Northeastern Pa. Alliance announces new staff member

Northeastern Pa. Alliance announces new staff memberJeffrey Box, president and CEO of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, has announced that Ken Doolittle has joined the staff as a business finance specialist.Doolittle will be responsible for continuing the NEPA Alliance’s loan programs, working closely with the SBA 504 program. Doolittle will be charged with reviewing business loan applications and advising clients on the proper path [...]

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ESU professor elected general council for science association

ESU professor elected general council for science associationKimberly S. Adams, Ph.D., professor of political science at East Stroudsburg University, was elected to the general council for the Northeastern Political Science Association during the 49th annual meeting in Philadelphia Nov. 9 to 11.NPSA is an academic association that promotes the study of politics and government by supporting the professional development of its members. The association is [...]

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100 Free Gift Ideas Your Friends Will Actually Want to Receive

The holidays get expensive fast. Checking off everyone on your list can be daunting, especially for your bank account. The average American plans to spend $983 on holiday gifts in 2017, according to the American Research Group.

But we’ve got an early holiday gift for you: a list of 100 free gift ideas.

You’ll probably see at least four or five items you can easily give someone you know and love — which means four or five gifts you don’t have to buy.

Ready to get started? Gifts are divided into categories, so you can easily scroll to find the type of gift you need. Or, read the whole list and find inspiration for a frugal, fun and FREE holiday season!

Food and Drink

If your kitchen isn’t well stocked, you’re going to have to buy ingredients like flour and sugar. But if you already have the supplies, you can make a lot of free gifts from what’s in your pantry.

1. Bread

Bake a delicious loaf of bread (Think banana, zucchini and chocolate chip breads.), wrap it up in some colorful plastic wrap and you’re good to go.

2. Cookies

Many people wait all year to make their favorite holiday cookies, and many families have traditional holiday recipes. Why not share your favorites with your friends?

3. Cookie Mix in a Jar

You can bake cookies, or you can give people the gift of being able to bake cookies whenever they want.

Put dry ingredients (flour, chocolate chips, etc.) into a glass jar, tape the recipe to the outside of the jar and tie on a festive ribbon.

4. Casseroles

Don’t turn up your nose at the humble casserole. Anything that gives people an excuse to eat Fritos chips smothered with cheese is a hit, in our opinion.

Give it fresh out of the oven, or prepare a frozen casserole for your recipients to heat up on one of those “no-time-to-cook” days.

5. Breakfast Burritos

While we’re on the subject of “no time to cook,” a bulk supply of handmade, frozen breakfast burritos would be very welcome in a lot of our homes!

You do the work, and your recipients will think of you every morning as they eat a healthy, delicious and fast breakfast.

6. Muesli

If breakfast burritos sound like too much work, make muesli instead.

Just fill a glass jar 3/4 full of dry, raw oats, then add nuts and dried fruit. Put a lid on the jar and shake it a few times until the muesli is well mixed. Add a festive ribbon!

7. Other Holiday Treats

We know you’re already thinking of at least one other holiday treat you could make for your friends, from sugarplums to rugelach. You don’t need our permission to make it!

8. Recipe Book

If you love baking, but don’t have enough cash for the ingredients, give people a recipe book.

Write your favorite recipes on index cards, or print your recipes out and tie the pages together with a ribbon. Want to go completely free? Make a PDF version and email it.

9. Regifted Sweets

Even if you aren’t naturally skilled in the kitchen, you can still give people a delicious holiday gift.

Take some of your holiday sweets — like the box of Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark you got at your office holiday party — and pass them along to someone else.

10. Wine

Want the easiest possible holiday gift? Put a bow on the unopened bottle of wine you have sitting in the cupboard.

From My Home to Yours

One of the easiest ways to give someone a free gift is to pass along something you already own — whether it’s the package of scented soap from your aunt or the favorite book that’s been on your shelf for a decade.

11. Regift Old Gifts

Take that thing you got last year that’s still in its box, and give it to someone else.

12. Regift This Year’s Gift

Take something you got this year and give it to someone else. We suggest scented soaps or candles.

13. Gift Card

Did your office give employees gift cards this year? Have an old gift card sitting around you haven’t spent? Pass ‘em along.

But check expiration dates and balances first. Gift cards are one present that should never arrive used.

14. Books

Give an old favorite, or wrap up the book you bought a year ago and didn’t read.

15. CD Coasters

Old CDs make great coasters, and you probably have a whole binder full of old ones collecting dust somewhere.

Group them into sets (the Weird Al collection?), add a card explaining the gift and pass them along to a friend who appreciates music and upcycling old technology.

16. CD Art

If you and a friend bonded over a band or album several years ago, dig up the CD and frame the jacket art.

17. Ornaments

If you have adult children or grandchildren, giving them treasured ornaments off your Christmas tree will make them feel special.

Plus, they’ll think of you every time they place the ornament on a branch.

18. Puzzles

People rarely do the same puzzle twice, so make sure your used puzzle has all the right pieces, and wrap it up.

19. Clothes

To get away with this type of gift, you’ll need to be a mother giving a favorite sweater to a daughter, an older sister giving a favorite T-shirt to a younger sister or a best friend passing along a treasured jacket.

20. Vintage Wear

You might know a teenager or young adult who’d love to wear the outfit you’ve been hanging onto since the early 90s.

Vintage is always in style!

21. Costume Jewelry

If you inherited a pile of costume jewelry from an older relative, share the wealth with the younger generation.

22. Family Heirloom

This is a more serious gift. Pass along the necklace or china set that’s been in the family for generations.

Make sure you give it to someone who will appreciate both its history and value.

23. Childhood Stuffed Animal

Pass along a beloved stuffed animal to make a special memory with a child or grandchild.

24. Pet Rock

Make a very special memory with a niece or nephew — pass along a beloved pet rock.

Only the coolest aunt or uncle would give out pet rocks.

25. Funky Mug

If you’re one of the people who loves collecting novelty mugs, it’s time to start distributing your collection.

Wash ‘em really well first — we don’t want to see any coffee rings or lipstick stains.

26. Collectibles

While we’re on the subject of collectibles — if you know someone who collects owls, trains or snow globes, pass along a respective item from your home.

We all have at least one snow globe in a drawer somewhere, right?

27. Storage Unit Surprise

If you have a storage unit, there’s probably at least one thing in it that you aren’t using and would make an excellent gift.

The Gift of Memory

Now that so many of our photos and videos are stored online, there’s something very special about receiving an actual photograph or home video.

Plus, these are items you probably already have in your closet — which makes them ideal free holiday gifts.

28. Old Photographs

Pass along old photographs of grandparents or great-grandparents to the younger generation.

29. Photographs From Childhood

If you’ve known a friend since childhood, slip an old photo of the two of you into a frame.

30. Old Home Video

Send everyone in the family a copy of old home video footage of children or other relatives.

31. New Home Video

Why not make a new home video this year?

Take video of your children playing the piano or singing holiday songs. Or get in front of the camera and tell the people you love how much you care about them.

32. Family Tree

If your family doesn’t have an updated family tree, put one together and send it to everyone in its branches.

33. Family History

Interview family members about their history and favorite memories.

Then put the interviews together into a book — or video!

34. Family Trivia Game

The family that plays together stays together.

Make a trivia game featuring details about your family members and play it over the holidays. It can be as simple as questions and answers on index cards or as complicated as your craft skills allow!

35. Book of Shared Memories

Give your closest friend a book of memories.

Write down as many stories and shared experiences as you can remember. Include doodles, photos and anything else you’d like to add.

You’ll give your friend a history of your friendship and a gift to truly cherish.

The Thought That Counts

When you don’t have enough cash for a real gift, give something equally thoughtful and memorable.

36. Heartfelt Letter

Tell a friend or relative how much they mean to you in a thoughtful letter.

37. Monthly Letter

Write a friend or relative a dozen thoughtful letters.

Put them in envelopes with instructions about when to open.

38. How Do I Love Thee

Begin with the famous Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Then count them.

39. Friendship Mad Libs

Remember the time when we went to [PLACE] but we ran out of [ITEM] and we had to [VERB] our way back home?

Give a friend a book of Mad Libs based on shared experiences — see if it sparks any memories!

40. Kid Mad Libs

Here’s another cool aunt or uncle gift.

Write up a few Mad Libs. Don’t worry too much about the story — the kids’ll fill all the blanks in with “boogers” and “farts” anyway.

41. Mixtape

The classic mixtape never gets old — especially if it’s on an actual cassette you have lying around.

42. Spotify Playlist

Don’t have a tape? Make and share a Spotify playlist instead.

43. Memory Jar

Fill a jar with strips of paper containing shared memories.

44. Inspiration Jar

Fill a jar with strips of paper containing inspirational quotes or thoughts.

45. Hopes and Dreams Jar

Give an empty jar with a bunch of blank strips of paper and tell your friend to put their hopes and dreams into the jar.

46. Change Jar

Give a kid a cute jar with some loose change inside. You might inspire them to become a future Penny Hoarder!

47. Time Together

Whether it’s an afternoon spent exploring a park or an evening spent knitting and chatting, sometimes the gift of time spent together is what really matters.

48. Binge Watch a Show

Tell your significant other (or teenager) that yes, you’ll binge watch a show with them.

You know the one. You’ll probably really like it.

49. Visit the Museum

Many museums have free days. Find out when they are and take someone special.

Something for Nothing

There are many ways to get new or nearly-new items for free. Check out this list for inspiration.

50. Buy Nothing Group

The Buy Nothing Project connects people who want to both give and receive gently used items for free.

See if there’s a Buy Nothing Group in your area, and take a look at what its members are offering. Maybe one of the free items will make a perfect gift!

51. Freecycle

Freecycle is another online group where members give away items for free. Check it out and see if there’s anything you might want.

52. Craigslist

Search Craigslist for people giving away free clothes, toys, furniture or household items. As always, watch out for scams!

53. Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, check Kijiji for free listings.

54. Ebay Classified Ads

Ebay Classified Ads might also have free items you can claim — it never hurts to check!

55. Reddit

Look at Reddit’s Barter, Recycle and Gift Card Exchange communities for free gifts.

56. Freebie Sites

Use our list of 30 online freebies for gift inspiration.

Some of the items are just utilities, but plenty would make great gifts — or you could bundle a bunch of useful stuff together for someone who’s strapped for cash.

57. Free Baby Products

If someone on your gift list is a new or expecting parent, here’s how to get free baby products.

58. Retailers Offering Free Gifts

You know the free makeup bag that comes with your cosmetics purchase? Gift it to someone else.

Retailers often offer free gifts around the holidays as an incentive to get you in the door. Buy what you want, and pass the free gift to a friend!

59. Gifts Purchased With Gift Cards

We already mentioned regifting gift cards, but what if you kept the gift card and bought five gifts with it instead?

60. Amazon Trade-In

Amazon Trade-In allows you to trade in old items for new ones.

Turn your old stuff into new gifts!

61. Pet

You can almost always find someone giving away free kittens or puppies.

Note: Make sure it’s a gift the recipient wants and the recipient is ready to handle the responsibility of caring for a pet. The kitten may be free, but pets need time, money and love.

Creative Work

Are you skilled with a pen, guitar or paintbrush? Here’s how to turn free holiday gifting into a work of art.

62. Art

Draw it, paint it, sculpt it, gift it.

63. Kid Art

If you have kids, ask them to draw or paint special pictures for their grandparents and other relatives.

64. Original Music

Record yourself performing an original song you wrote for someone you love.

65. Cover Album

Are you more of a musician than a songwriter?

Make a mixtape of you playing covers of the recipient’s favorite tunes. Or gather the whole family to sing holiday favorites.

66. Poetry

The original classic (and free) gift.

67. Audio Poetry

Record yourself reading original poetry or old favorites. (“How do I love thee…”)

68. Audiobook

Read a short story or classic text aloud.

For example, you can read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in just a couple of hours.

69. Audio Goodnight

Far away from grandchildren?

Make them an audio goodnight tape. Tell a story, sing a song, wish them goodnight and send your love.

70. Coloring Book

Get blank paper and a marker, and create a coloring book for a friend.

Draw pictures of items you both enjoy (e.g. pizza, Netflix) or memories you share.

71. Hand-Drawn Paper Dolls

Here’s how to draw a paper doll: Draw the body first. Then, put a sheet of paper over the body (so you can see the drawing underneath) and draw the clothes to fit.

Color the paper doll, or leave the outline for the recipient to fill in!

72. Comic Strip

Draw four panels, then add yourself and your friends enjoying a comic scenario.

73. Crossword Puzzle

Create a crossword puzzle where the majority of the clues are about the recipient.

74. Word Search

If a crossword puzzle sounds too complicated, make a word search!

The Gift of Labor

Trust us, some people will appreciate these gifts more than anything else they receive this year.

75. Handywork

Offer a friend or relative a weekend of your time to do all of their little house projects.

76. Housecleaning

Can you clean a house until it sparkles? Gift your talents.

77. Car Wash

If you have kids or teenagers who need to come up with gift ideas for aunts or uncles, have them offer car washes.

78. Massage

This free gift is classic for a reason. It’s best reserved for significant others and spouses, though.

79. Babysitting

Do you know how much a night of babysitting costs these days? This free gift is actually really, really valuable.

80. Petsitting

Give your friends peace of mind by being their designated pet sitter for a long weekend — or for every vacation they take next year.

81. Other Skills

If you know how to alter clothes, upholster furniture or wallpaper rooms, there’s a free gift idea.

The recipient has to come up with the clothing, the furniture and the wallpaper, and you provide the labor.

Holiday Crafts

Let’s end this list with a collection of holiday crafts.

As with the food and drink section, these gifts are only free if you already have the supplies — but we bet you’ll have enough to make at least one of these!

82. Soap Bubbles

Have a little dish soap and a cute container? You’re on your way to making a batch of soap bubbles.

Check out Apartment Therapy for a list of soap bubble recipes. Make circle and heart-shaped bubble wands out of pipe cleaners.

83. Play Dough

Flour, water, salt, oil and a bit of food coloring are all you need for this classic toy. PBS has the recipe.

84. Bathtub Crayons

Use grated soap and food coloring to make crayons for bathtime fun. Get Rich Slowly has instructions (#94 on the list).

85. Sidewalk Chalk

If you have plaster of Paris and tempera paint, you can easily make sidewalk chalk. Martha Stewart will show you how.

86. Framed Book Illustration

Cut out and frame a page of text or an illustration from a classic book.

87. Secret Compartment Book

Cut a hole in the center pages of a book to form a secret compartment. The Art of Manliness has a how-to guide.

88. Book Into Purse

You can also turn a hardcover book into a purse or clutch. A Beautiful Mess has the instructions.

89. Mason Jar Tea Lights

If you have a mason jar and some tea lights, decorate the outside of the jar with glitter, lace, ribbons, decoupage or plain ole’ permanent marker.

Put the tea light inside and you have a gift to light up anyone’s holiday.

90. Teacup Candle

If you have a half-melted candle and a mismatched teacup, combine them into an attractive gift. Get Rich Slowly has the details (#31 on their list).

91. Scrabble Ornaments

Take your Scrabble game out of the closet and turn the tiles into handmade ornaments. Spell “peace,” “joy,” “love” or anything else you like.

I Heart Naptime has instructions.

92. Scrabble Necklace

Or, turn your old Scrabble tiles into necklaces. Jewels of sayuri has the tutorial and diys.com has 24 other ideas for fun projects using Scrabble pieces.

93. Hand Warmers

Combine scraps of fabric and uncooked rice to make hand warmers. Just pop ‘em in the microwave, then take them out and warm up those hands!

Rae Ann Kelly has a how-to guide.

94. Sweater Mittens

Turn your old sweater into new mittens! Check out Creme de la Craft to learn more.

95. Sweater Pillow

Old sweaters also transform into soft, fuzzy throw pillows. PopSugar has a no-sewing-required guide.

96. T-Shirt Pillow

Turn old T-shirts into throw pillows.

Take a look at DIY Network’s guide — and if you don’t have pillow batting at hand, use an old throw pillow’s batting!

97. T-Shirt Quilt

If you have a bunch of old T-shirts and an old fleece blanket, stitch them together into a new T-shirt quilt.

Use Wellness Mama’s guide — unlike other T-shirt quilt guides, this one doesn’t require extra batting or material.

98. Sock Monkey

Got a sock, thread, embroidery floss and polyfill stuffing? Make a monkey.

Urban Threads has the instructions. This type of project can be easily adapted. If you don’t have buttons for eyes, stitch on colorful fabric scraps or make the eyes with embroidery floss.

99. Lip Scrub

Make a simple sugar scrub out of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

Our lip scrub recipe only requires sugar and olive oil.

100. Bath Bombs

Whip up a batch of homemade bath bombs with ingredients you might already have around the house. (If not, you can whip up this batch for less than $10.)

Our video tutorial shows you how.

Need More Free or Low-Cost Gift Ideas?

Although many of the items on this list are gifts I’ve either given or received myself, I also used the following posts to find great free gift ideas:

• 100 Frugal Gifts You Can Give This Christmas The Expanded Great Big List Of Homemade, Creative And Frugal Gifts at Bible Money Matters
• 101+ Inexpensive Handmade Christmas Gifts at I Heart Naptime
• A DIY Budget Christmas 99 Great Gifts to Start Right Now at Get Rich Slowly

Nicole Dieker is a freelance writer focusing on personal finance and personal stories. Her work has appeared in The Billfold, The Toast, Yearbook Office, The Write Life and Boing Boing.

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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80 years after hemp was outlawed, major expansion eyed

HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania is eyeing a major expansion of its resurgent industrial hemp industry, offering more than three times the number of permits currently issued as part of a pilot program.Hemp, once a major cash crop used to make rope and other textiles, returned to the state last year as the state approved 16 research projects that cultivated less than 50 acres. In 2018, the state plans to open 50 permits that, combined, may cultivate a maximum of 5,000 acres. [...]

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Scam Alert: ‘Property Brothers’ Won’t Show Up at Your Door if You Send Cash

What’s better than a lazy Sunday marathon of HGTV’s “Property Brothers”? Not much… unless they actually came to your home, in the flesh, and renovated it. Could you imagine?

Superfans everywhere love Drew and Jonathan Scott, the dapper twins who make quite the TV duo and help people turn fixer-uppers into the homes of their dreams.

But with the series’ booming popularity comes thieves looking to take advantage of fans — and steal their money.

Don’t Fall for This ‘Property Brothers’ Scam

Lisa Hartman of Aurora, Colorado, reached out to the Scott twins via Facebook. She let them know she wanted them to come to Colorado and update her home, Delish reports.

Shortly after, she received a message from someone claiming to be from the show. The message included an offer for the Scotts to come renovate her home.

But there was one catch — she had to pay up first.

The scammer sent Hartman a contract, but she and her husband realized it was phony after they requested official ID from the sender. They noticed a typo on his badge — “title” was misspelled “tittle” — and realized they were being scammed.

Thankfully, they didn’t give any money away.

The Scott brothers posted a warning on their Facebook page about these scams. It states that they will never contact anyone from unverified accounts or email addresses.

HGTV also released a statement saying that people who think they may have been contacted by an HGTV representative can verify the authenticity of the communication by scanning the letter and emailing it to castingverification@scrippsnetworks.com.

Everyone loves a good home renovation show, but be sure to keep an eye out for these scams so you don’t become a victim.

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

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, 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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Aetna Is Waiving Copays for Medication that Reverses Opioid Overdoses

Health insurance company Aetna is taking steps to help fight the opioid crisis in America.

The company announced Tuesday that it will be dropping copays for Narcan, a preferred brand of naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdose. It comes as a nasal spray, which family, friends, caregivers or first responders can administer to someone suffering from a known or suspected overdose.

The copay waiver will take effect Jan. 1, 2018, and it will be offered to Aetna’s fully insured commercial members.

A company press release says Aetna is the first national insurer to eliminate Narcan copays.

“Increasing access to Narcan can save lives so that individuals with opioid abuse disorder can live long enough to get into evidence-based treatment,” said Harold L. Paz, Aetna’s executive vice president and chief medical officer.

Financial Burdens of a Life-Saving Drug

The current cost to obtain Narcan can be a deterrent for some. According to Aetna, its members can pay up to $150, depending on their insurance plans — though the copay cost is typically in the $30 to $40 range.

Additionally, research from the manufacturer of Narcan shows higher copays make it more likely people will not get their prescriptions fulfilled.

This year, from January to June, about 35% of Aetna members who were prescribed Narcan did not pick up their prescriptions.

Additional Measures to Fight the Opioid Crisis

Along with Aetna’s announcement to improve access to Narcan, the company also shared it will put restrictions in place regarding pain medication that contains opioids.

Starting the first of the new year, Aetna commercial pharmacy members will be restricted to a seven-day supply for any opioids prescribed for acute pain or post-surgery recovery.

Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows those who are prescribed opioids for longer periods of time suffer a greater likelihood of becoming chronic users.

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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Good With Numbers? Apply for This Part-Time Work From-Home Accounting Job

I am not a math person.

In fact, I’m the furthest thing from a math person.

In college, when I learned that my degree track was heavy with math courses (OK, I knew, but reality finally slapped me in the face sank in), I did a 180, changed majors and went with my first, true and only love: writing.

But in this world there are word people and there are number people, and while both are wildly important to the continuation of a peaceful humanity, this particular job opportunity is for number people.

That’s right, folks.

We’re talking bookkeeping.

Client Services Accountant at Supporting Strategies

Supporting Strategies offers outsourced bookkeeping and controller operations support to businesses.

The company is currently hiring part-time client services accountants in 13 states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Texas.

Pay: Unlisted

Schedule: Part-time

Responsibilities include:

• Working with multiple clients, learning their businesses and optimizing workflow
• Setting up clients on a cloud-based platform
• Assisting with onboarding, including cleaning up new client books, implementing cloud-based tools and documenting client-specific processes
• Managing accounts receivable and payable
• Handling bookkeeping entries and closing the books monthly
• Possibly handling payroll, HR and administration tasks

Applicants for this position must have:

• A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting or a related field
• At least five years of experience in bookkeeping or accounting
• Experience working with QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel
• Strong interpersonal skills and an outgoing, positive demeanor
• The ability to deal with demanding clients
• The ability to handle confidential information on a regular basis
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Personal initiative, strong organizational skills and an eye for detail
• Technical know-how and an ability to master new hardware and software
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

To apply for one of these positions, go here and use the arrows to see each page of job listings in order to find your state.

Grace Schweizer is a junior 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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How Repealing the Johnson Amendment Would Change Churches and Charities

A repeal of the Johnson Amendment would go way beyond separation of church and state.

Source Business & Money | HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/2ADbsgg

How Repealing the Johnson Amendment Would Change Churches and Charities

A repeal of the Johnson Amendment would go way beyond separation of church and state.

Source Business & Money | HowStuffWorks http://ift.tt/2ADbsgg

This Starbucks Deal Gives You Double the Caffeine to Fuel Your Shopping

The holidays are a time for giving, and now through Christmas Eve, Starbucks will help you give — or get — one of the most important things you’ll need to make it through the holiday season: caffeine.

With Starbucks’ Buy a Drink, Share a Drink deal, when you purchase a handcrafted beverage, you get a second one of equal or lesser value for free. The deal is valid every day between 2 and 5 p.m.

To claim this deal, you’ll need a coupon. Just enter your mobile number on Starbucks’ website to receive a text with a link to a coupon good for one use.

If your bestie grabs a coupon too, you can take turns treating each other and keep the caffeine flowing when gift hunting goes late into the night.

Desiree Stennett 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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7 Things You MUST Know About the Roth IRA Rules for 2018

How to Earn $495 By Downloading These 6 Apps

Okay this one is about as simple as it gets.

Companies like Google & Nielsen are hungry for data on web usage trends (what sites we’re visiting, how long we’re staying on Facebook, etc.) so they’ve started to pay regular people to share this information with them.

There are a number of these apps out there (and we’ve covered a few of them before). The way they work is that you install the app on your smartphone and they will pay you for every month you keep it installed.

It doesn’t interfere with your data package and you don’t have to answer a bunch of survey questions every month. Just install them and forget about them. The reward for that?

If you download all 6 apps, you could earn an extra $495 every year! Not too shabby, right? 

Here’s how to do it…

1. MobileXpression for Android ($25+)

MobileXpression is a research company that studies internet trends and reports to their clients about the popularity of different mobile phone websites. They are currently looking for a few thousand of us cell phone users to share some of the websites we are browsing on our mobile devices. All of the sharing is done with a special software that is installed on your phone and it doesn’t require any real work from you. You can also uninstall the software at any time if you decide you no longer want to participate.

This one can be downloaded on most smartphones/tablet. After you’ve installed it for 1 week, you get to play an instant rewards game for a prize (everyone wins something). I won a $25 gift card to Amazon, but some of the other prizes include iPads & Samsung TVs.

How it works…

1. Sign up at MobileXpression here – You’ll need to share a little bit of information about your demographic which is similar to signing up as a Nielsen household.

2. Download their software – It seems to be pretty easy and it runs in the background of your phone just like any other cell phone app. The site says it will have no affect on your mobile phone performance.

3. Send your data – This step doesn’t really require any work from you as the software automatically send the relevant data to MobileXpression. They don’t monitor your phone calls or personal information but they do check out the web pages you view, the links you access, and the usage times for certain device activities (e.g., text messaging, call lengths, and web browsing).

4. Collect your rewards – After it’s been installed for seven days, you can play their instant rewards game where you are guaranteed to win something.

2. Smart Panel ($75/ Year)

This app’s purpose is to collect anonymous statistics from your phone to help your favorite web sites, apps, tech companies, and mobile carriers give you better services and more features. It’s run by Verto Analytics which is a trusted analytics firm. Here’s how it works…

1. You can not download the Smart Panel from the app store. Here’s the promo link. It’s free to download.
2. Once you’ve qualified and downloaded the app, they will give you $5. If you keep it installed for at least two weeks, you’ll earn another $10. And then for every month that you keep the Smart App installed, you’ll get another $5. All total, you can earn up to $75 for the 1st year!

You can redeem your rewards via Paypal or an Amazon.com gift card.

3. Nielsen Mobile Panel (Up to $50/Year)

You know the company that tracks TV rating? Well, apparently they also want to measure the popularity of websites and online videos. From Nielsen’s site:

“In order for us to report accurate data to the mobile industry, we use Nielsen’s proprietary applications and profiles to measure the normal activity of your phone, tablet, or other mobile device. All data transmitted is encrypted and anonymous. All you have to do is download the Nielsen Mobile App or install our profile, depending on your device, and then continue using your mobile device as you usually do – that’s it! The Nielsen Mobile software is undetectable and will not affect your device’s performance or battery life.”

Want to give it a try?

1. The Nielsen company will pay you $50/year to keep their app on your cell phone. Sign up here (You cannot directly download this from the app store).

2. Once you’ve registered they will send you instructions on how to install the app. After completing the installation, you’ll be asked to restart your phone.

As a member of the Nielsen Mobile Panel, you’ll earn up to $50 a year just for using your phone like you normally do.

4. Placed Panel App ($50/Year?)

This new app works very similarly. It’s a little newer so we’re not completely sure what the earnings potential is, but from what I can tell it’s around $50/year.

For every month that you keep it installed, Placed rewards you with points which can be turned in for sweepstakes entries or they can be redeemed for cash.

The first month I only earned $5, but the second month I earned $10… I’ll keep you posted on my future earnings.

5. Media Insiders Panel (Up to $15/month + $5 Bonus after 12 weeks = $185/year)

This company has an ongoing project to help media companies better understand how consumers use, view and share TV, social, digital and mobile media. Their app “measures activities conducted on a device, such as sharing, viewing, clicking, chatting, downloading and more. The app also listens for TV shows, and, using technology of Gracenote, Inc., identifies which TV shows was captured.”

Also, at no time is a member’s personally identifiable information ever shared or released publicly, nor will they ever interact with you via social media.

If you install their app, they’ll pay you $5/month per device. And you can install the app on up to 3 devices. Plus they’ll send you a $5 bonus after the 12th week.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Sign up at Media Insiders Panel

2. Install and activate the MI Mobile app onto your device(s).

3. Watch your e-mail for important information and instructions on next steps.

Here are the devices that they support:

• Android™ smartphones and tablets that run Android version 4.0 or greater, and are not rooted. We also accept the Kindle Fire HD, but not the first generation Kindle Fire.
• iPhone®5, iPad®, iPad mini®, and iPod touch® devices that run iOS version 5.0 or greater.

***You’ve got be a US resident, 13 years or older, and have a valid email address.

6. Screenwise Panel  ($8 after week 1, $2/week after that  = $110/year)

The panel is designed to help Google understand web and mobile usage better — such as what times of day people browse, how long they stay on websites and use apps, and what types of sites and apps are popular (or not).

As a Screenwise Trends panelist, you’ll add a browser extension and/or mobile meter that will share with Google the sites you visit, the apps you use, and how you use them. Screenwise promises that it runs in the background and won’t slow anything down.

They’ll give you $8 after you’ve been signed up for 7 days and you’ll get an additional $2 every week after that. The “cash” rewards come in the form of a gift card (you can pick between Walmart, Papa Johns, Barnes & Noble, and a bunch of others…)

You must install this one on Chrome, Internet Explorer or Firefox. Signup for Screenwise here.

I know $495/year doesn’t sound like a ton of money. But, think of it like this – if you put that into a retirement account at Lending Club and earned 14% year (pretty easy to do at Lending Club, here’s a link to my strategy), you’ll have saved $201,334.82 saved up in 30 years!! 

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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You Won’t Believe the Crazy Things People Are Doing to Buy Bitcoin

How much would you risk to get your hands on some bitcoin?

It’s hard to keep up with the fast-fluctuating price of this cryptocurrency. One bitcoin may have been worth $500 a few short years ago, but its price hovers around $16,000 today.

How’s a normal person supposed to invest in this hot new currency when it takes thousands in real cash to buy just one piece of this digital cash?

Borrow it.

Yes, People Are Taking Out Mortgages to Buy Bitcoin

In an interview with CNBC, Joseph Borg, president of the North American Securities Administrators Association, said people are going into debt to buy into the bitcoin craze.

“We’ve seen mortgages taken out to buy bitcoin,” Borg said. “People do credit cards, equity lines.”

It could be a solid investment, as long as the price of bitcoin stays high and you can sell off enough of it later to pay back your debt.

Others are taking risk of a different kind: Investing their retirement savings in bitcoin. Companies like BitcoinIRA are popping up to facilitate transferring your retirement funds into an account set up specifically to invest in bitcoin instead of stocks and bonds.

Have These People Lost Their Marbles, or Are They Just Early Adopters?

Borg explained to CNBC that cryptocurrency is so new that it hasn’t yet been regulated.

“You haven’t seen the market actually adjust to this new phenomenon,” Borg said. It doesn’t mean there’s no real value, he said, but it’s probably inflated right now.

Remember Beanie Babies? Yeah, it’s like that.

Everyone lost their minds over these wee stuffed toys, spending way over ticket price to get the ones that were deemed most valuable. Within a few years, that value — and all the cash people had spent buying Beanies — tanked. Over time, supply simply overtook the demand.

But bitcoin has an important limit in place: Its supply is capped at 21 million. Over time, the need for miners to generate bitcoin will slow, but the same amount of bitcoin will stay in circulation.

If bitcoin holds its value, risky investments to get a piece of the pie may pay off. But it’s too early to tell.

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

This article contains general information and explains options you may have, but it is not intended to be investment advice or a personal recommendation. We can’t personalize articles for our readers, so your situation may vary from the one discussed here. Please seek a licensed professional for tax advice, legal advice, financial planning advice or investment advice.

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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Blooms Today Is Hiring Work-From-Home Sales Reps Right Now (Pays $15/Hr)

There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who are cut out for sales, and those who aren’t.

And that’s OK! Some people enjoy talking on the phone, and some people don’t. Some people get a little rush when they close a sale, and some people couldn’t care less. Some people track their goals like a lion on the prowl, and some people are more like house cats (my spirit animal, to be honest).

This work-from-home job opportunity is for the former — the salespeople among us.

(If you’re the latter and you’re uninterested in this particular job, don’t worry — just go ahead and like our Jobs page on Facebook. We post awesome work-from-home job opportunities there whenever we find them!)

Independent Sales Representative at Blooms Today

Blooms Today is a nationwide flower delivery service. The company is currently hiring independent sales representatives in all U.S. states except California, Florida and Texas.

Pay: hourly wage + performance-based bonus opportunities. The average sales rep earns $15 per hour, while top performers earn as much as $24

Responsibilities include:

• Converting sales opportunities through inbound calls (no outbound or cold calling)

• Educating customers about product features and benefits

• Making product recommendations

• Working to meet or exceed sales goals

• Maximizing upsell opportunities

Applicants for this position should have:

• A knowledge of sales principles and methods for promoting, selling and upselling

• Demonstrated success in a sales environment

• Strong closing skills and a commitment to reaching sales goals

• Effective phone communications skills and active listening skills

• Experience in phone-based sales

• Superior customer service skills

• Proficiency in using a computer and common office equipment

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Self-motivation and a competitive nature

• The ability to deal with objections

You can learn more about technical requirements for this job here.

To apply for this position, go here.

Grace Schweizer is a junior 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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How to Ensure Your Company Value Proposition Is Consistent on Every Marketing Channel

Where can your customers reach you?

I’m willing to bet you’re active on multiple platforms in addition to having a website and potentially a storefront location.

Those of you who don’t have multiple marketing channels have a separate issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

But for now, let’s assume at the bare minimum you’ve got a:

• website
• blog
• Facebook profile
• Twitter account
• Instagram page
• LinkedIn account
• YouTube channel

You may even be active on other networks like Snapchat.

With so many channels for marketing distribution, it’s essential you have consistency across all your platforms.

Creating symmetry on all of these distribution channels will make it easier to brand your company.

Once you’re able to establish a brand name that’s recognizable, it’s easier to acquire customers and increase your conversions.

Any disconnect between platforms can create confusion for the consumer.

You don’t want them to see contradicting information on your channels.

It’s likely consumers will see your company on more than one platform.

In fact, the average Internet user has more than seven social media accounts.

You’ll definitely see some overlap between your Facebook fans and Instagram followers.

As part of your marketing and conversion strategy, you’re probably promoting multiple profiles on one channel.

For example, let’s take a look at a recent blog post from Savvy Apps:

From their website, their encouraging users to share this blog post on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and email.

It’s essential these people see the same message across all platforms.

If you’re having trouble maintaining consistency across all your marketing channels, I can help you out.

Here’s what you need to do to set yourself up for success.

Start with images

Pictures are powerful and resonate more with people than words do.

While someone may not always remember the name of your brand, they’ll know whether they’ve seen your logo somewhere.

According to a recent study, people remember about 10% of information three days after it’s been presented to them orally.

But if an image is added to it, 65% of the info gets remembered.

Images are also more memorable than just plain text:

Furthermore, the majority of people are visual learners.

Don’t confuse people by using different logos on various marketing channels.

Keeping everything aligned will help reinforce your brand and make it easier for them to remember you.

I’ll show you how I accomplish this.

Take a look at my Facebook page:

Instead of using a logo, I use my face.

That’s because I’m trying to promote and brand myself as part of my overall marketing strategy.

I want people to know who I am and what I look like.

Now let’s review my YouTube channel:

Notice the consistency?

Not only do I use a picture of myself again, but I use the exact same image.

This way, there’s no confusion for users.

I’m not the only Neil Patel on the planet. This way, they don’t have to wonder if this is the same Neil.

Plus, you can see in the top right corner of my YouTube channel that I’m also providing a link to my website, Facebook, and Twitter profiles:

Speaking of my Twitter account—yes, you guessed it correctly.

I keep it consistent by using the same image.

It should come to you as no surprise that my LinkedIn profile uses the same picture as well.

I could go on and on, but I think you get my point.

I practice what I preach.

While using a personal photo may not always be the best way to brand your company, having a logo that’s consistent on every marketing channel is probably your best bet.

Some companies like to change or alter the theme of their logo around the holidays.

For example, you might use an American flag around the fourth of July or add a turkey to the logo around Thanksgiving.

That’s fine, but just make sure you change that image on every single platform rather than just one or two.

Establish a voice for your brand

Consistency goes beyond visuals.

It also has to do with the type of persona your company takes on.

The language you use on a daily basis will vary depending on your current customers and target market.

There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer for this.

For example, if your company sells surfboards in southern California, your marketing channels can probably get away with using slang terms like:

• rad
• groovy
• stoked
• gnarly

But if your company sells life insurance on a national scale, it’s probably in your best interest to avoid slang altogether.

This goes for all written words on each one of your marketing channels.

The description of your Facebook page should have the same tone as the replies to user comments on your Instagram profile.

Your unique language is a great way to create more engaging content, which is a priority for marketers.

This is also essential for your blogging habits.

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you know my tone reflects the way I present information on my other marketing channels.

I write as if I’m speaking.

My content is very informal and conversational but also packed with information.

I present a new video on YouTube in the same way.

Earlier, I mentioned responding to user comments.

Not only should your voice and language be the same when you respond to all the comments, but you should be responding on every platform too.

Don’t just respond to Facebook comments and ignore customers on your blog or Twitter.

Answering comments is a great way to build relationships with your customers.

Discounts and promotional offers

Another aspect of consistency has to do with your offering to your customers.

Let’s use a hypothetical example to illustrate my point.

Pretend your ecommerce company is offering a site-wide sale: 50% off everything, no exceptions.

The sale lasts for one week, and you promote it on Instagram and Facebook.

Backtrack a few weeks prior to the announcement of this sale.

Let’s say a Twitter user tweets at your brand, asking when the next sale is. Your repose shouldn’t be, “We rarely offer discounts.”

I realize this example may be a little extreme, but I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say.

Certain luxury brands may never put items on sale as part of their marketing strategy.

But a brand that offers items for 50% off on one platform shouldn’t be telling consumers on another channel they don’t often have discounts.

It’s contradictory and confusing.

Evaluate your call to action

What kind of action do you want users to take when they are interacting with one of your marketing channels?

Do you want them to sign up for something?

Are you trying to make a sale?

There are lots of ways you can present your CTA, and you can A/B test different options to see which one works the best.

You can’t afford to ignore it as part of your marketing strategy.

While your CTA wording or button placement may vary slightly based on the platform, the overall message should be consistent.

Again, there’s not one right answer for this.

It depends on your company’s goal and marketing strategy.

Here are some examples of what your CTA could focus on:

• Customer acquisition
• Retention
• Sign ups
• Downloads
• Social shares
• Sales

First of all, you need to make sure all of your marketing channels have a CTA.

You’d be surprised how often I see companies forget to do this.

They have a profile set up on multiple platforms, which is great, but some of these pages neglect to encourage any form of an action from the customer.

Once all of these are in place, they should have the same message.

An easy way to accomplish this is by having all your CTA buttons link to the same landing page.

That way, you can see which profiles are having more success and adjust the placement, wording, or color scheme of the underperforming CTAs accordingly.

Contact info

Here’s another one you would think should go without saying, but again, I’ve seen many companies have an inconsistent approach to this.

Ask yourself two questions:

1. How do you want customers to contact you?
2. How do customers want to contact you?

There’s a difference.

Your best bet is to provide different options, but they need to be consistent.

As you can see from the data, the majority of customers don’t want to get an automated response from a computer or something similar.

In fact, the majority of people prefer talking to someone.

Whether it’s over the phone, in person, via web chat, or email, they want a direct line of communication with a customer service representative.

Here’s an example of something I saw in one case.

I won’t use their name because I don’t want to embarrass them.

They were a regional company that offered both products and services.

On their website, their phone number was plastered across the top of their home screen in big bold font.

All of their CTAs directed the website visitor to “Call Us Today!”

This held true for buying a product, scheduling a service, or just an inquiry.

While I didn’t think dealing with customers over the phone for each problem was the most ideal option, it was clear the company felt it was the easiest method for them.

The business also had an Instagram profile with a decent following for a small and somewhat local company.

But their phone number was nowhere to be found on their Instagram.

That lack of consistency prevented them from generating new leads on that social platform.

Not all their followers will go to the company’s website to find their contact info.

That’s why I recommend giving users as many options as possible to contact you.

But if you’re going to limit those choices to just phone or email inquiries, make sure all your platforms have that information available.

Conclusion

Consistency is key.

It’s one of the best ways to brand yourself and your company.

That way it will be easier for customers to recognize your business and what it represents.

Start with your images and logo.

Make sure it’s the same on all of your marketing channels.

You can use the examples I gave you earlier with my Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles as a reference for how to accomplish this.

Next, you’ll want to maintain the same voice, tone, and language across all of these platforms.

Establishing a unique voice will help you create a better connection with your customers.

Just make sure your language is appropriate for your target market.

If you offer discounts or promotions, those should be the same on every marketing channel.

Make it easy for customers to get in touch with you by offering consistent contact information on all of your profiles.

What do you need to change on your marketing channels in order to stay consistent with your CTA and value proposition across them all?

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Site Redesign Announcement

We love personal finance, and we know that you do, too! That’s why we’re proud to announce a new look for The Simple Dollar, which was designed with you in mind.

The redesigned website gives you all of the personal finance information, resources, and tools you love in an easy-to-use format. Our goal was to provide a better user experience with a clean and modern design. The new design allows for more streamlined menus, better organization, a more robust user experience, and an enhanced mobile experience. We’ve also added new interactive tools to provide even more value to the content you love.

Yes, the site looks a little different, and things have changed, but we will continue to provide you the same great content to help you fight debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future.

Whether you’ve been with us for a decade, or this is your first time visiting the site, we hope you enjoy the new user experience and site redesign. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to email us at inquiries@thesimpledollar.com.

The post Site Redesign Announcement appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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How (and Why) to Build a House Book

A week or so ago, I shared an article about my friend’s sudden heart attack. The positive feedback and comments via email and social media was tremendous, with countless kind words for my friend, his family, and myself, and all were appreciated.

One particular comment, from a user identified as threeoutside, really stuck out, and I wanted to share it here:

“I’ve been thinking I need to update my House Book so all the information in it is current; I remind my son (who lives half a continent away) of where it is every time I’m with him. I also need to update my will. It’s easy to put that off because I have to find a different lawyer and well, what a pain. Thanks for this heartfelt essay. I’ll get on it ASAP.”

The idea of a “house book” is something I’ve covered in the past. A few years ago, I assembled a binder containing a number of important documents regarding my assets and my estate plans. I intended that binder as a one stop shop for everything that a person might need to know to close out my accounts and make sure that my family has easy access to all of the assets and insurance that they were due should I pass away suddenly. All they have to do is grab that binder and all of the key info is right there.

Inside that “house book” is contact information for the various businesses I have contracts with, information on all insurance policies pertaining to me, a copy of my will and Sarah’s will, an inventory of the valuable assets around our home with serial numbers, and a few other personal items, such as letters for my children to read when they’re older if I’m not around to be there for them. It starts off with a brief note suggesting things to do first, such as contacting insurance companies and notifying my business associates.

Unfortunately, as I leafed through the book again, I quickly realized that the book was already outdated, so I spent a few hours over the following days making it current.

As I look at that thin binder now, fully updated, I feel incredibly good. I know, just looking at this binder, that if something were to happen to me, the transition to what comes next in the life of my wife and children will be as smooth as possible.

My belief is that if you have any dependents in your life or if anyone you know and care about will have to deal with your possessions when you pass away, creating this kind of “house book” is not only invaluable for them, but it’ll be surprisingly helpful for your own peace of mind. I recommend you give it a shot.

Here’s what you need to do.

Before anything else, decide how you’re going to store this. I have mine stored in a three ring binder with a bunch of transparent document holders, so I can easily change the documents without worrying about punching holes. The binder fits quite easily in a safe deposit box and protects the pages. You may want to do things slightly differently, but that’s my recommendation.

First, make sure that all of your estate documents are present. Do you have a copy of your will? What about other estate documents, like trust documents? Collect all of these together before you do anything else and make sure that current copies of all such documents are in the book.

Second, gather together all of your insurance documents and information on all accounts that have significant assets. Make a list of these accounts, who’s on the accounts, who the beneficiaries are, and who to contact for each account. You want to make it as easy as possible for someone to take care of these most important steps. Include this information as a single page or two at the front of your house book. It’s also likely worthwhile to include information about your employer here as well.

Third, gather information about your significant assets. If anything has significant resale value in your home, what are the serial numbers of those items and where are they likely located? I have inventories of things like my small trading card collection, my family’s inherited coin collection, and some other things. I also have suggestions on how to liquidate those items.

Finally, include some personal materials. Write that letter to someone that you were never quite brave enough to send during your life. Write a final letter to your children and to your spouse, letting them know how much you love them and how proud you were of them and how you want nothing more than for them to move on and have a wonderful life. It will help more than you can imagine.

Collect all of these items together in a binder and then store that binder in a very safe place, like a safe deposit box held at a bank. Tell a trusted friend, likely the executor of your will or someone else of deep trust, how to access that box when the time comes.

Once every year or two, update that binder. Stop by the bank, pull out the binder, and update it. You’ll be able to make some changes in pen, of course, but when the updates begin to make the documents messy, it’s best to retype them from scratch. This used to be one of my annual tasks but it slipped through the cracks the past few years; it’s back on my annual list now.

This task takes a few hours to complete, and perhaps an hour a year to revise. However, simply knowing that this document exists and that, if something happens to you, your family will be able to move on easily is deeply satisfying. Putting together such a binder becomes a truly meaningful task if you keep in mind the stakeholders for which you’re making it.

As I rebuilt my “house book,” I thought of my three children. I thought of the promise they hold for the future, and how my passing might derail it, and then how this binder might just help to keep it on track. I thought of my beautiful wife and how I would not want my passing to leave her struggling beyond the emotional loss and how I want, more than anything, for her to deftly pick up the pieces and move on. If this binder can help with any of that, then it was worth the investment.

If you want to do something quietly meaningful for your family this holiday season, put together a “house book.” Gather up these documents, put them together, and store them somewhere safe and secure but quite accessible when the time comes. As you’re doing it, keep those key loved ones in mind and remember that you’re doing this for them. You’re doing it so you can help them through a difficult moment, one final time. It is an act of meaning; an act of love.

Good luck.

The post How (and Why) to Build a House Book appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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Gender Transition Comes at a High Cost, but it’s Priceless for Many People

Here’s Why Checking Your Credit Score Doesn’t Hurt Your Credit

It’s time for some myth bustin’.

Does checking your credit score hurt your credit?

The short answer: No.

The longer answer… keep reading.

Let’s Talk About Hard and Soft Inquiries

An inquiry is, well, an inquiry. Someone — or something, like a business — is inquiring about your credit.

There are two types of inquiries: hard and soft. The former will affect your credit score, whereas the latter will not.

Yup, you guessed it. Checking your own personal credit report is a soft inquiry. Therefore, it will not hurt your credit score. (You can get your credit score for free here.)

Rod Griffin, director of public education at Experian, says checking your own credit score will result in an inquiry posting on your report. That way, you can see when you’ve checked your credit. But, he assures the world, no one else sees it — only you.

Other soft inquiries result when existing lenders review your account, when you apply for a pre-approved credit card or when a potential employer checks your report.

On the other hand, you have hard inquiries, which will affect your credit score.

“A hard inquiry is the result of your application for credit or other services,” Griffin explains. “For a hard inquiry to be added, you have to apply for something, which includes a car loan, new credit card, mortgage loan, a new lease agreement, etc.”

A hard inquiry, Griffin says, represents risk — potential new debt. That’s why it’ll typically lower your credit score five to 10 points.

However, once it becomes clear you’re making timely payments on that new credit, your score will bounce back within a month or two.

Also note that hard inquiries do not result from shopping around for the best interest rates — whether for a personal loan, student loans or refinancing option.

The same goes with mortgages and auto loans. Your credit scoring agency will detect you’re shopping around in a short amount of time and will simply recognize it as one hard inquiry if you do apply.

Again, remember: Only you can authorize a hard inquiry. If you see something you haven’t authorized on your credit report, file a dispute.

As always, we suggest keeping regular tabs on your credit report through a free service like Credit Sesame.

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She loves checking her credit score.

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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4 Steps to Help You Achieve Your Career Dreams

By Christy Schutz As we wrap up 2017 and roll into the New Year, many of us start to reflect. A big topic that comes to mind is our careers. Am I happy doing what I am doing? Is it enabling me to utilize my talents? Am I successful at it? Am I getting the […]

The post 4 Steps to Help You Achieve Your Career Dreams appeared first on The Work at Home Woman.

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Christmas Gifts That Matter: Buying for People in Tough Times

Every November and December we’re bombarded with gift-giving options. However, such ads generally focus on people who are doing just great, thankyouverymuch. When was the last time you saw a marketing campaign aimed at people who are:

• Unemployed
• On fixed incomes
• In low-paying jobs and/or just getting started in life
• Setting financial goals (e.g., debt paydown, getting a reliable car)

Does that sound like anyone on your list? If so, consider the bigger picture this holiday season.

It’s tempting – and so easy! – to give another “Doctor Who” T-shirt to your proudly nerdy niece (who has a ton of student debt) or a new IPA to your craft-beer-loving brother (who was unemployed for four of the last six months). This year, though, think about giving gifts that make a difference.

Some of the following categories overlap, which means that some gifts will overlap as well.

Gifts for the recently/currently unemployed…

Make a utility payment. If your brother has mentioned falling behind on the electric or gas bill, offer a chunk of change against it – or, if you’re in a good place financially, pay off the whole thing. And speaking of utilities…

Spring for a phone. Maybe you can add the person to your family phone plan, which can cost as little as $10 per month. Or buy him or her a pay-as-you go cellphone, or purchase some minutes for an existing phone.

Match a Roth IRA. Your brother finally got a replacement job, but is convinced he can’t afford to save for retirement just yet. Tell him that he can’t afford not to save, and then offer this deal: For the next few months (or for as long as you can swing it), you’ll match up to X dollars that he puts into a Roth IRA.

Gift some wheels. If you live in a bike-friendly city and your recipient rides, offer to lend – or give – that bicycle you’re not using enough. Along those lines…

Give four wheels. If you’re in the market for a new car, you might get some trade-in value for your old vehicle. But if at all possible, offer to give it to someone who’s struggling. Not having a monthly car payment is a tremendous gift.

Buy lunch. Your unemployed sister loves McDonald’s fries but is currently eating all her meals at home (and basing lots of them on dried beans). It’ll feel like a real luxury to receive a fast-food gift card to Mickey D’s or any other place she enjoys.

Buy some extras. Your brother and sister-in-law want the best for their child but can’t always keep up. Offer to pay for sports or scouting fees, music lessons, or whatever sounds good.

Gifts for low earners and/or those just getting started in life…

Make a student loan payment. Find out what the monthly installment is and offer the money to cover it. If you’re flush, make more than one payment. A recent study from the Student Loan Report notes that nearly 70% of borrowers would prefer a student loan payment over an equally valued gift, and that nearly 6 in 10 planned to put any holiday cash they receive toward their debt balances.

Lend a deposit. Your baby brother is moving to a new city for a new job. If you can, lend some or all of the deposit he’ll need for utilities and/or an apartment.

Pay some rent. Offer a week’s worth of rent, or more, to a recently divorced sibling. If possible, you can…

Share your space. Let that sibling (or whoever) stay in your spare room or even crash on the couch for a while, to facilitate saving up for a place. To forestall misunderstandings (willful or otherwise), put some specifics in writing: Bro or friend can stay up to X months and will be responsible for X chores/groceries during that time.

Pay insurance. A newly launched relative who’s renting might not have thought about renters insurance, but it’s essential. Not terribly expensive, either; if you can afford about $150 for a gift, get him an annual policy. But even a few months’ worth of coverage is better than nothing. You could also offer to spring for a few months of car insurance.

Cover commuting costs. Give your hard-working but underemployed sister a transit pass or one of those E-Z passes to cover tolls.

Buy personal finance books. Not sexy, but maybe life-altering – you’re giving someone the tools he needs to change his money management. If you’re not sure which ones to buy, check out some Simple Dollar book reviews.

Give the gift of bulk buying. Got a relative or friend with a big family and a low salary? Provide a one-year membership to a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club. Milk, flour, sugar, produce, beans, and other staple foods will be more affordable.

Provide family fun. That low-earning or paying-off-debt family might love an annual pass to a zoo, an aquarium, a museum, or some other fun place. Or cover the parking pass to a popular trailhead in the area.

Cover child care. Go in together with other relatives/friends and pay for a month (or more) of the day care center or family day care. That will give

Gifts for people on fixed incomes…

(Note: This category includes people on disability as well as retirees.)

Pay medical bills. Not all costs may be covered, even if you’re on Medicare or Medicaid. If a relative or friend has a balance, put some money toward it. Or pay it all off, for a very Merry Christmas and a less-stressful New Year.

Buy entertainment. If that fixed income isn’t keeping pace with inflation, the “fun” category of the budget has probably shrunk (or disappeared). Give a movie gift card, or tickets to a play or upcoming special event. Bonus mensch points if you include a ride to and from the entertainment.

Offer your phone. Upgrading your still-in-good-shape unit? Maybe someone on your gift list could use it.

Give some fuel. If your recipient drives, wrap up a gasoline gift card.

Offer yard work. Your grandparents can’t keep up with mowing, shoveling, and cleaning out the gutters, and you don’t have cash for a gift. Promise to do the outdoor chores as needed, all year long. Then keep that promise.

Do some batch cooking. If you’re one of those folks who cooks and freezes a month’s worth of meals in a single afternoon, suggest this deal: You come help me with the cooking and I’ll send you home with some grub for your own freezer. While you’re chopping, sautéing and baking, you’ll have time to catch up on each other’s lives – what many people consider the best gift of all.

Buy the Y. If there’s a YMCA near you, give an annual membership. People who have trouble making ends meet probably can’t afford a health club, and the Y will let them swim, use exercise equipment, and socialize.

Gifts for those with specific financial goals…

This might be the younger brother digging his way out of credit card debt. But it might also be someone who wants to live lean to realize a dream, such as entrepreneurship, at-home parenthood, or early retirement. A bunch of the hacks noted above will work for these folks. So will these:

Tender a standing dinner date. The brother who’s paying down debt might love a weekly invite – especially if he’s sent home with the last two pieces of chicken or a container of your famous chili. The socialization might be as important as the supper, especially if you invite him to share his progress and tell him how proud you are that he’s taking charge of his cash.

Teach a skill. Veggie gardening, couponing, sewing – whatever you do well that will help the recipient stretch the dollars. Or you could…

Offer a skill. Handy folks could help relatives or friends work on that fixer-upper home, change out snow tires, install a washing machine, plant trees, or do whatever needs doing. Those with truly specialized skills could defrag a computer, help them set up an LLC, keep the books, or babysit once a week so the entrepreneur parents could work on their business. Find out what’s needed and see if you can fill that need.

Provide a ride. Does your brother work close to where you do? Invite him to carpool without chipping in for gas.

Give groceries. That could be a gift card to his or her favorite market. Or invite the recipient to accompany you on a trip to Costco or Sam’s Club, and, after checking out, either take $20 less than the food actually cost or refuse reimbursement entirely. Every dollar someone doesn’t have to spend on food is a dollar that could go toward a dream.

Finally, a word about pity

You may feel sorry for a relative or friend who’s had a bad year, or a bad run of years. Don’t let that seep into your giving strategy.

Gift-giving for someone in tough financial straits can be touchy, for two reasons:

• Some people have a lot of pride and might see a well-intentioned gift as patronizing.
• Someone who can’t afford to give gifts might be embarrassed to receive one.

You wouldn’t dream of saying, “Gosh, Jane, what a crappy year you’re having, what with losing your job and then having those big medical co-pays when your husband got sick. Everybody feels really sorry for you!”

But that might be how your gift feels to the recipient. Put yourself in her shoes:

“Everyone knows how we’re struggling just to keep the lights on. We’re going to have to go to Toys For Tots if we want anything under the tree for our kid. Why can’t the holidays just be OVER, already?”

Include a brief note with your gift or be ready with verbal sentiments like these:

“I want to practice mindful giving. While a gasoline gift card isn’t the sexiest present ever, I know it’ll be used. Bonus: You won’t have to dust it or wonder where it will go in your house.”

“Nephew: Student loans are a bear, especially right when you’re just starting out. Had some of those myself, which is why I’d like to cover three months’ worth of loan payments. And if you feel a bit odd about this you can always pay it forward, 20 years from now.”

“Hey, Sis, you’ve done an awesome job keeping things on an even keel for the kids after being blindsided with divorce papers. I’m glad you felt you could confide about being behind on the utility bill, and I hope you’ll let my husband and me pay off the balance as our holiday gift to you.”

Give with care and concern, to make a big difference in either the short or long term. That’s much better than a Doctor Who shirt.

Related Articles:

• 10 Heartfelt Holiday Gifts for People Who Don’t Need More Stuff
• Gift Ideas for Frugal People (and From Frugal People)
• 32 Ways to Give Back Without Derailing Your Financial Progress

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.”

The post Christmas Gifts That Matter: Buying for People in Tough Times appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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