Spotify, Pandora, Tidal and More: Which Streaming Service Is Right for You?

There are so many streaming music services to choose from it’s got me singing the blues.

Yeah, sorry. I had to get the obvious cliche out of my system. I’m done now.

Anyway.

The dizzying array of feature choices and subscription levels among streaming platforms makes it really difficult to figure out which service to choose.

I can’t make the decision for you, but I can share some insight into what some of the major streaming music services have to offer.

What Do Streaming Music Services Have in Common?

Everything, basically.

The major streaming music services:

• Have a giant catalog of songs you can listen to on smartphones, tablets, computers, home audio equipment and, in some cases, gaming consoles.

• Are free or have a free tier with a few features you don’t have to pay for (except Amazon Music Unlimited).

• Have a playlist feature so users can build lists of songs in whatever order and groups they wish.

• Offer radio stations or channels users can turn to for genre or artist-specific music.

• Allow users to download music to listen without an internet connection.

How Do Streaming Music Services Differ?

There aren’t a lot of differences between music services, but they’re nevertheless significant.

• The main difference between streaming music services are the pricing structures. Some offer family or student pricing in addition to free and individual plans; others don’t. Prices across the services range from $4.99 per month to $14.99 per month, depending on features and number of users on the plan.

• Though all the streaming services have some features in common, each one also has its own unique pros and cons. Some might not be important to you but others might be deal breakers.

A Closer Look at the 8 Most Popular Streaming Music Services

Let’s take a look at what some major streaming music services have to offer.

Note: These features and prices may change at any time, so check directly with the services you’re interested in for the final word.  

Amazon Music Unlimited

What’s cool: It has nice integration with Amazon products.

What’s not: Amazon’s unlimited music plan is easily confused with its Prime Music service, which gives Prime members access to two million songs for free.

How many songs: Tens of millions

Playlists: Yes

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: Smartphones, computers, Alexa devices, Fire tablets, Fire TV

Available Offline: Yes

Cost:

• Free 30-day trial
• Prime members: $7.99/month or $79/year for an individual subscription, $149/year for the Family Plan
• Non-Prime customers: $9.99/month or $14.99/month for the Family Plan
• Echo Plan: $3.99/month per Alexa device

Here’s more information about Amazon Music Unlimited.

Apple Music

What’s cool: The service includes original TV show and movie programming at no extra cost, plus subscribers get early access to new music from major artists.

What’s not: The user interface is clunky.

How many songs: Millions

Playlists: Yes

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, Sonos devices, computers and smartphones. Works with CarPlay.

Available offline: Yes

Cost:

• Three-month free trial
• Individuals $9.99/month
• Family: $14.99 for up to six people
• College students: $4.99/month

Here are more details about Apple Music.

Google Play Music Unlimited

What’s cool: The service includes a complimentary YouTube Red membership. Radio station content is available without a subscription.

What’s not: It doesn’t include a desktop app.

How many songs: 40 million

Playlists: Yes

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: Android and Apple smartphones, iOS devices, computers

Available offline: Yes

Cost:

• Two-month free trial
• Individuals: $9.99 /month
• Family: $14.99 for up to six people

Learn more about Google Play Music Unlimited.

Pandora

What’s cool: Pandora learns what music you like and dislike the more you use it. It’s great for finding new music and artists.

What’s not: The free plan is basically feature-free. 

How many songs: 30 to 40 million

Playlists: Premium members only

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: Smartphones, computers, TVs, Xbox, PlayStation and home devices

Available offline: Pandora Plus and Premium members only

Cost:

• Free with ads
• Individual: 30-day free trial, $4.99/month
• Premium: 60-day free trial $9.99/month

Find out more about Pandora.

Soundcloud

What’s cool: It’s great for exploring music created by independent artists.

What’s not: Some of the content may have embedded ads.

How many songs: 135+ million

Playlists: Yes

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: Smartphones, computers, Xbox

Available offline: SoundCloud Go and Go+ subscribers only

Cost:

• Free
• SoundCloud Go: 7-day free trial, $4.99/month (web/Android)/$5.99 (iOS)
• SoundCloud Go+: 30-day free trial, $9.99/month (web/Android)/$12.99 (iOS)

Learn more about Soundcloud.

Spotify

What’s cool: The subscription includes access to podcasts, videos and music videos. Spotify automatically builds you weekly playlists based on what it’s learned you like listening to.

What’s not: The free tier has lots of ads.

How many songs: Over 30 million

Playlists: Yes

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: Smartphones, computers, tablets, cars, home speakers, PlayStation, TVs,

Available offline: Yes

Cost:

• Free
• Students: $4.99/month
• Premium: 99 cents/3 months, then $9.99/month
• Family: $14.99 for up to six people

Here’s more information about Spotify.

Tidal

What’s cool: The service is artist-owned so musicians have a lot more say in the content they deliver to fans than with other services. Fans benefit with access to exclusive content concert tickets and more from megastars like Jay-Z and Demi Lovato.

What’s not: Some of the subscription levels are pricy.

How many songs: 48.5 million

Playlists: Yes

Stations: No

Supported devices: Smartphones, tablets, computers and network players

Available offline: Yes

Cost:

• Free 30-day trial
• Premium (standard sound quality): $9.99
• HiFi (High Fidelity sound quality): $19.99
• Family Premium: $14.99 for up to five people
• Family HiFi: $29.99 for up to five people
• Student Premium: $4.99/month
• Student HiFi: $9.99/month
• Military Premium: $5.99/month
• Military HiFi: $11.99/month

Here are more details about Tidal.

YouTube Red

What’s cool: The subscription also includes ad-free videos, Originals, YouTube Kids and a complimentary Google Play Music subscription.

What’s not: You’ll be automatically billed for the service if you forget to cancel the free trial.

How many songs: “Nearly endless”

Playlists: Yes

Stations: Yes

Supported devices: Mobile, tablet, computer and TVs (some benefits only work on certain devices)

Available offline: Yes

Note: The benefits aren’t available for YouTube videos you pay to view, like paid channels, movie rentals and pay-per-view purchases.

Cost:

• Three-month free trial, $9.99/month.

Learn more about YouTube Red.

Which Streaming Music Service is Best for You?

With 50 million paying users, Spotify is the most popular of the bunch for its huge catalog of songs and its user-friendly interface.

But that doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for you.

For instance, music lovers committed to Apple’s ecosystem may prefer Apple Music, while people who enjoy discovering indie artists might prefer SoundCloud or Pandora.

Your best bet is to give each service’s free trial period a whirl to see which one you like best before plunking down your cash.

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. This topic is near and dear to her since she streams audio content roughly 14 hours a day, every day.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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2.7 Million Vehicles Were Just Added to Takata Recall — Will This Ever End?

The Takata airbag recall is slowly (but surely) inching its way toward an expected 100 million cars worldwide.

Since the first vehicles with exploding Takata airbags were identified, at least 17 deaths and more than 180 injuries have been linked to shrapnel flying from the airbags when they deploy in a crash.

For those who haven’t been keeping an eye on the recall’s developments, another massive group of cars was just added to its list, and yours may be included.

The Latest Takata Airbag Recall Updates

Takata is adding 2.7 million Nissan, Ford and Mazda vehicles to the list of vehicles affected by potentially deadly airbags and parts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a statement Tuesday warning that these airbags can rupture if they’re not replaced.

The agency hasn’t released any reports of the airbag inflators — the propellant-filled components responsible for deploying the airbag — rupturing, as reported by ABC News.

The latest recalls affect the follow makes and models:

• 627,000 Nissan Versas for 2007-12 model years.
• 2.2 million Fords (models and model years are unknown, but more information will come).
• 6,000 B-Series Mazda trucks for 2007-09 model years.

Takata filed for bankruptcy in late June, leading Chinese rival Key Safety Systems to buy the majority of the company’s assets for $1.6 billion. Critics of Takata, like U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, are still concerned over how long it’s taking the company to issue recalls and replace faulty parts.

Those who own an affected vehicle should expect their automaker to issue a recall. Affected owners will be eligible for repairs, financial assistance or compensation.

If your car has an affected Takata airbag, you could be eligible for a cash payout once a judge approves a multimillion-dollar settlement with automakers.

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder. Catch her on Twitter at @keywordkelly.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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Property tax measure heading to state referendum

HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania voters will have the chance to decide whether to amend the state constitution in what lawmakers call an effort to allow more significant residential property tax reductions.The Senate voted 46-2 on Tuesday, clearing the way for the question to appear on the November statewide ballot. The bill also passed the House, as well as both chambers in the last two-year session of the Legislature.Under the referendum question, voters can amend the [...]

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These 2 Viral Posts Show Sick Leave in the U.S. Is Still a Serious Problem

When it comes to sick days for workers, employers in the U.S. are divided.

And I don’t mean divided in that cute little “cross your arms and lean back-to-back with a cheesy look of exasperation as you pose on the cover of a bad ‘90s tween movie” type of way.

No, this divide is deep and wide. While the issue has come up over and over in the media recently, the polarizing attitudes have never been more apparent than they were this past week when two separate stories landed on our radar. They showed just how drastically different the viewpoints seem to be.

The Jimmy John’s Lawsuit

First, we stumbled across a story from ATTN: about six Jimmy John’s employees in the Twin Cities area who were fired for creating a meme that called out the franchise owner for not offering paid sick days.

But it wasn’t just an issue of not having paid sick days. According to the meme, employees at this particular Jimmy John’s franchise location were not even allowed to call out of work when sick. (The implication was that employees would be fired if they did so.)

After the incident, the employees took the case to court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ruled last week that the franchise owner was within his rights and that the six workers were “so disloyal” to the company that they would be forced to forfeit their legal protections.

This was a reversal of a ruling made by the same court in 2016 that said the six workers should be rehired and given back pay.

Well, after we passed that article around the office to a chorus of “Ick” and “Seriously?!” and “Boy, we are so glad we work for a company that has a flexible sick leave policy,” we came across another story from ATTN: — and it garnered an office-wide slow-clap (a figurative one, but still).

Taking a Mental Health Day

In this story, Madalyn Parker, a web developer at Olark who suffers from anxiety and depression, emailed her team to let them know she would be taking two days off to focus on her mental health. She said that she hoped to return the next week “refreshed and back to 100%.”

The next day, she received a response from the company’s CEO, Ben Congleton, thanking her for bringing attention to the practice of using sick days for mental health.

In his reply, Congleton said that emails like the one Parker wrote “help cut through the stigma.” He also expressed his disbelief that using sick days for mental health wasn’t a standard practice in the workplace.

Parker tweeted a screenshot of the email exchange, and it has since received more than 40,000 likes and nearly 14,000 retweets.

Congleton was shocked at the attention that the tweet received, and wrote an article explaining why recognizing mental health in the workplace is so important.

The Problem We Need to Address

While these two stories illustrate opposite ends of the spectrum, they help shine a spotlight on the way we as a society treat mental health in the workplace.

The Jimmy John’s situation is obviously maddening — I mean, who wants a sneezy sandwich artist slapping infected cheese onto viral ham before serving it to you with a side of kettle-cooked germs? Yeah, Imma take a hard pass on that one.

But what if Parker had been fired instead of supported by her boss? Would people have been angry about it? Would an uproar the size of the Jimmy John’s response have ensued? Or would it have been talked about in a way that only served to further stigmatize mental health issues?

It’s time for us to start viewing mental health in the workplace the same way we view physical health. I don’t mean the Jimmy John’s way, of course — I mean in a way that reduces the stigma and gives people the freedom to both talk about and care for their own mental health in the way they see fit.

In the U.S., about one in five adults suffers from some form of mental illness. Yep. Look around your office — can you spot five of your friends? Chances are, one of them had a bad day yesterday, or last week, or last month.

Or maybe it’s you, and you’re struggling through another day because you feel like you have to hide the status of your health from your coworkers and your boss. Would you do that if you had the flu?

In the article Congleton wrote following the popularity of Parker’s tweet, he makes an important point: “It’s 2017. We are in a knowledge economy. Our jobs require us to execute at peak mental performance. When an athlete is injured they sit on the bench and recover. Let’s get rid of the idea that somehow the brain is different.”

We, as a society, need to start treating mental health as carefully as we treat physical health — if any part of your body (brain included) is not functioning at 100%, you won’t be able to devote 100% of your efforts to your work.

What You Can Do

So what can you do if your mental health is impeding your ability to do your job as well as you know you can?

Recognize when you may need to take a mental health break. Are you disengaged? Not getting enough sleep? Are you struggling to put your best work into a project because you’re just not all there? There are no definitive, one-size-fits-all criteria here — so don’t let anyone but you determine when you’re in need of a break.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your boss about the state of your mental health. If you’re unsure of how to talk about it, here are some tips that can help you prepare for the conversation.

Take care of yourself. I know, this one is easier said than done. But when you take that mental health day, be sure to take care of your body, brain and well-being. Do things you love: spend an hour outside, listen to music, learn a new skill, eat your favorite foods, read a book, vacuum your rugs, play with your dog, re-balance your budget, catch up with friends — whatever it is that makes you feel good. There’s no right way to spend your mental health day, but make sure that you’re taking an active approach — not a passive one. Identify your needs and then fulfill them.

Destigmatize mental issues by talking openly about mental health. This one falls on both employers and employees — all of us, really. We should be striving to create a culture of acceptance and normalization by talking as openly about mental health as we do about physical health.

Unfortunately, though, too many people are left without the option of taking a sick day of any sort. As we continue working toward a place of understanding and acceptance when it comes to health and the workplace, we will hopefully see changes in the way we as a society treat sick time and our health in general.

Currently, businesses in seven states and Washington D.C. are legally required to offer employees paid sick leave. Hopefully, this type of legislature will continue to be instated until everybody has the ability to take the time to care for themselves without fearing the consequences.  

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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McDonald’s Free Ice Cream for Life Prize Is Way Better Than You Think

National Ice Cream Day will be extra sweet for one McDonald’s customer.

The fast-food chain has already announced it’ll offer free ice cream to everyone who uses its app on July 16 between 2 and 5 p.m., but there’s more. As a bonus, one lucky ice cream eater will win a “Golden Arches Cone” that entitles them to free McDonald’s soft serve for life.

No, You Won’t Actually Get Free Ice Cream Until You Die

If you are the lucky one to win the golden cone and the free ice cream for life, there’s something you should know: You won’t actually get all the free ice cream you can eat until the day you kick the bucket.

But you will probably get pretty close.

Your prize will be split between a McDonald’s Arch Card worth $312 and a check for $4,680.

This might not be what you expected when you read “free ice cream for life,” but I’d argue that this is even better. You can spend it one cone at a time for the next few years or use it on whatever you want.

There are few things better than free soft serve for life, and this cash prize is definitely one of them.

Want a Chance At the Golden Arches Cone? Here’s What You Do

The obvious downside is that only one person in all of America can win the prize, and you’re competing against customers at more than 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.

However, only those who download the McDonald’s app and claim their free ice cream July 16 stand a chance to win the golden cone. If for some reason you needed another reason to eat free ice cream, there you go.

You should also know that this free ice cream deal will only be available in standalone McDonald’s stores. So skip the McDonald’s restaurants inside your local Walmart, food court, gas station or rest stop.

Desiree Stennett (@desi_stennett) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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McDonald’s Is Giving Away Free (and Kinda Healthy) Ice Cream This Sunday

I scream, you scream, we all scream for…

…McDonald’s?

That’s right, the golden-arched giant will make us giddy with an ice cream deal this weekend.

Yum. Actually, double yum, ‘cause it’s free.

With a simple app download, we’ll all be on our way to a free soft serve ice-cream cone from McDonald’s this Sunday.

Here’s the scoop:

How to Get a Free Ice Cream Cone Using the McDonald’s App

On Sunday, July 16, McDonald’s will serve up free vanilla soft serve ice-cream cones to customers who downloaded its app. The download is free, and you’ll automatically have the offer waiting for you in the “My Deals” section.

To receive your free cone, just order your soft serve and have the cashier scan the free offer on the app. It’s as simple as that.

The offer is good for both dine-in and drive-thru ordering. So, if you’re on the go, you can still get a free cone. Keep in mind it’s only good for one cone per customer.

Why the generosity? July 16 is National Ice Cream Day, and Micky D’s is here to celebrate with us. The deal highlights the fast-food joint’s improved soft serve recipe that eliminates preservatives, and artificial flavors and colors.

So, while you’re enjoying that free treat, keep in mind that McDonald’s is working hard to make sure our treats are (somewhat) good for us.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the best part. McDonald’s is sending out personalized tweets with the #SoftServed hashtag. So, in case your Tinder game has been lacking lately, you can count on Ronald McDonald’s creepy clown face to say something nice to you. Because that’s totally better than Tinder.

I think I’ll just stick to the ice cream.

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder. Catch her on Twitter at @keywordkelly.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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Myth Busted: Here’s What Really Happens When You Close an Old Credit Card

I opened my first credit card right before senior year of college.

I didn’t want to — I suppose I fit the millennial mold — but my parents told me I needed to build credit or else I’d be screwed.

I used the card mostly for groceries because I earned extra points. Elsewhere, the rewards were weak. Plus I was really, really paranoid about remembering to pay the monthly bill.

Fast forward a few years, and now I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred card. I love it because it has a great rewards system, and it’s made of metal, which makes me feel like I have more money than I do.

However, I still hang onto my old card. I talked about shutting down the account, but various people warned me this could affect my credit. To me, it felt like the fewer credit cards to my name, the better and more secure…

…right?

So is it bad to close a credit card?

Does Closing a Credit Card Affect Your Credit Score?

I chatted with John Ganotis, founder of Credit Card Insider, and Rod Griffin, the director of public education at Experian.

I found out that, yes, closing a credit card will impact your credit score.

However, it’s not necessarily anything drastic.

“Closing a credit card will hurt your credit score initially, but typically [it’s] only a small amount and only for a little while,” Griffin says.

The main reason for that initial drop is because you’re wiping away the available credit limit from the card you’ve closed. But your balances don’t change, so it looks like your total balance is a higher chunk of your total available credit.

The technical term for that percentage is utilization rate.

In other words, “[Credit-scoring models] like to see low balances relative to your total available credit,” Ganotis says.

When that utilization rate goes up, credit-scoring agencies see it as a sign of risk, Griffin says, so it’ll hurt your score a little.

But only a little.

“Typically, if everything else is fine in your credit report, after a month or two, those scores will come back up because it will be clear you didn’t take on more debt; you just closed an account,” Griffin says.

And what about your credit history?

That’s the main reason my parents encouraged me to open up that credit card, so I could start building my credit history.

Also, that’s what I hear when I contemplate aloud about shutting the card down: Your credit history will be destroyed.

However, when you close a credit card that’s been paid off in full — even your oldest one — the history remains on your credit report for 10 years.

This is a common myth, Griffin says.

“For most people, by the time that 10 year period ends, they’ve already opened new accounts,” he says. “[They] have new history and so it offsets that being deleted.”

But if you have an unpaid balance or any sort of negative history associated with that credit card, you’ll have to wait seven years from the date of your last payment for that to dissipate.

So When Should I Close a Credit Card?

Ganotis’ rule of thumb is to keep an unused card open unless you’re paying an annual fee.

“My general advice is that if the card is paid off and doesn’t have an annual fee, it’s probably a good idea to just leave it open and not use it,” he says.

But sometimes your credit card issuer might notice the card hasn’t been used in a hot minute and will close the account.

Don’t panic; that’s OK because Griffin says if you haven’t used the card in a while, its past activity might not even affect your score.

“If you haven’t used a card for six months or a year, it’s going to be shown on a credit report, in most cases, that it would be inactive,” Griffin says. “Because there’s no activity, scores may not be able to use that account for the calculation anyway.”

However, Griffin reminds consumers to always step back and take a look at their financial situation.

For example, if you have plans to take out a mortgage in the next three or six months, you might just want to hold tight. Continue to pay off the bills. If you haven’t touched the account in a while, Griffin says you might even want to make a small purchase then pay it off in full so there’s activity.

“You don’t want to close the account in the middle of a mortgage application process and have your score drop and cause you to have to pay higher interest rates,” Griffin says.

On the other hand, if you already have debt and the temptation of the plastic is just too much, close it. You might see your scores drop initially, but in the long run it’ll help you better manage your debt.

“The score isn’t what you should be concerned about,” Griffin says. “It’s managing the debts you already have and getting rid of that temptation to take on more debt when you can’t finance what you already have.”

If you want to get a big picture view of your credit report, go ahead and pull a free one.

“It’s usually not as bad as you think,” Griffin says.

Poke around in there, and see what’s happening. Think about what your next few months will look like financially. If you’re not planning to make any big moves (or take out any big loans), then you should be safe shutting down that old piece of plastic.

Me? I’m staying put for a while, so I think I’ll take the leap, shut down my account and 10 years from now, I probably won’t really care.

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She doesn’t like keeping tabs on too many accounts.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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It May Not Be Real Pizza, But Baskin Robbins’ Polar Pizza is Free on Friday

Free pizza!

Are there any more magical words in the English language? I’d have to say no (although “free pizza and beer” does have a nice ring to it).

Free Polar Pizza! What? You know, Polar Pizza from Baskin Robbins. Take your favorite ice cream flavors, flatten them out, smack on some toppings, and call it a pizza. Works for me!

This Friday, July 14, from noon to 5 p.m., all Baskin Robbins locations will offer free samples of the new Mint Chocolate Chip Polar Pizza.

Baskin Robbins is giving out free samples of this new creation, which its website describes as “a double fudge brownie crust and Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream topped with OREO® cookie pieces, fudge and marshmallow topping,” as a tip of the hat to National Ice Cream Month.

So what do you have to do to receive your piece of this minty, chocolatey gloriousness? Simply show up at your favorite Baskin Robbins location between noon and 5 p.m. this Friday. That’s it!

Is it pizza? That’s up for debate. But it’s free. It’s ice cream. It’s delicious.

Even More Frozen Goodness From Baskin Robbins

Need more frozen tastiness? Baskin Robbins has even more up its sleeve as National Ice Cream Month continues.

Sign up for its mobile app, and you’ll get a mysterious “special offer” on National Ice Cream Day, which is this Sunday, July 16. (Is it just me or is it a bit redundant to have National Ice Cream Day smack dab in the middle of National Ice Cream Month? Spread the frozen love a little!)

Not satisfied yet? Join Baskin Robbins’ email and text list to get even more offers throughout the month (and beyond).

Then, to cap it all off, Baskin Robbins will offer $1.50 regular and kids-size scoops of ice cream during its Celebrate 31 promotion July 31. Get it? Celebrate 31 on the 31st with 31 flavors. Oh, those wacky ice cream mongers.

Kick it all off with your free sample of Mint Chocolate Chip Polar Pizza this Friday, but feel free to tell them we said it’s not really pizza.

Tyler Omoth is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder who loves soaking up the sun and finding creative ways to help others. Catch him on Twitter at @Tyomoth.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites. We help millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. In 2016, Inc. 500 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the U.S.

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Here Are the Research Hacks I Use to Come up with a List of Target Keywords Fast

Keyword research is synonymous with SEO.

I remember, back in the day, when keyword research was SEO.

The recipe was simple.

Use the Google Keyword Tool (now known as the Google Keyword Planner) to type in a broad search phrase.

Find a keyword phrase that receives a considerable number of searches with minimal competition.

Stuff the crap out of it in your blog post.

And voila! You’re on the first page of Google!

That was when SEO was pretty archaic and Google’s algorithm was much less sophisticated than it is today.

Back then, pretty much anyone could game the system with a little know-how.

Heck, I remember when people would actually “spin articles” and get solid rankings by keyword stuffing.

But Google obviously stamped that out with major algorithm updates like Penguin and Panda.

Nowadays, keyword research is a bit more complex, but many of the same principles still apply.

Over the years, I’ve come up with quite a few research hacks that help me come up with a list of keywords in a hurry.

In this post, I’ll point out some of my favorites that you can also implement.

Use Ubersuggest

This is a tool that’s not on everyone’s radar but is great for quickly amassing a list of potential keywords.

Here’s a screenshot of the tool’s description:

Let me say that it’s not as robust as the Google Keyword Planner, but it does offer a few different features I love.

Using it is simple.

From the Ubersuggest homepage, enter a broad keyword.

I’ll use “3D printer” as an example.

Here’s what pops up:

Just like that, I have 361 different keyword ideas!

If you want, you can copy and paste some or all of these keywords into a file, spreadsheet, etc.

Just click on “View as text.”

Then you’ll see this:

This is a lightning-fast way to generate a huge list of keywords.

From there, you can pick and choose the ones you want to target.

But let’s say you want to expand on a particular keyword to come up with even more ideas.

Click on it:

Then click “Expand this keyword.”

You’ll then get another list of keywords based on the one you clicked on:

For this particular search, I got 217 additional keywords.

Another cool feature is that you can gauge interest in a particular keyword by seeing how it’s performing on Google Trends.

Just click on the keyword:

Then click on Google Trends:

From there, you can get a pretty good idea of whether it’s trending up, trending down or just neutral.

But wait, there’s more!

Ubersuggest has another feature, called “Word Cloud,” that will show you additional keywords frequently used along with the keyword you’re searching for.

From the top of the page, click on “Word Cloud.”

Here are the results I got:

The larger the word, the more searches the keyword phrase has received.

I love visuals, so this is an intuitive way for me to get keyword ideas without much work.

The only drawback of Ubersuggest is you can’t see the number of monthly searches a keyword receives or the competition level and suggested bid.

But you can always plug whatever keyword you’re interested in into the Google Keyword Planner.

Nonetheless, it’s a great tool for generating a big list of target keywords fast and has some great features that provide you with valuable intel.

Use BuzzSumo

Let me just say I love BuzzSumo!

It’s hands down one of the best tools for generating new content ideas, seeing how popular a topic is and even for finding influencers to reach out to.

But you can use it for keyword research as well.

Here’s what you do.

Type in your broad keyword:

You’ll get a list of content that includes that keyword.

Here are a few of the results I got for “3D printer.” There were 882 results in total:

Now what you want to do is scan through the results and look for other keywords paired with your broad keyword.

Here are a couple of examples:

What I love about this technique is that I can tell how much interest there is in a particular keyword by simply looking at the amount of engagement the content has received.

For instance, the second keyword I highlighted—“ultra high-def 3D printer”—had 13.9k shares.

Of course, interest may have been piqued because the piece was about creating futuristic death masks, but there’s obviously some interest there.

I suggest browsing through the list and copying and pasting the keywords that catch your attention and are getting some buzz.

You can also get a few additional ideas by scrolling to the bottom of the page and checking out “Related Searches.”

Just click on a particular search phrase and repeat the same steps.

Use Google’s auto-complete feature

Google is the ultimate enabler for lazy people.

We don’t even have to type out our full search inquiry anymore.

Just type in a few characters, and Google will auto-complete your inquiry based on popular searches.

I use this all the time.

It also happens to be perfect for getting instant keyword ideas.

Here’s what pops up when I search for “affiliate marketing”:

Now, I realize this doesn’t give you a massive list of keyword ideas, but you can bet there’s a high level of interest for almost anything that pops up.

For something to appear on auto-complete, it obviously has to receive a high volume of searches.

You can also do this on Quora as well:

Check out related searches

Here’s another easy way to extract even more info from Google.

Enter a broad keyword phrase, and scroll to the very bottom.

You’ll see a section called “Searches related to [your keyword phrase].”

That right there will instantly give you eight keyword ideas.

But you can get more by clicking on an individual keyword phrase:

After scrolling down to the bottom again, here’s what I got:

You can go on infinitely to get as many ideas as you need.

Just follow the same sequence of steps.

FYI, you can do this on Bing as well.

“Soovle it”

If you’ve never heard of Soovle, it’s a sweet little tool that will give you keyword suggestions from popular sites like Google, Wikipedia, Amazon, Bing, etc.

And it’s incredibly easy to use.

Just type in your keyword into the search box:

Within seconds, the page will be populated with keyword ideas from each of these sites:

It’s pretty awesome.

If you want to do some more research, just click on the keyword you’re interested in.

I’ll click on “3D printer software” from Bing:

This will show you the results so you can see what type of content competitors are creating and what’s ranking the best.

Scrape ideas from Bing ads

Bing is dwarfed in terms of its user-base when compared to Google.

It even fell behind the Chinese search engine, Baidu, recently.

That little red sliver of the pie chart is Bing’s search engine market share in 2017.

A mere 7.31%.

But who cares?

It serves multiple purposes from a marketing standpoint.

One is coming up with target keywords.

This hack I came up with is actually based on one of Brian Dean’s tactics for finding keywords for titles and description tags.

In his post, Brian talks about how you can scan through copy of Google AdWords ads to find potential titles and tags.

The only issue with this is that AdWords doesn’t always have an abundance of text-based ads.

See what I mean?

But look at what I get when I enter the same search phrase in Bing:

And that’s just part of it.

Scroll down to the bottom, and I get even more text-based ads:

All I have to do is look for keyword phrases.

Here are a few potential ideas:

Now, I’m not saying jam-packing ads like this into search results translates into a great user experience, but it’s perfect for coming up with target keywords.

And keep in mind that companies are funneling a considerable amount of time and money into these ads, which means they’ve done their keyword research.

Capitalize on their work, and you’re likely to get favorable results.

Conclusion

Keyword research has changed quite a bit over the past five or so years.

And it’s definitely become more sophisticated.

But at the end of the day, it still revolves around the same concept, and it doesn’t need to be unnecessarily difficult.

What I love is the increased number of tools available today.

You’re not limited to using only the Google Keyword Planner.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s great and all.

But everyone is using it, including your competitors.

So it’s best to come up with different, less common, approaches.

The research hacks I discussed here are all effective for unearthing keyword ideas and will help you create a list quickly and easily.

Using them should also give you an edge because most of your competitors aren’t aware of these tactics.

It’ll put you ahead of the game and will keep you supplied with high-quality keywords.

How big of a role does keyword research play in your SEO strategy?

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10 Smart Ways to Use Leftover Bread (Smart Staple Strategies #6)

This is part of a short summer series covering smart strategies for using leftover staple foods – things like rice, beans, pasta, and so on. Here’s what you do when you cook a bit too much and don’t know what to do with the rest!

I’m a huge fan of homemade bread. I’ve made it at home many, many times, to the point that I could basically do it blindfolded, and it’s always amazing when you pull it out of the oven, let it cool, and slice it for the first time.

The problem with homemade bread, though, is that it goes dry and becomes stale so quickly. The first time or two that you use that loaf, within several hours of it coming out of the oven, it’s amazing. After that… staleness sets in surprisingly quickly, even if you take steps to preserve it. The same thing happens with bakery-fresh bread, too. That’s part of the reason that store aisles are stuffed full of bread that’s got a lot of extra stuff on it, so it’ll last on store shelves.

This doesn’t stop me from making homemade bread or picking some up from a bakery every once in a while. I love fresh bread! However, I’m often faced with the remnants of a loaf that’s gone stale and dry. You can’t just slice it for a sandwich and it’s pretty crusty and stale for simply eating it, so what can you do with it?

Here’s my repertoire of uses for stale homemade or bakery bread.

Start off the day with some French toast. Stale bread actually makes for better French toast than fresh bread, in my opinion. The dried nature of stale bread seems to soak up the beaten egg very well and makes for a more consistent piece of French toast on the plate. In fact, I’ll often intentionally keep aside part of a loaf of bread early in the week for some tremendous French toast for the family on Saturday or Sunday morning.

It’s easy. Just beat one egg in a bowl for every four slices of French toast you want to make. For every egg you’ve beaten, mix in a teaspoon of vanilla, a half teaspoon of cinnamon, and a quarter cup of milk. Dredge a piece of stale bread through this mix, flip it over in the mix, let it rest for fifteen seconds or so, and then put it directly in a warmed skillet over medium heat. Check the bottom and flip it when it’s golden. When the other side’s golden, serve it with some syrup. It’s amazing, and stale bread makes it even better!

Toss it in the toaster for regular toast. While I don’t like using stale, dry bread for sandwiches, I certainly don’t mind toasting it – after all, toast is simply dry and slightly crisped bread, right?

Just toss a piece of stale bread in the toaster, brown it thoroughly, and then spread whatever you like on it. I personally love spreading peanut butter on it and then slicing a banana on top of that, but simply spreading some butter on top is delicious with a cup of tea.

Turn it into breadcrumbs, which can be used for countless things. Stale bread is perfect for turning into breadcrumbs, which can be used as a thickening agent in all kinds of dishes as well as a great breading for various dishes.

It’s easy. Just preheat your oven to 250 F, place slices of stale bread right on the oven racks, and leave them in there for 30 minutes. Remove them and they’ll crumble easily by hand. You can also toss them in a blender or a food processor to make finer breadcrumbs.

I like to use breadcrumbs to thicken soups, to “stretch” things like meatloaf, and to bread mushrooms or fish filets.

Bake the stale bread into croutons for an amazing salad. Another strategy is to simply chop old bread into one inch cubes, put them on a baking sheet, and bake them in the oven for about thirty minutes at around 250 F to turn them into fresh croutons, which are perfect for salads.

You can create a lot of variations on croutons by dipping them in olive oil or adding seasonings – basil, oregano, garlic, and so on. It really depends on what flavors you want to imbue into the croutons.

Use old bread as a topping for French onion soup. Another great use for old, dry bread is to simply put it on top of a bowl of French onion soup. This is a great recipe for French onion soup in which you can use almost any stale bread.

There are few things I enjoy more on a cold autumn or winter day than a bowl of French onion soup with a thick slice of bread on top that’s soaked up some of the juices of the soup. It’s just amazing.

Jazz it up and bake it into bruschetta. Bruschetta is basically crusty bread with toppings, so bread that’s somewhat stale is almost perfect for this appetizer.

Just brush slices of dry bread with olive oil, bake them in the oven at about 300 F for a few minutes, then top them with whatever sounds delicious on bruschetta. (While the bread’s out of the oven, raise the heat to 450 F.) I like to used diced tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, of course, but add whatever sounds good to you. Once you’ve topped the bread, return it to the oven (at 450 F) and bake for about seven minutes. It’ll be an amazing appetizer or side dish!

Use old bread as the backbone of a breakfast casserole (or strata). My mother in law is master of this type of breakfast casserole, which is basically just dry bread in the bottom of a casserole dish covered with scrambled eggs and other toppings. It’s really easy to make – you almost can’t go wrong.

Just take a baking dish or casserole, coat it with oil or butter to prevent sticking, and add several slices of bread. For every slice you add, beat two eggs in a bowl (so, if you’re using 6 slices, beat 12 eggs) along with whatever savory flavorings you’d like – diced onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, cooked breakfast sausage, and so on. Pour that mix right onto the bread, then top it with a layer of cheese. Stick this in the oven overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 F and put the casserole in there, covered. Bake for about 20 minutes, then uncover it and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, checking the middle for doneness. Serve it immediately for a wonderfully savory breakfast.

Alternately, turn it into a sweet (or savory) bread pudding. Stale bread is just begging to be used in a bread pudding. I can’t even count or describe the number of different bread puddings out there; suffice it to say, many of them are just delicious.

A few of my favorite bread puddings include this cinnamon roll bread pudding (for breakfast), this simple cheese and herb bread pudding (for dinner), and this chocolate turtle bread pudding (for dessert). All work great with dry, stale bread.

Make a stale bread salad (also known as panzanella). This is a great use for bread that’s already fairly crusty, but has become really crusty due to not being used. If you have a loaf of crusty Italian bread that’s become too crusty to use normally, use it for panzanella.

Just chop your leftover bread into one inch cubes. Then, for every four cups of leftover bread you have, add a diced large tomato, 1/4 of a cucumber (diced), half of a dice red or yellow bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, a quarter of a medium onion (diced), 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss all of this together and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes. It’s amazing.

In the end, though, my favorite use for old bread is for grilled cheese sandwiches. I vastly prefer older, stale bread for grilled cheese sandwiches. If I’m going to have a grilled cheese sandwich, I’m going to do it right – it’s going to be gloriously tasty and cheesy and gooey and buttery and unhealthy – and stale bread does this wonderfully.

I just take two pieces of stale bread and thoroughly butter one side of each slice. I place one of those slices in a hot skillet over medium-high heat, put a few slices of cheese on there (gruyere is my favorite), and top it with the other slice (perhaps slipping a tomato slice in there as well). I peek at the bottom and when it’s nice and golden brown, I flip it over, cooking the other side until it’s golden brown. Delicious.

Don’t let old bread worry you too much. Even if it’s dry and a bit stale, there are lots of things you can do with it that will make your mouth water!

Related Articles:

• 10 Smart Ways to Use for Leftover Rice
• 10 Smart Ways to Use Leftover Potatoes
• 10 Smart Ways to Use Leftover Pasta

The post 10 Smart Ways to Use Leftover Bread (Smart Staple Strategies #6) appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Moving overseas? Don’t fall for these five financial myths about expat life

When Britons move overseas it is usually an exciting life changing experience, but it can be fraught with complications when it comes to financial affairs.

Lack of knowledge regarding the financial and tax implications of moving overseas can land expats in hot water with HMRC and lead to unexpected tax bills, especially on death.

• Spain tops list of Brits' favourite retirement hotspots 

Here are five common financial myths uncovered by Old Mutual International*:

1. If I move overseas I will no longer be UK domiciled. FALSE

It is actually very difficult for someone to lose their UK domiciled status and acquire a new one, and often this isn’t finally decided by HMRC until someone passes away. Unfortunately, there is no easy way of determining when someone loses their UK domiciled status. Among the many conditions that HMRC list, it states that all links with the UK must be severed and they must have no intention of returning to the UK.

Seven in ten (74%) UK expats who consider themselves no longer UK domiciled still hold assets in the UK, and eight in ten (81%) have not ruled out returning to the UK in the future*. This means HMRC is likely to still consider them to be deemed UK domiciled.

 

• Mixed picture for expats thanks to sterling's slump

2. Once I leave the UK I am no longer subject to UK taxes. FALSE

People often think that just because they no longer live in the UK they don’t need to declare their income or capital gains from savings and investments or property held in the UK. However, all income and gains generated from UK assets/property continue to be subject to UK taxes.

One in ten (11%) UK expats with UK property did not know that UK income tax may need to be paid if their property is rented out, and almost three in ten (27%) were unaware that Capital Gains Tax may need to be paid if the property is sold*.

3. I will only pay UK inheritance tax (IHT) on my UK assets. FALSE

As most British expats will still be deemed UK domiciled on death, it is important that they understand that this means their worldwide assets will become subject to UK IHT. A common misconception is that just UK assets are caught. This lack of knowledge could have a profound impact on beneficiaries. With UK IHT set at 40%, beneficiaries could receive considerably less than intended, and have no available funds to pay the IHT bill.

Eight in ten (82%) UK expats do not realise that both their UK and world-wide assets could be subject to UK IHT*.

 

• Could Brexit scupper your overseas retirement plans?

4. Should anything happen to me, my spouse can sign documents on my behalf. FALSE

The misconception that a spouse or child or a professional will be able to manage their affairs should they become mentally incapacitated is leading people to think they don’t need a Power of Attorney (POA) in place. This could result in families being left in a vulnerable position as their loved ones will not automatically be able to step in and act on their behalf. Instead, there will be a delay whilst they apply to the Court of Protection to obtain the necessary authority. This extra complication is all avoidable by completing a lasting POA form and registering it with the Court of Protection.

Four in ten (44%) UK expats wrongly believe their spouse will be able to sign on their behalf should they become mentally incapacitated*.

5. My will is automatically recognised in the country I am moving to. FALSE

It is wrong to assume a will or POA document is automatically recognised in the country in which they move to. Often overseas law is driven by where the person is habitually resident, and the laws of that country will apply. Therefore, people may require a UK will and POA for their UK assets and a separate one covering their assets in the country they live. The wills also need to acknowledge each other so as not to supersede each other.

Half (50%) of UK expats do not know if a will or POA is legally recognised in the country they have moved to*.

 

• Spain tops list of Brits' favourite retirement hotspots in 2016

Rachael Griffin, financial planning expert, Old Mutual Wealth, says: “A lack of knowledge could lead to unexpected consequences, with the key trigger being around someone’s domicile status, and what that could mean from an inheritance tax perspective.

“People looking to retire overseas need to take extra care and seek professional advice. They will need to ensure they have plans in place to meet any future inheritance tax liability, and will need to ensure arrangements in place will be valid both in the UK and in the country they are moving to. Often this will mean having multiple wills and POAs, but this will be necessary to ensure complete protection.”

*Myths uncovered by Old Mutual International through a 2017 survey it conducted through Atomik Research. The survey targeted UK expats currently living overseas. There were 147 responses. 

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Easy access savers: Where to find the best return on your cash

If you’re planning on making a big purchase in the near future you’ll want to have quick access to your savings.

Easy access accounts are perfect if you need the flexibility to withdraw cash at any time, but there are also pitfalls associated with these kinds of accounts. The worst products offer rates as low as 0.05%, so it is important to pick your account carefully and switch if the rate falls.

My Moneywise Best Buy is the Ulster Bank eSavings account, which pays 1.25% to savers. As the name suggests, this is primarily an online account and it has to be set up online, although you can manage it by telephone once opened.

• Best savings rates this week

The minimum balance is £1 and there are no restrictions on either how much or how frequently you withdraw your money. But be aware this is a variable rate product, so the interest rate could change at any time.

Save £5,000 in this account for a year and you’ll earn £62.50, based on today’s rate.

This is the best deal available and is some way ahead of the average rate on the market. Data from comparison website Moneyfacts shows the average easy access rate offered by providers in July 2017 was just 0.39%.

This is lower than the 0.56% industry average a year ago, and even further from the 1.03% average recorded in July 2012.

It’s a similar story in the Cash Isa market, where the average easy access rate has fallen from 1.74% five years ago to 0.62% in July 2017.

• Best Cash Isa rates this week

But savvy savers can easily top that. My top easy access Isa pick is the Sainsbury’s Bank Cash Isa. This product pays 1.01% interest on balances of £500 or more and is available online or over the phone. If you can save £5,000 in this account for a year you will earn £50.50, although this rate is variable and subject to change.

If you want to try and beat these rates but don’t want to fix for a whole year you could consider notice accounts.

These products let you access your cash without penalty, but you must give your bank notice before any withdrawal and some also limit how regularly you can take your cash out. If you’re able to give six months’ notice, the Secure Trust Bank 180 Day Notice (Issue 2) is worth considering.

This has a variable headline interest rate of 1.65% on balances over £1,000 but, as the name suggests, you must give a long notice period before you can access your balance.

This account can only be opened online and you’re limited to a maximum of three withdrawals per calendar year, so there is much less flexibility. A £5,000 balance would earn £82.50 in a year if rates were to stay the same.

• Nine savings accounts to beat 2.9% inflation

In the Isa market the Hinckley & Rugby Building Society 120 Day Notice Cash Isa offers savers a variable interest rate of 1.2%. The account must be opened by post or in one of Hinckley & Rugby’s branches, located across the East Midlands. There is a minimum deposit of £500 and transfers from other providers are not accepted.

	Jul-12	Jul-13	Jul-14	Jul-15	Jul-16	Jul-17
Average easy access Isa rate	1.74%	1.31%	1.20%	1.12%	0.98%	0.62%
Average easy access savings rate	1.03%	0.68%	0.63%	0.66%	0.56%	0.39%

Source: Moneyfacts, 12 July 2017

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Virgin Money Defined Access Isa (Issue 13) 1.05%

If you have more than the FSCS protected limit for deposits of £85,000 per person, per firm, consider this account to spread your money. It gives instant access to your cash but you are limited to three withdrawals per year. It pays 1.05% and can be opened in branch, online, over the phone and by post. Of course, you can only deposit up to £20,000 into an Isa this tax year, but the account does accept transfers from old Isas.  

• Savings Update: More easy access accounts paying over 1%

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Planning a Trip to a Museum with the Kids? Here’s How to Save

Breaking Up Doesn’t Have to Leave You Broke — Here’s How to Save on Divorce

About 40 to 50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce, according to the American Psychological Association.

I’ve never been married, but I watched my parents get divorced when I was barely a teenager. The one thing I noticed most about the process? It’s expensive.

Elise Pettus, founder of UNtied, an online divorce resource for women, said there’s no set number for how much a divorce costs, but $13,000 is the rough average in the United States. And that’s without children involved.

Pettus went through the divorce process in 2010. After realizing there was no single space that offered a place for women facing divorce to connect and find professional resources, she founded UNtied in 2013.

So what makes divorce so costly?

After speaking with experts, it was clear: The small fees you may not initially account for are what end up killing your bank account during a divorce.

Let’s take a deeper look.

The Divorce Process is More Complicated Than You Think

When you think of divorce, you might imagine sitting in a room with your soon-to-be ex and an attorney. In a perfect world, you would both agree on how to split things and who sees the kids when, then you’d sign a paper to finalize your split.

Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Depending on how heated your case gets, multiple expenses can pop up.

The Fees That Start to Add Up

Hiring an attorney or mediator is only one costly part of the divorce process.

Every single aspect of your divorce gets billed: every phone call, every car ride to the courthouse and more. You might not initially think of paying for each of these expenses individually when you hire an attorney, but your final bill will include these items. Prices will vary, depending upon your lawyer.

Here are some expenses that quickly increase the cost of divorce:

Legal Fees

• Attorney’s time: One of the biggest costs of any legal case is an attorney’s time. Some charge by the minute, others by the hour — and they charge you until your case is complete. According to Lawyers.com, hourly attorney fees can range from $100 to $400, depending upon location, complexity of the case, experience and more.

• Document copy charges: The charges for making copies of required documents depend on who your attorney is and how much they charge. You’ll need document copies of tax returns, bank statements, credit card statements and more.

• Appraisers: You will likely need to hire an appraiser to assess the value of your assets, including real estate, antiques, art, collectibles, etc. Pettus says an appraisal can cost several thousand dollars.

• Attorney travel time: Every time your attorney travels to and from court to discuss your case, they will bill you for it.

• Changing your will: According to LegalZoom, hiring an attorney to write a new will can cost $100 to $150. Prices increase with more complicated wills.

• Forensic accountant: If your divorce turns into a heated battle, you might need to hire a forensic accountant to find any assets or funds your soon-to-be ex spouse may have hidden. Considering this is a specialized service, you can expect to shell out hundreds of dollars per hour to hire one.

Expenses You May Incur if You Have Children

• Guardian ad litem fees: A guardian ad litem is a court-appointed individual who seeks out the children’s best interests, such as living situation, contact with parents, etc. Pettus says a guardian ad litem can cost between $150 and $250 an hour.

• Custody assessment This assessment usually takes place if you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse can’t come to terms with the custody situation. According to DivorceNet, a mental health professional usually carries out a custody assessment to determine co-parenting responsibilities. This process is similar to a guardian ad litem assessment.

DivorceNet reports: “A county custody evaluation will probably cost between $1,000 and $2,500, and you could pay $10,000 or more for a private evaluation.”

• Parenting classes: Some states require parents to take parenting classes before divorcing. While these classes focus on teaching the impacts of divorce on children, they also familiarize parents with the divorce process. Sometimes, you can take these classes online for as little as $20.

Saving Money on a Divorce: Is it Possible?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the thought of divorce costs, there are a few strategies you can consider to reduce them.

Since there’s no guarantee these money-saving tips will be right for your situation, it’s important to consult with a legal professional to discuss these options.

Here are a few ways you could potentially save money during the divorce process:

Consider Litigation Alternatives

There are multiple ways to get divorced, including litigation, mediation and collaborative law.

Bill Yanger, an attorney in Tampa, Florida, describes the differences between these options.

Litigation is the process of filing a lawsuit against another party. When you litigate a divorce, you’re seeking a judgment from the court based on law and facts.

Mediation, according to Yanger, is “a situation where the parties come together and sit down to review the facts and try to come to an agreement.” A third-party mediator helps spouses negotiate an agreement, and you don’t need an attorney, according to DivorceNet. Mediation is usually faster and more cost-effective than litigation.

Collaborative divorce is a process in which both parties agree to work together to negotiate an acceptable arrangement — it’s similar to mediation, but each spouse is represented by collaborative attorneys.

In a collaborative divorce, both parties put the best interest of themselves and their children first — all while using resources responsibly. Yanger says that collaborative law is “probably the most economic” way to get a divorce.

No matter what route you take, you can’t get a divorce without a judge signing off on it.

Don’t forget that you’ll eventually go before a judge, who will review your agreements before approving them. Court costs will vary depending on your state and the complexity of the case.

Pay Attention to the Time You Spend on the Phone With Your Attorney

Every interaction with your attorney costs money, including phone calls. According to Pettus, attorneys often bill time in six-minute increments.

To avoid racking up a big bill for phone communication, she suggests calling with a list of questions instead of contacting your attorney every time you think of a question.

She also warns that you should avoid emotional venting during phone conversations because these eat away at time with your attorney.

“Try to keep in mind that [a divorce] is a business transaction,” she said. “This can sometimes help people remember to be efficient with their attorneys.”

Prepare Your Documents Ahead of Time

Courts closely analyze many documents, such as bank statements, in a divorce to determine separation of assets and alimony.

Pettus recommends having all of these documents on hand to keep charges to a minimum.

She says that figuring out on your own what you spend every day is key to saving money during the divorce process. If you wait for your lawyer to calculate your spending with you, you’ll pay big time.

Consider Unbundling

The process of unbundling is when you and your soon-to-be ex spouse negotiate certain areas on your own, without an attorney present.

Unbundling, according to Pettus, is a fairly new practice in most states — but it can be one of the most efficient strategies you use in your divorce.

Pettus says this can help cut costs but warns you should only use it in situations where there are no major disagreements.

Know That There are No Winners

If you want to avoid a long, dragged-out divorce, Pettus offers this advice:

Go in with the mindset that you don’t have to “win” every single point.

“If you approach the whole process with one or two priorities and understand that nobody comes out of a divorce agreement as the winner, you’re likely to get through it much more quickly and much more affordably,” she said.

Divorces are about compromises — if you can accept that, you can save money in the long run.

Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder. Catch her on Twitter at @keywordkelly.

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