Are You Super Generous at Work? This Study Says That Might Not Be Good

“Hey, can you do me a favor?”

If you’re a giver or people pleaser, hearing those words may send an involuntary shiver down your spine — you know it’s hard to say no.

It’s even harder to say no to people at work. We all want to be liked and accepted by our co-workers, right?

I give you permission to stop being so nice at work.

It’s easy to fall into the habit of giving everything you’ve got to helping others, only to end up burning out or worse — becoming resentful of everyone around you.

But don’t just take my word for it, the smarties at Harvard Business Review back up the concept with scientific research.

Adam Grant and Reb Rebele studied workers in a variety of fields. They discovered the people who make the best personal and professional contributions in the workplace are those who set good boundaries and make time to work on their own goals, as well.

The researchers point out that workers who constantly drop everything to help their co-workers end up energy-depleted and less able to focus on their own jobs.

It sets up a perfect environment for unhappy, burned-out employees — a scenario that impacts the entire organization.

Basically, it’s counterproductive work behavior.

How Generous are You In the Workplace?

The key to avoiding being unnecessarily accommodating in the workplace is understanding where you fall on what Grant and Rebele call the “generosity spectrum.”

When figuring out how to prevent overextending yourself, it also helps to know where your colleagues are on the spectrum.

1. Selfless Givers

These people freely give their time, but don’t set effective boundaries or limitations on their availability. That means they’re often exhausted to the point of being unable to help others, which stresses them out even further and creates a vicious cycle.

2. Self-Protective Givers

Here’s the sweet spot most of us should strive to reach. These people are generous, but also set boundaries for themselves to prevent burnout.

By effectively managing emotional and physical resources, they sustain their ability to be continually generous.

3. Matchers

Some people show their generosity by trading favors with others. It’s a transactional approach researchers say adds less overall value to generosity because you’re continually keeping score.

On the other hand, this trait can come in handy when you’re dealing with the next type of person.

4. Takers

We all know someone who unflinchingly takes whatever they can get from the people around them. You’ll want to identify these types of co-workers as quickly as possible — they’ll impose on your time and drain your resources in the blink of an eye.

Be Nice — But Not Too Nice

I’ve talked about the cost of being too nice in the workplace and how to identify the generosity traits in yourself and others, but what about putting it into practice?

Am I recommending you show up at work tomorrow and just randomly knock papers off your co-workers’ desks or growl at people in the breakroom?

Of course not (but it does sound fun…)

Here’s what the research boils down to: Understand that when you sacrificially give of yourself, it comes at a cost.

If you can mitigate the cost by setting boundaries and learning your limits, you won’t be as susceptible to burnout or end up resenting your colleagues.

I realize this is easier said than done. I get it, I’m a people pleaser, too.

I genuinely love it when the people around me are happy, so I have a hard time saying no to co-worker requests (Oh, hi co-worker, I don’t mean your requests…).

I suppose it comes from a long history of freelancing, where delighting the client can make the difference between decent meals or ramen for a month.

On the other hand, I know myself well enough to understand if I do say yes to everything everyone wants, I’m a crankypants of the highest order.

When I need to rein in my generosity and helpfulness, I remind myself I’m not simply being selfish. Saying no once in a while benefits everyone, because a relaxed writer is a productive writer.

Beware the Temptation of New Employee Overcompensation

It’s particularly difficult for people with new jobs or those just entering the workforce to dial back on the generosity.

It’s really tempting to agree to everything anyone asks of you in order to make a good impression.

Unfortunately, that approach can backfire.

1. You’re vulnerable to Takers. Remember: Takers are willing to impose on just about anyone, and new employees who may have an extra hard time saying no are particularly vulnerable.
2. You could appear inconsistent. If you’re mainly agreeing to do things to gain the validation and acceptance of your co-workers, be prepared to agree to everything for the rest of your time at the organization. If your agreeability peters out, people will wonder why you’re suddenly so standoffish and unwilling to help out.
3. You may appear disingenuous. Doing things for co-workers is a popular form of social currency, but it’s easy to take it too far and end up looking like you’re simply trying to get people to like you. That won’t get you off to a great start at a new job.

Whether you’ve had the same job for decades, just landed a new one or are a newly minted member of the workforce, take some time to figure out how to manage your generosity. It’s an important part of being a good asset to your company — without sacrificing your sanity.  

Your turn: How do you avoid generosity burnout?

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She swears that time she brought in donuts wasn’t a secret plea for validation.

The post Are You Super Generous at Work? This Study Says That Might Not Be Good appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/2kTLSLd

Your Kids Can Score Free Chipotle Just for Reading. Here’s How

Growing up, I LOVED the reading challenges my school put on.

Back then, for every few hundred pages we read, we would get a glittery bookmark or a packet of stickers. The student who read the most pages by the end of the grading period would get to eat lunch with our teacher. And yes, I was the girl who read the Harry Potter books — meaning I always won.

Kids these days have an incentive that blows stickers and bookmarks out of the water: free Chipotle. Yeah, I’m jealous.

If your kid meets his or her reading goals this school year, you all could be headed to the land of chips and guac for at least one free kids meal.

How Your Child Can Get Free Chipotle

Chipotle has offered a reading program for close to 10 years now. The program was originally available through public libraries during the summer, but the Mexican fast-food chain announced Feb. 8 that it would open its resources up to K-5 schools around the country.

The chain will provide students who reach their reading goals a card good for one free Chipotle kids meal card, which is good for either the cheese quesadilla or build-your-own option. Both come with a drink and kids chips or fruit. Teens can receive a buy one, get one voucher for meeting their goals.

Schools must register their reading challenge programs in order for students to be eligible. Teachers and librarians can visit the program’s website to apply and, if approved, register. If a reading program isn’t in place at the school, no problem — Chipotle can provide its own challenge and reading logs to make sure students get the opportunity to participate. For teen readers to qualify, educators must specify the age group in the application.

Reading is important. Let’s celebrate it with some delicious food!

Your Turn: Does your child’s school have a reading rewards program? Let us know in the Facebook comments!

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder and a senior at The University of Tampa. She knows guac is extra, thanks.

The post Your Kids Can Score Free Chipotle Just for Reading. Here’s How appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/2kxneyY

The Ultimate Guide to Making Money

Do you want more from life — more money, more freedom, more security, and more time for the activities you love?

Of course you do.

No matter where you are in life – or where you hope to be – taking steps to improve your life now can help you achieve your goals faster. And yes, one of those steps should be building wealth. Because, when you have extra income working for you, amazing things can happen.

Like anything else in life, however, the road to wealth is rarely a straight line. You might have to fail a thousand times to learn the secret that most wealthy people already know – that earning more money is your ticket to freedom.

Here’s another secret no one wants to talk about: Most successful people fail a lot. They might try ten different business ideas that are absolutely awful before they find one that helps them grow rich.

The secret to their success? They keep trying and they keep moving forward no matter what anyone says.

My Journey Toward Earning More Money

When I was 19-years-old, I landed my first “cool job” in the mall. Suddenly, I went from being broke to making “real money” for the first time in my life. As a teenager who had never really worked before, I felt I had finally gotten my big break.

After I deposited my 1st paycheck, however, I went completely off the rails. I went straight to the mall to stock up on new clothes and nutritional supplements (protein powder and creatine for my big guns!) without worrying about how much I was spending – or if it made sense at all.

Unfortunately, the feeling that came with achieving adult status was short-lived. Why? Because I found out how bad I was with money just a week later.

I had bounced not one – but two – checks!

Not only was I broke once again, but I had to pay stupid overdraft fees, too. I was irate!

Although I felt like the world’s biggest loser, this was a pivotal point in my life. Once my dad heard of my struggles, he offered sound fatherly advice.

“Try budgeting your money,” he said.

As a 19-year-old, I balked at the idea. In fact, the idea of budgeting made me downright nauseous.

While his advice was solid, I decided to take an alternate approach to improving my finances. Instead of cutting back on things, I wanted to make more money instead.

Here’s the thing:  My dad’s advice was, and still is, awesome. Cutting back on spending isn’t a bad idea for anyone, and it can make a big difference in your finances over the long haul.

However, I always believed (and still do) that finding ways to make more money would make a much larger impact on my life.

It turns out I was right.

Tweet: “Finding ways to cut your spending is practical, but also boring. Learning how to make more money is a lifelong adventure.”

Here’s the truth all the savings gurus in the world refuse to acknowledge: There are only so many ways you can cut your expenses. You can cancel your cable television subscription, quit dining out, and make your own laundry detergent if you want, but your bills can only be hacked so far.

On the flip side, there are literally hundreds of ways to earn more money. And with each new strategy you learn, you can begin working towards building real wealth and achieving financial freedom.

Who is This Guide For?

If you’re tired of struggling, earning more money might be the answer you’re looking for. When you take steps to earn more money on your own, it no longer matters what your boss agrees to pay you – or if you’re able to pick up overtime at work.

By taking the bull by the horns, you’re putting your financial future in your hands. While that might sound scary, it’s one of the most freeing feelings in the world.

Is this guide for you? Here are the top ten signs earning more money might be your next best step:

• You’ve maxed out your earnings at your 9-5 job, but still want more.
• You’re tired of cutting expenses to achieve minimal results.
• You have the time and the drive to earn more money on the side.
• You’re sick of wishing you had more money, but never doing anything about it.
• You’re a hard worker who is willing to try anything.
• You’re not afraid to work hard to get what you want.
• You have a ton of goals to achieve, yet fall short on funds to make them happen.
• You want more out of life than your friends, your parents, and their parents had.
• You’re ready to get started making more money today.
• You won’t give up until you’ve achieved financial success.

Since you’re already reading this guide, chances are good that at least a few of those statements describe your life. But, what are you going to do about it?

Keep reading to learn brand new ways to turn your financial life upside down by earning more. Learn how to make fast money, build an online business, and start earning passive income for life.

Making Quick Money

If you need money now and don’t have time to wait, this guide provides actionable strategies you can implement today. While these strategies won’t necessarily help you grow wealthy, they can help you earn extra side income or help you pay down debt. They can also help you earn money that buys you time while you launch your own business. Want to know more? Keep reading to learn how to make some extra cash right away.

Become an Uber driver. If you want to start earning some cash on the side, driving for Uber is a no-brainer. If you have a newer, clean, and safe automobile and a clean driving record, you can apply to drive for Uber and be on your way within a week. Check out our post for more information on how to become an Uber driver!

Earn free money by opening a new checking account. Believe it or not, but Chase offers a sweet $200 bonus when you open a new Chase Total Checking® account. Sign up for the new account, set it up for direct deposit, and you’re good to go! This is by far the best offer out there, so don’t delay if you want a quick $200 in your bank account.

Take online surveys. Online surveys offer one of the fastest – and easiest – ways to make money quickly. With a website like MySurvey, you can earn $.50 to $1.25 just by answering a handful of questions every day. If you meet certain qualifications, you can earn more than $5 per survey taken from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to check out some other survey sites that offer cash back, gift cards, free products, and more:

• Global Test Market
• Harris Poll Online
• Survey Rewardz
• Vindale Research

Try SwagBucks. Earning money and gift cards through SwagBucks is easy. Simply sign up for an account, then use their handy dashboard to surf the web, watch videos, take surveys, and more. You can also earn cash back on your regular shopping just by clicking through the SwagBucks shopping portal. You can get $5 for signing up HERE.

Sign up for InboxDollars. InboxDollars offers yet another way to earn free cash fast – and from your couch! Just by signing up, you can score a quick $5 bonus. Beyond the bonus, you can earn money by using their search engine when you browse the web, watching videos, printing coupons, and more. If you’re always on the internet and want to earn free money for doing nothing, this is a no-brainer.

Have a yard sale. If you need a quick infusion of cash and have “extra stuff” laying around, having a yard can help you accomplish two goals. Not only will you get rid of your clutter, but you’ll earn extra cash, too. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Sell your used electronics. If you have old laptops, cell phones, iPods, or other electronics, you can make some quick money by selling them right away. If you don’t want to list them on a website like craiglist.org, you can use a website like Gazelle.com instead. With Gazelle, you can get connected with buyers who are actually looking for the used electronics you have.

Sell your plasma. While selling bodily fluids isn’t sexy, it can help you earn extra money pretty fast. The first step to getting started is to figuring out where you can sell plasma in your area. From there, you simply need to show up. Make sure to get there early if you don’t want to spend hours waiting in line. In the end, you can earn $40 – $80 for each plasma donation.

Resell unused gift cards. If you have a bunch of gift cards laying around, there are plenty of ways to offload them for a profit. Websites like CardPool make it easy to sell used gift cards for a profit, and from the comfort of your own home. While you won’t get the full value of your used gift cards, you can get pretty close. And if you weren’t going to use the gift card anyway, this money can truly come in handy.

Resell items on eBay.com or craigslist.org. If you’re fairly savvy on “what’s hot” and what’s not, you can earn some extra cash fairly quickly on eBay. Look around your house for valuable antiques or name brand clothing that fetches top dollar, then list on eBay for a quick return. If you think you’ll be better off selling in your local market, you can also place a free ad for your stuff on craigslist.org. Remember, anything you sell means more quick money in your bank account.

Making Money On The Side

While making money fast can get you out of a jam, the real key to wealth is growing your income steadily over time. While you can earn more money at your regular job, starting a side hustle is a great way to earn extra money and gain control over your life. If hustling is your thing, consider these opportunities for earning money on the side:

Tutor kids in your area of expertise. If you’re especially knowledgeable in a specific subject, you can earn big bucks tutoring kids in your area or online. This is especially true for notably difficult subjects such as math and science. If kids are struggling with subject matter in your area, you can often earn $20+ per hour just by helping them learn. If you have trouble finding kids to tutor in your area, you could always become an online tutor with a website like Tutor.com.

Start a babysitting club. One of the easiest side hustles in existence is babysitting. Why? Because kids are fun and easy to watch most of the time. Plus, you can make big money if you get the right kind of jobs. If you live in a neighborhood with plenty of kids, scoring some babysitting work should be easy. Simply post your intent to find babysitting jobs on craigslist.org – or on your neighborhood Facebook page. You can also set up a profile on a page like Care.com.

Watch dogs using Rover.com. If you love dogs and want to make money taking care of them on your own schedule, Rover.com provides an awesome opportunity. With this website, you can create a profile online then get connected with people who need animal lovers to watch their pets overnight or during the day. Not only can you set your own rates, but you can decide which type – and size – of animals you want to watch. Best of all, you can watch dogs only on days and weeks when you’re available.

Mow lawns. Mowing lawns and doing basic lawn care has been a top side hustle for decades. This is mostly because the work is so easy nearly anyone can do it, but also because so many busy homeowners just don’t have time. If you want to start mowing lawns, raking, or pulling weeds on the side, ask people if they need help online or pass out flyers in your neighborhood. Once you have a few clients, you’ll get more customers through word of mouth and referrals.

Housesit for vacationing families. If you know a lot of people who vacation constantly, offering to become a house-sitter can be lucrative. Depending on the situation, you can earn up to $50 per night just for staying in someone’s home. If you don’t know anyone who needs a housesitter personally, you can always set up a profile on a website like TrustedHousesitters.com. Once you do, families searching for a housesitter will be able to find you and interview you for jobs.

Start a handyman business. If you’re especially handy, starting a handyman business is a great way to earn money on the side. As a handyman, you can easily earn $40+ per hour just by performing basic household maintenance or fixing common household problems. Some days, you might repair or replace roof shingles. Other days, you’ll clean out dryer vents, hang new lighting fixtures, or fix a leaky sink. If you know how to perform these tasks, you might as well start getting paid!

Pick up a part-time job. While a part-time job might not be glamorous, it can help you earn extra money on the side. Depending on where you work, you could easily boost your income by a few hundred bucks per week. And if you’re willing to work in the service industry (think: bartending or waitressing), you could make even more. Remember, part-time jobs don’t have to be forever! However, they can make a big difference in your bottom line and help you achieve your financial goals.

Become a part-time photographer. If you have a knack for photography, it’s not hard to market your services and start earning cash on the side. Families everywhere love to hire affordable photographers to take family, birthday, and anniversary photos. Try marketing your skills online by setting up a simple Facebook page for your photography business. Once you get a few clients and some sample photos to share, you’ll be on your way.

Also remember that you don’t have to pick up photography work from clients. Photography websites such as Shutterstock and iStockphoto make it easy to market and sell your photos online. You may get a percentage of profits each time your photo is downloaded or a flat fee to sell your picture upfront. Either way, this is a great way to market your photos and earn real cash on the side.

Wrap your car for cash. If you have no qualms about advertising a specific service or company while you drive around, you could wrap your car and earn money in return. If you drive enough and meet a specific set of requirements, FreeCarMedia.com will pay you up to $400 per month to advertise for different companies on your own automobile.

Paint houses. Nobody likes painting the interior or exterior of their home, yet we all need painting done every few years. If you have some painting skills, this creates the perfect opportunity for you to earn big money painting on the side. Most of the time, you can pick up painting jobs through word of mouth or by marketing your services online. You can usually earn $20+ per hour or more for most jobs.

Clean other people’s houses. Cleaning houses is a great side hustle because you can do it on your own schedule and earn $25+ per hour for each job. To find cleaning jobs, start by asking around for referrals. You can even offer to clean someone’s house for free or for a discount to get your first “client review.”

Making Money Online

While there are plenty of ways to make money in your community, the internet is a treasure trove of side hustle opportunities. With an internet connection and laptop, you can start your first online business. Cha-ching! Check out some of the best ways to earn money online.

Start a blog. The first online side hustle I’m going to mention is obvious. Just like I did many years ago, you can start a blog. While growing a blog might seem complicated, it’s actually easy – and cheap – to get the ball rolling. For less than $100 per year, you can start a blog that creates real passive income over time. While it helps to have writing skills and a niche you’re passionate about, you can start a blog about almost anything!

No matter what, you must remember that there are tons of ways to make money with your own website. Not only can you seek our sponsorship opportunities, but you can make money through ad revenue, affiliate marketing, and more. You can also use your blog to market other services or side hustles you have, including freelance writing, website design, or virtual assisting.

Pick up freelance writing. If you have good or great writing skills and a passion for writing essays or interesting stories, you could easily parlay those skills into a lucrative online writing career. It’s not hard to get started (especially if you have a blog), and the opportunities are limitless. If you think about it, every business has a blog these days, and even those that don’t need to hire writers to create the content for their online business pages. Want to know more? Read how one online freelancer makes more than $200,000 per year creating online content in this post.

Market your online skills on Fiverr. If you have any web-based skills at all, you can pick up some side jobs on websites like Fiverr.com and Upwork.com. After you create an online profile, you can pick up work creating web pages, designing flyers, or creating one-of-a-kind logos for personal blogs or businesses. The sky is the limit and your income will vary depending on your level of skill.

Become a virtual assistant. Believe it or not, nearly all online entrepreneurs hire virtual assistants to handle at least part of their tasks. While some virtual assistants work mostly on crafting and replying to emails, others design spreadsheets, create slideshows, or help their clients with various online tasks. If you have experience with WordPress or making Pinterest images, your skills could be in especially high demand. Amazingly, some virtual assistants earn as much as $25 per hour from the comfort of their own homes!

Write an ebook. If you love writing and want to become an author, it’s possible to write an ebook and sell it online. You can either sell your book on your own website or market it online through websites like Amazon.com. If you’re unsure how to get started, websites like CreateSpace.com make the book publishing process easy. All you need is an idea and an internet connection to get started.

Create and sell your own products. If you have an idea for a product and know how to leverage your online presence to create sales, it’s possible to make money selling your products online. If you’re curious what type of products you should sell, it helps to start by thinking through what you’re most passionate about. If you’re crafty, you could create any number of products and sell them online through a website like Etsy.com, for example.. Like most other online side hustles, the sky is the limit with this one!

Last year, I interviewed Steve Chou from MyWifeQuitHerJob.com. In our podcast interview, Steve explained how his wife created her own products to sell online. Years later, she quit her job and started earning six figures from home! That’s pretty amazing when you think about it, and it just goes to show just how much opportunity is out there.

Create and sell your own course. If you have a specific skill that other people are always asking about, it might be time for you to create your own online course. Course topics can vary, but they currently include everything from digital scrapbooking to writing and more. Even I created an online course for financial advisors last year, then managed to bring in six figures in income the first year!

Make Money for the Long Run

While making money in the short-term can change your life, making money for the long run is even better. Why? Because the more money you can earn passively, the more wealth you can grow over time. And if you really put the work into earning long-term income, who knows what could happen? Maybe you could quit your job to pursue your passion, or just retire early and quit working altogether.

Either way, the best way to get started is to experiment with one of these long-term income strategies:

Invest in Lending Club. When you think of Lending Club, the borrowing aspect of their business model probably comes to mind. However, it’s possible to use Lending Club for the exact opposite reason – making money! With Lending Club, you can invest your own cash across hundreds of loans and earn anywhere from 4 – 15% return each year.

While it’s possible to lose money with this peer-to-peer lending platform when people default, they make it easy to reduce your risk by spreading your investment out over hundreds – or even thousands – of loans. With a $2,500 investment, for example, you can spread your risk out over 100 loans. If you want to earn money over the long run, investing in peer-to-peer lending can be a smart move!

Get started with index funds. If your goal is making money over the long haul, index funds provide one of the greatest opportunities in existence. With index funds, you can gain broad market exposure and avoid “putting all your eggs in one basket.” Better yet, index funds come with historically low fees that let you keep more of your investing dollars in your own pocket.

You can lose money with index funds, which is why it’s important to consider this strategy for the long-term. Over time, index funds have proven to be lucrative investments that pay off in a big way.

While you can invest in index funds nearly anywhere on the web, I always recommend using Scottrade due to their low fees and friendly online interface. If you’re not familiar with then, check out more details in our Scottrade review.

Grow your wealth with a robo-advisor. While investing in your work-sponsored 401(k) plan is always a good idea, many people choose to invest in taxable accounts as well. Either way, you can gain an edge and possibly score greater returns over time if you hire a financial advisor – or even a robo-advisor.

With a robo-advisor like Betterment, you can aggregate all of your accounts in one place, get tailored advice on increasing returns and improving tax efficiency, and get access to special tools that can help you build more wealth over time. If you want to learn more, make sure to check out my Betterment investing review.

Open a Roth IRA. If you’re just getting started down the path of building long-term wealth, it’s important to start with retirement. With your work-sponsored 401(k) account, you can grow tax-deferred wealth until you’re ready to retire and potentially score a sweet employer match (free money) all along.

In addition to your retirement accounts through work or self-employment, you may also be able to open a traditional or Roth IRA if you meet specific income retirements. However, Roth IRAs are one of the best retirement accounts out there in my opinion. Why? Because the money you deposit now will be tax-free by the time you retire – and it grows tax-free all along! If you’re worried about your tax load in retirement or simply want to stash away more money while you can, the Roth IRA is the way to go. Read my post on the best places to open a Roth IRA before you get started.

Invest in real estate. Many years ago, I had the bright idea to invest in real estate with my father-in-law. We found an old duplex that we liked, started hatching a plan to become landlords, then looked for financing that would help the deal go through. Unfortunately, we quickly found that a) we didn’t know what we were doing, b) we were overpaying for the property, and c) this was a bad idea. Fortunately, the deal fell through and we got our initial investment back.

While I may not be made out to be a landlord, lots of people earn real passive income by buying investment properties and renting them out for the long haul. While becoming a landlord can be lucrative, I take a different approach to real estate investing these days. Instead of buying properties, I buy notes that list real estate as the underlying investment. That way, I’m investing in real estate but don’t have the hands-on responsibilities of a traditional landlord.

If you love real estate but don’t have what it takes to become a landlord, you could always consider a platform like Fundrise. With Fundrise, you invest your money in real estate notes but leave the heavy lifting to someone else. Believe it or not, Fundrise investments scored an average return of 13% last year!

Make sure to check out my Fundrise review for more details on how the process works, and who it’s good for.

Create a niche website. While starting your own blog is all the rage these days, a lot of people choose to take a less personal approach to website building. With a niche website, you can earn passive income through brand sponsorships, advertisements, and affiliate marketing, but without making it about you or your life.

Most people who build niche websites build them around specific areas of interest where they are especially knowledgeable. That could mean creating a website around a specific sport, your favorite product, or a diet program you’re especially passionate about.

To make your niche website work, it’s important to learn SEO, or search engine optimization. If you get all your ducks in a row, a niche website is an awesome way to earn sweet passive income over time.

To Make More Money, Change Your Mindset

Do you hear yourself complaining you don’t have enough time, resources, or connections to make more money?

If you approach every situation focusing on the things you don’t have – the scarcity mindset – instead of what you have –the abundance mindset -, then your situation will never improve.

By shifting to the abundance mindset you’ll focus on the possibilities of making more money and begin working towards those goals.  And most importantly, you’ll take action.

No matter where you are in life, it’s possible to make extra cash that can help you pay off debt, build wealth, and pursue your dreams. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, and don’t let anything stand in the way of what you truly want.

If you want to make more money, you have to get out there and take it. No matter what, nobody can – or will – do it for you.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Making Money appeared first on Good Financial Cents.

Source Good Financial Cents http://ift.tt/2lvA0N2

2 Numbers You Absolutely Need to Know If You’re Buying a Car From a Dealer

In case you missed it, we bought a record number of cars last year — more than 17 million, to be exact.

Low gas prices, increasing employment and low interest rates all contributed to the spike, according to the Los Angeles Times.

How many of those people got a good deal? We can’t say for sure.

But if you’re planning to jump on the bandwagon (or perhaps a station wagon?), you should know two little numbers that’ll help you get the best price from a dealer.

Car Buying Tips: 2 Numbers You Need to Know

In the past, we’ve recommended buying used.

Used and compact, to be exact.

But if you’re more apt to hitting a dealership, that’s fine, too — as long as you walk in with these two numbers to help make your big purchase less painful.

1. Know your credit score.

Apparently 50.9% of people don’t know their credit score before buying a car, according to Instamotor. I’d definitely be included in that percentage.

You ask: Why is knowing your credit score important when buying a car?

Instamotor describes the three-digit number as an “indicator of delinquency and risk.” If you have a good, solid credit score, you can use that as a powerful negotiating tool to bring down a car’s price tag, interest rate or monthly payment.

Many dealers use an “auto score” version of the traditional FICO score.

However, our editor and resident car expert Justin Cupler says this won’t be too different than the traditional scoring tools — maybe 25 points more or less.

Take a look at our credit score explainer, and use some of the resources we mention there to get your score for free.

And you don’t have to tell anyone, but, if it’s not too hot, see how this guy raised his score 234 points in seven months.

2. Know what you’re willing to pay.

Be sure to take some time to shop around and know what your dream car is worth.

Nowadays, that doesn’t mean you have to shuffle around to multiple dealerships to compare prices. There are plenty of online tools that’ll estimate the value of a car you’re eyeing.

Here are a few online resources to jumpstart your search:

• Kelley Blue Book: This classic car resource lists a car manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) as well as the fair purchase price. The difference between Kelley Blue Book and other resources is it takes your location into account.

• Carjojo: You can buy your dream car on this site, but the pricing tool is just as powerful since it claims to share with you the guaranteed best price. Folks have left tons of testimonials with mentions of big savings.

• Truecar: This site lists a car’s MSRP and the factory suggested price as well as the market average. You can see what others paid, too, and you have the option to show new and used.

• AARP: Think of your elders when you hear AARP? Well, it also has a car pricing tool that allows you to type in your ZIP code to see what others around you are paying. It’ll show you the estimated loan payments per month, too.

With a fair price in mind, you’ll be able to know if a dealer is fudging you. You’ll know if that “really great $1,000 price drop” is actually really that great.

In the end, be sure to know your worth — your credit score — and stick to your budget — your number. Most importantly, know it’s OK to walk out and keep shopping.

Your Turn: Share your car buying tips!

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

The post 2 Numbers You Absolutely Need to Know If You’re Buying a Car From a Dealer appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/2lsXFwS

Domino’s Newest Gimmick is Perfect for the Pizza-Loving Couple in Your Life

Love is in the air, and for some reason, it smells like pizza.

Domino’s Pizza has launched a wedding registry, because you simply don’t have enough gift options for the eight weddings you got invited to this year.

The near-dozen gift options on the Domino’s registry site have cute names and descriptions, but you’re really just buying electronically delivered gift cards for the happy couple.

My favorite? For $25, you can send the “Post-Honeymoon Adjustment to Real Life: BECAUSE WASHING DISHES IS THE WORST.”

We See What You Did There, Domino’s

“Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so we wanted to give recently engaged couples that are passionate about pizza that chance to register for something they both truly love as much as their partner,” Domino’s spokesperson Jenny Fouracre said in a press release.

Why argue over which spatula to scan at the home-goods store when you could simply register for something you both love? As an added bonus, pizza doesn’t take up space for years like that serving platter Aunt Mildred bought you… unless you keep the boxes to make a pizza fort.

Yes, this gimmick arrived just in time for National Pizza Day, but for superfans who may have fallen in love over a late-night slice, this registry might be the perfect fit.

It’s hard to hate on love. It’s harder to hate on pizza.

Your Turn: Would you ever buy someone a gift from a Domino’s Pizza wedding registry?

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

 

The post Domino’s Newest Gimmick is Perfect for the Pizza-Loving Couple in Your Life appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/2kTxOkL

Cohabitees may find it easier to access deceased partners’ pensions after landmark ruling

Rachel Lacey

deceased-partners-pension.png

A woman has finally won the right to her long-term partner’s pension, after an eight-year legal battle was settled in the Supreme Court this week.

A woman has finally won the right to her long-term partner’s pension, after an eight-year legal battle was settled in the Supreme Court this week.

The victory could have wide reaching implications for members of public sector pension schemes.

read more

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

Half of Moneywise users start a pension aged 19-25

Helen Knapman

Pension_piggy.jpg

Nearly half (49%) of Moneywise.co.uk users started their first pension between the ages of 19 and 25, according to our poll results.

Nearly half (49%) of Moneywise.co.uk users started their first pension between the ages of 19 and 25, according to our poll results.

The next most popular option, receiving 19% of the 1,448 votes, was to start a pension between the ages of 26 and 35.

A reasonable number of people - at 15% - even started their first pension before they turned 18.

read more

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

How This Recent Executive Order Could Affect Your Retirement Savings

You’ve probably heard about the Obama administration’s “fiduciary rule,” a long-term group project with the Department of Labor that was set to go into effect on April 10, 2017.

After years of planning and deliberation, the fiduciary rule was set to increase the level of attention and care paid to retirement accounts, whether those accounts were managed by a financial advisor or a brokerage firm.   

But President Donald Trump feared the fiduciary rule would reduce options for investors, while stifling professionals who already thought they were protecting their customers.  

Trump signed an executive order on Friday, Feb. 3, permitting the Department of Labor to review and revise the rule.  

While a draft of the order delayed the rule’s April 10 effective date, the order’s final text lacked such instruction.

“Now, the rule will still go into effect April 10 even as its ultimate fate remains in limbo,” CNBC’s Yian Mui explains.

The fiduciary rule’s journey is a winding one, but its fate could affect how you make decisions about your retirement savings and investments.

The Fiduciary What?

The rule would have required retirement-planning advisers to act for their client’s benefit at a “fiduciary” level. It may seem obvious, but not everyone who gives investment advice may have their clients’ best interests at heart.

Investment advisers are held to high standards under the Securities and Exchange Commission, which explains their duty in something akin to a scout pledge:

As an investment adviser, you are a “fiduciary” to your advisory clients. This means that you have a fundamental obligation to act in the best interests of your clients and to provide investment advice in your clients’ best interests. You owe your clients a duty of undivided loyalty and utmost good faith. You should not engage in any activity in conflict with the interest of any client, and you should take steps reasonably necessary to fulfill your obligations. You must employ reasonable care to avoid misleading clients and you must provide full and fair disclosure of all material facts to your clients and prospective clients.

That’s super charming, right? On my honor I will try to serve my clients so they do not lose a ton of money. Good rules to follow.

“If you have a financial planner or an adviser who is a registered investment adviser, you are already getting fiduciary-level care because they already are required to adhere to that standard,” the Wall Street Journal explains.

But if you’re managing your retirement accounts through a broker or insurance company, you may be getting advice that only meets a “suitability standard” — it meets your needs based on your investment profile — instead of getting solid advice based on your needs and your best interest.

That means your broker could recommend an investment plan that’s OK, but puts you at greater risk than you’re comfortable with.

Proponents of the rule say fees and payments cost Americans a percentage point per year on their retirement savings — an overall $17 billion per year.

One percentage point may not seem like a lot, but if you have a healthy retirement savings and you’re pressured into moving your funds to a plan that isn’t a great fit for you (but earns your broker big-time), that one percent point can add up fast.

The financial-industry’s pushback on the rule argues the $17-billion statistic is overblown, and the new rule would limit access to advice for people who don’t trade often or who have saved smaller amounts.

If Fiduciary Rule Kicks the Bucket, Your Investments May Still Be Safer

The WSJ reports that brokerages have already spent major money in anticipation of Obama’s fiduciary rule so their business models fit the mandate. Those modified plans limit commission sizes or ditch commission-based retirement accounts altogether.

Even if Trump and the Department of Labor edit — or dump the rule completely — some firms may keep those plans already in place.

Merrill Lynch, for example, has ended its commission-based retirement accounts completely in anticipation of the fiduciary rule, and said even if the rule gets rolled back, it will instead charge a fee “based on a percentage of assets.”

Your Turn: Have you started saving for retirement?

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

The post How This Recent Executive Order Could Affect Your Retirement Savings appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/2k7wkiC

What are Exemptions, Deductions, and Credits?

What are Exemptions, Deductions, and Credits?

Source CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2k7zu64

31 Days to Financial Independence (Day 26): Considering Insurance

“31 Days to Financial Independence” is an ongoing series that appears every Thursday on The Simple Dollar. You might want to start this series from the beginning!

Last time, we finished up our examination of investing and saving for specific goals with a broader look at saving for smaller goals, such as a car or a house down payment. Today, we’re going to move on to look at insurance.

Insurance is a challenging issue. Many people often buy insurance policies, not because they need them, but because they think they’re supposed to or because it’s sold to them by an effective insurance salesman.

Here’s the number one thing to remember about insurance: The only purpose of insurance is to protect something you already have. That should be your sole goal in purchasing any insurance policy. It’s not very good as an investment tool. It’s not a wise use of your money if you’re protecting something you don’t have yet or if you’re protecting something that doesn’t really need protection.

Thus, the absolute first thing you should be asking yourself regarding insurance is what do I stand to financially lose if something really goes wrong in my life? (We’re not talking about emotional losses here.)

Let’s say your spouse died. Would you be able to financially survive without that person, especially over the next few years?

Let’s say you died. Are there people who are dependent on you that would struggle?

What if you got into an accident and totaled your car? Could you afford to get a car back on the road quickly without insurance?

What if you got sick? Could you pay your medical bills with your current health insurance package? (You almost assuredly do have health insurance because of current federal law; the question is what kind of insurance you have.)

What if your house burned down? What if your apartment was robbed? How do you handle these disastrous situations?

Some people might be in situations where they have little to protect. If someone robbed their apartment, the only thing worth taking might be an old television. If they totaled their car, it was a rust-bucket anyway.

Others may have enough money in the bank to handle certain emergencies. For example, although we do have policies, my family could probably survive at this point without life insurance policies if either Sarah or I passed away early.

Most of us, though, find ourselves in a situation where we do have things to protect but we don’t have enough other assets to easily handle a major disaster involving those things that we wish to protect. That’s where insurance comes in.

Insurance is basically protection. You pay a certain amount each month so that if one of those disastrous situations occurs, the insurance company will step in and help. It takes a large scale worry about the future and effectively makes it disappear.

To summarize: Don’t buy an insurance policy without a specific purpose, and that purpose should be to protect something you have against a threat you cannot handle. That is the reason for insurance, nothing more.

Also, here are a few quick terms you should know. A premium is the amount you pay regularly to the insurance company to keep the policy. A deductible is the portion of an expense that you might turn into the insurance company that you are responsible for before the insurance company begins to pay out. A beneficiary is the person who receives the benefits of a life insurance policy. Straightforward stuff, but I want to make sure we’re all on the same page!

Here are some specific tips about figuring out what insurance might be right for you.

Exercise #26 – Evaluating Insurance Options

This is not going to be a thorough coverage of every kind of insurance; that would take a book to cover. Instead, I’m simply going to provide an overview of several common types of insurance that cover the most common threats that people face, and start with a few general tips for all types of insurance.

General Tips

First of all, do your own homework. Don’t assume you need a policy because some salesman or some guy on the internet told you that you did. If you’re considering buying a policy of any kind, read up on it. Know what the policy is about and what it covers. Most of all, understand why you are buying it – and just saying that the salesperson told you that you needed it is not enough, nor is simply listing the reasons the salesperson gave you.

Shop around when you’re buying a policy. Don’t just buy whatever policy that the guy you know from church is selling or that you heard about on the radio. Figure out on your own whether you actually need such a policy and, if you do, get quotes from lots of different insurers.

In general, higher deductibles save you money over the long run, but only if you have enough money on hand to cover that deductible. High deductibles are a good money-saving tactic, but they’re only good if you have plenty of money in your emergency fund and you’re not making constant claims on your insurance (if you are, your premiums are going to go up anyway).

You should also make sure that your policy comes from a well-regarded insurance company. Do your homework on the company itself and make sure that it’s highly rated. The best place to check is with your state insurance regulators. Start by looking up your state’s department of insurance website and find the companies you’re considering. See how they compare to each other. You might also want to check out the insurance company comparison tools at insure.com.

Let’s move on to some policy-specific strategies. Some of these overlap with these general tips, but they’re re-emphasized because they apply especially well to that specific insurance type.

Life Insurance

The sole purpose of life insurance is to provide for people left behind after the insured person dies. This usually means spouses who might be relying on the deceased person’s income to keep the bills paid, dependent children, or other dependent individuals.

Given that, if you do not have people dependent on your income, you really don’t have much reason to get a life insurance policy. There are almost always going to be better uses for your money.

Life insurance really only becomes a factor when you’re in a situation where someone is truly dependent upon your continued income, at least in the short term future. In those situations, a policy that can effectively replace your income for a number of years is in order because it will allow those people who depend on you to have a stable life until they are ready to move on into their own personal life choices – i.e., your children grow up or your partner finds a better career or remarries.

The best route here is to seek out a term life insurance policy. It’s the least expensive option and solves the exact problem described above. Determining the benefit size of the policy isn’t an exact science, but ensuring that your children won’t struggle to grow up and that your spouse has at least a year or two to get back on his or her own feet are good benchmarks for figuring out how much to save.

There are many calculators out there for life insurance policies in terms of figuring out how large your policy will be, but they all tend to be authored by insurance companies or are based on insurance company models, so they end up recommending a larger benefit than is really necessary. Why? Life insurance companies don’t sell policies unless they believe that, on average, they’re going to make money, so if they’re selling you a policy, they want it to be a big one, because that will raise the premiums you pay each month.

What about things like whole life insurance or universal insurance? They’re generally not worth it. They’re far more expensive than term policies and the other financial benefits generally don’t have any significant value for many, many years. The truth is that when you’re older and have reached retirement age, the only insurance you’ll probably want is enough to cover your funeral expenses so you’re not a burden to your family, and if you’re wealthy, you may not even want that, so such a lifelong policy isn’t useful.

What about life insurance for children? Again, ask yourself what happens to your finances if that child passes on. Would you be able to pay for funeral expenses easily? If yes, then there’s little need for insurance.

A final note: don’t make life insurance choices for your kids. Many parents want to buy a whole life policy for their kids when they’re very young. The reality is that many children don’t end up taking over that policy at all and it just goes away when the parents stop paying it at some point. Let your child make their own life insurance decisions, especially since (in general) you won’t be financially affected by their passing. Consider only a term policy if you think you might be expected to pay for funeral expenses and couldn’t afford them, and keep it small.

Health Insurance

This is a subject that’s changing rapidly, so it’s hard to give specific advice on health insurance. Right now, there is a federal mandate that you have some form of health insurance. Will that still be true in a year? Maybe, maybe not. Right now, there is a state marketplace in which you can buy health insurance. Will that still be true in a year? Maybe, maybe not.

I will say this, however: You’ll save a ton of money on health insurance if you build up some personal savings and hold onto it. Think of that money as an extended emergency fund.

Why will that save you money? It’s simple – if you have a healthy amount of cash in the bank, you can get away with a policy with a higher deductible, which means a lower premium that you have to pay.

My fundamental advice when it comes to health insurance (and this will be repeated with other kinds of insurance) is to spend less than you earn, get rid of debts, and then start saving it. As you build up savings, you’ll be able to make choices like raising your deductible on many types of insurance that you hold, which will lower your monthly premiums, which makes the gap between your spending and saving even bigger.

If you’re struggling to come up with enough money to cover the deductible on a health care expense, that’s a sign you need to take a serious examination of your financial state and career path.

Homeowners Insurance

The biggest trick with homeowners insurance is that the default policy does not cover everything that you might think that it will. In many areas, you need special insurance to cover things like earthquakes, floods, tornadoes (in some areas), hurricanes (in some areas), war, nuclear hazards, and other things. You’ll want to know all of the exclusions on your policy and assess for yourself whether those exclusions make sense for you and, if not, add extra insurance to cover those exclusions.

Many people think they’re covered in the event of a major disaster, only to find out that they aren’t covered like they think they are. Don’t get caught in that trap. Be proactive and contact your insurance company and find out what their list of exclusions are on your policy and what you need to do to be covered.

Another thing to know is the difference between “actual cash value” and “replacement cost.” This refers to how much your homeowners insurance will pay you for your belongings in the event of a disaster. “Actual cash value” refers to the value of all of your stuff after depreciation. Remember, when you buy things and use them, they go down in value; “actual cash value” pays what you would get for them if you tried to sell them used. “Replacement cost,” on the other hand, is what it would cost to replace that item with a new version of the item.

Think of it in terms of your refrigerator. If you were to sell it in a yard sale or on Craigslist, you’d probably get only a fraction of what you paid for it – that fraction is the “actual cash value.” On the other hand, the price if you bought a new one is the “replacement cost.”

Unsurprisingly, “replacement cost” is going to cost you more in the policy than “actual cash value.” As noted above, the one you should choose depends a lot on your own personal savings. If you have enough money to replace a lot of the things in your home, then “actual cash value” is fine; without adequate savings, “replacement cost” is what you’re looking for.

Another thing worth noting: Most homeowners insurance policies have lower premiums if you take basic actions to improve the security and safety of your home. Taking steps like installing fire alarms and home security devices typically pay for themselves over the course of a few years due to the reductions in premiums. Talk to your insurance provider about steps you can take to reduce your premiums and then decide whether they’re cost-effective for you. Chances are that if you intend to live in the house for more than a year or two, they’ll be cost-effective.

Renters Insurance

Renters insurance is a policy that is often recommended for people who are renting their property. It simply covers the possessions inside of the rented property.

As with homeowners insurance, there tends to be a lot of variation in terms of what the policy covers, with more robust coverage costing more. For example, many policies require extra coverage to protect you against water backup that might damage your property. Some may require extra coverage to cover you in case of liability against the property you’re living in (say, for example, you do something unintentionally to damage the apartment or the apartment building).

With renters insurance, one thing to consider is whether the possessions in the apartment have enough value to be worth covering. In my first apartment, virtually everything in there was bought secondhand and was pretty beat up. In all honesty, I would have actually been happy if someone had taken that awful couch out of there, and the TV, too. If you have very little value, your insurance should either cost pennies or isn’t worth it at all.

The one element to consider is liability insurance, even if you don’t have many possessions. Read your lease carefully and see how it assigns liability in the case of accidental damage. If it’s unclear, ask the landlord about liability in the event of a fire or some other disaster. Most leases don’t mention such liability or assign it by default to the tenant. Apartment fire liability for the tenant is a very real danger, so if you’re liable, even if you don’t have many possessions, a small liability policy would make sense, as you likely can’t afford the cost of an apartment building fire.

Auto Insurance

As with many other types of insurance, there are often state laws which require minimal levels of auto insurance if you own a car. Usually, just liability insurance is required – it pays for the damage to other vehicles and property if you’re in an accident, but not your own. Comprehensive coverage offers protection for you against damage to your own car as well.

Also, as with other types of insurance, the type of policy you want centers around your situation. If you’re driving an old beater and you can afford to get another beater in the event of an accident, it doesn’t make any sense to carry anything more than liability insurance. On the other hand, if you’re driving a brand new car and can’t easily afford to pay off that car in a jiffy and get a new one, then you need comprehensive coverage (and it won’t be cheap).

Next time, we’re going to start wrapping up the series by looking at a few specific issues. We’ll start by looking at how to handle a crisis when you’re turning things around financially.

Related Articles:

• Best Car Insurance Companies
• The Complete Guide to Life Insurance
• Five Things Your Life Insurance Agent Won’t Tell You

The post 31 Days to Financial Independence (Day 26): Considering Insurance appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/2kLSatT

10 Instagram-Worthy Spring Breaks That You Can Actually Afford

A third have yet to put money into an Isa this year: use your allowance before you lose it

Helen Knapman

Pound_coins.jpg

Nearly a third (28%) of Moneywise.co.uk users have yet to save into an Isa (individual savings account) this tax year, according to our latest poll results.

Nearly a third (28%) of Moneywise.co.uk users have yet to save into an Isa (individual savings account) this tax year, according to our latest poll results.

But with the tax year ending on 5 April, there are only two months left to use this year’s £15,240 Isa allowance.

read more

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

These are the 10 Facebook Groups to Join if You Want to Make or Save Money

We already know you like to make money.

And spend as little of it as possible.

You know you’re not alone, right? The internet is full of people who feel the same way!

We found 10 of the best Facebook groups to help you connect with them.

Check out these groups to find fellow couponers, frugal shoppers, work-from-homers, freelancers and other Penny Hoarders.

1. Target Deals, Clearance and Couponing

Request to join here.

This is a private group “for the love of all things Target.” Members share Target deals, clearance finds and coupons.

You’ll have to request to join, but you should be accepted pretty quickly. They added me within a day.

This group makes a point to be friendly, noting it’s for “cool, friendly, positive peeps only” and “drama free.”

2. We Love Couponing

Request to join here.

Run by the couponing site of the same name, this group focuses on sharing coupons for Publix, Winn-Dixie, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Target, Walgreens, CVS and Walmart.

Follow the group to learn how to coupon, get notifications about deals and connect with other couponers.

3. Freelance to Freedom Project Community

Sign up for your invite here.

This is a private group for members of the Freelance to Freedom Project, which is free to join via email.

As a member, you’ll have access to freelancing tools and guides to help you grow your personal and professional brand.

In the Facebook group, you’ll join more than 5,500 other freelancers to share resources, ask questions and get answers about making money as a freelancer.

4. Freelance Graphic Design Jobs

Join here.

This open group is for graphic designers. You can ask questions, network with fellow graphic designers and find clients.

Businesses or individuals seeking graphic designers also post information in the group, so you can get in touch to find work.

5. Freelance Web Designers/Developers/SEO Experts

Join here.

This group is more than 15,000 strong, with freelancers and clients from around the world. Potential clients post projects they need help with, and you can get in touch to find work.

6. Freelance Writers

Join here.

This group is for freelance writers to share experiences and ask questions. It also helps you find community, which is elusive when you work for yourself.

Potential clients can post projects they need help with, and you can apply to gigs.

7. Work-From-Home Opportunities

Join here.

This massive group of folks who want to ditch the cubicle intends to help you find a community and — as its name suggests — work-from-home opportunities.

You’ll have to sort through some spam from the group’s 150,000 members, but you can also learn from active members. Post a question or browse for job listings.

8. Work-From-Home Moms

Request to join here.

This group is more than 63,000 strong with work-from-home parents. You’ll have to request to join this private group, but it’s quick. They approved me within a day.

Like other work-from-home groups, you’ll have to carefully vet opportunities members share. Test your knowledge and learn how to spot work-from-home scams here.

9. Local Buy, Sell, Trade Groups

If you want to make money selling your clutter — or find used goods on the cheap — search on Facebook for “buy, sell, trade” groups in your area (e.g. “St. Petersburg Buy, Sell and Trade”).

People in your area will post items they want to sell (or give away) in the group, and you can get in touch to claim them.

You can also list your items for sale through Facebook’s built-in Marketplace. Or, of course, go old-school, and list them on Craigslist. Either way, follow these tips to avoid being scammed.

10. The Penny Hoarder Community Group

Join here.

I couldn’t leave out our very own community group! Join our Facebook group and find new ways to put more money in your pocket.

In the group, we discuss anything that can help you make or save more money, including deals, inspirational stories, freebies, work-from-home jobs and more.

Plus, you’ll be able to connect with other Penny Hoarders to swap stories and share encouragement on your financial journeys. You’ll also be able to interface directly with TPH staffers.

Your Turn: What are your favorite Facebook groups?

With research from Jacquelyn Pica, an editorial intern at The Penny Hoarder.

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

The post These are the 10 Facebook Groups to Join if You Want to Make or Save Money appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.

source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/2k6mpyF

Five Things to Take Off Your Resume in 2017

If you’ve been out of school for a while, your resume has probably evolved along with your career. That’s as it should be, but while you’re adding experience and tweaking your resume to reflect your latest career focus, don’t forget to step back and look at your CV like a hiring manager.

What you see might surprise you. It’s easy to just keep tacking on new job titles, and hard to recognize when you’re creating a resume monster. Without some perspective, your job application materials might be telling prospective employers exactly the wrong story about you and your abilities.

Resume writing is as much about what you don’t include as what you do. To bring yours up to date, grab your red pen (or wireless mouse) and delete the following:

The Objective

Nothing says, “I began my career during the previous century” like an objective statement. (And I say this as someone who was alive and fully employed during the Y2K panic.)

There was nothing really wrong with objective statements – they told hiring managers what you could do and what you were looking for. But they’re out of vogue now, and they’ll make your resume seem dated. Plus, our attention spans are only getting shorter. To grab the reader’s attention, start your resume off with a branding statement. This brief description should tell employers what you bring to the role that others don’t.

‘References Available Upon Request’

Every employer knows that you’ll provide references when asked, so there’s no need to say so. Also, real estate is at a premium on a resume. While career experts disagree on whether one-page-only resumes are still a must, it’s a pretty safe rule. If nothing else, one-pagers are easier to hand out at networking events.

Jobs That Are More Than 10 Years Old

It’s illegal to discriminate against workers based on age (once you’re 40), but employers do it anyway, and often through sneaky means. Don’t assist them by including jobs that are more than 10 years old, unless you’re high up on the corporate ladder. Chances are, many of your older jobs are less-than-relevant by now anyway, especially if you’re in a fast-changing industry.

Anything Unrelated to the Job You’re Pursuing

Your resume isn’t your biography; it’s not cheating to pick and choose which jobs and projects to include. Ideally, you should tweak your CV for each job application, gearing it specifically toward the role and emphasizing the keywords that are most applicable. If you must use a template, develop a separate one for each type of job opening, and edit accordingly before you submit it online or pass it to a hiring manager.

Your Home Address

This one isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s also no longer really necessary. The most important thing about you, as far as the employer is concerned, isn’t where you live in the real world but where you live online. Replace your home address with a URL for your online portfolio or professional social media accounts.

Just make sure that whatever you share reflects the best possible version of you. In fact, it’s safe to assume that any hiring manager worth their salary will Google you and find all of your various social networks – so clean them up accordingly beforehand.

Need another reason not to include your home address? Your commute might disqualify you.

“When you put your address on your resume, believe me, they do the math,” writes Donna Svei of Avid Careerist. “If your commute would be longer than what’s known to be tolerable long-term, your resume often finds its way into the ‘maybe’ or ‘no’ pile.”

Maybe you’re willing to travel an hour and a half during rush hour for the perfect gig, but they don’t know that. Don’t give them an excuse to overlook your application.

Related Articles:

• Job Keywords: Should Your Resume Be Four Pages Long?
• How to Bridge a Resume Gap
• 31 Days to Financial Independence, Day 20: Finding a Better Job

The post Five Things to Take Off Your Resume in 2017 appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Source The Simple Dollar http://ift.tt/2kuZmvS