A local wheat and flour mill and the natural gas industry helped produce a record year for the regional freight railroad system that runs in Lackawanna and Monroe counties.The growth will require adding new tracks between Scranton and Carbondale to store freight cars.The Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Co. carried a record 8,572 carloads of goods across the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority’s system, according to authority figures.That surpassed the [...]
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الاثنين، 8 يناير 2018
Pocono Township looking to replenish its police force
Pocono Township’s police force is looking to backfill its depleted workforce thinned by injury and resignations.The township hopes the new officers will start later this year.The Pocono Township Police Department is missing three of its full complement of 18 full-time officers. One officer resigned, there was the loss of Officer Dan Kresge after his election as district magistrate for Jackson and Pocono townships, and Officer Chris Staples went on permanent disability [...]
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Route 209 in Bushkill to reopen for commercial traffic
Route 209 in Bushkill will reopen to certain commercial vehicles. President Donald Trump signed a bill into law Monday by Representative Tom Marino (R-Pennsylvania) that amends the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Improvement Act.“When a stretch of Route 209 closed to commercial vehicles in Pike and Monroe Counties, many of my constituents were left in a state of uncertainty,” the congressman said in a Monday statement. “Business owners were fearful of [...]
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This Is What Sephora Is Giving Beauty Insiders for Their Birthdays in 2018
Sephora just announced what it will include in its 2018 birthday freebie sample sets.
The makeup and skin care chain’s rewards program members, known as Beauty Insiders, will get to choose between glowing skin, hydrated lips or moisturized hair. It’s free to join the rewards program on the Sephora website or in stores.
Here’s what is in each of the three birthday freebie sets.
- The GlamGlow skin care set comes with a cleansing mud mask and an illuminating moisturizer.
- The Bite Beauty lip kit features a mini lipstick, matte lip crayon and sample-size lip moisturizer to prevent chapped lips.
- The Bumble and Bumble hair care set comes with 1-ounce samples of invisible oil shampoo and conditioner.
Every Beauty Insiders member will get to choose one of the sets. And if you’ve already got big plans on your birthday, don’t feel like you have to rush into Sephora or risk missing out on your freebies. You can claim the GlamGlow and Bite Beauty kits in stores or online any time two weeks before or after your birthday, but the Bumble and Bumble gift is only available online.
Keep in mind that these kits are 100% free when you pick them up in stores, but if you order them online, you must make a purchase to receive them.
Want more free stuff to celebrate your big day? Here are 100 places to score birthday freebies.
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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Einstein Bros. Wants to Make a Morning Person by Bribing You With Free Food
You know the sound your stovetop makes when you’re opening up the gates of heaven with a spatula and some strips of pork belly?
I’m talking about the sizzle, pop and crack of frying bacon. You know that sound. I know you do. And I know it’s the only thing that gets you out of bed on Sundays.
What if you didn’t need to wait until Sunday to have that spiritual awakening? Could it be the key to having that Sunday funday feel every day? Would it be the cure for your Monday blues?
Einstein Bros. Bagels thinks so. And it has come up with one of the most unique ways we’ve ever hears of to get your butt in gear –– and fill your stomach –– in the mornings for free.
How to Get Free Food From Einstein Bros.
Einstein Bros. wants everyone to be a morning person. The easiest way to do that? Have people download a ringtone of their favorite morning sounds, like bacon sizzling, eggs frying, a rooster crowing or coffee brewing, and give them a freebie in return.
I’ve seen a lot of freebies, but I’ve never seen one quite like this.
To download the MP3 of your favorite morning sound, head to Einstein Bros.’s wake-up page to make your selection. After clicking on one, it’ll prompt you to enter your email address. The MP3 will be sent to your email, along with a coupon for a free egg sandwich with any purchase.
YUM.
According to Delish, the coupon includes Einstein’s two new sandwiches: the Cheesy Wakin’ Bacon and the No Yolk.
I don’t know about you, but this would make me a morning person in no time.
Here’s to better mornings!
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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Oprah Dropped the Mic on Workplace Harassment in Her Golden Globe Speech
Women in Hollywood continue to use their platforms to speak out against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Last week, we wrote about the Time’s Up movement with hundreds of women in entertainment banding together to support women from other industries who experience sexual misconduct on the job.
Oprah Winfrey’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globes Sunday is another example of a powerful woman lending her voice to the fight.
“I’m especially proud and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories,” Oprah said, accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment. “But it’s not just a story affecting the entertainment industry. It’s one that transcends any culture, geography, race, religion, politics or workplace.”
Oprah’s Golden Globes speech recognized the countless unnamed women who’ve endured abuse on the job because they “had children to feed and bills to pay and dreams to pursue.”
She said the time is up for the men who abuse their power at the mercy of those women and she’s looking forward to the new day on the horizon “when nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again.”
Oprah’s Golden Globes speech encouraged women to speak out against the injustices they face in their lives.
“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have,” she said.
I hope the millions who watched, Tweeted and shared Oprah’s speech truly embrace that message.
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 Atlanta? Omni Hotels is Hiring Work-From-Home Reservation Agents
Week one back in the office after your holiday vacation is… rough.
Week two? Nearly impossible.
But what if you could start working from home and stop making the icy, wintery slog just to sit in a cubicle all day?
Rather than battling another arctic cyclone on your way across town, what if you could earn a paycheck from the comfort of your couch — all while snuggled up in your pajamas and wool socks?
Would you be all over that opportunity?
Yeah, we thought so.
That’s why we’re bringing you an awesome work-from-home opportunity available to anyone in the Atlanta area — and you can apply today. (A special thanks to Work at Home Mom Revolution for bringing this opportunity to our attention.)
(If you’re not in the Atlanta area, don’t worry. Just go ahead and like our Jobs page on Facebook, and we’ll keep you up to date on all the best work-from-home jobs we find.)
Reservations Sales Associate at Omni Hotels and Resorts
Right now, Omni Hotels and Resorts is looking for reservations sales associates in Atlanta to work from home.
Pay: Competitive
Schedule: Must be available to work at least one weekend day (Saturday or Sunday)
Responsibilities include:
- Taking calls to assist guests with reservations including modifications and cancellations
- Offering recommendations to maximize revenue and guest satisfaction
- Maintaining professionalism while interacting with guests
- Working in a high call-volume environment
Applicants for this position must have:
- Advanced written and verbal communications skills
- Excellent phone etiquette
- Ability to work independently to resolve customer inquiries
- Intermediate experience working with basic computer programs including Microsoft Outlook and Office
- The ability to become proficient on Omni Hotel’s reservation system
- The ability to attend on-site training
- A private workspace, preferably with a door that separates it from the rest of the home
- Prior call center experience (a plus but not required)
- A working PC with LCD monitor or a laptop
- High-speed internet access with at least 10 Mbps
(You can see the rest of the technical requirements in the original job listing here.)
Benefits include:
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- A 401(k) program
- Paid training
- Employee discounts at Omni properties
To apply for this job, 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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Tax Season Means Plenty of Seasonal Jobs. Here’s How to Snag One
It’s the start of a new year and that means the tax filing deadline will be on us before we know it.
The U.S. tax code is a mystery to me, so I’m in awe of people who not only understand it but also can help others wade through the filing process.
If you’ve got tax preparation skills, you may be able to put them to use over the next few months as a seasonal worker at a tax preparation service.
Where to Get Tax Preparer Training
You need more than good math skills to be marketable as a tax preparer. You also need some basic tax prep training.
Some tax services offer online and in-person tax preparation courses, including:
You can also take classes at your local community college or on an online learning platform like Udemy.
Where to Look for Seasonal Tax Preparer Jobs
Once you’ve got tax preparer training under your belt, keep an eye out for seasonal job openings at nationwide tax prep services like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt.
Don’t forget to also check job listings at local and regional tax preparation firms in your area.
Of course, the Internal Revenue Service also employs seasonal workers during tax season. Jobs include:
- Tax Examining Technician
- Data Transcriber
- Clerk
If you’d like to give back to your community and do some volunteer work, the IRS provides free training for people who want to help low-to-moderate-income families prepare their taxes.
How Much You’ll Make
How much you’ll make as a seasonal tax preparer depends on where you work.
H&R Block pays an average of $9 per hour plus commission, and jobs at the IRS start at $11.57 an hour. In 2016, Jackson Hewitt told us the starting pay for its seasonal customer service associates is $11 per hour.
If tax prep isn’t your cup of tea, or if you just want to learn about working as a tax preparer without committing to a training course, some tax preparation services hire seasonal customer service workers to solve technical issues and answer customer questions.
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.
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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Redbox Will Give You a Free Movie or Game Rental When You Text This Code
Going out to an 8 p.m. movie costs at least $10 per person, even if you don’t buy snacks.
Watching a movie at home, snuggled up on your couch? Tonight, you can do that without paying a dime.
Redbox is offering a free one-day rental. It’s not just for movies, either — you can rent a video game instead.
It’s so easy you’ll want to drop everything and plan that perfect night in.
This Redbox Coupon Code Gets You a Free Rental
To get your free rental, text “VALPAK” to 727272. You’ll instantly receive a text response that contains a unique coupon code for a free one-day rental. You can use one code per Redbox transaction, and the coupon code is not valid on streaming movies.
Just don’t lose track of your rental disc. If you return it after 9 p.m. the day after your rental begins, Redbox will charge you a day’s rental.
Each texted Redbox coupon code will contain an expiration date. Be sure to note yours! No one wants to miss out on a free movie night.
Lisa Rowan is a senior writer and producer 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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Is it time to switch your Help to Buy Isa to a Lifetime Isa?
For many people, high property prices mean the dream of homeownership remains a distant prospect, but there is some help at hand for those trying to get on to the ladder.
Both the Help to Buy Isa and Lifetime Isa offer financial support to those saving to buy a property, and which account you should pick depends on your circumstances.
Savers using a Help to Buy Isa – which launched in December 2015 – can deposit £1,000 when they open an account plus £200 each month.
You’ll earn a 25% bonus on your balance, up to a limit of £3,000. You can use this to buy a property worth up to £250,000, or £450,000 in London, and the government bonus is paid when the property sale completes. Note, there is only a cash version of the product.
The top Help to Buy Isa, available nationwide, comes from Barclays, paying 2.53%. You can apply for this account in branch or over the phone.
Elsewhere, the Virgin Money Help to Buy Isa (Issue 4), which must be opened online, and the Buckinghamshire Building Society Help to Buy Isa (Issue 2), which can be opened by post or in branch, both pay a competitive 2.25%.
While Barclays offers the best nationally available account, some smaller building societies offer higher rates of interest to customers who live in the local area: Penrith Building Society pays 3%, Cumberland Building Society pays 2.6%, Newcastle Building Society pays 2.56% and Darlington Building Society pays 2.55%.
The Lifetime Isa joined the Isa family in April 2017, and aims to help both those saving for a house worth less than £450,000 and those saving for retirement. If you are aged between 18 to 39, you can save £4,000 a year in the Lifetime Isa, which can be a lump sum or spread through the year. The government immediately adds a 25% bonus when you save or invest, up to a limit of £33,000.
At present, only one provider offers a cash version of the account – the Skipton Building Society Online Cash Lifetime Isa pays 0.75% to savers.
AJ Bell, Foresters Friendly, Hargreaves Lansdown, Nutmeg and The Share Centre are the major providers offering the stocks and shares equivalent if you would prefer to invest.
How to move your money
You can transfer your Help to Buy Isa into a Lifetime Isa and receive the 25% government bonus, but you must do this before 5 April 2018. Any Help to Buy savings made before 5 April 2017 will not eat into your £4,000 allowance for the 2017/18 tax year either.
You can save more in a Lifetime Isa, so it’s a better bet for most people. However, a Help to Buy Isa is the best option if you plan to buy soon, as the Lifetime Isa must be open for a year before you can use it to buy a home.
Also, if you change your mind and decide not to buy a home, the Help to Buy Isa has no penalties for withdrawing your cash. Withdrawals from the Lifetime Isa incur a 6.25% penalty, although you can withdraw cash for your retirement once you reach the age of 60.
The Help to Buy Isa is considered a version of the Cash Isa, which means in most cases you can’t pay into both types of account in the same tax year. A few providers – such as Aldermore and Nationwide – offer a split Isa, which means you can max out your full £20,000 yearly Isa allowance between the different Isa products.
Featured product: Nationwide Help to Buy Isa
If you’re able to save more than the £200 monthly Help to Buy Isa allowance, the Nationwide Help to Buy Isa is worth considering.
While this only pays 2%, it is one of a few providers that lets you keep the rest of your yearly allowance inside a separate Cash Isa – this is known as a split Isa. It can be opened online and in branch. Its top easy-access Cash Isa pays 0.75%
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How to Boost Conversions by Personalizing Your Website
Every business has room to improve their conversion rates.
If you’re looking for a place to start, analyzing your website is the first logical step.
While you may have done A/B testing or used some similar techniques in the past to get a surge in conversions, you can take your efforts one step further.
Look at your website through the eyes of your customer.
The key is, not everyone viewing your website has the same set of eyes.
Sure, your company has a general target market, but visitors of all ages and genders from different geographic locations will be viewing your website.
These people have different preferences.
How can you configure your site to provide the most relevant information, products, and services to each unique visitor?
You need to implement personalization methods.
If you’ve never done this before, it may sound intimidating.
While it may not be the simplest task you’ve ever completed, it’s not that difficult.
It’ll require a bit of thought and effort on your part, but the results will be worth it.
In fact, 68% of companies say personalization is a top priority.
That’s because personalized experiences can improve customer retention rates.
Furthermore, customers prefer retailers that personalize their shopping experience.
It’s no secret you’re monitoring the behavior of shoppers on your website.
Although 36% of customers don’t want to be tracked, 75% of people would still rather shop from a company that uses their information to enhance their experience.
Improving the customer experience will ultimately help you get more conversions.
I’ll show you the best ways to accomplish this.
Start by focusing on your primary target market
We’ll eventually increase the customer personalization much further than this, but you have to start with the basics.
Your website should be designed to please your best customers.
Here’s an example to illustrate my point.
Let’s say you’re a small clothing company with a brick-and-mortar store located in Rhode Island.
You have a global ecommerce store, but 90% of your online traffic and sales come from people located in New England.
Every once in a while, you’ll get a hit from Australia, southern California, or Hawaii.
That doesn’t mean you should be heavily promoting bathing suites on your website during the winter.
This product doesn’t speak to your primary customers.
You should be pushing sweaters, winter coats, and boots instead.
Some companies have a target market specific to one gender.
Take a look at Victoria’s Secret website:
All their products are for women.
That’s why their site has a pink theme and features strictly women’s apparel and accessories on the homepage.
This website wouldn’t be effective for a company that sells products for both men and women.
Once you start by designing your website with your most profitable customers and target market in mind, the rest of your personalization methods will become much easier.
Encourage visitors to create a customer profile
You want all your customers to shop while logged into their customer accounts.
That way, you can monitor all their shopping habits and find out what products they like the most.
When designing profile fields for them to fill out, you can also include a zip code field.
This can help you determine the best products to offer your customers based on their location and the time of year.
Not every ecommerce site has a high concentration of sales from a specific region.
Global ecommerce stores have to be able to customize the products on their sites based on the season of the region where the user is located.
Another thing to consider is your holiday season promotional campaigns.
Running a Fourth of July sale may speak to the American customer, but it doesn’t mean anything to the international consumers.
Those advertisements shouldn’t be shown to visitors from Spain or Germany.
But you have to give the customer a reason to create a customer profile.
Saying “Join now to get a more personalized shopping experience” isn’t the most enticing pitch.
Take a look at what Champs Sports offers their VIP members who create a profile:
All these exclusive benefits give the shopper a reason to create a profile.
The personalization they’ll receive is just an added bonus, but it will make it easier for you to get conversions.
Get customers to add more items to their shopping carts
Another way to personalize the customer shopping experience is to use information of your customers’ orders.
Someone has been browsing your site for a while.
They’ve considered a few different products but ultimately decided to pick their favorite.
This person may have had a couple of other options in mind, but for one reason or another, they just decided to add one to their cart.
Here’s a perfect opportunity for you to upsell to this customer.
This will help you get a higher average order value as well.
Let’s take a look at an example from SAXX Underwear:
They offer free shipping on orders over $50.
A customer spending $44.95 is likely to feel they should add something else to their cart to get the free shipping benefit.
Plus, as I said before, the customer probably has something in mind they wanted to add in the first place.
These subtle tricks can get people to spend more each visit.
Use popups to greet new customers
If someone isn’t signed into their user profile, it might be because they don’t have one.
Maybe it’s their first time visiting your website.
You can’t expect everyone to be familiar with your brand and website navigation.
To improve the learning curve and add an incentive for your customer to make a purchase, have an offer pop up on the screen.
Here’s a great example form Julep:
This method will give that extra encouragement for your site visitor to complete the conversion.
Even if they don’t make a purchase today, you’ve got their email address added to your subscriber list.
Now you can contact them via email and use additional personalization methods through that marketing channel, which we’ll discuss shortly.
Popups have an average conversion rate of 3.09%.
While that number may sound small, think about your daily website traffic.
For every 10,000 visitors you get, you’ll get 300 more conversions than you would have without the popups.
And that’s if you have average rates.
I’ve seen some companies with significantly higher conversion rates.
Multiply those additional conversions by your average order rate to find out how much more revenue you could be getting.
Plus, it’s not like it’s going to cost you anything extra to implement this strategy.
So it’s well worth it.
Reward customer loyalty
You want to make sure your best customers feel special.
If they are spending lots of money, you should reward them for this.
Why should everyone get the same discounts if one person spends $100 each year and the other person spends $500?
Take a look at this rewards program offered by Footlocker:
In order to receive the best benefits, customers need to spend $300 within 12 months.
Now you’ll get people to spend more money per each transaction so they can reach their reward status faster.
This will get you more money and keep your customers happy at the same time.
It’s a win-win.
That’s why tracking your customers’ unique spending habits is a personalization method I highly recommend.
Reward people for spending money, and it will encourage them to spend more.
Recommend products to website visitors based on their browsing behavior
When someone is browsing on your website, you need to figure out what they’re looking for.
This is essential for ecommerce companies that have a wide range of products.
According to Barilliance, 31% of the money generated by ecommerce sites was based on product recommendations.
Furthermore, users who click on a suggested product convert 5.5% more frequently than those viewing other products.
Earlier we saw that the majority of customers prefer to shop at retailers offering personalized shopping experience, and this data reinforces that even more.
So you need to narrow down the products offered on your site by category.
We’ll use clothing as an example.
- Tops
- Bottoms
- Shoes
- Accessories
Those would be reasonable categories to segment your products by.
The type of content viewed is the top method that websites use to personalize the user experience.
Amazon uses this technique on their website all the time:
I saw these results when I was browsing for a Wi-Fi extender on their website.
They recommend these items because other customers bought them after purchasing the specific product I was looking it.
Using this method is also a form of social proof.
The idea is that if other people performed a certain action, then I should too, right?
Well, that’s how the customer’s mind works.
Here’s another way Amazon cross-sells to their customers with recommendations:
What goes well with a Wi-Fi extender?
A wireless router makes sense.
If someone needs an extender, it’s a sign they are probably having some problems with their existing Internet connection.
So maybe they need a new router as well.
Apply this same concept to your ecommerce site.
If a customer is browsing for winter hats and gloves, you could recommend a scarf or ski mask to go with it.
Continue using personalization on other channels
Some of the tactics we discussed involved collecting user information.
There’s a good chance you’re able to get some email addresses added to your subscriber list based on these personalization techniques.
Well, now’s your chance to continue to market to these customers with personalization through other marketing campaigns—outside your website.
You can apply these same strategies to your email marketing campaigns.
Marketing experts agree that personalization improves their email marketing content.
Don’t limit yourself to only personalizing your website.
When you’re sending an email, use the recipient’s first name in the message to get their attention.
Use relevant content and promotional offers based on their shopping habits, demographics, and physical location to get higher conversions.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to improve the conversion rates on your website, focus on enhancing the customer experience.
One of the best ways to do this is by implementing personalization tactics.
Start by focusing your efforts on your primary target market.
Then, encourage your customers to create a unique user profile.
The information they provide you with when creating the profile will give you additional insight into their shopping habits.
But you need to give them a reason to join, so make sure to offer some kind of promotional discount or another incentive.
Try to get your customers to add more to their shopping carts by enticing them with something relevant to their current order.
Recommend other products based on what they are browsing for.
Create a customer loyalty program, and monitor how much money each customer spends. Reward the customers who spend the most.
All of these personalization techniques will help you increase your conversion rates, but that doesn’t mean you should limit this to your website alone.
Use personalization methods in other marketing channels such as your email campaigns.
What tactics have you implemented to improve the personalization of your website for your customers?
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How to plan a funeral and save money
With the average send-off costing £4,000, letting your loved ones know your preferences – or making your own plan – could save them upset and money. We give you the lowdown on arranging a conventional burial and look at the growing trend for more unusual ceremonies.
Arranging a loved one’s funeral is an emotional time, but it can also be a very expensive one. Figures from insurer SunLife’s Cost of Dying 2017 report show that the average funeral costs £4,078 – an increase of 5% on the previous year and more than double the cost when it started tracking them in 2004.
There is plenty of variation in this figure too, with factors such as where you live and whether you choose a burial or cremation making a difference. Figures from insurer Royal London’s National Funeral Cost Index on the most and least expensive places to have a funeral show that while a burial in Kensal Green in London will set you back £9,809 due to a shortage of burial plots, a cremation in Belfast will only cost £2,943 on average.
However, while some costs are unavoidable, it is possible to give your loved one a highly personal and memorable send-off without spending a fortune.
Shop around
Part of the problem is that as it’s such an emotional time, many people just go to their local funeral directors and choose a ready-made package.
Rosie Inman-Cook, manager of The Natural Death Centre, a charity that provides help and advice on funerals, recommends shopping around. “Funeral directors can be very different, both in terms of price but also in the service they offer, so speak to a few and pick one you like and trust,” she says. “You can even arrange a funeral yourself: there is no legal requirement to have a funeral director.”
While few people do organise the entire funeral themselves, they are taking on elements of it.
“We encourage families to pay tribute to their loved one with their own skills wherever possible. This could include arranging the flowers, transporting the coffin or giving the service,” says Rosie Grant, director at Natural Endings Funeral Services in Manchester. “It’s not right for every family, and not every funeral director can accommodate it, but it can make it a very personal funeral.”
As an example, a couple of the families she has worked with have built the coffin themselves.
“In one case, the deceased was a second-hand wood dealer, and his son and daughter wanted to make it for him. It was very moving to see them in his workshop, using his tools,” she says.
Even if your woodworking skills aren’t up to it, you don’t need to have a coffin and can choose a shroud instead. There are plenty of cheap deals online, but Ms Inman-Cook recommends using one of the manufacturers listed on the charity’s website (Naturaldeath.org.uk).
“You can get a shroud or cardboard coffin for between £150 and £200,” she says. “For a woven coffin, which some funeral directors charge £1,000 for, you could pay £600 or less.”
Change the venue
Many other elements of a funeral can also be adapted to cut costs and make it more personal. For instance, while most funerals take place in a crematorium or place of worship, you don’t have to be tied to tradition.
“You can hold a funeral anywhere you like as long you don’t offend common decency,” says Charles Cowling, author of The Good Funeral Guide. “It can make the service much more relaxed and you could even use your own home or garden if you like.”
For example, Natural Endings’ Ms Grant arranged a funeral in the home of a lady who had taught piano. “The coffin was placed next to her grand piano and her family, who were all musical, brought their instruments and played during the ceremony. It was beautiful.”
Other venues that could be considered include museums, wedding barns, pubs and football grounds. And even if you do decide to stick to the crematorium, Adrian Pink, owner of Town and Country Funeral Directors in Surrey, suggests checking the fee.
“Some charge less for an early morning service,” he says. “This could save you £100 or so.”
There is no need to go for the traditional black hearse and limos either. As well as hiring a more unusual hearse such as a motorcycle and sidecar hearse or a camper van, it’s also possible to use your own vehicle.
“I’ve spoken to families who’ve been told they have to use a hearse or that they need special insurance for transporting a corpse. Neither is true,” says Ms Inman-Cook. “If your vehicle is large enough and you’re happy to do it, use your own car.”
Make it personal
It can even help to make the funeral more personal. For example, Ms Grant arranged a funeral for a young woman who had run a cleaning business, with the coffin transported in her pink work van, and has also seen an old ambulance used and a flat-bed truck carry the coffin at a roadie’s funeral.
As well as the service itself, you may also want to consider some of the associated charges, in particular those for looking after the deceased before the funeral.
“You can keep the body at home if you like, but you do need to be realistic about this,” says Ms Inman-Cook. “You’ll need ice packs, and I wouldn’t recommend doing this for anything longer than six days.”
If you do want to do this, it is worth having support from a funeral director.
Ms Grant explains: “I kept my mum at home when she died for the three days before the burial and my funeral director came in each day to help. Now that I’m a funeral director it’s something I will do for families too.”
Although very few people might consider looking after the deceased at home, many will find themselves being asked whether they would like to have them embalmed. With overtones of the Egyptian pharaohs and often referred to as a hygienic treatment, this is an invasive chemical procedure that stops the body’s natural processes.
“It isn’t something I’d want for myself or my family and it’s not really necessary now we have refrigeration,” says Ms Grant. “However, it can be useful if someone has died suddenly and the family can’t get there for a while.”
Go direct
Another low-cost option is a direct disposal. With these, the body is cremated or, less commonly, buried without a funeral ceremony. “It puts the farewell back into the hands of the family,” says Mr Cowling. “They can then arrange their own memorial service or party as they wish.”
Around 5% of people, including celebrities such as David Bowie and John Lennon, have a direct burial or cremation and, because it doesn’t have all the trappings of a funeral service, it can be much cheaper.
As an example, Town and Country Funeral Directors charges £1,550 for a direct, or no-fuss, cremation. Some providers quote fees of less than £1,000, but, check the details as these can be headline rates without disbursements such as the crematorium and doctor’s fee, which add a further £600 or more to the cost.
Many elements are exactly the same as a more traditional funeral. “We’d collect and look after the person, sort all the necessary paperwork and visit the family to discuss arrangements,” explains Mr Pink. “On the day, we’d take the person, in a simple wooden coffin, to the crematorium where they would be cremated. The ashes can be returned to the family the following day.”
He adds that, although no one attends the funeral, he always notifies the family when it’s taking place. “Some people like to mark the occasion,” he adds. “The family might have a gathering, and one lady told me she was going for a ride on her horse to remember them.”
It’s not for everyone, though. Ms Grant says that seeing the coffin in a funeral service can be very beneficial to the grieving process. There is also no provision for viewing the body with direct disposal services. “Some people do change their mind about whether or not to see the deceased,” she adds. “This can be difficult if you’ve opted for a direct cremation.”
Donate your body
For an even cheaper farewell, it’s also possible to donate your body to science, where it could be used for research purposes or to help train healthcare professionals. If you choose this, you’ll need to complete the necessary paperwork with a licensed medical school, tell your family and GP, and keep a copy of the consent form with your will.
Eighty-year-old Garry Crowley from Somerset plans to do just this. “I’d like to be part of some research if it helps others in some way, but I also hate the way some funeral directors play on people’s emotions to up the costs,” he explains.
Donating your body can potentially sidestep all funeral expenses, although depending on when and where you die, your family may have to pay for a funeral director to take your body initially.
There is also the chance that the body won’t be accepted.
Ms Inman-Cook explains: “Have a plan B as there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to take the donation. If you die during a holiday period or you have certain medical conditions, including transmissible disease, pressure sores and cancer, it won’t always be possible.”
But whether you want to have a traditional service, three days of partying or you would prefer to donate your body to a medical school, there are plenty of ways to have a respectful and dignified funeral that won’t break the bank.
“It was a very personal and special day”
When Jonnie Crouch died in 2015 at the age of 57, his friends wanted to give him the send-off he deserved.
“He’d struggled with cancer for seven years, so it was really important for me and Jonnie’s best friend, Dominic, to remember what he was like,” says his friend Gaynor Edwards.
“We wanted to celebrate his life and have the good memories.”
Although he’d known it was coming, he’d not really talked about his funeral. “We had a conversation not long before he died where he said he’d like everyone to be given wild flower seeds but other than that it was up to me,” says Gaynor.
So, with some help from his friends, she put together a day of celebrations of Jonnie’s life. “We invited everyone to send in photos and memories and used this in the service and to create a slide show,” says Gaynor. “Some of his oldest friends from school carried the coffin and the crematorium staff even bent the rules to let me bring our dog. It was a very personal and special day.”
Transport for guests was also arranged, with Gaynor hiring a Routemaster bus, signed ‘Crouch End’ to take people from Tunbridge Wells station to the crematorium and on to the wake. “It was brilliant as it gave everyone a chance to chat about Jonnie. There wasn’t a dry eye in the service but we all came off the bus laughing,” says Gaynor. “We wanted to give him a good send-off and he got it.
“Don’t feel you have to stick with tradition”
Neil McCain, a funeral celebrant in Dorset, says: “Funerals are changing. Although it can still be appropriate to have a very traditional, religious ceremony, more and more people are seeing a funeral as a way to celebrate someone’s life. This change is reflected in the funeral services I take, which range from those with hymns and prayers in a crematorium through to celebrations in village halls and on boats.
“One lady even took her husband’s order of service on a road trip, visiting friends and family around the world so they could remember and celebrate his life. Whatever they did, each has been personal and an opportunity to share memories of the deceased, with everything from opera singers, naughty poems and even some dad dancing and swearing.
Don’t feel you have to stick with tradition or be led by the funeral director: what is important is that the day is what you want. A good funeral director and celebrant will support you and help you make the funeral a special way to remember your loved one.”
Funeral plans
Funeral plans ensure that, whatever happens, there is money available to meet at least some of the costs. Many funeral directors offer a suite of pre-paid plans, allowing you to select the type of funeral and coffin you want. These are available at today’s prices, either paid for in instalments or a one-off payment and, no matter when you die, your chosen funeral will be covered.
Some insurers also offer pre-paid plans. For example, SunLife works with funeral provider Golden Charter to offer three plans – standard, at £3,625, select, at £3,995 and premier, at £4,540. “Once you’ve paid this, your family will just need to contact your allocated funeral director and they will do the rest,” says Graham Jones, commercial director at SunLife.
But before taking out a plan, Charles Cowling, author of The Good Funeral Guide, has the following advice. “The trouble with many plans is you’re tied to a particular funeral director or chain. This is fi ne if everyone is happy with the arrangements,” he says. “If there is any doubt, it might be better to leave a pot of money so family and friends can give you the send-off they want.
USEFUL CONTACTS
Funeral Choice, Yourfuneral choice.com, tel: 01983 754387
The Natural Death Centre, Naturaldeath. org.uk, tel: 01962 712690
The Good Funeral Guide, Goodfuneralguide. co.uk
Human Tissue Authority, Hta.gov.uk, tel: 020 7269 1900
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Work From Home: 5 Companies That Hire Remote Workers
If working from home is your dream, you’ve probably seen your share of job postings and business opportunities that promise way more than they deliver.
We try to highlight more viable home-based jobs and businesses, like being a search engine evaluator. But “business” implies unpredictability, and many online jobs are part-time.
That’s great for some readers, but others may want a more predictable and consistent paycheck.
So I went hunting for legitimate, full-time work-from-home job opportunities — and some of them even offer benefits.
Can You Really Work From Home Full Time?
Many work-from-home jobs are available in the customer service realm.
Large corporations often contract smaller companies to provide phone and online customer service, and these smaller companies specifically hire home workers. Typically you’ll spend the day on the phone in front of your computer and will answer calls or respond to questions online.
For example, my friend worked as a home-based online support specialist for AFNI (which only rarely hires at-home workers), and some of its clients were appliance makers and sellers.
My friend had many tasks, including helping customers order parts and find a service technician, both on the phone and online through a live chat service.
Think back to all the times you’ve called a company for help or typed questions into an online help box. The people you dealt with could have been working at home, which gives you some idea of the kind of work you might be doing.
How Much Could You Get Paid?
Although these positions generally don’t pay high wages, many do provide a regular paycheck and health insurance, among other benefits.
For example, Convergys work-from-home jobs come with “a full benefit package with medical, dental and vision coverage.” The company offers a 401(k) plan, and reimburses employees for college tuition.
As a Convergys agent, you take customer calls and provide other services for large corporations. The company has clients in industries like automotive, communications and media, financial services and many more.
5 Companies That Often Offer Work-From-Home Customer Service Jobs
If you’re having trouble getting started on your work-from-home job search, these five companies often hire work-from-home employees.
Just keep an eye on them.
If you want a particular type of work, ask about what you’ll be doing before accepting the job.
1. SYKES Home
Sykes hires agents to work from home throughout the United States and Canada. The company encourages you to “join the team of 6,000 agents across North America who accept inbound calls routed virtually to their homes.” Apply to work for the company here.
Pay: Glassdoor shows wages ranging from $9.09 to $10.41 per hour. For U.S. employees, Sykes offers health care and 401(k) contributions.
2. TeleTech
Although TeleTech offers many customer service jobs at call centers across the U.S., the company also hires at-home workers. Just look for the listings with “work from home” or “Remote” under “Location.”
Pay: Indeed shows wages varying by position, with a range from $9.05 to $12.84 per hour. Glassdoor lists health and dental plans and a 401(k) as some of TeleTech’s benefits.
3. VIPdesk Connect
Like many of these companies, VIPdesk Connect provides “outsourced customer service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
Pay: Glassdoor shows pay of about $10 per hour, and the company says it provides paid vacation days; performance incentives; and (for full-time workers) medical, dental and vision insurance.
4. iQor
You’ll find this statement on the iQor website: “You’ve got energy, enthusiasm, drive and determination. We’ve got benefits, flexible schedules, and a career path that rewards performance with growth and opportunity.” Is that you?
Pay: Glassdoor says the average wage is about $10 an hour. Benefits listed on Glassdoor include performance bonuses, paid time off and health and dental insurance.
5. Convergys
Convergys is consistently hiring work-from-home customer service representatives. If it’s not now, just keep an eye on its listings.
Pay: What you’ll get paid depends largely on your location, but Glassdoor reports salaries in the $10 range.
Other Work-From-Home Jobs
Because you’d work for a company that contracts services to a variety of clients, the work you do could change as clients fluctuate.
You might spend months explaining to customers how to set up smart TVs, and then become a complaint handler when your employer gets a new client. You could even end up as a debt collector.
But if customer service just isn’t your jam, there are plenty of other work-from-home opportunities out there.
Work-From-Home Job Sites
Take a look at these job-search sites and do your own personalized searches. Also, keep an eye on The Penny Hoarder’s Facebook jobs page. There, you’ll see the most up-to-date listings we’ve found.
You should also check out this page on ZipRecruiter, the country’s fastest-growing online job site. You can find work-from-home jobs based on your location.
Work for Yourself
You could also consider working for yourself and striking up your own work-from-home business. That’s even better, because oftentimes you can pick and choose your own schedule.
And no, starting a business isn’t easy. But there are a ton of online courses out there to get you started.
Here are a few that are tailored to different trades:
- Transcribe Anywhere offers a free introductory mini-course so you can see if this is the best route for you. We spoke to a mom who works part time and banks about $2,000 a month as a transcriptionist.
- Proofread Anywhere offers a free 45-minute introductory course. One mom tried this out because she desperately needed a flexible schedule, and now she makes up to $1,200 a month picking and choosing when she works — from home.
The Upsides and Downsides of Work-From-Home Jobs
Research shows home workers are more productive. As Jeri Hector, a home-based online support specialist, explains:
“…there is no background noise in my apartment. This means that it is much easier to help my customers and lowers my irritation factor greatly.”
Ah, but there are always downsides…
Apparently you have to be seen to be appreciated by your coworkers, so, if it’s possible, you might want to get out of the house and show up at the office once in a while. (Plus, you might start feeling a little lonely — and lose a little too much sleep.)
Steve Gillman is the author of “101 Weird Ways to Make Money” and creator of EveryWayToMakeMoney.com. He’s been a repo-man, walking stick carver, search engine evaluator, house flipper, tram driver, process server, mock juror, and roulette croupier, but of more than 100 ways he has made money, writing is his favorite (so far).
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, 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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Questions About Mobile Devices, Trailer Homes, Weddings, Dave Ramsey, and More!
What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Trailer home dilemma
2. Rolling annuity into IRA
3. Political encouragement
4. When to replace rechargeable batteries
5. Upgrading electronic devices
6. Maintaining electronic devices
7. Mobile device security
8. Dave Ramsey and his courses
9. Buying house with temp job
10. Small car for commuting
11. Seasonal affective disorder advice
12. Wedding advice
One of the most consistent problems I’ve found in my life – something that is also a pretty big inherent flaw in myself – is that the instincts I have in the moment don’t always line up with the best intentioned conscious plans that I have in my head.
If I give something a lot of rational thought outside of the heat of the moment, I’ll often recognize that certain behaviors and choices are really what’s best for me in the long run. In fact, it often seems obvious.
Then, in the heat of the moment when I am faced with a choice regarding that aspect of my life, I don’t always make the choice that is consciously the best one for me. Usually, this comes in the form of a short term desire subverting a long term desire or need (or, as my wife likes to call them, cookies).
The thing to remember is that it’s not all or nothing, and that the real battle is training those unconscious impulses so that you start moving naturally toward success.
For me, the real frontier in becoming a more financially successful person – and a better all-around person – is to continually work on those instincts and on the underlying principles that I unconsciously use to make instinctive decisions. That takes time, but if one can start to correct them and build better ones, one will end up with a much better life over the long term.
Q1: Trailer home dilemma
My husband is about to get a job offer that will advance his career. The position will likely last just a few years, but will be a stepping stone to move into the filed he’s been preparing for.
The big downside to the job is that we will be moving to Silicon Valley, which has the highest real estate costs you can imagine. Sub-1K sq ft houses go for $600K and up, and rent on a decent 2-bedroom apartment will likely be $2500/mo. His pay will be increasing, but not at the same rate that our housing costs will increase. I don;t want to jump into buying in that market, especially since we don;t know if we’ll stay more than 2-3 years. He doesn’t want to pay $30K a year for an apartment and just toss that money away. So we’ve hit upon what might be a crazy solution. We’re very seriously considering buying an RV-type travel trailer and living in an RV park.
Even looking at new prices, we could get a 26-ft trailer with a slideout (for more floor space) and bunks at the back with a queen up front for around $25K. If we buy used, we could likely find something for even less. RV park monthly rates in the area range from $1K-2K a month, but we’d own our trailer and would be able to sell it later or move it with us if we decide to move on. (Note, I am talking about a camping trailer, not a mobile home. Mobile homes still sell for about $400K in that area)
What makes this slightly crazy is that we also have two small children, ages 2 and 3. This is why we’re looking for a trailer with bunks at one end and a queen bed at the other, so the kids have space and we have privacy. We’ve gone to a local RV store and sat in a few trailers of this size, thinking about if we could seriously live in this. We would also have a pseudo-free storage space in the area thanks to generosity from a previous employer.
TL;DR: We’re moving to a very high cost of living area, and are considering living in a large camping trailer for at least a year with two small kids. Are we crazy? What would you do faced with this situation?
– Sarah
I have zero objections to this situation provided that the trailer is in a safe area. Your objective is to provide food, shelter, clothing, safety, and love for those children and for the two of you, and you can more than adequately do that in a large camping trailer for a very long time.
In fact, you won’t be alone in doing this in the Silicon Valley area. I know of a family – an old, distant college friend – who did that with his wife and a small child for a year in the Silicon Valley area, except they actually lived in a tent somewhere. I do not know the specifics, but they lived that way for about ten months before he found a really good job outside of the Valley and they moved on. That job and situation turned out to be the springboard for a very good life.
Part of the reason that such situations seem “wrong” is that many people are acclimated to the idea that families must live in a nice house somewhere or at least in a nice apartment. That’s often not true and is in fact unnecessary, particularly when they’re young. Young children mostly need love and appropriate attention and their basic needs cared for. You can easily provide that here.
Q2: Rolling annuity into IRA
Can one roll a pre-tax annuity into an IRA or other retirement vehicle (403b, 401k, etc.)?. My wife has a small annuity from early in her career when she wasn’t eligible for a retirement account. She’s since started a 403b with Vanguard while the annuity has just been sitting there. We’d like to simplify our retirement accounts and are interested in rolling this over, even though it’s only a small amount.
– Connie
I don’t know the specifics of the plan in question. In general, IRAs and other retirement vehicles can only accept rollovers from qualified annuities. Since I don’t know the specifics of the annuity, I can’t answer your question.
How can you find out? Contact Vanguard and talk to them about the annuity you have and whether it is qualified to be rolled over. They’re going to want that money under their management, so if it can be rolled over legally, they’ll definitely tell you how to do so.
Don’t contact the current manager of the annuity, as they have no business interest in helping you roll it over. Focus on the recipient – in this case, Vanguard.
Q3: Political encouragement
Just read your comment about possibly running for your local city council. I highly recommend it. I’ve been on our local council for six years and find it very rewarding and a great opportunity to contribute and positively influence (in my opinion ) the community. It takes a bit of financial investment for campaigning, etc., but well worth it. You’d be great. I’m also a moderate and there is still a place for us in politics!
– Angela
Thanks for the encouragement. As I have become slowly more involved in my local community, I’ve begun to really notice the impact of lots of local issues and it has raised some desire in me to become a more active participant in the decision making process.
However, it turns out that a good friend of ours, someone we are very much on the same page with in terms of community issues, is strongly considering running, and I have no interest in running against her. In fact, I’m much more likely to help out her campaign, along with my wife.
The words of encouragement are appreciated, though.
Next, we have a series of interrelated questions from the same reader.
Q4: When to replace rechargeable batteries
1. My laptop (7 years old old) and smartphone (3 years old) are both starting to get a bit sluggish when it comes to performance. How do I know it’s time to replace them?
– Jim
It’s time to replace them when you can no longer do the tasks that you need to do with those devices. What tasks are you trying to do that are severely impaired or impossible? If you can’t name any, then it’s not time to upgrade yet.
In general, I replace hardware only when it fails or when software or hardware support begins to disappear for the key pieces of software that I use. That’s why I’m using several-year-old computers for quite a few things and I still have a several generation old smartphone.
I don’t see the need to upgrade anything if my current devices can already do all of the things I need.
Q5: Upgrading electronic devices
2. When replacing devices, should you try to buy the same model you had previously, the next one in line, or the latest version? For example, should you replace an iPhone 5 with another iPhone 5, an iPhone 6, or an iPhone X?
– Jim
Here’s how I figure things out. I estimate how many years it’s been since the device I’m replacing was brand new. Let’s say it was four years.
Then, I look at the devices for sale and ask how many years are left in that device before I replace it. A brand new phone would have four years. A year old phone would have three. A two year old model would have two.
Based on that, I figure out the cost per year of my use. If the brand new phone is $500, then the cost per year of use is $125. If the one year old phone is $300, then the cost per year of use is $100, and the one year old phone is a better bargain.
I do that with almost every hardware replacement, whether it’s a phone or a tablet or a laptop or a desktop computer.
Q6: Maintaining electronic devices
3. When you get new devices, what’s the best way to keep them working at their peak?
– Jim
Honestly, it depends on the device, so your best bet is to simply read the manufacturer’s instructions (for starters) and any usage guides out there. They’ll usually tell you whether you should completely run the battery down before charging it or whether you should leave it on the charger or not.
Different battery types and different devices have different optimal usage, so there isn’t just a ready-made answer for anything. Some devices work better with one practice, while others do better with a different practice.
The key is always to do the research regarding the exact device you have.
Q7: Mobile device security
4. How do you make sure all your data is safe on your devices? I’m paranoid about having one of them crash and/or stolen, which would be a hassle from a security perspective and a pain in terms of getting everything set up again.
– Jim
No data online is ever perfectly safe. What you should be doing is making sure that your data isn’t “low hanging fruit,” meaning that the work needed to get at your data is going to be long and intense enough that a hacker won’t bother.
A few simple steps to take:
– Have different passwords at each important site that you use. If you don’t want a random person in that account, it should have a unique password. Make it something uncommon, too – don’t just use a common word. Mix it up with letters and numbers and symbols.
– Don’t store passwords on your device for any important accounts. While it’s inconvenient to do so, it’s far more secure to type in the password each time you use it.
– Get software updates for everything as soon as they’re available. Check for updates every time you turn on the device. 99% of the time, this is the route for best security.
– Never click on a link in an email. If you get something from, say, eBay, go to eBay in a web browser without clicking a link.
If you follow those practices, you’re ahead of the vast majority of people and your devices aren’t going to be easy targets.
Q8: Dave Ramsey and his courses
Dave [Ramsey] doesn’t exactly avoid the trappings of consumerism. Have a look at his newish house. He tends to get snappish if questioned. I took [his] course expecting some major revelations; however, anything worthwhile in it can be found online, free.
– Carrie
I think it’s sometimes difficult to compare lifestyles. If you have two people – one making $30,000 a year and the other making $300,000 a year – and both follow a basic principle of saving 25% of their income each year for the future, one will have to live on $22,500 a year, while the other lives on $225,000 a year. The latter one is going to have more luxury trappings, even though they’re following the same principles.
This is why income is such an important part of looking at personal finance. It’s also why it’s sometimes hard to compare nitty gritty specifics between people and why broader principles tend to make more sense across lots of different people and situations.
I do agree with you that virtually everything one would need to know about personal finance can be found for free online. I think what people pay for is a particular voice and style and consistency. Dave is a “coach” – sure, he’s saying common sense things, but he does it in a particular strong “coaching” style that really clicks with some people. The things he’s actually encouraging people to do are straightforward and found everywhere.
Q9: Buying house with temp job
I work at a public hospital as a temp. Replacement. On call unless I receive a contract. I have been with my partner for about 3 years now and have been looking at buying a house. I have no debt and in the last 4 years I have been able to put 15k away (which is around the 5% needed for downpayment in my province). For the first 2 years on the work force, I had a full time permanent 40 hour week job. No pension, low pay scale. I decided to further my career and work for the goverment for the past 2 years. So far out of 2 years I have had only 9 days no pay because of no work. This summer we made an offer on a house and were about to buy it for 230k but in the end, because of events on the sellers part (death, lying on reports, water damage, etc) we pulled out. In the spring, I sold my old beater car and leased a 2017 Corolla at 0% interest with the intentions of buying it out. My coworker who has been a permanent employee for years was giving me advice and was saying that I should not buy a house until I have a permanent post ( which can take 1-8 years to acquire) or wait until I have the money. Is it wise for me to continue looking at houses to buy in early spring or am I making a mistake and should wait like my coworker mentioned? What is your take on this?
– Sandra
You are a temp employee, which means that it is extremely easy for your employer to let you go if they decide you aren’t needed any more. What happens to that house, should you buy it, if you go in the next day and your employer says goodbye?
Do you have the financial resources to keep the house for a while? Does everything fall apart immediately? How easily can you become re-employed? Can you sell before you can’t pay the mortgage?
Part of a successful mortgage is the reliability of employment of the homeowner. If your job is a temporary one, not only are you running some risk with that mortgage, you may find that banks don’t want to lend you money, either.
I think you should wait until you’re permanent unless you have substantial unmentioned financial resources.
Q10: Small car for commuting
I now have my first job that’s not within walking distance of home. Which means I need to buy a car for the first time in my life. What do you suggest for a vehicle that’s primarily for commuting? I don’t want a tiny car that I feel cramped in but other than that no requirements.
– Tim
My default manufacturer of choice is Toyota. If I don’t have any extra reason to move to another manufacturer, I’ll choose a Toyota, as I feel they offer the best bang for the buck of any major car manufacturer.
I would shoot for a late model used Toyota entry-level car, preferably with a hybrid engine to get really good fuel efficiency. Look around for a two to four year old Prius, Camry, or Corolla. The Camry is the largest of the three and probably the least fuel efficient; the Prius is probably the smallest and the most fuel efficient.
If I were you, I’d go to a Toyota dealer and test drive all three to see what fits for you, then leave the lot without buying. After that, I’d contact several dealers and tell them you’re looking for a 2-4 year old well maintained version of your model of choice. See which one offers you the best deal and take it.
Q11: Seasonal affective disorder advice
I get the winter blues pretty badly each year. A good friend says that I probably have seasonal affective disorder. I looked into things you can do for it and they’re all expensive and seem unnecessary, like buying a light box. What are some frugal ways to handle this?
– Jenna
I get the winter blues, too. I do have a light box that I purchased a decade ago but I actually don’t find it to be all that effective and haven’t actually used it in a few years. Instead, I do four things that I actually believe make a difference for me.
First, I eat more vegetables and fruits. I eat a plant-heavy diet all year, but I make a strong effort to eat lots of fruits and vegetables in the late fall and throughout the winter.
Second, I have full spectrum lighting in areas where I spend a lot of time. My office has full spectrum lights, as do some of the lights in the main living areas of our home.
Third, I go outside whenever I possibly can. Iowa winters are cold (it’s really cold as I write this), but I still try to get outside as much as possible. I’ll take our dog for a walk or go on foot to the post office or just challenge myself to walk around the block. This is admittedly much easier on milder days.
Finally, I just move around as much as possible. I do some exercises at home, like jumping jacks or leg lifts or squats or planks, just enough to make myself sweat a little, and I do that a few times a day. I find that there’s a nice burst of energy after doing this, plus there’s a long tail of improved wakefulness that lasts for quite a while with a low intensity.
Q12: Wedding advice
I am 28/F and getting married in the fall after accepting a proposal on NYE! Yay! I do not want an expensive wedding though and my husband to be is on board too. The problem is that both of our mothers already have visions and plans of some crazy wedding which they seem to assume we’re going to pay for. Advice? Did you deal with this for your wedding?
– Aimee
This is your wedding. Do it how you want. If your mother and your future mother-in-law want to throw out grandiose visions, let them. In the end, though, it is your wedding. Just make that clear to them.
This is particularly true if you’re the ones footing the bill. If someone else is paying the bills, sure, you can let them have some input, but even then, they don’t control your wedding. It is your big day. If it’s all on you financially, though, then it is your event and they can decide whether or not they want to accept the invitation.
Listen to their daydreams. Nod. Smile. Then plan the wedding that the two of you want. If your mother or his mother isn’t a fan of that, well, it’s not their wedding and they can decide for themselves whether they want to accept the invitation to your wedding.
Got any questions? The best way to ask is to follow me on Facebook and ask questions directly there. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future mailbag (which, by way of full disclosure, may also get re-posted on other websites that pick up my blog). However, I do receive many, many questions per week, so I may not necessarily be able to answer yours.
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3 Ways to Avoid Credit Card Interest and Save More Than $900/Year
Credit cards are like matches. They’re awfully handy to have around, and there’ll be times when you really, really need one.
But if you’re not careful, they can burn you.
We’ve told too many stories about people who’ve gotten singed when they let their credit card debt get out of control.
We love our plastic.
Americans’ total credit card debt continued to climb throughout 2017, reaching an estimated $905 billion — a nearly 8% increase over the previous year, according to a NerdWallet analysis.
NerdWallet identified two kinds of credit card users: “transactors” and “revolvers.” (Yes, we know these sound like two new kinds of Transformer robots or something. Just hear us out, okay?)
“Transactors” are basically using their credit cards as simple debit cards. They pay off their credit card balances in full every month, so they avoid paying any interest.
As you might have guessed, most of us are not in that category.
Meanwhile, “revolvers” carry credit card debt from one month to the next, paying interest at double-digit rates. More than 60% of credit card users fall into this category.
(Full disclosure: I’m a revolver, even though I’m trying not to be one.)
The survey says an average U.S. household with revolving credit card debt carried a balance of $6,081 as of mid-2017.
“Assuming an interest rate of 14.87% — the current average — that balance would incur $904 in interest per year,” says NerdWallet.
How to Stop Wasting Money on Credit Card Interest
How can you avoid paying all that credit card interest? Your best bet is to cut back on your expenses as much as possible, and pay off your balance as soon as you realistically can.
Simple, right? Just kidding.
Here are some other steps you could take:
1. Figure out What You’re Dealing With
Map out your debt.
Which companies do you owe money to? Are any of your debts in collections?
An easy way to do this is to sign up with a free service like Credit Sesame. It shows your balance on any unpaid bills, credit cards or loans. It also offers tips to reduce your debt and raise your credit score.
2. Choose the Best Rewards Credit Card
If you use credit cards responsibly and pay them off each month, you can reap the rewards. But with so many cards offering different kinds of rewards deals, it’s easy to get lost.
We’ll start you off with one recommendation: the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.
Its claim to fame? You’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all your purchases. Plus, if you spend $500 in your first three months of opening the card (hi, groceries), you’ll pocket a $150 bonus. There’s no annual fee, either.
We checked Credible’s annual rewards calculator, and it estimates $417 in annual rewards based on our spending habits.* (You can enter your unique spending habits and see what you’d earn, too.)
Get signed up — 0% intro APR for 15 months — here.
3. Compare Other Cards
Look around at other credit card options. To do this, we suggest trying out Birch Finance, a platform that offers customized recommendations and comparisons.
You connect your current cards to the platform. It analyzes your habits and spits out the best, most optimized card suggestions for you. You can pick and choose from several cards and compare potential rewards.
*Annual Rewards amounts will change based on the amounts you enter. The monthly spending category names and definitions may vary among issuers, and categories may not align one-to-one.
Mike Brassfield (mike@thepennyhoarder.com) is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder. He hates being a revolver.
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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Eight Steps to Stop Overspending When You Don’t Know Where to Start
While the reasons might vary, the truth is Americans seem to have a penchant for debt and overspending. By and large, we’re spending all we earn and then some, charging what we can’t afford on our credit cards, and borrowing more than we need for homes, cars, and even furniture.
A recent CareerBuilder survey of thousands of U.S. workers and employers across industries revealed that 78% of households are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
But is it all our fault? Heck, no. Obviously, some of our issues aren’t personal but economic in nature; stagnant wages and a rising cost of living have made it harder to save, for example. And while the official unemployment rate was a slim 4.1% in December, not everyone is in a job that pays enough to cover their bills.
Regardless, part of the American struggle – at least for some of us – can be traced to our own poor financial habits. For every person drowning in medical debt or laid off from their job, there are several more who overspend just to keep up with the Joneses’ or because they don’t have a good grasp on what they can really afford.
Eight Tips to Stop Overspending
If you’re someone who lives paycheck to paycheck despite earning a decent income – or you keep finding yourself in the overspending-by-choice category – you’re probably wondering what to do next. How do you start living on less when you’re already struggling to make it to payday? And how do you change bad habits you’ve had for decades?
The reality is, putting a halt to overspending isn’t easy – and you may even need professional help. In the meantime, it never hurts to try to replace bad spending habits with good ones – or at least try to prevent overspending before it happens.
But, what is the best way to get started when you don’t know any other way? We reached out to financial planners and money bloggers to see how they curtailed their behavior over time. Here’s what they said:
#1: Nip problem areas in the bud.
One common culprit of overspending is plain ol’ convenience. The fact that credit cards are so easy to use is one of the reasons people get into credit card debt, after all. You just swipe your card and worry about it later, and you may not even get a bill in the mail for weeks.
If you want to avoid overspending, one of the best things you can do is nip problem areas like this in the bud. If you find yourself racking up credit card debt because it’s overly convenient, for example, putting your cards away in a drawer is a smart way to limit their use.
Money blogger Jessi Fearon says one of her biggest issues used to be shopping on Amazon.com. As a stay-at-home parent to three children, Fearon says she got accustomed to shopping on Amazon because she gets two-day delivery and it helps her avoid lugging her kids to the store.
Unfortunately, Fearon quickly found out that Amazon made shopping a little too easy. And before she knew it, she was spending way more than her budget on anything she wanted.
To fix this situation, Fearon says she and her husband agreed on a “No Amazon Month” where neither one of them could purchase anything online. She stuck post-it notes on their computers and even took her debit card off her Amazon profile.
It was tougher than she thought it would be, but the blogger says she eventually overcame her Amazon addiction.
The bottom line: Figure out what your problem areas are and find ways to limit your exposure. That could mean hiding your credit cards, staying out of tempting stores, or simply removing saved cards from your online shopping profiles.
#2: Set up rules to prevent impulse purchases.
Tom Drake, Canadian blogger and the founder of MapleMoney, says he used to have a weakness for impulse purchases. There’s always a new gadget to buy or a great sale going on, he says. If you’re not actively limiting yourself, it’s far too easy to shop until you drop – or until you’ve spent all your money and then some.
To limit his impulse shopping, Drake says he set up a new rule where he had to wait 24 hours before he purchased anything over $100.
“Basically, if I saw something in a flyer or while browsing online, I would wait until the next day to decide if I still wanted to buy it,” he says.
Drake says this strategy works well for him because, once you get past the initial rush of getting excited about a possible purchase, your enthusiasm usually wanes. Waiting 24 hours also gives you time to research the item, compare prices, and review your budget and savings goals to see if you can truly afford it.
#3: Switch to a cash-only diet.
While some people can use credit cards without racking up debt or spending too much, not everyone has the discipline, the desire, or the time to keep track of their purchases and their credit card balances. One way to avoid racking up debt is to switch to paying cash for everything – or at least all your purchases that fall within specific categories.
Budgeting blogger Mitchell Walker of The Pouch Plan Budget says he and his partner started controlling their spending by prefunding categories they previously overspent in with cash. For his family, these categories included groceries, dining out, entertainment, and gifts.
From there, they had to learn to stretch the cash they had for each category until the end of the month.
“If we were tempted to spend more than we had budgeted, we had to decide which category was going to take the hit for the overspending,” he says.
This strategy not only made them think about all their purchases, but it also made them stick with their monthly budget for the most part.
The bottom line: It’s much harder to overspend cash than it is to lose track with credit or even debit. For that reason, switching to cash-only or even the envelope budgeting method is a smart way to get yourself back on track.
#4: Look for ways to avoid temptation.
Sometimes our lifestyles work against our financial goals. Either we work in a job that causes us to spend money, we live a little too close to our favorite store or the mall, or we constantly find ourselves in situations where people around us urge us to overspend.
Either way, seeking out ways to limit temptation can be a key to success. And sometimes the change we really need is drastic.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, the blogger behind Making Sense of Cents, says her past life working in clothing retail became a financial burden over time. Because she worked in a clothing store and received a big discount as an employee, she felt compelled to shop all the time.
Eventually, she realized she had a spending problem that would only end in disaster. “I was spending so much of my money and was hurting in other areas, mainly with paying my bills and an exploding closet that was full of waste,” she says.
Eventually, she quit her job to get away from the situation, she says. After that, she avoided the mall and other situations that made her more tempted to spend. These days, the blogger lives full-time in an RV, so there’s no room for excess clothing anyway, she says.
#5: Start using a budget.
If you overspend each month and can’t figure out where you go wrong, it might be time to start using a monthly budget. Your budget doesn’t have to be overly complicated, nor do you have to use computer software if you don’t want to. The main key to budgeting is figuring out how much you earn and writing out how much you plan to spend on bills and discretionary categories like food, entertainment, and savings.
Arizona financial planner Charles C. Scott says that, when he first started budgeting, he started with a simple list of bills, wants, and needs.
He gave the bills and needs categories priority he says, then took some time to figure out which “wants” he wanted to splurge on each month.
Taking the time to budget this way helped Scott realize how unimportant his wants were over time, he says. And while he still splurges occasionally, he feels that writing everything down and truly thinking through each purchase helps him limit impulse shopping and waste.
#6: Set up separate bank accounts for categories where you overspend.
If there are areas of your budget where you always over-do it, setting up a separate account to cover those purchases may help you learn to live within limits. This is what Kate Horrell did when she got tired of overspending at the grocery store, and she says it works rather well.
It all started when she realized she couldn’t keep track of her grocery spending, she says. Not only did food purchases get lumped in with other spending, but it was hard for her to keep track of her husband’s food spending, too.
To keep things under control, Horrell set up a separate bank account for groceries with its own debit cards.
“Each payday, the grocery budget is transferred to the grocery account, and all purchases are made using those debit cards,” she says. “It’s so much easier to keep track, and there’s no way to go over budget.”
- Related: The Best Free Checking Account
#7: Track your spending.
Another way to get real with your spending is to track every purchase you make. When you track your spending, it’s impossible to hide from financial decisions or continue living in denial.
While there are plenty of different ways to track your spending every month, financial advisor David Niggel of Key Wealth Partners says he and his wife started using a Google Doc to track their purchases.
While this took a lot of work and some time to get used to, Niggel says tracking their spending has made a huge difference in their bottom line. With all of their purchases listed in one place, it’s been easier for the pair to assess their budget each month to see where they might have gotten off track.
“Every dollar and cent counts and adds up over time,” he says. And if you don’t take the time to track your purchases, it’s far too easy for your dollars and cents to disappear.
#8: Find cheaper ways to get what you want.
Finally, you don’t have to cut everything out of your life to get your spending back on track. In some cases, you might just need to find ways to spend less on what you want.
If you love shopping and prefer nicer brands, for example, consider shopping at consignment stores to buy used high-end clothing at a discount. If you love a nice beer or a superb bottle of wine, drink at home instead of heading out to the local bar every weekend. If you’re a foodie who loves fine dining, take some time to learn how to cook so you don’t have to pay outrageous restaurant prices all the time.
No matter your indulgence, it’s possible to find a way to get it for less if you’re willing to try.
Deacon Hayes of Well Kept Wallet says one big indulgence he used to splurge on was good coffee. The thing is, he didn’t want to drink the good stuff at home; he wanted to go to a nice coffee shop and have someone else brew it for him.
But, we all know how that works – how the infamous “latte factor,” coined by money expert David Bach, drains away our expendable income week after week and month after month.
Hayes says he eventually bought a nice coffee maker and quit visiting the coffee shop altogether. And now he gets the same quality coffee each morning without the $5-per-day price tag.
This strategy isn’t rocket science, but it can make a big difference in how much you can save each month. You may not be able to avoid spending altogether, but spending less for what you want will leave you better off.
Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer and the author of Zero Down Your Debt. Johnson shares her obsession with frugality, budgeting, and travel at ClubThrifty.com.
Related Articles:
- 10 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Saving Money
- Eight Money Mistakes the Middle Class Keeps Making
- Saving Enough for Retirement When Money Is Tight
- The $15 Retirement Plan
How do you trick yourself into staying within your budget? What strategies would you add to this list?
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