MAKE MONEY ONLINE POSTS: 11/29/17

الأربعاء، 29 نوفمبر 2017

Local stores feel impact during bear, deer seasons

Ask a hunter and most will tell you their sport often gets expensive.Hunters spend more than $16 billion annually on hunting trips between gear, accessories and other expenses; they also spend $11.3 billion on trip-related expenses and some local businesses count on that money.“They are vital to the business," said Ed Klebes, co-owner of the Pickerell Inn. "We get a lot of hunters through here.”Hunting is one of the country's largest industries and [...]

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How the GOP Tax Plan Can Help Small Business More

The only explanation for taking away the deductions for the small businesses and not the corporations is that corporate America has more political muscle in Washington.

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Wyndham Is Hiring People to Work From Home in 2 States (Includes Benefits!)

Start the new year off with a new job.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership — which operates over 200 vacation resorts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America and the South Pacific — is hiring full-time work-from-home customer service representatives.

This gig comes with awesome benefits, so you’ll want to keep reading.

And if this job isn’t a fit for you, be sure to check out The Penny Hoarder Jobs page on Facebook for more opportunities.

Work for Wyndham

As a remote customer service rep for Wyndham Vacation Ownership, you’ll be answering calls from existing clients looking to book their next stay at a resort.

You won’t be making sales — instead, you’ll be informing callers about the different properties and amenities. You’ll also be making recommendations about how they could spend their vacations.

These jobs come with paid training. But here’s one important caveat: The training is on location at call centers in Orlando, Florida, and Springfield, Missouri.

After that, customer service representatives are free to work from home. (And the company provides the needed equipment.)

The Missouri-based job posting specifies workers must live within one hour of the Springfield call center, even after training. Training for those Missouri positions starts January 8.

How to Nab These Jobs

Wyndham Vacation Ownership is looking for customer service reps who have:

At least six months of customer service or sales experience
A high school diploma or GED
Good customer service and communications skills
Basic computer knowledge

You must be able to multi-task and work under pressure, and you may be required to work evenings, weekends and some holidays.

You’ll also need to have a quiet workspace at home with high-speed internet.

Now About Those Benefits

We’ve saved the best part for last. Having a full-time work-from-home job is great, but the benefits make these opportunities even better.

According to the job postings, pay starts at $12 an hour for the Orlando-based job and $11 an hour for the Springfield-based job.

The company offers medical, dental and vision insurance after 30 days on the job, plus a 401(k) match up to 6%.

There are advancement opportunities, tuition reimbursement and paid vacation, holiday and sick time.

And after spending your days talking about other people’s awesome vacations, you can enjoy the benefit of travel-related discounts to Wyndham’s resorts and hotels.

See here to apply for the Orlando-based job.

See here to apply for the Springfield-based job.

Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

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Live in Florida or Virginia? Apply Now for a Capital One Work-From-Home Job

Work-from-home jobs are in high demand these days.

I mean, it seems like everyone (and their mother’s cousin’s uncle’s sister’s neighbor’s babysitter’s friend) wants a job that allows them the freedom to work from their living room sofa.

But there’s some fierce competition out there, and it can often be difficult to stand out in the pool of pajama-wearing, couch-lounging, just-rolled-out-of-bed workers.

So when we see jobs that have a location requirement — such as “must live within 100 miles of a hub site” — we know that a lucky few will have less competition for a particular job.

Such is the case with these two Capital One work-from-home customer service representative positions: They’re open to applicants in Florida and Virginia — within 100 miles of Tampa and Richmond, respectively.

(And if you don’t live in one of those two areas, don’t worry! We post plenty of opportunities on our Jobs page on Facebook. Be sure to stop by and give it a like so you can stay up to date!)

Customer Service Representative at Capital One

Capital One is currently looking for full-time, work-from-home senior customer service representatives in the Richmond, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida, areas.

In this position, you’ll be tasked with fielding inbound calls, answering customer questions, handling issues with one-call resolution and providing a stellar overall customer experience. You’ll also be in charge of helping to educate and inform customers on how to use their credit cards properly.

To be successful in this role, you should:

Be a passionate customer service advocate

Have strong time-management, multitasking and self-motivation abilities

Possess strong decision-making skills with a high level of autonomy and self-management

Have excellent verbal and written communication skills

Have strong call control techniques, including listening and questioning skills

Have knowledge of digital servicing

You should also be available to work afternoons, evenings and at least one weekend day.

Training for this role will last for seven weeks and will be done primarily out of your home, although you may be asked to come into one of the offices during the training period. Training takes place Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You should have a home office environment free of noise and distractions. A wired, high-speed broadband internet connection is required.

A high school diploma, GED equivalent or military experience is required (although a bachelor’s degree is preferred). You should also possess at least two years of customer service experience or at least six months of experience working in a home office environment.

Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) with employer match, tuition reimbursement, paid holidays and paid time off.

Pay for this job is not included in the job listing, but we’ve reached out to the company and will update this post when we hear back.

Candidates living within 100 miles of the Tampa, Florida, hub can apply here.

Candidates living within 100 miles of the Richmond, Virginia, hub can apply here.

Grace Schweizer is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

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Live in the Carolinas? Check Out These Work-From-Home Jobs With Verizon

If you’re a resident of North or South Carolina and you’re looking for a home-based job, check this out.

Verizon is hiring full-time work-from-home customer service representatives in North Carolina.

Applicants must live within 90 minutes of the call centers in North Charleston, South Carolina or Wilmington, North Carolina.

If you live outside the area or aren’t interested in this type of job, check out our Jobs page on Facebook. We post new opportunities there all the time.

Work From Home as a Verizon Customer Service Representative

Pay: Competitive, with performance-based incentives

Start Date: Monday, Jan. 29, 2018

Training schedule: 11 am – 8 pm, Monday through Friday

Work schedule:

North Charleston, South Carolina: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Tuesday and Saturday off)

Wilmington, North Carolina: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Wednesday and Saturday off)

Responsibilities Include:

Troubleshoot and resolve customer device, billing and service concerns

Demonstrate to customers how new solutions can positively impact their lives

Upsell solutions to customers and close sales

Build customer relationships

Applicants for this position must have:

Associate degree or one or more years of work experience

The ability to report to the North Charleston or Wilmington call center within 90 minutes of notice if required

Flexibility to work split shifts, evenings, weekends and holidays

Internet service with a direct connection to a cable or fiber modem

Dedicated quiet workspace

Preferred skills include:

Customer service experience, especially involving billing and equipment questions

Work-from-home customer service experience

Demonstrated ability to self-manage in a remote work environment

Demonstrated self-discipline, collaboration and time management skills

Benefits include:

Comprehensive medical insurance

401(k) savings plan

Discounts on Verizon products

Adoption expense assistance

Apply here for the customer service representative job at Verizon.

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She loves telling readers about new job opportunities so look her up on Twitter (@lisah) if you’ve got a tip to share.

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Here’s How Long it Takes to Sell a Home in 2017 (Spoiler: Not Long)

Looking for a home this winter? Get ready to act fast.

An annual report from the National Association of Realtors reveals the median home is listed for sale for just three weeks before getting scooped up.

Just five years ago, that timeline was closer to 11 weeks, Bloomberg and others have reported. Homes haven’t sold this quickly since NAR started tracking how long homes sit on the market way back in 1987.

Meanwhile, buyers typically spend 10 weeks searching for the perfect home.

“Due to suppressed inventory levels in many areas of the country, buyers are typically purchasing more expensive homes as prices increase,” the report says. “Buyers continue to report the most difficult task for them in the home buying process is just finding the right home to purchase.”

That limited inventory means there’s stiff competition for available homes, with buyers typically paying 98% of the asking price. So much for bargains.

Nearly 8,000 people who purchased a home between July 2016 and June 2017 responded to NAR’s survey.

How to Get Your Dream Home Before Someone Else Does

How can a buyer stay competitive in a seller’s market?

If you’ve ever watched a home-flipping show on HGTV, you probably get the feeling that cash is still king. You may not have $200,000 sitting in your bank waiting for the perfect house, but some other buyer might.

If you haven’t already figured out a reasonable down payment that fits your budget or you’re still trying to save, it’s time to prepare for real estate battle. That might mean accepting help from loved ones, looking at smaller homes or resisting the urge to stay in a bidding war that takes you out of your budget. You might get flat-out rejected a dozen times before you finally buy something, let alone a house you love.

If you’re not sure you’re ready to plunk down cash — and maybe more of it than you planned — for a home, it might be worth waiting a few years. “The unfortunate reality is that the nation’s homeownership rate will remain suppressed until entry-level supply conditions increase enough to improve overall affordability,” Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said in a statement.

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

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Hilton Needs People to Work From Home in 29 States (Pay Starts at $9/Hr)

Do you have excellent customer service skills, the ability to troubleshoot problems and a desire to work from home?

Hilton may just have the perfect job for you.

The global hotel chain is looking to hire full-time remote reservation sales specialists.

As a reservation sales specialist, you’ll answer customer calls in a friendly manner and respond to inquiries regarding availability, accommodations, sales promotions, transportation to and from properties and more.

Pay starts at $9 an hour, with performance-based incentives, according to Hilton’s job preview for this position. Incentives could bump pay up to $14 an hour.

Schedules are flexible, but this position is full time. You may also be required to work weekends and holidays.

While this is a work-from-home position, the company needs these employees to live in the following 29 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

How to Land This Work-From-Home Job With Hilton

For this gig, Hilton is looking for someone with at least one year of experience in a customer-oriented or sales role.

You should also have at least six months’ experience in a sales-oriented, performance-driven role where you’ve had to successfully meet metrics or goals, upsell or cross-sell, overcome objections and use negotiating skills.

A college degree is not required.

Job candidates also should:

Have a positive attitude with high energy
Have strong communication and active listening skills
Possess excellent customer service skills
Be computer literate
Be able to provide a quiet work environment, free from noise and distractions

Bonus points if you have a hospitality industry background, experience with virtual training or previously held a work-from-home job.

Job interviews and training will be done virtually.

Once you’re hired, the company will provide you with specific hardware to get the job done. However, you’ll need to already have:

A monitor
Landline phone with dial pad and a dedicated number (no cell phones)
Headset compatible with phone
Speakers
Webcam
Surge protector
High-speed wired internet connection (wireless is not permitted)

Watch this video to learn more about the reservation sales role. If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, apply here.

If you’re interested in other work-from-home jobs — or jobs in general — then make sure to like The Penny Hoarder Jobs on Facebook.

Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

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How to Create Content More Efficiently with Curation Techniques

I’ve always said that every website should have a blog.

Think about how long you’re currently spending to write a blog post.

I’m willing to bet it takes you at least a few hours to create each.

Sometimes longer posts take up to six or even eight hours.

Where do you find the time to focus on other aspects of your business?

I struggled with this concept as well when I first started blogging.

It seemed like there weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Then I realized that your content doesn’t always need to be created from scratch.

Think about it.

Chances are, your content isn’t some new or revolutionary breakthrough in the industry.

You’re writing about something that’s been discussed before.

Sure, you’ll put your unique spin, voice, and personal experiences in there, but ultimately there are plenty of similar topics on the web.

Spending your entire day writing blogs is not an efficient use of your time.

Instead, I’ll teach you some content curation skills that will help you write content faster.

David Kadavy from The Medium was able to learn different tricks to improve his productivity.

Look at the impact this had on his published word count between 2015 and 2016.

If you follow my advice, your productivity will skyrocket as well.

Here’s how you can use content curation to effectively manage your content strategy.

Make sure you’re utilizing visuals

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you know I’m a firm believer in using lots of pictures, screenshots, and other infographics to illustrate my points.

That’s no secret.

But there’s a reason behind this strategy.

Adding pictures to your blog posts makes it easier for people to read.

It breaks up the content and grabs the reader’s attention.

There are also plenty of great image resources on the Internet.

While creating a unique visual or infographic is great, it’s not necessary.

Instead, use someone else’s image, making sure to give credit to the original source.

This will save you a lot of time because you won’t have to create these images yourself.

Don’t be shy when you’re adding visuals to your content.

Images make it easier for readers to process your point.

See what I mean?I

Fittingly, I’m using an image about the importance of visuals to prove my point.

But seriously, think about how easy it was for you to process and retain what you just saw.

Visuals also make it easier for you to put words on the page.

Here’s what I mean.

Once you insert an image in your post, it gives you something to talk about.

Explain the image to your readers.

It will guide you in the right direction instead of just coming up with content out of thin air.

You’re much less likely to suffer from writer’s block if you always have something to talk about.

Here are some additional tips about using images within your content:

Use high quality visuals that aren’t too cluttered.
Make sure they are easy to read and understand.
If the visual contains data, make sure it’s from a reputable source.
Always cite your sources.
Use lots of images.

All of these pointers will help you create content faster and more efficiently.

Start with an outline, and stick to your plan

Never start creating content from a blank page.

Psychologically, it’s intimidating.

But more importantly, it’s not an efficient use of your time.

Sure, as you start writing, you’ll need to do some research along the way.

But it helps significantly if you get some of that out of the way before you get started.

Here’s what you need to do.

For example, let’s say you are writing a post about the best ways to find a new job.

Start with a Google search.

Now you can create a list of the 28 best ways to do this.

Keep in mind, there will likely be some overlap among the pages.

You’re not the only one using curation strategies to build content.

But when it’s all said and done, you should still be able to come up with at least 10, 15, or maybe even 20 different ways on your list.

The key is planning this out ahead of time.

Open all these pages in a new tab.

Each time you see something you want to include in your article, add it to the outline.

Quickly add a few notes to develop further when you get to that point of your writing process.

For example, you may talk about a specific job board site on your list.

So a note could be “insert statistic about the job placement success rates of this site.”

Then you can do that research when you get there.

This strategy also makes it really easy if you’re aiming for a certain word count per post.

Let’s say you want all of your posts to be roughly 2,500 words.

If you determine you’ll have 15 different sections based on your list, now you can aim for each section to be about 165 words.

It keeps you on track for your goal.

That way you’re not frantically trying to come up with a 500 word conclusion or end up reaching your desired word count after your second subheading.

Repurpose content on different channels

For the most part, I’ve been discussing these curation strategies as they relate to blogging, but let me clear the air.

Your content doesn’t stop with blogs and articles.

One of my favorite ways to repurpose content is through YouTube videos.

I’ll give you an example based on my own blog and YouTube channel.

Here’s a post I wrote that was a big hit.

It’s got 137 comments (and counting) at the moment.

What did I do?

I repurposed some of the main points and made it into a YouTube tutorial.

Here’s the link to my YouTube video.

You don’t always have to use content from other people for your curation strategy.

Instead, take your existing content.

You can also use this technique on social media platforms.

Think about Twitter.

You have only so many characters to use.

Rather than racking your brain to come up with the most clever tweet on the planet, refer to your posts that already have thousands of words.

Take lines directly from that content, and post them on social media.

It will save you a ton of time, and you’ll be able to focus on other aspects of social media management, like responding to customer comments.

That’s a much more efficient use of your time.

You don’t need to be the first person to break a story

How many times have you seen a breaking news story, only to discover that it’s inaccurate?

I see it all the time, so I’m sure you have as well.

That’s because all these news outlets want to be first.

But first isn’t always best.

You don’t want to develop a reputation for being an unreliable source.

Furthermore, the first person to break a story may not have a chance to include lots of relevant information.

Let’s use a hypothetical example of a local car accident.

The first person to break the story may just say, “car accident on X street at Y time.”

But they don’t have any other details to report.

So if you wait a little bit, you can newsjack the story.

Wait for other sources to report new information.

Now you can write about other factors like the:

number of cars involved
types of cars in the crash
names of any victims
cause of the accident
road conditions at the time
quote from law enforcement

You can see where I’m going with this.

Being the first one to release new information doesn’t get you a gold star or sticker.

Instead, it limits your resources and the amount of information you can talk about.

Curate content from the comments section of your blog

You should always be checking the comments on your page.

Respond to these users.

It’s a great way to help with your search engine optimization, but it also keeps your readers actively engaged.

You may find some valuable information here as well.

People who comment on your page may be doing so to promote their own websites or blogs, but their points may be viable.

Take a look at what people have to say.

It might just be included in your next post.

Send a newsletter with a roundup of your weekly content

Again, you don’t always need to use someone else’s thoughts or ideas to generate new content.

Sometimes the best curation source is your own writing.

If you’ve got a weekly or monthly newsletter, it’s a great opportunity for you to promote content you’ve already published.

Moz does this with their monthly top 10 newsletters.

Instead of coming up with something new or unique for their monthly newsletter, they just repurpose the hard work they’ve already done.

You can use this strategy as well.

Write a weekly roundup post that summarizes the content you’ve already covered during the week.

Work smarter, not harder.

Don’t get me wrong.

I’m not saying to just copy and paste your existing content into a new article.

That’s a quick way to lose readers.

But you can just take something old and put a new spin on it.

Update new statistics.

Add personal stories or a learning experience you’ve come across since the content was originally posted.

This will make your life a lot easier, and you’ll spend less time trying to come up with new ideas.

Conclusion

Your time is valuable.

Instead of spending endless hours each day trying to come up with new content to write about, you can use curation strategies to be more efficient.

Remember, content curation doesn’t just apply to your blog.

You can also use these methods to help produce content on social media.

Research showed that finding and posting content on social media was the most time consuming aspect of this process.

It doesn’t have to be.

Use lots of visuals in your content.

Rather than creating original infographics, use ones you find on the Internet.

Make sure you give credit to the source.

Images make it easier for readers to process and retain information as well.

Don’t start writing from scratch.

Build an outline using ideas you find from a Google search.

This will make things easier for you to write naturally and stick to a plan.

All of the curation doesn’t need to come from someone else’s pages or ideas.

Repurpose your existing content.

Take a top performing blog post and turn it into a YouTube tutorial.

Use phrases from articles on your site as social media posts.

Think twice before you try to be the first person to break a news story.

Instead, wait until all the information gets released.

You’ll have more reliable sources and information to use.

Refer to the comments section of your blog if you’re looking for new ideas.

Use recent posts to come up with a weekly newsletter or round up blog.

If you follow these strategies, you’ll spend less time creating content and more time focusing on other areas of your business.

What kind of content curation strategies have helped you spend less time writing blogs each day?

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US Economy Expanded at Brisk 3.3 pct. Pace in Third Quarter

Led by a rise in business investment, the U.S. economy grew at an annual pace of 3.3 percent from July through September, its fastest rate in three years.

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This is How to Start an Emergency Fund — and Put It to Work for You

Unless this is the first time you’ve stumbled on a personal finance site (welcome!), you’ve definitely heard you need an emergency fund.

That’s the pile of easily-accessible funds you build to equal three to six months’ salary, in case you unexpectedly lose your job or feel an irrepressible need to venture into the desert for a journey of self-discovery.

I know that goal seems insane to some people. Say you take home $36,000 a year, or $3,000 a month. The common rule says you need an emergency fund of between $9,000 and $18,000.

While you’re living on a $36,000 salary? Sure.

Most people don’t know how to start an emergency fund with that kind of income.

But even if you toss the rules out the window, even some padding of savings will help you live more comfortably and breathe more easily.

I know that’s easier said than done. When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, and you get the tiniest bit extra, you don’t want to stick it in a virtual safe. You want to buy yourself something pretty. Or at least pay down some debt.

It’s totally understandable. But we had an idea that might make you more willing to build that emergency fund: What if your money could grow while it waited for that potential emergency?

Investment vs. Savings Accounts

I won’t dive deep into the weeds here, but I want to start with a quick explanation:

Because your emergency fund needs to be accessible in case of, you know, an emergency, you don’t typically stick it into an investment account like your IRA or 401(k).

Those come with fees and tax penalties for withdrawing, unless your emergency conveniently waits until you’re 59 ½ years old.

That leaves the fund to sit stagnant in a typical savings or checking account.

Pro: You can pull those funds out anytime you need them. Con: The money does absolutely nothing for you unless you lose your job or wander into the desert.

But we found some ways to make that money work for you — and still be there when you need it. Like a dedicated spouse. Or a dog.

How to Start an Emergency Fund (And Make Money Off It)

Unless you’re pragmatic to a T, sticking money in an emergency fund can be painful.

Yes, it’ll be nice to have when you need it… but in the meantime, that’s money you could use for anything else. And it’s just sitting there.

The solution? Stick your emergency fund into an account where it’ll grow and be available in an emergency.

Here are three options we love:

1. Invest Your Digital Change

Remember how easily you could save money in the olden days of cash? Spend a few bucks and collect a few dimes here, a few quarters there. Empty your pockets at the end of the day into the almighty change jar.

Now, like everything else, there’s an app for that.

Because a lot of your spending is probably on a debit or credit card, your pockets are empty at the end of a shopping spree. Enter Acorns.

The app connects to your debit and credit cards and rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar, investing your digital change. You can do this automatically or review your purchases manually — or even deposit a set amount weekly or monthly — to build savings in your Acorns account.

You’ll decide how you want your money invested, from conservative to aggressive (i.e. low risk/slow growth to high risk/fast growth). Acorns invests your money in a simple portfolio, and you can follow its progress right in the app.

I did the math and figured out I could save more than $400 in a year with my normal purchases — and that would grow to more than $5,000 over 10 years.

That won’t last me through a six-month walkabout, but it’s a pretty sweet haul for savings I literally don’t have to think about.

Plus, unlike those traditional investments, you can pull money out of your Acorns account anytime. Choose the amount you want to withdraw, and it’ll be in your connected checking account within five to seven business days.

Sign up for Acorns here, and you’ll get a bonus $10 when you make your first investment!

2. Make the Most of Your Checking Account

One of the easiest ways I’ve found to build my emergency fund without thinking about it is to siphon part of my paycheck into a dedicated bank account.

The problem with most bank accounts? Terrible interest. You’ve seen those bank statements you get around tax season… like, yeah, I’ll be sure to claim the $3.27 I earned this year, thanks.

Yes, you can find a high-yield bank account that’ll pay you something like 5% interest on your balance. But those often come with minimum balance or spending requirements and monthly fees. If they’re a fit for you, go for it. That’s not my bag.

Instead of keeping track of all that, I keep my emergency fund in an Aspiration Summit checking account.

This gives me the perfect balance, because it’s a regular checking account that gives me a debit card, so I can access funds anytime I need. Aspiration covers ATM fees, so I can withdraw money anywhere in the world without worrying about those charges adding up.

Plus, the account pays 1% APY on a balance of $2,500 or more. If my balance is less, it pays 0.25% APY. That’s way more than the average savings account interest rate of 0.06%.

The account doesn’t require a minimum balance, direct deposits or some arbitrary algorithm of monthly activity. I don’t even have to pay a monthly fee. Aspiration works on a “pay what’s fair” model, so I can tip whatever I want — and I do, because I love the company’s service!

One more added benefit: 10% of the company’s revenue goes to charity, so I can feel good about where I’m putting my money. It’s easy for me to donate part of my balance to charity each month, too, so this is a great way to save and give without feeling much of a pinch on your budget.

If you want in, you can open a Summit account online here.

3. Build Your Savings $5 at a Time

One thing that’s always kept me — and tons of millennials — from investing is the belief that it’s restricted to wealthy elites. Don’t you need, like, a ton of money to get started? (Or get into some convoluted penny-stock situation like Leo in “The Wolf of Wall Street”?)

Not the case anymore. Millennials like things simple and accessible, and technology has made that possible, even for investing.

With robo-investment apps like Stash, you can get your feet wet in the stock market, just a few bucks at a time.

Stash curates investments from professional fund managers and investors and lets you choose where to put your money. But it leaves out the complicated investment terms. You just choose from a set of simple funds reflecting your beliefs, interests and goals.

Oh, and you only need $5 to get started.

You can set the app to pull a set amount of money (as little as $5) from your bank account at regular intervals, so your savings can grow over time.

Bonus: Right now, Stash will give you an extra $5 to get started.

Just like Acorns, you can pull your money out of your Stash account anytime. So this is a simple way to build your emergency fund $5 at a time — and grow it without the work of creating your own investment strategy.

Have Your Emergency Fund and Invest It, Too

Yes, I still feel the twinge sometimes when I think about setting aside money I could otherwise use to buy an extra flight home this year, or to move into an apartment where I can’t hear my neighbor practicing bass guitar for eight hours a day.

But I feel a little better knowing I’m sticking that money into a place where it’ll grow.

I have to give up a few hundred dollars this year, but it’ll help me get thousands of dollars ahead in the long run — because who wants to worry about money when it’s time for a mid-life desert crisis?

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.

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Tax Reform Advances as Government Shutdown Looms

Tax reform is moving forward in Washington even as a government shutdown is possible next week.

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Six Essential Strategies for Negotiating a Raise at Work

Negotiating a raise at work is a powerful way to improve your financial situation with a single stroke. You suddenly have more income, which means that it immediately becomes easier to pay off debts, build up an emergency fund, save for future goals, and have some quality of life improvements to boot.

At the same time, a raise negotiation is something that many people dread. The simple act of negotiating something creates a challenging conversation of the type many people want to avoid, and some hold the fear that asking for a raise indicates disloyalty and will put the job they currently have in danger.

Remember, almost everyone on Earth wants better pay. It’s not surprising to your supervisor that you would want to have better pay – in fact, he or she probably assumes it. What matters is whether an employee has the courage to bring it up in conversation and whether or not that employee’s performance merits an increase in pay.

Furthermore, almost every strategy in this article works very well for other types of workplace perks. Let’s say that, rather than a raise, you want to be able to work just four days a week instead of five. Perhaps you want to be able to telecommute two days per week. Maybe you want to be able to start coming in an hour or two earlier and leave an hour or two earlier. Those types of changes can save you a lot of money in your day-to-day life and can also significantly improve one’s quality of life, too.

Here’s how to get started.

Use your performance reviews as a template. If you’re in an organization that gives regular performance reviews, your most recent performance reviews are the best place to start. Such reviews usually make it abundantly clear whether or not you are an effective employee (meaning you’re more likely to receive a raise if you ask). They also provide areas in which you can improve, and improving in those areas is often a clear path to be perceived as an exceptional employee.

So, grab those performance reviews. Are they strongly positive? If so, you already have a pretty good case for asking for a review. Are they mediocre, with lots of areas for improvement? If so, then you have a checklist of things to work on before asking for a review.

With just the simple step of looking back over your performance reviews, you instantly know whether or not you have a good case for asking for a raise and, if not, you also know what things you should be doing to build a good case for a raise.

Learn about comparable salaries and know what you want. This is another invaluable preparatory step: know what people in your field and in your area are getting paid. One great place to start is with Indeed.com’s salary database, which lets you see what people in your area are earning for the same job title as you.

Remember, use this as a baseline. If you’re an entry level employee, your salary should likely be a bit below the average, as the average includes people who are exceptionally talented and those with a lot of experience. However, if you are experienced or have a track record of exceptional performance reviews, then you should be expecting an appropriate salary.

Time your negotiation well. For example, it’s a bad idea to ask for a raise shortly after a poor performance review. It’s a bad idea to ask for a raise when the organization is having severe financial struggles. It’s a bad idea to ask for a raise when you’re on some form of probation.

It’s a good idea to ask for a raise after the successful completion of a project. It’s a good idea to ask for a raise after a glowing performance review. It’s a good idea to ask for a raise after you complete a major certification or earn a degree.

In other words, if you’ve just done something that demonstrates your strong value as an employee and the organization seems healthy, that’s a great time to strike. If you’ve not done anything to raise your profile or you have a less than stellar profile or the organization is struggling, then you shouldn’t be asking for more pay right now.

Be clear, but not emotional or demanding. When you decide to have that conversation, be clear and avoid emotion, particularly if you don’t get an immediate yes.

What you need to do is decide in advance what you’re specifically asking for and why you should get it – your performance and the salaries of people in similar positions as your own. Decide exactly what you’re asking for and give them reasons to say yes – do not give them reasons to say no.

So, for example, you might come in and request a 10% raise because you’ve had three excellent performance reviews in a row and you just played a key part in finishing up a particular project. You’re stating exactly what you want and why you deserve it.

If you are straightforward like this, without emotions and threats, and you’re clear about what you want, virtually all supervisors will respect that. As long as you don’t bring emotions into the situation or make empty threats or make “or else” demands, your supervisor is likely going to at least understand where you’re coming from. Everyone wants to be paid more, after all.

The same thing is true if the “raise” you want comes in the form of non-financial perks, like a more flexible working schedule or a day or two of telecommuting per week.

If you don’t get an immediate yes, don’t get upset. Don’t react emotionally. The story isn’t over yet. Be patient and calm.

Create a plan with your supervisor. If your supervisor declines your request for a raise, your immediate response should be “Okay, then, what do I need to do in order to receive such a raise?”

Work with your supervisor to come up with a plan that, if you complete it, will lead to the raise you want. It may be that your supervisor does not perceive your value in the same way that you do, so the goal here is to display your value in such a way that it’s abundantly clear to your supervisor in the terms that he or she cares most about.

Frame the conversation in terms of things you need to do to earn such a raise in the next six months. What do you need to do so that, when you have a follow up conversation in six months, the answer will be an easy “yes”? That’s your new checklist of things to do at work.

Document your efforts. If you have a plan that will lead you to a raise, keep track of it. Review it constantly, work toward the items listed there, and most importantly, document your efforts toward those goals.

Treat it like a work diary. Whenever you take steps toward any element of that plan, record it. Keep a saved document going that lists all of the things you’re doing to complete your part of that plan.

Then, when the timeline of the plan finishes up, you can draw upon those notes to make a detailed case for how you executed that plan and thus why you deserve that raise. You won’t have to include every detail, but you will have tons of source material to create a great summary that can be backed up with details if your supervisor digs into the rabbit hole.

One final suggestion: bulk your resume through these efforts. As you’re going through the steps to meet what your supervisor wants in order to earn a raise, don’t forget to think of those steps in terms of your resume. Most of the time, the steps in your plan also match up well with bolstering your resume so that, if your supervisor doesn’t follow through on his or her side of the plan, you are in a much better place in terms of seeking out a new job.

That’s the best part of this kind of process: not only does it increase your likelihood of getting a raise at work, it also sets you up for your next career step if you don’t receive that raise.

Remember, asking for a raise in a calm manner with a clear request and reasons for doing so won’t anger your boss in almost any rational situation. They’ll understand, even if they can’t immediately say yes. If you prepare for the conversation, it’s nothing to fear.

Also, remember that “no” isn’t the end of the road. It’s just the next step. Use it as an opportunity to build a plan for a “yes” down the road, and if that plan doesn’t get the results you want, use the results of that plan to improve your resume and find a better job.

Good luck!

The post Six Essential Strategies for Negotiating a Raise at Work appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Would You Take Out a Personal Loan to Pay for the Wedding of Your Dreams?

Cheers to These 12 Chicago Bars With The Best Happy Hour Deals

Went Overboard on Black Friday? Four Ways to Fix Things

An estimated 115 million people planned to snatch up bargains (real or imagined) on the day after Thanksgiving, according to the National Retail Federation. But that wasn’t the extent of the holiday buying. The NRF’s annual survey indicated that:

32 million planned to shop on Thanksgiving Day.
71 million would shop on Saturday (76% of whom said they would do so to support Small Business Saturday).
35 million planned to shop on Sunday.
And 78 million would shop on Cyber Monday.

The Mad Men (and Mad Women) of Madison Avenue are very, very good at what they do. They know we want to make the holidays memorable for children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and significant others.

As a result, consumers may find themselves going into debt, or at least overbuying, to satisfy someone else’s idea of the perfect holiday.

And if that’s you? If despite your best intentions you went a little (or a lot) overboard with the spending?

Stop panicking and start fixing. The following tips will help you forestall debt or at least deal with it quickly rather than pay a ton of interest.

Fix No. 1: Return some (or all) of what you bought.

Obvious, right? Even if you have to pay a re-stock fee for an item, it sure beats wondering how you’re going to pay for the whole thing. Chalk up any fees to the Impetuous Tax and vow to do better next year.

This tactic works particularly well for people with children, since extended family members will likely provide gifts. So let Junior have one or two nice things from you, and fill in with the presents from grandparents and doting aunts and uncles.

(Pro tip: Consider observing the “four gift rule” — something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. Our children’s expectations should be shaped by us — their parents — rather than TV commercials.)

Suppose you went rogue with things like small appliances, accessories, tools, or electronics? Now is a good time to have The Talk with your significant other. (A better time would have been last year, but too late now.) During this chat, emphasize how much you want the holiday to be special, but that you blew it and overspent.

Suggest that the two of you set a reasonable spending limit in order to keep household finances on an even keel. Solvency is one terrific gift, especially when it’s given year after year. Then decide what to return, and have fun giving what’s left.

Note: Some deals truly can’t be beat. For example, personal finance blogger Lauren Greutman combined rebates, a store loyalty card, and a discount code with Black Friday sales prices and paid only 52 cents each for a slow cooker, coffeemaker, griddle, and waffle-maker.

If you got a deal that good, you should probably keep the items, because your coffeemaker (or whatever) will wear out eventually, or you could make some money selling them on a Facebook yard-sale page or on Craigslist.

And if you plan to keep it all, no matter what, then move on to the next tactic…

Fix No. 2: Hold some items back.

Who’s gonna know? Your kid won’t magically sense that you originally bought him eight toys even though only four of them wound up under the tree. Your partner won’t know that he was going to get an iPad and a wallet and a bathrobe and new ski goggles.

Keep back some items to create a gift closet. Extra playthings will make great birthday gifts and, more to the point, will be on hand to give when your child gets invited to birthday parties in the coming year. Bonus: You paid rock-bottom prices for both the gifts you keep and the gifts you give away (#winning).

The fleecy hat-and-glove set the store practically gave away on Black Friday could make a good Secret Santa gift at your workplace next year. If your kid brother will graduate from college in June, turn that 52-cent coffeemaker into a present for his first apartment. And so on.

However, deciding not to return any of the things you over-bought means you’re also deciding to accept a higher-than-usual credit card bill. To reduce the pain, get going on…

Fix No. 3: Make extra payments. Starting now.

But not from your emergency fund! Overspending on gifts is not a bona fide emergency.

Take a look at the budget and see how much wiggle room you’ve got. Suppose you’ve got a $150 cushion after paying the bills and allowing for the month’s gasoline and groceries. Send at least $75 to the credit card issuer right now. Got more than that? Send more than that.

Yes, before the bill arrives. The card issuer doesn’t care when you make payments. (Well, actually, it does care: These companies get rich because consumers carry balances.)

Make another payment when your next paycheck comes. Repeat the process until you’ve covered the cost of what you bought.

Understand: I’m not suggesting that you deplete your checking account, but rather that you man- or woman-up and accept the responsibility for your actions. Which brings us to the next tactic…

Fix No. 4: Get creative about the source of those extra payments.

This is a time of year when we spend more than usual. Not just on gifts, either, but on things like special foods, decorations, greeting cards, and non-gift items we buy for ourselves (e.g., that new television for the family room).

The challenge, then, is to find “extra” money in the budget right when you’re about to observe beloved traditions like an enormous Christmas dinner, massive holiday light displays, or the dozens of Swedish Creams and pepperkakor you bake every year.

Creativity is key. Here are a few options:

Cut back on small treats. Skip some coffees. Pack your lunch. Spend your Saturdays addressing holiday cards or playing games instead of hitting the movies. Make it a point to eat more (or all) your meals at home. If you usually hit happy hour at the end of the work week, either take a few Fridays off or sip a single beer and leave when it’s finished.

Do a “pantry challenge.” Make it your business to eat mostly or completely from the cupboards and freezer. If the only things you buy at the supermarket for the next few weeks are milk, bread, and produce, you can throw what you would have spent at the credit card bill. Bonus: You prevent food waste by clearing out some older stuff that wasn’t being eaten.

Look for a side gig. Put it out in the universe that you’re available for babysitting, dog-walking, helping hang holiday lights, or whatever it is you enjoy (or at least do well). Already got a side hustle? Push it a little harder: Take on more rideshare clients, say, or spend some evenings making more items for your Etsy store.

Ask your family for ideas. “Guys, we’re looking for ways to pay for a truly awesome holiday with cash. Who has ideas for places we can trim spending?” Your kids may have good tactics (“Do we really need holiday PJs?”) and they’ll get a sense of themselves as part of the family unit.

For more tips, here are some other ways to come up with extra cash quickly.

Festive Opportunity Cost

It really doesn’t have to be spelled “Chri$tma$” to be memorable. Considering the holiday’s humble origins, it shouldn’t be all about excess anyway.

Overspending may be due to nature (we want to make our loved ones happy) or to nurture (because you grew up with huge celebrations and think that’s the way everybody does it). Or it might just be that marketers really know how to whip us into an emotional frenzy during the last couple of months of the year.

Here’s how psychologist and author David Tolin puts it:

“(Merchants) have spent million of dollars in figuring out how to manipulate you psychologically into how to spend more money. Understand that most of us are powerless against that.”

There’s nothing wrong with giving gifts. But there’s a whole lot wrong with going into debt in order to obtain them. The success of a holiday celebration is not guaranteed by the amount of money spent.

Besides, the hundreds (or thousands) you drop each year translate to some pretty festive opportunity cost. How else might that money have been able to work for you? A retirement plan, the “down payment on a home” account, a long-delayed vacation, an emergency fund?

It’s not necessary to forgo the holiday if it’s always made you happy. Just make it more about love and togetherness than about conspicuous consumption. And yeah, pay the re-stock fee if you must.

Related Articles:

Veteran personal finance writer Donna Freedman is the author of “Your Playbook for Tough Times: Living Large on Small Change, for the Short Term or the Long Haul” and “Your Playbook for Tough Times, Vol. 2: Needs AND Wants Edition.”

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Should You Focus on Making Money or Saving Money?

By Kimi Clark People everywhere want to make money; that's just a fact of life. But often making money isn't the only way we can have enough to pay the bills and have a great life. After all, it's not about how much you make, but about how much you have left after you pay […]

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