MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 08/29/17

الثلاثاء، 29 أغسطس 2017

Is No Job Better Than a Bad Job?

Research shows that being unemployed has negative health effects, but having a bad job can cause stress that's detrimental to well-being.

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Is No Job Better Than a Bad Job?

Blinded By the Savings: 7 Tips to Make You a Savvier Rebate App Shopper

I had a come-to-Jesus moment in the grocery store a few weeks ago.

As I peered into my cart, I noticed some items that screamed, “Put me back!”

Two bottles of a sparkling probiotic drink. A cup of “just add water!” oatmeal. A box of frozen fruit snacks. A case of Bud Light.

These items might seem a bit haphazard, but they all currently fit offers on Ibotta, one of the many cash-back rebate apps. Collectively, I could earn $5 back from these purchases. The money would get added to my lifetime earnings, increasing my rank and inching me closer to a $1 bonus.

As I was busy convincing myself I needed the items, the Penny Hoarder side of me considered how much the items cost in total, something close to $28 — or $23 if you want to count the rebate I’d receive.

That’s a good chunk of money — especially for items that didn’t even make up a meal. I’d recently become hooked on the probiotic drink after getting sucked in through Ibotta. It wasn’t integral to my livelihood, though blogs have told me probiotics are good for you.

The oatmeal was a total experiment. I don’t even enjoy oatmeal that much. The fruit snacks were just like the probiotic drink: I’d gotten hooked. Those were something like $5 — but organic.

And the Bud Light? That was for my dad. I volunteered to buy it because, well, cash back.

I decided to go on my merry way but to consider my shopping habits more carefully next time.

7 Ways to Make the Most of Your Rebate Apps

I needed help, so I reached out to my cohorts at The Penny Hoarder and polled our Facebook community group: What are your strategies to avoid cash-back temptations?

Here are a few tips that’ll help you — and me — stay on track.

1. Make a Shopping List First

Before I head to the grocery store, Target or even the bar, I check Ibotta to see which cash-back deals are available.

I scroll through the categories, adding unneeded temptations into my queue, then ogling over the cash-back total. As we established above, I’m really not saving.

Rather than building my shopping list around products featured on Ibotta, I’d be better off making my list first.

That’s what Alicia Hopkins from our Facebook community group suggested.

Once you have your grocery list, then peruse Ibotta to see if, say, paper towels, are on there.

(Side note: Hopkins also admits she finds receipts in the parking lot and will sometimes get cash back that way. Not a bad strategy!)

2. Check the Store’s Coupons First

Publix is my go-to spot. Although I love Ibotta, I tend to find some better deals on my Publix coupon app for items — and brands — I’m more likely to buy.

Be sure you’re considering the store’s coupons after making your grocery list. Then, compare it with the Ibotta deal and see what’s best.

Also, take note that with the store coupons, you’ll immediately end up paying less. With Ibotta, you’ll earn cash back only after your purchase. If you’re in a tight spot, this could make a world of difference.

3. Compare Prices of Different Brands

This one requires some more math, but don’t panic.

If you’re feeling tempted by the cash-back offer, at least calculate the rebate into the price and compare it to different brands. Perhaps the store brand is still cheaper than the other item — even with the cash back.

4. Shop the “Any Brand” Category

Ibotta has a cash-back category called “Any Brand.” This allows you to earn cash back on a product — no matter the brand.

For example, right now you can earn 25 cents back on any brand of a salad kit. This includes pre-packaged salads with toppings and dressings already in there. You don’t have to buy the most expensive, promoted brand in this case. You can opt for the store-brand kit and save.

In the same vein, Ibotta has deals on produce. Typically, you don’t have to buy a certain brand of kale, for example. If you want to go organic, do it. If not, get the cheapest stuff, and still score that money back.

5. Read the Fine Print

One of the biggest “derp” moments I had while using Ibotta was when I purchased dish soap — the kind that was actually about 30 cents more expensive than the brand I normally buy. I’d get something like 50 cents back. I’d done the math. Earning 20 cents was better than nothing, right?

Well, I didn’t read the fine print, and I didn’t notice I had to buy two lots of dish soap to earn the rebate.

This happened to my editor, Matt Wiley, too. He bought batteries thinking he’d get some money back on the staple. Nope — he had to buy two packs.

Moral of the story? Read the fine print. If it requires you to buy multiples to earn the cash back, factor that into your calculations. Is it really worth it?

6. Acknowledge Your Indulgences

If you have items you like to buy — but don’t necessarily need — consider only splurging when it comes with a cash-back opportunity.

For example, that sparkling probiotic drink I mentioned earlier? I’m hooked on it. However, I can’t justify paying $3 a bottle, so when the item is offered on Ibotta, that’s when I allow myself to splurge.

I’ve found that even when your favorite product is no longer listed on the app, that doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. You’ll likely see it again in a few weeks.

7. Don’t Open the App Until After Your Spree

If you can resist the temptation, wait to check for rebates after your grocery run.

“I do my shopping, then check for possible rebates after, so I’m not tempted to buy stuff I don’t need,” our Facebook community group member Kelly Trevithick says.

However, you must be prepared to acknowledge that you might miss out on deals you could have gotten.

Say you bought Charmin toilet paper, but the Scott brand had a cash-back offer. You could have probably saved more just by switching up brands — unless you’re a toilet-paper loyalist.

But this really is the best way to avoid temptation — just know you might miss out.

So Will I Keep Using My Cash-Back Rebate Apps?

Of course I will. I’m hooked.

But I’ll consider my purchases more closely now — and maybe even break out a calculator every now and then to do some math.

It’s important for me to remember the immediate savings is more beneficial than delayed cash back.

I’ve earned something like $45 back in about three months, but it would have been more helpful to just immediately save — because I likely won’t cash out anytime soon. I like to accumulate my prize, just like that kid who goes to Chuck E. Cheese’s and takes her tickets home with her.

“Next time I’ll stack up even more for the BIG prize,” she thinks. (Yeah, that was totally me.)

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s sippin’ on that probiotic drink as she types this.

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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Make Sure Your Hurricane Harvey Donations Go to Victims — Not Scammers

This past weekend, Hurricane Harvey rocked Texas.

Thousands of people were forced out of their homes as rising flood waters destroyed nearly everything they owned.

More than a dozen people lost their lives.

As the death toll climbs and the devastation spreads, many of us who were not impacted by the storm want to help.

Unfortunately, scammers see our desire to help others in need as an opportunity to get easy cash and run. That shouldn’t stop you from giving, but it does mean you need to be more careful.

Donating After Hurricane Harvey? Here’s How to Avoid Scams

Consumerist has a few surefire ways to give money after Hurricane Harvey and know that it’s getting to the victims who need it.

1. Know Where Your Money Is Going

If a charity calls you and asks for donations to help Hurricane Harvey victims, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask the person calling you if they are a paid fundraiser or a volunteer. Get information about the organization they work for, and ask how it will use your donation.

Then, call the charity to find out if the company the caller said they work for does, in fact, collect money for it.

Finally, use the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance to investigate a charity before you give.

If everything checks out OK, feel free to give to that charity. If not, find somewhere else to send your money.

2. Never Send Cash

Cash is tough to track and easy to steal. If a charity you’ve never heard of is more than eager to collect cash, be wary and consider a charity that accepts credit card payments instead.

If you’re donating online, make sure you are on a secure website before entering your credit card information. Look for a lock icon in the address bar and a URL that starts with “https” instead of “http.”

3. Trust Your Gut

Did someone call to thank you for your pledge and ask for a credit card number to collect the payment?

If you don’t recall making the pledge, don’t feel obligated to give. Decline to pay for now, but get the name of the charity and the fundraising company the caller works for so you can verify the charity’s legitimacy. Once you verify it’s legit, you can always give later.

Also, while it’s possible that legitimate grassroots fundraisers can crop up overnight on crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, be wary of solicitations from charities you’ve never heard of.

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

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Are Money and Religion More Similar Than We Realize?

We place faith in our money and financial systems. But have we put so much faith in them that we're not equate money and religion — or money to, ahem, our eternal salvation?

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Are Money and Religion More Similar Than We Realize?

Anyone With a PayPal Account Can Get Free 2-Day Shipping From 125+ Stores

Remember when you had to choose between running to the store or waiting one or two weeks for your online order to arrive?

Those days are long gone.

With today’s online economy, we expect everything we order online to be at our doorsteps in just a couple days. We’re spoiled that way.

The problem is that when you shop at a smaller retail store online, you may have to pay extra for that sort of expediency.

Not anymore. ShopRunner is a subscription service that gives you two-day shipping and free return shipping at over 125 stores. The subscription usually costs $79 per year, but if you have a PayPal account, it’s totally free. Here’s how it works.

It Pays to Have PayPal

If you have a PayPal account (and who doesn’t?), you can sign up for a free two-year ShopRunner subscription.

I did it, and the sign-up took about five seconds. Easy peasy. Considering what you pay to get two-day shipping with Amazon Prime, getting ShopRunner seems like a no-brainer, right?

The stores that partner with ShopRunner are no joke either. You can get free two-day shipping and free return shipping from Eddie Bauer, Calvin Klein, New York & Co., 1-800-Flowers.com, NFLshop.com, Underarmour and even the Popcorn Factory.

Yes, you can get a giant tin with three flavors of popcorn and your favorite NFL team’s logo sent right to your front door in plenty of time for the season kickoff.

Worth a Shot?

While some ShopRunner reviews have been less than complimentary, there are others that rave about the service. It’s up to you if you want to give it a shot. If you’ve heard of ShopRunner and have contemplated whether it would be worth it to you, now is your chance to try it risk-free.

Like I said, signing up is super easy and completely free, so why not give it a shot? The coolest thing is the membership does not automatically renew at the full price, so you don’t have to remember to cancel two years later.

Just try to bring your awesome tin of popcorn inside before the squirrels smell what’s at your front door.

Tyler Omoth is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder who loves soaking up the sun and finding creative ways to help others. He believes there is another sweet Hawaiian shirt out there that needs to be on his doorstep in two days. Catch him on Twitter at @Tyomoth.

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Target’s New $5 Wine Is Perfect for Two-Buck Chuck Fans Who Want to Splurge

Now that the kiddos are back in school — and you managed to save a ton on supplies with deals from Target — it’s time to relax with a new offer from the beloved retailer: wine.

Cheap wine.

Well, if you consider $5 cheap.

Next month, Target will debut its new line of California Roots wines, including five wines made from — you guessed it — California grapes. The line launches on Sept. 3, and will buffer the store’s already growing alcohol sales, according to a press release.

It may not be as affordable as Trader Joe’s Two-Buck Chuck, but it should help you look fancy at your next dinner party without breaking the bank. And it’s still half the price of the average bottle of wine in the U.S.

What California Roots Wines Will Debut on Sept. 3?

No matter your taste, the new Target wines should have a style for you. I’m a boxed wine guy myself, but maybe this new Target brand will expand my palate. (Spoiler: probably not.)

Here’s a list of the five California Roots wines and their pairings:

Chardonnay: Freshly baked bread and cheeses

Pinot grigio: Salads and fish

Moscato: Berries

Cabernet sauvignon: Steaks

Red blend: Pasta and grilled vegetables

As for the food? There are tons of ways to save while shopping at Target.

Now, where’s that box — er, bottle opener?

Alex Mahadevan is a data journalist. He turns 30 this weekend and will likely need several bottles of Target wine to cope next week.

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23 Creative Ways to Slash Your Utility Bills

Most financial websites ask you to list your home as an asset. And while it may be a financial asset, as homeowners, we all know homes create many expenses as well.

In the hot and humid South, my neighbors routinely see monthly bills of $500 or more in the summer. My well-insulated, air-tight home rarely costs me more than $300 per month.

Here are 23 energy-saving ways to make your home less of a financial burden and more of an asset.

Some are fast, free and easy, while others take a little more work or investment — and even if you rent, you can use some of these tips to cut down your monthly utility bill.

1. Set Hot Water Heaters to 115–120 Degrees

Hot water heaters are generally set to 140 degrees. While this helps keep bacteria at bay, it also can be very hot to the touch and waste energy.

If you have a normal water heater, consider moving the temperature down to 120, which will still inhibit bacteria growth but save money. If you have an instant water heater that doesn’t need to store water all the time, try moving the high temp to 115, which is still hot but uses less energy.

If you have a traditional water heater, consider adding a water heater blanket to your unit as well.

2. Use Fans to Your Advantage

Ceiling fans are a no-brainer when it’s warm outside. They move air around your home and can make a room feel several degrees cooler. Turn them on while running your air conditioner at a warmer temperature and you’ll save money.

Did you know you can use ceiling fans in cold climates, too? If you live where winter lasts forever, use the reversal switch to change the blades’ direction of rotation. In the winter, fans should draw air up into the room versus blowing air down on you.

Usually, this means turning counter-clockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter. Here’s a one-minute video that shows you how to check your fan.

3. Use Thermostat Properly

We live in the age of the programmable thermostat. Use it!

Save money by setting the AC to 85 while you’re gone during the day and to 78 when you’re at home. Winter temperature settings should be around 68 degrees while you’re home and 58 or less while you’re away or sleeping. These settings can save you up to 10% on your heating and cooling — an average of $173 per year.

While you’re at it, turn the fan setting to Auto, which will stop the fan from working when the unit isn’t heating or cooling. By moving to Auto mode, you can save $15 to $25 per month.

Nest thermostats learn your habits automatically and while they can be pricy at $249, check to see whether your utility provider will give you a free or discounted unit.

4. Get or Do an Energy Audit

If you’re not comfortable checking your own home for potential energy wasters, many HVAC companies will offer a free energy audit of your home.

Of course, they’re hoping to be hired for work they suggest. Go with a reputable company and get an expert’s opinion on insulation, air loss, heat gain and the like in your home. Or consider a DIY energy audit.

5. See Where the Sun Shines

Sunlight can be a major heat source in the summer. Simple and affordable solutions include light-blocking curtains, blinds and window film. If you’re going to be in the house long enough to see a return on the investment, you might also consider solar screens, or planting trees in front of west- or south-facing windows.

If you’re thinking of buying a house, note whether it has windows facing west and south. A great-looking home may be either expensive to cool or extremely warm during the summer months.

6. Get an HVAC Service Contract

Hire a professional HVAC maintenance company to prepare your AC unit for the summer and your furnace for the winter. Professional attention keeps your system running at peak performance to save you money, and service companies usually give you discounts on parts if anything breaks.

I got this recommendation from my wife’s Uncle Tom, who worked for an air conditioning company for 20 years. Even though he no longer works in the industry, he still has a yearly service contract. He explains that having your system tuned up every six months to run at peak performance is as important as changing a car’s oil and checking the tire pressure.

Prices vary by region and can range from $15 to $400 per year, depending on the number of HVAC units you have.

I’ve had to replace a $3,000 unit. The 10% I got off parts paid for my service plan. In the years my units don’t break, the money I save on having my system run at optimum efficiently is probably covering the service contract. In addition, the routine maintenance is prolonging my system’s life, saving me money down the road.

7. Give Your AC Some Breathing Space

Many homeowners associations require AC units to be screened by shrubbery, but you don’t want the bushes getting too close. Make sure the shrubs aren’t choking your system and making it work harder.

Here are a few guidelines based on my own experience:

Provide at least one foot of clearance all around the unit

Trim any bushes touching the unit

Remove any leaves and dirt around the unit

If there’s significant mud or dirt inside the unit, have it professionally serviced

8. Remember to Replace Air Filters

Dirty air filters, just like shrubs, make your system work harder than it needs to. Set an email alert to remind you to change your filters every three months, or at least every six.

Newer filters are good at catching tiny particles, but this means they clog and restrict air sooner than older filter models. Air filters have ratings from 1 to 16; the higher the number, the more and smaller particles the filter will catch. However, the higher the number, the more the airflow is restricted and the harder the system has to work.

Never replace a filter on your system with a higher-rated filter than the system is designed for.Doing so may damage your system or increase energy use.

9. Clean Your Vents

Make sure your vents are free of dust and obstructions. Vents clogged with tons of dust, or blocked by furniture or piles of items in front of them, make the HVAC work harder to move air around the house.

10. Check and Fix Windows

Sealing the cracks and leaks in your house can save you 5% to 10% on your energy costs each year.

If the caulking shrinks and gives you a 1/32-inch gap around a single window that measures 24 by 36 inches, that’s the equivalent of a 6.5-square-inch hole in your wall. That’s huge! Consider how many windows you have and how much heat and energy you could be losing through leaks.

To determine if your windows are leaking, close all your windows, doors and, if you have a fireplace, the flue damper in your chimney. Move a stick of incense around each window to see if there’s air flow. If there is, you’ve got a leak!

Weatherstripping is an easy and cost-effective way to save money on energy costs and improve comfort by reducing drafts. It’s something any homeowner can do. Peel-and-stick weatherstripping is easy and useful for sealing drafts:

Remove any dirt and grease from the window jambs or sash

Dry the areas with a rag

Cut the weather strip to the right length

Peel off the back

Press the sticky part to the surface

Now check your windows from the outside:

Look for any cracked or damaged caulking around the windows where the casing meets the house, and around the window frame

Scrape and clean away any damaged caulking

Apply a fresh bead of paintable acrylic latex to reseal the window

11. Childproof and Seal Your Outlets

The electrical outlet boxes in some houses don’t have any insulation behind them, and basically function like a hole in your wall. Outlets located on exterior walls can be like miniature vacuums, transferring air from the inside to the outside.

On a windy day, hold some incense or a match in front of an outlet to see if there’s any air movement. If there is, install socket sealers to improve energy efficiency.

All you have to do is remove your outlet cover with a screwdriver, put on the outlet sealer and put the cover back on. Easy! The second step is to put in those plastic childproof outlet plugs to fully block airflow.

12. Repair Leaky Ductwork

Over time, the joints and seals in the ductwork can dry out and deteriorate. Hire a professional to inspect your ducts or do it yourself. Look for dust-free areas, which mean air is leaking out. If you want a DIY fix, check out YouTube for “How to patch ductwork.”

13. Insulate Sinks on Exterior Walls

If you have a sink, toilet, cable or phone line in an external wall, chances are they’re uninsulated behind the wall. Warm and cool air can escape from these exterior openings.

Buy some expanding foam insulation and spray it into every crevice you can find in your exterior walls. Spray the foam where the bathroom sink’s drain goes into the wall. Also, spray where the water lines come out of your house.

14. Check for Door Leaks

Door sweeps can get old and start leaking air. Do an incense or match test to see if air’s leaking under your exterior doors. If so, replace your door sweep as soon as possible. YouTube can help you want to DIY it.

If it’s a nice day, take off your current door sweep and take it to the home improvement store so you can buy the correct replacement.

15. Insulate the Hole in Your Attic

Your attic is usually covered with insulation except for the access point, either a hatch or a pull-down door with stairs. Your heat and air conditioning may escape to the attic through the simple plywood hatch door.

If you just have a hatch, add a gasket around the opening and attach some rigid foam insulation to the top of the hatch. If you have pull-down stairs, have an attic tent with a zipper to seal this off when not in use.

16. Ensure You Have the Proper Attic Insulation

Pop into your attic. Do you see the support beams? If so, have an HVAC company come in and blow in some more insulation or install some yourself.

Use higher R-value insulation, such as spray foam, on exterior walls and in cathedral ceilings to get more insulation with less thickness. You can also check with your state about tax incentives for making your home more energy efficient.

17. Watch the Cracks

Homes in areas with shifting soil can get cracked foundations, walls and window frames.

If you see a crack, place a piece of tape on the end and mark it with the date. If you see the crack expanding past the tape, you know the situation is getting worse and you can catch problems before they become more serious.

18. Hang Your Laundry

Go old school and hang your laundry outside or on racks in your house. Dryers are super convenient, but even energy-efficient models use lots of power to generate motion and heat. Hanging your laundry can help you save $80 to $250 a year, depending on the size of your family.

I bought a bunch of plastic hangers to hang up all my shirts, shorts and pants. Since I have to hang up my clothes anyway, I just pull them out of the washing machine and put them on the hangers to dry. Boom! Now they dry in my closet — for free.

19. Only Use the Oven in the Morning

In the morning, the outside temperature is cooler and your AC isn’t running as hard (or at all). Heating up the kitchen won’t necessarily cause the AC to kick on, so if you’re going to do any baking, now’s the ideal time to do it.

In the evening, as outdoor temperatures are at their peak, using the oven will exacerbate an already warm interior and the AC will have to run into the night to bring the temperature back down.

If you’re going to cook a hot dinner, consider using your grill, Crockpot, toaster oven or microwave instead. It may not save you tons of cash, but it will keep your kitchen cooler in the summer and make eating dinner a more pleasant experience.

20. Reduce Hot Showers in the Summer

You’ve just fixed all your windows and need a shower. In the summer, run your exhaust fan while showering and for a few minutes afterward to help remove warm, wet air from the house. If you can bear it, taking a quick, cool shower is even better.

Both of these strategies ease the load on your AC units, which is especially helpful in homes with lots of family members.

21. Consider Updating Your Appliances

If you’re still using that old washer and dryer your parents gave you when you went to college, consider moving to a more water- and energy-efficient set.

Buying new appliances is, of course, expensive, but if you’re using outdated equipment, a newer model can save quite a bit in energy costs, water use and even time.

22. Go LED

Incandescent light bulbs make a cheerful, warm light, but give off a ton of heat compared to light.

New LED lights can mimic the cheerful light of incandescents much better than other energy efficient lights like CFLs. LEDs use only 10% to 15% of the energy as normal bulbs, but they can be expensive. Here’s a look at when it pays to swap out your light bulbs.

23. Find a Homeowner’s Checklist and Use It

You’ll find plenty of yearly, monthly or quarterly home inspection lists online. Find one you like and set an email reminder to run through it. You can stop many small issues before they become major problems, and you’ll keep your house running as efficiently as possible.

Disclosure: We have a serious Taco Bell addiction around here. The affiliate links in this post help us order off the dollar menu. Thanks for your support!

Scott Alan Turner has taught tens-of-thousands of architects about green building and now teaches people to become financial rock stars. Download his free eBook Save $1,000 in One Week or follow him on Twitter @scottalanturner.

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Cash Back Cards Lead Surge in Satisfaction

Most customers are highly satisfied with their credit cards, according to a new study, but they reserve their highest levels of satisfaction for cards that offer cash back rewards programs. American Express scored the highest customer satisfaction among card issuers, with Discover and two other competitors also ranking above the industry average.

The J.D. Power 2017 Credit Card Satisfaction Study, released Aug. 17, finds that an increasingly competitive marketplace has motivated credit card issuers to offer their customers more — specifically, more lucrative signup bonuses, more generous cash back rewards, and more benefits.

The study’s highlights include:

Customers’ overall satisfaction with their credit card issuers (802 on a 1,000-point scale) has never ranked higher in the study’s 11-year history.
Among different categories of credit cards, the ones offering cash back rewards programs earned the highest scores for satisfaction. Earning the lowest scores? Airline cards and store-branded Visa/MasterCard rewards cards.
Customers who interact with their card issuers using a combination of online and mobile platforms are more satisfied (834) than customers who don’t use digital channels at all (780).
Customers over age 40 are becoming more satisfied with their credit cards while those under 40 are becoming less satisfied.
Among customers over 40, 44% cite better rewards as the primary reason they may consider switching cards. For 38% of customers under 40, getting better benefits is the primary reason to switch cards.

Customer satisfaction scores by issuer

In addition to ranking credit card issuers, the study also finds that customers are most satisfied with cash back rewards cards. What are some of the study’s top-ranked credit card issuers that offer cash back cards? Here’s a snapshot:

Customer satisfaction scores
Issuer	Customer satisfaction score*	Cash back cards include
American Express	835
Discover	827
Capital One	808
Barclay	806

*(1,000-point scale — industry average is 802). Source: J.D. Power.

About the study

The responses

The study includes responses from 22,896 credit card customers.

The timeframe

September 2016 to June 2017

The criteria

The survey examined the following six factors to measure customer satisfaction, listed from most important to least important:

Interaction
Credit card terms
Billing and payment
Rewards
Benefits and services
Problem resolution

About J.D. Power

Established in 1968, J.D. Power specializes in marketing, consumer intelligence, and data and analytics. The company is also known for its reviews and ratings of cars, insurance, electronics, and other products.

The post Cash Back Cards Lead Surge in Satisfaction appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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6 Ways to Get Your NFL Fix — Without Paying for Cable

I remember not having cable for long periods of time when I was growing up.

It was torture listening to the kids at school talking about all the programs I was missing. So, when I got out of the house, I immediately subscribed.

But when I got into my 30s, things changed. I got married, bought a house and had kids. Suddenly, I didn’t have endless hours to stare at the TV, but what I did have was a ton of bills. So the decision to cut the cord was pretty easy for me.

Sure, there were a few shows my wife and I tried to keep up with, but that was secondary. I did the research and wanted to save.

It’s hard to put an exact figure on the savings because I mix and match streaming services fairly often. (It’s one of the beauties of cord cutting — no contracts, so, for example, you can sign up for HBO Now during “Game of Thrones” and cancel once it’s over.)

In all, I’ve saved $50 to $100 per month over the last two years. That’s somewhere between $1,200 and $2,400 overall back in my pocket.

However, like many others looking to cut the cord, I was scared I’d miss out on live sports. In particular, the most popular sport in the U.S.: NFL football.

As it turns out, there are plenty of ways to get all the football you can handle without having cable.

How to Watch Football Without Cable TV

Want to catch this NFL season without an expensive cable contract? Let’s take a look at the best options at your disposal.

1. Antenna

If you’re a fan of the local team, the easiest way to watch is with an antenna. That’s right, even your parents’ old bunny ears probably still work.

However, I opted for a newer, sleeker model — the Mohu Leaf 50, which runs around $30 on Amazon. It worked well in my area, and my wife liked the way it looked. A win-win.

Of course, there are plenty of other antennas on the market — you’ll need to find one that matches your needs. I recommend heading over to TVFool.com and running a report to help you decide. If you have trouble digesting the site, this subreddit is a good guide.

If you live within range of the big four networks’ (CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC) over-the-air signal, you’ll be able to pick up every one of your local team’s games for the season.

On top of that, you’ll also receive regional games on Sunday afternoons, Sunday Night Football on NBC and all Thursday Night Football games from CBS and NBC. (NFL Network owns sole rights to a few of them, so you’ll have to skip out on those.)

That’s a lot of football. For free and in HD. More than enough for the average fan.

2. Sling TV

If you’re a diehard fan, you’ll probably want more coverage. And that means you need cable networks like ESPN or NFL Network. While both of these used to be cable exclusives, you can now get them without a contract through a few streaming services.

First up is Sling TV, which I personally use to watch sports online. Sling offers various skinny bundles of channels to livestream over your internet connection. If you want to get the stream on your TV, you need a device like a Roku or Apple TV.

The Sling Orange package comes with ESPN, which means you can watch Monday Night Football each week, along with all of ESPN’s NFL coverage. It’s the cheapest skinny bundle you’ll find at $20 per month.

However, if you’d rather not listen to ESPN talk about Tim Tebow half the time even though he’s no longer in the NFL, you probably want NFL Network. Not only does this station give you 24/7 football coverage, but it also broadcasts most Thursday Night Football games.

You can get this as part of Sling TV’s Blue package for $25 per month. Or if you need both Sling Orange and Blue, you can subscribe to both packages for $40 per month. The NFL regular season is four months long, so you’re looking at $160 to get you through the season.

Of course, keep in mind that you aren’t just getting the NFL. That $160 per month is pretty much a cable replacement with channels like AMC, USA, CNN and more.

There’s no commitment, so you can cancel whenever. You can also try it free for seven days.

3. PlayStation Vue

Your other option for both ESPN and NFL Network is PlayStation Vue. The service is pretty similar to Sling TV. You pay month to month, and you get to stream cable channels to various devices. And you can cancel whenever you want.

The starting price is $39.99. The base package gives you ESPN and a bunch of other channels, but you have to upgrade to the $44.99 tier if you want NFL Network.

Of course, if you’re really looking to save money, you could consider borrowing a cable login from a friend or family member. Depending on their cable package, this could give you access to the NBC Sports app, FOX Sports Go, WatchESPN and the NFL Network online.

Is it wrong to share a login? Depends on whom you ask. I haven’t seen an official word from any of the companies mentioned above, so I guess you proceed at your own risk.

Recent rulings in a password sharing case may result in this being deemed illegal by the courts, so check your local laws before sharing passwords.

4. NFL Sunday Ticket Streaming

For many football fans, NFL Sunday Ticket is the be-all, end-all. However, you generally have to have DirecTV to get it… except there are a couple caveats. If you live in an apartment or condo where you can’t have a satellite dish, DirecTV will sell you a streaming version of Sunday Ticket. But it isn’t cheap, at $69.99 per month.

If you happen to be a college student, you’re in luck: You can get the same service for only $24.99. That’s a little easier to swallow. You can find out if you’re eligible here.

5. Verizon Wireless

Happen to be a Verizon customer? Or maybe you’re considering changing wireless providers? Then you might have the cheapest option of all. Verizon customers can stream every NFL game of the season using the NFL’s mobile app.

All at no cost. That’s right, if you’re a Verizon customer, free NFL comes with the service.

As you’d imagine, there’s a catch. It’s only available on your mobile device. So you can’t the stream to your television. But if you don’t mind watching on your phone or tablet, this might work for you.

6. Amazon Prime

Amazon will broadcast 10 Thursday night games in the upcoming football season to its Prime members only. Amazon Prime costs $99 a year, but of course that gets you free two-day shipping, music streaming, and on-demand shows and movies, as well. CBS and NBC will also air the 10 Thursday night football games Amazon will broadcast.

Whether you choose good old-fashioned bunny ears or one of the many options you have if you want to watch sports online, one thing’s for sure: It’s cheaper than paying $100 or more per month for cable.

Chris Brantner is the founder of CutCableToday, where he provides crucial info for people to find the content they want, like NFL football without cable. You can also find his blogging expertise on Scribblrs.com.

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Here’s What Hurricane Harvey Has to Do With That Surge at the Gas Pump

Gas prices are set to rise by as much as 25 cents per gallon across the nation as Hurricane Harvey continues to cause lasting damage to Texas.

Gasoline futures, an indicator of where prices are headed at the pump, were up 5% on Monday after before spiking by as much as 7% over the past few days. Drivers will start to see these price surges later this week, because it usually takes several days for the effect to trickle down to consumers.

How Hurricane Harvey Is Affecting Gas Prices

Several factors will influence the severity and longevity of the imminent gas price spikes.

After slamming into the Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Friday night, Harvey was downgraded to a tropical storm before stalling over land. As of Tuesday morning, it had dumped more than 40 inches of rain on Houston and surrounding areas.

The area is now facing one of the worst flood disasters in U.S. history.

The Gulf Coast of Texas is home to oil refinery plants that account for nearly one-third of the nation’s oil refining (and therefore gasoline producing) abilities. As flood waters continue to rise, these plants are being shut down as working conditions are deemed unsafe and workers are evacuated.

So far, 10 oil refinery plants in the Houston and Corpus Christi areas have been forced to shut down because of the flooding. These plants, including the second largest oil refinery in the U.S., Exxon Mobil’s Baytown refinery, account for as much as 15% of the nation’s oil refining capacity.

Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData, told CNN, “The pop in gasoline prices is an immediate response to the closure of refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.”

He also noted that “fears of a supply crunch are sending prices charging higher.”

While we almost always see a jump in gas prices immediately following large storms, it’s usually short-lived. According to PIRA Energy, an analytics unit of S&P Global Platts, gasoline prices “peaked within two weeks after landfall at a level of 20 cents to 80 cents per gallon higher” after hurricanes Ike, Rita, Katrina and Isaac. About two to four weeks after each storm, gas prices returned to prestorm levels.

Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, predicted Thursday that Harvey was likely to cause only a short-term spike in gas prices and only by about 5 to 10 cents per gallon. He went on to say that a 25 cent spike would be a worst-case scenario — but that it’s possible given Harvey’s magnitude and the widespread flooding and prolonged recovery predicted for the Houston area.

Additionally, while prices would naturally rise — and then quickly fall — over the Labor Day holiday weekend, we can expect prices to stay high through most of September as these refineries work to get back into production and bring the gasoline market back to equilibrium.

How to Save on Gas this Month

As you gear up for Labor Day, here are some tips and tricks to make your gas budget stretch as far as possible as we ride out the surge over the next several weeks.

Implement these tips from AAA for conserving fuel, including keeping your tires filled and accelerating gradually.

Use your fuel rewards. If you’ve been collecting gas perks from any of these programs, now might be the perfect time to use them.

Try biking or carpooling to work. Not only will you save money on gas, but you’ll either get some exercise or maybe even make a little extra money this month.

Labor Day is a big weekend for travel, but if you don’t have any concrete plans, consider taking a staycation instead of hitting the road. Pick a few fun things to do around your town. And don’t worry — fun date ideas = fun staycation ideas, too.

Finally, check out this list of 23 expert ways to save on gas, and make sure you’re using these tips all month long.

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

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This Carrabba’s Deal Indulges Your Italian Food Cravings Today and Tomorrow

Sometimes you just want a dense, calorie-packed Italian meal. And bread. And quite possibly, some calamari. I’m hungry.

When your stomach begs you to indulge a little, you probably head straight to your neighborhood Carrabba’s. (Trust me, I know you do — I used to work at one.)

If you’re in the mood for some comfort food this this week, get ready for your cravings to be fulfilled for a few days.

Your trip to Carrabba’s is going to land you free food to take home — no questions asked.

Delizioso!

How to Get Free Food From Carrabba’s This Week

From now through Sept. 4, Carrabba’s will offer a free to-go spaghetti and meatballs when you purchase Chicken Bryan, Chicken Marsala or Pollo Rosa Maria. All you have to do to get this deal is dine in — sorry, takeout orders are not eligible — and mention the freebie when you order.

If you’ve never heard of those dishes, here’s a quick rundown: They’re all deliciously decadent, topped with elegant cheeses or a savory sauce and really delicious, I promise.

Plus, each of these dishes come with a soup or salad and a side. And FREE bread. As many loaves as your carb-loving heart desires. (We’ll deal with it tomorrow at the gym, OK?)

If you have dinner plans with a friend this week, consider heading to Carrabba’s and grabbing this deal. You’ll thank yourself the day after when you don’t have to make dinner.

Keep in mind that this deal is only available at participating Carrabba’s locations, so you may want to call your local restaurant before heading out. It specifically excludes Kirby and Woodway locations in Houston and all airport locations.

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

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Fight for your rights: Two online ‘trading’ companies took £368 in fees

Moneywise columnist Simon Read helps a reader that has lost money to two online 'trading' companies.

I was very ill during the winter months and while I was filling out online surveys, a flashing advert appeared and I accidently clicked on it on my mobile phone. I then got a phone call from a lady offering me a free sign up to a trading account with a £200 bonus. As I was at a low ebb, I stupidly gave her my bank details.

I thought it was just to set up the trading account, but she took £200 from my bank account. When I checked my computer, I was surprised to find I had a stocks and shares account with GTPcapital.

Ban on pension cold-calling announced but government fails to set implementation date

Another person called Jason phoned and he said he was my trade adviser. He then tried to take £4,500 from my bank account for security and guarantee. Luckily, my bank contacted me over this unauthorised transaction attempt.

However, I lost the initial £200 with GTPcapital. To try to regain it, I accepted another offer and allowed £168 to be used to set up an account with 365BinaryOption.

Despite it saying it would help me and trade for me, no one did anything, so I tried to trade myself and lost everything again. I am so upset. Can you help?

IW/Perthshire

You seem to have become easy prey for all sorts of rogues. Both GTPcapital and 365BinaryOption are just two of a growing number of unregulated binary options trading platforms, which offer investors the chance to make lots of money with little risk. But with most of the deals I’ve encountered, there doesn’t appear to be any way for investors to win, with the companies often demanding more money for investors to cash in their gains. In fact, the whole business is looking set to be “the world’s biggest online scam”, as one online site described it.

These companies call vulnerable people, trick them into handing over cash and then try to persuade them to hand over more and more. Some victims report having lost tens of thousands of pounds, so it looks as though you’ve escaped lightly. I tried to contact GTPcapital on your behalf, but emails were ignored and phone calls to its London number were diverted abroad. I suspect the firm operates out of Bulgaria, based on the address it lists on its website.

New app helps block nuisance mobile calls

365BinaryOption appears to be owned by a company based on the South Pacific island of Efate which is part of Vanuatu, a country of some 80 small islands.

This is typical of global scammers who know that by being based abroad, they are out of reach of UK regulators and their victims can do nothing to get their money back. I advised you to block all the numbers of fi rms calling about binary options, but you were unwilling to do this, saying: “I need to keep the communication open because I need my money back.”

OUTCOME: I suspect there's no chance of getting the money back from these rogues.

Have you been let down by a company? Let Moneywise Fight for your Rights.

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The Battle Between Stress and Frugality

As I often do when I write an article, I start by making a list of all of the major points I want to cover, then making a few sub-points under each point. This is usually the outline of the whole article, from which I start writing paragraphs and adding relevant details and, often, anecdotes from my own life that illustrate the point (and, usually, served as the reason the post existed in the first place).

As I was outlining this particular article, I found myself exchanging a long series of text messages with my wife as we figured out the logistics of our week during a break at her workplace.

So, let’s review what’s going on.

My wife and I both work full time. I have a somewhat more flexible work schedule, but I do have to devote a lot of hours during the week to work; my wife’s schedule is more set in stone. Our children are in school full time.

Three members of our family are preparing to test for their black belts in tae kwon do later on in the fall. This means a lot of preparation, as the amount of material covered during black belt testing is extensive and covers four or so years of slow progression toward that level. This means a lot of evening practices.

My two oldest children are also in fall soccer leagues, which practice twice a week after school and have classes on weekends.

During the course of the next two months, we have two children celebrating birthdays, as well as two weddings to attend that will involve travel.

All of these things have logistics and scheduling challenges. Who’s going to get people from point A to point B? Does everyone have all of their gear? Is everything clean and ready to go?

This is in addition to the constant ongoing elements of family life – meal preparation, laundry, dishes, keeping the house in some semblance of shape, maintaining some semblance of friendships, and so on.

(There are a few additional issues I’m not even mentioning, to protect privacy of family members and friends.)

How do we logistically pull off all of these things? What meals will be prepared in the slow cooker (which means I’m probably stopping early in my work day to do the prep)? Who will drive people to the next town over for tae kwon do forms practice? Who will take care of the laundry? Who will take care of the dishes?

Juggling all of this stuff is really stressful. I’m worried about making sure we make it to everything. I’m worried abut forgetting something important. I’m worried about who gets priority when schedules overlap, and whether someone will be locked out of an activity they care about. I’m worried that our house is going to turn into a complete disaster pit of disorganization and uncleanliness.

Here’s the catch: I could make a healthy dose of this stress go away by throwing money at the problem.

There’s a laundry service in our town that will pick up a pile of laundry at your home, do it all, fold it all, and deliver it a day or two later.

There are many restaurants in the area that offer takeout or convenient dining or delivery.

There are many housecleaning services.

There are many lawn care services.

There are at least three people on my block that offer child care services and would happily take children to required practices if needed.

The temptation to simply whip out the checkbook or the credit card and use one or more of these services, solely for a respite from the stress, is incredibly tempting.

Rather than preparing a meal at home each night, I could simply grab food from the local Mexican restaurant one night, pick up sandwiches another night, order pizza another night…

… but that’s another $30 or $40 in expense compared to making the meals at home.

Rather than trying to juggle laundry, I could simply call up the laundry service and leave several baskets on my front step, then open my front door a day or two later to find freshly folded clothes ready to be quickly put into drawers…

… but that costs a lot of money. It’s somewhere around $10 per load, by my estimation.

Rather than trying to juggle the logistical challenge of taking three kids to three different places for three different events in a particular sequence, I could simply hire someone to handle it (or ask a friend to help, if they weren’t similarly overwhelmed)…

… but the fee of child care is at least $10 per hour around here, especially if you’re expecting a child to be taken somewhere and picked up.

Rather than trying to clean up the house each day so that it’s at least semi-presentable for guests in the areas where guests might go (and keep a door or two firmly closed because, frankly, there’s no time to deal with it), I could simply hire a housecleaner to come in and get things in great shape…

… but the housecleaning services around here, again, cost at least $10 an hour for bare-bones service, and that adds up fast.

To summarize all of this, I can easily throw some cash at our temporary problems to reduce short term stress. If I took, say, $200 and used it to cut out some of the stressful elements of our life in the next few weeks, it would definitely make things easier in many ways.

However, over the longer haul, that $200 contributes to stress. That money has to come from somewhere, and it comes from our long-term plans. While it might seem like a drop in the bucket, the reality is that it means that our savings for our future is actually lower in a real way.

This is the core problem with foregoing frugality in the short term to alleviate stress: if you can afford it right now, it becomes hard to directly see the cost of doing it.

We can afford that $200 right now and, yes, it would cut back on a bit of stress in the moment. That $200 expense really wouldn’t change anything in our daily life and, before long, that credit card would just be paid off.

Here’s the truth, though: that $200 came from somewhere and, very likely, it came from some kind of savings goal. It came from retirement, or from saving for a new vehicle, or from saving for a down payment.

I might not see this loss directly – in fact, I probably won’t.

Instead, what I’ll see indirectly is that I have to work a little more than I did before. I’ll have to spend just a little longer being uncertain about future plans. I have to deal with a particular flavor of background stress just a little longer.

So, what actually happens when I forego frugality to overcome a short term stress is that I end up paying back that stress over the long term, over a longer period of time.

Throwing that $200 at a stressor right now helps me deal with something over the next week or two, then it’s all over with. Life moves on. My family members do their tae kwon do belt tests. Soccer season winds down. That $200 disappears into the ether with no lasting impact.

However, putting that $200 aside for the future doesn’t really have much impact at all right now, but at some point down the road, it helps. That $200 reduces long term stress, but it does it just a little bit, though that reduction is stretched out over a very long period. It builds some return on that investment and helps me feel ready to retire just a little sooner, and helps me feel just a little less stressed out for retirement over the course of many, many years.

So, here are some takeaway practical lessons from all of this.

It makes a ton of financial sense to prepare for busy times when things aren’t so busy. During the lazy months of late summer, we knew that this busy period was coming, so we actually did the smart thing and prepared a little bit.

We cleaned out our pantry and organized it, so that meal prep is a lot easier than before.

We made some meals in advance and stored them in the freezer. We particularly worked on slow cooker meals that we could put in a single container, then just deposit into a slow cooker and turn it on low to cook for several hours with minimal effort (think stews). We also made some casseroles, like lasagnas and so on.

We got fully caught up on laundry so we could afford to get behind a little bit in the next few weeks.

So, if you see a really stressful time coming up, prepare for it. Get things done at home so that you can continue being frugal even when things get really stressful.

Clearly think about your priorities before you’re stuck in the heat of the moment, because “heat of the moment” decisions are almost always really stressful. Know what things take priority over other things so that when you’re stuck and having to make a difficult choice, that decision is already practically made for you.

You can figure this out in advance when stress isn’t bearing down on you. I often think about things like this when I’m in the shower or when I’m unloading the dishwasher or when I’m walking the dog. I think through future situations and try to figure out what the best way to resolve them would be.

I find that by thinking through these situations when I’m not stressed out, I tend to come to really sensible, rational conclusions about what to do. Better yet, I find that if I’ve thought these things through and have smart conclusions ready to go, they immediately pop into my head when things go bad and I’m able to just handle the situation well. I don’t have to freak out when deciding who to take to what first or what to do about a dinner gone bad. I have a plan, I know that plan, and I can just move forward on that plan.

A final tip: make those priorities clear as can be to everyone. I even go so far as to recite my priorities for a particular afternoon to the family so that they know what the priorities are. I’ll say, for example, that my primary goal this evening is to get everyone to black belt practice, and the next priority is to get everyone home for a family dinner together, and the next priority after that is to get people to soccer practices. If I’m in a situation where I have to choose, I just follow those priorities.

Learn some helpful “de-stressing” “power ups” and use them. One of the best strategies I’ve found recently for dealing with personal challenges comes from Jane McGonigal’s wonderful book SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully. It’s an incredible read, one that I recommend for anyone who struggles with overcoming any kind of personal challenges, whether self-imposed or imposed by things outside your control.

One of the most powerful ideas I’ve peeled from that book is the idea of “power ups.” A “power up” is something you can quickly do in your life to create a positive feeling, one that makes you feel better and leaves you more in control of whatever kind of challenge you’re trying to overcome.

McGonigal recommends having a repertoire of power-ups you can tap so that there’s variety available and so that you don’t “wear out” one particular power up through repetition.

Based on McGonigal’s advice, I have a number of “power ups” that I rely on that helps a lot with stress and feeling overwhelmed. This is a huge step, because that sense of stress and feeling overwhelmed often convinces me to abandon frugal principles and throw money at a problem when that runs directly counter to my long-term life goals.

Here are a few of my favorite “power ups.”

+ I meditate for ten minutes by sitting in a chair or in my car and simply focusing on nothing but my breath, going in, going out, going in, going out, and bringing my focus back to it if my attention goes elsewhere.

+ I eat an orange. Oranges are my favorite fruits. I absolutely love the taste and texture. (You might want to just have your own favorite fruit on hand.)

+ I vigorously exercise for a few minutes. My favorite thing to do is to plank until I can’t do it any more, paired with some deep stretching. If I have ten or fifteen minutes, I like to hop on my bike and ride a few miles really quickly.

+ I watch the music video of one of my favorite uptempo songs. I’ll watch Ain’t No Man by The Avett Brothers, My Girls by Animal Collective, or 6 AM Jullandar Shere by Cornershop, or the theme from The Natural. I want something that wakes me up and makes me feel good and alive.

+ I drink a big glass of really cold water. It wakes me up and makes me feel good for a while.

+ I take a longer shower than usual and just enjoy the water running over me. Sometimes, I’ll sing a song.

I have lots of these kinds of “power ups,” but many of the others are really tailored to personal interests. I strongly encourage you to figure out some of your own “power ups” and use them to help you deal with stressful slices of life.

Postpone major financial decisions until the end of a stressful period. If you’re going through a period where stress is high in your life, you’re likely to not make good financial decisions, and big financial decisions add more stress, making everything even more challenging.

For example, if you’re forced to move unexpectedly, don’t immediately buy an expensive house. Move into an apartment, settle into the other life changes, let the stress subside a little, and then shop for a house.

We may be due to change vehicles soon, but our automobiles are in good enough shape to get through the next few months, so we’re simply avoiding that decision for now. We don’t need to add more stress to the equation and we also know that we don’t make good decisions when we’re stressed.

If a stressful period feels unending, find something to de-commit from because the reality is that you’re letting down all of your commitments when you’re overstressed. Over and over again, I have found that during periods of heavy stress, I simply don’t perform as well at my life commitments. I usually do “well enough,” meaning that I get through the situations without disaster, but I don’t perform well by any stretch of the imagination.

That period of subpar performance is usually buoyed by the fact that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so the decline doesn’t last all that long and is counterbalanced by better efforts later on.

What if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, though? What if the period of heightened stress is set to continue for as long as you can see?

What that means is that you’re performing suboptimally in all areas of your life, without an end in sight. Rather than actually excelling at being a marital partner, at being a parent, at being a professional, at being a friend, you’re merely holding things together at best, and that’s not going to change.

If this describes you, you simply must step back from some commitments. You owe the key parts of your life more than the bare minimum. Whatever it is that you truly care about most deserves more of you than whatever scraps you can spare after everything else.

Look through your life, find some things that you can step back from, and start stepping back from them. This will lower your stress and it will improve your results in virtually every other aspect of your life. It’ll also make it far easier to make good spending choices in the moment.

In the war between stress and frugality, stress will eventually win out. It will erode through every good thing in your life, leaving you an empty and worn shell. It will take away your physical and mental health. It’ll take away your relationships. It’ll take away your reputation.

Don’t throw away the things you’ve worked for into the momentary pressures of stress. Instead, prepare for periods of stress in advance, recognize when those periods are ongoing and postpone key decisions, and if stress seems to be ongoing, look at making meaningful changes to your life.

Don’t simply throw money at the problem, because money won’t really solve the problem. It just postpones it.

Good luck.

The post The Battle Between Stress and Frugality appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Interview: Hugh Yarrow of Evenlode Income

Hugh Yarrow, manager of Evenlode Income, gives Moneywise’s Helen Knapman the lowdown on his fund, which is a recent addition to Moneywise’s First 50 Funds for novice investors

Moneywise's First 50 Funds for beginners

What is the fund?

Evenlode Income is an old-fashioned income and growth fund. We invest in the shares of companies, and at least 80% of these will be listed in the UK.

The aim of the fund is to deliver a balance between an attractive dividend yield and the potential for sustainable real dividend growth in the medium to long term.

What companies do you look to invest in?

There are 80 companies that fit our criteria of quality companies and 37 of those are in our portfolio.

These companies share two key characteristics. The first is that they’re asset light, which means they tend to be able to grow at a good rate over time without needing to invest much capital back into the business, so the nice thing is they have free cash to pay out dividends.

The other feature is that they tend to generate a high return on invested capital, so what capital they do invest generates a good level of profit. And, again, this lays the foundation for dividend growth over the medium to long term.

We tend to find these companies have rich brands, strong customer reputations built up over time, intellectual property, entrenched distribution networks or digital assets. These characteristics form what [famous investor] Warren Buffett would call the “impenetrable moat” – so these firms have a competitive advantage, which enables them to generate high returns over time.

How does the fund deal with economic and political challenges?

Rather than trying to make big predictions about future economic developments, we look to insulate the portfolio from what could happen. Free cash flow is a crucial metric – we like the portfolio to be generating this to cover the dividend stream, and that provides a bit of a safety buffer for things such as currency fluctuations.

Many of the underlying companies we invest in have global cash flows even though they are UK-listed companies. This makes investors less exposed to political instability in the UK.

Turn First 50 Funds into a potent portfolio

Which companies have you recently sold?

The last company we sold was RWS Holdings [a translator of pharmaceutical patents] in April this year. We bought it in 2015 and at the time the dividend was very attractive and the share price performed well, but the dividend yield has now gone down to less than 2% so we’ve gotten rid of it.

What companies have you recently bought?

This year we’ve bought Novartis, a healthcare company. The healthcare sector has been unfashionable because of US policy uncertainty, but it was paying more than a 3.5% dividend at the time we bought it.

Just after the EU referendum [23 June 2016], we bought recruitment firm PageGroup. People were uncertain about the UK and European economies and there was a sense that businesses would be hiring fewer people, which would have impacted the recruitment firm so we got it at a good price. But it has a strong balance sheet and strong growth potential.

In early 2016, we also bought Aveva, a software company that helps engineers to design and maintain big facilities such as nuclear power stations. The market was under some pressure because of low oil prices, so the company was undervalued but, again, it’s a good cash-generative business.

Moneywise First 50 Funds - 20 active funds to add value

What’s your best investment decision?

In terms of performance attribution, it has been Unilever, which has been a holding since the fund launched. It has many characteristics of an Evenlode company.

What’s been your worst investment decision?

The most negative contributor to the fund’s performance has been Vivendi – a French media company. It had some media assets and economic characteristics that we liked, but it also had a telecoms business and the company had some issues with it. We exited at a loss in 2012, but we learnt some important lessons about investing in a portfolio business.

What’s your top tip for a beginner investor?

I have friends who ask me if they should invest in certain funds or in Evenlode, and I often ask them: “Is this money that is genuinely long-term that you know you won’t need in the short term?” If the answer is “yes”, then I think equities are a really good asset class. But share prices do wobble a lot in the short term, so if you invest in shares you should always do this with a long-term view of five years or more.

Visit Moneywise’s First 50 Funds for beginners.

Evenlode Income Key Stats

Launched: 2009

Fund size: £1,446 million

Yield: 3.3% (based on B share class)

Ongoing charges (OCF): 0.95% (B share class) (i)

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(i) From Evenlode Income cost disclosure. Source: Evenlode Income August factsheet, 31 July 2017.

Fact sheet: Evenlode Income

The man behind the fund

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Hugh Yarrow launched Evenlode Income in October 2009 and is the fund’s lead portfolio manager. Prior to this, Hugh managed several equity income funds at Rathbone Unit Trust Management. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a first-class degree in philosophy and mathematics. He’s also a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and holds the Investment Management Certificate.

Ben Peters, a former investment analyst with a doctorate in physics, became Evenlode Income’s co-manager in December 2012.