Here’s What You Need to Know About Renter’s Rights During Hurricane Season

A few days before Hurricane Irma was set to make landfall in Florida (and in the city I call home, St. Petersburg), I got a text from my landlord.

The gist of that text? Get out, and do it now: that house is old and, even with the right precautions and hurricane preparedness measures, may not be standing when this thing is through.

Uhmm, OK.

I packed my bags and drove the two hours inland to my parents’ house to wait out the storm. While I was thankful that I had somewhere safer to be (not everyone does!), I couldn’t help but think about my little home and worry about whether or not I’d have to find somewhere new to live or if I would have to deal with weeks (or even months) of repairs.

Irma ended up downgrading from the projected Category 4 to a gentle(r) Category 1 by the time it struck the city I’ve grown to love. While many people in my area were (and, as of Friday, still are) without power, the worst of the damage seemed to pass us by.

But not everyone has been so lucky. Many Florida and Texas residents have been left with lasting damage to their rented properties and homes due to hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

Now, as the traffic lightens, the gas is resupplied, the power is restored and the flooding recedes, people are being cleared to return to scope out what remains of the places they call home.

In some cases, it’s not much.

As people return to their damaged and even unlivable homes, a lot of renters are wondering exactly how responsible they are for these structures.

Lenient Landlords, Reasonable Renters

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner recently urged landlords to be lenient and renters to be reasonable. He was also quick to warn landlords who might try to unfairly terminate leases or continue collecting rent while repairs go unaddressed. “We will not tolerate anyone in the city being victimized,” he said.

Often, in disasters such as these, renters and landlords end up in a sort of catch-22. Landlords need renters to continue paying rent so that they have more immediately available funds to fix the damage while they wait for the insurance payout.

However, many renters believe they shouldn’t have to pay rent at all while their home is damaged or unlivable. Without funds there are no fixes, but without fixes there should be no funds — so the cycle goes.

Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Joel Cloudser stressed the importance of “not withholding rent” and giving your landlord the opportunity to fix any fixable problems. If your rental unit is uninhabitable and unfixable, then, he says, you’ll be allowed to terminate your lease, collect a prorated share of the rent and move out.

If you are able to stay, you may also be able to reduce your rent in proportion to the damage to your unit.

This renter’s rights Q&A with an expert has helpful information that may aid you in understanding your rights.

Hurricane Prep: Whose Job Is It Anyway?

Another dilemma I — and many people — ran into during the week leading up to Irma’s arrival: who’s responsible for boarding up the rental unit?

In some cases, a landlord may take charge and show up at your home to board windows, stack sandbags and secure the property. In other cases, they may expect you to take care of the pre-hurricane prep.

In the days leading up to Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Leslie Powell, the executive director of Legal Services of North Florida, who specializes in housing law and disaster response and recovery, told WLRN there’s no real legal obligation for a landlord to help stormproof a property.

The landlord may have an obligation to the insurance company to protect the home to a certain degree, she noted, but usually, the effort put in by a landlord ends at protecting their own assets.

Before the storm, contact your landlord to ask about preparations. Make a plan, and decide who is in charge of storm-proofing the unit — and to what degree.

For future rentals, consider having a “Hurricane Clause” written into your lease that includes information on who will provide materials and labor for hurricane preparations.

Additionally, you may want to consider purchasing renter’s insurance. In the event the rental unit is destroyed, the landlord will collect their due from the homeowners insurance policy — but you could be left with nothing.

Renter’s insurance may ensure you don’t walk away with nothing in the event of a devastating storm. (Be aware, though, that in hurricane-prone areas, most renter’s insurance policies feature a high hurricane deductible.)

And no matter what you and your landlord decide to do, one of the best ways to protect your own well-being during a hurricane is to make sure you have a complete emergency kit on hand — before the storm shows up and everyone floods the stores.

These five strategies will help you build a budget-friendly emergency kit to help keep you and your family comfortable (it’s all relative, folks) for the rest of hurricane season.

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s a third-generation Floridian and therefore a card-carrying lifetime member of the hurricane club.

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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Millennials Have a Fear of Investing, but Please Don’t Call it Irrational

Millennials are killing a lot of things, or so we hear. Is the traditional method of saving for retirement by investing next on their list?

LendEDU surveyed 500 millennials who said they are saving for retirement and found that 41% are skipping the stock market and saving for retirement using regular old savings accounts. “We estimate that avoiding the stock market will cause millennials to miss out on over $3.46 million by retirement at age 65,” Mike Brown of LendEDU wrote.

LendEDU used data from the Bureau of Labor and our generally accepted rules of personal finance to hypothesize about what could happen to the retirement savings of someone who begins saving in their late 20s. LendEDU imagined someone with a starting salary of $40,352 who saves 20% of their salary, so this experiment starts out pretty optimistically.

Under a probability simulation, someone who started saving in 2016 under the above-mentioned circumstances and literally stashed their cash under the mattress would have about $681,000 saved by 2054, LendEDU found. Put that same retirement savings in a traditional savings account, and that person could expect to have about $1.5 million over time.

But someone who put their retirement savings in an investment portfolio could have accumulated about $5 million by 2054. Granted, that’s based on LendEDU’s ridiculously lofty estimate assumes you’ll see consistent growth of 11% per year for that account. Meanwhile, Bankrate’s 401(k) calculator says that expecting a return rate of 6 or 7% is much more reasonable.

Based on an analysis LendEDU ran 10,000 times, you have a 98% chance of at least doubling your savings through investing in the market, Brown explained.

LendEDU asked 500 millennials ages 25 to 34 why they made their choices to either invest their retirement savings in the stock market or to avoid it. More than half of respondents said the financial crisis of the last decade kept them from investing in the stock market. Almost 60% said they were afraid of the stock market.

Are Millennial Investing Fears Really Irrational?

LendEDU calls these millennial investing fears irrational, noting the stock market “has historically bounced back and as long as you demonstrate patience, you will be rewarded many times over.”

But a millennial might argue that it’s not just the stock market standing in the way of traditional investment methods. Millennials are skeptical of putting their trust in financial institutions that they believe have wronged them or their families in the past.

And it’s not just Wells Fargo facing the ire of millennials: This generation voted all our leading banks “among their least loved brands” in the Millennial Disruption Index last year, TechCrunch noted. According to that index, 71% of millennials would rather go to the dentist than listen to what a bank has to say.

What do millennial feelings about banks have to do with millennial feelings about the stock market? Everything.

“At least part of this dissatisfaction [with banks] stems from the perception that banks are nickel-and-diming millennials as customers,” Lisa Servon wrote in “The Unbanking of America.” “Those I interviewed complained about the high cost of using out-of-network ATMs and other fees they found frustrating and often inexplicable. Millennials don’t think banks should be charging them when the banks are holding on to their money,” she wrote.

If millennials don’t trust mainstream banks to meet their financial needs, how can they trust investment banks, brokerages and other wealth management firms? Servon even pointed out in “The Unbanking of America” that of millennials, “nearly one in four trusts ‘no one’ when it comes to advice about money.”

Still, many millennials embrace investing opportunities, whether they be passive long-term investing with index funds or tinkering with employer-sponsored 401(k) account settings to generate the largest return.

Compound interest on a savings account can help a nest egg grow, but investing that nest egg is what can really help modest contributions skyrocket over time into a comfortable retirement fund.

Jason Kirsch, a certified financial planner and president of Grow, says “irrational” is the wrong word to describe millennial views of investing and the stock market. His book, “The Millennial Advantage: How Millennials Can (And Must) Be the Next Great Generation of Investors,” describes the similarities between the personalities of children of the Great Depression and millennials who grew up during the Great Recession. Combine their distrust of financial institutions with a lack of understanding of investing and risk, and you get one big bundle of skepticism.

“The financial industry makes no attempt — even worse, a negative attempt — to try to simplify this process” of growing your money through the risks of investing, Kirsch says.

He advised millennials to get comfortable with some financial risk. “They have to assume some short-term risk for the long-term life of their money,” Kirsch says of millennial savers. “The real risk is not making those investments. That’s a long-term risk, where you’re sitting on the sideline while inflation eats away at your nest egg.”

If you’re holding cash earmarked for retirement in savings, Kirsch says not to throw it all in an investment account right away. Whether you choose passive or active investing, contribute to your investment account on a periodic schedule to gradually build the value of that account and weather short-term market fluctuations.

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

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

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Turns Out 1 in 5 Parents are Giving Their 8- to 14-Year-Olds Credit Cards

Parents give their kids a lot of credit.

You give them credit for eating the carrots you send in their lunch and not trading them for the snack-size Snickers some other parents send for their kids.

You give them credit that the mystery fleck of something they just spotted on the couch disappeared anywhere but into their mouth (or nose).

You give them credit for the effort they put into tee ball and ballet class, even though you’re pretty sure their level of coordination will be better suited for, say, debate team when they’re older.

But should you give them actual credit?

1 in 5 Parents Give Their Kids a Credit Card

Nearly one in five (18%) parents give their 8- to 14-year-old kids a credit card, according to the latest T. Rowe Price survey.

That number’s rising fast, too. Just 11% of parents said their kids had a credit card in 2015, while only 4% said they did in 2012, according to Moneyish.

We know you all don’t have a bunch of little tykes walking into a bank to sign up for a credit card (unless your kid is Ava Ryan, in which case, you do you, girl).

Nearly 60% of parents whose kids have credit cards in that T. Rowe Price survey pay the bill for their kids. Because your kid is, well, a kid, you’ll probably have to bear the brunt of responsibility for their credit card. You could add them as an authorized user to your existing card, or find a card that lets you set parental controls on their spending.

Either way, you’re going to want to keep a close eye on their activity.

I mean, you saw the havoc little Johnny wreaked on your living room practicing his pirouettes. Imagine what an 8-year-old can do to your credit score.

2 Tools to Protect Your Credit Score From Those Meddling Kids

Disclaimer: I’m not a mother. And I spend as little time around actual children as I can manage. They seem troublesome.

Here’s what I imagine kids doing with credit cards: cleaning out candy stores and trading their Visas in the lunch room like Pokémon cards.

Is that about right?

Regardless, you’re going to want to…

1. Keep an Eye on Your Credit Report

To make sure the bill from the latest candy-store binge doesn’t jeopardize your financial future, you’ll want to keep a close watch on your credit activity.

To see what kind of activity is affecting your credit score, grab a copy of your credit report anytime from FreeCreditReport.com.

This site gives you a free copy of your Experian credit report, one of the three major reporting agencies. By perusing that, you can see how your credit card debt and payment history — as well as student loan debt, mortgages, bill payments and more — affect your credit score.

2. Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

So you trust your kiddo to spend responsibly. But what about those lunchroom thieves? Little Johnny could lose a high-stakes game of marbles and find himself upside down by the ankles being shaken down for that valuable piece of plastic in his pocket.

Or he could trade it for Janie’s Mastercard, because her mom got her the one with a butterfly on it.

Protect your bank account from Janie’s Hello Kitty addiction with identity theft protection from Credit Sesame.

Every Credit Sesame account automatically comes with $50,000 in identity theft protection insurance — and it’s free to sign up.

Plus, Credit Sesame’s credit report card lets you see your credit score, keep an eye on your credit report from TransUnion (another of the three major agencies) and figure out tons of ways to improve your credit score.

So… what do you say? Do you think credit cards for kids are a good idea?

Dana Sitar (dana@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer/newsletter editor at The Penny Hoarder. Say hi and tell her a good joke on Twitter @danasitar.

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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A Record Number of Americans Work From Home. Here’s How You Can Too

This was a pretty big week for the U.S. Census Bureau.

As part of the annual American Community Survey, it released a wealth of new stats on income, poverty and health insurance in the country, along with table after table of information related to them.

Some good news? Incomes grew about 4% to roughly 95,300 for an average family, and the number of people in poverty dropped from 46.1 million in 2015 to 44.3 million last year — although that number is still woefully unacceptable in one of the richest countries in the world.

But not many people are talking about one record-breaking number that particularly struck us here at The Penny Hoarder: a record number of Americans reported working from home.

To be specific, 5% of all workers over the age of 16 said they worked from home in the commute section of the survey, bringing the total number of Americans choosing this job situation to more than 7.5 million.

In 2005, when the Census Bureau launched the American Community Survey, that number sat just under 4.8 million, or about 3.6% of all workers.

And a 2016 study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that nearly a quarter of workers did at least some of their work from the comfort of their own home.

Throw your hands in the air, because it finally seems like employers are realizing the perks of a remote work option.

Why Are Work-From-Home Jobs On the Rise?

More flexible jobs are out there than have been in the past, according to this recent analysis by FlexJobs.

In 2015, 40% more companies offered telecommuting benefits than in 2015, although the total number of business offering those perks is still a measly 7%.

That could be related to increased productivity and billions of dollars in savings that work-from-home options can provide for firms.

It could also be Americans are less willing to move around the country for work.

“The benefits of moving have gotten smaller relative to what they were in the past,” Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago senior economist Samuel Schulhofer-Wohl told Marketplace earlier this year. “If you look across the country at the differences in the types of jobs that are available and what you could get paid for doing a given job, those differences have gone down over time.”

Depressing. But regardless of the reasons for the growing number of Americans working remotely, there are plenty of perks for you, personally, in working from home.

Some Other Awesome Perks of Work-From-Home-Jobs

Working from home isn’t all lounging in pajamas, but it really is the best ever. Seriously.

In the latest American Community Survey data, 9.1% of workers said they spend at least an hour on the road to work, which likely means an hour on the way back, as well.

You don’t have to lose two hours of your day in commute, like those 13.7 million Americans did last year, if you don’t have to leave the house.

And don’t ever fret about your office co-workers stealing your lunch — unless you have a particularly ravenous pet (or child) that has figured out how to open the fridge.

And, my personal favorite, nobody’s around to mock you for desk-ercising. (What? Sitting too much is bad for your back!)

So… when can you start?

Work-From-Home Jobs Are Actually Not That Hard to Find

Now that you’re sold on working from home, here are resources to get you started in your job search.

The Penny Hoarder Jobs page on Facebook is always on the lookout for work-from home opportunities.

Ditto for The Penny Hoarder Jobs Newsletter. And of course, our website.

Looky here, a sweet work-from-home gig.

Now, get out there (metaphorically speaking, of course) and snag your dream job!

Alex Mahadevan is a data journalist at The Penny Hoarder.

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

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4 Sneaky Starbucks Tricks That Can Save You Big Money

Williams-Sonoma Is Hiring People to Work From Home (You’ll Get a Discount!)

‘Tis the season for holiday hiring.

Yes, I know it isn’t even Halloween yet, but as stores are increasing their staffing to handle all the upcoming seasonal demand, you’ll continue to see these types of job openings on our site and Facebook page.

The latest holiday job we’re highlighting: Williams-Sonoma, the coveted kitchen-and-home brand, is looking for full-time seasonal customer service associates.

Get Paid for Good Customer Service

This work-from-home position connects associates with customers by phone, email or live chat to provide assistance with orders, returns and replacements, among other related duties.

To score this gig, you should have a high school diploma or equivalent, as well as strong data entry, typing and communication skills. You’ll need to be able to navigate through multiple systems and internet pages.

Having a year or two of previous customer service experience will look good on your application.

Since this is a remote job, you’ll need a desktop computer or laptop, high-speed internet and a home phone or cell phone with a compatible headset. The listing says you’ll receive more detailed requirements about what else you’ll need during the application process.

Enjoy Sweet Benefits

According to the job listing, the salary for seasonal customer service associates is $11 an hour, and associates are expected to work 30 to 50 hours a week. You could end up earning between $330 and $550 a week, pre-tax.

Don’t delay turning in your application, because the company plans to conduct the virtual training for this position Oct. 2 through Oct. 20. Training is paid.

Williams-Sonoma also offers promotional opportunities, contests and reward and recognition programs, but I saved the best work benefit for last — a 40% employee discount on most merchandise!

Just be careful you don’t spend all your hard-earned money buying kitchenware and home decor items with your discount!

See here to apply for the seasonal customer service position with Williams-Sonoma.

Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. The 40% discount has her thinking about filling out an application herself. She wants ALL the things!

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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These TaskRabbit Users Make $2K Per Week. Here Are Their Secrets

TaskRabbit and other gig sites that match eager workers with people who need odd jobs performed are often criticized as a difficult way for people to earn a decent living. Many of the independent contractors who complete tasks through these sites end up racing between different low-paying gigs, with long, unpaid commutes in between.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re strategic, you can use these gig sites to make a full-time living. In fact, some people make up to $2,000 a week on TaskRabbit.

Want to know how they do it? Here’s how to make more money on TaskRabbit.

What is TaskRabbit?

First, a little background. TaskRabbit connects you with people who need help with jobs like cleaning houses, making deliveries or completing “around the house” tasks, such as installing a new faucet or putting together a bookshelf.

The site works as a middleman to let clients post the work they need help with. As a “Tasker,” you can use the site to find jobs, contact potential clients and collect payment for your work (minus TaskRabbit’s 20% service fee). Using the site, as opposed to working through an avenue like Craigslist, helps make sure you actually get paid for your work, and reassures clients that you are who you say you are and don’t have a criminal record.  

How Do $2,000-a-Week TaskRabbits Cash In?

While doing odd jobs has always been a popular way to earn extra cash, some Taskers turn them into full-time jobs and earn up to $2,000 per week. TaskRabbit’s vice president of marketing, Jamie Viggiano, boasts that 10 to 15% of TaskRabbit contractors earn up to $7,000 per month, reports Time.

Brian Schrier is one such Tasker. He charges $150 an hour for the broad array of services he offers, ranging from performing shopping duties to construction jobs, he explained to Time. He earns up to $2,000 a week on the site, spending half his time in San Francisco working on tasks and the other half of his time living on his boat in Napa, California.

While not everyone earns such high wages from the site, ambitious entrepreneurs can learn from Schrier’s and other high-earning Taskers’ success.

How to Bring in the Big Bucks on TaskRabbit

To make more money as a Tasker, follow these strategies.

Be Flexible

Schrier charges $150 per hour for most jobs and, for that fee, he’s willing to take on a wide variety of tasks, from shopping to construction. Flexibility is key to his winning strategy.

Once, he took a last-minute gig folding T-shirts for $70 per hour for a client who was in a serious time crunch. Being flexible, ready to pick up last-minute jobs and willing to take on just about any job is key to your success as a Tasker.

Be Versatile

Tasker David Cordova charges between $25 and $80 an hour for his services, depending on what’s required. He told Time he was once hired to help people park their strollers outside a preschool for eight days. He happily parked strollers and directed traffic during this most unusual task — he said he felt like a bouncer at a club!

Another time, Cordova found himself working as a “shadow administrative assistant.” This gig required sitting in an office to make it look busy when clients walked through. Other days, he helps people move or performs a wide variety of other odd jobs. This versatility helps him balance his workload and pick up more tasks.

Be Skilled

Top-dollar Taskers earn their cash by having top-notch skills. While Schrier is happy to take on an occasional T-shirt-folding gig, he earns a good portion of his $150-per-hour income performing carpentry, construction and handyman tasks — skills he’s honed through years of being his family’s go-to handyman.

Having top-notch, in-demand skills help you rise to the top of the pack. Figure out your strengths — you have a big truck for moving jobs, you’re a neat freak, you’re an expert IKEA furniture assembler or you run a handyman business — and focus on gigs that showcase your skills.

Invest in Your Business

Cordova told Time he found so much success performing odd jobs and services that he decided to invest in his business by purchasing a van. He’s based in New York City, where hardly anyone has a vehicle of their own, so his van helped him raise his rate to $80 per hour for moving-related tasks.

Kristen Pope is a freelance writer and editor in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

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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Whip Out That Student ID and Receive These 21 Discounts

It might seem weird to think of businesses vying for the attention of college kids — after all, students aren’t exactly flush with cash.

But businesses know that getting on your good side as you’re gaining your independence can result in a lot of money for them over time, starting in just a few years when you graduate, get your first full-time salary and figure out how to manage your finances on your own. Plus, college students are tech savvy and love social media, which makes them an asset for businesses.

Savvy execs know how to get your attention: discounts. So grab your student ID and your .edu email address, and check out the many deals reserved just for students.

Entertainment

College kids gotta have fun. Why not hook them in early with great deals?

1. Movie Tickets

Movie theater chains that offer student discounts include AMC Theatres (discounts vary by location), Cinemark (discounts vary by location) and Marcus Theatres ($6 Thursdays). Independent theaters often have student discounts, too — just call and ask.

2. The Arts

Students get discounted access to museums, including major ones such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Want to splurge on an evening at the opera, symphony, theater or ballet? These organizations likely offer discounts, too. So make sure to check before you buy tickets.

3. Professional Sports

Some pro sports teams offer special student rates or offer them on certain dates. Check their websites for promotions before you go.

Also, sites like SeatGeek and StubHub can help you save money on ticket purchases. Sure, they’re not student deals, but compare them to see which discount saves you more cash.

Computers, Software and Education Stuff

Students need computers, gadgets and all other goodies to complete their school work. Now’s the perfect time to get them hooked on your brand with discounts.

4. Hardware

Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Best Buy, HP and Lenovo all offer student discounts on their equipment, so there’s no reason to pay full price.

5. Software

If you need software, you’ll probably get a great deal at your campus bookstore or IT department.

• Microsoft Office 365 is free for college students with a valid school email address
• Adobe offers a student discount for creative cloud for $10 per month instead of $50. This requires valid school email address
• Amazon offers student discounts for software

6. News

Students can save on digital and print subscriptions to newspapers and magazines such as The Economist, The New York Times and the The Wall Street Journal.

7. Textbooks

Even as ebooks and tablets become the norm, plenty of your classes still require old-school, physical textbooks. Plenty of websites help you find great deals on used textbooks and re-sell yours when you’re finished. Barnes & Noble even has a textbook rental program.

Travel and Transportation

From spring break to just heading home to see the ‘rents, students can save big on travel expenses with these tips.

8. Lodging and Airfare

If you’re planning lots of travel during your college years, consider getting a student ID or discount card. Also, check out these websites that offer airfare and hotel discounts to students.

9. Car Rentals

Show your student ID at major car rental dealers such as Budget, Avis and Hertz to get up to 20% off. Remember, there are some age restrictions when renting a car.

10. Buses, Trains and Planes

Amtrak and Greyhound offer student discounts, although the Greyhound discount requires you to purchase a Student Advantage card. Some public transit authorities, such as the MTA in Chicago, also offer reduced rates for students. If you’re planning a trip across Europe, a Eurail train pass is discounted for travelers under age 27.

11. Cars and Insurance

Buying a used car is likely your best bet. However, if you’re in the market for a new car, check into the General Motors student discount. Also, most major car insurance companies offer deals for students, so make sure you compare them all to find the best rates.

Other Shopping

Saving on day-to-day items is a huge part of a college student’s life. Here’s how you can save a few bucks here and there.

12. Upromise

If you need to save for upcoming tuition for yourself, your child or another relative, or already have student loans through Sallie Mae, you can join its Upromise shopping program to earn money toward those costs. You can even share your shopping link with friends and family to earn faster.

13. Amazon

Check out Amazon.com’s student program for free two-day shipping and special discounts on certain items. Along with the free shipping, you also get Twitch Prime, Prime Video and more.

14. Clothes and Retail

Plenty of clothing stores offer student discounts. Banana Republic and J. Crew are just a few that can get you suited up for that first job or internship. Here’s a helpful list of student-friendly retail stores.

Banking, Budgets and Credit

Properly handling money is just a part of growing up. Here are a few places that help students learn just that on the cheap.

15. Banking

If you need a new checking or savings account, you’ll find plenty of great bonus offers, and some are student-specific, like those at Bank of America, U.S. Bank and Chase. However, pay attention to maintenance and overdraft fees — those will cost you more over the long term.

16. Credit Cards

Many banks offer credit cards just for students, but don’t be fooled by introductory offers. The regular interest rate is more important.

17. Budgeting

You Need a Budget budget software is free to college students for a year, so there’s no excuse not to use it.

Freebies on Campus

Sometimes, you don’t even have to stray off campus to get a great deal. Here are a few \deal ideas you can score near your dorm.

18. Food

Are you paying for a campus meal plan? Make sure you get your money’s worth! Grab some fruit or cereal on your way out to take home for later, if your dining hall permits this. You’ll also find other free food on campus at open house events, public lectures and club activities.

19. Events

You probably already know about campus entertainment opportunities like pep rallies and intramural sports, but don’t forget that you also have access to free educational events and lectures.

20. Health and Fitness

You won’t get free access to that nice campus rec center after graduation, so make sure to use it now. Also, take advantage of your college’s health center services, along with its complementary bandages, condoms and tissues.

21. Promotional Stuff

Here’s a weird tip: Most academic departments on campus have their own promotional pens — you can start quite a collection! Also keep your eyes open for opportunities for free T-shirts and other spirit gear.

Remember: You’re only a college student for a few years. It never hurts to ask if a business offers a student discount, so always keep your ID handy.

Lindsay Luebbering is a freelance writer and former journalist living in Cincinnati, Ohio. She helps people and businesses communicate in clear, consistent and compelling ways.

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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19 Side Jobs That Pay More Than $20 an Hour

With a bustling full-time job, it can be hard to find side gigs that pay well.

Sure, you could fold T-shirts at a local shop to earn a few bucks. But how can you find a part-time job that will really take a bite out of your bills?

Here are 19 flexible side gigs that pay over $20 per hour.

1. Landscaping

If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and putting in some physical work, landscaping can pay quite well. If you can operate heavy machinery, you can earn even more.

In my area, landscaping jobs often start at $20 or more per hour. But many of these opportunities are offered through word-of-mouth, so be sure to ask around.

Check Craigslist and local online bulletin boards for one-off gigs or contact a local landscaping company to see if they need an extra hand on weekends during their busy season.

Be sure you have all the licenses and insurance you need, and always be careful connecting with unknown clients.

2. Graphic Design

An eye for design can earn you over $25 per hour on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You’ll need good computer skills and a great eye for design to succeed at this gig.

Having a portfolio of your work or website and having recommendations from others are the best ways to get hired. You can brush up on your skills with this tutorial and learn about setting your rates here.

3. Massage Therapist

Earn your Certified Massage Therapist license, and earn money on the side doling out massages and working weary muscles.

You may be able to get part-time shifts at a local health club or work as an independent contractor through a local massage studio. You can earn nearly $60 per hour, according to Payscale.

4. Interpreter

If you’re bilingual or multilingual, consider offering your language skills as a translator. You can be an on-call translator for legal and medical services or set up steady gigs ahead of time.

Interpreters and translators earn a mean hourly wage of $24.64, according to the BLS.

5. Sign Language Interpreter

Many events provide interpreters for their hard-of-hearing clientele. If you know sign language, look into opportunities translating on stage at events, in courtrooms and in classrooms.

If standing on stage isn’t your thing, look into opportunities to translate at mediation hearings and other smaller meetings. You can earn up to $44.22 per hour with this job, according to PayScale.

6. Tutor

I’ve tutored on and off over the years, and I was able to make well over $20 an hour. If you know your math, science and other subjects well, consider sharing your skills with students.

The more advanced and specialized the subjects, the more money you’re likely to earn. Advanced math and science courses (such as advanced-placement calculus, advanced-placement physics, etc.) typically earn the highest rates, which can be up to $85 per hour, according to Care.com.

7. Test Prep Instructor

Kaplan and other companies look for skilled test-takers to teach students how to succeed at important exams, including the SAT, ACT, MCAT, LSAT, GRE and GMAT, among others.

Generally, you’ll need to take a sample test to prove your testing prowess and perhaps even do a sample lecture to prove you can communicate well.

Instructors can earn $21.33 per hour for an SAT course and around $31 an hour for the GMAT exam, according to GlassDoor.

8. Personal Shopper

Busy people often need help shopping for gifts and other items. Working as a personal shopper and helping people select the best items is a great way to earn some extra cash. Plus, you can earn up to $25 per hour or more as a personal shopper, according to Payscale.

If you’re looking to be a personal shopper who also works as a stylist, having a fashion background is key. You can often get your foot in the door working in a department store or boutique and then gain the skills to work on your own — where you can set your own rates.

9. Etsy Seller

Cash in on your crafty creations on Etsy. One woman earns $70,000 per month with her creations (which she now outsources to a team).

While you might not make quite that much, more than 30% of Etsy’s sellers make a living from their creative work.

10. App Designer

If you know your way around an app, consider designing one and cashing in. This can even be a form of passive income. This man earns over $6,000 per month from the Bible app he created.

11. Personal Chef

Cook up a storm and fill your pockets with cash by working as a personal chef. Set up a weekly gig at someone’s house a few nights a week, cook a series of freezer meals for a client or work special events, crafting creations for individual tastes and needs.

Personal referrals are a great way to get these gigs, which pay an average of over $20 per hour (up to $40 per hour or more), according to Payscale.

12. Caterer

When people have weddings and other large events, they’ll need a crew to help set up, serve and clean up after the meals. Be ready to work evenings and weekends for this gig, and be prepared to work overtime for extra cash.

In my area, these gigs often start at $20 per hour, but they’re generally word-of-mouth. Ask around, check out Craigslist and ask local restaurants if they may need a hand with events.

13. Bartender

Pick up a few shifts a week as a bartender to round up some extra cash. Coveted weekend evening shifts are usually the most profitable and often go to employees with seniority, but you may be able to pick up a few.

Consider bartending at weddings and other events. You’ll need to have some experience and know how to mix drinks, and many states require bartenders to have a certification.

One New York City hotel starts bartenders at $26 per hour, which doesn’t include tips, overtime or other perks.

14. Personal Assistant

Drop off dry cleaning for your client, get their car’s oil changed, take their dog for a walk and pick up a birthday gift for their friend — these are just a few things you may do as a personal assistant.

But running these errands can pay off, with personal assistants earning up to $24.71 per hour, according to Payscale.

The best way to get the highest-paying gigs is generally through word-of-mouth. Posting an ad or answering ads on Craigslist and other job forums can also help connect you with people in need of assistance.

15. Server

Snag a gig in a high-end restaurant and you can have an evening or weekend job that will pay off in serious cash tips. Serving generally pays the best, but hostessing or other jobs can also pay well.

In the town where I live, many professionals will even pick up a night shift or two during tourist season; they can earn hundreds of dollars an evening at some of the high-end restaurants in town.

16. Yoga Instructor

Teach yoga to aspiring yoginis to earn an average of $24.77, which can go up to up to $50 per hour, according to Payscale.

To get started as a yoga instructor, you’ll need to take a teacher training class. The most basic is typically 200 hours and includes training, instruction and a final exam. You can then advance your skills with higher-level courses.

17. Fashion Consultant

An eye for fashion and cutting-edge styles will get you far as a fashion consultant. Many high-end clients want somebody to help them look sharp and trendy.

Personal referrals are a great way to get these gigs, which can pay $50 to $500 per hour according to one industry blog.

18. Dog Walker

Take pups out for their walks and earn money up to $20 per hour as a dog walker, according to PayScale.

You can work for yourself or for a dog-walking company. You should have plenty of experience handling all different types of dogs, and be physically fit and able to confidently control the dogs when you’re out walking.

If you work for yourself, you can make the most at this gig. If you can handle a few dogs at once, you’ll be able to earn even more. But be sure to have all the insurance you may need.

A good way to start is to advertise your services at local pet-related businesses, such as groomers, boarding facilities, doggie daycares and pet supply stores.

19. Makeup Artist

Style bridal parties’ makeup, prepare theatrical stars for their big performances and get people ready for special events as a part-time makeup artist.

You can make up to $48 per hour helping people get ready for their big event.

Kristen Pope is a freelance writer and editor in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

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 Isn’t Calling You About the Breach, but Guess What? Scammers Are

By now, you know all about the giant Equifax cybersecurity breach. With 143 million Americans affected by the snafu, it may have you in a panic. What do you do? Who do you talk to?

Unfortunately, situations like this make easy pickings for scammers. The Federal Trade Commission has posted a consumer fraud alert informing us of a new phone scam from people pretending to represent Equifax.

Sigh. Kick us when we’re down.

How the Equifax Phone Scam Works

It seems innocent enough. Heck, you may even think it’s helpful. Your phone rings, and the person on the line says they are from Equifax and need to verify your account information to make sure the data breach didn’t put you in harm’s way.

Great, right?

No, not great. It’s a scam.

These calls are from scam artists trying to capitalize on the Equifax panic by suckering people into giving up their personal information. In other words, even if Equifax didn’t leak your info, you have a chance to leak it all by yourself.

What to Do if You Receive a Scam Call

Hang up. Yeah. It’s that simple.

Do not give them any personal information. Do not hit any buttons to try to talk to someone and scold them. Don’t even trust your caller ID. With today’s technology, bad guys can look legit even when they aren’t.

So yeah, hang up.

Then report the call to the FTC so it can get closer to catching these scammers.

Equifax will not call you to verify your information. In fact, be wary of any phone calls or emails you receive asking you to verify account information from any company. Your personal information is important, so protect it by being cautious at all times. The bad guys are winning enough these days.

If, by chance, you recognized the scam too late and gave away some information, take action now. Change your passwords, change those security questions and even change account numbers, if possible. The FTC has information on what to do if your identity is stolen.

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

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

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Yarr! Talk Like a Pirate, Get a Free Fried Twinkie at Long John Silver’s

Ahoy matey, Talk Like a Pirate Day is back at Long John Silver’s, and that means free deep-fried Hostess Twinkies for the lot of you who speak the language.

In the past, the pirate-themed restaurant offered even more freebies if you were willing to dress like a pirate, but Long John Silver’s is keeping it simple this year. Just walk into a participating location on Sept. 19, order your dessert like a pirate would and score your free “bar of gold” to go with your fish and chips.

If you’re not willing to play along, you can walk the plank! Or just pay the 99 cents for your own deep-fried Twinkie.

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

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

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I was possibly hacked in the Equifax data breach. Here’s what I did.

By now you’ve probably heard that more than 143 million Americans were affected by a massive Equifax data breach. And I was one of them.

Equifax is one of the three major credit bureaus, along with Experian and TransUnion. These agencies are the gatekeepers of your credit report, which means they have access to all of your credit information – name, birth date, social security number, credit credits, loans, and more.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for me, this isn’t my first credit hacking rodeo. My information may also have been compromised during the 2013 Target, Michaels, and BlueCross BlueShield hacks.

So, here’s what I did…

I checked if I was potentially impacted using Equifax’s TrustedID website.

If you haven’t done so yet, check if your information may have compromised using Equifax’s TrustedID website. When I put in my information, I received this message: “Based on the information provided, we believe that your personal information may have been impacted by this incident.” Equifax will only tell you if you “may have been impacted” or you “were not impacted,” so it’s not a 100% guarantee. Additionally, some people have reported getting random results when entering made up names and information.

I requested my credit reports (but only got one so far).

Next, I put in a request through AnnualCreditReport.com (the only authorized website to request a copy) for all three of my credit reports. After trying on and off for a few days, though, I’ve only managed to get one because increases in requests are overwhelming the sites. Experian generated my report immediately. TransUnion keeps giving me a message that they’re overwhelmed and I should check back later. Equifax doesn’t even load anything at the moment. I’m going to keep trying to get all three, but for now, I reviewed everything on the Experian report in detail to make sure there’s nothing suspicious.

I set a one-year fraud alert on my credit reports.

Once I had my credit report, I set a fraud alert through Experian. You can set an active duty alert for up to one year for free. If you’ve been the victim of identity theft and have a valid identity theft report, you can set an extended fraud victim alert for seven years. The good thing is that you only need to set an alert with one credit bureau, and they have to alert the other two by law. Alternatively, you could also set a credit freeze where all three credit reports will be taken out of circulation and require you to provide a PIN anytime there’s an inquiry. Equifax is currently waiving all security freeze fees for a limited time.

I did not sign up for Equifax’s free TrustedID Premier Credit Monitoring.

Equifax is offering one year of free credit monitoring; however, I decided not to opt in this time. First, one year isn’t that long (though having a year of credit monitoring is better than having no credit monitoring at all). Secondly, there’s some confusing language in the terms of service that may or may not preclude you from joining a lawsuit against Equifax. Lastly, the service will only monitor your Equifax report.

I signed up for credit monitoring service.

As a kid, I saw the LifeLock commercials and wondered who was paying for this product. It turns out the answer is the adult version of myself! Identity theft is becoming way too common – 1 in every 16 U.S. adults was an identity theft victim in 2016 – and I’ve been possibly compromised too many times in recent years. I researched the best credit monitoring services and decided on LifeLock for my needs. There is a cost involved, but, for me, that is money invested in ensuring that my future financial goals can become a reality.

Obviously, when your information is potentially compromised, there are a lot of things to consider – including the possibility that it may amount to nothing. If you’re worried about the long-term effects of the Equifax data breach, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, and at the end of the day, you’re not alone. More than 143 million of us are in this together!

What are your biggest concerns when it comes to the Equifax data breach? Tell us in the comments below!

The post I was possibly hacked in the Equifax data breach. Here’s what I did. appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Moe’s Is Celebrating World Queso Day With — You Guessed it — Free Queso

If eating more cheese is always at the top of your to-do list, get ready to visit your local Moe’s Southwest Grill on Thursday, Sept. 21.

For the eighth year, the Tex-Mex chain will celebrate Free Queso Day.

To join in the gooey, tasty fun, visit your local Moe’s and ask for a cup of Moe’s Famous Queso and chips — no purchase necessary!

Every Moe’s order comes with free chips and salsa, but queso is a special treat. On a regular day, 6 ounces of queso costs $3.73 at a Moe’s near The Penny Hoarder HQ in Florida.

Want More Free Moe’s Queso? Enter to Win by Sept. 17

But don’t stop there! Check out Moe’s Facebook page and click “Enter to Win” on the pinned post at the top of the page to enter your details for a chance to win free queso for life. Another way to win free Moe’s queso for life is to download Moe’s Rockin’ Rewards App, make a purchase at Moe’s between now and Sept. 17, and check in on the app by scanning in your receipt. The winner will be announced on Sept. 21.

Moe’s will also open a Queso Hotline, a safe haven for queso fans to share their deepest, darkest cheese-related confessions, on Sept. 21. “We’ve got even more queso surprises for our fans on the line,” a press release notes.

That hotline number is 855-440-6337 for those of you who haven’t experienced a proper thrill since that one sleepover when you took the dare to stand on your friend’s front porch wrapped in a sleeping bag and holler “I’m a giant burrito, the kind you like to eat-o” into the midnight void.

…Anyway. That reward program app we mentioned? New sign-ups receive a free cup of Moe’s queso, and you get a free burrito every year on your birthday. Who says you can only celebrate queso one day a year? Not us, that’s for sure.

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

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

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Got Old Newspapers? 3 Simple Ways to Turn Them Into Extra Money

Suppose you’re helping a friend or relative with some deep cleaning and you come upon stacks of ancient newspapers. What do you do?

Don’t throw them away! You might be able to sell them just as they are or use them to make creative and profitable products. In fact, old newspapers can be worth a lot of cash if you know what to do with them.

Curious about earning money with something you’d normally just recycle? Here’s how to make money from newspaper.

Where to Find Old Newspapers

First, you’ll need a supply of old papers. There are several places to find them, including:

• Basements

• Garages

• Attics

• Family members’ houses

• From “old newspapers wanted” ads on Craigslist

The newspapers don’t have to be ancient — just old enough to evoke nostalgic feelings in some people. Look for newspapers from at least 30 years ago, but experiment with newer ones if that’s what you have.

3 Ways to Make Money Using Old Newspapers

Once you’ve found some old newspapers, here’s how you can use them to make extra cash.

1. Sell Vintage Ads

Everything from my previous post on how to make money with old magazine ads applies to newspapers as well. Just cut out any ads that are likely to trigger a bit of nostalgia. These might include advertisements for classic cars, favorite foods and cigarettes.

Sell the ads on an as-is basis on eBay, or frame them if you’re selling at a flea market or antique booth and want to get a higher price. The market for newspaper ads is not nearly as active as it is for magazines, but of the more than 7,100 results that came up when searching “newspaper ads” on eBay, these examples had active bidding:

• Large 1962 newspaper ad for Chevrolet, Pick Pack & Go, 4 Sun ‘n Fun models. High bid: $4.25.

• 1930 Mickey Mouse Club original full-page newspaper ad. High bid: $16.50.

• 1981 “American Pop” cult classic film movie opening day ad. High bid: $77.

Buyers also typically pay $3 to $4 for shipping, which is enough to send the ad and have some extra profit left over.

2. Sell Birthdate Newspapers

Ah, nostalgia! It makes for so many ways to cash in on old stuff. There are even companies that sell birthdate newspapers for up to $50 each. For example, a visitor to AnyDate.com can enter a friend’s date of birth and have an original newspaper from that date sent to him as a gift for $49.99 plus $9.50 shipping.

Of course, you aren’t likely to have tens of thousands of papers “carefully stored in a climate-controlled environment” like AnyDate.com has, so you might not be able to copy its business model. What do you do if you just have a dozen old newspapers you want to sell?

Open an account on eBay if you don’t already have one, and list your papers for sale. I searched “newspaper” plus my date of birth and found just one result listed, for $22.34 with shipping. Most dates I randomly searched yielded prices between $10 and $20, plus shipping. Many dates had zero results — which means that if you have a newspaper from one of those dates, you have no competition when someone searches for it.

You might also have some luck selling old newspapers at an antique consignment shop, but you could wait for years for someone with a particular date of birth to see any given paper and buy it.

You could also combine this strategy and the first one. Frame the front pages to sell as birthdate nostalgia, and then clip out and sell the ads inside the paper.

3. Sell Newspaper Creations

A post about newspaper crafts on Buzzfeed.com shows just how creative you can get with old news. Origami bows, pop art and hanging triangle banners are among the 35 creations featured. Some of them could even earn you some money.

On NewspaperJewelry.com, Holly Anne Mitchell sells necklaces, earrings, bracelets and many other artistic creations made from newspaper. She has had exhibitions in Newseum, The Museum of Art and Design and The Renwick Gallery.

Mitchell does not specifically use old newspapers, but it seems likely that you can cash in on nostalgia here as well. Who wouldn’t prefer their paper bracelet to be made from a newspaper published the day they were born?

Other possibilities? A search on Zazzle.com led to “Vintage Newspaper Background Placemats” for sale for $16.05 each, plus shipping. It appeared to be a roughly cut laminated chuck of any random page of an old paper. Ah nostalgia… what a money-maker.

Steve Gillman is the author of “101 Weird Ways to Make Money” and creator of EveryWayToMakeMoney.com. He’s been a repo-man, walking stick carver, search engine evaluator, house flipper, tram driver, process server, mock juror, and roulette croupier, but of more than 100 ways he has made money, writing is his favorite (so far).

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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Get Exclusive Groupon+ Access with a Visa or MasterCard

Earlier this month, Groupon announced new savings service Groupon+ (Groupon Plus), exclusive to Visa and MasterCard holders. Eligible cardholders can enroll for free and access cash back offers of up to 30% at local restaurants and other “neighborhood favorites.” And the best part is, there’s no need to print out coupons or hand over your phone at the end of a meal; Groupon+ deals are “voucherless.”

When you sign up with Groupon+, you’ll receive cash back on your monthly statement every time you visit one of over 1,500 participating restaurants, located in over 23 markets across the U.S. All you have to do is pay for your meal with a Visa or MasterCard. All Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards are eligible for Groupon+.

How it works

Simply log into your Groupon account and search for Groupon+ deals. When you find a great deal, click “claim,” and add your Visa or MasterCard to your account, if you haven’t done so already. That’s all it takes. The Groupon+ deal is ready for immediate use, and you’ll receive a confirmation email containing instructions on what to do next.

Rewards still apply

The new partnership creates an interesting opportunity for rewards-minded Visa and MasterCard cardholders. You’re still able to earn rewards as normal, while spending anywhere between 5 and 30% less on claimed Groupon+ deals.

If you’ve got the , issued by Visa, you already earn 2X points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide. Sign up for Groupon+, and you’ll be able to earn that high rate of rewards in addition to a Groupon+ statement credit at eligible restaurants. If you’re a travel-minded foodie, then you can pair the with a Groupon+ and earn additional cash back on top of the usual 2X the miles per dollar spent.

The fine print

Debit card transactions will qualify for Groupon+ only when they are processed as credit transactions. (That means using a signature to purchase instead of a PIN.)

The following types of Visa and MasterCard cards are not eligible for Groupon+:

• Corporate cards
• Purchasing cards
• Prepaid cards (including insurance prepaid cards and government administered prepaid cards)
• Healthcare cards
• Visa Buxx

Additional restrictions will vary by deal.

Future deals

Groupon+ doesn’t just apply to food, either: Groupon has announced plans to move beyond restaurants and into the beauty, retail, and home service industries. Stay tuned!

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How the Other Half Lives

My wife and I have a relatively vibrant social circle, filled with all different kinds of people. Some of them like to come over to play board games, while others love to swap six packs of our latest home brews. Some love potluck dinner parties, while others prefer to go out occasionally to really nice restaurants. Some like comedies, while others prefer dramas.

There are moments when some of our friends do things that bring forth bits of jealousy in our hearts. We’re friends with one couple that takes at least one amazing trip each year. We have another friend that has an absolutely spotless Tesla Roadster. Another close friend lives in what I can only describe as a mansion, but it’s done incredibly tastefully and it actually feels like a home.

It is really easy to find myself sometimes caught up in a feeling of jealousy and envy. I would love to travel to Shanghai for two weeks. I would love to cruise around in that Roadster whenever I felt like it. I’d love to live in a house that looks like it leaped out of the pages of Architectural Digest.

Here’s the reality, though.

47% of Americans would have to sell something to be able to cover a $400 emergency, or would completely fail to cover it at all.

78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, meaning that if they missed a single paycheck, they would struggle to be able to make ends meet.

71% of US workers identify themselves as being in some level of consumer debt.

If you cross-check that with incomes in America, that means that there are a lot of people earning well over $100,000 per year who are living paycheck to paycheck and are dealing with credit card debt.

The reality is that most of the people in your life that you know are in some form of credit card debt and would massively struggle if they missed their next paycheck. Half of the people you know, give or take, would completely fall apart if hit with a $400 unexpected expense due to the fragility of their financial lives.

What does that mean in terms of day-to-day living? I’ll quote the first article I linked to above:

“I know what it is like to have to juggle creditors to make it through a week. I know what it is like to have to swallow my pride and constantly dun people to pay me so that I can pay others. I know what it is like to have liens slapped on me and to have my bank account levied by creditors. I know what it is like to be down to my last $5 —literally — while I wait for a paycheck to arrive, and I know what it is like to subsist for days on a diet of eggs. I know what it is like to dread going to the mailbox, because there will always be new bills to pay but seldom a check with which to pay them. I know what it is like to have to tell my daughter that I didn’t know if I would be able to pay for her wedding; it all depended on whether something good happened. And I know what it is like to have to borrow money from my adult daughters because my wife and I ran out of heating oil.”

Dread. Shame. Swallowing pride. Worry. Stress. Secrets.

It’s not the financial challenge itself that’s the problem. It’s the incredible negative impact that the financial challenge brings into your life.

It brings stress and worry, which makes it harder to feel good every day. Stress makes it harder to sleep well at night. Stress makes it easier to emotionally respond to things, often not in a positive way.

It brings dread and avoidance of simple things in life like checking the mail or using your credit card at a restaurant. It means subtly rethinking countless little choices every day, to maintain an elaborate dance around the realities of your financial life.

It brings shame, in those moments when you have to confess your financial mistakes and you have to let someone down because you couldn’t control your spending impulses.

It brings secrecy, which is like poison to relationships. When you’re constantly hiding something from your partner or from someone else you deeply trust, it becomes hard to look at yourself in the mirror. It becomes impossible to be the person you want to be in those relationships.

My goal here is not to look down at those people in those situations; in fact, I truly and sincerely hope that every single one of them finds a way to break into financial stability as soon as they possibly can. Instead, they’re here to serve as a reminder of what’s hidden behind the trips and the nice cars and the beautiful houses and the iPhone Xs.

For me, at least, if it comes down to a choice between a beautiful house with a debt load that keeps me awake at night or a house half that size that leaves me feeling at peace and without debt every night, I’m going to choose the latter. I’ve lived on both sides of that coin – give me the smaller, plainer house any day of the week.

If it comes down to a choice between wonderful trips overseas each year paired with a constant fear that my credit card is going to be declined and a constant dread at checking the mail and a constant dance to avoid losing face in those kinds of everyday situations versus a backpacking trip to a national park and no need to dread or fear or dance, I’ll choose the less flashy trip and the life without dread or fear.

If it comes down to having that Tesla Roadster but also having to get down in front of my son and tell him that we just can’t afford his band instrument this year or driving a comfortable and reliable car while also ensuring my child can live out his dreams without worry, then we’re going to be listening to Frere Jacques in a late model used car all year long.

If it comes down to having an iPhone X but having to hide the bill from my wife and make secret payments or being able to have a trusting relationship along with my old phone, then I’ll take the cheapest smartphone I can find, any day of the week.

I’ve been on both sides of almost all of those examples. I’ve been the person with all of the expensive stuff, and I’ve also been the person with the cheaper stuff. What I’ve learned is that the expensive stuff is fun for a little while, but it doesn’t bring you lasting joy.

What does bring you lasting joy is having as little stress as possible and as much freedom as possible in your daily life.

The freedom to not dread checking the mail and to not worry about picking up the phone is well worth not having the absolute latest smartphone.

The ability to sleep well at night without financial worries bearing down on me, even when things like a car repair are on the horizon, is well worth having a nice family vacation instead of an extravagant one.

The simple peace that comes from knowing that life can hand us a few pretty hard sucker punches and we’d be able to handle it and keep rolling is well worth living in a somewhat smaller but still nice house.

The little reminders of the peace and low stress of solid finances are constant in life. They form an underlying sense of contentment, one that I never felt during the times in my life where I spent money with reckless abandon.

So, when I feel that pang of jealousy toward the things that my friends have, I simply close my eyes and remind myself of the baggage that often comes along with such choices. Would I give up the low stress and contentment that my life currently has to add those things that my friends have? Nope.

That doesn’t mean I look down upon their choices. As far as I can tell, they’ve managed their finances to be able to afford it. I just know that in the reality of my own finances, I probably wouldn’t be able to pull those things off, and so I’m left with a choice.

Do I choose the extravagant perks, or do I choose low stress and contentment?

I’ll choose the latter every single day of the week. Perks come and go, but contentment stays with you. Low stress stays with you. A good night of sleep stays with you.

I will never again do anything that stands in the way of those things.

So, if you ever find yourself feeling jealous or envious, remember that, for the vast majority of Americans, those perks that you’re feeling jealous of come with a lot of baggage – stress, dread, fear, sleepless nights, and a lot of other things you can’t see on the surface. Then, remember that perks fade away pretty quickly and that contentment lasts.

Then ask yourself again whether you’re making the right choice.

You’ll likely find, like I often do, that the jealousy and envy fades, and you’re left with just contentment with your own life and true happiness for your friends and the pleasures that they enjoy.

Related Articles:

• How to Get Over Feeling Envious of Other People’s Money and Success
• ‘Freedom’ Money
• Instant Gratification vs. Lasting Fulfillment

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