MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 09/08/17

الجمعة، 8 سبتمبر 2017

Attention Writers: Idealist Is Looking for Freelancers for Its Careers Site

Here at The Penny Hoarder, we’re not only looking for full-time writers and remote freelancers to join our growing team — we’re also always looking to share good job opportunities, including other writing jobs.

Right now, Idealist is looking for freelancers to earn money from the comfort of their homes writing about social-impact and career development topics for its Idealist Careers publication.

If you’re not familiar with Idealist, it’s a site that connects people with information about jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities in the nonprofit sector or with other organizations that help society-at-large.

According to this job listing, writers will be paid $50 a post and are expected to write at least two posts a month, either from ideas they’ve pitched or topics assigned by an editor.

Idealist is looking for people who have experience writing for an online publication. They want fact-checking grammar whizzes who are detailed-oriented and yet have an eye for brevity.

It’d be a plus if you understand SEO fundamentals, have worked in the social-impact space before or have previous experience conducting interviews for articles.

To score this gig, you’ll need to submit a resume, cover letter and 400- to 600-word writing sample on one of two previously determined topics.

See here for more information on applying to be an Idealist Careers writer.

Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She loves it when writing makes a positive difference.

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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Equifax Exposed 143M People’s Data, Makes Infuriating Offer to Avoid Paying

Credit reporting bureau Equifax announced Thursday that approximately 143 million American consumers may be impacted by a cybersecurity breach.

Here’s what information got exposed: names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and some driver’s license numbers.

Another unlucky 209,000 or so people had their credit card numbers exposed. And 182,000 unlucky people had their dispute documents exposed.

U.K. and Canadian consumers may be affected as well, although Equifax doesn’t yet have details.

“Criminals exploited a U.S. website application vulnerability to gain access to certain files,” the company said in a statement.

Equifax has determined that breaches occurred between May and July 2017, although it says it “has found no evidence of unauthorized activity on Equifax’s core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases.”

Equifax learned of the breach on July 29.

What Equifax Is Doing to Save Face

Equifax plans to send notifications by mail to consumers whose credit card numbers or dispute documents were exposed.

Its dedicated website for this security breach invites you to input your last name and the last six digits of your Social Security number to learn if you were affected.

The bureau is offering its TrustedID Premier credit and identity theft monitoring to those whose information was compromised, complimentary for one year.

Here’s the Bigger Problem(s), Though

Consumers should be aware of a few extra issues related to this security breach.

1. Entering your name and Social Security number may not give you answers yet. Some Penny Hoarder staffers tried inputting their information only to be told to come back to the Equifax website on Sept. 11.

2. You may want to wait to see if you get a notice from Equifax in the mail, rather than check that website.

The website asks for your last name and the last six digits of your social. It then asks you to click a captcha box before submitting your info. But tucked at the very bottom of the site — nowhere near that info box — is a “terms of use” link.

Dig into those terms, and you’ll learn that enrolling in the complimentary credit-monitoring service waives your right to be a part of a class-action suit against Equifax.

“When I tried it out, it said I wasn’t impacted and then automatically enrolled me in a free credit monitoring service,” staff writer Lisa McGreevy said. “I later discovered the terms of service at this link says if you agree to accept credit monitoring, you waive the right to sue Equifax.”

A proposed class-action suit seeking a potential $70 billion nationally for damages was filed in Oregon on Thursday evening, Bloomberg reports.

3. Did we mention the shady executives?

CNBC reports that three Equifax executives sold some of their stock shares in early August, although Equifax told CNBC in a statement that those executives didn’t have any knowledge of the breach.

What to Do if You Don’t Trust Equifax Right Now

Want to figure out if your credit or identity is at risk, without turning to Equifax?

AnnualCreditReport.com allows you to access a credit report from each of the three bureaus once a year. If you haven’t used up your three for this 12-month period, it may be a good time to check.

You can sign up for a free identity protection service like True Identity, which will alert you if anyone applies for credit using your name.

Then, keep a close eye on your bank and credit account statements, email and mailbox. Staying vigilant can help you catch potential issues sooner rather than later.

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

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Is Your Backyard a Hot Mess? The DIY Network Needs You for Its New Show

Earlier this week, I finally mowed the blanket of weeds grass in my backyard for the first time since moving in five months ago. I know.

But it just goes to show the sad truth: our backyards tend to get neglected.

I mean, no one’s looking at the backyard when they drive by, right? If the front yard looks a hot mess, everyone will notice.

But the backyard? It can stay a sand pit, thanks. I’ve got other things to worry about — things that aren’t half-crumbling, unused fire pits and overgrown bushes that no one will ever notice.

And sure, maybe a messy backyard could be remedied with a little bit of elbow grease. But beyond that? Fuhgeddaboutit. It’s the landscaping, the water feature, the stone paver path, the gazebo, the deck — the things that backyard dreams are made of but that are just a little too expensive (even as a DIY project) that make a yard a home. Right?

So if there was a chance to transform your backyard from a sad, overgrown, chaotic, hopeless backyard (their words, not mine) into a less-desperate landscape with the help of some DIY professionals, wouldn’t you jump at it?

Great. ‘Cause there is, and you can.

Do You Have America’s Most Desperate Landscape?

The DIY Network is currently looking for “fun, active homeowners with dreadful, chaotic, overgrown, under-tended, absolutely hopeless backyard landscapes” to apply to be featured on the show “America’s Most Desperate Landscape” in 2018.

The show is all about a “massive transformation,” so the network is looking for the worst backyard in the country to give it the “biggest landscape makeover of the year.”

The network encourages people to dream big, offering whatever it takes to make your rundown outdoor space into your dream backyard — perfect for relaxing, entertaining or just enjoying some simple family time.

Here’s How to Apply

You can go here to find a full rundown of details on how to apply via email, but here are the basics:

Include your name and contact info, along with a short explanation about yourself, your family and your (bummer of a) backyard.

Be sure to include at least three pictures of your backyard to prove just how dire the situation really is.

Create a brief video that shows both your sad backyard and your family’s fun personality. Be convincing and show the network that you’re the right choice for TV.

Post your video on YouTube and include the link in the email.

Then, all you have to do is stare forlornly out your back window imagining what could be while you wait to hear back from the network.

Good luck!

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

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New York City Launches Free Lunch Program for All Students

The New York City public school system announced Wednesday that it will offer free lunch to every student this school year.

The announcement came after widespread criticism of school districts nationwide for so-called lunch shaming when children don’t have money to pay for food.

Shaming tactics ranged from taking hot lunches from the hands of children and throwing the food in the trash to stamping “Need Lunch Money” on their hands to notify parents they need to pay up.

With this policy change, New York City’s district ensures that each of its 1.1 million students has access at least two hot meals — breakfast was already free for students — every school day. New York City joins Boston, Chicago, Detroit and Dallas in offering free meals to students, The New York Times reported.

Although each child will have access to free lunch, parents in New York City are still encouraged to fill out income forms so the schools can qualify for federal funding to help pay for the program.

This school year, the Department of Agriculture, which oversees school lunch programs, required all schools to create written policies for students can’t pay for their lunches. Although the USDA did not require programs like New York City’s, it did suggest that schools work with parents directly rather than involve the students when they have overdue balances on their lunch accounts.

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

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I Think My Data Was Hacked in the Equifax Breach: Now What?

The last 24 hours have seen quite the whirlwind of credit-related activity. Equifax announced on September 7th that they were the victims of a massive data breach into one of their systems. No big deal, right? I mean data breaches happen all the time. Target, Home Depot, Gmail, pretty much every college and university in the country… everyone’s been breached at some point.

But this Equifax breach is significant for two reasons.

The first is the size. An incredible 143 million consumers living in the U.S. have potentially had their information exposed to people with bad intentions.

The second is the value of the information. If your information was exposed, then it likely included your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. Those are the crown jewels of information for credit fraudsters because it’s everything you need in order to apply for credit.

The information exposed has what I call “perpetual value.” That means it’ll still be valuable to a fraudster in five years, because it’s not going to change. You’ll still have the same name, SSN, and date of birth. And you’ll likely be living at the same address. Point being, I’d much rather have someone steal all of my credit cards than steal my personal information.

What Should You Do?

The minute you get done reading this, you should go to this page on the Equifax website.

Here you’ll be able to see whether you’ve been impacted, or not. If you have been impacted, then I would highly suggest you place fraud alerts on all three of your credit reports. You can do that at any of these three credit bureau websites:

The good news is that you only need to do this with one of the credit bureaus, and they are obligated under Federal law to notify the other two. The fraud alert will ensure that ANY lender that pulls your credit reports calls you and verifies verbally that you actually submitted a valid application for credit. For most of us, this will be good enough.

If, however, you want to ramp up your defenses a bit, you can “freeze” all three of your credit reports. The practical impact of a freeze is that your three credit reports will be taken out of circulation. That means no new lender (a lender that you don’t have a relationship with) can access your reports, period. You can learn more about how to place freezes on ALL of your credit reports at these credit bureau websites:

Security freezes are not free unless you’ve been a confirmed victim of fraud, but they are very inexpensive. For example, I live in Georgia, and it’s $3 to freeze my credit report. That means I can freeze all three for $9, and that’s a one-time cost, not monthly. It’s the best $9 I’ll ever spend.

Should I Sign Up for the Equifax Fraud Service?

The service Equifax is giving away to basically anyone and everyone who wants it is called TrustedID. It’s a good service, nothing wrong with it at all. Having said that, here are some things to consider.

You’re only going to get it free for one year. That assumes the value of your personal information diminishes after a year, which it does not. If I were one of the fraudsters I’d disappear for a few years and let the heat die down, and then resurface to monetize your personal information.

It only applies to Equifax. The credit report lock aspect of the service only applies to your Equifax credit report, and not your credit reports at Experian and TransUnion. That’s like locking one of the three doors to your house.

You will waive some of your rights by enrolling in the service. I’m not a lawyer and I don’t know what that means exactly, but this has been brought up in tweets and Facebook posts numerous times already, so clearly this is something that’s troublesome to people. You can read more about your rights here.

Related Articles:

John Ulzheimer is an expert on credit reporting, credit scoring, and identity theft. He has written four books on the topic and has been interviewed and quoted thousands of times over the past 10 years. With time spent at Equifax and FICO, Ulzheimer is the only credit expert who actually comes from the credit industry. He has been an expert witness in over 230 credit related lawsuits and has been qualified to testify in both federal and state courts on the topic of consumer credit.

The post I Think My Data Was Hacked in the Equifax Breach: Now What? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Don’t Let Your Body Language Trash Your Chances of Landing That Dream Job

My neighbor is a terrible liar.

My house is right in the path of Hurricane Irma so I popped next door to ask my neighbor if she needed help with anything.

“Oh, no. I’m fine. We’re fine. Everything’s fine,” she assured me. The staccato tapping of her foot and the way she kept twirling a lock of hair around her finger told me otherwise.

She finally admitted she’s a nervous wreck (me too!) but her body language gave her away long before that.

Bodies are funny like that. They can betray the words coming out of our mouth because some body language is an unconscious behavior.

With the possible exception of professional poker players, most of us don’t go around monitoring our body language all the time. There’s one situation, however, where you probably should.

Watch Your Body Language During Job Interviews

Hiring managers say body language mistakes are a huge deal-breaker during job interviews. As many as 30% of candidates display negative body language during job interviews, according to a recent survey.

Senior managers say several non-verbal cues can tell them a lot about the person they’re interviewing. Candidates who do things like cross their arms, play with something on the table or slouch in their chairs can torpedo their chances of landing a job.

The top behaviors that are likely to make or break your interview include:

Eye contact

Facial expressions

Posture

Handshake

Fidgeting

Hand gestures

“Providing thoughtful responses and asking intelligent questions carry a lot of weight during a job interview, but your body language can also speak volumes,” said Brandi Britton, a district president for staffing company OfficeTeam. “Candidates need to do everything they can to increase their chances of receiving an offer — and that includes avoiding negative and distracting nonverbal behaviors.”

Hiring managers expect candidates to be nervous during interviews. It’s how you manage your anxiousness that can make the difference between getting the job or getting passed over.

One way to take the edge off is to practice answering common interview questions before your appointment. It’s also a good idea to prepare a few questions for your interviewer to make a great impression.

The more relaxed you are going into your interview, the less likely you are to fidget, glance around or wear a terrified expression on your face.

Learning to control your unconscious body language has benefits outside the job interview process, too. It can help you keep your cool during negotiations like asking for a raise or buying a new car.

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her favorite expression about body language is “ she looks as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”

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Understanding Medicare Supplement Plan J

One reason that it's so difficult to keep up with Medicare is that it's constantly changing. The government is always adding or taking away restrictions on health care. Not only does Medicare coverage continue to change, but supplemental insurance continues to cover as well.

Medicare is an excellent government program, and it help provide health care coverage to millions of seniors across the nation, but it doesn't cover everything. In fact, there are a dozen different expense categories that Medicare Parts A and B don't cover. Those expenses could leave you with massive medical bills and hospital fees.

Those massive bills could turn your retirement dream into a nightmare. It's important that you get the health care coverage that you need to ensure that you aren't responsible for hospital bills that would drain your bank account.

Every year, I get a lot of questions about Medigap Plan J, which is no longer available. It's important that you understand all of the plans, and if you have a Plan J, you will need to understand your coverage and some other similar options.

What is a Medicare Supplemental Plan J?

Medigap plans are sold by private insurance companies, and they work together with your original Medicare Parts A and B to give you additional coverage that you wouldn't get with just your traditional coverage. There are ten different supplemental plans that you can choose from, all of them are going to have different coverages and gaps that they fill.

Some plans are going to be more basic than others. A Medigap Plan A is going to be one of the most basic, and it's going to leave more gaps in coverage than other plans, like supplemental Plan F, which is the most comprehensive policy.

Plan J was one of the most popular options for Medigap coverage because of the additional insurance protection that it provided to enrollees. If you have a Plan J still, then you have the most coverage that you can buy. In fact, the law no longer allows you to get some of the coverage.

With your Plan J, you will get the basic coverage categories, like Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for an additional 365 days after your original Medicare coverage has expired. If you've ever stayed the night in a hospital for whatever reason, you know that it can be an expensive stay. With traditional Medicare, you will get some hospital fee coverage, but after that coverage ends, you'll be responsible for all of those bills out-of-pocket. With a Medicare Plan J (or any supplemental plan for that matter), you will get additional coverage that can protect your savings if you're ever in the hospital for several weeks.

Some of the additional coverage that came with a Plan J was paying the Part A and B deductible. The deductible is the amount that you have to reach before your Medicare coverage kicks in. If you had a Plan J, then you wouldn't be responsible for paying that bill. Every year, the Part B deductible changes. In 2017, this threshold is $183.

Plan J would also pay for any Part B excess charges. When you go to the doctor or hospital to get any service, there is a pre-determined amount that Medicare B will pay. The doctor is legally allowed to charge 15% more than that amount. Anything about that pre-determined amount is considered excess charges. If you don't have supplemental coverage, you will have to pay for all of those excess bills out of your pocket.

One of the unique coverage categories of Plan J was the prescription coverage that it provided. Plan J will help cover some of the rising costs of medications. The prescription coverage was one of the main reasons that Plan J was so popular.

What Happened to Medigap Plan J?

As I've already mentioned, Medigap Plan J is no longer available. There were several changes in the early 2000s that make these plans unavailable for new enrollees. Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which changed the way that Medicare was structured. When this act was completed, the started Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

Once Part D began, it meant that Plan J was providing duplicated coverage, and that Plan J was now obsolete. The new law made it illegal for any supplemental coverage to pay for medication expenses, which meant like Plan J was identical to Plan F, and there was no reason for having two identical plans. If you held a Plan J at that point, you could keep your supplemental coverage, and you weren't required to switch policies.

After that point, nobody else was able to enroll in Plan J, but there were several other quality options that you could choose from. It's vital that you get the perfect supplemental insurance for your health care needs.

Alternatives

The obvious alternative to Plan J is to purchase a Plan F. The plans are identical minus the prescription coverage that Plan J is no longer allow to give to its enrollees. Plan F will give you all of the comprehensive coverage that the other plans won't provide. If you want to get the most coverage possible, then a Plan F is going to be the best choice.

On the other hand, if you decide that you don't want as much coverage, and you would rather save money, then a smaller plan is going to be a much better option. A Medigap Plan A or B will fill in a few of the gaps that Medicare doesn't pay for. With a smaller plan, you won't get as much additional coverage, but you are going to save money every month.

Deciding Which Plan

There are several different factors that you will need to consider when you're shopping for supplemental insurance coverage. The first factor that you will need to look at is your finances. Everyone would love to have a Plan F which gives the most coverage, but not everyone can afford that comprehensive plan. Before you purchase any additional coverage, take a look at your budget and decide how much you can spend every month on that supplemental protection. The goal of your Medigap policy is to protect your savings, but the plan shouldn't break your bank every month.

The next factor that you need to answer is your medical history and your family tree. The older that you get, the more that you're going to spend on health care, and those expenses could drain your savings account, but that's where your Medigap plan comes in. If you're in poor health, then you will need to purchase a comprehensive policy that gives you the most coverage possible.

Medigap Open Enrollment

One of the most important things to realize about Medigap plans is when you should purchase one of these plans. Once the month that you turn 65 begins, your Medigap Open Enrollment Period begins. During this time, the insurance company can't decline your application, regardless of your health or any health complications that you may have. If you're in terrible health, this could be the only chance that you have to get coverage.

Additionally, if you apply during the open enrollment, the company can't increase your premiums, even if you have health complications. If you want to save money, it's vital that you apply during the six-month window of open enrollment. After the six months is over, then your application will be treated as a normal application, which means that you could get drastically higher premiums.

Any Questions about Medigap Plan J?

Because Plan J is no longer available, I don't get a lot of questions about the plan, but there are still people with these plans. It's vital that you get the perfect supplemental coverage. You've worked hard to reach this stage of life, don't let medical bills wreck your retirement dream.

If you have any questions about Medigap Plan J or any of the alternatives, please contact an experienced Medicare supplemental insurance agent or me today.

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Understanding Medicare Supplement Plan D

Medicare is one of the biggest government programs in the United States. It provides health care to millions of senior citizens across the country. It gives them health care coverage that they would be able to afford otherwise.

While Medicare is an excellent program that helps protect seniors from massive hospital bills, but it doesn't cover everything. In fact, there are a dozen different expense categories that they don't cover. Those groups could leave you with thousands and thousands of dollars of debts.

Every year, the cost of health care continues to rise. There is nothing that you can do stop the rising costs, but there are some ways that you can protect your finances from being wrecked by those bills. One of the best things that you can do is purchase a Medigap insurance plan. These policies will give you additional health care coverage that will work with your traditional insurance policy.

What is a Medigap Policy?

Medigap policies are sold by private insurance companies across the nation. These plans work as an add-on to your Medicare Parts A & B. They don't replace the original coverage. You will still have to pay the monthly premiums.

The goal of Medigap plans is to fill in all of the coverage holes left behind. There are ten different Medigap plans that are sold, and they are denoted by a letter of the alphabet, A through N. All of the plans offer different coverage or cover portions of various expenses. Some of them are going to cover 100% of certain categories, while others are going to only pay for 80% of them.

Medigap Plan D

Now that you know the basics of Medicare Supplemental insurance policies, we can look at the specifics of Plan D. Before we get started, it's important that you understand the Medigap Plan D is not the same thing as Medicare Part D. These plans are very different, but a lot of applicants tend to get the two confused, for obvious reasons.

Medigap Plan D is one of the “middle of the road” supplemental plans. It's not the smallest, but it's also not the most comprehensive. There are a few key coverage categories that you should be aware of to ensure that you're getting the best supplemental plan for you.

Medicare Supplemental Plan D is going to pay for necessary expenses like your Part A hospital coinsurance and costs for an additional 365 days after your original Medicare expires. If you've ever spent a night in the hospital or several nights, then you know how expensive it can be to stay. If you're hospitalized for several days or even several weeks, you'll find yourself with a massive bill in the mail. Your original Medicare Parts A and B are only going to cover a short stay in a hospital, but depending on the condition, you could be there for a lot longer. That's where your supplemental plan will come in. It will give you the additional coverage that you need to offset those expensive hospital bills.

Your Medigap Plan D will also pay for Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment and your Part A deductible. Neither of these is going to be massive expenses, but having coverage for them is going to keep more money in your pockets. More than likely, you won't be required to pay your Part A deductible. Depending on the services that you need from hospice, you could end up with thousands and thousands of dollars out-of-pocket, but that's where your Medigap coverage comes in.

Additionally, Plan D pays for your Part B copayments or coinsurance. If you go to the doctor or hospital, you'll be required to pay copayment fees, but if you have Medigap coverage, then your plan is going to pay for those bills. The more that you go to the doctor, the more that you're going to pay, and the supplemental coverage can help protect your savings account from being drained by hospital bills.

One of the most notable coverage areas of the Plan D policy is the foreign travel emergency costs. Technically, this plan is going to cover 80% of those foreign emergency costs. While it only pays for 80% of those costs, it's the most protection that you can get, regardless of which plan that you buy. If you plan on doing a lot of overseas traveling in your retirement, it's important that you have this additional coverage. If something were to happen to you while you were on vacation, your Medicare is not going to pay for any of that.

Some of the other expenses that you plan will pay for is the first three pints of blood for any medical treatment that you may need. After the first three pints, your Original Medicare should pay for any additional pints. Pints of blood can be expensive depending on how many that you need, but your Medigap coverage coupled with your traditional coverage will cover those bills.

The last portion of expenses that the plan will cover is any skilled nursing facility care coinsurance that you would be responsible for paying for. Depending on the type of skilled nursing facility care that you need, it could end up being a massive bill.

What Medicare Supplemental Plan D Doesn't Cover

There are also a few key expenses that a Medigap Plan D won't cover, and those coverage gaps could drain your savings account. One of the most notable expenses is the Medicare Part B excess charges. When you go to a doctor or hospital, and you receive any service, there is a pre-determined amount that Medicare will pay for those services. Legally, the doctor or hospital is allowed to charge up to 15% more than that pre-determined amount, and the amount that is above the amount is called excess charges. Without Medigap coverage, you would be responsible for those bills, and because Plan D doesn't pay for those charges, you would have to pay for those out-of-pocket.

Deciding which Medigap Plan is Right for you

It's important that you choose which of the ten plans are going to work best for you. There are several key factors that you should consider to ensure that you're getting the best plan for you. I know that picking between these plans can be difficult, but there are a few key categories that you should review before you apply for any of them.

The first thing that you should look at is your finances. The primary goal of your Medigap plan is to protect your savings account from the mountain of debt that a hospital could give you. While it's one of the best ways to give you additional coverage, the supplemental plan shouldn't break your bank every month. Make sure that you look at your budget and calculate how much money you can spend on your Medigap plan.

The next thing that you should consider is your health. If you're in bad health and you have several dire health complications, then you should consider purchasing a more comprehensive policy that is going to give you the additional coverage that you need. If you're in excellent health with no pre-existing conditions, then you can consider risking a smaller plan with a cheaper monthly premium.

Open Enrollment

Enrolling in one of these Medigap policies is very simple. The Medicare supplemental agent can walk you through the whole process, but it's important that you apply during your Medigap Open Enrollment period. This is a 6-month time frame that beings the month that you turn 65. During this time, the insurance company can't decline your application, regardless of your health or any pre-existing conditions that you have. If you're in poor health, this could be the only chance that you have to get supplemental coverage.

Additionally, during your open enrollment, the company can't charge you more for your plan, even if you have severe health problems. If you wait to purchase one of these plans, it could cost you thousands of dollars more every year. If you want to save money, don't weight to apply for your coverage.

Any Questions?

Medigap plans are one of the best ways to protect your retirement savings and ensure that you can live out your retirement dreams. The older that you get, the more that you're going to spend on health care and related medical costs. Don't' let those expenses ruin your retirement.

If you have any questions about Medigap coverage, please feel free to contact an experienced Medicare Supplemental insurance agent near you or me today. It's vital that you get the proper coverage.

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How Important Conversion Optimization Is for Small Ecommerce Sites

There are no two ways about it.

If you’re in ecommerce, you’re in business to make money.

Sure, there may be philosophical reasons why you provide your customers with top-notch service.

But ultimately, your goal is to ensure money exchanges hands quicker and more often.

The way to achieve that is through conversion optimization.

This applies to all online businesses.

In the ecommerce space, it’s even more crucial.

In this article, I’ll explain why. I’ll also get into how you can make some adjustments to your site to improve conversions.

First, let’s take it from the top.

What is conversion optimization?

In layman’s terms, conversion optimization is the process of increasing the number of visitors who take a desired action on your site.

Any number of activities can count as a conversion. It depends on your goals.

Signing up to an email list, creating an account, making a purchase, and downloading software are all examples.

Here are some more examples:

Start Caring About Conversions Stop Pouring Money Down The Drain Hit Reach

The more often these conversions happen, the more revenue your business receives.

In theory, it’s pretty simple.

In practice, it’s a little more complex than just getting more people to take action.

Why so?

You need to get the right people to take the right actions at the right time.

That means there are quite a few pieces that need to be moved to ensure your conversion funnel is working as it should.

Here’s what prioritizing conversions can do for your business.

1. You can have a fighting chance against Goliath competitors

Every time I think of competition, I think of this simple yet profound quote:

The strong eat the weak.

It’s true in life, and it’s true in business.

Ecommerce is extremely competitive. Just look at the increase in sales within the industry over the span of eight years:

e commerce for manufacturing growth of e commerce png 1 000 743 pixels

New players are entering your space every single day with the sole goal of snatching up your customers.

The only way to combat this is to make your customers so loyal to you that the competition doesn’t matter.

That can’t happen without first moving them through your sales funnel.

There’s one mistake I see small ecommerce businesses make all the time.

They focus on traffic generation without first having the systems in place to:

convert that traffic into leads;
convert leads into loyal customers.

If you already have some traffic coming in, I recommend you spend some time optimizing your conversion funnel.

Because guess what? You may not be able to bring in as much traffic as larger sites. They have more resources, larger teams, and bigger advertising budgets.

You may not even be able to compete on price.

But you can still have a competitive advantage if you make use of conversion optimization.

2. You can get more bang for your advertising dollar

Organic traffic outperforms paid methods, hands down. A ContentMX client saw an 84% increase in organic clicks.

The Definitive Strategy For Driving Organic Traffic Without Ranking In Googles Top 10 png 1 217 1 096 pixels

Here’s the thing though.

Driving organic traffic is a difficult feat.

It’s why many ecommerce sites turn to paid advertising.

As more businesses use this strategy, the price goes up.

Now imagine this.

You’re spending thousands every month on paid campaigns.

Your ad copy, landing pages, and other elements at the top of your funnel are not optimized to convert.

Wouldn’t the result be catastrophic?

There’s no way you’d get a solid return on that investment.

Let’s just say your funnel is good enough to produce sales. What if your systems were leaner and more efficient?

You’d get better results out of the same ad spend.

It’s a no-brainer.

Before you launch a paid campaign, map every path your prospect would take after they click on your ads.

Then, improve every touchpoint so that it converts at a higher rate.

3. The CRO process gives you a better understanding of user behavior

The way users interact with your site is everything.

It’s the closest you’ll get to reading your prospects’ minds.

It tells you what they’re looking for, what they respond to best, and what turns them off.

This means you can give users exactly what they want when they get to your site. Conversions would happen much faster because web visitors would have what they need at hand.

But you shouldn’t just glance at your analytics and make changes to your site based on that one analysis.

You need to monitor user behavior over time.

It’s the only way to notice patterns you can capitalize on.

My advice?

Get a solid grasp on how to navigate Google Analytics. It’s one of the most powerful free tools for analyzing user behavior on your site.

Salesforce found that 56% of businesses rely solely on Google Analytics for their web analytics. Only about 11% don’t use it at all.

Business Analytics The Key to Recognizing Opportunities for Market Development Salesforce Blog

Here are a few things you can track right now:

Where are your web visitors coming from? You can target these sources to get more visitors.
Which channels are driving the most traffic? This will tell you where to focus your time and resources.
Where on your site are visitors spending the most time? This will tell you where users’ interests lie.
How “sticky” are your site pages? Check your bounce rates for that info. You want them to be low.

These are just a few ideas. User behavior has many aspects.

How do you get this info?

First, find the behavior reports within your Google Analytics account:

Analytics

You’ll see several subsections, each with insights on how visitors interact with your site:

Analytics 1

Hopefully, you already have Google Analytics fired up.

Go through the reports, and collect all historical data.

Identify what’s yielding the most results, and double down on it. Then, you can pinpoint underperforming areas and improve them.

These insights are crucial not only for conversions but for every aspect of your digital marketing.

Content, social media, and email marketing are all areas that can benefit from analyzing user behavior.

Here’s the other thing about using analytics for conversion optimization: It prevents you from making changes to your site based on a hunch.

You’ll have concrete data to base your decisions on, and that’s how you avoid making costly mistakes.

4. The weak elements of your ecommerce site design will be revealed

Design has a lot to do with how well your site converts.

You should have a simple, easy-to-navigate layout.

Conversion optimization almost always includes a site redesign to ensure these factors are at play.

You’ll pinpoint the weak spots, and your site will evolve to have a cleaner layout.

Here are some things you may consider.

Product Images

People underestimate the importance of images to boost conversions. This is the most life-like representation of your product.

Images should be high-resolution, large, and varied. This way customers can view your product from multiple angles.

It makes the product more tangible, which positively influences conversions.

Navigation

Users should be able to browse through your products quickly and conduct searches without fuss.

That’s where a prominently-placed search box comes in: 30% of site visitors use search on an ecommerce store.

The Ultimate Guide To Ecommerce Conversion Rate Optimisation Infographic Digitaloft

The quicker you can get customers what they want, the quicker you make the conversion.

That’s the point of navigation.

As such, it should be simple and distraction-free.

Add-to-cart buttons and checkout signs must be clearly visible.

CTA

I’ll admit. The right-colored CTA button won’t make your sales funnel.

But it can certainly hurt you.

Don’t think this is a major problem?

These statistics show the many ways businesses neglect their CTAs:

How call to action is often ignored Truconversion png 800 700 pixels

If you don’t have a color that stands out and compels visitors to click through, it can take away from the user experience.

This is where color psychology can come into play. Make sure you choose the right colors for your ecommerce site, and your CTAs will perform as they should.

It’s not just about color though.

The words you use have far more impact. I recommend using words like “now” and “today” that convey urgency.

How to Generate Leads with Twitter Advanced Search Queries

These are just a few elements.

Here’s a good rule of thumb for deciding how your web pages should be designed.

Step #1: Decide the primary goal of the page. Zone in on one thing.

Step #2: Decide on the secondary goals of the page. These should be related to your primary goal.

For instance, let’s look at product pages.

The goal is to get users to add products to their carts, right?

Your secondary goal can be a catalyst to get your primary goal moving along. For example, you may decide you want more persuasive product descriptions, more social proof, etc.

These will help advance your primary goal.

Makes sense?

Step #3: Make your primary call to action the most prominent element. This way you’re deciding for the user which action they should take.

Step #4: Include your secondary calls to action and nothing else. You don’t want to have anything on your page that doesn’t lead web visitors to your primary and secondary calls to action.

For creative elements, I always recommend split tests.

This is how you’ll know for sure which version of your site provides the smoothest user experience.

And that’s it!

5. Conversion optimization is a profit maximizer

Put simply, more conversions lead to bigger profits.

But know this: you need to tighten every aspect of your sales process.

There’s no point in optimizing for conversions at the top of your funnel if you can’t keep momentum as web visitors move through the funnel.

The best way to capitalize on all customer touch points is first to map your customer journey.

This is a map that illustrates the path your customers go through when they interact with your business.

Once you have that figured out, deciding what to optimize at each stage should be obvious.

Here’s an example of a customer journey map:

Does Marketing Really Own the Customer Experience Crownpeak

6. Your customer acquisition cost will be lowered

Conversion optimization is the silver bullet for reducing your customer acquisition costs (CAC).

Here’s the textbook definition of CAC:

what is custoemr acqusition costs Google Search

In short, it’s the price you pay for acquiring a customer.

This one metric can make or break your business.

If it costs too much to convert a customer, your profit margins will be restricted.

Larger profit margins, on the other hand, give you more flexibility in your market. You’ll be able to serve your customers with more value and secure a spot as a dominant player in your space.

What does conversion optimization have to do with all this?

Here’s a scenario.

Let’s say you’ve decided to optimize your site for more conversions.

With a few strategic changes, you see a 3% bump in conversions.

The amount of traffic to your site hasn’t changed. Your ad spend is still the same. The only variable is what you’ve done to optimize your site.

The 3% increase in conversions means you’ll be acquiring more customers, resulting in more revenue, without employing more resources.

Granted, it may cost you to make changes to your site. However, the result is still the same.

Your CAC will decrease while your ROI increases.

Now, that’s a sweet deal.

7. You will have a more targeted customer base

When you optimize for conversions, everything about your marketing becomes sharper.

Your messaging and positioning will be hyper-focused.

This means you’ll attract the right kind of customers and repel those who aren’t your target audience.

The result?

You’ll be better able to serve your customers’ needs. This is bound to improve your customer lifetime value.

Here’s the other thing.

Businesses that master their markets, audiences, and positioning command more authority.

That’s ideal for the optics and even better for business.

Your perceived value will increase, which will no doubt give you the influence to land bigger profits.

Conclusion

If there’s one thing you choose to do for your ecommerce site today, let it be conversion optimization.

It’s an especially powerful tactic for small businesses.

Why?

Because you can get better results by using the same resources you have.

That’s golden.

It means you can start to scale your business and make headway on your competitors without outspending them.

I’ll say this though: conversion optimization is not about making a few tweaks to your site and watching conversions go through the roof.

It doesn’t happen that way.

This is why my focus in this article is on the areas of your business that can benefit if you prioritize conversions.

The way you go about achieving that depends on your business and your customers.

What objections do they have to your product? What prevents them from taking critical actions?

Consider these questions, use the insights in this article, and your ecommerce business will be better for it.

How did your business benefit from conversion optimization?

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How I Get Focused for Great Professional and Personal Performance

During the school year, I typically have a roughly seven and a half hour window in which the house is empty and quiet and I can focus on my writing and other work tasks. While I definitely do work outside of that block, the reality is that I want to get as much value out of my work time as possible, because if I’ve got time blocked out to work, it’s better for me professionally and personally if I make the most of that time.

That’s true of almost any job. The more productive you are when you’re at work, the better off you are in the long run. You become more valuable at work. It becomes easier to convince your boss that you deserve a raise. Your skill set becomes sharper. You’re likely involved in more resume-worthy projects. It becomes easier to get a new job as well, likely one with better pay.

The same thing is true with personal projects as well. If you can get more value out of that time, you can spend less time on the things you don’t really enjoy but have to do and spend more time on the aspects of life that really provide value for you.

The key factor is focus. Ideally, if I’m focused on a task, I drop into what’s known as a “flow state,” in which I lose track of time because my attention is so focused on the task at hand. During those periods, I get a ton accomplished.

Over the last couple of years, I have experimented with a lot of factors to figure out how to efficiently get myself to focus on a task really well, even when it’s not something I’m naturally excited to do. I’ve found a process that works really well almost all of the time, and when I actually stick to it and use it, I’m incredibly productive.

Here’s what I do.

Start of the Day

A big part of being able to successfully focus on tasks during the day is starting off the day well. Here are six things I do each morning, usually in the thirty to forty-five minutes I have before other household members start waking up, that really set the stage for being able to focus on things later in the day.

I drink a lot of water. I do this right when I wake up. It’s the single most effective thing I’ve found at making me feel more awake quickly in the morning. If I start with coffee, or if I drink nothing at all, I’ll drag on in a sludgy morning state for a good hour or so, which isn’t helpful for me or anyone else. I just go downstairs, pour myself about 32 ounces of water, and drink it over the next five minutes, usually while flipping through a magazine or reading something on my phone.

I stretch and do a bit of moderate exercise, to get the blood flowing. After I drink water, I do the second most effective thing I’ve found for waking me up: a bit of mild stretching and exercise. I touch my toes and hold it for ten seconds. I spread my legs apart for a bit and touch the opposite foot with each hand for ten seconds. I bend back as far as I can for ten seconds. I’ll put each foot up on the counter, one at a time, and bend over to touch my toes for ten seconds. I’ll then do a little bit of exercise, whatever I feel like. Sometimes I’ll do planks. Sometimes I’ll do pushups. Sometimes I’ll put on shoes and jog around the block. I just do something to get the blood flowing, and I feel really good afterwards.

I take a shower. Sometimes I’m a bit sweaty after exercise, so I’ll usually stop at this point and brush my teeth and take a shower. Again, it’s a “feeling good” thing (along with the basic hygiene).

I meditate on my breathing for ten minutes. After I shower and get dressed for the day, I’ll sit down for ten minutes in a comfortable chair, close my eyes, and focus on my breathing for ten minutes. I’ve come to view this as a mental counterpart to the stretching and mild exercise; it’s basically the equivalent of stretching and flexing for my mind, getting it in better shape for focusing. The benefits of this tend to build on themselves – one session isn’t transformative, but making it a daily habit definitely creates improvement.

I review my to-do list for the day. At this point, I just go through the things I need to do today. I usually prioritize it a little bit and, if you’ve been reading other articles on here lately, you know that I also ask myself about the long-term consequences of each of those actions. Usually, I try to figure out what I’m going to do in the morning, because I usually block off a solid segment of time for work between breakfast and lunch.

I eat a protein-rich breakfast. My only real requirement for breakfast is that it has plenty of protein in it. That usually means some eggs or egg whites or some yogurt for me. Protein is the key ingredient here, as it seems to really help in terms of focus for the rest of the day.

Just Before a Task

Now, let’s roll forward a little bit and look at what I do when I’m settling in for a task and I want to focus well throughout it.

I turn off my cell phone. My cell phone is the number one source of distraction in my life. I went through a period where it constantly stayed on, with the little chirps of notifications constantly distracting me and stealing my train of thought. No more. It’s extremely rare that the distraction of a notification is worth breaking my focus when I’m trying to get something done. It can wait. I turn my cell phone off entirely when I’m bearing down on a task.

I close browser windows and turn off wifi. My work involves writing, and the best environment for me as a writer is one where I can’t just click instantly over into a web browser and get distracted and where the computer isn’t giving me notifications and chirps like my phone does. The easiest way to do that is to just turn off wifi and keep my browser window closed. The only program I keep open is the program I use for writing. If I do need to look something up, I launch a browser, connect to wifi, look up that item, turn off wifi, and leave my browser open while I use that information, then close it.

I put on some ambient noise, like this. I have several long audio files of ambient noise that I use as background noise when I’m writing. I find I write far better with some gentle random background noise than in complete silence. The random gentle background noise keeps me from getting distracted by the occasional random noise from outside; without the gentle background noise, outside noises can be really distracting. I focus far better when there’s gentle random background noise like that.

I have a cup of coffee and a cup of green tea on hand and drink from both. If I drink coffee alone, I feel a bit agitated – I focus, but it’s a jittery focus that I can startle right out of. If I drink tea alone, I feel very mellow and not anxious at all, but I can’t focus well. Drinking both gives me the best of both worlds – I can focus really well without the jitteriness. I usually sit down with a cup of coffee (straight black) and a cup of green tea and drink them both.

During a Task

What about when I’m actually working on something?

I force myself to stay on task for a little while, even when it feels hard. The first portion is the hard portion for me, because it’s the time when I’m not really “in the flow” yet so I can really feel the effort it takes to stay focused. I just make myself push through this part because I know that if I do it, eventually I’ll get engaged and lose track of time and get deep into the task. I just have to make myself push through that first part, and I can only do that with minimal distraction.

If I suddenly drop out of a “flow state,” I take a break for a little while and then restart. When I drop out of that “flow state,” I know that it’s going to be tricky to jump right back into it, so I usually take a break. I use the bathroom. I move around a little. Maybe I’ll go on a short walk. I’ll usually stretch a little and refill my coffee and tea.

End of the Day

How I end the day is important, too. There are two key things I try to do each day that will help with focusing the following day.

I prep my to do list for the next day. I write down the big three things I want to accomplish, along with a bunch of littler things to do as time allows. This sets the stage for the next day. My intent is to use most of my focusing efforts on those “big three” tasks.

I go to bed early so that I get adequate sleep. Sleep is perhaps the most important aspect of all in terms of quality focusing, so I try to get plenty of sleep. Ideally, I prefer to wake up without an alarm, which means that I need to go to sleep fairly early to be up an hour or so before the rest of the family. I usually try to be in bed by 9:30 and read for half an hour before falling asleep.

How Does This Make Money?

So, what does focusing have to do with money? I alluded to it a bit at the start, but the real benefit is productivity – the amount of work I can produce in a given amount of time.

When I really focus, I can fall into a “flow state” in which my productivity is at a maximum. Words flow from my fingers. Ideas click together. I fix things and solve problems and take care of tasks.

If I’m in that flow state a lot during a given day, that means I suddenly have more free time. I’m able to get done in, say, five hours what would normally take me eight or nine hours – sometimes, I’m even more efficient than that.

That gives me free time that I didn’t have before. I can use that free time for additional money making projects (I’ve had one on the back burner for a while). I can use it to take care of frugality projects that I might otherwise skip or just pay someone else to do. Sometimes, I just use that extra time to enjoy myself – on a week of really good focusing, for example, I’ve been known to play a solitaire board game on the dining room table on a Friday afternoon, which helps a lot with stress and feeling happy about life.

I sometimes use the same focusing techniques on personal tasks, too. I use it when engaging in lifelong learning for personal growth or when I’m about to exercise, for example. Doing so greatly increases the value I get from such activities.

In short, having some tools in my personal toolbox to help me focus makes me more effective professionally and personally, and being more effective helps me to produce higher quality work at a faster pace, which either gives me more free time or greater opportunity to take on more money making projects.

I hope that some of these tools help you in the same way.

Good luck!

The post How I Get Focused for Great Professional and Personal Performance appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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This is How to Tailgate Like a Hall of Famer — Even if You’re on a Budget

At long last, football season is back, and you know what that means.

It’s time for some tailgating.

Time to throw down in the stadium parking lot. Time to play some sweet tunes and grill some meats. Time to enjoy an adult beverage or two. Or three. Or six. Hey, we don’t judge.

Now, it would be nice to tailgate like a king. Grill up some T-bone steaks and lobster tails, and wash it all down with Dom Perignon, barrel-aged bourbon, or some Belgian craft beer that’s brewed with truffles and juniper berries.

But we’re not going to do that. Because we’re broke.

This is The Penny Hoarder, so we’re going to tailgate on a budget.

Through extensive and exhaustive research in the field — going to many, many tailgates — we’ve learned how to do it without breaking the bank. Yes, these are the kinds of sacrifices we make for our beloved readers.

Tailgating Like a Cheapskate — But in Style

Our secret strategy is this: Make sure to get cash back when you buy food and alcohol.

Use the cash-back app Ibotta to earn rebates on groceries. Search the app for rebates as you make your shopping list, then use the app to scan your receipt once you get home with the goods. The average user earns $30 per month, according to the company.

With tailgating, where Ibotta really comes in handy is with alcohol. The app has a ton of rebate offers for beer, wine and liquor, ranging from $5 back on a case of Bud Light to $3 back on a bottle of Jim Beam.

Here are a few other tips we learned from asking an expert, Joe Cahn, who bills himself as “The Commissioner of Tailgating.”

One key to keeping tailgating costs reasonable is to invite your friends, then get them to chip in.

Pro tip: Park one car at the stadium and have everyone else in your group park farther away, where it’s free. Then carpool, walk, or take the bus or a game-day shuttle.

This list of tailgating recipes that will cost you less than $1 per serving includes tasty black bean dip for chips and veggies, and caramel popcorn with peanuts.

If you’ve got an 11 a.m. kickoff, head to the grocery store that morning and check out the day-old bread and pastry section. Most stores drop the prices of breakfast favorites like donuts and muffins — your friends won’t be able to taste the difference.

Skip Starbucks and brew your own coffee at home, then bring it with you in a thermos.

Your Big-Ticket Item: The Grill

Sure, slow cookers are nice. But in order to tailgate like a real live red-blooded American, you need a grill. How else are you going to grill meat, I ask you?

Even if you buy a relatively affordable grill, it’s still a significant purchase. And like any significant purchase, you should figure out how to get the best possible deal.

Here’s something to try. Step by step:

Go look at grills at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Check ‘em out.

Join Swagbucks, a site that pays you to take surveys, watch TV and shop online. It can get you cash back on purchases. You get $5 just for signing up.

Once you’re in, shop online for the grill you want at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Swagbucks has partnerships with both. You’ll earn one Swagbuck for every dollar you spend.

On a significant purchase like a grill, that can add up to a lot of Swagbucks. The average propane gas grill costs $100-$400, with higher-end stainless steel ones going for $500-$1,500.

You can exchange Swagbucks for gift cards. For context, 2,500 Swagbucks will get you a $25 PayPal gift card. Basically, you’re earning 1% cash back on your new grill.

We’ll leave you with more words of wisdom from Joe Cahn, the Commissioner of Tailgating:

Ultimately, tailgating is not about the food. It’s about the people, the atmosphere and the experience.

“Being around your friends, food tastes better with friends no matter what food it is,” he said. “Sharing hot dogs or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with friends is a far better time than a 10-course meal with people you really don’t like.”

Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He likes to tailgate before attending a game because his favorite football team is so incredibly aggravating.

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My Brother Nearly Fell for a Work-From-Home Scam. Here’s What It Looks Like

Equifax Hacking Exposes 143 Million Americans to ID Theft

Credit monitoring company Equifax has been hit by a high-tech heist that exposed the Social Security numbers and other sensitive information about 143 million Americans. That means almost half of Americans could have their identities stolen.

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Do You Need a Financial Planner When You Aren’t Even a Little Bit Rich?

When is it time for a professional to look at your finances and help you set goals for the future?

Maybe right now. Even if your net worth is, shall we say, unimpressive.

“There’s this stigma that you need a million dollars to invest to work with a financial adviser,” said Shannon Pike, vice president of Tanglewood Legacy Advisors and the 2017 president of the Financial Planning Association.

According to Pike, the financial planning industry is evolving to meet a wider range of customer needs.

“Financial advisory practices were born out of a multitude of disciplines,” Pike explains. “You had insurance agents, stock brokers, and these were all very niche services.”

A certified financial planner’s focus is more holistic, he said. They look at the intersection of your life and your money.

Not exactly running out to hire a financial planner? We know, it’s not that easy. Here’s what you need to know about these professionals and what they do with your money.

What Is a Financial Planner?

While someone who’s referred to as a financial adviser may be a certified financial planner (CFP), you can’t assume all financial advisers are CFPs.

A CFP has gone through extensive training, either in a degree program or a nontraditional setting, before sitting for an exam. They also typically need three years of experience before they can be deemed a CFP.

If you see the term “financial adviser,” check the person’s qualifications.

“In our own membership, you’ll see a number of people who are CFPs but just use the ‘financial adviser’ title,” said Geof Brown, CEO of the National Association of Personal Finance Advisors.

It can be confusing for consumers, but some of that confusion comes from financial planners using terms familiar to their customers, he said.

While an investment adviser will focus mainly on your investments, certified financial planners practice comprehensively.

They consider everything from investments to budgeting and cash flow, risk management and insurance coverage, estate planning and retirement, taking a broader look at your financial life, your goals and objectives, Brown said.

How Do I Pay a Financial Planner?

There are three ways a financial planner can get compensated: fees, commissions or a hybrid of both.

It’s an important distinction due to recent focus on the fiduciary duties of people who help you with your finances. A new fiduciary rule, which is now scheduled to take effect in July 2019, specifies that financial professionals, including investment advisers and CFPs, must act in the best interest of the customer. The rule prevents pros from pushing investment funds or other products that pay them commission simply for the sake of their own earnings.

Someone who works on the commission model won’t sit behind a desk wearing devil horns and waving a pitchfork, but you’ll want to do further research before engaging in a relationship with them.

Brown said there’s a “disconnect” with the commission model. “How can I be serving you but basing recommendations based on what’s going to pay me the highest commission? That’s a sales relationship, rather than an advisory one,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pike said disclosure is an essential factor in discussing compensation. “It’s all relational,” he said. “At the end of the day, make sure all your questions are answered and you’re getting clear direction.”

If you interview someone who won’t disclose conflicts of interest or commission-based product relationships, that’s an egregious red flag.

The tricky part about understanding the fee-based compensation structure is that there are several options for that, too. You might pay a percentage of the assets your CFP manages, which Brown said typically ranges between 0.75% and 1.25%. You might pay a flat fee or retainer based on how complex your accounts are and what your net worth is right now. And some financial planners charge by the hour.

If you have a simple portfolio — maybe a 401(k) at work and some student loan debt — and just started gathering your financial ducks, it may only cost a few thousand dollars to establish a relationship with a financial planner and start working toward initial goals. If you have two cars, two houses, a boat and a business, well, this more complex portfolio will probably cost you more.

I Think I’m Ready for a Financial Planner. What Now?

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, Financial Planning Association and the CFP board all offer location-based and speciality search tools to help you explore the financial professionals in your area.

A lot of CFPs will work with you on a particular issue, like cash flow, budgeting or debt, or provide a specific service you need if you’re not ready to go all-in on your financial planning.

Some financial planners provide estimates of common service costs on their websites, while others won’t get into costs until you meet face to face or by phone. If they don’t offer a free consultation, that’s a red flag, Pike said.

Make the most of your consultation by writing down a list of questions you want to ask. Pike suggests asking some of the following questions:

Who are your clients? Do you typically work with clients like me?

What’s your experience? Are you certified?

How do you get compensated?

How often would we communicate? Do I always communicate with you, or is there a team I might work with?

What if I invest with your help? Is that charged different from your planning services?

Do you have any conflicts of interest I should know about?

“Interview a few of them,” Pike said. He advises against choosing someone to work with simply because they charge the least.

“Compensation is important but shouldn’t be the ultimate driver of who you work with. Work with someone you feel is qualified,” he said.

What About Online Financial Planning Services? Are They Legit?

They’re just as legit as the online budgeting tools you use. As with any online tool or service, you just have to do your research.

Online financial planners and virtual services have cropped up to meet consumers where they are (looking at you, global movers and shakers).

The XY Planning Network specializes in in-person and virtual financial planning for younger people. LearnVest, a millennial-focused firm, offers support for $19 per month after you pay a $299 setup fee.

Online financial planning services may have limited offerings, which explains the easier-to-swallow pricing. As you review options, be sure to select a virtual advising service that offers the services you care about most and are most likely to need as your net worth grows.

You can also find the virtual convenience of an online financial planning service with a local CFP, Pike says. There are planners who serve clients across the country using tools like virtual conference rooms.

“A lot of baby boomers move and don’t want to lose their adviser,” he said.

Pike said you’re not giving up control of your finances when you work with a financial planner; you’re getting an advocate.

“If you can find an advocate you can confidently connect with, that’s a relationship worth growing as long as you’re comfortable with it,” he said.

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

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