated for advanced cervical cancer were women who didn’t get regular Pap tests.

Fortunately, my follow-up tests came back negative.

In the end, my cervix and I were fine but I never forgot what she said about the importance of regular screening.

Pap tests are a drag, but the alternative is a lot worse. Check your insurance plan or use one of the options above to find out where to get screened for cervical cancer.

Then make that appointment.

Today.

Your turn: How much does a cervical cancer screening cost in your area?

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She promises to only talk about her cervix when it’s really, really important.

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Fifteen Frugal Date Nights

Although my wife and I have been married for almost fourteen years (and we dated for six-plus years before that), we still put effort into keeping romance alive in our life. We box out time to spend together without our kids. We do things that we both enjoy and sometimes we each do things that the other one primarily enjoys.

We call these our “date nights.” Once or twice a week, we’ll pencil off an evening just to do something together, as soon as the kids are in bed. Usually, we’ll try to do it on a day when we can sleep in so that we can stay up late without crashing, giving us a few hours together.

The key here is that we intentionally wall off periods of time to spend just with each other. What we actually do is less important than the fact that we have this time saved just to spend together. That is the key to making a frugal date night work and the key to making it worthwhile. It’s the time spent together that keeps our marriage strong.

Our “date nights” are usually pretty cheap. We’ve come to realize over the years that the fun in a date night comes from being together, not in doing something expensive. While it’s fun to go to an expensive restaurant every once in a while, most of our best date nights are found doing simpler things together.

Many of our “date nights” are date nights at home. This is because of the constraint of having children. Going out means finding a babysitter for the children (most of the time), which adds an additional cost, plus many activities outside of the home bear a cost as well.

Over the last few years, I’ve kept a list of our “date nights.” What follows are the distinctly different dates that we’ve had over that period. Obviously, we’ve repeated many of these, and many others are just slight variations on these ideas.

These “date nights” keep the magic of our marriage alive and strong. It’s not because each idea is amazing and brilliant and infinitely memorable, but because we spend the time together, focusing on each other.

I hope you’ll find some value from trying the ideas on this list.

We pop a bunch of popcorn and watch a movie or binge-watch a Netflix series under a big blanket together. This is our most common “date night,” simply because it’s so convenient after a long day. One of us will put the kids to bed while the other one finds something to watch and pops a bunch of popcorn and flavors it all up a little bit and gets a blanket or two out so that the other can just run down to the family room, hop on the couch, and we’re cuddled up watching a movie together or a series together.

We go for a long walk under the stars. On nights when the kids are sleeping over at the houses of friends (we usually try to stack such events together), we’ll go on a walk together around the neighborhood and out into the country under the moonlight, just talking about our lives and whatever else comes to mind.

We make some kind of special yummy treat together. We’ll bake cookies together, or we’ll bake bread together, or we’ll make scones together for breakfast the next morning. We’ll get the ingredients out, talk together as we’re assembling the item, bake them in the oven, and perhaps split a portion of it when it comes out of the oven. It’s an excuse to talk and to do something with our hands together and, in the end, we’ve produced something tasty to eat.

We pack a lunch, go to a state park, and hike to a secluded spot for a picnic. This is our “default” date when we don’t have our children in tow. We’ll pack a meal in a backpack in the morning, go to a state park within an hour or so of our home, and head out on a trail. Usually, we’ve done a bit of research to find out if there’s a reasonable spot for a picnic at a nice vantage point, with a table or at least a bench or, at the very least, some open area to spread out on a blanket. We’ll leisurely hike the trail, talking about life and enjoying the scenery, then we’ll reach our destination and share that meal together, and then eventually stroll back.

We work on a big art project together. Not too long ago, we spent an evening together talking about life and drawing a giant city map for a game we’re playing with our kids. We alternated between discussing buildings and locations and layouts with discussion of what was going on in our lives. It was one of the best evenings we’ve spent together in a very long time. We’ve had similar evenings where we painted miniatures and drew pictures, too.

We go to a free concert in the park. Occasionally, there’s a free concert in our town or in a neighboring town. If the opportunity presents itself, we’ll pack up an evening picnic and a blanket in our picnic basket and go to the concert. We’ll eat a picnic dinner together on the blanket and watch the sun go down and the stars come out while musicians play their songs.

We play a board game together, usually while splitting a bottle of wine. If we have a bottle of wine in our wine rack, we’ll often pull out a board game or two and play them while slowly sharing that bottle of wine. We’ll make moves on the board, play cards to the table, talk about life, and get a little goofy together.

We curl up under a blanket together, each of us with a good book in hand. We’re both avid readers, so sometimes a date night just consists of getting out a giant blanket, cuddling up on the couch, and reading our respective books. We’ll get all warm and cozy under the blanket and lose ourselves in our books as we’re cuddled together.

We sit on the back porch with some music playing quietly with a bottle of wine between us. This is akin to our board game night, except with soft music and the stars over our heads instead of a game between us on the table. We talk about life and love and everything else and simply enjoy each other’s company.

We work on a home improvement or repair project together. Sometimes, we’ll identify a small home repair task or other task, like repairing a drywall hole or fixing a child’s toy, and we’ll do it together. This involves us figuring out how to do it, then one of us taking the lead and the other acting as an assistant. We’ve replaced faucets, repaired toys, patched drywall, cleaned up marker disasters, and many other things over the years.

We do something active together, like play tennis. We live fairly close to a very nice park with a tennis court, so more than once we’ve gone over there and played several games of fairly low key tennis, batting the ball back and forth and laughing at each other’s miscues. It’s a friendly game that gets our blood pumping; it’s often connected with a walk under the stars.

We tour expensive homes when they’re having an open house. More than once, we’ve dressed up fairly nicely and went on a tour of a house during an open house, just to see what the nice house was like. Often, it was an excuse for us to end up talking about what aspects of home layouts and designs that we liked, because we’ll eventually end up buying or building a different home.

We go geocaching. This is a “date night” that we end up falling back on if the weather is nice and we wind up having our children along, but sometimes we do it by ourselves. We simply go to Geocaching.com, find a list of a few local geocaches, and then go find them and see what’s there. It’s a great way to go on a little journey together to see a familiar area from a new angle or explore somewhere new.

We build a fire in the backyard and roast marshmallows. We have a fire pit in our backyard, so if we happen to have some extra wood to burn, we’ll start a small fire in the fire pit and roast some marshmallows. We both get involved in getting the fire going, and then we’ll get chairs out and sit side by side, watching the fire crackle and keep us warm in the evening when there’s a touch of chill in the air, and we’ll make a marshmallow or two and eat them together.

We build a giant blanket fort. This sounds absolutely ludicrous, but it’s incredibly fun. We just gathered up every blanket in the house and turned two rooms in our house into a gigantic blanket fort. We hid in there with flashlights, fixed up inevitable repairs, and giggled like little children again.

A “date night” isn’t about spending money, it’s about spending time together. A good relationship thrives on togetherness, not money or stuff. Put each other first, and not only will you have a strong connection, you’ll also have strong finances, too.

Good luck!

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Freelance Taxes 101: The Beginner’s Guide to Handling Your Cash

It wasn’t until I was seated across from my accountant, an April tax deadline looming, that I realized being my own boss required a little more paperwork than I anticipated.

Transitioning from a full-time career to freelance writing was an exciting time for me. The idea of leaving behind an office environment to set my own hours and decide my daily direction was a natural next step in my career.

But as thrilling as the move was, I forgot one of the most important considerations for any independent contractor: taxes.

I was the first among my friends and family to enter into the realm of self-employment and admittedly, did little research. I filled out all the necessary tax forms, kept track of my contracts and saved all the invoices, but in the rush of racking up new clients and the excitement of beginning something new, I overlooked a number of ways I could have saved money.

Though I made it through my first year of freelancing without the nightmare of an unexpectedly large self-employment tax, it did bring plenty of headaches and served as a major lesson for my self-employment path going forward.

Whether you’re beginning a freelancing career or preparing for your first self-employed tax season, here’s some of what you need to know about how to file taxes for freelance work.

What’s So Different About Independent Contractor Taxes?

Whether or not you need to file taxes as a self-employed individual is determined on an individual basis, according to Joyce Gardner of Gardner’s Tax & Financial Services, Inc. in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

“Facts and circumstances for each individual would dictate whether they’re making enough to file,” she said. “We would suggest the taxpayer consult an accountant to determine, as situations could arise that would make filing a return beneficial even though it was not required.”

Plus, the type of entity you form will determine what paperwork and tax forms you’ll need to fill out. Gardner suggests discussing this with legal and accounting professionals before you begin self-employment. Knowing what to expect as a self-employed individual with regards to tax season and finances is an important first step in the process.

“Most individuals don’t realize that half of their Social Security and Medicare tax is paid by their employer. When you are self-employed you are paying the entire amount,” Gardner said. “Making estimated tax payments may be required, and there is no longer anyone maintaining a retirement account for you.”

With those expert considerations in mind, here are some of the ways you can better prepare yourself for filing self-employment taxes.

Get Help

Some first-time freelancers might be brave enough to face tax season alone, but I highly recommend finding a certified public accountant. You can easily find local accountants online or ask your fellow freelancers for recommendations. I found mine by asking a photographer I worked with, who was also self-employed.

There’s no downside to seeking professional help either, as any professional resource you use to file your taxes can be counted as a deduction (more on those in a minute). The cost of professional help will vary depending on how long it takes to complete your return.

There’s nothing wrong with using accounting software or filing independent contractor taxes on your own, but an accountant can help newbie freelancers understand the tax process going forward.

I decided to work with an accountant because I had more questions than answers when it came to filing. I chose writing as a career because I’m terrible with math, and thankfully my accountant takes care of all the numbers. He helped me find deductions, set up quarterly payment schedules and ease my worries going into next tax season.

Seek out an expert to help in unfamiliar areas as soon as possible, Gardner recommends. And stay in touch with your accountant throughout the year.

“This allows you to ask pertinent questions as you go along and address issues before they become problems,” she explained.

Stay Organized

As a new freelancer, I didn’t create a designated place for all my paperwork. Contracts, invoices, and any receipts I kept were scattered throughout my car, desk and wallet. So when it came time to gather all my materials and file my taxes, I had a hard time finding everything.

My lack of organization is one of the biggest mistakes any self-employed individual can make, as Gardner says keeping good records is crucial.

We all have our own methods of organization, but here’s what works for me. I have a “freelance” folder on my laptop, and within that folder is a folder for each client, where I keep that client’s contracts, invoices and any relevant receipts. I scan and save any physical invoices in the appropriate folders, and keep the physical copies in a tray on my desk.

To track invoices, I keep a spreadsheet on my computer that lists payouts, when I sent the invoice and how much I billed. Not only does my method keep me organized for tax season, it helps me keep track of the money I have coming in and out from my clients.

For first-time freelancers, I suggest creating a designated folder to hold all of your paperwork, whether it’s digital or physical. If you’re unsure whether something might be important, keep it until you can consult your tax professional.

Know and Track Your Freelance Tax Deductions

Think twice before you toss away any receipt related to your work.

Tax deductions, expenses incurred as a result of your business, are one of the most important parts of self-employment taxes. The IRS details what can be considered a business expense, but it’s important to keep receipts as proof.

The sooner you start tracking these expenses, the more likely you are to see a refund come April. Here are some common freelance tax deductions to consider.

For example, if your self-employment requires driving, you can choose to make a deduction based on either mileage or on vehicle maintenance costs.

In my first year of freelancing, I traveled extensively but wasn’t aware mileage could count as a deduction. I didn’t begin keeping track of mileage until late in my first tax season — which means I missed out on those deductions.

Don’t wait until tax season is closing in to begin tracking your mileage or considering what may count as deductions. Instead, keep a notebook in your car and log your travels. Take the notebook with you everywhere and use it to hold receipts and paperwork during your days away from the office.

If you prefer a digital way of tracking mileage, use your smartphone’s note-taking app and log mileage at the beginning and end of every trip, or look into mileage-tracking apps like MileIQ.

Start an Emergency Fund

Starting an emergency fund is something that even non-freelancers should be doing, but it’s of particular importance in this career path.

Depending on the type of freelance work you do, the number of jobs and clients you have can fluctuate from month to month. Additionally, not all clients pay on time, every time. In my first foray into freelancing, I made the mistake of not accounting for these factors, and some months I didn’t have the necessary funds to pay my basic household bills on time.

Based on my accountant’s advice, I began to take 20% from of each of my freelance checks and set it aside in a savings account, separate from my personal account.

I vowed not to touch those funds unless it was an emergency, and when it came time to pay my quarterly taxes. Each quarter, the fund was enough to pay my tax fee and have a few dollars left over for emergencies.

Separating my emergency funds from my daily funds prevented me from spending that money and helped tide me over during months when I didn’t have as much work. If you need a little extra help, apps like Digit and Mint can help you budget, figure out how much to set aside and keep you on track.

Ready to File Those Independent Contractor Taxes?

Now that you’re a little more aware of how freelance finances work, you’re ready to get down to business.

Whether you seek professional guidance or take on taxes on your own remains up to you, but as you gain more experience in your career you’re sure to find ways of handling your cash that work for you.

Your Turn: Freelancers, what challenges did you run into while filing your taxes? Share your stories in the comments!

Lauren Rearick is a freelance writer living in Western Pennsylvania. She’s written for Reader’s Digest, Travel + Leisure and more. You can find her at laurenrearick.com.

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Positive investment outlook for China predicted at start of Chinese New Year

Gary Adams

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The Chinese New Year is fast approaching (Saturday 28 January), and this time around it’s the year of the Fire Rooster, which last occurred in 1957.

One of five types of rooster, according to the thinking of zodiac signs people born under this animal sign are trustworthy and responsible. Their darker side courts vanity and selfishness, however.

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Norwich & Peterborough Building Society brand to be ditched: what it means for customers

Helen Knapman

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Plans for the Norwich & Peterborough (N&P) Building Society brand to be “withdrawn” from the high street over the next year have been announced by its parent bank Yorkshire Building Society Group (YBS).

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