Declaring "the start of a new era" in energy production, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that he said would revive the coal industry and create jobs.The order makes good on Trump's campaign pledge to unravel former President Barack Obama's efforts to halt global warming. It seeks to suspend or flag for review more than a half-dozen measures from the Clean Power Plan in an effort to boost domestic energy production in the form of fossil fuels.The [...]
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الأربعاء، 29 مارس 2017
LuLaRoe’s Leggings, Practices Allegedly Suck, and Now it’s Being Sued
If you are not a LuLaRoe fashion retailer and you believe what you read on the company’s website, you are living in a dystopian version of your life.
You work too much, you barely have enough money to get by, you don’t see your family enough, and you have long forgotten what it’s like to have spare time to spend relaxing.
There’s a good chance your life is “out of sync with (your) values or dreams,” as LuLaRoe puts it.
Thankfully, the company has another option for you:
“Becoming a LuLaRoe Fashion Retailer can provide you opportunity to have the means, the time, and the flexibility to pursue your passions and to more fully enjoy the company of those you love,” the company says in a section of the website dedicated to encouraging new members to join and sell its products. “It can be the way by which you overcome a setback or finally get beyond ‘just making ends meet.’”
The website doesn’t stop there.
“It can restore or improve confidence in both your appearance and your abilities and it will provide immense satisfaction as you help others to find such confidence in themselves,” the company goes on to say.
With promises like that, it’s no wonder more than 80,000 people have signed up to sell LuLaRoe’s products and 150-200 more people sign up every day.
But according to a class-action lawsuit filed last week, LuLaRoe is selling a dream that has turned into a nightmare for its customers.
So Why is LuLaRoe Being Sued?
Two LuLaRoe customers, Julie Dean of Boston and Suzanne Jones of Lafayette, California, filed the class-action lawsuit. Both women purchased several pairs of leggings from LuLaRoe fashion retailers. They say the products were defective, and returning or exchanging them was impossible.
And they aren’t the only ones who have had problems. There is an 18,000-member-strong private Facebook group for people who have purchased ripped or otherwise defective LuLaRoe leggings or other clothing.
“Specifically, customers have complained that the leggings are of such poor quality that holes, tears, and rips appear before wearing, during the first use or shortly thereafter,” the lawsuit said. “The leggings have also been described as tearing as easily as ‘wet toilet paper.’ Other problems with the products include leggings that have one leg that is substantially larger (or smaller) than the other, and leggings that are supposed to be for adults but instead would only fit a child.”
The lawsuit also says that this problem is likely making it much more difficult for most fashion retailers — who paid between $5,000 and $9,000 for the “onboarding package” needed to start selling LuLaRoe’s products — to ever make their money back.
Anyone who lives in the U.S. and bought LuLaRoe brand leggings after March 31, 2016 for normal use qualifies to be a member of the lawsuit. There are no details on how much in damages the plaintiffs are suing for, but we’ll update you once this information is available.
LuLaRoe Has Allegedly Known About its Issues and Ignored Them
Dean and Jones go on to say the company is well aware of the issues with its leggings, which sell for $25, citing news reports that quote an email Patrick Winget, head of production for LuLaRoe, sent in January.
Business Insider obtained the email in which Winget said: “The leggings may get holes, because we weaken the fibers to make them buttery soft… We have done all we can to fix them.”
According to Jones and Dean, that is proof the billion-dollar company chose to “sacrifice the quality of their products in order to meet the growing demand at the expense of customers.”
When customers complained to the company, its representatives reportedly told them to file returns with the fashion retailers who sold them the items. From there, the company allegedly dodged the retailers, and refused to answer phone calls and emails about returns and exchanges.
The Better Business Bureau gives LuLaRoe an “F.”
But it Can’t be All Bad, Can it?
Despite their complaints, Dean and Jones would like to purchase more products from the company in the future, the lawsuit states. — although they likely won’t, because there is no way to inspect the products before purchasing them.
And although LuLaRoe earned a failing grade, 56% of the company’s BBB reviews are positive.
In a review written the same day the lawsuit was filed, a person identified only as “William” had nothing but great things to say about the company.
“I have been a consultant for 6 months and a customer for much longer,” the reviewer wrote. “I think this is an amazing business with a truly wonderful culture. I am disheartened that BBB can give an F rating to a company that is doing so much good in the community and this country.”
The reviewer went on to congratulate the company on its fast growth and called issues with quality “growing pains.”
Another happy customer identified as “Jill K.” said she purchased three dresses, five tops, three pairs of leggings and three skirts from multiple retailers and received great-quality clothing.
With the lawsuit filed, Dean and Jones have requested a jury trial. It’s too soon to tell if that will happen, or if the LuLaRoe will settle the case in another way.
Your Turn: Do you own any LuLaRoe leggings? Do you love them or hate them?
Desiree Stennett is a staff writer at the Penny Hoarder. She doesn’t own any LuLaRoe leggings.
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CLOSING BELL: US stock indexes close mostly higher; oil up
U.S. stock indexes closed mostly higher Wednesday after a sharp increase in crude oil prices helped drive market-leading gains for energy companies. Banks and other financial stocks declined the most as bond yields headed lower, which translates into lower interest rates on loans and lower profits for banks. The Dow Jones industrial average ended in the red, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index and Nasdaq composite eked out modest gains. Two stocks [...]
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This Study Found Parents-to-Be Wildly Underestimate How Much Babies Cost
Are you a pro at budgeting, or does your guesstimate of upcoming expenses tend to be way off the mark?
If you struggle with accurately projecting your future spending, you’re not alone.
Turns out the majority of parents-to-be are significantly underestimating the oh-so-many expenses that come up in a baby’s first year of life, according to a recent study by NerdWallet.
A little over half (54%) of people surveyed — who were either pregnant or planning to have a baby in the next three years — believed first-year costs would total $5,000 or less.
In reality, a family with a $40,000 household income is likely to end up spending $21,248 before their child’s first birthday, according to NerdWallet’s analysis.
That’s not including life insurance costs or putting money aside for college savings.
A family with a $200,000 household income could end up spending about $51,985 during their baby’s first year.
That’s a vast discrepancy from the 18% surveyed who thought they’d be able to finance their baby’s first year with only $1,000 or less!
Missing the Mark
Perhaps the reason why so many expectant parents are in denial about the expense of babies is that they are misguided when it comes to the biggest budget items.
Half the parents-to-be surveyed thought diapers and wipes would be one of the top expenses when diapering items took up a more nominal chunk of the budget — only about $743.
Full-time child care ranked as the highest expense — about $8,059 — though only 37% of expecting parents believed it was one of the biggest costs for year one.
Poor Planning
Saving in advance of a child’s birth is another area where future parents are lacking, the study found.
Only 10% of parents surveyed saved $10,000 or more in preparation of their new addition. Almost a third (29%) did not save anything ahead of time.
Perhaps in hopes of offsetting the lack of savings, 61% of expecting parents thought their friends and family would help cover more than 20% of first-year costs.
A quarter of those surveyed had higher hopes, believing their loved ones would help them foot more than half of the bill.
If They Could Go Back In Time…
NerdWallet also posed questions to parents about what they wish they would have done differently when it came to how they handled money in their child’s first year of life.
Fifty-seven percent had financial regrets. About a third (33%) said they wished they saved more towards a college fund, while nearly a quarter (24%) said they regret not bulking up their emergency fund.
Beyond the Numbers
Now before the big figures and daunting statistics make you want to delay having a baby indefinitely, let me tell you — surviving parenthood is possible.
It helps if you have a company that offers good parental benefits or work in a position with a salary high enough to allow you to pocket savings before the delivery date.
Or you can bring in a little extra income doing these things right from the comfort of your home.
In addition, you can try to cut costs with these 31 ways to save on baby gear.
Bottom line: Think realistically, be smart with your cents and enjoy your time with your little one. I don’t need a study to tell you most parents underestimate how quickly the time passes.
Your Turn: Are you surprised at how expensive a baby can be for just one year?
Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. One of her biggest fears is the cost of daycare.
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Italy May Require Companies to Offer PTO — “Period Time Off”
If you’re one of the millions of people around the world who suffer incapacitating menstrual symptoms, this new policy proposed by the Italian government may get your attention.
The Italian parliament is discussing legislating a requirement that companies must offer three days of paid leave to its female employees every month.
The menstrual leave policy would allow women to stay home when their period symptoms are at their worst — and still get paid.
Menstrual leave is not as radical as it sounds.
Several Asian countries are already on board with the idea and have laws in place dating back decades.
Paid leave policies range from two days per month in Indonesia to three days per year in Taiwan.
Are Menstrual Leave Policies a Good Idea?
At first glance, menstrual leave policies seem like the best idea ever.
But are they?
Many people who struggle with painful periods frequently face a dilemma: stay home and risk lost wages or go to work clutching a bottle of ibuprofen and hope for the best.
It seems like a workplace period policy would make that decision easy, but there are some potential drawbacks.
Fortune’s Claire Zillman says, “asking employers to specifically accommodate women’s most mundane biological attribute — while helpful to those who suffer severe pain — seems overall like a retrograde request, especially considering how far women have come without it.”
Other critics say such laws fundamentally undermine women.
“Whether or not it’s intentional, the very idea of ‘menstrual leave’ signals that women in some way lose control of their ability to combat the pain and hormonal changes accompanying their natural cycle,” says The Blaze’s Tré Goins-Phillips.
Still others say it could lead to organizations hiring fewer women.
Furthermore, enforcing menstrual leave policies can be awkward for everyone involved.
How many of us want to announce to our boss and everyone we work with, “Hey, guess what? I’ll be home today nursing my cramps and indulging my chocolate cravings because I’ve got my period!”
Menstrual leave policies may also make things uncomfortable for transgender employees or workers with atypical reproductive medical issues.
Companies or countries that introduce period policies may mean well but, in the end, might not be as helpful as intended.
Managing Your Period At Work
There are currently no U.S. laws requiring employers to offer menstrual leave to its employees, although Oregon-based Nike, Inc. does provide it “in countries where this benefit is protected under local law.”
It’s unlikely U.S. workers will see this particular benefit required in the workplace anytime soon — if ever.
If you struggle with how to manage your period at work, here are some tips to make things a little easier.
1. Weaponize Your Work Bag
Keep a few supplies with you whether you think you need them anytime soon or not — and don’t forget the ibuprofen.
(Bonus: you’re always ready to bail out a co-worker who gets caught, well, empty-handed.)
2. Exercise Your Flex Time
If your employer allows you to work from home, arrange your schedule to accommodate days when you may need to stay attached to a heating pad or hot water bottle.
3. Take a Sick Day
If you’ve got paid time off, use it. Menstrual symptoms are just as legitimate a reason to stay home as a fever or wrenched back.
You’re no good to your team if you’re not operating at peak capacity so stay home and get well.
4. Enlist Support From Your Squad
If you absolutely must go to work, lean on a couple of trusted colleagues to commiserate with you. Whispering “cramps” to another woman is usually all it takes to elicit a knowing wince and a sympathetic word.
Your Turn: Should organizations offer menstrual leave to workers?
Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She loves learning about creative or interesting work policies and benefits. Look her up on Twitter @lisah if you’ve got something to share.
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7 Creative Strategies These Real People Used to Improve Their Credit Scores
The average credit score in the United States is 673, just shy of what experts consider a “good” score.
And that’s not a very pretty picture.
A lot of people are struggling to pay down debt and rebuild their credit score after years of student loans, credit cards and unpaid bills have destroyed it.
If you’re in the same boat, here are seven smart steps you can start taking right now to raise your credit score faster.
1. Figure Out What You’re Dealing With
Business owner Kenneth Bain raised his credit score 234 points in just seven months.
His first step? Finding out exactly what kind of debt he had.
Which companies do you owe money to? Which (if any) of your debts are in collections? What are your minimum monthly payments on each credit card or loan?
Bain found this information by signing up with Credit Sesame.
The app shows your balance on any unpaid bills, credit cards or loans. It also offers personalized tips to help reduce your debt and raise your credit score.
Through Credit Sesame, Bain found some old bills tainting his credit report, even some that were paid off. He cleared those marks to improve his score.
Once he started tracking his rising credit score and watching his debts dwindle, it started to feel like a game — one with a seriously important goal.
He told us, “I literally checked my credit every day, two to three times a day.”
2. Consolidate Your Debt
It’s not uncommon to get crushed by credit card interest rates north of 20%.
If you’re in that boat, consolidating and refinancing your debt might be worth looking into.
One of our favorite refinancing resources is Even Financial. It can help you borrow up to $35,000 (no collateral needed) to pay off your existing debts and compare interest rates from several lenders.
If you decide to consolidate your credit card debt, be mindful about closing your old accounts. The age of your accounts could affect your credit score, so having only new debt could hurt.
Closing cards also reduces your available credit, which can hurt your score.
As long as your cards don’t charge an annual fee, keep older ones open and active for up to 10 years to strengthen your credit history.
3. Protect Your Identity
What if you work hard to pay down all your debt and you’re totally responsible with your credit going forward…
…Only to take a hit because of identity theft?
We know you don’t want to risk all your hard work.
Identity theft ruined writer Jamie Cattanach’s credit score. She was able to get it back over 700 with a lot of elbow grease, but the experience has made her extra-cautious about her finances.
A free service like TrueIdentity helps you avoid this situation by keeping a watchful eye your finances. It sends alerts by email, phone or text if someone tries to apply for credit in your name.
As Cattanach says, “Before driving face-first into a total credit nightmare with someone else at the wheel, you might as well keep tabs on your stuff — especially if you can do it for free.”
4. Apply for More Credit (No, Seriously)
When she was leaving a bad relationship that ruined her credit, financial advisor Michelle Kuehner told us, “Taking out share secured loans … was the easiest way I knew (to rebuild my credit). Within a year and a half my credit had been repaired.”
When you’re dealing with an already-poor credit score, creating new debt is probably the last thing on your mind.
But it can actually be helpful.
Different factors (payment history, credit age, credit inquiries, and others) are weighted differently into your credit score. Credit usage accounts for a whopping 30%.
If your credit usage is zero, even if you clear the rest of the negative marks from your credit report, it’s still hurting your score.
Opening a credit card, using it regularly for things you’d buy anyway — like groceries or gas — and paying off the full balance each month can raise your credit score without costing you money.
If you can qualify, we recommend signing up for a cash-back rewards card like the Barclaycard CashForward™ World MasterCard®. It gives you 1.5% cash-back on every purchase — basically a discount on everything you buy.
If you can’t qualify for a rewards card, try a secured credit card, similar to the secured loans Kuehner used. You’ll pay a deposit and get a low credit limit, like $200.
Just make sure you shop around. You want a lender that reports to the major credit bureaus and doesn’t come with exorbitant fees.
5. Sell a Bunch of Stuff
If you want to aggressively pay down your debt, start getting creative about how you make extra money.
Got too much junk sitting around at home? Sell it online.
You can make some quick cash and transform your space into something a little more Zen.
Our editor Matt Wiley and his fiancee were inspired by The Minimalist Podcast to take a second look at all the junk they had lying around.
“The podcast raises the question, ‘Does this add value to my life?’” he explains. “If not, why keep it?”
Wiley decided to dig into the massive CD and DVD collection he’d amassed since college. It was collecting dust in a cabinet, so he decided to sell everything on Decluttr.
That way, they could literally add value to his life… to the tune of over $50.
Decluttr pays you for your old CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, video games, gaming consoles and other electronics.
To sell other types of clutter, these are our favorite sites:
- letgo: You can sell almost anything on this app.
- Bookscouter: Use this site to sell your old books.
Depending on what’s sitting in your garage or closets, you could pocket a few hundred dollars selling it off. (If you can sell enough to empty a storage unit, your savings could be in the thousands!)
6. Rent Your Spare Room
If you want a more consistent influx of extra money without a ton of extra work, turn a spare bedroom into a money-maker.
By listing their spare room on Airbnb (among other money-saving efforts), Ryan Deitrich and Kelsey Swagler paid down nearly $50,000 in student loan and credit card debt — and saved enough money to buy a sailboat.
Airbnb lets you connect with visitors who need a place to stay while they travel to your town. It saves them money over a hotel, and it lets you earn money from unused space.
Plus, the app lets you rate and vet users to ensure guests coming into your home are safe. It also handles the payment, so you don’t have to have that conversation with guests.
7. Choose Which Debts to Repay First
Overwhelmed by a laundry list of loans and credit card payments? We know it can be tough to make progress when you’re staring down a mountain of debt — or even a mighty molehill.
You might have heard conflicting advice about the best way to pay it off. That’s because different methods might work better for different people and situations.
The two most common approaches to paying off debt are called the debt snowball and debt avalanche methods.
The debt avalanche method says to pay off your debt with the highest interest rate first. Those are most likely your credit cards. Doing that can save you a ton of money over time.
The debt snowball method says to pay off your debts with the smallest balances first.
You may pay more in interest in the long run, but this method allows you to eliminate debts from your list more quickly. That can also help motivate you to keep working at it and make your laundry list less overwhelming.
Which method you choose is up to you, as long as it works.
Most likely, you’ll have to get creative to invent a plan that’s just right for you. Take this stay-at-home mom, who used a hybrid snowball-avalanche method to pay down $64,000 in credit card debt in just two years.
Your Turn: What steps are you taking to raise your credit score?
Advertiser Disclosure: Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which ThePennyHoarder.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). We do not feature all available credit card offers or all credit card issuers.
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Could This be the End of the Line For Tax-Free Online Shopping?
When you buy handmade jewelry or a used laptop on eBay or Etsy or Amazon Marketplace (not directly from Amazon.com), you typically don’t have to pay sales tax.
However, that might change before long. And it could end up costing you money.
The state of New York is having a big legislative fight over a plan to make online marketplaces collect sales tax on any purchases from buyers in New York. The plan may or may not pass this year.
It if does pass, though, New York is just the tip of the iceberg. New Mexico and Rhode Island are thinking about doing the same thing. If they do it, the idea could quickly spread to all 45 states that charge sales taxes.
“If it’s a success in one state, others will almost certainly take it up,” Max Behlke, director of budget and tax at the National Conference of State Legislatures, told Time magazine.
This is just the latest stage in a long, ongoing battle.
For years, brick-and-mortar merchants have argued that it’s totally unfair that online sellers don’t have to charge sales taxes.
For years, the biggest online seller, Amazon, fought hard against paying those state sales taxes.
But that part of the battle is over. Beginning April 1, Amazon will start collecting sales taxes from all 45 states that charge sales taxes. (The only states that don’t charge sales taxes are Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.)
Now for the next phase of the battle. Online marketplaces like eBay, Etsy and Amazon’s marketplace (where shoppers buy stuff not directly sold by Amazon) generally don’t pay state sales taxes unless the buyer and seller are in the same state.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to change that. He wants to require online marketplaces that process at least $100 million in sales a year from New York buyers to start collecting sales taxes. That would affect eBay, Etsy and Amazon’s marketplace.
Naturally, the online marketplaces hate the idea and are fighting it.
“It sets a dangerous precedent and it’s a slippery slope,” Matthew Mincieli of TechNet, a network of tech CEOs, told the New York Daily News. “If New York does it, New Jersey is going to say, ‘we need to do it.’”
Naturally, New York’s governor and brick-and-mortar merchants love the idea.
Cuomo’s administration calls this a plan to “modernize sales tax collections to reflect the internet economy” and says it could rake in $200 million in revenue over the next two years.
What Does This Mean for You?
Do you shop on eBay, Etsy or Amazon’s marketplace?
If so, you’ve mostly been able to skip paying sales taxes.
If that changes, you’ll see prices go up.
Across the country, state sales taxes range from 3% to 7.25%. In New York, the combination of state and local taxes typically comes to about 8.5%.
Better buy those handmade earrings soon.
Your Turn: Do you buy items on these online marketplaces? Would sales taxes change that?
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He digs eBay.
The post Could This be the End of the Line For Tax-Free Online Shopping? appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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No, ALDI Doesn’t Offer Coupons — Despite What You Read on Facebook
We’re ALDI lovers. The low-priced grocery store doesn’t disappoint when it comes to price or quality. With the help of the German grocer, we made an entire Thanksgiving dinner for only $85 — and it was delicious!
But could you imagine getting your hands on a coupon for $100 off at ALDI? I don’t know if I’ve ever actually exceeded $100 while shopping there!
Apparently, a coupon claiming to offer this massive discount has been going around — but is it too good to be true?
Don’t Fall for This Fake ALDI Coupon
Unfortunately, it is.
On March 24, ALDI USA released a statement on its Facebook page that read, “There’s a fake ALDI coupon making its way around the internet…again.”
WSYR in Syracuse, New York reported that Facebook user Melissa Sheriff saw the $100 off ALDI coupon circulating on her Facebook news feed. After further investigation, she found more posts with $60-$100 off coupons.
In its statement, ALDI explained that it doesn’t offer electronic coupons or gift cards, and they “won’t be accepted at our stores.”
ALDI also encouraged users to help spread the word about the fake coupon by sharing the post. As of today, it has more than 9,300 shares.
For now, it looks like there are no ALDI coupons in the near future. But don’t worry — we’ve uncovered a few ways to make it cheaper to shop there than it already is.
Your Turn: Have you seen this fake ALDI coupon?
Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder. Catch her on Twitter at @keywordkelly.
The post No, ALDI Doesn’t Offer Coupons — Despite What You Read on Facebook appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Calling All Crafters: Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman’s New Show Needs You!
I’m attempting to quell my excitement about this news, but I’ll continue to squeal on the inside.
Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman are teaming up for a new television series.
You probably know the duo from “Parks and Recreation” as Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson, which I know entirely too much about as I’ve been binge-watching “Parks and Recreation” since writing about Galentine’s Day. (I have three episodes left. In the whole series.)
On Tuesday, NBC ordered “The Handmade Project,” an unscripted competition series co-hosted by Poehler and Offerman.
Each episode will feature contestants who make handmade, DIY projects based on different themes. Expert judges, including Poehler and Offerman, will then name a champ.
Are Poehler and Offerman qualified to judge crafters, you ask? Poehler claims to be a crafting novice, so she appreciates anything made by hand.
Offerman is the best-selling author of a book on woodworking (yup, a real-life Ron Swanson) and owns Offerman Woodshop in LA.
“People who make things are my favorite kind of folk,” Offerman said about the new series. “Practical, clever and terrific in a pinch. That makes me tickled pink to have a front row seat at this prodigious display of talent, and admiring and cheering on an amazing crop of American makers.”
If You Craft, Consider Applying to “The Handmade Project”
Do you craft? (Admittedly, I cross stitch as I watch “Parks and Recreation.”)
Right now, the series is actively recruiting crafters. According to the casting call, you can basically specialize in anything:
“You could be a household hacker, a DIY decorator, a quilter, knitter, furniture maker, a scrapbooker, basket weaver, needle pointer, cake decorator, wood worker, metal worker or welder, accessory or jewelry maker, doll maker, textile maker, shibori expert, potter, hand-builder, paper crafter, leather or denim worker, costume maker, an artisan or maker of any type… basically any super creative person who loves making things by hand…”
The casting call doesn’t specify what champions win, but you’ll definitely get free marketing on national television, which is a valuable tool if you own any type of business — including an Etsy shop.
The application is open to anyone. Even minors can apply, provided they do so through a parent or guardian.
Fill out the application online.
Your Turn: What do you like to make?
Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. Landing a spot on the show to meet Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman would be worth it for her.
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Affordability worries hit home buyers
Almost half of consumers (49%) expect house prices to rise over the next 12 months, while just 10% expect them to fall, according to new industry data. And this has led to worries about how they will afford to buy a property.
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28 Business-Boosting Marketing Activities You Can Do in 1 Hour or Less
The entrepreneurial lifestyle is often a hectic one.
Some “treps” easily end up working 50, 60, or even more hours per week.
Don’t get me wrong.
I love almost everything about running my businesses and blogs, but time is definitely at a premium.
And I’m sure many of you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to spend on an extensive, exhaustive marketing campaign.
But you know what?
There are a lot of marketing activities that can get legitimate results that you can do in 1 hour or less.
I came up with 28 specific activities you can do in your downtime but which will still give your business a nice boost.
Here we go.
1. Create an editorial calendar
Almost any great blog begins with a detailed editorial calendar.
This is where you coordinate your content, schedule your posts, set deadlines, list your CTAs, and so on.
In other words, an editorial calendar provides structure to your blogging campaign and keeps things from getting messy.
Honestly, this is the only way I’m able to stay on top of my game (and maintain sanity) with all of my different projects.
I recommend checking out this list of editorial calendar templates from Builtvisible for more.
2. Tweak your editorial calendar
You should also know that an editorial calendar is never static.
A good one is dynamic, ever-changing.
If you haven’t checked your editorial calendar in a while, look it over and make any necessary adjustments.
For instance, you might:
- Check off posts that have been completed
- Add new content to create over the next month
- Look for ways to make it more organized
3. Read three industry blog posts
I really recommend staying on top of industry trends.
This is your ticket to spotting patterns, generating new marketing ideas, and coming up with interesting new content to share with your audience.
That’s why I try to make it a habit to read three high-level industry blog posts whenever I get a chance.
4. Comment on three industry blogs
When you’re done reading, leave a thoughtful comment.
Go for more than just saying, “I love this blog post!”
Instead, shoot for something more detailed and insightful to prove you’ve really sifted through the information and analyzed it.
Here’s a great example of a recent comment I received on Quick Sprout:
I think this comment added even more depth to the conversation, and I can guarantee you any blogger would greatly appreciate such a comment.
I know I do.
5. Research industry trends
The way I see it, crushing it in most businesses is all about striking while the iron is hot.
That’s why I routinely do industry research to see what’s happening and stay on top of recent changes.
A quick Google search on “[your industry] trends” should pop up a wealth of information.
This can shape your business and marketing decisions and will help you stay sharp as an entrepreneur.
6. Brainstorm topics for your blog
As I’ve said before, coming up with new ideas for blog posts can be quite exhausting.
That’s why I like to devote some time to simply brainstorming new ideas so I don’t have to come up with them off the top of my head.
One of the ways I streamline this process is by using Alltop and BuzzSumo.
Here’s Alltop:
And here’s BuzzSumo:
They’re both great for seeing what’s popular and for generating ideas.
Sometimes, I can come up with as many as 50 rock solid ideas in just 1 hour this way.
7. Do keyword research
I’m a big fan of a process known as “batching,” which I’ve written about before on Quick Sprout.
Batching can be used to make nearly any task quicker and more efficient.
Here’s a simple example of using batching to deliver mail:
One marketing task that can be quite time-consuming is keyword research.
When you do this prior to writing every blog post, it can really drain your time.
That’s why I suggest doing it in blocks: identify keywords to target—all in one sitting.
You can then add your keywords to your editorial calendar so you know what to use in your upcoming content.
8. Send a pitch for a guest post
You probably already know I’m a huge proponent of guest blogging.
If you can get in front of a large, established audience, you’ll get exposure for your brand.
It’s just as simple as that.
But, of course, guest blogging first begins with sending an initial pitch.
If you’ve got an hour to burn, why not send out a couple of pitches to relevant bloggers?
And if you’re new to this, I really love this guide from Backlinko.
It will walk you through guest blogging step by step.
9. Repurpose one of your best blog posts
If you’ve been blogging for awhile, there’s a good chance you have a handful of posts that totally crushed it.
They’re the best of the best—your “unicorn content.”
Repurpose one of your best posts using a different medium, e.g., a whitepaper, long-form guide, infographic, or a short e-book.
If your audience was receptive to a particular topic presented in a standard blog post, there’s a good chance they will give it a warm reception in a different medium too.
Read over this guide for everything you need to know on repurposing content.
10. Record a video
Video marketing is ridiculously huge right now.
On average, video gets crazy engagement.
It also gets massive conversion rates.
If you’re not already leveraging video marketing, I suggest getting on board right away.
I know for a fact that video allows me to connect with my audience on a level that most other mediums cannot.
And the odds are good that it will produce a positive impact for you as well.
11. Record a podcast
I friggin’ love podcasts!
Interest in them has grown over the past few years quite a bit:
In my opinion, they’re a great way to “round off” your content and offer your audience an alternative type of media to consume.
At the time of publication of this article, I’ve recorded over 200 podcast episodes on NeilPatel.com and have found it to be a tremendous experience.
Once you figure out the software and equipment, it doesn’t take much effort to record a podcast.
You can easily do it within 1 hour.
If you’re not sure how to get started, check out this guide from Pat Flynn.
12. Make a slideshow
I feel slideshows don’t get a whole lot of love and get lost in the content mix.
But they’ve got plenty of potential and are worth experimenting with.
Slideshare alone had 70 million users as of early 2017 and can be a great way to pull in some extra traffic.
13. Create a picture quote
I’m sure you’ve seen picture quotes floating on social media.
They look like this:
They’re especially big on Twitter and Instagram and work great for expressing thoughts in a visual-centric way.
The cool thing is that picture quotes are super quick and easy to make.
Canva is one of my favorite platforms because it offers a large library of professional images that are mostly free to use.
You can borrow from famous quotes or create your own.
14. Share three epic posts on social media
Curating content is an integral part of the social media marketing process.
You definitely want to shine the spotlight on other people’s great work rather than shamelessly self-promoting your brand.
Whenever you’ve got some free time, search the Internet for three epic posts to share.
To curate content like a boss, check out this guide from Curata.
15. Follow five relevant people
Sometimes I feel my social feed is a little stale.
In which case, I search for a few new follows to spice it up.
You may even be able to make some new contacts, so always be willing to make the first move on social media.
16. Engage with five people on social media
Allow me to piggyback on that last statement.
If you’re looking to expand your network and potentially find new business partners, be always engaging with others.
This hardly takes any time, but commenting or even liking or retweeting great content can sometimes be the catalyst for new opportunities.
17. Engage with five recent followers
It’s also important to engage with the people who follow you and build genuine rapport with your audience.
When you’ve got some spare time, go through your social media accounts and pick out a handful of recent followers.
Then hit them up by thanking them for following you or even start an online conversation.
18. Target an influencer
I’m sure you’ve heard about influencer marketing and how potent it can be as a marketing tool.
And it’s totally true.
But getting to the point where an influencer actually promotes your brand takes time.
The first step in the process is finding someone who is likely to be on board.
One technique I’ve found to be effective when searching for influencers is to use BuzzSumo.
Here’s an example of what pops up after I searched for content marketing influencers:
I think a great way to make use of an hour is to research and target potential influencers in your industry.
To learn about this process, check out this post from NeilPatel.com.
19. Contact an influencer
Once you’ve found an influencer, it’s time for the approach.
This typically involves doing a little research about them, their brand, values, philosophy, etc.
Next, send them an email or contact them via their website to give them your pitch.
I recommend reading this post from Crazy Egg for the skinny on reaching out to influencers.
20. Submit your business to directories
Did you know that 145 million people use Yelp each month?
And that’s just one of many business directories.
If you’re looking for a way to boost your exposure and reel in more local consumers, it’s smart to spend some time submitting your business to relevant directories.
This ultimate list from HubSpot highlights 50 of the best directories for local marketing.
21. Check Google Analytics
It’s important to stay current on key metrics.
I like to know about any visitor traffic patterns and behavior that could impact my ability to make conversions.
If you haven’t checked Google Analytics (or whatever type of metrics platform you use) in a while, it’s smart to spend some time there.
In particular, I pay close attention to the amount of time people spend on my site, referrals, and audience interests.
22. Analyze your top competitors
If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, you may want to see what the competition is up to.
I suggest identifying three or four of your top competitors and checking the following:
- Top organic keywords
- Backlinks
- Top anchors
- Referring domains
This will give you some valuable intel on what’s working for them and what you can do to gain the upper hand.
One of my favorite tools for doing this is SEMrush.
It’s free and will supply you with a load of information.
23. Do a content audit
Although the word audit may sound time-consuming and even a little intimidating, it’s actually not all that involved.
You can do a basic content audit in as little as 1 hour.
While it may be a tad boring, it’s a great way to ensure your content is hitting its mark.
You can learn the basics in this guide from Quick Sprout.
24. Do an SEO audit
Just like you want to ensure that your content is in tip top shape, it’s also crucial to see what state your SEO is in from time to time.
Doing an SEO audit is a great way to get a glimpse of how things are performing.
More specifically, you can tell:
- What your top organic keywords are
- Whether there are any issues with meta descriptions, URL structure, etc.
- How your domain ranks among the competition
Check out this post from Search Engine Land to learn how to do your own SEO audit in only 5 minutes.
25. Check for dead links
Dead links aren’t cool.
They disrupt the user experience and can make your brand seem unprofessional.
That’s why I suggest checking for dead links every few months or so.
It’s no big deal.
Just use the Online Broken Link Checker.
It’s completely free, and it will give you the rundown of any broken links and identify their location on your site.
26. Do some internal linking
An internal link “is one that points to another page on the same website.”
Internal linking is a fundamental part of SEO and helps “spread link juice around your site.”
It’s a good idea to spend some time doing some internal linking if it’s something you’ve slacked on in the past.
Just make sure your links point to pages that are relevant and truly add to the reader experience.
27. Improve your email signature
Having an email signature that’s consistent with your company is an important aspect of branding.
Unfortunately, it’s sometimes overlooked.
If you really want to make a splash, add your logo along with a professional headshot.
Check out this infographic from Business 2 Community for the details on creating a killer email signature.
28. Fine-tune your sales funnel
Your sales funnel is the key to leading consumers through the buying process until they ultimately make a purchase.
But if you’ve been using the same sales funnel for the past few years, some serious inefficiencies could be holding you back.
Why not spend a little time going over your existing sales funnel to check for areas that could use some improvement?
Conclusion
Amping up your marketing doesn’t always require exhaustive work sessions.
In fact, there are many business-boosting marketing activities you can do in 1 hour or less.
If you’ve got some downtime and want to devote it to marketing, any of these activities should be worth your while.
Can you think of any other marketing activities that don’t require a big time commitment?
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Balancing Financial Success and Life’s Big Moments
A little over a week ago, I responded to a mailbag question from Mary, who was struggling with the decision about whether to go on an expensive trip (that she could afford) with her ailing sister. She was worried about the long-term financial impact of this big expense and was weighing it against doing something with her sister that they had long talked about before her sister became too ill. You might want to go ahead and read the full question and answer before continuing.
My response to Mary was that she should absolutely go on this trip. The reasoning was simple: The entire purpose of being financially responsible is so that life doesn’t stand in your way when those rare, life-altering moments come along, the kinds of moments that leave you with regret for the rest of your years if you let them pass by. Being frugal and living beneath your income level means that when those things come to pass, you’re prepared. It means putting aside the little things that you’ll forget in an hour or in a day or two so that you can step up during the really big moments.
To say I’ve received a lot of feedback from that mailbag entry is an understatement, and virtually all of it was positive and in agreement with my answer. So, why does it merit another post?
Several people who wrote to me in the aftermath of that question were dealing with their own crossroads in life, moments of various kinds where they were unsure what they should do next. Was it smart to take the financially sensible path? Or was this a “key moment” in life where they needed to take the financially risky path and rely on the financial support they’ve built?
Every single one of those questions revolved around situations that seemed less certain than Mary’s trip to France with her sister. One person wanted to buy a restaurant. Another person wanted to buy a houseboat. Yet another person was torn about moving across the country out of love. Literally none of them seemed to be a clear cut “life moment” like Mary and her sister.
This, of course, left me thinking: How does one know whether or not this is a big enough choice in life that one should take the less financially stable path? Sometimes, the situation is like Mary’s situation, where it’s pretty clear that this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment that needs to happen now or else the opportunity is lost, but many times in life, that’s not the case.
How does one know the difference? How does one make the right choice in those really big moments of opportunity?
First of all, look at the actual likely downside of this choice going badly. If you choose to make the leap and it goes poorly, where does that leave you? It might be tempting to buy a restaurant, but if it doesn’t work out, what will your financial state look like? Will you be able to easily recover? Or does it put you into a bad financial position?
If you quit your job, will you be able to find another one if your endeavor doesn’t work out? Or are you basically exiting your career because it will be tough to find your way back?
Most drawbacks in life are mitigated by making really good choices along the way when things are calm. If you spent your financial life consistently making good decisions and spending less than you earn, then there is much less financial risk in buying that restaurant. If you spent your career constantly building a great reputation and a ton of strong relationships, then there is substantially less risk in making a very unusual career or business choice.
On the other hand, if you’re struggling in a pool of debt, taking a big financial gamble is a huge risk that could easily sink what you have left. If you don’t have a really strong career built up, then taking a big professional gamble has a huge downside.
Here’s the truth: The calm moments of your life are times of preparation for the big moments, so use them that way. The calm moments are when you spend less than you earn and get rid of debts and build a strong financial base. The calm moments are when you build up a strong professional reputation and a great skill set and a huge professional network. In both cases, you do those things so that when the big opportunities come around, you have something to fall back onto if things fall flat and you have the resources to make that choice happen.
Second, ask yourself honestly if this is really a unique opportunity. Great opportunities can grab our attention and convince us that we absolutely have to jump on board with this opportunity, but many opportunities aren’t really all that unique. This is particularly true when it comes to buying something, particularly something that isn’t at an incredibly steep discount.
You may have always dreamed of running a restaurant, but it doesn’t mean that now is the time to make that leap simply because you became aware of a restaurant location for sale. Restaurants go up for sale all of the time and locations can be converted into restaurants as well. You should make this leap when you’re ready, when you have a strong business plan in place and appropriate financial backing. Until then, a restaurant on sale at a discount is just one similar opportunity among thousands and not one you should reroute everything for.
You may have always dreamed of owning a boat, but it doesn’t mean that now is the time simply because you saw a beautiful boat for sale at a decent price. Boats are bought and sold all the time. If you want a boat, plan for it. Save your money and figure out what you can actually spend and deeply understand what you’re looking for so that it’s not a regrettable purchase.
Yes, there may be a special extenuating circumstance or two about this particular situation, but is it really that special or unique? Or is it just attractive to you in this moment when you happen to have the idea floating around in your head?
There will always be another restaurant or another boat, but there will never be another sister.
Third, ask yourself if this specific situation is something you would genuinely regret if you say no. This again comes back to the big purchases or big career decisions or big life decisions and whether they offer anything truly unique or just happen to be both convenient and somewhat compelling.
If you pass on this restaurant, does that mean you’ll never be able to open a restaurant again for the rest of your life? Or does it simply mean you might have to wait for a little while, a calm period in which you can strengthen your business plan or improve your financing?
If you pass on this boat, does that mean you’ll never be able to own a boat in your entire life? Or does it mean that you might have to wait for a while, a calm period in which you can save for that boat and really evaluate what you want and whether it’s truly worth it for you?
If you pass on moving across the country to be with someone you’re in love with at the moment, does that mean that you’ll never be able to fall in love ever again? Does it even mean the end of this relationship?
Mary’s situation was clearly a once-in-a-lifetime situation. It was extremely likely that her sister was not going to live more than another several months, so, yes, the opportunity was not likely to happen again. But what if her sister was going to live for the foreseeable future? Does that mean that if they were excited about a trip to France, they shouldn’t have taken it?
No, it just means that they should have planned for it. The opportunity to travel to France together would come up next summer or the summer after that. They could have saved for it and planned for it and then gone on that trip in a way that produced no worries for their life. The only thing that caused a faster choice was a huge unchangeable deadline.
Finally, consider whether or not there is another approach to the problem. If you’re thinking of buying a restaurant, that means you want to get into the restaurant business. There are a lot of ways to pull that off without just buying the restaurant sitting in front of you. Consider other options for what you’re wanting to do… in fact, writing a business plan might be a much better step at this point than just buying a restaurant.
Ask yourself whether it might make sense for your long-distance romantic interest to move to you, or whether a move might make more sense in several months when you’re sure the relationship will last and you’ve really vetted the other person.
Contemplate other career approaches. Maybe a simple change in employer is a better approach for the short term than simply abandoning a career you’ve invested deeply in.
The point is simple. If you’re at a crossroads, step back and look at all the paths forward rather than locking yourself into one or two of them. You might just find a road less traveled that you didn’t consider before.
Here’s the thing to remember: Financial success gives you more opportunity to take advantage of those key moments in life, but that doesn’t mean you should jump wildly on whatever opportunities cross your path. Take advantage of the calm times in your life to build financial and professional and personal stability so that you can take advantage of those key life moments when they happen, but don’t fly headfirst into everything that comes your way. Step back and take a deep breath and look more deeply at the situation, because throwing everything into something that isn’t really that worthwhile just means you have less opportunity when something truly important comes along.
How will you know when something is truly important? Will you truly regret not taking this opportunity in five or ten years? Is there no other chance to take it, or take anything like it? Is the downside of not taking this opportunity not all that disastrous? And, more than anything, your heart is unquestionably telling you that this is something you need to do, even when your mind is sure? Those are the guideposts to pay attention to.
Good luck!
Related Articles:
- Five Reasons People Fear Frugality (and Why They’re Wrong)
- Depriving Yourself Doesn’t Work
- The Moment vs. the Big Picture
The post Balancing Financial Success and Life’s Big Moments appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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OPENING BELL: Stocks open mostly lower
Utilities and real estate push the market lower in early traiding.
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Eight Ways to Use Expiring Produce
Knocking money off your grocery bill may not be easy, but it can be done. By using coupons, planning your meals, and shopping regular sales, it’s not that hard to whittle your food bill down a notch or two.
Still, you can often save even more with a very basic technique: Reducing food waste. By eating leftovers, using up foods before they go bad, and repurposing everyday ingredients, you won’t have to buy as much at the store.
Beyond saving money, reducing waste is also a good move for humanity. By reusing food that’s about to go bad, we can keep good food out of landfills and reduce the constant strain we put on the planet. Around one third – or 1.3 billion metric tons – of food produced for human consumption is wasted around the world each year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Sadly, fruits and vegetables – the very foods that provide the bulk of our nutritional needs – are the most likely to end up in the trash.
While we can’t change global trends, we do have some power over what happens in our own homes. Here are eight ways to reuse, repurpose, or save expiring produce so it doesn’t end up in your local landfill:
#1: Make vegetable soup.
Vegetable soup is a great catch-all for your expiring veggies – and they don’t even need to start wilting all at once. Just keep a large Ziploc bag in your freezer and add to it whenever you’ve got produce that’s about to go bad. That way, you’ll have a great start to your soup when you’re ready.
Each time a vegetable – tomato, carrot, zucchini, onion, etc. – gets to the point where it only has a few days left, take the time to wash it, cut it up, and throw it in your freezer bag. The next time you’re ready to make soup, simply throw your frozen vegetables in with the rest of your garden goodies. Simmer with vegetable stock and/or tomato juice, add your favorite seasonings, and your soup is good to go.
#2: Add bananas or zucchini to bread or muffins.
Save your zucchini and bananas for bread or muffins. You can add either to almost any dessert bread recipe, and you can freeze them beforehand.
When my summer garden went nuts this summer, I made way too much of this simple zucchini bread recipe. I wouldn’t say it’s healthy, but it is oh-so-good. You can add overripe bananas to any banana bread recipe of your choosing, or even add them to a premade banana bread mix from the store.
#3: Make a smoothie.
Smoothies are a great way to use – and hide – your expiring produce. The key, as above, is freezing your produce before it expires, washing it, then cutting it up ahead of time.
Add your favorite fruits and vegetables together in a blender along with some soy milk, almond milk, or yogurt. Mix and add ingredients like honey or frozen fruit until it reaches your ideal flavor and consistency, then suck it down it right away.
Also keep in mind that smoothies offer a wonderful opportunity to trick your kids into eating nutrient-rich vegetables. Throw some kale or spinach into a delicious smoothie and they’ll never know.
#4: Start a compost bin.
Composting is a great way to put your already expired produce to good use. If you can’t consume it, you might as well use it to create vitamin-rich soil for future veggies.
Many people start a simple compost bin using a medium-size trash can, but you can buy compost-specific containers online. Either way, mixing your expired produce with grass clippings, leaves, and other plant material will help break it down into fertilizer you can use in your home garden.
#5: Start juicing.
Juicing is yet another great way to put all your fruits and vegetables to good use. I have an Omega brand masticating juicer, which I mostly use to juice vegetables with some lemons and limes thrown in.
This is yet another way to use produce that can get your kids involved. It’s amazing what kids will drink when you add a tiny bit of fruit for sweetness.
Whenever we have expiring produce and I’m in the mood to juice, I’ll whip up something tasty for the entire family to drink. Most of the time, my juice blends include a mix of green vegetables (kale, bok choy, spinach, dark lettuce, etc.) with carrots and an apple or a lemon. My kids love it, and so do I.
#6: Pickle expiring cucumbers and onions.
This summer, my husband and I pickled a bunch of cucumbers with onions when a rush of our fresh vegetables came due all at once. First, I made “noodles” out of the cucumbers and onions with my vegetable spiralizer. Then, I covered them with a mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices. It was absolutely delicious, and it helped the veggies stay fresh longer.
There are a ton of different ways to do this, but I used Martha Stewart’s recipe for pickled onions and cucumbers.
#7: Clean and freeze berries and grapes.
Getting your kids to eat fruit is easy, and adults tend to love fresh fruit, too. Unfortunately, produce like apples, grapes, and blueberries can go bad quickly.
Keep an eye on your fresh fruit so you can act before it goes bad. Right before it expires, wash it and freeze it for later. From there, you can add fresh frozen fruit to your smoothies, your morning cereal, or yogurt. My kids will also snack on frozen blueberries and grapes by themselves any time of the year.
#8: Get out your dehydrator.
A basic food dehydrator is a great tool to have if you want to reduce the amount of fresh produce you waste. With a dehydrator, you can make healthy snacks like apple and banana chips.
I tend to use my dehydrator in spurts, and mostly for apple chips. The best part about it is, the only prep you need to do is wash your produce and cut it into even, thin slices. Once you prep your fruits and stack them in your food dehydrator, you just turn it on and you’re done.
To Save Food, Be Proactive
Any one of these strategies can help you reduce waste and make the most of the food you buy. Still, it’s important to be proactive and think ahead if you want to use expiring produce before it goes bad.
If you wait too long to check, you’ll have mushy, rotten produce on your hands. While you can still throw that in the compost pile to get some use out of it, you’ll be better off if you can eat the food you buy.
Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer and the author of Zero Down Your Debt. Johnson shares her obsession with frugality, budgeting, and travel at ClubThrifty.com.
Related:
- 10 Steps to Cut Food Waste
- Use What’s Already in Your Pantry to Make Amazing ‘Free’ Meals
- A Guide to Extreme Food Budgeting
- 18 Ways to Use ‘Old’ Food
The post Eight Ways to Use Expiring Produce appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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The Best Home Decor Direct Sales Businesses
By Kimi Clark We all want our homes to look nice, and due to a few popular T.V. shows, decorating is all the rage these days. There are actually a number of home decor direct sales businesses that will allow you to not only earn an excellent income but also get products at discounted prices […]
The post The Best Home Decor Direct Sales Businesses appeared first on The Work at Home Woman.
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Brits waste £448 million a month on unused subscriptions
Consumers are getting better at cancelling unused subscriptions, yet people still waste around £448 million each month.
Research by Top Cashback says gym memberships and entertainment packages are the most commonly wasted subscription packages, with half of people holding a gym membership failing to use it.
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Scam watch: Three alerts more customers over handset fraud
Mobile phone provider Three has written to more customers as it continues to investigate fraudulent activity.
The network says it first became aware of criminal activity taking place on its customer upgrade system in November 2016.
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